It is both a blessing and a curse that there are so many great books out there. Lots of options, hurray! Tricky decisions, boo! I was in this situation for my 4th grade gossip/rumors lesson and it got me to really delve into the options. I’m a lucky lady that I own all of these. Here’s a quick little guide of when to pick (and not pick!) each of these that will hopefully help you when you’re trying to find the right one for your kiddos.
by MadonnaThe Lowdown: Old timey tale, all male characters. Main lessons are that things aren’t always as they seem and that it’s nearly impossible to ‘take back’ rumors once you’ve spread them. Boy sees coach take an apple without paying, tells everyone he’s a thief. Turns out, coach pays in advance! Coach tells boy to spread feathers from pillow everywhere then pick them up as an allegory for undoing the gossip.
- You want a story on the longer side.
- The seriousness/consequences of gossip/rumors is your focus.
- Your students need contemporary language and illustrations to be engaged in a story.
- Your students need examples that more closely mirror they’re issue.
Trouble Talk
The Lowdown: All female characters, heavy on relational aggression. New girl makes mean comments, repeats friends’ secrets, and spreads malicious rumors.
Pick This One If:
- You want the door opened for discussing reasons why kids spread rumors.
- You’re looking for a more serious story.
- Your male students will tune out due to it being all girls.
- Your focus is on what to do if you hear gossip/rumors (this story is more about the aggressor and victim side of things).
by Susan BowmanThe Lowdown: Rhyming story, super simple cartoon illustrations, about a llama who both repeats secrets and makes up rumors. Speaks directly to motivation behind spreading rumors and gossip.
Pick This One If:
- Attention getting is the biggest issue you’re looking to tackle
- You have a younger crowd or a small group
- Your students are over 8.
- You need a long story.
by Megan McDonaldThe Lowdown: Quick read about animals passing along a rumor and the message getting distorted. Best for 1st/2nd grade.
What James Said
The Lowdown: Girl hears that friend said something mean about her, so she gives him the cold shoulder. Turns out he actually said something nice about her.
Pick This One If:
- You’re looking for a quick read.
- You want to focus on not believing something just because someone said it.
- You’re looking for a deep, rich text.
- You want something super serious or long.
