Wilfred is part of our Starts With a Story Collection, which includes more than 550 picture book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Learn more about this children’s book below! - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
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SUMMARY
"Wilfred" by Ryan T. Higgins is a heartwarming and humorous picture book that explores the power of friendship and self-acceptance. The story follows a giant named Wilfred who was lonely and just wanted a friend. Wilfred adventures around and finds an odd little town where bald people lived. Wilfred joins the bald people and becomes friends with a bossy little boy. Although the giant appreciated the company, Wilfred's kindness starts to get taken advantage of. The giant stops coming around to play with the little boy, who takes a moment to think about his actions and realizes he needs to do something to get his friend Wilfred to come back! Through Higgins' witty illustrations and clever dialogue, the book showcases the importance of kindness, embracing differences and finding joy in unexpected connections. "Wilfred" delivers a gentle message about the transformative nature of friendship and the beauty of stepping outside one's comfort zone. By the end of the story, Wilfred learns that sometimes the best things in life come from taking a leap of faith and opening your heart to new experiences and he finally finds a true bestfriend.
 USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
Our read aloud lesson plans for this picture book come with reading comprehension questions (with sample student responses), 30 writing prompts, teaching ideas for grammar skills, social emotional learning discussion ideas, and more. Check out our list below to get a sneak peek at some of the skills this resource teaches.
- Discuss the different characters in the story and analyze their thoughts and actions.
- Cause and effect can be a difficult skill for students. This book is a perfect mentor text for teaching this skill.
- Practice making inferences throughout the story and after reading.
- Discuss the various transition words found in the story.
- Practice identifying conjunctions using examples from the story.
- Use this book to discuss a variety of emotions with students and how to manage them.
- Discuss friendship and the qualities that make a good friend.
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30Â writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
This book is a must have for your school or classroom library. Your students are going to love completing these activities for the book and you will be impressed with how much they learn. You will want to read this book to your class every year.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will love the similar books listed below, which can all be found in our free picture book list.
- We Will Rock Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
- We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
- Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
It's hard to explain how amazing the Starts with a Story book companions are because there is just so much goodness included in each one. It's best if you experience using one for yourself. Sign up below & we'll send you an entire book companion to try out for FREE!
