Wishes 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
"Wishes" by Muon Thi Van is a heartwarming and magical children's book that explores the power of family and bravery as it provides the story and journey of a family's struggles through immigration. The story follows a Vietnamese family as they pack up all their things and begin their long and scary journey to a new home. The main character in the story is a young girl sharing many wishes with readers such as the clock wishing it were slower, the home wishing it were closer, and the little girl wishing she didn't have to wish anymore. Through enchanting illustrations and evocative prose, the book celebrates the little things in life while also showing readers the long and scary journey that many families had to go through. "Wishes" reminds readers to appreciate their family, school, and the roof over their head because many children and families were not as fortunate and had to go through a lot to receive the little things in life. By the end of the story, the girl and her family finally make it to their new home after all their struggles and worries.
 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.
- Encourage students to use their summarizing and retelling strategies.
- Help students to analyze what the author’s purpose for writing the book might be.
- Analyze the illustrations in the story. Discuss how they provide meaning that the words might not.
- Discuss the different characters in the story and analyze their thoughts and actions.
- Use examples from the book to teach a lesson on subject and predicate.
- Discuss what it means to persevere and why it is important.
- Explore the theme of gratitude and have students brainstorm ways they can help show gratitude.
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.
- A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
- Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
- The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster
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!
