The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens

The Little Red Pen written by Janet Stevens. (Published 2011). 48 pgs. L 300. RL 2. Int Lvl k-3. This picture book tells the funny, pun-filled story of how many school supplies team up to correct all the ungraded papers left on a teacher's desk at night.

Kirkus Reviews (March 15, 2011)

Obviously inspired by "The Little Red Hen," this goes beyond the foundation tale's basic moral about work ethic to explore problem solving, teamwork and doing one's best. Nighttime at school brings the Little Red Pen out of the drawer to correct papers, usually aided by other common school supplies. But not this time. Too afraid of being broken, worn out, dull, lost or, worst of all, put in the "Pit of No Return" (aka trash), they hide in the drawer despite the Little Red Pen's insistence that the world will end if the papers do not get corrected. But even with her drive she cannot do it all herself-her efforts send her to the Pit. It takes the ingenuity and cooperation of every desk supply to accomplish her rescue and to get all the papers graded, thereby saving the world. The authors work in lots of clever wordplay that will appeal to adult readers, as will the spicy character of Chincheta, the Mexican pushpin. Stevens' delightfully expressive desk supplies were created with paint, ink and plenty of real school supplies. Without a doubt, she has captured their true personalities: the buck-toothed stapler, bespectacled scissors and rather empty-headed eraser. Teachers will certainly find themselves wishing for their own arsenal of supplies to help them with their grading, and students may take a second glance at that innocuous-looking red pen on the teacher's desk. (Picture book. 5-8)

Don't let the idea of "just a picture book" keep you from reading this hilarious, creative book to your older students. Beyond the entertaining story itself, this read aloud is a gold mine for teaching all sorts of figurative language, poetic elements, dialogue, theme, connections, cause/effect, and problem/solution to any class. It is a mentor text that every teacher should have to make learning fun. After reading it to my class, my students created a whole bulletin board of personification inspired by The Little Red Pen.

Posted by Liz Stafford