Story Ideas for Lower Elementary

Grades 1-3

This lower elementary selection focuses on strong oral narratives, humor, folktales, clever problem-solvers, and stories that support character and curriculum themes.

Anansi Martina the Beautiful Cockroach

Featured Story List

  • Epossumondas
    Coleen Salley
  • Anansi
    Eric A. Kimmel
  • Martina the Beautiful Cockroach
    Carmen Deedy
  • Teeny Weeny Bop
    Margaret Read MacDonald
  • A Necklace of Raindrops
    Joan Aiken
  • Fat Cat
    Margaret Read MacDonald
  • Go to Sleep, Gecko!
    Margaret Read MacDonald
  • Mabela the Clever
    Margaret Read MacDonald
  • Guji Guji
    Chih-Yuan Chen

Best Fit

These stories work especially well for trickster units, global folktales, repeated language, comparison work, and listening-based responses. Hundreds more stories are also available by request.

Trickster energy: Anansi, Mabela the Clever

Playful performance: Epossumondas, Teeny Weeny Bop, Fat Cat

Character and empathy: Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, Guji Guji

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