Don't Squeal Unless It's a Big Deal: A Tale of Tattletales by Jeanie Franz Ransom
Appropriate Age Range: 4-8 years
What this book is all about:
Mrs. McNeal's class is full of tatetales who are frequently tatteling on one another. Mrs. McNeal creates a new rule, "Don't Squeal Unless It's a Big Deal" as she helps her studetns feel both validated while also figuring out the difference between Big deals and kid-sized problems.
Why you might want to read it:
Using both humor and warmth this book provides its readers with easy to follow guidelines on when to tell an adult about a problem versus when its a kid-sized problem they can try to solve first. The book also includes a helpful note to teachers and parents with supports and resources.
3 Questions for you to ask your children after reading it:
Why do you think Megan told Mrs. McNeal about Frankie calling Sookie a name? Why did Mrs. McNeal not want her to tell even thought she was trying to help?
There were lots of "squeals" in this story. Let's come up together with ways Mrs.McNeal's class could have resolved some of the problems on their own.
What are some other times in which something is a "big deal" and should be told?