The Magic Friend-Maker




Title- The Magic Friend-Maker
Author/Retold- Gladys Baker Bond
Illustrated by Stina Nagel 
Genre- Contemporary Realistic Fiction 
Grade level- 1st - 3rd Grade

The story begins with Beth playing with her toys alone. One day, Jean, another girl came along. Beth and Jean both introduced themselves and Jean explained they just moved in. Beth saw something in Jean’s hand and Jean told her it was a rock. Jean told Beth to touch it. They took the rock upstairs and put in a pot of water to admire the colors of the rock. The rock looked new and shiny in the water, but when they took it out, it looked old. Beth asked if it was a magic rock, but jean said no. Beth didn’t think so because a rock turned a random girl into her best friend. After that they played for days and days doing a lot of fun things. Jean came over one day and said her family was moving away today. Jean came to give her the rock. They said their goodbyes and Jean thought where will I find another friend? The very next moment, a new girl named Ana came in. She was moving in next door. Anna saw the rock in Jean’s hand. Jean asked, “do you wanna touch much rock.” Anna said yes.

This is a great story with an amazing life lessons, that there will be people in your, but life will happen and they might go away. Don’t worry though, there will be someone else who walks through the door. I think new students will find this book most helpful. They are coming from a place where they had their own friends, but in this new environment they might feel alone. This story can help encourage them as they are going through the semester. I would use this book on February 15, which is friendship day. It will help set the idea about friendship and help students brainstorm on what friendship means to them.


 

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