Fables date back to early times, but their messages still have meaning in everyday life. Arnold Lobel's originals in Fables are especially easy to connect with. With morals that remind us to be ourselves, to have patience, to persevere, and more, these fables teach life's lessons with plenty of humor. Try these suggestions to explore the structure and meaning of fables.

• Ask: “What do you notice about the fables we're reading?” (For example, they are all animal stories.)
• Leave off the moral at the end and invite children to tell what they think each story teaches. (They may come up with more than one idea.) Record their responses and guide them to recognize that fables are stories that teach lessons.
• Ask: “Can you think of a time you felt like one of the animals in the story? What did you learn?”