Big Al by Andrew Clements
Big Al by Andrew Clements is a great book about not judging people by their "cover". This is a children's picture book about a big, scary-looking fish named AL who just wants to find a friend. Even though Al appears to be mean, he is actually the nicest fish in the entire ocean. Later on in the book, Al tries to do all these things to "fit in" with the other fish, but nothing ever works. At the end of the book, he finally was able to make bonds with friends because Al saved the other fish from being captured in a net. Overall, this book is a great story for reminding the readers that actions speak louder than words and looks can be deceiving.
I would use this book in kindergarten through the third grade. I would use this book to implement character education, and how I expect my students to be with their "friends" throughout the school year.
Lexile Level: 880L
