Your child is reading “Leah’s Pony” by Elizabeth Friedrich. This Depression-era story tells about Leah, who must make a difficult decision when her family’s farm is devastated by drought and dust storms. You may enjoy discussing the story and doing these activities with your child. Together you can develop and expand your child’s anguage skills.
More Stories About the Past
Talk with your child about some historical facts he or she learned from “Leah’s Pony.” You may be able to find these
historical fiction books in your local library:
• Dust for Dinner by Ann Turner, HarperCollins, 1997.
• Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell. Greenwillow, 1997.
• Going West by Jean Van Leeuwen. Puffin, 1997.
Hard Times
Your child can interview you or other family members about disasters such as floods, droughts, or blizzards. Help him or her record answers to questions such as these: Did your community ever experience a natural disaster? What kind of disaster was it? What do you remember about that time? How did neighbors help one another? How did you and your neighbors help one another? How did you and your neighbors rebuild the community? Your child may wish to share the interview with classmates after he or she finishes reading “Leah’s Pony.”
