Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace 

 Author: Mary Hoffman

Illustrator: Caroline Binch

Genre: Fiction

Ages: Grades K-2

Themes: Hard Work

Summary: Grace is a young girl who loves to hear stories. She decides she wants to play the part of Peter in the play Peter Pan at her school. Grace wants the part badly even though she is not a boy and she is African American. Her classmates tell her she can't be Peter because of these things but she is determined to do it anyways. 

Pre-Reading Activity: Predictions about what might happen in the story. Have a list of things that may or may not happen and have the students tell whether they agree or disagree (anticipatory guide).

Post-Reading Activity: Look back over the Anticipatory Guide to see if predictions were correct. Students need to share about a time they wanted something but were told they couldn't do it. Explain how things went and what the obstacles were they had to overcome.

Reflection: This is a great book to use to encourage students to have determination. It is an easy book for students to relate to and they can easily understand issues that Grace faces. 

About the Author

Mary Hoffman

Mary Hoffman was born in a small town in New Hampshire. Her family moved to London when she was three. She has written over 90 books for children and teenagers. She wrote the character of Grace a lot like her own self at nine years old. She loved stories and had a similar personality to Grace's. She was thrilled with how popular her series on Grace became.

(www.barnesandnoble.com)