Bibliographic Information: Henkes, K. (1991). Chrysanthemum. New York: Mulberry.
Brief Annotation: Chrysanthemum loves her name. But when she goes to school, everyone makes fun of her - until a new teacher comes along.
Genre: Storybook; Animal Fantasy
Grade Level: K-2
Readers who will like this: Children on the first day of school; children who like stories with animals as the main character; children who have been teased
Rating/Response: 4; This charming book shows how heart-breaking teasing and bullying can be, and it never fails to get students' interest. I love how well Henkes captures the excitement and fears of starting school.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever been teased?