Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes
Written by Margie Palatini:  Illustrated by Barry Moser

(From the book jacket) Fox eyed a bunch of tantalizing grapes hanging from a vine growing high on a tree. “Those juicy morsels are for me,” he said with a grin. The problem was, Fox was only so high…and the grapes were so, so, so, high. “No matter,” said he. “I am sly. Clever. Smart. After all, I am a fox.” He made a plan….And what a plan it is!  Here Margie Palatini and Barry Moser, give an ingenious and hilarious twist the well-loved Aesop’s  fable “The Fox and the Grapes.”

Biographical Sketches:
Margie Palatini is the author of many celebrated children's books. Ms. Palatini enjoys having the opportunity to meet and interact with children during school visits. She says, “It’s a special treat knowing my unique presentations not only bring laughter and fun, but also encourage and inspire the students with their own creative talents.” She lives in Plainfield, New Jersey, with her husband Richard, son Jamie, and their cat, J. B. 

Barry Moser was born in Tennessee, and was schooled at Auburn University, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and then did graduate work at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has works in many prestigious collections including the Metropolitan Museum, the British Museum, Harvard, Princeton and the Library of Congress. Mr. Moser's body of work includes almost 200 titles, including Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, which won the National Book Award for Design and Illustration in 1983.

Suggested Activities:
1.  Read the title aloud to the children, ask them to make predictions about the subject of the story.

2.  Ask children if they liked the story. Then ask questions about the story; for example, how did Fox try to get the grapes? Did he listen to the advice from the other animals? At the beginning of the story, did Fox want the grapes? Did he want them at the end of the story?  Why?

3.  Ask the children to draw a picture of an alternative way for Fox to get the grapes.

4.  Discuss what a fable is;
      i.e. fabrication: a deliberately false or improbable account or a short moral story (often with animal characters)

5. Discover the differences between tall tales, fairy tales and fables.

6.  Have the children individually or in small groups create their own fable to reinforce a useful truth.
7.  Have the children create a performance piece. Perhaps prepare a puppet show to demonstrate their understanding of how a fable is constructed ask them to include the lesson to be learned.

8.  Write words from the story on index cards. Put the cards in a bag. Have children close their eyes and choose a card, then read the card to their partner. Their partner tries to find it in the book.

9. Create a word wall with these words or other unfamiliar words of the student’s choice.

Books Written by Margie Palantini (in part):
Oink? Illustrated by: Henry Cole.  Scholastic Inc., 2007.
Piggie Pie! Illustrated by:Howard Fine. Sandpiper, 1997.
Sweet Tooth Illustrated  by: Jack E. Davis. Simon & Schuster, 2005.
The Three Silly Billies  Illustrated by  Barry Moser. Simon & Schuster, 2005.
Bad Boys. Illustrated by Henry Cole. Katherine Tegen Books,  2006.

Books Illustrated by Barry Moser (in part):
Jump! The Adventures of Brer Rabbit by Joel Chandler Harris et. Al. Voyager, 1997.
Once Upon a Twice  by Denise Doyen. Random House Books, 2009.
Psalm 21 by Barry Moser Zonderkidz, 2008.

Companion Books:
Emberly, Rebecca, Chicken Little. Illustrated by Ed Emberly.  Roaring Brook Press, 2009.
Evans, Leah Beth, A Different Kind of Hero. Illustrated by Colleen Gedrich.Tribute Books. 2007.
Harris, Joel Chandler, The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit. Running Press Kids 2008
Lobel, Arnold, Fables. Harper Collins. 1983.
Milbourne, Anna . Aesop's Fables. Illustrated by Gillian Doherty. Usborne Books. 2005.
Pinkney, Jerry, The Lion & the Mouse. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2009.

Websites:
Children’s Classical Literature: http://www.storyit.com/Classics/Stories/aesop.htm 
Aesop’s Fables: http://www.aesops-fables.org.uk
Kid’s Fables: http://www.kidsfables.com
Margie Palatini: www.margiepalatini.com
Barry Moser bibliography: http://www.amazon.com/Barry- Barry Moser/e/B000AQ4RA8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1270735005&sr=1-2-ent