Stuart Little – A Literature Unit
Stuart Little is a book with great appeal to several age groups. It is so appealing that it was turned into a “live action” movie and will soon see a sequel. Use the following activities with the book and compare the book to the movie for even more fun.
Book Summary:
How terribly surprised the Little family must have been when their second child turned out to be a small mouse. Apparently familiar with the axiom that "when in New York City, anything can happen," the Littles accept young Stuart into their family unquestioningly--with the exception of Snowbell the cat who is unable to overcome his instinctive dislike for the little mouse. They build him a bed from a matchbox, and supply him with all of the accoutrements a young mouse could need. Mrs. Little even fashions him a suit, because baby clothes would obviously be unsuitable for such a sophisticated mouse. In return, Stuart helps his tall family with errant Ping-Pong balls that roll outside of their reach. – Amazon.com review
About the Author:
For an indepth biography of this author check out the following sites --
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/ebwhite.htm
http://www.harperchildrens.com/hch/author/author/white/
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/white.htm
Suggested Vocabulary:
belittling
contented
gazing
infant
inquired
modesty
peered
prominent
promptly
shrill
shy
solemnly
sorrow
sourvenir
vigorous
Suggested Questions and Activities:
1. Describe Stuart’s appearance. Draw a picture of him from the description given in the book. If you watch the movie, compare his appearance in the movie to the way they describe him in the book.
2. Would you like to be two inches tall? Why or why no?
3. What were some of the helpful things that Stuart did around the house.
4. What were some of the things that the Little family did to make Stuart’s life easier despite his small size?
5. What is the difference between fantasy and reality? What things happen in the book that could be real? What things in the book are fantasy?
6. Learn about having a pet mouse.
Other books by E.B. White:
The Trumpet of the Swan
Charlotte’s Web
