Chrysanthemum

Author: Kevin Henkes

Title: Chrysanthemum

Illustrator: Kevin Henkes

Genre: Children's Picture Book
Subgenre: Friendship
Theme: Be happy with who you are instead of wishing you were like someone else.
Primary and secondary characters: Primary- Chrysanthemum Secondary- Her parents, classmates, and teacher.

Award(s) date of publication: 1996

Publishing Company: Mulberry

Brief Summary and how I would use this book with students: This book is about a little mouse named Chrysanthemum who loves her name until she starts school. The other mice in the class make fun of her name and tease her because it is so long. Chrysanthemum is sad and hates her name until one day her teacher tells the class that her name is long too and that she is also named after a flower. Her name is Ms. Delphinium. The class realizes that Chrysanthemum has a special name and that it is a great name. This book could be used in my classroom to teach my children to accept other students in the class that are different. Being original is a good thing and once students learn that they become more creative as well.