Amazing Grace (Reading Rainbow Books)

Author had written 40 books prior to this book. Multicultural book.

This was one of my favorite reads out of the picture books I am including in my library. Grace is confident, persistent, and an aspiring talent. I am amazed at the spirit that is shown in her character. I love books that encourage children to pursue the things they want in life. She breaks through

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the barrier of potential prejudice (e.g., not being able to play Peter Pan because she is a girl) by persisting and doing her very best, and being herself to boot. Amazing Grace would be a good read aloud AND independent reading text for the 1st and 2nd grade classrooms expecially.

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Amazing Grace is a great book about a girl who loves to read. Her favorite stories are adventure and fairy tales. She loves to act the stories out, and one day her class is putting on a play. She wants to be the lead part, but some kids told her that she couldn’t b/c she is a girl and black. You

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she through the eyes of Grace what it feels like to be told you can’t do something and how it feels to overcome it.

As a reader this book brought me back to my younger days when I would play castle and build forts. This is a great book is great at showing you wants rejections feels like. The illustrations are ok, but they add a lot to the story.

As a teacher this book would be great to show students that no matter what you look like you can do and be anything to want. Great book.

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This book is about a little girl named Grace. Grace loved stories, hearing them, reading them and most off all, acting them out. Through stories and imagination, Grace became many things: from Joan of Arc to Aladdin. One day Grace’s teacher announced that the class would be holding try outs for

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the play Peter Pan. Grace knew she would make a great Peter Pan but another child announced to her that she would not be right for Peter Pan. She said to Grace, “You can’t be Peter Pan…he isn’t black.” Another child told her that she couldn’t be Peter Pan because Peter is a boys name, therefore, the part needed to be played by a boy. When Grace told her Mother and Nana about what the children said to her, her mother was angry, but her Nana used it as a “teachable moment.” She taught Grace that she could do anything she wanted to do if she set her mind to it. Grace’s Nana took her to a play in the city where she knew of a girl that was cast for the main role of Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet despite the fact she was black. This inspired Grace. Grace did try out for her school play. She got the role of Peter pan and she was, “amazing.”

This was a great story, one that teaches us to look outside the box. In a world that is in need of breaking cultural barriers, Amazing Grace shows us how to take a step in that direction. In school it always seemed that the same people were cast for leading roles, whether it was in theater, sports etc. I was glad to see that Grace went after what she wanted, and because she was the best, she got the leading role.

This would be a great book to have in a classroom library. It is a book that might inspire a child to try something new. I think that as a classroom extension idea, I would have children write in their journals about an experience they, or someone they know has had that is similar to Grace’s experience. I would also read this story and then cast children for a play giving them parts that are most unlike them in real life. It would be a great opportunity for the children experience being someone different for a moment.

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This book was about a young African American girl named Grace that loves to act out stories whether they are books, movie, made up or existing. One day in class the teacher announced that the class would do a play Peter Pan and asked to see who wanted to be Peter Pan and of course Grace wanted to

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be Peter Pan. While at school Grace was told by fellow students that she could not be Peter Pan due to her not being male and again since Peter Pan was not black. Grace was upset once.She arrived home she went old her mother and Nana which told her that she can do anything that she puts her mind to it. Nana took Grace to town to see romeo and Juliet which had an African American ballerina in and Nana reminded her that if she put her mind to it she could achieve it. At the auditions Grace got the part of Peter Pan and she did an excellant job.

I liked this book especially since no matter who you are as long as you put your mind to it you can achieve everything that you want to achieve which is a good message to send to all children of any age.

Some extension ideas are to have a class play for the parents and let the children audition for a part, or at center time allow the children to dress up and act out a small play in the classroom.

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Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman is about a girl named Grace who loved to be different characters. Every moment of the day she would act out different characters from either books, movies, plays, historical icons, or just what she thought up in her head. One day in class, her teacher announced that

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they would be doing the play Peter Pan. Grace knew that she wanted to be Peter Pan but the other kids did not think that she could be. They told her she couldn’t be Peter because it’s a boys name and the she was black and Peter was not. Of course Grace was up set but Nana took Grace out to show her that she can be anything she wants to be. At school, they did the try-outs and everyone voted for Grace to be Peter because she was “fantastic!”

I loved this book. Every child has an imagination. However, many children do not express it as much as they should because of all the criticism in the world. I think that all parents should make sure their children know that they can do anything as long as they put their minds to it.

A great way to use this book in the classroom is when the class is about to do a play, read the book to them so they understand that even if it is a boy part, a girl can play it. It does not matter what age, gender, or race you are, it does not create limitations.

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Summary: This book is about a little girl who has an amazing imagination, and she loves to play different parts as many things. For instance, it was so cute when she played Peter Pan and Hiawatha. She loves for her grandmother to read to her and then pretend to be that character that was dicussed

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in the book.

Personal Reaction: I can definitely relate to this book since I have a 3 year old who is always saying things like "that's me, that's you" out of a story that we would be reading at that particular time.

Classroom Extensions: Students would write in their journals what they want to be when they grow up and describe why.

Students will also paint a picture of what they decided to be when they grow up and present it to the class.

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A young girl with an active imagination wants to be the lead in the school play. Her classmates discourage her and tell her she can't do it. Dejected she goes to her grandmother who teaches her that you can be anything you want to be.

This book is about a little girl who has a BIG imagination. She goes on all kinds of adventures all while never leaving her house. When her teacher at school tells her class they are going to do the play Peter Pan, Grace makes up her mind she is going to BE Peter Pan. However some of the kids in

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her class try to discourage her by telling her she cannot be Peter Pan because she is a girl and because she is black. After some encouragement from her mother and grandmother she realizes she can do anything she sets her mind to, including being Peter Pan.
I loved this book because it is truly the story of the underdog. We all get discouraged from time to time and for some reason we let our peers decide what we can and can’t do. If it weren’t for people like Grace’s mother and grandmother in our lives to keep us going, none of us would get anywhere.
Amazing Grace would be perfect to read in your classroom during black history month, to a group of young girls, or to any group of children who are having problems with self esteem, whether they are the ones being brought down or bringing down other people. You could also use this to get kids to think about what person in their lives helps keep them going when things start to get them down. If it were around Thanksgiving, you could have them write that person a thank you for all their inspiration.

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K-3. This was a great story about a little girl with a big imagination who liked to act out different parts of the stories that her Nana told her. Auditions were being held for a school play, Peter Pan and Grace knew she wanted to be Peter. Two students told her that she couldn't be Peter because

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he was a boy and she wasn't white. Well, Nana decided to prove to Grace that she could be anything she wanted no matter her race or gender. Grace got the part in the play as Peter and she knew she could do anything she wanted if she practiced really hard and believed in herself.

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The story of a little girl who loves movies and stories, and loves to become all the characters she reads about.

Gracie loves hearing stories and acting them out. One day while she was sitting in class her teacher asks the classroom who would like to play the lead in the role in the play Peter Pan. Gracie is of course the first one to raise her hand, yet instead of being supported by her classmates she is put

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down. She is told that she is can’t play the role because for one she isn’t a boy and for two she is black. She races home to tell her Nana and she sets her straight. Her Nana tells Gracie that she can do anything she sets her mind to. So Gracie does not give up and becomes Peter Pan, just as she desires. Her classmates learn to look past the stereotypes and they see Gracie’s true inner talent.

I love the will power Gracie expresses throughout this book. Even though she is put down and told that she cannot do something she doesn’t let that stop her from doing what she really want to do. This takes a lot to do when facing peer pressure.

In the classroom I would have the kids make a drawing of themselves playing a role of someone who they would like to be for a day. I would also do a character study with the class where they discuss amongst each other what qualities they admire in Gracie. Next we would create a chart and brainstorm words that could be used to describe Gracie.

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I really enjoyed reading, "Amazing Grace." I would read this book to second or third graders. This book is about a young African American girl who wants to be Peter Pan in her school play. The students teased her and said that she could not be Peter Pan because she was a girl and because she was

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black. The little girl practiced all weekend to be the best Peter Pan at the auditions. When the young girl was annouced Peter Pan she was so happy! All the children told her that she did the best job and that she was going to be great. I think that this book teaches children to not judge a book by its cover. No matter gender, race, the clothes you wear, or who your parents are, you can be great at anything.

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This book is about a young girl named, Grace. Grace is a little girl with a big imagination. She has grown up loving and listening to stories and putting herself as characters. Her teacher announced that they were putting on the play Peter Pan and would be having auditions the following week. Grace

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instantly was set on being Peter Pan. Her classmates felt they needed to remind her that she was not white and she was not a boy; Grace did not understand why this mattered because she had always been all the wonderful characters out of stories no matter their gender or color. Suddenly, Grace was confused and her spirits dropped, although she had great family to boost her up, Grace practiced all weekend and became Peter Pan in the play.
I really enjoyed this story because it allows children to open their eyes a little more than what is heard or seen in their home enviroment. Children are often pre-programmed of gender and race before they attend school. I feel that this would be a great book to read in my first grade class. Great flowing story with terrific pictures.
In the classroom, we could have each child right the roles of a female and the roles of a male in their mind.
In the classroom, we could have them write a story when the have had positive reinforcement like Grace did from her family.

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This is a story about an African American girl named Grace. She wanted to be in the school play. The play was Peter Pan. She was reminded by her classmates that Peter Pan was white, and she was not, and Peter pan was a boy, and she was not. Very determined to the part, she did not let any of those

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obsticles stop her and she finally gets the part.

I love inspirational stories that pan out agaisnt all odds and that is what happened in this story.

We could use this book to talk about determination, and how not giving up is the most important thing no matter what your color or gender.

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This story is about a little girl, Grace, who gets told that she cannot be a part in the school play because she is a girl and she is black. Through the encouragement of her family, she realizes she can do whatever she puts her mind to!

Amazing is a story a little who has a creative imagination and she enjoys pretending to be anyone she wants to be; such as Joan of Arc, an Indian and most if all Peter Pan. This was the first time I read this book and it is wonderful how Grace was very multi-cultural. Grace shows children that they

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can be anything they want to be using their imagination. Children can look at the illustration and imitate the customs she wear from everyday household materials.

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This is a book about a little girl named Grace who loves stories. She likes to act out and be the main character in all of the stories. This book shows readers that if they put their mind to something then they can accomplish it.

Grace loves to act out stories. Her school decides recreate the play "Peter Pan". Grace longs to play Peter, but classmates say that Peter was a boy, and besides, he wasn't black. But her mum says she can do anything if she puts her mind to it. Grace proves she can be the best Peter Pan in spite of

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classmates telling her she can't because she's female and black.

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This book is about a little girl named Grace who proves she can be the best Peter Pan possible in spite of classmates telling her she can not because she is a female and because she is black.

I like this book because to me it gives children encouragement, especially girls and let them know that they

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can do whatever or become whatever they want in this world all they have to do is apply themselves.

I would incorporate this book into my classroom by getting my students to write about or talk about something they have been told they can not do and explaining the outcome.

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Grace is a little girl who loves stories. She uses her wonderful imagination to act out every story she comes across. She is determined to play the title role in the school play - Peter Pan. Her classmates tell her she can't be Peter Pan because she is a girl and because she is black. With the

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support of her mother and Nana, Grace realizes thats he can be anything she wants to be, and by pouring her heart and soul into her audition she wins the coveted role.
This is an inspiring story about the value of imagination and the belief that there is nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it.

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Grace loves stories, whether making them up, listening to them, or reading them. In addition, Grace always acts out the stories she listens to because she has a wonderful imagination. When her teacher announces a classroom production for Peter Pan, Grace wants to play the lead. However, two

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problems arise: Grace is black and she is a girl. However, with her mother and grandmother’s support, Grace believes that she can do anything that she puts her mind to. The story sends a message that we can do anything as long as we believe in ourselves, regardless what others say.

This story is meaningful because a female character sends a positive message that females are just as capable and intelligent as male counterparts.

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Grace is exploring her independence by acting out various roles in her dramatic play. Through this adventure she discovers who she really wants to be.
Source: Pierce College Library
Ages: 4-6

This is another book that I frequently read throughout my childhood. The stories message is a positive outlook on diversity and skin color. Grace is told that she can't play peter pan because she is black. The main character then spends the rest of the book proving that she can be anything she

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wants to be. This book is so powerful because it takes such an important life lesson and puts in a way that kids can understand and relate too. Grace dresses up as different characters which also touches on the importance of using your imagination. This story discusses race, diversity, imagination and theater all in a way that primary aged children can understand.

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