Comparing and Contrasting Classic Picture Books VS. Postmodern Picture Books

Here's an idea! It's an interesting concept to allow your students to explore literature throughout the threads of time. Have a variety of books about friendship and bullying, both classic (Frog and Toad are Friends, Corduroy, Swimmy) and postmodern books (nonlinear narrative form story books- see Literature and the Child). Have students vote upon several they would like to read as a class. Before they vote, give them time during your SSR or DEAR time to preview these books (look at the cover, illustrations, author, etc). Once students vote, read each of these books and discuss their similarities  and differences about characters, settings, plots (whether a similar problem/solution arises). You'd be surprised at what you'll find!

Complete a Venn Diagram (as a class) and have students write a compare and contrast essay that depicts the similarities and differences between the characters, their problems and how the solutions to those problems.