With a focus on social and emotional learning issues, the 2017 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book The Infamous Ratsos is an excellent resource for helping students think about self-awareness and control. Use this discussion guide to foster a dialogue about how persistence and grit are different from "toughness."
The Infamous Ratsos Discussion Guide
Excerpted from
The Infamous Ratsos
Louie and Ralphie Ratso’s dad, Big Lou, always says that there are two kinds of people: those who are tough and those who are soft. Louie and Ralphie are tough, tough, tough, just like Big Lou, and they’re going to prove it. But every time they try to show just how tough they are, the Ratso brothers end up accidentally doing good deeds instead. What’ll Big Lou do when he finds out they’ve been acting like softies all over the Big City? Perfect for emerging and reluctant readers, this clever and surprisingly warmhearted chapter book shows that being tough all the time can be really tough.
