The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

Fiction
3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade

There once was a train that took toys and treats to the children over the mountain. One day the trip got to be too much for the train and she had to stop. The toys' hearts were broken and they knew that some other engine just had to come help them. The first engine, was a passenger engine, who refused to help. The next engine was a freight engine, he refused to help because he had just worked hard pulling machines over the mountain. The third engine to come by was a rusty engine that complained about being tired and said he needed to rest. The toys begin giving up hope until a little blue engine came by. The engine was small and was only used for switching trains in the yard. The engine felt sorry for the toys, so he agreed to help pull them. As the engine was climbing up the mountain it kept repeating to its self "I think I can," and the engine did! Because of the engine's kindness and motivation the toys and treats were able to reach all the children.


I will read this book to my students on the first day of school. I will explain to them that there are going to be things that they feel like they can't do but to remember if they believe in themselves they can do anything. I will explain to them that just like the Little Blue Engine helped the train I will be there to help them throughout the year. And throughout the entire year if a child becomes frustrated because something gets too hard I will remind them of the Little Engine That Could!