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Usborne First Reading Level 3
The Little Red Hen
A little red hen plants, harvests, and grinds the wheat all by herself, but her friends rat, duck, and cat want to help her eat the bread that is made from it.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 1899
9 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Susanna Davidson
158 books19 followersSusanna Davidson also writes as Zanna Davidson.
She joined Usborne Publishing almost straight out of university and has been writing books for them pretty much ever since. She has written about everything from dinosaurs to the Queen to Fairy Ponies and tiny monsters, small enough to fit in your pocket. She is also a mum of two boys and works from home, where she spends most of her time talking to the dog and trying not to eat too much cheese.
She joined Usborne Publishing almost straight out of university and has been writing books for them pretty much ever since. She has written about everything from dinosaurs to the Queen to Fairy Ponies and tiny monsters, small enough to fit in your pocket. She is also a mum of two boys and works from home, where she spends most of her time talking to the dog and trying not to eat too much cheese.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 27, 2022
Kimse düşünmedi ekmeği yapabileceğini tabi dalga geçtiler bu tavuk uğraştı didindi yaptı ekmeğini tabi sizin gibi şerefsiz hıyarlara vermicek uzaktan mal gibi bakın
December 4, 2021
The Little Red Hen
By Susanna Davidson
Illustrated by Daniel Postgate
There are many many versions of this story. (Interesting fact: it was first published in St Nicholas Magazine, a periodical for children, in 1894 – the same magazine that serialized books by Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and others.)
The story is very simple. A hen finds some wheat as she is scratching in the yard. She plants it, nourishes it, harvests it, mills it into flour, and bakes some bread. She asks her companions, other farm animals, for their help at every step – and they all refuse until the last step. When she asks who wants to eat the bread, they all gather around. And then she says, “I did all the work, and I’m going to eat it all myself.”(In some versions, she shares it with her chicks.)
Some versions add a lot of extra matter, giving each animal more personality and even adding more activities. And several also add a sort of postscript to the story, explaining the Little Red Hen’s actions and how the other animals reacted to it – learned their lesson, so to speak.
I feel the story is best as it was originally told, as it is here, without the extras. It creates almost a song for children, as each animal says, “Not I,” and then the hen says, “I’ll do it myself.” And each child knows – or figures out – that the best way to finish any task is to share it.
It is a mainstay of childhood. A simple lesson learned by a very practical perception of how things get done. And it’s fun to read, fun to tell, fun to learn to read.
By Susanna Davidson
Illustrated by Daniel Postgate
There are many many versions of this story. (Interesting fact: it was first published in St Nicholas Magazine, a periodical for children, in 1894 – the same magazine that serialized books by Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and others.)
The story is very simple. A hen finds some wheat as she is scratching in the yard. She plants it, nourishes it, harvests it, mills it into flour, and bakes some bread. She asks her companions, other farm animals, for their help at every step – and they all refuse until the last step. When she asks who wants to eat the bread, they all gather around. And then she says, “I did all the work, and I’m going to eat it all myself.”(In some versions, she shares it with her chicks.)
Some versions add a lot of extra matter, giving each animal more personality and even adding more activities. And several also add a sort of postscript to the story, explaining the Little Red Hen’s actions and how the other animals reacted to it – learned their lesson, so to speak.
I feel the story is best as it was originally told, as it is here, without the extras. It creates almost a song for children, as each animal says, “Not I,” and then the hen says, “I’ll do it myself.” And each child knows – or figures out – that the best way to finish any task is to share it.
It is a mainstay of childhood. A simple lesson learned by a very practical perception of how things get done. And it’s fun to read, fun to tell, fun to learn to read.
September 3, 2019
The Little Red Hen is a first independent reading book. Aimed at children that have mastered the skill of reading sufficiently to be able to access this on their own. The moral of the story is that hard work pays off however this book could also be used to discuss sharing and friendship issues. I like this book because it gives children the independence needed to read for pleasure but also gives them the opportunity to consider the moral of the story.
April 20, 2018
Ті казочки, які нам більше підходять за віком, чомусь краще йдуть англійською, ніж українською. Малий трохи засумував, що друзям хліба не дісталося, бо у цій же казці від видавництва Usborne, яку ми читали раніше, кінцівка була більш позитивною: курочка приберегла для друзів зерна, вони добре попрацювали весь наступний рік і потім всі випекли по хлібині.
April 9, 2024
A fun story about hard work and helping your friends. If you want the reward, you have to put in the effort. If you want to share in the reward, then you have to help. Nobody likes a free loader. There is extra satisfaction in working for what you need.
October 18, 2017
This book is a moral lesson for children. This book shows children how it is important to be friends to others and to help others.
March 26, 2018
"I will just have to eat this bread by myself"Doesn't she deserve the same?
December 21, 2021
It gets its message across! 😄
May 26, 2023
Soooo gooood💝 that a good price for hard work
July 7, 2023
Nicely illustrated retelling of a classic story with large font and repetitive text, suitable for emerging readers aged 5+
February 3, 2018
The Usborne First Reading series are great, the pictures are fun and bright and the print is a great size and easy to read for kids. I love that it almost feels like a chapter book in your hands but is very simple to read with only two sentences per page. :0)
This is the story of the little red hen who finds some wheat seeds one day. She decides she’s going to grow them and bake her own bread. She ends up doing all the work herself as her friends the Cat, Duck and Rat are too lazy to help her. When the Hen finally finishes baking her bread her friends want to help her eat it but the Hen will have none of it.
I remember growing up with these old stories and they always kind of stuck with me. The moral being helping your friends and if you want something you have to work for it. I think they are good lessons for children.
This is the story of the little red hen who finds some wheat seeds one day. She decides she’s going to grow them and bake her own bread. She ends up doing all the work herself as her friends the Cat, Duck and Rat are too lazy to help her. When the Hen finally finishes baking her bread her friends want to help her eat it but the Hen will have none of it.
I remember growing up with these old stories and they always kind of stuck with me. The moral being helping your friends and if you want something you have to work for it. I think they are good lessons for children.
September 19, 2012
The Little Red Hen
The Little Red Hen is an awesome book. It’s a about a Hen who ends up doing all the work because she leaves with a lazy cat, dog and a mouse but then the little Red Hen teaches them a lesson about hard work by not sharing the cake she without their help.
Learning Experience
I will read the Little Red Hen to the children. We will then discuss the importance of team work. We will also talk about having a part to help in our home, school and in our community. Such as helping to clean up, recycling, helping our friends or parents etc.
The Little Red Hen is an awesome book. It’s a about a Hen who ends up doing all the work because she leaves with a lazy cat, dog and a mouse but then the little Red Hen teaches them a lesson about hard work by not sharing the cake she without their help.
Learning Experience
I will read the Little Red Hen to the children. We will then discuss the importance of team work. We will also talk about having a part to help in our home, school and in our community. Such as helping to clean up, recycling, helping our friends or parents etc.
April 9, 2017
A different ending reinvigorates this story - 4*
I need to show the children in my class that fairy-tales are tales, which were first orally read before written down and one way to show this is how many fairytales don't have the same ending.
I quite liked this ending to this story as it was more about 'sharing' and the Little Red Hen didn't just eat the bread all to her.
I need to show the children in my class that fairy-tales are tales, which were first orally read before written down and one way to show this is how many fairytales don't have the same ending.
I quite liked this ending to this story as it was more about 'sharing' and the Little Red Hen didn't just eat the bread all to her.
November 13, 2009
These Usborne readers are fantastic! The illustrations are very well-done and the stories are excellent. Hannah and Matthew are both reading these and love them! I appreciate books for "new" readers that aren't insulting or dumbed down. I would love to own the entire set of these readers...
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March 4, 2014My Niece found it great
October 9, 2017
This is a good book for students who are learning to read because of the repetition used. It also contains a great moral lesson of helping your friends and not to expect any reward if you did not put in the work.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews