We all worry sometimes, but most of the things we worry about will never happen. This story can help ease the beginning of the year worries about the unknown by laughing together over some of the silly things Wemberly worries about and talking about those things that may be common worries among class members.
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Summary
The main character is a little mouse named Wemberly. She is always worried. Some of her worries are little, and others are big; some are about things that could never happen. Her largest worry is about going to school. Her teacher sees there is another student who seems to be worried too. By spending time together and having fun, the new friends feel less worried and look forward to school.
Read Aloud Questions for Wemberly Worried
Before Reading
- What does it mean to be worried?
- Have you ever felt worried? What were you worried about?
- What kind of things do you think Wemberly might worry bout?
During Reading
- Which things did Wemberly worry about that could probably never happen?
- What did Wemberly do when she was worried?
- What did Wemberly’s family do when she worried?
After Reading
- How did Wemberly’s teacher try to help her?
- Why do you think Wemberly worried less after she met Jewel?
- What things can you do if you start to feel worried?
Three Ways to Connect Wemberly Worried to Standards
Past Tense Verbs
The word worried is past tense. That means it is an action word that has already happened. When you change a word from present to past tense, sometimes you just add a -d (like in the word love/loved), sometimes you have to add an -ed (like in the word play/played), if the word ends in -y (like worry), you have to change the -y to -i and then add -ed.
Alliteration
The title of the story uses alliteration. That means that two or more words are used in a row or close together that begin with the same letter sound. Have students add a verb to their name to create alliteration that says something about them. Example: Devon Danced.
Compare and Contrast
Wemberly and Jewel share some things in common and have some differences. Use a Venn Diagram to compare the two friends.
More Fun Things to Do with Wemberly
Kevin Henkes has written over 50 picture books. If you are looking for more of his stories to share with your students, this bibliography page shows the titles of his books and the years they were written.
If you’re looking for more activities for this book, check out the Learning Through Literature book companion in the Resource Ranch store.
Resource Ranch
Rhonda is the author of Resource Ranch. Most of her classroom experience has been in early elementary. She has also taught Title I Reading, ESL, and gifted students. She is certified as a Texas teacher in grades 1-8 and as a K-12 librarian.
