The thing about We Don’t Eat Our Classmates is that the book is 100% relatable to children between the ages of 4-8. In any child’s class there’s a kid who is ‘eating their classmates’, and at some point, many children find themselves as THAT kid! ARE that kid. An uplifting theme in books like this is that kids realize that even though they make mistakes or may have their turn with challenging behavior, it’s always possible to turn it around.

In Penelope’s case she gets a taste of her own medicine with the class pet, a goldfish named Walter. Once she realizes what it’s like to be treated that way or to have that done to you she quickly changes her behavior.We Don’t Eat Our Classmates addresses this in a silly, fun way that kids can understand or be introduced to the idea that undesirable behavior impacts others.

After reading the story, talk to your child about :

The word delicious: What delicious things do they like to eat?
What other ways Penelope could have tried to keep herself from eating her classmates?
What’s another way this story could have ended?