When the cricket declares that ants aren't any fun, Little Ant sets out to prove him wrong. Soon Little Ant is admired by the grasshoppers, the cockroaches, the katydids, and the crickets. But is trying to please everybody worth the cost? This is an original story that illustrates Aesop's moral: you can't please everyone. Little Ant and the Cricket aligns with the following Social Emotional Learning (SEL) themes: identifying feelings, social awareness/relationship skills, problem-solving, understanding the consequences of actions, and respect for self and others. ABOUT THE SERIES The Little Ant Books are reimaginings of Aesop's classic fables, teaching timeless lessons like "appearances can be deceiving" and "one good turn deserves another." Brought to life by Tina Perko's vibrant and whimsical illustrations, they follow Little Ant as he navigates through the challenges and frustrations of growing up. Little Ant's adventures provide him with opportunities to build character and learn valuable lessons about friendship , kindness , empathy , teamwork , courage , and the importance of being yourself . An endearing storybook for children with a good message...motivates them to accept themselves and be their own self instead of trying to ape others. ~ Readers' Favorite The beautiful illustrations are the perfect compliment to the thoughtfully told stories...the author and illustrator create a fanciful world in which Little Ant encounters situations that allow him to grow in ways he never imagined. The Little Ant books are a must-have series. ~ Red Headed Patti, Online Magazine for Families I've been reading this series to my grandchildren since discovering them about a year ago and we are always excited when a new one is released...The beautiful illustrations that we find in each book add understanding and interest to the lesson being taught. I cannot praise this author enough as it is not very often that you read a children's book and say WOW! ~ Sweet Southern Savings This is a big lesson for little ones to learn. You can't pretend to be someone you're not. ~ Peyton's Momma, Minnesota Based Family Lifestyle Blog My favorite thing about Little Ant is that he doesn't always manage to be his very best self; but he's a good ant at heart, and he learns from his mistakes. As someone who shares many of Little Ant's flaws, I find this very reassuring! Getting Little Ant's first story into print initially seemed like a daunting task. But Tina's amazing artwork gave me the confidence to keep going. She perfectly captures Little Ant's character and has brought him, his insect friends, and his whole world to life. My favorite books have always been those that give me a place to be ― another world that I can visit from time to time ― and Tina's artwork creates just such a world for me. I hope you and your young readers will come visit us there! S.M.R. Saia When the cricket declares that ants aren't any fun, Little Ant sets out to prove him wrong. Soon Little Ant is admired by the grasshoppers, the cockroaches, the katydids, and the crickets. But is trying to please everybody worth the cost? S.M.R. Saia is a mother, gardener, author, and entrepreneur, whose love of insects began in her own backyard vegetable garden. Her professional experience in the book world includes owning a corporate book fair business and freelancing as a self-publishing coach. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland, and an M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. For the past several years she has worked developing Common Core aligned Language Arts Worksheets for K - 12, using creative strategies to present, teach, and provide students with an opportunity to practice grade-appropriate Language Arts concepts and skills. Her latest project involves Little Ant, a stuck-up and sometimes hasty insect with a tendency to learn things the hard way.