How the Ostrich Got Its Long Neck

How the Ostrich Got Its Long Neck
Retold by: Verna Aardema
Illustrated by: Marcia Brown
Traditional/Folk Literature

This is a funny retelling of the story of how the ostrich got its long neck. In the story the ostrich starts out with a short neck, where he must sit down to catch insects on the ground, cannot reach berries that are high in the trees and has to spread his legs wide to drink water from the river. In the meantime, there is a crocodile in the river who is crying because he has a toothache. Hoping to have someone look at his tooth, he asks a Kudu and Mama Baboon to help him. They refuse and run away when the fish eagle in the sky tells them not to do it because the crocodile is dangerous. Then comes a long ostrich. By this time the crocodile is in so much pain that he tells ostrich to help him and he promises not to hurt him. Ostrich is hesitant and at first backs away, but then decides to help him. When the ostrich sticks his head inside the crocodile's mouth, the crocodile remembers how hungry he is and clamps his jaws down. Trying to get out the ostrich backs up, pulling away from the crocodile and the further he backs up the longer his neck becomes. Crocodile's toothache begins to hurt worse and he finally lets go. The ostrich notices his neck is now long and he can reach the ground and the berries in the trees much easier. He is so happy for this, but he learned not to ever trust a crocodile again.

I thought this was a very fun book and could be used in the classroom in different ways. For one idea, you could have your students act out the story and record it using a flip cam. You could also ask them to be creative and work in groups to think of their own story for how the ostrich got its long neck. After they have thought of their own versions have them work in groups to make a video of the story or have them act it out in front of the class. This can be a fun and entertaining experience for the children.