From The Hey, Little Ant Essay Challenge Archives comes this dancing ant drawing from a First Grader in Denver, IN with this caption: “I think the boy should not squish the Ant. The boy shuld let the Ant go free.”
When you put “to squish or not to squish” up for a vote amongst kids, the “not” generally wins out. The authors did not write the book just to hear a chorus of “not to squish,” but to open up a dialogue amongst kids and kids and adults. This morning we came across a conversation… Read more »
Oh, what a night! A fine group of educators, parents and children’s book authors gathered at the home of author, Phillip Hoose to judge the artwork entries by Kindergarten thru 3rd Graders to the Hey, Little Ant Essay Challenge. There was much concentration, debate, and laughter as the amazing submissions were reviewed. Meanwhile across the… Read more »
An ant article ran in seven affiliated newspapers in Maryland and Delaware with grand quotes from ANTvisory Board member, Patty Dean, director of Early Childhood Education at Salisbury University. “The book just capitalizes on so many things,” said Patty Dean, director of Early Childhood Education at Salisbury University. “There’s the science aspect: Why do we… Read more »
Phil Hoose had the pleasure of viewing the wise responses to the Hey, Little Ant Essay Challenge from students at Princess Anne Elementary School in Princess Anne, MD. Rumor has it that he got in a bit of singing as well. Just one week left of the Challenge and over 700 (brilliant) entries so far…. Read more »
Some fabulous facts about ants from this essay challenge entrant from Phil & Hannah’s home state of Maine: “Dear kid, Please don’t kill the ant! They just have 45-60 days to live! They only take crumbs, and why would you need any crumbs? Ants just need food to feed their colony. Exactly, like you need… Read more »
Author, Phil Hoose and educator & long-time Hey, Little Ant advocate, Rita Rubin Long appeared on Maine Public Radio to discuss the history of the book and The Hey, Little Ant Essay Challenge. Listen Here!
From a 2nd Grader in the beautiful South: “The boy should not sqishe the ant. If they switced the boy would not like to get killed. The boy is killing nature. ants are a part of nature. The ant’s would not like it. Let the ant live.”
All of these amazing thoughts keep coming in from kids across the country. This from a second grader in Washington– “I think the kid should let it free because I care for the environment and when I grow up I will be a scientist and I will stop people from cutting down trees. I care… Read more »
The Maine Sunday Telegram wrote up a nice piece about the Hey, Little Ant Essay Challenge. The article by Ray Routhier featured Phil Hoose’s visit with the swell kids at the Friends School of Portland. Quoted from Article: “When I was younger, when ants would come out of their house, I would squish them,” said… Read more »