The Kraken's rules for making friends....

...By Brittany R. Jacobs
Social skills can be a bit of a tough thing to figure out at times - even as adults, we often find ourselves navigating the maze of human relationships.

To be figuring all that out in Elementary is even more difficult!

The Kraken is an ocean creature that most of our students will be able to identify with on some level. No matter what strategies he employs (including trying to be someone else - in this instance, a Koi), he just can’t seem to convince his fellow deep sea peers how nice he actually is.

Frustrated & disappointed, the Kraken seeks help from the Great White Shark (as “even the Great White Shark has friends!”) - who kindly offers some simple guiding rules:

Keep Your Cool (nobody likes a pouting fish)
Smile
Hugs Not Slugs
Share
Lend A Helping Fin
Be Yourself

And even though, in the end, it doesn’t quite work out the first time for our dear old Kraken, that in itself provides another teachable moment: some things take time & practice.

Overall, this is a sweet story that uses humor & expressive illustrations to touch on a topic so many of our own children are figuring out: how to be a good friend. It’s not always easy, so with a little luck, between Shark’s advice & our Kraken’s good intentions, we’ll all be reminded of how to be a good friend to those around us.

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