Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Activities and Comprehension Questions
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse is a great picture book to promote self-management and taking responsibility for our actions. Read on to find Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse activities and comprehension questions.
In Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes, Lilly reflects on her rude actions and apologises when she understands she was in the wrong. She gets forgiveness in return. The themes of the book include:
– Managing our emotions helps us react more positively.
– Take responsibility for our actions.
– Value of forgiveness.
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse gives you the opportunity to teach:
- Patience and forgiveness
- Integrity and respect
- Self-control and self-management
- Inference and prediction
- Sequencing and retelling
- Character traits
- Problem and solution
- Making connections
Scroll down for Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse activities, discussion questions and videos.
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Synopsis
Lilly loves going to school, and she loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger. She wants to be a teacher just like him when she grows up. She also loves her new purple plastic purse. Lilly brings her purse to school and can’t wait to share it. Mr. Slinger asks Lilly to put the purse away and focus; she can share it later. This is hard for Lilly and she keeps interrupting to talk about her purse.
Lilly has to face the consequences of not following the rules when Mr. Slinger confiscates her purse. The little mouse is furious and plans her revenge. She acts on her angry impulses and draws a picture of her teacher as a “BIG FAT MEAN MR STEALING TEACHER!” She puts the note in her teacher’s bag.
On her way home, Lilly finds a kind note from Mr. Slinger and she feels guilt and remorse over her actions. The next day, she apologises and Mr. Slinger forgives her, telling her “tomorrow will be better”.
Take a look inside
Kevin Henkes Official Website
Book Series
Lilly’s Big Day, Lilly’s Chocolate Heart
Related Books
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
- Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan
- Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
- The Bad Seed by Jory John
- We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
- Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems
- Hot Day on Abbott Avenue by Karen English
- Fergal is Fuming! by Robert Starling
- Ravi's Roar by Tom Percival
- The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Activities & Resources
I have created literacy graphic organizers for Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for:
- Author’s Purpose
- Cause & Effect
- Character Traits and Analysis
- Comprehension Questions and Writing Prompts
- Inferring and Predicting
- Main Idea and Theme
- Making Connections
- Point of View
- Problem and Solution
- Retelling, Sequencing and Summarizing
*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Activities & Links
- The Hanen Centre: Putting it All Together with Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse
- Harper Kids Youtube: Meet Kevin Henkes
- Kevin Henkes: Teaching guide and downloads
- Prindle Institute of Ethics: Guidelines for Philosophical Discussion
- Read Works: Personality Traits
- Reading is Fundamental: Support Materials
- Teaching Guide: The World of Kevin Henkes Activity Booklet
FREE Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Activities
Would you like free graphic organisers for Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse?
I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!
Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Read-Aloud Questions
Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.
- What do you think Kevin Henkes wants us to learn from reading Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse?
- What personal connections can you make to Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse?
- What do you think Lilly learned from her experience?
- What was the problem and solution in Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse?
- Do you think Mr. Slinger was right to tell Lilly she had to wait? Why or why not?
- Why did Mr. Slinger take away Lilly’s purse? What would you have done if you were Mr. Slinger?
- Why do you think Lilly reacted the way she did after Mr. Slinger confiscated her purse?
- Describe the different emotions Lilly went through in the book.
- Have you ever been mad at someone like Lilly was with Mr. Slinger? How did you resolve the situation?
- Describe how Lilly could have handled her problem in a more positive way.
- Did Lilly apologize because she knew she did something wrong? Or did she apologize because she felt she had to? How do you know?
- What would have happened if Lilly hadn’t apologized?
- Think about a time you had to apologize to someone? Did you really mean it?
- Why does Kevin Henkes repeatedly use the word ‘wow’ throughout the book?
You can find a full set of discussion cards in the Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Literacy Bundle or as a separate pack.
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse Book Videos
Books by Kevin Henkes
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