One of the teachers in our community just asked for a list of books that would be good to use to create Readers Theater scripts.  Unfortunately, I don't know all the children's books out there, so any list would be incomplete.  Yet, I do know "3 Quick Tips for Choosing Children's Literature for Writing..." your own Readers Theater scripts. Interested?  It's easy!  Here's the scoop:

   1.  Choose a book you like with plenty of dialogue to tell the story (or excerpt).  Picture books from children's literature often work well (e.g., Tacky the Penguin).

   2.  Choose a book with some narration.  Remember, you may have more than one narrator.

   3.  Choose a book with the number of characters or parts you want.  Remember, you may have some or all parts read chorally by a group (e.g., the Hunters in Tacky the Penguin). (That way it doesn't make any difference how many students and parts you have.)

Each character gets his/her own lines and the narrator(s) get the narrated parts. 

Easy, right?  But, you may also use an online search engine to look up Readers Theater scripts for children's literature.  You will probably find several scripts based on fairy tales, folk tales, fables, and fantasy.  You may even find a few based on children's literature! It really doesn't take too long to adapt a good story to Readers Theater.

IF the children's literature book is a chapter book (e.g., Frog and Toad), you will want to select only a portion of the book--maybe less than a chapter.  But, you would base your selection on the same three tips listed above. 

The reason teachers use Readers Theater based on real books is to encourage reading of the books.  However, I believe you may still encourage reading of the books if a Readers Theater script is similar to a piece of children's literature or a "take-off" from children's literature.

For example, Readers Theater All Year has a take-off of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" as "Goldy Socks and the Three Hares" (a free script).  The annotated curriculum links reference the original story for the students to read.  By comparing the two stories students will build more critical thinking skills than they would by simply reading the original tale as a book and then the exact same words as a Readers Theater script.

Another example is our script "This Little Piggy Tells Jokes" (in our Script Buffet Club for members).  Anyone who loves Charlotte's Web will enjoy "This Little Piggy Tells Jokes" because of the special talking pig and his fun friends.  In fact, the annotated curriculum links in this script also reference Charlotte's Web.  Thus, students not only will be encouraged to read Charlotte's Web, but also will build critical thinking skills comparing the two stories, if you choose.

Whatever you choose, don't look at adapting a piece of children's literature as work.  See yourself in an adventure in creativity!  Then, dive in and enjoy the experience.  You and your students will be delighted!  Guaranteed.