Caps for Sale

Book Club Guide

Lesson Focus: Conflicts with nature

Caps for Sale tells the story of a hat peddler who falls asleep beneath a tree with all of his hats on his head. When he awakes, his hats are missing. The thieves are a band of monkeys sitting in the tree above him. The peddler must then figure out how to get his caps back, but these thieves are not people that may be reasoned with. The monkeys are an element of nature, and like other conflicts of nature in literature, they are senseless and unpredictable. The way that characters solve conflicts of nature reveals much about their character strengths and virtues. As you talk about the peddler, you might look at his good and negative traits, and ultimately, consider the role of grace in the ending. 

In this lesson we will begin by reviewing the story elements with photocopies of some of the illustrations from the book. You will want to make copies or quick sketches of the main characters, and key narrative moments and have these ready before you begin the lesson. After some basic discussion questions, your students will fill out a Reader’s Journal page, which will set them up well for an optional written response activity. Finally, you will learn a little bit about the author and try an art activity inspired by her life story!