Girl wearing a backpack and holding books
I absolutely LOVE to teach students to compare and contrast. I can’t explain it, but I love to take books that are obviously similar and pick them apart. I also love trying to find similarities between two very different books. 
I like to introduce comparing and contrasting by using classic stories that many of my students know. In the post below, you’ll find four books that I use throughout the week for teaching my students to compare key elements of each variation of classic fairy tales. 

If you are interested in snagging any of these books, click the picture to find it on Amazon. 
Mentor Text with text "Seriously, Cinderella is So Annoying!" and Graphic Organizer with text "Comparing Literature"

Seriously, Cinderella is So Annoying

I really love all of the books in this series, but this one is my favorite! Did you know that Cinderella was mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters because she never stopped talking? Why didn’t she get to go to the ball? Well, she lost her voice, of course. This book is perfect for comparing to the classic version of Cinderella that we all know as well as many other versions from other countries.

Mentor Text with text "Lon Po Po" and Graphic Organizer with text "Comparing Literature"

Lon Po Po

I remember this being in our basal years ago. My kids loved it then and they still enjoy it now! This version of Little Red Riding Hood comes from China and does not disappoint. There are so many similarities and even more differences. It is great for comparing and contrasting!

Mentor Text with text "The Princess and the Pizza" and Graphic Organizer with text "Comparing Literature" The Princess and the Pizza

This book is hilarious and the perfect upper elementary twist on a fairy tale. With cheap shots at other fairy tales and the silly tests to become a princess, my fifth graders loved this book year after year. 
Mentor Text with text "Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!" and Graphic Organizer with text "Comparing Literature"

Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!

Did Goldilocks break into the cottage or are she and Baby Bear (aka Sam) really besties? They text one another and jump on the bed! This is a fun retelling of the classic story from Baby Bear’s perspective. 

Click here for your FREE Mentor Text Cheat Sheet!

Do you love mentor texts as much as I do? Have trouble organizing them all?

Do you want to use mentor texts but you don’t know where to start?

I have a FREE Mentor Text Cheat Sheet for you! In this Google Sheet, you’ll find MY list of Mentor Texts and the reading skills that I use them to teach. You can add your own books, sort by author or reading skills, find shortcuts to my blog posts, AND

>>>my favorite feature<<<
>>>cue the drum roll, please<<<

Choose from a dropdown menu to show where you can find the book. For example, I use a boatload of mentor texts in my reading instruction. I can’t afford to buy them all. I find some in our school library, the local library, borrow from my teacher friends, and SOME of them, I do own!

Using the dropdown menu, you can easily remind yourself where you can find your mentor text when you need it! Click the image above OR click here to grab it.