Little Dramas for Primary Grades

These thirty-seven miniature plays were crafted specifically for children still learning what drama means. Lawrence understood that young minds don't need elaborate plots or mature conflicts, they need characters they recognize, situations that mirror their own small triumphs and troubles, and language they can speak aloud without stumbling. The cast ranges from camels to sparrows, from lobster to tin soldiers, each play brief enough for a child to master and perform without frustration. Here are stories about trees and dolls, hunters and fishermen, grandparents and the smallest fir tree in the forest. The joy lies in becoming someone else, even if that someone else is a black dog or a chick. These little dramas work equally well in classrooms, at home, or on a child's own stage of blankets and imagination. A century after publication, they endure because Lawrence knew that drama belongs to everyone, even seven-year-olds.