I've been using "The Whisperer" for about ten years in Primary classrooms to teach about accepting diversity and difference and it is one of my favourite stories to use in Year 5 and 6. The story can also be used to discuss gang culture, family expectations and why and how two people fall in love. In short, it makes for a great basis to a PSHE lesson.
The story focuses on two gangs of cats and is narrated by a rat who discovers by spreading rumours about the offspring of the two rival gang leaders falling in love, he can deflect attention away from him. This also gives us a fantastic opportunity to discus why people spread rumours and the effect on a community.
The story has a fantastic ending where the two rival gang leaders change their behaviour and also the rumour-spreading rat has his comeuppance.
A super story for upper key stage 2. I cannot recommend this enough.
A lesson plan using this story is included in forthcoming resource, "No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools." Available soon from www.speechmark.net
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