Wilbur doesn’t get it. He loves fancy clothes. Why do naked mole rats have to miss out on dress up? Who made the rules? Scooped up by his colony of critical mole rats, he is taken before the great portrait of Grand-pa, a revered titan to nakedness. Unconvinced, Wilbur continues to question, “Why not wear clothes?” Frustrated, his fellow naked mole rats appeal to Grand-pa who proclaims to his shocked subjects, “Why not?” Clothes don’t hurt anyone and can actually be fun. Given this new choice, some mole rats begin to sport new fashions and others prefer nakedness, but all are united in fun. This tale of inclusion and questioning the rules is delightfully illustrated by Mo Willem’s trademark lined characters. Simple facial lines change a rat’s expression from a “yuck” to a “Eeeeewwww,” leaving you laughing at his antics.
Use the Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed to start a discussion about rules–rules at home or school. What is the difference between unfair and unnecessary? What makes someone different? How should we treat them? What makes me different?
