If I were still teaching, especially in the lower grades, I would certainly add this book to a unit on re-writing folk tales. This is basically The Little Red Hen, translocated to the SouthWest. It would be an interesting book to read along with The Little Red Hen and then have the students write their own take-off version: Marie the Moose's Mousse, Aspic for Astronauts, whatever. Very colorful illustrations.