Parent Guide > The Last Leaf

This week in class, we’re reading "The Last Leaf" by O. Henry.

William Sydney Porter (1862-1910) was an American writer better known by his pen name, O. Henry. "The Last Leaf," published in 1907, is a story about a girl named Johnsy who becomes sick with pneumonia and resigns herself to dying young.

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Death and Friendship & Family as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :

"How do people face death?" and "What is a friend?"

Ways to support your child:

• Ask your child about this short story at home:
  • What was "The Last Leaf" about?
  • What did you learn about Death?
  • What did you learn about Friendship & Family?
• Watch the following clips with your child at home:
  • 'Is there scientific proof we can heal ourselves? | Lissa Rankin, MD | TEDxAmericanRiviera'
  • 'The Last Leaf' - Short Film'