I Wanna Iguana Read Aloud: Questions and Activity Ideas

Alex has his heart set on adopting Mikey Gulligan's baby iguana, but first he has to convince his mom. Rather than pleading in person, he decides to write persuasive letters explaining why an iguana would make the perfect pet.

Alex promises he'll do all the work—feeding it, cleaning its cage, and even keeping it out of sight if that's what it takes! His mom, however, imagines a giant six-foot reptile taking over the house. Alex reassures her that it takes about fifteen years for an iguana to grow that big, joking that he'll probably be married and living in his own house by then. His mom quickly fires back, wondering who would marry someone with a giant reptile!

Their hilarious back-and-forth letters, paired with lively illustrations, make this story a wonderful introduction to persuasive writing while keeping students entertained from beginning to end.

• Have you ever wanted something really badly, but your parents said no?
• What could you do to try to convince them?
• Look at the cover of I Wanna Iguana. What do you notice?
• What do you think this story will be about?

• What is the main problem between Alex and his mom?
• Why do you think Alex chooses to write letters instead of talking to his mom?
• What responsibilities does Alex promise to take on if he gets the iguana?
• Which of Alex's arguments do you think is the strongest? Why?

• How does the story end?
• Do you think Alex made good arguments? Why or why not?
• What makes someone a responsible pet owner?
• Would you want an iguana as a pet? Explain your thinking.

Throughout I Wanna Iguana, Alex tries his best to convince his mom that getting an iguana is a great idea. One strategy that might have helped him organize his thoughts is creating a pros and cons list.

Challenge your students to make their own list about something they want or an opinion they have.

Possible topics include:

• Getting a pet
• Having ice cream for dinner
• Going to a friend's house
• Getting a new toy
• Staying up later
• Having more recess

Before students begin, review the difference between pros (positive reasons) and cons (negative reasons). 

Differentiate the Lesson:

• Assign a topic for students who need extra support.
• Provide sentence starters.
• Use a graphic organizer for younger learners, such as the Free Thinking About Both Sides organizer at the bottom of this blog post.

This activity works especially well for 2nd through 5th grade students.

In I Wanna Iguana, students explore persuasive writing in a funny, fictional setting. Pair it with What Do You Think About Reptiles? to extend that learning into nonfiction, where students analyze persuasive arguments, identify author bias, and evaluate evidence while learning more about reptiles.

After discussing Alex's reasons for wanting an iguana, challenge students to compare the opposing viewpoints in What Do You Think About Reptiles? Instead of simply identifying persuasive techniques, students must decide which argument is more convincing based on the evidence presented. For example, they will read the arguments for "Lizards Are Pests" and "Lizards Are Helpful" and determine which argument is most persuasive. 

This is the perfect way to expose students to author bias and teach them to think more critically about nonfiction texts!

This book is one of the best picture books for introducing persuasive writing.

After reading, discuss the reasons Alex uses to support his opinion. Then invite students to write their own persuasive letters.

Start by asking:

• Have you ever wanted something your parents said no to?
• What did you say to try to change their minds?
• Did it work? Why or why not?

Students can choose from prompts such as:

• I should get a pet.
• We should have longer recess.
• We should have a class party.
• We should have more free reading time.
• I should be allowed to stay up later.

Remind students that persuasive writing includes:

• A clear opinion
• At least three supporting reasons
• Examples or details
• A strong closing statement

Possible Sentence Starters:

• I think...
• One reason is...
• Another reason is...
• Also...
• Finally...
• I hope you will consider...

This activity is a wonderful way to help students understand how persuasive writing works while giving them an authentic reason to write.

I Wanna Iguana is full of both facts and opinions, making it a perfect mentor text for teaching the difference. Use these fact and opinion examples to help introduce or review this skill with your students. 

Explain that:

• Facts can be proven true.
• Opinions tell what someone thinks or feels.

For example:

Fact: Iguanas can grow up to six feet long.

Opinion: Iguanas are quiet and cute.

After reading, have students search the story for additional examples before creating their own fact and opinion statements.

This lesson works well as:

• A class anchor chart
• A partner sorting activity
• A writing center
• An exit ticket

For additional no prep practice, you can also use these printable fact-and-opinion activities to reinforce the skill.

There are so many reasons this picture book deserves a spot in your classroom library. It naturally introduces persuasive writing, encourages meaningful classroom discussions, supports science connections, and gives students plenty of opportunities to practice critical thinking. Best of all, the humorous notes between Alex and his mom keep students engaged from beginning to end.

Whether you're teaching persuasive writing, animal habitats, or fact versus opinion, I Wanna Iguana offers countless opportunities for meaningful learning—and plenty of laughs along the way!