Figure out how the author views the characters and the choices they make. Immigrants are people who move from their country to live in another one. They built their houses out of things like straw and sticks. The wolf destroys their homes. It survives in tough surroundings. The house keeps the pigs safe. When you find the theme of your story, you're almost ready for a book report. Read and understand the plot. They built their houses out of things like straw and sticks. The theme is staying strong in tough times. What message might the author be sending us? One good example is the book "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn." Sometimes a character or an object in a story is a symbol. A tree grows up through the sidewalk in front of her apartment. Use that word in a complete thought, like: "Making smart choices requires planning and preparation."