a boy with a cleft lip holding a stick
Stefano Levi/Courtesy Smile Train
Paired Texts,

The Boy Who Couldn’t Smile/ 1,000 Reasons to Smile

An American charity enables a boy in Tanzania to smile for the first time.

By Lauren Tarshis
From the March/April Issue

Learning Objective: Students will read about the experiences of two children from different parts of the world who were born with cleft lips.

Lexiles: 500L-600L, 600L-700L
Guided Reading Level: O
DRA Level: 34
Featured Skill: Problem and Solution,
Common Core Standards
  • R.1, R.3, R.6, R.9, W.1, W.2, SL.1, L.1
TEKS Standards
  • TEKS Grades 2-3:
    1a, 1c, 3a, 6e, 6h, 6i, 7b, 7c, 7g, 9d, 9f, 12b

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Want to hear this story read aloud by a Storyworks Jr. writer? Find the audio read-aloud in your Resources tab. 

Want to hear this story read aloud by a Storyworks Jr. writer? Find the audio read-aloud in your Resources tab. 

Think and Read: Problem and Solution

As you read this article, think about the main problem Osawa faced and how it was solved.

The Boy Who Couldn’t Smile 

Osawa was born looking different from most kids. Some people were cruel to him. His future looked sad. But then one day, his whole life changed.

By Lauren Tarshis

Inside a small schoolhouse, smiling students sang with their teacher. But in the front row, one boy sat glumly. His mouth barely moved. His eyes looked at the floor.

This was 6-year-old Osawa.

Osawa [oh-SAH-wah] lived in a quiet village of Tanzania, a country in Africa. He didn’t have many friends. Most of his neighbors didn’t trust him. They said Osawa was cursed.

What did Osawa do to deserve such a lonely life? Why were people so cruel?

In fact, Osawa had done nothing. He was simply born looking different from most people. He had a cleft lip, which means that his mouth and lip were misshapen. Like most kids with clefts, Osawa struggled to chew, to swallow, and to say certain sounds.

Inside a small schoolhouse, smiling students sang with their teacher. But in the front row, one boy sat glumly. His mouth barely moved. His eyes looked at the floor.

This was 6-year-old Osawa.

Osawa [oh-SOW-uh] lived in a quiet village of Tanzania. Tanzania is a country in Africa. He had few friends. Many of his neighbors were scared of him. They said Osawa was cursed.

Why did Osawa have such a lonely life? Why were people so mean to him?

In fact, Osawa had done nothing wrong. He was born looking different from most people. He had a cleft lip, which means that his mouth and lip were misshapen. Like most kids with clefts, Osawa had a hard time chewing, swallowing, and saying some sounds.

PAUSE AND THINK: What was different about the way Osawa looked?

PAUSE AND THINK: What was different about the way Osawa looked?

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

High Costs

Each year, one out of every 700 babies in the world is born with a cleft. In America, most of these babies have surgery to fix their mouths. Their scars quickly fade, and they live normal lives. But around the world, millions of children never have their clefts fixed. Most live in very poor areas where there aren’t many doctors and hospitals.

Osawa’s parents are farmers with a small plot of land. Their one-room house is made of mud bricks. They could never save enough money to pay for surgery for Osawa.

Instead, they could only watch helplessly as their child suffered.

In some parts of the world, kids born with differences are often bullied. Many families are so ashamed that they abandon their kids with clefts.

One out of every 700 babies are born with clefts. In America, most of these babies have surgery to fix their mouths. Their scars go away, and they live normal lives. But millions of children never have their clefts fixed. Most of these children live in very poor areas where there aren’t many doctors and hospitals.

Osawa’s parents are farmers. Their house is made of mud bricks. They didn’t have enough money to pay for surgery for Osawa.

Instead, they could only watch helplessly as their son suffered.

Children born with differences are often bullied. Many families are so embarrassed that they abandon their kids with clefts.

PAUSE AND THINK: Why is it hard for poor children who have clefts to get surgery?

PAUSE AND THINK: Why is it hard for poor children who have clefts to get surgery?

Stefano Levi/Courtesy Smile Train

Surgery Time

Osawa and his mother, Ada, wait at the hospital in Dar es Salaam.

What Would Happen?

Osawa’s parents did not leave him. Instead, they tried to protect their beloved boy. They ignored their neighbors’ cruelty. But their hearts broke. Osawa’s parents kept him close. His grandfather cried when he spoke of his grandson. “Will he get a job?” he wondered.

Osawa’s family was right to be worried. In many places, kids with clefts die young or end up begging on the streets. It was hard for Osawa’s family to imagine a happy future for their son.

But that was about to change.

A charity named Smile Train works closely with a hospital that is about 700 miles from Osawa’s village.

Smile Train has trained doctors around the world to perform cleft surgeries. It has provided free surgeries to more than 1 million kids worldwide. Kids like Osawa.

Osawa’s parents first found out about Smile Train from the radio. They learned that Osawa’s surgery would be paid for. The hospital even sent a driver to pick up Osawa and his mother.

Osawa’s parents did not leave him. Instead, they tried to help him. They ignored their neighbors’ bullying. But they were still worried about their son. Osawa’s parents kept him close. His grandfather cried when he spoke of his grandson. “Will he get a job?” he asked.

Osawa’s family was right to be worried. In many places, kids with clefts die young. Osawa’s family could not imagine a happy life for their son.

But that was about to change.

A charity named Smile Train works with a hospital that is 700 miles away from Osawa’s home.

Smile Train has doctors around the world who help kids with clefts. It has given free surgeries to more than one million kids in the world.

Kids like Osawa.

Osawa’s parents heard about Smile Train on the radio. They learned that Osawa’s surgery would be free. The hospital even sent a driver to pick up Osawa and his mother.

PAUSE AND THINK: What does Smile Train do for children with clefts?

PAUSE AND THINK: What does Smile Train do for children with clefts?

Courtesy Smile Train

Brighter Days Left:

Today Osawa has many friends and he loves to go to school.

A New Life

At the hospital, Osawa tried not to cry. He was nervous but brave. He shook the hand of the doctor who would operate on him.

Osawa was given a medicine that put him into a deep sleep. He would not feel any pain. And then the doctor went to work. He used special tools to carefully reshape Osawa’s mouth.

Within an hour, the surgery was finished. And Osawa’s life was changed forever.

When Osawa first saw himself in the mirror after the surgery, he stared in joyful shock.

“My mouth looks so good!” he exclaimed. “I look like my friends!”

Today, Osawa is 12. Watching him laugh and play with his friends, it’s difficult to imagine him as the sad little boy he once was.

For Osawa and his family, there is much to smile about.  

At the hospital, Osawa felt scared. He also felt brave. He shook the hand of the doctor who would fix his cleft.

Osawa took medicine that put him to sleep. He did not feel any pain. And then the doctor went to work. He used special tools to fix Osawa’s mouth.

The surgery took one hour. And Osawa’s life was changed forever.

After the surgery, Osawa saw himself in the mirror.

“My mouth looks so good!” he exclaimed. “I look like my friends!”

Today, Osawa is 12. Now he laughs and plays with his friends. He is no longer sad. Osawa and his family have a lot to be happy about. 

PAUSE AND THINK: What changed Osawa’s life?

PAUSE AND THINK: What changed Osawa’s life?

1,000 Reasons to Smile

Helping other kids makes Ella grin.

By Allison Friedman

Courtesy of Pastorelli Family

Twelve-year-old Ella Pastorelli knows she’s lucky. Born with a cleft lip, Ella had surgery to fix it when she was a baby. But many families outside the U.S. cannot afford the cost of this surgery.

So each year on her birthday, Ella and her family set up a lemonade stand to raise money for Smile Train, the group that helped Osawa. In 10 years, Ella’s Lemonade Stand has raised $250,000. That’s enough to repair about 1,000 smiles.

Ella hopes to continue the lemonade stand as she gets older. “And I want to travel to other countries to help other children with clefts in person,” she says. It makes you smile, doesn't it? 

Ella Pastorelli is 12. She was born with a cleft lip. But she was lucky. She had surgery to fix it. Many families outside of the U.S. cannot pay for the surgery.

So each year, Ella and her family set up a lemonade stand. They give all the money they make to Smile Train. Ella’s Lemonade Stand has raised $250,000. That’s enough to fix more than 1,000 smiles.

Ella has advice for kids who want to help others: “A little thing like a lemonade stand can make a huge difference. People start learning about it. You can make a difference in the world so easily sometimes.”

She hopes to continue the lemonade stand. “And I want to travel to other countries to help other children with clefts,” she says.

THINK AND WRITE

Imagine that Osawa and Ella meet one another. What might they talk about? Write a conversation between the two kids. Include how their cleft surgeries have affected their lives and the lives of other people.

THINK AND WRITE

Imagine that Osawa and Ella meet one another. What might they talk about? Write a conversation between the two kids. Include how their cleft surgeries have affected their lives and the lives of other people.

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Answer Key (1)
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Reading Kit
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Answer Key (1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Check It Out

This map shows all the countries where Smile Train has performed cleft surgeries. Click on a country to learn more about its people and how many Smile Train doctors are currently there to help children. 

Teach This

Ella decided to contribute to Smile Train by holding a lemonade stand. Ask your class to brainstorm other ways they can get involved and make a difference in their community. For more ideas, watch this 3-minute video about creative ways to hold a fundraiser. 

More About the Article

Content-Area Connections

Social studies: Geography

Science: Health

Social-emotional learning: Social awareness (empathy), responsible decision-making (solving problems); relationship skills (teamwork)

Key Skills

Problem and solution, main idea, cause and effect, compare and contrast, key details, drawing conclusions, text features, making inferences, character traits

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. PREPARING TO READ

Preview Text Features/ Set a Purpose for Reading (10 minutes)

  • Direct students to the labels on page 10 that say “Paired Texts” and “One topic, two stories.” Ask them to read aloud the titles and subtitles on pages 10-11 and 13 and to look at the photographs. What is the topic of both texts? (What makes a girl and a boy in different parts of the world smile?)
  • Direct students’ attention to the map on page 10. Explain that Osawa, the boy featured in this story, lives in Tanzania, a country in Africa. Then ask students to locate Tanzania on the map. Is the country north or south of the equator?
  • Point to the photographs on page 12. Explain that Dar es Salaam is an important city in Tanzania. Call on volunteers to read aloud the photo titles and captions. How does Osawa probably feel in the top-left photograph on page 12, taken before his surgery, and in the other photographs on the same page, taken after his operation?
  • Ask volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 10 and the Think and Write box on page 13. As students read both texts, ask them to look for details in both the text and the photos that explain how the surgery affected Osawa’s and Ella’s lives.

Preview Vocabulary (15 minutes)

  • We have highlighted in bold seven words that may be challenging and defined them on the page. Preview these words by projecting or distributing our Vocabulary Skill Builder and completing it as a class. You may also play our Vocabulary Slideshow.
  • Highlighted words: glumly, cursed, cleft, misshapen, helplessly, abandon, charity

2. CLOSE READING

Reading and Unpacking the Text

  • First read: Students should read each article one time for general comprehension.
  • Second read: Ask students to reread both articles. Have them identify any details, events, or vocabulary words they don’t understand.

Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)

  • Read the first section of “The Boy Who Couldn’t Smile.” How did people in Osawa’s village treat him? (main idea) He had few friends, and most of his neighbors didn’t trust him.
  • Why did the villagers treat him this way? (main idea) Osawa had a cleft lip, which caused his mouth and lip to be misshapen. Because of this, the villagers believed he was cursed.
  • How did Osawa’s cleft lip affect his daily life? (cause and effect) He struggled to chew, to swallow, and to say certain sounds.
  • Read “High Costs.” What happens to kids born with clefts in America? In other parts of the world? (compare and contrast) Most babies with clefts in America have the necessary surgery to repair their mouths and go on to live normal lives. However, millions of kids around the world can’t have their cleft lips repaired because their parents are too poor to afford the surgery.
  • Why couldn’t Osawa’s parents have his cleft lip repaired? (key details) They farmed a small plot of land and couldn’t afford to pay for the operation.
  • Read “What Would Happen?” Why does the author say that “Osawa’s parents kept him close”? (drawing conclusions) They were very protective of their son because they saw how cruelly their neighbors had treated him. They were concerned about his future.
  • How did Smile Train change Osawa’s life? (problem and solution) This charity worked with a hospital about 700 miles from his village to repair Osawa’s cleft lip for free.
  • Why is the subhead of the next section called “A New Life”? (text features) This section describes how the operation to repair Osawa’s cleft lip changed his life physically and socially. The successful surgery reshaped his mouth. Osawa now has many friends and enjoys going to school.
  • Read “1,000 Reasons to Smile.” Why does the author say, “Ella Pastorelli knows she’s lucky”? (making inferences) Ella’s family could afford the surgery to repair her cleft lip. Many families in other countries can’t pay for this operation.
  • How do Ella and her parents help kids with cleft lips in other countries? (problem and solution) Every year, on Ella’s birthday, they set up a lemonade stand to raise money for Smile Train. In 10 years, they’ve raised $250,000, which has repaired about 1,000 smiles.
  • What do the Pastorellis’ actions show you about their character? (character traits) They want to help people who don’t have the same advantages they do.

Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)

  • Both Osawa and Ella were born with cleft lips. How did their parents help them? (problem and solution) Osawa’s parents learned about Smile Train from the radio. This charity provided free surgery to repair Osawa’s cleft. Ella had the surgery to repair her cleft when she was a baby because her parents could afford the cost of the operation.

3. SKILL BUILDING

Problem and Solution

  • Distribute our Problem and Solution Skill Builder. Have students work in pairs to complete it.
  • Discuss the assignment in the Think and Write box on page 13. Remind students to use details from both articles. They can discuss their writing in groups.

Differentiate and Customize
For Reading Partners

Ask students to reread the stories and underline details that describe a problem faced by both Osawa and Ella and how these problems were solved. Then have partners take turns role-playing interviews between a student reporter and either Osawa or Ella. Students can present their role-plays in class.

For Struggling Readers

Have students listen to the Text-to-Speech audio of the articles and highlight details that describe Osawa’s life before and after his operation. Volunteers should read aloud these details to the group. Ask: How did Osawa change from the beginning to the end of the article?

For Grammar Practice

Read aloud the first paragraph on page 11 with the group. Ask students to identify the adjectives and adverbs in sentences 1, 2, and 3. (Sentence 1: small schoolhouse, smiling students; Sentence 2: front row, sat glumly; Sentence 3: barely moved)

For Advanced Readers

Ask students how the money raised by Ella and her parents for Smile Train helps kids like Osawa. Then have them identify a way their classmates could work together to help solve a problem in their community. Ask students to present their idea on a poster that includes text and pictures that describe the project.

Text-to-Speech