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Junior Book Award Nominees
2005-2006
INCLUDEPICTURE "http://www.scasl.com/images/scasllogos/jba.gif" \* MERGEFORMATINET
This guide prepared by members of the
Junior Book Award Committee
Samantha McManus, Chair
Sandy Bailey
Elizabeth Blankenship
Teresa Blankenship
Kathy Butler
Brandy Caroway
Lisa Foster
Henry Hall
Tricia Hartley
Susan Henley
Tami Huggins
Debbie Jarrett
Hannah Jarrett
Leigh Jordan
Beth Lee
Ann Lewis
Heidi Lewis
Betty Neal
Barbara Satkowski
Patty Tucker
BLIZZARDS WAKE
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002
212 Pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
In March of 1941, when a severe blizzard suddenly hits Bismarck, North Dakota, a girl trying to save her stranded father and brother inadvertently helps the man who killed her mother four years before.
If you liked this book try: (16, B)
Jade Green by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
How I Came to be a Writer by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Three Days by Donna Jo Napoli
The Art of Keeping Cool by Janet Taylor Lisle
Curriculum Connections: (16, B)
Science: Research The Red River Valley Blizzard or the Black Blizzard (North Dakota1941); unexpected weather events; and/or medicine in early 1940s (ether, anesthesia)
History: Review events leading up to World War I. Listen to FDR radio addresses to the nationFireside Chats.
Music: Learn and perform a military theme song like the ones the characters learn in school.
Language Arts: Analyze the point of view and how it shifts in the novel. Read nonfiction articles about people who have survived unexpected, life-threatening bouts with weather.
Health: Research frostbitehow it occurs, how it is treated, how it affects the body, and how it can be prevented.
Social Issues: Research drinking laws in your state, and create a Public Service Announcement about the dangers of drinking and driving.
Web Sites:
Audio clips of Fireside Chats HYPERLINK "http://www.soundsofhistory.com/ChurchillAndRoosevelt.html" http://www.soundsofhistory.com/ChurchillAndRoosevelt.html
Biography Resource Center at http://www.scdiscus.orgfind a biography of Naylor
Booktalk:
Phyllis Reynolds Naylors Blizzards Wake is told from the shifting points of view of two characters who would rather not come into any contact with each other. Fifteen year old Kate Sterling hates Zeke Dexter with all her heart because he killed her mother in a drunk-driving accident almost 4 years ago. The two characters come face to face because of the great March 1941 blizzard in North Dakota. In the Blizzards Wake, find out if the Sterling family will survive and if they can forgive.
Prepared by: Brandy Caroway
COLD IN SUMMER
Tracy Barrett
Henry Holt, 2003
203 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
At the beginning of seventh grade, Ariadne moves to a Tennessee town near a former farming community submerged under a man-made lake and meets the ghost of a girl from the past.
If you liked this book try:
The Ghost Behind the Wall by Melvin Burgess
Dead Mans Gold and Other Stories by Paul Yee
Ghost at the Window by Margaret McAllister
Ghost Soldier by Elaine Marie Alphin
Something Upstairs by Avi
Curriculum Connections:
Social Studies: Ariadne uses her sleuthing skills to find out more about the town in which she lives and the man-made lake in her attempt to discover why Mays ghost cant go home. Have students learn more about their town or the property where they live. Students can share their finding through oral and written presentations. Get local your towns local museum involved and create a collaborative project to be displayed at the school, in the museum, or at a PTSA function.
Guidance: May shows up to help young people when they are troubled. After reading the story, list the characters May helped and how she helped them. Discuss ways to provide assistance and comfort to those who are in difficult situations. This is a good opportunity to delve into community resources for helping troubled children and families.
Science: May tells Ariadne that she is in a place that is warm in winter and cold in summer. After reading the book and discovering Mays location, research how this phenomena is possible. Are there landmarks in your hometown that possess strange qualities? What is the scientific explanation?
Language Arts: May uses riddles to communicate information to Ariadne. Create a treasure hunt using riddles to locate a prize, a town landmark, or other fun surprise. Challenge classmates to figure out the riddles.
Web Sites
HYPERLINK "http://www.tracybarrett.com/" Tracy Barretts Homepage (http://www.tracybarrett.com/)
HYPERLINK "http://sciway2.net/2002/a85b/" Ghosts Along the Coast (http://sciway2.net/2002/a85b/) South Carolina Ghost Stories
HYPERLINK "http://www.online-mythology.com/ariadne/" Mythology Guide: Ariadne ( HYPERLINK http://www.online-mythology.com/ariadne/ http://www.online-mythology.com/ariadne/)
HYPERLINK "http://www.tva.gov/abouttva/history.htm" History of the Tennessee Valley Authority (http://www.tva.gov/abouttva/history.htm)
Booktalk:
Ariadne hates her life. Her family has moved from the only home she has ever known and taken her away from her best friend in the world. Now, she, her brother, and parents are living in a small college town in Tennessee. There is one interesting thing though. A girl named May. May dresses in old fashioned clothes and always seems to show up just when Ariadne is most desperate for attention. But who is she? And why doesnt anyone else in the family seem to notice her? And the riddle
May says she lives somewhere that is warm in winter and cold in summer. How can that be? Ariadne has just enough Sherlock Holmes in her to try to find out what is so mysterious about May and some of the people in the town she lives in. Join Ariadne in her investigation of a most unsettling mystery. Read Cold in Summer by Tracy Barrett.
Prepared by: Samantha McManus
EAST
Edith Pattou Harcourt, 2003 248 pages
SUMMARY:
A young woman journeys to a distant castle on the back of a great white bear who is the victim of a cruel enchantment. (CIP)
IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK, TRY
Beauty by Robin Mckinley
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Fire Arrow: the second Song of Eirren by Edith Pattou
Heros Song: the first song of Eirren by Edith Pattou
Whitebear Whittington, The Grandfather Tales Collected and retold by Richard Chase
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Guidance: Develop character sketches for Rose, The Prince, and The Troll Queen. What qualities would you attribute to each of these characters? How did their actions and behaviors affect the events in their lives?
Technology: Have the students create a slide show promoting the book.
Language Arts:
Compare and contrast variants of the story. Use a chart or table in Office to illustrate the comparison.
Create your own variant of the story
Science: Research bears. This story is about a great white bear and another variant is about a brown bear. What kinds of bears live in the Norwegian climate? What kind of habitat is best suited to these animals? Create a graphic organizer to illustrate the similarities and differences.
Art: Create a wind rose that reflects your interests and hobbies.
Math: Roses journey to the Bears home is done on the back of the bear. How fast can bears move? How long would it take them to travel50 miles? In her search for her bear, Rose travels great distances on foot. How long would it take her to travel the same 50 miles walking? Select other modes of travel and create a graph to compare the time it takes to travel a set distance.
Social Studies: Create a map of Roses journey so that her father and brother could follow her trail. Include a legend to indicate landmarks and a scale to judge distances.
WEB SITES:
HYPERLINK "http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/norway034.html" East of the Sun and West of the Moon Norwegian Folktale
HYPERLINK "http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/" SurlaLune Fairy Tale Pages Includes an annotated version of the folktale, the history of the folktale, various illustrations from different versions in print, modern interpretations, variants of the tale and other resources about folktales.
HYPERLINK "http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/youth/fantasy/TheBlueFairyBook/chap3.html" World Wide School This is the version of the tale told in Lang's The Blue Fairy Book. The World Wide School library (http://www.worldwideschool.org) also contains several of the variants of this story.
HYPERLINK "http://green.upper-arlington.k12.oh.us/ohioauthors/pattou,edith.htm" Ohio Authors Very brief interview with the author.
BOOKTALK:
If you are a fan of fairy tales, this is the book for you. Edith Pattou has taken the Norwegian folktale East of the Sun and West of the Moon and crafted in to novel length. It is the story of Rose who agrees to go with a white bear to improve the health of her sister and the fortunes of her family. The white bear is a prince who has been enchanted by the Troll Queen. Rose is tricked into trying to discover who the bear is and as she does, loses everything. She must journey to the land of the Troll Queen to find her lost love. Along the way she has many adventures and must use cunning and courage to be reunited with her prince.
Prepared by: Heidi Lewis
ESCAPE FROM MEMORY
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon & Schuster, c2003
220 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
Allowing herself to be hypnotized, fifteen-year-old Kira reveals memories of another time and place that may eventually cost her and her mother their lives.
If you liked this book try:
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
The Giver by Lois Lowry
1984 by George Orwell
Curriculum Connections:
Guidance: Kiras parents sacrifice their lives to save their daughter. Research other incidents in world history where parents had to make devastating choices to save their families. The December 2004 Tsunami would be an excellent place to start. What type of characteristics would a person have to possess to make such choices? Discuss your findings.
Language Arts: Read Escape from Memory and The Giver. What is a utopia? What characteristics of a utopia are found in The Giver and in Kiras Crythe? What are some problems faced by these two utopian societies? Debate the pros and cons of establishing a utopia. Do a character sketch of Kira and Jonas. What characteristics to they have in common? How do they differ? Would you consider them heroic characters? Justify your answer with passages from the books.
Social Studies: Research the Chernobyl incident. What was the cause of the incident? What was the result? What is the current status of the environment as a result of Chernobyl fallout? Is it possible that Kiras countrymen from Crythe could have been saved from this catastrophe? Defend your answer with your research.
Science: In Kiras home country of Crythe, memory is more important that anything. Research the brain and memory. What areas of the brain store memories? What happens when these areas are damaged by stroke or injury? How are memories stored? What are some ways to improve your memory?
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.neiu.edu/~barindfl/thegivernavigator.html" Utopian Society Activity Page (companion lessons and activities for The Giver)
HYPERLINK "http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmemory.html" Memory and Learning (games and experiments dealing with memory and learning)
HYPERLINK "http://www.chernobyl.co.uk/" Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
HYPERLINK "http://www.scdiscus.org/school.html" DISCUS: South Carolinas Virtual Library
Booktalk:
Have you ever forgotten an important date or forgotten to do something that you promised to do? When you remembered, how did it make you feel? In Escape from Memory, Kira discovers that she hasnt just forgotten a homework assignment or a friends birthday. She has forgotten her whole history. Kira makes this discovery when she and her friends decide to experiment with hypnotism at a sleepover. Sounds fun, huh? But how much fun will it be when Kiras discovery leads to the kidnapping of her mother, her best friend and herself? How much fun is it to discover everything youve ever known was a lie? Kira finds herself in a waking nightmare and her only escape is her forgotten memories. Will Kira learn the truth before its too late? Read Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix to find out.
Prepared by: Samantha McManus
FOR FREEDOM
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Delacorte Press, 2003
181 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
A novel based on the experiences of Suzanne David Hall, who, as a teenager in Nazi-occupied France, worked as a spy for the French Resistance while training to be an opera singer.
If you liked this book try:
Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society by Adeline Yen Mah
The Gadget by Paul Zindel
Lord of the Nutcracker by Iain Lawrence
The Night Spies by Kathy Kacer
Curriculum Connections:
Social Studies: Research the events leading up to D-Day during World War Two. Make a timeline of the French Resistance between 1940 and D-Day.
Language Arts: Write an essay describing what you would take with you if you had to flee from your house. You only had thirty minutes and you had to be able to carry them. Why would you choose those items?
Web Sites:
A personal account of an OSS operative who worked with the French Resistance.
HYPERLINK "http://www.cia.gov/csi/studies/winter98_99/art03.html" http://www.cia.gov/csi/studies/winter98_99/art03.html
The personal account of a young Dutch boy who fought in the French Resistance.
HYPERLINK "http://www.oldreliable.org/accounts/homiejer.html" http://www.oldreliable.org/accounts/homiejer.html
Booktalk:
Suzanne has been dreaming and training to be an opera singer for as long as she can remember. When World War II hits close to home, she is recruited by the underground French Resistance. This book is based on a true story of Suzanne David Hall who eventually married an American soldier.
Prepared by: Beth Lee, Media Specialist, E. L. Wright Middle
School, Richland Two, Columbia, SC
HEAR THE WIND BLOW
Mary Downing Hahn
Houghton Mifflin, 2003
212 pages
Summary:
With their mother dead and their home burned, a thirteen-year-old boy and his little sister set out across Virginia in search of relatives during the final days of the Civil War.
If you liked this book, try:
The River Between Us by Richard Peck
Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen
Amelia's War by Ann Rinaldi
Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi
Curriculum Connections:
Language Arts/Music: Several songs that were popular during the Civil War are mentioned in the novel. Research other songs and poems of the Civil War at HYPERLINK "http://www.civilwarpoetry.org"www.civilwarpoetry.org . Write a song or a poem about Haswell's journey to find his brother.
Social Studies: James Marshall was a member of a group called Mosby's Rangers. Find out more about John Mosby and present a written or oral report to the class.
Photography: Mathew Brady was the most famous photographer of the Civil War. Find copies of some of his pictures and learn about photographic techniques of that era.
Language Arts: James Marshall writes a letter to his father and asks Haswell to deliver it in the event of his death. Read other Civil War letters at HYPERLINK "http://www.civilwarletters.com"www.civilwarletters.com . Write a letter from Haskell to Polly after he returns to the family farm.
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.childrensbookguild.org/hahn.html"www.childrensbookguild.org/hahn.html (information about the author)
HYPERLINK "http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/index.html"www.historyplace.com/civilwar/index.html (Civil War timeline and photos)
HYPERLINK "http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/gettex/"www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/gettex/ (camp life for soldiers)
Book Talk:
With his father dead and his older brother off fighting for the Confederacy, thirteen-year-old Haswell Magruder is in charge. One cold, snowy night, he makes a decision that changes the lives of his family. When he and his mother and sister take in a wounded Confederate soldier, they set off a chain of events that leave the soldier dead and their home burned to the ground. When Haswell's mother dies of a fever, he and his little sister set off across the Virginia countryside to find their relatives. Leaving Rachel in their care, Haswell searches for his brother Avery in the last days of the Civil War. In his struggles to find Avery and bring him home amid the horrors of war, Haswell tests his strength and courage and becomes a man.
Prepared by: Teresa Blankenship
THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION
Nancy Famer
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002
380 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States.
If you liked this book try:
The Kindling by Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler
Curriculum Connections:
Science: While studying genetics, consider how cloning actually works. Research the process and debate the ethics of human cloning.
Geography: Opium is a fictional country located on the border between the United States and (Aztlan) Mexico. How does Mexican culture, language, religion, and geography affect Matts story? Design a culture capsule to display your findings.
Art: Instead of wearing a tatoo saying Property of the Alacran Estate, design a logo for Matt and El Patrons estate. Use symbols from the story.
Music: Matt says he likes the orderliness of Mozart. Listen to several of Mozarts pieces, including his piano sonatas. Describe why you believe Matt likes the music.
Language arts: Animal imagery and symbolism is used throughout the book from el conejo in the first few pages, to the murder of a little puppy. First identify other examples of the animal theme in the novel and then explain why it works well in the story.
Web Sites:
ExcerptsChapters 1-3 HYPERLINK http://www.simonsays.com/content/content.cfm?sid=33&pid=416532&agid=2 http://www.simonsays.com/content/content.cfm?sid=33&pid=416532&agid=2
Reading Guide HYPERLINK http://www.simonsays.com/content/content.cfm?sid=33&pid=416532&agid=10 http://www.simonsays.com/content/content.cfm?sid=33&pid=416532&agid=10
Cloning: Are Humans Next? HYPERLINK http://www2.worldbook.com/wc/popup?path=features/cloning&page=html/cloning.html&direct=yes http://www2.worldbook.com/wc/popup?path=features/cloning&page=html/cloning.html&direct=yes
Human Genome Project Information HYPERLINK http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml
Scientists Succeed in Cloning Human Embryo HYPERLINK http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1672523 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1672523
Booktalk:
Will you help me? Don't be afraid. My name is Matt. I am of the House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer. You have to help me! I have been treated terribly my entire life except when around El Patron. Everyone fears him because he is so powerful. He is lord over our country called Opium--a strip of poppy fields between the U. S. and what was once called Mexico. I didn't know why he protected me when everyone else seemed to despise me. Then I found out. I wasn't born like normal humans; I was harvested from a cow. This is why everyone treated me like an animal--because I'm a clone. And this is why I have to get away. I thought El Patron loved me, but I figured out that he only wanted me around so that he could live forever. Now he needs a new heart, my heart, and I have to get away. Will you help me escape my fate; escape the House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer?
Prepared by: Leigh Jordan
HOW ANGEL PETERSON GOT HIS NAME
Gary Paulsen
Wendy Lamb Books, 2003
111 pages
Summary/Book Notes:
Gary Paulsen relates tales from his youth in a small town in northwestern Minnesota in the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as skiing behind a souped-up car and imitating daredevil Evel Knievel.
If you liked this book try:
Being Extreme: Thrills and Dangers in the World of High-Risk Sports by Bill Gutman
Brian's Hunt by Gary Paulsen
Call Me Francis Tucket by Gary Paulsen
Dangerous Games: Ice Climbing, Storm Kayaking, and Other Adventures from the Extreme Edge of Sports by Andrew Todhunter
Falling: How Our Greatest Fear Became Our Greatest Thrill A History by Garrett Soden
Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books by Gary Paulsen
Popcorn Days & Buttermilk Nights by Gary Paulsen
The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen
Curriculum Connections:
Peer pressure
Extreme sports
Humor
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.asu.edu/clas/english/englished/yalit/angelpeterson/" Webquest for How Angel Peterson Got His Name
HYPERLINK "http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/" Gary Paulsen Web Site
HYPERLINK "http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/paulsen.htm" Gary Paulsen Web Site
HYPERLINK "http://www.reading.org/Library/Retrieve.cfm?D=10.1598/JAAL.48.3.8&F=JAAL-48-3-Blasingame.html" A Review of How Angel Peterson Got His Name
Booktalk:
How Angel Peterson Got His Name is a hilarious book that will make you laugh out loud! In fact one middle school teacher, who was reading the book aloud to her students, was accused by an administrator of having a party in her room. Gary Paulsen, author of the many survival stories, has written another book that will be popular with all middle school students. This is a collection of five stories include bungee jumping using a tire tube, riding a bicycle through a flaming hoop, and the title story involving breaking a speed record on skis while being towed behind a speeding car. A quick, delightful read for students who want a funny book.
Prepared by: Patty Tucker
INKHEART
Cornelia Caroline Funke
Scholastic, 2003
534 pages
Summary:
Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father Mo, a bookbinder, can "read" fictional characters to life when an evil ruler named Capricorn, freed from the novel Inkheart, tries to force Mo to release an immortal monster from the story.
If you liked this book try:
The Great Good Thing: A Novel by Rod Townley
Bad Dreams by Anne Fine
The Conch Bearer : a Novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Curriculum Connections:
Guidance: The theme of truth/lies appears throughout Inkheart. Is there a difference between keeping a secret and telling a lie? Describe examples of times when one character keeps a secret and/or tells a lie to another. Are there times when it is better not to know the truth? How can keeping secrets affect a person's life and relationships with others? What does Meggie mean when she says, Why do grownups think it's easier for children to bear secrets than to bear the truth?
Language Arts: Complete the reading of Inkheart (Funke) and Peter Pan (Barrie). Compare and contrast characters, setting, and theme. Decide if you would rather be Meggie or Peter. Justify your answer.
If you had Meggie and Mos special abilities, who would you choose to read out of a novel OR into which novel would you like to enter? Explain your choice and propose your first adventure.
Art: Author, Cornelia Funke, was once a designer of board games. Create a board game that includes elements from Inkheart, such as fantasy; decision making related to secrets, truth, and lies; bookbinding; Italy; titles/authors of classics mentioned in Inkheart (ie. Treasure Island, The Neverending Story, The Princess Bride, The Hobbit).
Social Studies/ Geography: Examine the setting of Italy and its effect on the story of Inkheart. If the setting were changed from Italy to the United States, in what ways would it change the characters? Plot? Outcome? Defend your answer.
Web Sites:
Author Bio and Interview: Bookbrowse --
HYPERLINK "http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cfm?page=author&authorID=804" http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cfm?page=author&authorID=804
Cornelias Favorite Books
HYPERLINK "http://books.guardian.co.uk/top10s/top10/0,6109,1063558,00.html" http://books.guardian.co.uk/top10s/top10/0,6109,1063558,00.html
Illustrations by Funke
HYPERLINK "http://www.storyopolis.com/portfolio-dbp.asp?ArtistID=329" http://www.storyopolis.com/portfolio-dbp.asp?ArtistID=329
Booktalk:
Can you imagine having such fine reading skills that you can read real gold out of Treasure Island? Inkheart is a tale of adventure, magic, escape, danger, and intrigue. Although the book is rather lengthy, it is very exciting and will keep you turning the pages to find out what mystery will unfold next. Mo is a bookbinder and has passed on his great love of books to his daughter Meggie; however, he has never read aloud to her. When a stranger named Dustfinger appears at their home, Meggie's world turns upside down. She soon learns some startling truths about her mother's disappearance nine years earlier and the mysterious book called Inkheart that her father tries desperately to hide. She learns the reason Mo has never read aloud to her. He has a secret, mysterious, dangerous gift. When he reads aloud, objects and characters come out of the books . . . a skill he discovered when Capricorn, the dark villain of Inkheart (whose wicked heart is black as ink), came into the world when Meggie was three . . . which was exactly the same time that Meggies mother suddenly disappeared. Since that time, Mo has spent years hiding from Capricorn and other characters that were read out of Inkheart. Now, he and Meggie have been found and they will not be left alone. Even Capricorns creator, Fenoglio, the author of Mos book Inkheart, gets involved with Meggie and Mo to foil Capricorns new evil plans. Its a high speed adventure as Meggie tries to save her family and everything she has ever held dear to her heart from the inkhearted Capricorn.
Prepared by: Tami Huggins
OR GIVE ME DEATH: A NOVEL OF PATRICK HENRYS FAMILY
Ann Rinaldi
Gulliver Books, Harcourt, Inc., 2003
226 pages
Summary/Book Notes:
With their father away most of the time advocating independence for the American colonies, the children of Patrick Henry try to raise themselves, manage the family plantation, and care for their mentally ill mother.
If you liked this book try:
Cast Two Shadows: The American Revolution in the South by Ann Rinaldi
The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre by Ann Rinaldi
The Fighting Ground by Avi
King's Mountain by Clifton G. Wisler
Patrick Henry : Voice of the Revolution by Amy and Jon Kukla
The Secret of Sarah Revere by Ann Rinaldi
Curriculum Connections:
American Revolutionary War
Mental illness
Sibling relationships
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.annrinaldi.com/" Ann Rinaldi Home Page
HYPERLINK "http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/rinaldi.htm" Ann Rinaldi Teacher Resource File
HYPERLINK "http://www.history.org/Almanack/people/bios/biohen.cfm" Patrick Henry Web Site from Colonial Williamsburg
HYPERLINK "http://www.reading.org/publications/journals/jaal/reviews/jaal_0403.html" Book Review
Booktalk:
"Give me my freedom or let me go to my death." This quote is not quite the famous one we associate with Patrick Henry, one of the best orators of the American Revolution. But these are the words Anne hears her mother speak shortly before she dies. You see, Sarah Henry, the wife of Patrick, has been kept in the cellar for years and has not been allowed out. Not since she tried to drown her infant son. Not since she ran away with her toddler in the pouring rain. Not since she went mad. With the country in turmoil and Patrick Henry a central figure in the Revolution, his own household was out of control. Read about his family and their troubles in Or Give Me Death.
-- from Nancy Keanes Booktalks Quick and Simple
Prepared by Patty Tucker
PIRATES!
Celia Rees
Bloomsbury, New York and London, 2003
376 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
In 1722, after arriving with her brother at the familys Jamaican plantation where she is to be married off, sixteen-year-old Nancy Kington escapes with her slave friend, Minerva Sharpe, and together they become pirates traveling the world in search of treasures.
If you liked this book try:
Under the Black Flag: the Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates
David Cordingly
The History of Pirates (2002) Angus Konstram
The Pirate Hunter: the True Story of Captain Kidd (2002) Richard Zacks
Peter and the Starcatchers (2004) Dave Barry
Curriculum Connections:
Language Arts: Use narration, description, exposition, and persuasion to develop various modes of writing (notes, stories, poems, letters, essays, logs, etc.) that relate to this story.
Social Studies: Using a map, track the path that Nancy and Minerva traveled during their adventures as pirates.
Mathematics: Following a coordinate system (locating points, identifying coordinates, and graph points) created by the teacher follow a treasure map locate a hidden treasure.
Web Sites:
Celia Rees HYPERLINK "http://www.celiarees.co.uk" http://www.celiarees.co.uk
Pirates for Kids! HYPERLINK "http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pirates" http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pirates
Pirates! Facts and Legends HYPERLINK "http://www.piratesinfo.com" http://www.piratesinfo.com
Legends Pirates and Privateers HYPERLINK "http://www.legends.dm.net/pirates" http://www.legends.dm.net/pirates
Pirates of the Caribbean HYPERLINK "http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/pirates/pirates.html" http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/pirates/pirates.html
Booktalk:
Did you see the movie Pirates of the Caribbean with Johnny Depp? If you did, and you like romance, daring battles, and high seas adventure, you will really like reading Pirates! by Celia Rees! Meet Nancy Kington, a sixteen-year-old, and discover her fathers promise to the wicked Bartholome. Is this why Nancy and Minerva Sharpe, a Jamaican plantation slave, forged a friendship that led them to run away and become pirates? Dive into the pages of this book to find out!
Prepared by: Sandy Bailey
POOL BOY
Michael Simmons
Neal Porter/Roaring Brook Press, 2003
164 p.
Summary/Book Notes:
Fifteen-year-old Brett Gerson is extremely richuntil his father is imprisoned for insider trading and his family loses everythinghouse, money, expensive stereo. They move in with an eccentric aunt and Brett is forced to get a job as an assistant to the 70-ish Alfie, who once cleaned Bretts pool. Angry, resentful, humiliated at first, Brett slowly begins to change and grow wiser because of his relationship with Alfie.
If you liked this book, try:
High Heat by Carl Deuker
The Janitors Boy by Andrew Clements
The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens: Eight Steps to Having More
Money Than Your Parents Ever Dreamed of by Dave Gardner
The Totally Awesome Business Book for Kids: With Twenty Super Businesses by Adriane G. Berg
Curriculum Connections:
English/Language Arts: Discussions of famous and complex father-son relationships in literature
Economics: teen jobs, salaries, and savings
Career investigations
Volunteering with senior citizens in community projects (Helping the Ill, the Poor, & the Elderly by Bernard Ryan, Jr. might be a useful print resource.)
Websites:
www.mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap 7 (Mental Help Net: anger
management)
HYPERLINK "http://www.scois.net" www.scois.net (South Carolina Occupational Information System:
SC schools need Site ID and password)
HYPERLINK "http://www.childtrends.org/file/K7Brief/pdf" www.childtrends.org/file/K7Brief/pdf (dealing with teens)
HYPERLINK "http://www.sba.gov/teens" www.sba.gov/teens (Small Business Association: Teen
Entrepreneur Guide to Owning a Small Business
HYPERLINK "http://msg.calsnet.arizona.edu/icyf/Fathers_and_Families" http://msg.calsnet.arizona.edu/icyf/Fathers_and_Families
(Institute for Children, Youth, and Families: fathering tips)
Booktalk:
Spoiled fifteen-year-old Brett Gerson had it allwealth, mansion with pool, Mercedes, $5,000 stereountil his father is imprisoned for insider trading; and the Gersons lose everything and are forced to move in with an eccentric aunt. Forced to find a job, Brett takes one as a pool-cleaning assistant with 70-ish Alfie, who once cleaned Bretts own swimming pool. Brett angrily resents it all and hates his father. His most humiliating moment comes when he is called pool boy by the insensitive lady who now owns the luxurious home and pool that was once Bretts familys.
Throughout the summer, Brett builds a warm friendship with Alfie, to whom Brett can unload his bitterness toward his father and his humiliation of being poor while his friends still enjoy the good life. When a tragedy befalls Algie, Brett realizes how much he loved being with Algieclean[ing] pools together, and goof[ing] off and driv[ing] around in his van. Brett realizes the legacy that Alfie has left himnot only the van and the business, but the meaning of love and loyalty. He knows that his father needs him, and he needs his father. Although still unhappy with his Dad, Brett initiates the move toward healing their relationship.
Narrated by Brett himself, the voice is that of an angry, sarcastic, spoiled kid in the jargon of todays teens but the tone gradually becomes more thoughtful, but still feisty. This is a believable and touching story of a kid coming to terms with himself, his anger, and the realization of what is truly important in life.
Prepared By: Patricia Hartley
PRAIRIE WHISPERS
Frances Arrington
Philomel Books, 2003
184 pages
Summary:
Only twelve-year-old Colleen knows that her baby sister died just after she was born and that Colleen put another baby in her place, until the babys father shows up and makes trouble for her and her family on the South Dakota prairie in the 1860s.
If you liked this book try
Bluestem by Frances Arrington
Frozen Summer by Mary Jane Auch
Prairie Songs by Pam Conrad
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Curriculum Connections:
Language Arts:
Put yourself in Colleen's place, would you have switched babies? Write a persuasive essay explaining your decision.
Social Studies:
Research 19th century life on the prairie, focus on food, customs, tools, healthcare etc. Create a poster of life on the prairie
Science:
Research plant and animal life found on the prairie.
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.edc.org/CCT/PMA/prairie/"Picturing Prairie Life
HYPERLINK "http://americanhistory2.si.edu/ourstoryinhistory/tryonline/buildsodhouse.html"Our History: Building a Sod House
HYPERLINK "http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/nbhihtml/pshome.html"Prairie Settlement
Booktalk:
Colleen faced the ultimate dilemma. She had to make a decision that no one should have to make. She alone is home with her mother who goes into premature labor. The baby dies. Colleen goes off to find the midwife but on her way she comes across a wagon. She thought she would find help there but instead encounters a woman who has recently given birth. The woman is very sick and knows she is dying. She makes Colleen promise to take her baby and keep it safe from her abusive husband. She also gives Colleen a gold watch and a strong box. Colleen takes the baby home and replaces the body of her baby sister with this baby, Bonnie. She hides the box and starts on a series of lies that seem to take on a life of their own. Her sister is buried with the other women and no one suspects anything, except the midwife who knows Bonnie is not a premature baby and then the father comes home and is desperate to find the box.
Prepared by: Kathleen Butler
THE RIVER BETWEEN US
Richard Peck
Dial Books, 2003
164 pages
Summary/Book Notes:
During the early days of the Civil War, the Pruitt family takes in two mysterious young ladies who have fled New Orleans to come north to Illinois.
If you liked this book, try:
Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder
Which Way Freedom, by Joyce Hansen
An Acquaintance With Darkness, by Ann Rinaldi
Soldiers Heart, by Gary Paulsen
With Every Drop of Blood, by James Lincoln Collier
Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters, by Patricia and
Frederick McKissack
A Long Way From Chicago, by Richard Peck
A Year Down Yonder, by Richard Peck
Curriculum Connections:
Language Arts: Make a list of the feelings and attitudes which were so prevalent during the Civil War. Incorporate these ideas into poetry. Write a letter to Noah letting him know you are sorry about his war injury. Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper giving your opinion of this war.
Peck says, "I want to write novels that ask honest questions about serious issues. A novel is never an answer; it's always a question." What is the question that this novel asks?
Social Studies: Create a timeline of the major events of the Civil War. This could be done on paper, using Power Point, or other software such as Timeliner. Compare and contrast what it would be like to travel on a steamboat back in the 1800s to our methods of travel today. Read The Boys War, by Jim Murphy to explore more about the many young boys who served in this war (Noah was only sixteen).
Science: Research medicine used during the Civil War and how amputation was done. Are there medical advances today that may have saved Noahs and other soldiers limbs?
Fine Arts: Research the rhythm and rhyme of the many songs and chants of the Civil War.
French: Research the history of New Orleans and the French influence, including the word quadroon. Discuss the fascinating details of the complex New Orleans society during this time.
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://ccpl.carr.org/mae/peck/peck.htm" Richard Peck
HYPERLINK "http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/rpeck.html" Richard Peck
HYPERLINK "http://www.stonewall.fayette.k12.ky.us/wq/cwwebquest/civilwar.htm" Civil War Web Quest
HYPERLINK "http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/ushistory/civilwar.html" Carol Hurst Civil War
Booktalk:
The story opens in the year 1916, and Howard Hutchings, his doctor father and his young twin brothers are traveling in a Model T to Grand Tower, Illinois to visit Howards grandparents, great-aunt, and great-uncle. The story then flashes back to the year 1861. Howards Grandma Tilly relates the events that occurred to their family during the Civil War. A steamboat from New Orleans brings two strangers to their town, the glamorous Delphine and her companion Calinda. Tillys mother offers to take them in, since things are too dangerous for them to continue their trip to St. Louis, and they have no where to go. Delphine is fair and beautiful, but what about the darker-skinned woman, Calinda? Could she possibly be Delphines slave? Tilly learns more about these two mysterious women when she and Delphine travel to the battlefront to find her injured brother, Noah. For a look into the female experiences during the Civil War, read The River Between Us. Find out more about New Orleans society during this period, and read this richly layered book which reveals some of the harsh realities of the Civil War.
Prepared by: Betty Neal
SPITTING IMAGE
Shutta Crum
Houghton Mifflin, 2003
218 pages
Summary:
In the small town of Baylor, Kentucky, twelve-year-old Jessie K. Bovey and her friends confront some of life's questions during their summer vacation in the late 1960s.
If you liked this book try:
Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White
Tadpole by Ruth White Dovey Coe by Frances Dowell
Ghost Girl by Delia Ray Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver
Curriculum Connections:
Psychology: Jessie has a problem with controlling her temper. What are some anger management techniques that she might try?
Science: Jessie wonders who her father is, and if she shares any physical characteristics with him. Which of our physical characteristics are inherited? Do some research on heredity to find out, and prepare a written or oral report for the class.
History/Photography: The photographs of their community that appear in the newspaper embarrass Jessie and her family and friends. Lester shows Jessie pictures that were taken by Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange that drew attention to the plight of poor people. Find out more about these two photographers and bring in examples of their pictures to share with the class.
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.shuttacrum.com"www.shuttacrum.com (author's website) HYPERLINK "http://www.itvs.org/strangerwithacamera/story.html"www.itvs.org/strangerwithacamera/story.html (true story which inspired the novel)
HYPERLINK "http://www.coaleducation.org"www.coaleducation.org (information about coal mining)
HYPERLINK "http://www.friendsofvista.com"www.friendsofvista.com (information about VISTA)
Booktalk:
Jessie K. Bovey has three problems to solve in her small Kentucky town in the summer of 1967. First of all, she wants to know who her father is. Second, she wants to earn enough money to buy her best friend Robert Ketchum a new pair of glasses. Third, she wants to learn to control her temper and stop getting in fights, especially with her grandmother. When President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty brings a VISTA volunteer to town, Jessie accepts the job of showing Miss Woodruff around. Jessie also helps the reporters and photographers who come to town, and she is embarrassed when they focus national attention on the worst aspects of her community and friends. Jessie's plan to help her friend backfires, and she must make amends to keep from hurting those she loves. By the end of the summer, Jessie has the answers to all of her questions, and she has learned who she really is.
Prepared by: Teresa Blankenship
STRAVAGANZA: CITY OF MASKS
Mary Hoffman
St. Martin's Press, 2002
344 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
While sick in bed with cancer, Lucien begins making journeys to a place in a parallel world that resembles Venice, Italy. He becomes caught up in the political intrigues surrounding the Duchessa who rules the city.
If you liked this book try:
A Circle of Time by Marisa Montes
Arabat by Clive Barker
Black Canary by Jane Louise Curry (new in February 2005)
Paint by Magic by Kathryn Reiss
Curriculum Connections:
Language Arts: Write an essay describing where and what era in history you would go if you had the ability to travel through time.
Social Studies: Create a travel brochure for ancient Venice.
Science: Write down your description of a black hole. Then research the correct definition.
Web Sites:
Stravaganza
HYPERLINK "http://www.stravaganza.co.uk/" http://www.stravaganza.co.uk/
Mary Hoffman
HYPERLINK "http://www.maryhoffman.co.uk/" http://www.maryhoffman.co.uk/
Venice, Italy
HYPERLINK "http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Italy/italy.htm" http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Italy/italy.htm
HYPERLINK "http://www.bellereti.com/jzimm/Venice/venice.html" http://www.bellereti.com/jzimm/Venice/venice.html
American Museum of Natural History
HYPERLINK "http://ology.amnh.org/einstein/spaceandtime/timetravel.html" http://ology.amnh.org/einstein/spaceandtime/timetravel.html
BBCX - Black holes and time travel
HYPERLINK "http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/exploration/timetravel/index.shtml" http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/exploration/timetravel/index.shtml
Leonardo's Workshop
HYPERLINK "http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/leonardo/index.html" http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/leonardo/index.html
Booktalk:
Lucien is very ill with cancer and spends most of his time in bed. When his father brings him an old journal, he is transported to another world. Here he discovers that he is able to move around and becomes involved with the political world of Bellaza.
Prepared by: Beth Lee, Media Specialist, E. L. Wright Middle School,
Richland Two, Columbia, SC
SWEAR TO HOWDY
Wendelin Van Draanen Alfred A. Knopf, 2003 114 pages
SUMMARY:
Two thirteen-year-old boys share neighborhood adventures, complaints about their older sisters, family secrets, and even guilt that binds them together in a special friendship. (CIP)
IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK, TRY
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Great Brain Series by John D. Fitzgerald
On my Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
How I Survived being a Girl by Wendelin Van Draanen
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
Math: You are in charge of setting prices for the Diamond Dogs concessions. Select a menu of items the girls will sell. Determine the cost of the items (include the cost of condiments, napkins and other courtesy items) and decide how much you will need to sell each item for in order to make a 25% profit. 10% profit. 35% profit.
Science: Joey captures a frog. Research what kind of frogs and toads are native to your area. Try to determine what kind of frog Joey caught. Create a comparison chart on frogs and toads. How are they alike? How are they different?
Guidance: When is it right to break a promise. Discuss several situations where breaking your word is necessary.
Do a character sketch of Rusty, Joey, Mr. Banks or other character. Discuss how different decisions made by these characters could have changed the outcome of the story.
WEB SITES:
HYPERLINK "http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/vandraanen/" Wendelin Van Draanen/ Authors Home page.
HYPERLINK "http://www2.scholastic.com/teachers/authorsandbooks/authorstudies/authorhome.jhtml;jsessionid=Y5MLDWTLWBEVMCQVAKNSFFAKCUBMOIWA?authorID=5992&collateralID=11103&displayName=Biography" Scholastics Author page includes Author Video
HYPERLINK "http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0375825053-excerpt.asp" Kidsread Excerpt from first chapter and review.
HYPERLINK "http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/dec01/vandraanen.htm" A Conversation With Wendelin Van Draanen Interview with the author. (nothing new after Flipped).
HYPERLINK "http://www.childrenslit.com/f_vandraanen.html" Wendelin Van Draanen Biography of author. (nothing new after Flipped).
BOOKTALK:
Growing up, I was always traveling with my 2 best friends, getting into all the trouble I could. At the end of each adventure we felt would be too much for my parents to handle, we would swear each other to secrecy, promising to cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. Rusty and Joey have their own way of sealing a pact
(read the HYPERLINK "http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0375825053-excerpt.asp" Kidsread excerpt.)
Seems like Joey and me were always making pacts. Lots of pacts, leading up to that last one. "Rusty," he'd say to me. "I swear to howdy, if you tell a soul . . .""I won't!" I'd tell him. "I swear!" Then he'd put out his fist and we'd go through the ritual, hammering fists and punching knuckles. And after we'd nicked fingers and mixed blood he'd heave a sigh and say, "You're a true friend, Rusty-boy," and that'd be that. Another secret, sealed for life.
Joey and Rusty get involved in several adventures and pranks over the course of the summer, until one prank ends with horrible consequences. When is it okay to keep a promise? When do you have to tell?
Read Swear to Howdy by Wendlin van Draanen. Youll enjoy it. I swear to howdy, you will.
Prepared by: Heidi Lewis
SWORD OF THE RIGHTFUL KING
Yolen, Jane
Harcourt, Inc., 2003
349 pages
Summary/ Book Notes:
Merlinnus the magician devises a way for King Arthur to prove himself the rightful king of Englandpulling a sword from a stonebut trouble arises when someone else removes the sword first.
If you liked this book try:
Crispin: the Cross of Lead by Avi
The Lost Years of Merlin series by T. A. Barron
The Great Tree of Avalon series by T. A. Barron
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli
The Edge of the Sword by Kevin Ryan
The Ramsay Scallop by Frances Temple
Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray Vining
Girl in a Cage by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris
Curriculum Connections:
Language Arts: Compare this version of the King Arthur legend to other versions. How do they differ? How do they compare? How was Merlin portrayed differently depending on which version of the King Arthur legend you read. If you lived during this period of time what books would you likely have to read?
Social Studies: Using a map of the Middle Ages trace the route taken by Prince Gawain from his home in the Orkney Islands to Arthurs court. What was the life of a page or squire like during this period of history? What did the code of chivalry mean for a knight?
Science: The science described in the story consists of magic and superstition. What were some of the chief scientific and medical beliefs that were common during the early Middle Ages?
Art: What is an illuminated manuscript? Find examples. The cathedrals built during the Middle Ages contained magnificent stained glass windows. What was the primary purpose of those windows?
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/" Overview of the Middle Ages
HYPERLINK "http://members.aol.com/McNelis/medsci_index.html"Medieval Science
HYPERLINK "http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html"Medieval Source Book
HYPERLINK "http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/%7Etekpages/Timeline.html"Medieval Technology Timeline
HYPERLINK "http://battle1066.com/"Battle of Hastings
HYPERLINK "http://www.pitt.edu/%7Emedart/menuglossary/INDEX.HTM"Glossary of Medieval Art and Architecture
HYPERLINK "http://www.byu.edu/ipt/projects/middleages/"The Middle Ages
HYPERLINK "http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/feudal.html"Feudal Life in the Middle Ages
Booktalk: The familiar story of King Arthur with neat plot twists. Merlin (or Merlinnus in this story), the powerful magician of the King Arthur legend, is portrayed here as much showman and trickster as he is the master of magic. Arthur is torn by self doubt about his own fitness to be king, a view shared by others who covet the throne. Merlinnus concocts a plan to lay all doubts to rest: a sword stuck in a stone can only be removed by the rightful king of England. Merlinnus tries to leave nothing to chance but his his careful plans unravel when someone else pulls the sword out of the stone before Arthur does. There is plenty of magic, evil characters, and humor to whet the readers appetite in The Sword of the Rightful King.
Prepared by: Henry L. Hall
TULSA BURNING
Anna Myers
Walker Publishing Company, 2002
152 pages
Summary/Book Notes: In 1921, fifteen-year-old Noble Chase hates the sheriff of Wekiwa, Oklahoma, and is more than willing to cross him to help his best friend, a black man, who is injured during race riots in nearby Tulsa.
If you liked this book try:
Sounder. William H. Armstrong, 1969.
Burning up: a novel. Caroline B. Cooney, 1999
Darby. Jonathon Scott Fuqua, 2002
The Last Safe Place on Earth. Richard Peck, 1995
The Gold Cadillac. Mildred D. Taylor, 1987
Curriculum Connections:
Social Studies: Research the Greenwood, Oklahoma Black Wall Street and the 1921 race riots. Explore the inequities that existed between whites and blacks during this time including daily challenges such as water fountains, public transportation, and admittance to places of business.
Language Arts: Research famous black poets of this time that spoke of racial equity i.e. Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson. Compare and contrast similar circumstances where a predominately black town in Florida was burned. Take an interactive tour of the AFRO-American Black History Museum.
Entertainment: Listen to period music such as Scott Joplins ragtime music. Explore works of art by period African American artists that chronicled the racial struggles of the day. Review the career of Paul Robeson, a stage and movie actor that was forced from the U.S. for his political views.
Web Sites:
PRIVATE HREF="http://www.montgomerycollege.org/Departments/hpolscrv/VdeLaOliva.html" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor The T ulsa Race Riot of 1921
www.montgomerycollege.org/ Departments/hpolscrv/VdeLaOliva.html
PRIVATE HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~oktulsa/riot.htm" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor The Tulsa Race Riot, 1921 PRIVATE HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~oktulsa/riot.htm" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor www.rootsweb.com/~oktulsa/riot.htm
PRIVATE HREF="http://www.exodusnews.com/HISTORY/History007.htm" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor The Tulsa, Oklahoma Race Riot of 1921 PRIVATE HREF="http://www.exodusnews.com/HISTORY/History007.htm" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor www.exodusnews.com/HISTORY/History007.htm
PRIVATE HREF="http://www.eslarp.uiuc.edu/ibex/archive/nunes/esl%20history/race_riot.htm" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Race Riotwww.eslarp.uiuc.edu/ibex/archive/ nunes/esl%20history/race_riot.htm
PRIVATE HREF="http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/riot/riot2.html" MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 Commissionwww.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/riot/riot2.html
Booktalk: The day he buried his P
a, Nobe Chase lost everything--his father, his home, and his dog, Rex. Worst of all, he had to move into town to live with Sheriff Leonard--dog killer, wife stealer, and secret law-breaker of all sorts. That day, Nobe found a new purpose for his life--revenge. Hate takes over his life, burning inside him out of control. Nobe learns how dangerous hate can be when it is unleashed in a fury of fire and gunpowder during a race riot in nearby Tulsa. When the violence spills into his hometown of Wekiwa, Nobe must decide what kind of man he is going to become--one driven by vengeance or one driven by courage. Based on true events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during May of 1921, this is a novel about a young man who must wrestle with his past and find the strength to pull free from the poisonous grip of hatred and abuse.
Prepared by: Lisa L. Foster
WENNY HAS WINGS
Janet Lee Carey
Aladdin Paperbacks, 2002
232 pages
Summary:
Will tries to cope with having a near-death experience in the accident that killed his younger eleven-year old sister by writing her letters.
If you like this book try:
Mick Hart Was Here Barbara Park
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
Blizzard Wake by Phillis Reynolds Naylor
Blue Eyes Better by Ruth Wallace-Brodeur
Where Have All the Flowers Gone by Ellen White
Curriculum Connections:
Vocabulary: Have the students make a web fill with alternate words that can be used for the term sad. Have the students look up the entomology of these words.
Reading: Do a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting how Will had changed from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. Discuss whether Will was a static or a dynamic character. Determine if Will was a round or a flat character.
Health: Discuss the emotions that a person goes through when a death occurs. This death may be a family member, a friend, or even a pet. Explain how writing down ones emotions, concerns, and worries can help.
Have the students keep personal journals. Encourage them to express their feelings within their journals.
Math: Calculate how many weeks and months 154 days would be.
Web Sites:
HYPERLINK "http://www.janetleecarey.com" www.janetleecarey.com.
HYPERLINK "http://www.SimonSaysKids.com" www.SimonSaysKids.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.journal-writing.com" www.journal-writing.com
Booktalk:
My dear Wenny, Do you remember I died too? I died when they brought us to the hospital. I was on the table, and my heart stopped. Wow, Wenny, it was so great racing through that tunnel of light after you. I felt so free and so wonderful. You were having fun doing summersaults and floating around. I wanted to go with you, but then I remembered Mom and Dad. Instead of following you, I turned back to be with them. Here I am stuck on earth with Mom and Dad. Some days I wonder if I made the right decision. Things are miserable here! Mom and Dad are so sad they hardly speak. They dont even seem to want to bother with me much these days. I am afraid to tell them that I died. Im afraid they will think I am crazy and put me on the third floor of the hospital with all of the crazy children. I have decided to keep quiet and not tell them anything. I will just keep everything inside. Mom and Dad had a counselor come over, and he gave me a blank book to write in. I am going write to you, Wenny. Maybe you will listen. I know you wont think Im crazy.
Prepared by Barbara Satkowski
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