The Dog Days of Charlotte Hayes

2010 Children's Choice List Book
Author: Marlane Kennedy
Copyright: Marlane Kennedy, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Reading Level:
     Ages: 8-12
     Grade Level Equivalent: 5.2
     Lexile Measure: 790L

5 Keywords/Phrases to Describe the Book:
Responsibility, Pet/Owner bond, being courteous, making new friends, hard work

Suggested Delivery: Individual read

Summary: Charlotte Hayes' father bought a purebred Saint Bernard at quite a bargain, and could not be happier. Even though he is ecstatic about the deal he made, this doesn't quite reflect in the car provided for this dog, who he named Killer. Before she knows it, Charlotte is responsible for taking care of the dog - including feeding him, bathing him, picking up after him, and giving him the love and affection none of the other family members seem to give him. She isn't a fan of the name Killer, so she starts to call the dog Beauregard, and quickly becomes his sole caretaker. Fed up with this responsibility, Charlotte becomes desperate to find Beauregard a new home. Through a series of failed plans and foiled attempts to get rid of the dog, Charlotte builds a bond with Beauregard that she does not expect. Students will love to see if Charlotte will be able to find Beauregard a new home that is suitable for him and make herself happy at the same time.

Vocabulary:
1) Spigot (page 3)
2) Postpartum Depression (page 6)
3) Repulsed (page 15)
4) Bonafide (page 16)
5) Neglected (page 19)
6) Devious (page 68)
7) Beautician (page 143)
8) Dumbfounded (page 145)
9) Ornate (page 165)
10) Gruff (page 168)
11) Gait (page 175)
12) Gurney (page 198)
13) Compensated (page 209)

Electronic Resources:
Book Trailer - This book trailer to The Dog Days of Charlotte Hayes could be used for a brief introduction to the book to catch students' interest. It gives students enough information about the book to catch their attention, but doesn't give too much away, which will make students' want to learn what happens. It can also be used as a great before reading activity, as described below.

Marlane Kennedy - This is Marlane Kennedy's official website. Students and teachers can go bere to learn more about the author, her other book (since she only has two on there), and how they can have her as a guest speaker at their school. Viewers can also read book reviews and honors she has received for her books.

CT Humane Society - Because The Dog Days of Charlotte Hayes mentions animal shelters and animal adoptions numerous times throughout the novel, students may become interested in volunteering at animal shelters or even adopting from a shelter to rescue a pet. The Connecticut Humane Society website is a great place for students to go to research how to get involved, how to adopt, or to donate.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Show students the book trailer mentioned above, and use the Think-Pair-Share method to have students predict what Charlotte's plan is to find Beauregard a new home. What do they think an eleven-year-old can do to find a new home for her dog? Is it realistic?

Teachers can also have a group discussion with students to connect the novel to their own lives. This discussion could address who in the classroom has a pet (especially since they're more common these days), what kind of pet they have, who takes care of their pets, and how much work that is. This will get students to think about how much work Charlotte and her family may or may not be putting into taking care of Beauregard.

During: In their writing journals, students should create a T-chart to record the actions that show Charlotte is a dog person versus the actions that show she isn't a dog person. Students should record the evidence in the story to support either position and record the page number they found this evidence on.

After: Based upon their T-chart they created during reading the novel, students will take a stance. Do they believe Charlotte is or isn't a dog person? Why or why not? Students will write this short, one-paragraph response in their writing journals also.

Another after reading option is to have students create an acrostic poem. Using the word "Beauregard" for their acrostic, their poem should describe Beauregard and his relationship with Charlotte.

Writing: Students will write a letter to Charlotte as if they were Beauregard in his new home. Although dogs can't actually write, students should write this letter to Charlotte from his point of view, describing his new life and his feelings about new his life.

Citation:
Kennedy, M. (2009). The dog days of Charlotte Hayes. New York: 
          Scholastic Inc..

Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff

Poetry Novel
Author: Robert Paul Weston
Copyright: Robert Paul Weston, 2013
Publisher: Razor Bill, an imprint of The Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Reading Level:
     Ages: 8-12
     Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
     Lexile Measure: Not yet rated

5 Keywords/Phrases to Describe the Book:
Fun, fairytale, encouraging, acceptance, "don't judge a book by its cover."

Suggested Delivery: read aloud, preferably with each student having their own copy of the book to see how the poetry is written with visual effects

Summary: Once, long ago, in a faraway land, there existed many kingdoms that had their own kings who had their own rules that everyone in the kingdom had to follow. The Kingdom of Spiff was the most luxurious kingdom, with all its inhabitants dressed to the nines, except for the King's daughter, Frannie. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Spud was more relaxed, and the King let his people wear whatever they wanted. When the King of Spud resigns and leaves the kingdom to open a barber shop, the Kingdom of Spud is left kingless, and must find someone quick. Puggly was chosen to be the next King, but he preferred prince instead, so he became Prince Puggly of Spud. Throughout this beautifully crafted poetry novel, readers discover that Frannie and Puggly may have more in common than they think, despite their completely opposite kingdoms. Readers will love this story and may learn a moral or two along the way.

Vocabulary:
1) Gilt (page 2)
2) Sumptuous (page 5)
3) Uncouth (page 8)
4) Shaman (page 18)
5) Capricious (page 25)
6) Sojourn (page 42)
7) Vociferously (page 75)
8) Hors d'oeuvres (page 86)
9) Cynical (page 102)
10) à la mode (page 115)
11) Obsolete (page 121)
12) "Go on the lam" (page 134)
13) Abyss (page 135)
14) Abdicate (page 158)
15) Relinquished (page 160)
16) Beguiled (page 166)
17) Coif (page 198)

Electronic Resources:
Robert Paul Weston - This is the author, Robert Paul Weston's, official website. I find it to be very impressive in the way it is set up both structurally and visually. His website would appeal to both adults and students alike. Viewers can go to this site to discover other books by this author, read his blog, research presentation he gives about his books, and find out how to contact him. Viewers can also look at pictures, videos, and listen to audio recordings by the author.

Zorgamazoo - Zorgamazoo is another novel written by Robert Paul Weston that students may also like if they liked Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff. This website is dedicated to that novel, and is an interactive way to learn about the story and the characters. Students can refer to this website before reading Zorgamazoo to determine whether or not it is a book they are interested in.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: In groups, have students write down what they know about poems in verse. Have students research poems written in verse and take note of when this type of poetry is typically used and the "rules" regarding poetry written in verse. Additionally, have students write what impact they think using creative formatting and different typefaces throughout the novel has on the reader's ability to read and understand the novel.

During: In their writing journals, have students create a venn diagram of the Kingdom of Spud vs. the Kingdom of Spiff. The items listed in their venn diagrams should include what the kingdoms are like, what the inhabitants are like, and the different rulers/characters mentioned from each kingdom. As always, the center of the venn diagram should contain what the two kingdoms have in common.

After: Have a class discussion centered around the following questions: "Who sent the invitation to Prince Puggly? Who is determined to be the writer of the novel? How do you know this? What evidence can you use from the novel to support this? What is the moral or message of the story?"

Writing: Students will write a poem in verse with creative formatting and different typefaces to emphasize emotions and ideas, such as Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff does. The places where students use the creative formatting and different type faces should be strategically placed to convey meaning.

Citation:
Weston, R. P., & Rivas, V. (2013). Prince Puggly of Spud: and the
           Kingdom of Spiff. New York: Razorbill.

The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman

5th-6th Grade Read Aloud Book
Author: Ben H. Winters
Copyright: Ben H. Winters, 2010
Publisher: Harper, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers

Reading Level:
     Ages: 11-14
     Grade Level Equivalent: 7
     Lexile Measure: 910L

5 Keywords/Phrases to Describe the Book:
Mysterious, determination, sense of community, secrets, musical

Suggested Delivery: read aloud for 5th-6th graders

Summary: Bethesda Fielding is a very conscientious student who always tries her best. So when Mr. Melville assigned his special project to solve a mystery, Bethesda was excited to find the best mystery she could find. This just happened to be Ms. Finkleman, the quiet and reserved chorus teacher that all the students thought was super boring. However, Bethesda thinks there's more to this music teacher than meets the eye, and makes it her personal mission to find out about Ms. Finkleman's secret life. When she figures out the mystery and reveals it to her class, and ultimately the whole school, Ms. Finkleman's life is turned upside down, and blames Bethesda for the chaos that ensues. Can Bethesda make it up to Ms. Finkleman?

Vocabulary:
1) Obscurity (page 2)
2) Ambiguity (page 7)
3) Impishly (page 10)
4) Trounced (page 16)
5) Appellate litigation (page 44)
6) Quixotic (page 53)
7) Emo (page 65)
8) Unyielding (page 91)
9) Picayune (page 98)
10) Consternation (page 120)
11) Inexorably (page 136)
12) Surreptitious (page 159)
13) Surfeit (page 177)
14) Ominous (page 200)
15) Culpability (page 207)
16) Festooned (page 226)
17) Mea culpa (page 240)
18) Incorrigible (page 244)

Electronic Resources:
Ben H. Winters - This is the author, Ben H. Winters', official website. Students, and adults, can go here to learn more about the author and his bodies of work. He has sections for children's books as well as his adult books. Viewers can see his new releases and look up where he will be making appearances. If students liked The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman, they can go here to read about Ben's second book that takes place at Mary Todd Lincoln School, that has been recently released, and decide if this second book is something they would want to read.

Hidden Objects Game - This is a game provided by the publishing company, Harper Collins, that correlates to the story. There are plenty of mysteries and hidden secrets throughout the story, and this game is no different. Students must find all the hidden objects in the classroom and rack up points before time runs out. This is a fun activity for students to do in their free time at home.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Students will participate in a Think-Pair-Share prediction about the book. They must predict what they think will happen in the story based off of the title and cover. What do they think is Ms. Finkleman's secret life?

During: Throughout the novel there are a multitude of other little mysteries, besides the big one about Ms. Finkleman, that aren't solved right after they are mentioned. Once a new mystery presents itself, stop reading and have students predict the result of this mystery in their writing journals and label it "predicted solution." Once the solution to the mystery is mentioned in the story, have students write the solution underneath their prediction in their writing journals and label it "actual solution."

After: Students will complete an exit slip centered around the question, "Why did Ms. Finkleman lie about being Little Miss Mystery? Could you forgive her for this if you were one of her students? Would this lie cause you to look at her differently?"

Writing: Have students research their own mystery for homework. They should write about what the mystery is, the steps they took to solve the mystery, and the solution they came to about the mystery.

Citation:
Winters, B. H. (2010). The secret life of Ms. Finkleman. New York: Harper.

Runaway Twin

2010 Children's Choice List Book

Author: Peg Kehret

Copyright: Peg Kehret, 2009

Publisher: Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Reading Level:

     Ages: 10 and up

     Grade Level Equivalent: 4.7

     Lexile Measure: 740L

5 Keywords/Phrases to describe the book:

Suspenseful, adoption, heart-wrenching, perseverance, determination

Suggested Delivery: Individual read

Summary: Sunny Skyland has been in and out of foster homes since age 3. When her Grandma and Mama died in a car accident, Sunny and her twin sister, Starr, were separated, and have not seen each other since. Longing to find and reconnect with her Twin, and with her only clue being an old photograph from days before the accident, Sunny leaves the best foster home she has ever been placed in to complete a cross-country journey to find her twin. Sunny endures an intense trip, all to find her twin sister who she misses very much. Is it all worth it when she reaches her destination? Students will love this suspenseful book, and won't stop talking about the ending that shocks everyone.

Vocabulary:
1) Foster family (page 4)
2) Relished (page 5)
3) Uncanny (page 16)
4) Inconspicuous (page 24)
5) Arbitrarily (page 46)
6) Rural (page 56)
7) Dilapidated (page 64)
8) Desolate (page 83)
9) Intangibles (page 103)
10) Pseudonym (page 106)
11) Apprehensive (page 169)
12) Fraternal twins (page 173)
13) Affidavit (page 178)
14) Scathing (page 190)

Electronic Resources:
Tornado Simulation - This is a short video that shows what would happen if a tornado came through an area next to a house. In the story, Sunny narrowly survives a tornado by hiding next to a tree in an open field. Students may not understand how amazing it is that Sunny survived simply by reading the text. This simulation takes the viewers through the different stages a tornado can be, and shows what would happen to a house and a car if that strong of a tornado went by these objects. This visual may give students a better idea of what Sunny endured to survive.

Book Trailer - This YouTube video is the book trailer for Runaway Twin. It can be used to introduce students to the book, and make them want to read it. The storyline itself is already engaging and draws readers in; but adding this book trailer will only make them more interested to read the book. It's two minutes long yet provides the reader with just enough information to be intrigued.

Peg Kehret - This is the author's official website that can be used for many purposes. Peg provides many resources for both students and teachers. Students can find the other books she's written, view photos, and see what's new and upcoming from Peg. She also provides resources for teachers to use with her books, such as discussion questions and teacher guides. Additionally, she provides a link to her blog, for those who are interested in her life and what she has to say. 

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Have students look at the front cover of the book and use the Think-Pair-Share strategy to predict what the book will be about. Give students a few minutes to think to themselves while looking at the front cover; then have students pair up with a partner and share what they think the book will be about. Finally, have partnerships come up with a prediction they agree upon, and share it with the class. Record class predictions on a sheet of large paper to look back on after reading.

During: Throughout the story, Sunny encounters plenty of challenges and obstacles - both before and after finding her sister. Have students keep a running list in their writing journals of the obstacles and challenges Sunny has to overcome along her journey. This will give students insight into how dedicated Sunny is to find her twin.

After: Have a group discussion with the class centered around the questions: if you were Sunny, would you try to contact Starr again? Why or why not? How would you feel if you got the reaction that Sunny got from Starr? What is the meaning of the symbolism at the end of the book? (When Sunny writes a story called Runaway Twin)
Also, have students reflect on their initial predictions and comment on what was right or wrong about their predictions.

Writing: Have students respond to the following questions in their writing journals, directly after their list of the obstacles and challenges that Sunny had to overcome throughout the story: Considering all that Sunny went through, was the reaction she got from Starr "worth it" in the end? Explain.

Citation:
Kehret, P. (2009). Runaway twin. New York: Puffin Books.

Red Thread Sisters

Diversity Book
Author: Carol Antoinette Peacock
Copyright: Carol Antoinette Peacock, 2012
Publisher: The Penguin Group

Reading Level:
     Ages: 11-13
     Grade Level Equivalent: 5.0
     Lexile Measure: 700L

Five keywords/phrases to describe the book:
Friendship, love, acceptance, adoption, determination

Suggested Delivery: Small group read

Summary: After being abandoned at an orphanage in China by her mother, Wen finds comfort in her best friend at the orphanage, Shu Ling. They make a promise to each other that if one of them gets adopted, they will find an American family for the other to come live with as well. To Wen's surprise, she is the first to get adopted, and has a hard time adjusting to her new life in America, especially without Shu Ling around. Wen makes it her personal mission to find a family to adopt Shu Ling so they can both live the American life. Planning to ask her own family to adopt one more child for Shu Ling's sake, Wen feels like everything is falling into place. That is, until her father loses his job, and money becomes tight. On top of that, Wen is informed that once Shu Ling reaches age 14, she will no longer be adoptable by Chinese law. This gives Wen a little over 5 weeks to find Shu Ling a home in America. Students will love the suspense of wondering if Wen is able to find Shu Ling a family in time.

Vocabulary:
1) Gully (page 4)
2) Empress (page 27)
3) Interspersed (page 28)
4) Peonies (page 31)
5) Gratitude (page 44)
6) Billowing (page 80)
7) Loot (page 99)
8) Thermostat ( page 110)
9) Grimaced (page 136)
10) Forlorn (page 146)
11) Sallow (page 146)
12) Malnourished (page 156)
13) Murky (page 158)
14) Disposition (page 160)
15) Lilt (page 175)
16) Advocate (page 187)
17) Admonished (page 205)

Electronic Resources:
Book Trailer - This is a short, one minute book trailer for this novel. It explains the Chinese myth of the red thread and gives students a quick preview of what the book is about. This book trailer would be a great tool to use to spark students' interest in reading the book and get them engaged and hooked right away.

Carol Antoinette Peacock - This is the author's personal website that students, or teachers, can go to in order to learn more about the author and her work. Exploration of this website includes other books the author has written, the author's biography, pictures, events she will be appearing at, and how to contact her. Those who enjoyed reading Red Thread Sisters could use this site to find other works by this author that may also be interesting to them. They can also find out where Carol will be presenting, if they are interested in seeing her speak.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Write the word "sister" on the board and ask students what it means to them to be a "sister." Make sure students are considering what qualities and characteristics a "sister" would have. For those students who do not have a sister or are an only child, emphasize that they should be listing things they would ideally want in a sister if they had one.

During: Throughout the novel, Wen experiences many different emotions that are sometimes overwhelming, and often don't last long due to a new emotion surfacing. Have students keep a feelings journal of Wen's feelings. When Wen experiences a new feeling, have students write it down in their feelings journal and what caused this emotion. At the end of the book, students will be able to look back at the emotional journey that Wen experienced and may be able to "put themselves in Wen's shoes."

After: Have students fill out an exit slip with the question, "When they were in the airport at the end of the novel, Wen saw that Shu Ling used a red thread to tie her braid back. What is the symbolism behind Shu Ling using a red thread?" Once all students have completed their exit slip, have a brief class discussion to ensure that all students understood this symbolism.

Writing: After Wen is adopted and is settled in her American home, she writes letters to Shu Ling, who is still in China. Have students put themselves in Wen's shoes, and write a letter to a friend or family member that they miss dearly. They should include all the parts of a letter and fill this person in on what has been happening in their own lives.

Citation:
Peacock, C. A. (2012). Red thread sisters. New York: The Penguin Group.

Dexter the Tough

Read Aloud for Grades 3-4
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Illustrator: Mark Elliot
Copyright: Text - Margaret Peterson Haddix, 2007
Illustrations - Mark Elliot, 2007
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Reading Level:
     Ages: 7-10 years old
     Grade Level Equivalent: 4.4
     Lexile Measure: 690L

Five keywords/phrases to describe the book: Emotional, friendship, relatable, family, health issues

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud

Summary: Dexter has recently moved in with his grandmother who lives in Bellgap, Kentucky. Leaving Cincinnatti behind, Dexter's parents have gone to Seattle for his father to get treatment for his illness, forcing Dexter to stay with his grandmother. On the first day of school, Dexter is given a writing assignment where he can write about anything he chooses. Dexter writes, "I'm the new kid. I am tuf. This morning I beat up a kid." Mrs. Abbott, Dexter's teacher, makes it her mission to find out the truth behind Dexter's tale, through a series of revisions that provoke a confession from Dexter. What truly happened on Dexter's first day of school? Did he really hit a kid? Why did he hit him? Is Dexter really as tough as he claims? Students will love following this story and finding out the truth about Dexter.

Vocabulary:
1) Sissy (page 10)
2) Scrawny (page 15)
3) Dutifully (page 20)
4) Heaving (page 32)
5) Drowsily (page 36)
6) Warbling (page 36)
7) Self-sufficient (page 52)
8) Flubbed (page 72)
9) Chemo (page 95)
10) Fortress (page 109)
11) Eavesdropped (page 123)
12) Therapeutic (page 126)
12) Curlicue (page 130)

Electronic Resources:

Margaret Peterson Haddix - This is the author's official website. Students can go here to find out more about the author, other books she has written, or if she will be making an appearance somewhere near them. Sometimes students love a book so much that they want to know more about the author and their other works, thinking they would love to read her other books just as much as the first one. They can also follow her news posts and see when she will be releasing new books. Students can find out why Margaret wrote Dexter the Tough, and teachers can view a discussion guide provided by the author.

Bullying - This information on bullying, provided by PBS, is a great resource for teachers to use to reinforce that bullying of any kind is not acceptable. This website tells students what a bully is, the different kinds of bullying, how to handle bullying, and what bully-free zones are. There is also a section titled, "Are you a bully?" for students to use to see if they are practicing bullying behavior. This informational website can be used to hopefully prevent bullying before it begins.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Make a class list of appropriate ways and inappropriate ways to deal with your anger or sadness. By putting this in a T-chart form, students will be able to easily see how to deal with these emotions, compared to how not to deal with them. Teachers could also keep this chart up in the classroom for students to refer to when they're having a bad day in school.

During: Have students mark off the ways Dexter deals with his anger on the class list that was compiled before reading the book. If Dexter exhibits one or more of these actions, have students point it out, and mark a check next to the action. If Dexter exhibits an action that is not on the list, have students point it out, and add it to the list with a different color.

After: Have students summarize the story to a partner. Make sure they include the main events of the story and what fueled these events. If necessary, prompt students with the questions: "Why did Dexter truly hit Robin on his first day of school? Was Dexter actually tough?"After students are done discussing, choose two or three to share their summary with the class.

Writing: Dexter chooses to write his story about the time he was so mad that he hit someone he didn't know. Have students write a story about a time they were just as mad as Dexter was. Students should include why they were so mad, what made them so mad, and how they handled this anger. If they handled it in an inappropriate way, have students include how they would change their actions if they could go back in time.

Citation:
Haddix, M. P., & Elliott, M. (2007). Dexter the tough. New York: Simon & 
          Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Anything But Typical

Diversity Book
Author: Nora Raleigh Baskin
Copyright: Nora Raleigh Baskin, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Reading Level:
     Ages: 10 and up
     Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
     Lexile Measure: 640L

Five keywords/phrases to describe the book:
"Treat others how you want to be treated," family, acceptance, inclusion, love

Suggested Delivery: Individual read

Summary: Jason is a 12-year-old boy living with autism in the town of Weston, Connecticut. He is unable to live his life on a daily basis without something going wrong each day, leaving Jason feeling partially responsible but without knowing why. Feeling unable to connect with what he calls the "neurotypical" world, Jason finds solace in writing stories, and posting them to a website for others to read. Through this process, Jason finds comfort in a new friend, PhoenixBird, as she calls herself online. By forming a connection with PhoenixBird, also known as Rebecca, Jason feels close to her in a way he is not used to feeling. However, Jason is sure he can never meet Rebecca, even if that means giving up the one thing he's always wanted - to go to the Storyboard convention. Terrified by Rebecca's reaction to him if they were to meet face to face, Jason is faced with a dilemma. Readers will follow Jason through this engaging story told from Jason's point of view, which gives them great insight to what goes on in the mind of a child with autism.

Vocabulary:
1) Neurotypical (page 1)
2) Abstract (page 17)
3) Fontanelle (page 24)
4) Bytes (page 28)
5) Resonance (page 48)
6) IEP (page 58)
7) Regurgitate (page 60)
8) Defective (page 73)
9) Inclusionary (page 105)
10) Virtually (page 133)
11) Appendectomy (page 138)
12) Ricochet (page 142)
13) Autistic (page 151)
14) Mezzanine (page 181)

Electronic Resources

YouTube Video - This 15 minute video will give students a better look into autism and how it affects people who have it. Told by a young girl named Rosie, viewers are able to see how she deals with her autism, as well as other children who have it. They share their experiences, how certain things make them feel, and will give students' an idea of what it is like to have autism.

Nora Raleigh Baskin - This is the author's official website. Students can go here to learn more about the author, find other books she has written, and learn about appearances, author visits, and how to contact her. Teachers can also use this site as Nora provides teacher guides for each of her books.

Comprehension Strategies:
Before: Have a group discussion with the class centered around the question, "What is diversity? Are any two people in the world the same? How can two or more people be different from one another?" Sparking this discussion with students will hopefully make them realize that no two people are alike and there are many, many ways they can be different from one another.

During: Throughout the story, random words just pop into Jason's head out of nowhere, even if he doesn't know what the words mean. Have students compile a running list of the words that appear in Jason's mind throughout the book. Each time a new word comes up, students should also find the definition to write next to the word. Students should keep this list for after they've finished the book.
Note for the teacher: the list of words includes: confluence, adjudicate, halogen, lexicon, vizcaíno, serendipity, placate, Jaba Chamberlain

After: Have students fill out an exit slip with the following two questions on it:
1) After finding all the definitions for the words that appear in Jason's head, why do you think these words were the ones to randomly appear? Do you think they have meaning to Jason and/or his life? Why or why not?
2) How is Bennu related to Jason? Why do you think Jason wrote this story? Why do you think he changed the ending to the story?

Writing: Jason writes a story throughout the book about Bennu, a dwarf who is given the opportunity to have surgery to make him like everyone else, to "fix" him. Ultimately, Bennu represents Jason and how everyone around him wants to "fix" him, but he is just happy being himself. Have students write a short story about a fictional character that is meant to represent themselves and their experiences in life. After each student has written their story, the teacher will read them to the class, and the class will have to guess which story belongs to each student in the class.

Citation:
Baskin, N. R. (2009). Anything but typical. New York: Simon & Schuster 
          Books for Young Readers.