Grade 5 Unit 5
Unit
Title
Sample
lesson
Thinking, Talking, Reading, and Writing about
Author’s Craft
Objective:
Students will analyze the overall structure of stories, dramas, and poems.
Learning Targets:
I can explain how a series of chapters fit together to provide an overall structure for the story.
I can explain how a series of scenes or acts fit together to provide an overall structure for a drama.
Background Information: Students need to understand the structure of a basic narrative in order to meet
the intent of this standard. Practice thinking through the structure of a familiar fairy tale or recent short
story you have experienced with your students. It is important to move students’ thinking from the
reader of a story to thinking about the choices made by the author and the structure of the text. Your
students need to understand that the author usually introduces the reader to the characters, setting, and
problem at the beginning of the story and they continue to develop throughout the story. Your readers
should also recognize when there are turning points in the story or when the problem is compounded by
events. Students should notice the high point, or climax, which is when the story begins to move in a
different direction, one which will usually resolve the problem. Analyzing the plot, or what happens in a
story, helps the reader understand the choices made by the characters and their relationships with each
other. Finally, readers should recognize when and how the main problem is solved. Many graphic
organizers are available on line to help students visualize the structure of a story.
LITERATURE
Mini lesson- (RL.5.5) It is recommended that you introduce this learning target during read aloud time
and daily analyze and explain how the chapters provide structure for the story. You will need a short
chapter book such as My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada (4th Grade HM). Once you are several
chapters into a book, you can begin to discuss how the chapters are coming together to provide the
overall structure.
During Read Aloud Time:
Read aloud the first chapter of the book and model taking notes on the anchor chart. Be sure your notes
summarize the main point of the chapter and they are focused on the structure of the story. Read aloud
the second chapter and again model taking notes. The goal is to have enough notes to look back and see
the overall structure of the story. Read aloud the remaining chapters during read aloud time and continue
to take notes.
Title: My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada
After completing the book and the anchor chart, review the basic structure of the story and divide the
class into small groups. Provide each partnership with a question such as those listed below and have
them analyze the structure using the chart to discuss and draft a response to the question. Combine two
partnerships to make a group of four to discuss their question, response, and the thinking that explains
their response. You can remix groups several times so students have conversations with many different
groups.
Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:
• How does the author prepare the reader for the rest of the book in chapter one?
• Explain why it is important for the author to help the reader understand the characters early in a story.
• Which events are important to the structure of the story? Which events could be left out without
interrupting the structure of the story?
• Where do you notice a turning point in the story?
• Explain why the essay is the climax, or high point, of the story.
• Explain how Sarah’s problem is resolved.
• Explain the purpose of chapter 7.
Formative Assessment Opportunities:
Performance Task suggestion: Explain how the character development in chapter 5 helps the reader
understand Maria Isabel’s feelings in chapter 8. The students will need a copy of chapter 5 and chapter 8
in order to complete this task.
Note: The story structures of many dramas and many poems are similar to that of a story and
this lesson should be repeated with any dramas, stories, or poems to which you have access.
Many reader’s theatres scripts are available online such as Susu and the Magic Mirror.
(storiestogrowby.com) An example of a story poem is Casey at the Bat from 101 Great American
Poems
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will determine a narrator or character’s point of view and describe how their point
of view influences how events are described.
Learning Target:
I can determine the point of view from which a story is told.
Read Aloud:
Mini lesson: (This seed provides a foundation to build upon to address RL.5.6) This lesson is intended to
span over more than one mini-lesson.
Suggested mentor texts: My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, by Patricia Polacco
Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter (or another text of choice written in third person)
Project text from the first few pages of My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. Ask students to read the
text, think about who is telling the story and identify evidence. Have students record who is telling the
story and how they know (the evidence from the text) on a post-it note or in their reader’s notebook and
share with a partner. The book is written in first person and the narrator is the main character in the
story. You may want to create the anchor chart below. Explain that the story is told from the first person
point of view. The person who is telling the story is also a character in the story.
LITERATURE
Project the first page of Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street or another text that is written from the third
person point of view. Have students read and determine who is telling the story and locate evidence,
record their thinking, and share with a partner. Referring to the anchor chart, explain that the story is
told from the point of view of someone who is not a character in the story. Discuss specific evidence that
proves that the narrator is not a character in the story.
Students may be confused by texts written in third person with dialogue that uses “I” or “me.” It is
important that readers understand that direct quotes are given by a third person narrator to help us
better understand the characters. Project text from Nothing Ever Happens as an example. (The book does
not have page numbers, but there are pages toward the end of the story that demonstrate this). Have
students read the excerpt, think about the dialogue, and the narrator. Students may benefit from
highlighting the dialogue in one color and highlighting the narrator’s words in another color. Have
students turn and talk about what they notice. Follow up with a whole group discussion on how a
narrator may include dialogue with pronouns that we would usually see in a first person narration.
For more guided practice, provide pairs of students with several books or short stories and have students
read the beginning of the books, determine the point of view from which the story is told, and document
the evidence that supports their thinking. Combine two sets of partners into a group of four to discuss
the point of view from which their story is told.
Independent Reading: Have students read their independent reading book and determine if it is told
from the first person point of view or third person point of view and locate evidence. Students in need of
additional support should meet with you in a small group. At the conclusion of the reading workshop,
students should share with a partner the point of view from which their book is told and support their
thinking with evidence.
Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:
Formative Assessment Opportunities:
Confer with students as they work with a partner and/or small group during guided practice and/or while
reading independently. Ask the point of view from which their story is told. Require students to explain,
orally and in writing, the evidence from the text they used to determine the point of view from which the
story is told.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will determine a narrator or character’s point of view and describe how their point
of view influences how events are described.
Learning Targets:
I can determine the point of view of a character.
I can identify information a narrator provides that helps me understand a character’s point of view.
Mini lesson: (RL.5.6)
This seed is intended to span over more than one mini-lesson. Project a familiar text written from a
third person point of view. The story should have at least two characters with different points of view on
the same topic. Tell students that they are going to look at the information the narrator provides to help
them better understand the point of view of a character. Read aloud a few pages and say, The author
chose to tell this story from a third person point of view. The narrator tells us what the characters say and
think to help us better understand the point of view of characters
Discuss with the class the point of view of the characters. Ask, “What do we know about_____’s point of
view about __________? What do we know about (another character’s ) point of view about (the same
topic)? What words, thoughts and actions are provided by the narrator to help us understand these
characters’ points of view?”
LITERATURE
Tell the students we are going to discuss the point of view of character #1 and character #2 AND identify
the information the narrator provides to help us understand their point of view. See the example below
from Steal Away Home by Lois Ruby.
After completing the anchor chart, students should analyze the chart and write their thinking about how
the information presented by the author helps them understand the character’s point of view. You may
provide a thinking stem such as:
The author helps me understand that Ma is (or Ma feels) _______________by telling
me_____________________. The same thinking stem can be used to write about Pa’s point of view and
evidence provided by the author.
Have students turn and talk to share their thinking. As students write and discuss, listen in to determine
if students are using the information provided by the narrator to help them understand the characters’
points of view.
For more practice, students should continue to read and identify information provided by the author that
helps them understand a character’s point of view.
Independent Reading: Students should begin to think about the point of view of characters in the books
they are reading independently. During independent reading, have students choose a character from
their book and determine the point of view of the character. Students should always support their
thinking about the character’s point of view (which is an inference) with evidence from the text such as
the words, thoughts, and/or actions of the character. Students who need additional support should meet
with you in a small group.
Formative Assessment Opportunities:
Students who are unable to support their thinking about a character’s point of view with evidence from
the text will need small group, scaffolded instruction. Some readers have difficulty coming up with an
inference such as point of view without first really thinking about the details provided in the text. As a
intervention, you may want to provide students with an organizer such as:
With the details from the text placed on the organizer, the reader may be better ale to consider all
the details when inferring the character’s point of view. You will want to provide this strategy as
needed, but work with students to develop the skill of recognizing the details the author or narrator
provides them consider the character’s point of view while reading.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will determine a narrator or character’s point of view and describe how their point
of view influences how events are described.
Learning Target:
I can describe how the narrator or speaker’s point of view affects how events in a story are described.
SAMPLE LESSON
Mini Lesson/ Activity: (RL.5.6) This seed is intended to span over more than one mini-lesson. January’s
Sparrow by Patricia Polacco is narrated by the character January, but told from the point of view of Sadie.
Since it is told from the point of view of Sadie, the way in which the events are described are influenced
by her experiences and emotions. It is strongly suggested that you read the book prior to reading aloud
to the students. Pay close attention to the prologue. Provide students with a copy of page 32 and 33.
Read aloud enough of page 31 to put the story in context. Before reading aloud the scene where Sadie
wakes up in Aunt Della’s house, remind students of what they know about Sadie that will impact her
point of view.
Suggested language: We know Sadie has witnessed the horrible death of January and she and her family
are on the run. We know that they have been traveling for a long time and hiding out along the way. We
know that she and her family have been traveling at night and sleeping during the day. We know Sadie is
afraid of what may happen to her and her family if they are caught by Lee, Ford, and Mr. Troutman. Since
we understand Sadie so well, we can describe how her point of view, her emotions, and her experiences
influence how the narrator tells us about the events in the story. Begin the anchor chart.
LITERATURE
Ask students how this first scene in Aunt Della’s house would have been different if the event was told
from the point of view of Aunt Della or Sadie’s momma.
Provide partners with a copy of pages 56 and 58 of January’s Sparrow. Each student will read the two
pages and think about how Sadie’s point of view influences how the scene at the state fair is told. After
each student reads, thinks, and jots down their ideas, they discuss with their partner. Follow
with a whole group discussion. Next, have partners consider how the scene would have been different if
told from Polly’s point of view.
Thinking Stem/Writing Extension:
• How would the scene have been different if told from Polly’s point of view?
Formative Assessment Opportunities: Students should understand how the feelings and experiences of
the speaker or narrator influence how the story is told. Students who struggle will benefit from hearing
different versions of the same story written from different points of view. Many versions of The Three
Little Pigs and Cinderella are available at many school and most public libraries. Hearing a familiar story,
such as Cinderella, told from another point of view, such as the stepmother, will help students
understand character’s perspective.
The concept of point of view and how it influences how events are told is important to analyze with any
text you experience with your readers and the ideas presented in this seed should be repeated numerous
times with different texts.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will analyze visual elements and describe their contribution to the meaning, tone,
or beauty of the text.
Learning Target:
I can analyze how visual elements contribute to the meaning or tone of a story.
Activity: (RL.5.7) This seed is intended to span over more than one mini-lesson. During your read aloud
block, read aloud a text of choice where illustrations contribute significantly to the meaning or tone of
the story .Read aloud the first page and think aloud about how the visual element (the illustration)
contributes to the tone and meaning of the story. In your think aloud, discuss how the illustration
supports the tone of the text.
Continue reading and thinking aloud about how the illustrations support the meaning and tone of the
story. Be sure to use grade appropriate emotional vocabulary and connect the illustrations with the tone
of the story. After thinking aloud several times, have the students think about how the illustrations
contribute to the meaning or tone of the story, jot down their thinking, and share with a partner. After
discussing with a partner, students should revisit their initial thinking and have the opportunity to add to
or revise their thoughts. Students may benefit from a tool to focus their reflection. One example:
LITERATURE
Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:
(Possible Class Chart)
Formative Assessment Opportunities:
Are students able to make connections between the illustrations and the text and infer emotions
conveyed in each?
Exit slip: Project or provide students with a copy of the two pages and ask: How do the illustrations
contribute to the meaning or tone of the text?
Additional Guided Practice or Focus Group Instruction: Provide students with a copy of pages 30 and 31
of My Name is Maria Isabel (4th grade HM). Read aloud a few pages so the students are able to put the
events in context. Ask students to think about how the illustration on a particular page contributes to the
tone of the story. Provide thinking and recording time before students discuss with a partner.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will compare and contrast stories in the same genre by analyzing their approaches
to similar themes and topics.
Learning Target: I can compare and contrast authors’ approaches to similar themes and topics.
Sample Activity: (RL.5.9)This lesson is intended to span over more than one mini-lesson. Steal Away
Home by Lois Ruby, Sarah’s Secret, and January’s Sparrow by Patricia Polacco are about the underground
railroad and slavery. Any stories on the same topic will work for this lesson, but students will need to
have experienced the text as a read aloud and/or shared reading prior to a lesson that asks students to
analyze approaches to topics and eventually compare and contrast author’s approaches.
Students will think, talk, and write about the themes of the two books. They will think, talk, and write
about the topic of each text individually before comparing and contrasting. Students will take notes on
the topic and theme of each text (example below). Then they will compare and contrast the authors’
approaches to similar themes and topics in the box below their notes.
Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:
LITERATURE
(additional opportunities for students to think, talk, and write about the text)
Steal Away Home:

on slavery in the 1850s? How does she help you understand the different points of view on the
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
 Explain Lois Ruby’s approach to helping readers understand what it was like for a young Quaker boy to
live during this time period.
January’s Sparrow:
 How did Patricia Polacco, the author of January’s Sparrow, help you understand the danger of a
slave family escaping from their owners? Explain how she built the sense of fear throughout the
book.

Explain how Patricia Polacco helps the reader understand the different points of view on the
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
 Explain Patricia Polacco’s approach to helping readers understand what it was like for a young child to
escape slavery with her family. 

Compare and Contrast:
 Compare and contrast Lois Ruby and Patricia Polacco’s approaches to the topic of slavery and the
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
Independent Reading: Have students read an additional story with similar themes and topics and have
students compare and contrast the author’s approaches to the theme and/or topic with the theme and/or
topic of Steal Away Home or January’s Sparrow.
Students in need of additional support should meet with you in a small group.
Formative Assessment Opportunities: Students who are unable to think about how the author chose to
convey the theme of their story to the reader will need small group instruction and one on one
instruction. During instruction and/or conferring, be sure to keep the word “author” in your prompting
and questioning. Ask the student, “What is the theme? How did the author convey that theme? How did
they use the characters to convey the theme? How did the setting contribute to the author’s approach to
the theme?” Students who continue to struggle may benefit from thinking about the author’s approach
to stories that have very familiar themes, such as never give up.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will compare and contrast multiple points of view by analyzing multiple accounts of
the same event or topic.
Learning Targets:
I can analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic.
I can compare and contrast the point of view represented by multiple accounts.
SAMPLE LESSON
Activity: (RI.5.6) This lesson is intended to span over more than one mini-lesson session. The text used
to model and teach students to analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic should be used as a
classroom read aloud prior to the lesson. You may choose to use accounts of an event or topic recently
studied or a topic of interest to your students. Multiple accounts on various topics can be found on
websites such as: Titanic First Hand Accounts and First Hand Accounts of Immigrants.
INFORMATIONAL
Prior to the lesson, create the anchor chart on chart paper and have students create the anchor chart in
their reader’s notebook. Read pages 3 and 4 of the electronic version of Annie L. Burton’s book,
Memories of Childhood's Slavery Days and discuss the life of Annie. What was it like for her as a young
child of a slave? What is her point of view on her childhood? How does she depict the life of a child of a
slave? Have students turn and talk about Annie’s memories of her childhood and record their thinking in
their reader’s notebook. After whole group discussion, model taking notes from the conversation on the
anchor chart and provide time for students to do the same. Read pages 23-26 of Leon’s Story by Leon
Walter Tillage and repeat the process of asking questions, partner or small group discussions, and whole
group discussion, modeling note taking, and providing students with time to do the same.
Think aloud as you review the point of view of Annie and the point of view of Leon using the notes you
have on the chart. As you think aloud, focus on the similarities and differences between the two
experiences described.
For guided practice, provide students with a copy of the article entitled, “We Were Here, Too” (Toolkit
Text, grades 4-5) and have small groups or pairs analyze and compare the points of view of Oney Judge
and Angela.
Formative Assessment Opportunities:
Listen as students analyze different points of view and as they compare the points of view. Analyze
student work in their reader’s notebook. Students who struggle will need additional practice. Consider
revisiting text and/or topics such as George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen From Both
Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer or “Multiple Perspectives Create a New Nation” (5th grade SBGP) to reteach
and provide more guided practice.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points
by analyzing the main ideas and supporting details in a text.
Learning Target:
I can explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points.
SAMPLE LESSON
Activity: (RI.5.8) This seed may span over more than one mini-lesson. Provide students with a Record
the main points or main ideas on the anchor chart.
Ask students to locate the reasons and evidence from the article for each key point. Add the key points
for each point to the anchor chart.
Work Time: Provide students or pairs of students with another informational article such as “Seeing the
Needs of Others: Guide-Dog, Puppy Raisers” (Toolkit Text grades 4-5). Have students identify the author’s
main points and locate evidence and reasons that support their points.
Thinking Stems/Anchor Chart:
(sample anchor chart)
INFORMATIONAL
Formative Assessment Opportunities:
Provide students with a short article such as “My Name is Now…” (Toolkit Texts grades 4-5) and ask them
to identify the author’s key points or main ideas and locate the supporting details that support the key
ideas. Students who struggle identifying the main idea or key points will need small group instruction on
this skill. Students who have difficulty locating the evidence or reasons from the text will need small
group instruction.
Performance Task: (using “My Name is Now…”) Explain how the author uses reasons and evidence to
support the idea that some immigrants would want to change their name.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will speak and write about a topic knowledgeably by synthesizing information from
several different texts.
Learning Target:
I can integrate information from several texts.
I can speak about a subject knowledgeably.
Background Information: Talking and writing about information gathered from reading several texts on
the same topic is necessary to meet the intent of this standard. You will need to plan for independent
and guided practice by locating and copying articles on the same topics and/or locating books on the
same topics Websites such as Mini Pages Archives are helpful in locating articles.
It is suggested that you organize articles on the same topic by attaching them to or placing them in file
folders. Think about your students’ interests when determining topics.
INFORMATIONAL
Activity: (RI.5.9) Before students are able to speak and write about a topic knowledgeably, they will have
to see a clear model. It is suggested that you determine a topic that will be of interest to your class or use
a topic that will support students’ social studies or science units. Locate two or more texts to use as your
class model.
Modeling and Guided Practice: Project a passage and read a few paragraphs aloud. Be sure to model
rereading and varying your reading rate to model how you use these strategies to clarify your thinking.
Think aloud about what you have read. Locate a few key words and/or phrases that are content specific
to the topic of the article and model how you use the context and features of the text to figure out the
meaning. Utilize reference materials such as a dictionary to further understand content specific words
when needed. Record the key words and/or phrases in the first box on the chart (see below). Explain to
the students that an “expert” on a topic has to have a repertoire of terminology and the ability to learn
about a topic from what they read. Over the next several days, they are going to practice learning about a
topic of interest to them and they are going to teach others about the topic through speaking and
writing.
Ask students to look at the key words and phrases in the first box of the chart and think about how they
would use the words to talk about the topic. Model how YOU would plan for a conversation about the
topic using the key words and phrases. In planning your conversation, jot down your notes on a post-it
note. Then model talking about the topic using the key words and phrases and referring to your post-it
note.
Continue the process of reading a section of text, identifying and determining the meaning of key words
and phrases, planning for a conversation, and talking to a partner. Repeat several times with more than
one text on the same topic, gradually releasing more responsibility to your readers.
Work Time: Students can work individually or in pairs. Help students choose a topic and assist them in
locating two or more appropriate articles or texts. Students will read, stop to identify and determine the
meaning of key words and phrases, prepare for conversations and share their knowledge on the topic
with a partner. Their sharing partner should not be researching the same topic.
Formative Assessment Opportunities: Observe closely as students identify key words and phrases from
the text. Words and phrases should be important to understanding and/or teaching someone about the
topic. You will need to identify students who have difficulty using key words and phrases to plan for
and/or conduct a conversation on their topic.
Exit Slip: Explain what you learned from the conversation with your thinking partner about their topic.
Grade 5 Unit 5
Sample
lesson
Objective: Students will speak and write about a topic knowledgeably by synthesizing information from
several different texts.
Learning Targets:
I can integrate information from several texts.
I can write about a subject knowledgeably.
Activity: (RI.5.9) This seed is intended to span over more than one mini-lesson. Using the
anchor chart created during the modeling phase of the previous seed, model using key words
to develop a written summary. Think aloud about the decisions you make on what to include
and what to exclude from your summary. You will want to talk about how you organize the key
words and phrases into categories, which help you form sentences. Modeling the use of a
concept map to organize key words and phrases will be helpful for your students. You may
want to encourage students to use the topic they have researched for their informational
writing piece.
INFORMATIONAL
Formative Assessment Opportunities: Ongoing conferencing with students during the writing
process will provide you with information to guide your instruction. Students who write
random, disconnected sentences may need additional small group lessons on using an
organizer to organize key words and plan for writing. If students write one sentence using each
word, they will need lessons on grouping words to include more than one key word in a
sentence.
Use student work as proficient models for the class. Provide time for students to share their
writing and new knowledge with classmates.
Suggested Instructional Texts:
Additional Professional Resources:
• Reading Units of Study by Lucy Calkins
• Toolkit Texts (Grades 4-5)
• Toolkit Texts (Grades 6-7)
• The Comprehension Toolkit Grades 3-6 by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis
• A Curricular Plan for The Reading Workshop Grade 5 by Lucy Calkins
• achievethecore.org
Resources for Tier II & Tier III Interventions
• JCPS Response to Interventions website:
http://www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/Gheens/RTI/RtI.html
• Interventioncentral.org: http://www.interventioncentral.org/
• Readworks.org (K-6 reading lessons and passages): http://www.readworks.org/
• Literacyleader.com (lessons and resources): http://www.literacyleader.com/
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A Treasury of 572 poems for Today’s
Child
Selected By: Jack Prelutsky
From K-1 Text Exemplars
Windy Nights, p. 27
The Secret Song, p. 24
Who Has Seen the Wind? p. 27
Windy Nights
Whenever the moon and stars are
set,
Whenever the wind is high,
All night long in the dark and wet,
A man goes riding by.
Late in the night when the fires are
out,
Why does he gallop and gallop
about?
Whenever the trees are crying aloud,
And ships are tossed at sea,
By, on the highway, low and loud,
By at the gallop goes he;
By at the gallop he goes, and then
By he comes back at the gallop
again.
Robert Louis Stevenson
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A Treasury of 572 poems for Today’s
Child
Selected By: Jack Prelutsky
From K-1 Text Exemplars
Windy Nights, p. 27
The Secret Song, p. 24
Who Has Seen the Wind? p. 27
The Secret Song
Who saw the petals
drop from the rose?
I, said the spider,
But nobody knows.
Who saw the sunset
flash on a bird?
I, said the fish,
But nobody heard.
Who saw the fog
come over the sea?
I, said the sea pigeon,
Only me.
Who saw the first
green light of the sun?
I, said the night owl,
The only one.
Who saw the moss
creep over the stone?
I, said the gray fox,
All alone.
Margaret Wise Brown
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A Treasury of 572 poems for Today’s
Child
Selected By: Jack Prelutsky
From K-1 Text Exemplars
Windy Nights, p. 27
The Secret Song, p. 24
Who Has Seen the Wind? p. 27
Who Has Seen the Wind?
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you:
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the leaves bow down their
heads,
The wind is passing by.
Christina Rossetti
excerpt from Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye
My grandmother lives on the other side of the earth. When I have daylight, she
has night. When our sky grows dark, the sun is peeking through her window and
brushing the bright lemons on her lemon tree. I think about this when I am
going to sleep.
“Your turn!” I say.
Between us are many miles of land and water.
Between us are fish and cities and buses and fields.
*********************************************************************************
excerpt from Steal Away Home by Lois Ruby
The hot wind was blowing cottonwood puffs through the open window. As Dana
peeled red-and-white flock off the wall, she sucked a cotton puff into her nose
and sneezed all over the wallpaper. Ripping away a damp strip, she found more of
those awful orange roosters. (p.1)
excerpt from Steal Away Home by Lois Ruby
“A what?” Dana’s mom cried. “Let me have a look.” Dana held the flashlight for
her. “Oh my God, it is a skeleton. Dana, call 911.”
“Me? You’re the adult here.” Her mother backed away. “Well, it’s not going
anywhere, I suppose. I mean, there’s time to do this civilly. Come on. We’ll
calmly tell that there’s a complete skeleton in a secret compartment of our
upstairs parlor. Smiling broadly. Empty eye sockets just staring right at us. Oh
Dana, they’ll send the men in the white coats for us, with big butterfly nets.”
Dana’s mom talked too fast when she was nervous, and her fingers flew like
buzzing bees. Dana was just the opposite. She clamped shut, like an oyster shell,
rolling all the scary things around in her head. (p.12)