2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Because of Mr. Terupt
By Rob Buyea
Delacorte Press
IL: 3-6 RL: 4.1
Summary:
Mr. Terupt is the new teacher this year but the students soon realize he’s not just any new teacher. Mr. Terupt is
special and treats his students with respect. Luke loves Mr. Terupt’s dollar word math challenge. Danielle and
Anna excel in the science lesson. Jeffery, who has always hated school, slowly decides maybe school isn’t so
bad. Mean girl Alexia hears from Mr. Terupt she isn’t really mean inside. New girl Jessica likes that she isn’t
the only new person in the class. The students realize right away Mr. Terupt is not quite the teacher they had
expected but they all respect him in their own way. Then, on a snowy afternoon, a class outing on a snowy day
ends with an injury. How will things change? Will they ever be the same?
Themes: Teacher-Student Relationships, Bullying, Grief, Friendship, Self-Esteem, Schools, Interpersonal
Relations
Activities:
Have your students do any of Mr. Terupt's math challenges. Can anyone top Luke's fifty-four dollar words?
Try a plant unit – grow plants and manipulate variables.
Research any of the topics that emerge in the story: autism, stem cells, comas, etc.
Have your students pretend to be any one of the students from Mr. Terupt’s class. Have them write in that voice
about an event from your classroom, or an event from Mr. Terupt’s classroom that they could elaborate on.
Have your students pretend to be a different person in your own classroom. Have them write in that voice to a
prompt. Then share each story and have the class try to guess who the voice really is.
Promote conversation by sharing questions and predictions, connections and thoughts in literature circles and/or
small reading groups.
Choose a social issue from the book to explore in more depth: bullying, guilt, grief, self-esteem, friendship, etc.
Online Resources:
Author’s Website
http://robbuyea.com/for_teachers
Video – Conversation with Rob Buyea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E_yhjSN_aw&feature=player_embedded
Discussion Questions
1. Would you like to have a teacher like Mr. Terupt?
2. Do you or have you had a teacher like him? If so, how is/was your teacher similar?
3. Do you think the accident was anybody's fault? If so, whose fault do you think it was?
4. Does the accident have to be someone’s fault?
5. Do you think Jeffrey's family is going to heal?
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
6. Do you think it was ok that Danielle's family would not let her play with Anna?
7. Do you have something like the collaborative classroom in your school?
8. Can you think of ways of involving students from a "collaborative" type situation into your own
classroom? (Note: In the story the collaborative classroom is what the special education classroom is
called.)
9. Do you know anyone like James?
Discussion questions from http://sweetonbooks.com
Belly Up
by Stuart Gibbs
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
IL: 3-6 RL: 5.6
Summary:
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Henry is large, very large. Henry is mean and cantankerous. He is smelly and delights in being offensive and
disgusting. Henry is famous, very famous. He is the nationally known mascot of FunJungle. Henry is a
hippotomus and Henry is dead – very dead – belly up dead.
Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt Fitzroy should have the perfect life for a 12 year old. He gets to live at America’s
newest theme park “FunJungle”. What a life for a kid! The park is his to explore and enjoy and when things
get a little boring he can find a way to liven them up. Like arming the chimps with red water balloons and
watching them nail the guests with those balloons. Chimps have very good aim.
Things were going really well for Teddy until the day the code red was announced at Hippo River. He wasn’t
sure what Code Red meant but he was sure it had to be interesting. Maybe some clumsy tourist had fallen into
the exhibit which would have been a very bad thing since hippos are the second most dangerous African animal.
But no it wasn’t a tourist it was Henry. The famous Henry Hippo was dead. Others might be fooled into
thinking it was some kind of freak accident or illness but Teddy knew better. He knew it was murder!
So begins a mystery that Teddy and the beautiful and feisty Summer McCracken, daughter of J.J. McCracken,
owner of FunJungle, are determined to solve. Little do they realize where this mystery will take them and what
danger they will be faced with. They soon discover Henry isn’t the only animal to be killed in FunJungle and
unless they find the murderer they know Henry won’t be the last. In fact, until they find out who is in back of
the FunJungle murders their own lives are in serious jeopardy.
Who and why would anyone want to kill the animals of FunJungle? Is it someone who hates animals and kids?
Is it someone who wants to try to ruin J J McCracken’s animal park? Is it the crazy animal rights people who
want all animal parks closed forever? Read Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs and find out.
Themes: Mysteries, Zoos, Hippopotamuses
Activities:
Research animals and their habitats, specifically the hippopotamus
Have students write their own short detective stories
Online Resources:
Author’s Website
http://stuartgibbs.com
Information and Activities About Animals
http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Audiences/kids/default.cfm
www.stlzoo.org
Sound of a Hippopotamus (louder than 115 decibels)
http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/hippopotamus
Fun Hippopotamus Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QW85kfakJc
Other books by Stuart Gibbs:
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Spy School
Discussion Questions:
1. Would you want to visit Fun Jungle? Why or why not?
2. Do you think that Fun Jungle is a good environment for the animals? Why or why not?
3. Who is your favorite character in the story? Why?
4. Who is your least favorite character in the story? Why?
5. Do you think it was hard for Teddy to get used to living in Texas at Fun Jungle after living in the
Congo? Which place would you rather live?
6. Summer and Teddy are friends but come from different backgrounds. Which lifestyle would you rather
have, Teddy’s or Summer’s. Why?
7. Do you think Teddy and Summer remain friends? Why?
8. Would you rather have Teddy or Summer as your friend? Why?
9. Do you like J.J. McCracken? Do you think he is a nice person? Why?
10. What are your feelings about Doc? Do you consider him a villain or a hero? Why?
Drizzle
By Kathleen Van Cleve
Dial Books for Young Readers
IL Grades 3-6; RL 3.7
www.kathleenvancleve.com
Summary:
Polly Peabody lives in a magical place—her family’s rhubarb farm, where the rhubarb tastes like chocolate,
diamonds grow out of the ground, and it rains every Monday at 1:00 in the afternoon. Polly and her family love
hosting the tourists that arrive each day to ride the giant red umbrella ride during the rain. Like her parents and
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
grandmother, Polly loves the farm with all her heart and believes in its magic, especially after her aunt Edith
shows her a thrilling secret room.
Polly is happy with her farm, her family, and her best friend, a talking rhubarb plant named Harry, until the day
there is no rain. More rainless days follow, until the drought threatens to destroy the farm. To make matters
worse. Polly’s older brother Freddy becomes seriously ill and Aunt Edith, always Polly’s ally, starts pressuring
Polly’s dad to sell the farm. It’s up to Polly to find out whether her brother’s mysterious illness and her aunt’s
desire to sell the farm have anything to do with the secrets of the room—secrets she must uncover fast before
her family loses everything.
Themes: Self-realization, Magic, Farms, Family
Activities & Online Resources:
The author’s website is a colorful and fanciful introduction to the book. The site provides a history and map of
the farm, plot and character summaries, and information about the author, including her blog.
Cate Hennessey has posted a Q & A with Kathleen Van Cleve from May 20, 2011 at
http://catehennessey.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/q-and-a-with-kathleen-van-cleve-author-of-drizzle/ that
informs about how the author’s life and family influence her work.
Take an online look at a rhubarb farm at http://www.happysimpleliving.com/2010/06/21/a-visit-to-an-organicrhubarb-farm/
Discussion Questions:
1. As you’re reading, think about the significance of:
Polly’s emerald ring
Enid’s secret room
The dragonflies
Polly’s crooked finger
The green mist
2. Compare Rupert’s Rhubarb Farm to theme parks you have attended.
3. Polly’s best friend is Harry, a rhubarb plant. In what other books and/or stories does the main character
have a non-human best friend? Why do you think authors use this literary device?
4.
5.
6.
7.
Why did Harry hit Polly? Why did Polly shred Harry? What would cause best friends to act this way?
Discuss the meaning of “nature does nothing in vain”.
Why do you think Jongy is a bully? Do you know people like her?
Do you think Edith should have helped the farm? Why or why not?
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Ghost Dog Secrets
by Peg Kehret
Dutton Children’s Books
IL: 5-8 RL: 4.6
Summary:
When sixth grader Rusty sees a dog chained up in the cold rain without food or water, he wants to do something
to help. He goes back to feed the dog and discovers that the dog is being abused. A ghost dog also begins to
appear to Rusty, almost as if it is asking for his help to save the abused dog. Rusty tries to report the abused
dog to an animal control officer, but he is told that he has to have proof that the dog is being abused. When
Rusty visits the dog one day and discovers that the abuse has gotten worse, he decides to take matters into his
own hands and takes the dog. Eventually his mother is able to become a foster parent to the dog but has to deal
with the mean owner of the dog that is threatening them. When the ghost dog continues to appear to Rusty and
leads him to the owner’s house, Rusty discovers an even bigger problem. Why are the dogs being abused and
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
neglected? Why does the homeowner need the dogs for protection? What will happen to Rusty if he is caught
snooping around?
Themes: Dogs, Animal Rescue, Animal Rights, Ghosts, Illicit Drugs, Bullying, Decision Making
Activities:
Students create a quick sketch of their pet or the pet they wished they could own on an 8x12 construction paper.
They describe on the poster information such as: Where does the pet sleep? What do they eat? Who takes care
of the pet? Tricks the pet can perform? Problems with the pet?
Invite guest speakers to the classroom to develop interest, excitement, and understanding about the issues
surrounding animal abuse.
See page 5 of Ghost Dog Secrets. Have students write a short poem about their pet (or one they would like to
have).
Create a triorama (See Teacher’s Guide)
Online Resources:
Author’s Website (Includes a biography, list of books, awards, blog, teacher’s guides)
http://www.pegkehret.com/index.html
Ghost Dog Secrets Teacher’s Guide
http://www.pegkehret.com/docs/Ghost-Dog-Secrets-Teachers-Guide.docx
American Humane Society Pet Care Page
http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/
Other books by Peg Kehret:
Stolen Children (Winner of the 2011 Mark Twain Award)
Abduction! (Winner of the 2007 Mark Twain Award)
Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio (Winner of the 1999 Mark Twain Award)
Runaway Twin (2011-2012 Mark Twain Award Nominee)
The Ghost’s Grave
Earthquake Terror
Nightmare Mountain
Discussion Questions:
1. In your own words, describe the condition of the dog chained to the tree.
2. Explain how the teacher in the story challenges each student in her class to get
involved in solving a problem in the community.
3. In the story Rusty keeps the dog in his fort without his mother knowing and without her
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
approval. Can you apply this situation to your own life? Have you or a friend ever kept information
from your parents that you thought they should have known? If so, how did that make you feel? If not,
how do you think it would make you feel?
Based on your experience, what advice would you give Rusty?
What were some of the events in the story that justify Rusty taking the dog?
What outcome would you predict for Rusty, his friend, Andrew, and for the dog, Ra, when Rusty’s
mother finds out that the boys are hiding a stolen dog in the fort?
In what ways does Rusty’s mother feel that Mr. Myers is bullying them to get the dog
back? How does Gerald Langston demonstrate acts of bullying?
Do you approve of Rusty’s decision to take the dog from his home? Why or why not?
What would you do if you knew a pet was not being cared for by the owner or was being
abused?
Half Upon a Time
by James Riley
Aladdin
IL Grades 3-6 RL 5.4
www.halfuponatime.com
Summary:
Jack really lives in a fantasy world. His dad is the famous Jack who traded the cow for the magic beans and
stole from the giant. He’s been missing ever since. Now Jack is trying hard to restore the family’s reputation in
the village of Giant’s Hand, but his grandfather is pushing him to find a princess and settle down and get
married.
One day, a young lady falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that reads “Punk Princess.” May tells Jack that she is
from the land of Punk and that her grandmother, who looks suspiciously like Snow White, has been kidnapped.
Jack sees this as the perfect opportunity to improve his family’s image and satisfy his grandfather at the same
time, so he decides to help her.
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
May denies that she is royalty, but she does need some help. A huntsman is chasing her and Jack feels strongly
that it has something to do with that Wicked Queen of Snow White fame. Jack and May discover that they do
have some things in common and embark on an adventure through the land of favorite fairy tales with a twist.
Themes: Fairy tales
Activities:
Review the original Jack and the Beanstalk at www.speakaboos.com .
Keep track of the fairy tale characters and elements that appear in the story. Compare and contrast them with
their “traditional” counterparts.
Online Resources:
The author’s YouTube video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBPMajgBqs0
Other books by James Riley:
Twice Upon a Time (April, 2012)
Discussion Questions:
1. Jack, May, and Phillip are on a quest. What are the components/characteristics of a quest?
2. What or who is the Eye? What are his characteristics?
3. Jack and May are both strong characters. How are they alike? How are they different? How does
Phillip fit into the story? What role does he play? How does he affect the relationship between Jack and
May?
4. What do you predict will happen in the future? Which boy will betray May? Which will die?
5. What is the meaning of the title of the book?
Hide and Seek
By Katy Grant
Peachtree
IL: 5-8 RL: 4.6
Summary:
Fourteen year old Chase lives with his mother, stepfather, and two siblings in the high country of Arizona,
where they rent cabins and run a convenience store. Neither business is doing very well. The family is
considering moving back to Phoenix, where Chase’s father lives. Chase loves the high country of Arizona and
doesn’t want to move. Chase finally gets a day off from the family’s store and gets the chance to hop on his
bike and cycle into the foothills of the White Mountains in Arizona to do his first solo geocache. Using his GPS,
he finds the hidden treasure – a simple metal box containing a few army men, a log book, and a mysterious
message. WE NEED FOOD. Chase wonders who is leaving these messages. Something is not right and he can
tell. Are the people who are writing these messages lost, or hiding from someone or something? Will Chase be
able to help them, or is he getting into a situation that is more than a ten-year-old can handle? Mystery, danger,
and suspense abound in this action-packed story by Katy Grant.
Themes: Kidnapping, Survival, Geocaching, Arizona, Family Life, Divorce
Activities:
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Create a geocache and place at a location near your school. Track the locations of people who visit your cache.
Create your own travel bug to place in the cache and map where it travels.
http://www.geocaching.com/
Here is an article that talks about setting up your own geocache.
http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/practicallyparadise/2010/07/09/hide-seek-by-katy-grant-what-isgeocaching-how-can-you-integrate-this-in-middle-school/
Online Resources:
Author’s Website – http://www.katygrant.com/index.html
Interview with Katy Grant - http://peachtreepub.blogspot.com/2010/06/treasure-hunting-not-just-forpirates.html
Other books by Katy Grant:
Summer Camp Secrets Series - http://www.katygrant.com/summer_camp.html
Out of My Mind
By Sharon Draper
Atheneum
IL: 5-8 RL: 4.3
Summary:
Eleven- year-old Melody is not like any of her classmates. Melody cannot walk or talk, but she can remember
every detail of everything she has ever experienced thanks to her photographic memory. Melody is the
smartest girl in school but has no way to prove it. She is also smarter than most of the adults that try and
diagnose her. Melody can’t talk, write, feed herself, or walk, which makes her teachers and doctors think she
isn’t smart at all and dismiss her as mentally challenged. If you were stuck in your mind wouldn’t you go out of
your mind? That’s what is happening to Melody. That is until she finds something that will allow her to speak
for the first time! But not everybody is ready to hear what Melody has to say. For a powerful story of a brilliant
mind and a brave sprit read “Out of My Mind” by Sharon Draper and share Melody’s journey to get out of her
mind.
Themes: Cerebral Palsy, Communication, People with disabilities, Genius
Activities:
Create a book trailer for Out of My Mind using a site such as Animoto. (You can get a free educator account at
http://animoto.com/education/).
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Make a video book review using free software such as Photo Story 3, Windows Live Movie Maker, or iMovie.
Research cerebral palsy and create a PSA to educate other students about this condition.
Online Resources:
Author’s Website – http://sharondraper.com/
Sharon Draper’s Blog - http://sharondraper.blogspot.com
Discussion Questions and Activity Ideas - http://sharondraper.com/bookdetail-guides.asp?id=35
Other books by Sharon Draper:
Sassy Series
Little Sister is Not My Name
The Birthday Storm
The Sliver Secret
The Dazzle Disaster Dinner Party
The Jericho Trilogy
The Battle of Jericho
November Blues
Just Another Hero
Buttered Bones
Let the Circle be Unbroken
The Hazelwood Trilogy
Tears of a Tiger
Forged by Fire
Darkness Before Dawn
Copper Sun
Romiette and Julio
Double Dutch
Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs Series
Fire from the Rock
We Beat the Street
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Palace Beautiful
by Sarah DeFord Williams
G.P. Putnam’s Sons
IL: 5-8 RL: 4.9
Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Sadie Brooks is worried about many things - from concerns about moving to a new city to
her pregnant stepmother’s health. Plus, her difficult younger sister, Zuzu, doesn’t make life any easier. But
when a neighbor girl named Belladonna Desolation introduces herself to Sadie, things start to look up.
Together, they discover an old journal in a secret room of Sadie’s attic. The journal was written by a girl named
Helen who was facing her own crisis in 1918 - the influenza epidemic. Helen’s feelings of helplessness in her
journal entries mirrors Sadie’s as she worries about her stepmother while also bringing up feelings about her
own mother’s death. When the journal entries end suddenly, the girls decide to find out what happened to
Helen and her family. Their investigation leads to some startling discoveries, both about Helen and themselves.
Themes: Moving, Diaries, Influenza epidemic (1918-1919), Salt Lake City history
Activities:
Research the history of your town
Create a time capsule
Introduce/review journal writing – use the website “Journal Buddies” (http://journalbuddies.com/) for ideas (site
includes ads)
Online Resources:
Author’s Website (includes Discussion Questions)
http://sarahdefordwilliams.com/#
Salt Lake City History
http://www.utah.com/cities/slc_history.htm
Salt Lake City Website
http://www.slcgov.com/
PBS’ American Experience – Influenza 1918
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/influenza/
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the history of the place where you live? What do you know about who lived here or any
important events that happened here? How does knowing these stories change how you see living here?
If you don’t know what happened where you live, what could you do to find out?
2. What helps Sadie have a good relationship with her stepmother? How is it different than Bella’s
relationship with her mother?
3. How do the characters in the book deal with the things that happen to their family or friends?
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
4. What are your favorite ghost stories? How do ghost stories effect you?
5. What is good journal writing? What other types of writing do we do that act like journals? What might
people think about what you’ve written 50 years from now? Should that change the way you write?
6. Palace Beautiful often uses colors to express ideas, thoughts, and meanings. What colors are important
to you? Can you describe these colors in creative ways like is done in Palace Beautiful?
The Clockwork Three
by Matthew J. Kirby
Scholastic
IL: 3-6 RL: 4.5
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Summary:
The Clockwork Three is a story about three kids with separate lives: a hotel maid, an orphaned clockmaker’s
apprentice, and a street musician; all with different hardships and how they come together in this story.
Giuseppe is an orphan street musician under the rule of the demanding Stephano. Gieuseppe longs to return to
his home in Italy. Hannah is a maid of a grand hotel and the sole provider for her family. Needing to take care
of her family, she goes in search of a hidden treasure. Frederick, an apprentice clockmaker, works every
moment on a special project to make journeyman. These three meet and as their lives become woven together,
they learn how much they need each other.
Themes: Friendship, Cooperativeness
Activities:
Look up the meanings of words that you will encounter in the story: padrone, automaton, busker, journeyman,
golem.
Look up information about Albertus Magnus, a scholar and inventor from the thirteenth century.
Look up information about La Traviata, the opera that will play a role in the story.
Online Resources:
The Clockwork Three Discussion and Activity Guide (Also includes an author interview, suggestions for
further reading, and other online resources).
http://www.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/c/ClockworkThreeDiscussionGuide.pdf
Scholastic’s The Clockwork Three Websites—Search The Clockwork Three to find an author bio, author visit
kit, and a video with a book trailer.
www.scholastic.com/kids/stacks or www.scholastic.com/clockworkthree
Author Blog
http://matthewjkirby.com/kirbside
See a real working clockwork man
www.scholastic.com/automaton
Learn how Tarot cards work
http://science.howstuffworks.com/tarot-card1.htm
Other books by Matthew J. Kirby:
Icefall
Infinity Ring
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do Giuseppe and the other boys stay with Stephano? Why don’t they run away from his cruel
treatment?
2. What makes Giuseppe think the green violin will be his ticket to freedom and a chance to
return to his homeland? What do you think is the secret of the green violin?
3. Why does Frederick keep his clockwork man a secret from Master Branch? Why is it so
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
difficult for Frederick to trust anyone? Why does the author say of Frederick, “Sharing his
memories felt like handing over a sharp knife. A knife that others might handle carelessly”?
4. Why do you think Madame Pomeroy asks Hannah to be her personal assistant? When she “reads” the
cards in their first meeting, why does Hannah become so upset? Consider Madame Pomeroy’s
statement, “You will meet some who can help you if you trust and help them.” What does she know
about Hannah’s future?
5. When Master Branch takes Frederick to the Guild Hall, he says to him, “We mortals storm heaven itself
in our folly.” What is he trying to tell Frederick?
6. Why does Madame Pomeroy call Yakov her “golem”? What do you think is the story behind Madame
Pomeroy and the mystery that seems to surround her past?
7. Why is it so important to Hannah to find the rumored treasure? What does it represent to her?
8. When Madame Pomeroy takes Hannah and Frederick to the opera, what does the story of La Traviata
mean to Hannah? What does it mean to Frederick? How does that evening change them both?
9. When Hannah says the opera is very romantic but it’s also very sad, Madame Pomeroy replies, “The two
feelings are frequent conspirators.” What does she mean?
10. Compare the experiences of Giuseppe as a busker, Frederick in the textile mill, and Hannah working in
the hotel. Do some research on the history of young children working at difficult jobs and compare what
you learn with the lives of characters in the story.
11. Why does Hannah steal Madame Pomeroy’s necklace? Why does Walter betray her when she asks for
his help?
12. There are adults in the lives of all three children who are kind and caring, but there are also adults who
are mean and hurtful. How do Giuseppe, Hannah, and Frederick learn to trust those who can help them?
13. Why does Giuseppe say to the squirrel in McCauley Park, “You’re a good mother”? Discuss the mother
figures for each of the main characters. How do they each relate to their real mothers, and how do they
learn to accept “mothering” from others?
14. Discuss the history of the city and the park as Pullman relates it to Giuseppe. Why is it important to
know the history of the area and how does it help the characters understand where they live?
15. What do you think is the meaning of the inscription on the grave of Phineas Stroop: “McCauley held the
key to his happiness”?
16. What is the meaning of the title, The Clockwork Three? Discuss the interconnection among the lives of
the three main characters and how they become important to each other by helping each other. How
does this change each of them?
The Familiars
by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson
HarperCollins
IL: 3-6 RL: 5.0
Summary:
This book features an orphan cat named Aldwyn who holds the fate of the kingdom in his paws. What are
familiars? They are magical companions to a wizard or witch. Aldwyn, who is only posing as a magical
animal, hides in a shop to avoid capture and ends up purchased as a boy wizard’s familiar. Despite needing to
keep his mundane nature hidden, Aldwyn settles easily into his new role. He bonds with his boy Jack, and
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
befriends two other familiars. Aldwyn will have to work hard to convince his new friends that he has telekinetic
power. When an evil witch kidnaps the children and kills their mentor, only their families can save them.
Themes: Friendship, Loyalty, Magic, Wizards, Adventure
Activities:
Have students create their own Familiar and write a story about it (see teacher’s guide on
www.thefamiliars.com)
The Familiars Scavenger Hunt (found in the teacher’s guide)
The Familiars Trivia Challenge (found in the teacher’s guide)
Online Resources:
The Familiars Website (Everything you need!-- includes a blog, information about the authors, an introduction
to the Familiars, a book trailer, and the downloadable teacher guide)
www.thefamiliars.com
The Familiars Official Book Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0djEE4OzdQ
You Tube—Type in “The Familiars, meet the authors” to find more than one video featuring Epstein and
Jacobson
http://www.youtube.com
Other books by Epstein and Jacobson:
The Familiars #2—Secrets of the Crown
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
by John Grisham
Dutton Children’s Press
IL: 5-8 RL: 5.2
Summary:
Theodore Boone is a likeable oddball, an eighth-grader who still thinks girls have cooties. His parents are both
lawyers, so Theo knows every judge, policeman and clerk in the small city of Strattenburg. Theo has the
sharpest legal mind at Strattenburg's middle school. He keeps an "office" at home and dispenses legal advice to
classmates and even adults --advising one boy to have his parents file for bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure,
reassuring another about his brother's drug arrest. Hoping to one day become a lawyer, thirteen-year-old
Theodore Boone dreams of life in the courtroom. His dreams come true when a murder has been committed in
Strattenburg and a big trial is underway. Theo finds himself in over his head when he's told in strict confidence
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
that there's an eyewitness to the high-profile local murder whose perpetrator is about to walk due to lack of
evidence. That witness is an illegal immigrant, and so is understandably afraid of coming forward. Although
Theo plans to attend the murder trial, he doesn’t expect to be there as a witness testifying against the suspected
murderer. Theo knows the truth -- a truth that could put his life at risk. What will Theo do? Will the murderer
go free? Will justice be served? Add to the murder trial the fact that his best friend April has gone missing. Find
out what happens to Theo and April in John Grisham’s children’s book debut, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer.
Themes: Law and lawyers, Legal stories, Mystery and detective stories, Trials
Activities:
Since this story ends with a mistrial, have students write an ending for a sequel to this story. What happens
after the new trial? How will the cas end? (Language Arts)
Look at these websites: http://www.justice.gov/usao/eousa/kidspage/
http://www.fbi.gov/fun-games/kids/kids
What are the three branches of government? This story involves which branch of government? (Social Studies)
Have students draw a courtroom sketch from a scene in the story. (Art) For exampleshttp://www.courtroomartist.com/composite_sketches.htm
http://courtartist.com/
Online Resources:
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer Teacher’s Guide
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/images/yr/pdf/tl-guide-theo-boone.pdf
John Grisham Biography
http://www.jgrisham.com/bio/
Theodore Boone Poster
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/images/yr/pdf/tl-guide-theo-boone-poster.pdf
Host Your Own Mock Trial
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/images/yr/pdf/tl-guide-theo-boone-stickers.pdf
Bookmarks
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/images/yr/pdf/tl-guide-theo-boone-bookmarks.pdf
Other children’s books by John Grisham:
Theodore Boone: The Abduction
Discussion Questions:
1. Readers quickly learn about Theo’s passion for law; what about this discipline is so
appealing to him? What are you passionate about? How do you show your
commitment to that area of interest?
2. Describe Theo. What makes him such a dynamic character? Is he the type of person you would want to
befriend? Why or why not?
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
3. One of the important settings in the novel is the county courthouse. The narrator states, “Theo loved the
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
courthouse, with its air of authority, and people hustling importantly about, and somber notices and
schedules tacked to the bulletin boards. Most of all, Theo loved the courtrooms themselves.” What makes
the courthouse and, particularly, the courtrooms so special for Theo? Is there a public place that you are
especially fond of visiting? If so, what makes this spot special to you?
April Finnemore is described as “not just any girl.” She is a special friend of Theo’s, and he is sensitive to
the difficult situation she is facing in which she must decide which parent she hopes to remain living with
after her parents’ divorce is finalized. Have you ever had a friend with a difficult home life? In what ways
have you been able to help them cope with their situation?
The law firm of Boone & Boone is much like a second home for Theo (he even has his own office); why
does he spend so much time there? What does he glean from this daily exposure?
Consider Theo’s descriptions of his parents’ offices. How does he describe these rooms, and what can
readers infer about his parents’ personalities and interests from these descriptions?
Theo’s understanding of the financial problems faced by Sandy Coe’s parents allow him to offer Sandy sage
advice which ultimately helps protect Sandy’s home from being foreclosed by a mortgage company. Think
of a time when you were able to offer a friend or acquaintance useful advice. In what ways did your counsel
help your friend? Have you been given useful guidance from a friend? What made you decide to follow
his/her suggestion? What were the ultimate results?
From your experience, do you think it’s difficult for most people to reach out for help? Consider the
characters in the novel; who do they turn to for assistance? To whom do you turn when you are in need?
Given the rarity of this type of case, the Duffy murder trial draws a great deal of attention from the media,
as well as local citizens of Strattenburg. In your opinion, what makes a case like this so intriguing? Is there a
local interest issue that you are following? If so, what is the case and what about it is interesting?
Theo’s uncle Ike is unconventional in many regards. What makes him such an interesting and unusual
character? Do you have a relative who “marches to the beat of his/her own drum”? What about them is
unique?
Mrs. Boone states that “people in small towns spend too much time looking up to or down on others.” Do
you believe this type of behavior is exclusive to people from small towns? Why or why not?
Throughout the story, readers learn that the Boone family participates in a number of community service
endeavors; why are these important to them? Are there any ways you and your family choose to give back
to your community? If so, what do you do?
Based on your knowledge from Theo’s descriptions, would you enjoy being a student in Mr. Mount’s
government class? Why or why not?
Though Theo realizes that the stakes will be raised if he moves forward with sharing his knowledge about
the Duffy case, he does so anyway. Do you think he made the right decision? Predict the long-term effects
of this action.
Using the phrase, “This is a story about . . .” supply five words to describe Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer.
Explain your choices.
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Twenty Gold Falcons
By Amy Gordon
Holiday House-Stevens Point, WI
IL: 4-8 RL: 4.6
Summary:
After the sudden death of her father, Aiden Farmer and her mother move to the city to live with her opera
singing uncle. In her new home, Aiden misses the farm, its animals, and her old life even more when she has
difficulty making friends in her new private school filled with stuck-up kids. Aiden longingly wishes for some
way to return to her beloved farm, but begins to reluctantly settle into life in the city. She meets some quirky
friends: Liesl (a cousin who lives in a tree-house), Adam (a student from her school who also does not fit in
with the others), Fernando (a taxi-cab driver), and Rosie, the elevator operator who has operated the elevator in
the old Ingle building for ages. It is Rosie who tells Aiden the story of a long ago treasure hunt for twenty
missing coins, called Gold Falcons. Although the coins are said to have lost much of their value, Aiden sees a
shimmer of hope in the possibility of finding the treasure in order to save her farm. When Rosie's son Leo fixes
Aiden's father's watch, clues begin to appear which set Aiden and her friends on a treasure hunt that takes them
through a hidden tunnel in the delightful and interesting Gill Park, up and down the many floors of the Ingle
building and introduces them to an eccentric millionaire who is searching for her long-lost daughter with
surprising connections to Aiden's family.
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees
Will Aiden and her friends find the missing treaure? Is Aiden going to get her wish of returning to the
farm and her old life? Find out in Twenty Gold Falcons by Amy Gordon.
Themes: Family & Relationships, Mystery & Suspense
Activities:
Create a Museum Box with items that describe Aiden or another character in this story.
Family is the main theme in this story. Create a family tree for Aiden’s family, and then create one for your
own family. How far can you document?
Mrs. Ingle wanted to create a castle in Gill Park for Patsy. Sketch how you pictured Patsy’s castle in Gill Park.
Complete an Alphabox Chart for this story. Using the provided template or a blank piece of paper, write an
important word from the story for each letter of the alphabet. These words may be characters, places, themes or
vocabulary words. It is okay to think of more than one word for each letter as long as you are writing only one
word!
Collect enough research about a peregrine falcon to write an informational pamphlet about the birds for the
residents of Ingle Building.
Online Resources:
Author’s Website: http://www.amyagordon.com/
United States Mint Historic Image Library: http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/coinLibrary/
Other books by Amy Gordon:
The Gorillas of Gill Park
Return to Gill Park
Magic by Heart
The Secret Life of a Boarding School Brat
Midnight Magic
When JFK was My Father
Discussion Questions:
1. What did Aiden find inside her father’s hat?
2. What happened to Aiden’s Uncle Tony at the opera?
3. What message did Aiden take to Ernie from Rosie?
4. Who told Aiden a story that contained clues about the Twenty Gold Falcons?
5. What was Mrs. Ingle going to have built in Gill Park and why?
6. What did Mrs. Ingle insist on calling Aiden and why?
7. Where did Aiden find part of the Gold Falcon collection?
8. Why did Patsy disappear?
9. If you found Twenty Gold Falcons, what would you do?
10. What do you think of the choices Aiden finally made?
2012-2013 Mark Twain Award Nominees