Criss Cross

Debbie wishes
something would
happen to her.
Anything to make
her life more
interesting...




Hector feels unfinished,
“still in process.”
He keeps waiting for that
transformation.
That change...



Venture with them as their paths criss cross in a series of mutual friends and shared moments. Will they find a place with each other or discover that growing up is more complicated than it looks?


A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

This is a coming of age story for middle schoolers that addresses character development. Perfect for use in the classroom, or as a safe way to address difficult teenage issues.

Perkins, Lynn Rae. (2005). Criss Cross. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Wham! It's A Poetry Jam!

Onomatopoeia never sounded so fun!


In a group. By yourself. With a whisper or a shout! Delivery methods, sample poems, vocal training, rhythm practice, flow and movement, tone…everything your ever wanted to know about interactive poetry is right here!

Give your kids something to do with all their energy! “Show the world that poetry was never meant to simply lie quietly on a the page, any more than kids were meant to sit quietly in their seats to read it.” Perfect for a parent night where your kids can show off their educational skills!

Holbrook, S. (2002). Wham! It’s a Poetry Jam: Discovering performance poetry. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.

Hoops

"Hoops. The game. Feel it."


" The skittery cat-footed
dance along the baseline."



"The weight of you hanging from fine
invisible threads."

" The eyes."

Experience poetry come alive on the basketball court. Let your eyes roam over the energy of the words captured in the heart pounding illustrations.

Still not convinced? How about introducing imagery with a subject that most middle schoolers can’t keep their hands off of? Just imagine....loads of sensory details, similes, metaphors, and personification packed into a three minute countdown! Give your students something to write about by getting their heads in the game.

Burleigh, R. (1997). Hoops. New York: Silver Whistle.

Sabriel

Abhorson, a powerful mage of the Old Kingdom has disappeared. It's up to his daughter Sabriel to find him. If only it were that simple. You see, Sabriel, like her father, is a necromancer. One who lays the dead to rest and binds evil spirits before they can cross over to the living world. Until now, she has been free of the Old Kingdom where magic reigns supreme and the dead are free to roam. Now she must journey back to the place where she will come face to face with death itself and discover her destiny.


Ever since Harry Potter, fantasy books have become the rage. Even in our own schools! If your students crave this genre, introduce them to Garth Nix. He is truly a master of fantasy and has appeared on numerous best seller lists including The New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, and The Book Seller.

And if that isn't enough to convince you, he also happens to be my favorite author in this genre and comes highly recommended from this very satisfied reader.

Nix, G. (1995). Sabriel. New York: Harper Collins

The Spider and the Fly

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

Will you walk into my parlour?"
said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour
that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour
is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew
when you are there."

Creep into the shadowy den of the impeccably dressed spider as he tries to entice a small fly to dinner. Enjoy the classic poem of Mary Howett brought to life by the deliciously creepy artwork of Tony DiTerlizzi!


Go even further with your students! Find out more about Howett and the time period in which she lived. You may be surprised to find that she worked closely with many other famous poets and authors including Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Hans Christian Anderson. Research why she wrote the poem and discuss what the moral is.

Howett, M. (2002). The Spider and The Fly (T. DiTerlizzi, Illus.). New York: Simon & Schuster.

The Thief Lord

A Batcheider Award Winning Book!

Prosper is on the run with his five year old brother Bo. Detective Victor is hot on their trail, trying to return them to an aunt and uncle they want nothing to do with. Luckily, the young thief lord and his family of followers are there to help. But, this street crew is about to get more than they bargained for when the Thief Lord accepts a challenge from Victor himself. Will they ever find a place to belong?

Getting students to enjoy what they read can be like pulling teeth. However, Cornelia Funke's books are so entertaining your students might just forget they're in class. For further exploration, research the city of Venice and its legends!

Check out the trailer for the movie! Have a movie day and compare it to the book!



Funke, C. (2002). The Thief lord. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Flotsam

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!


An Ode to Imagination!



Flotsom is so beautifully illustrated that it doesn't need words to tell its story. Just pictures from a camera that washes up on the shore and into the hands of a little boy.



The question is...where did it come from?



If you're looking for a story to foster creative writing, look no further! This is the perfect addition to any Language Arts classroom. You'll be amazed at what your students come up with!

Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York: Houghton Mifflin.