Annie+Gray

Name____Annie Gray______________________________________

1. Book Title (1 pt.)Lips Touch Three Times

2. Genre: (1pt) Short Stories

3. Author (1 pt.)Laini Taylor

4. Date of Publication (1 pt.)2009

5. Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! If you are writing about a collection of stories or poems, you need to talk specifically about 2-3 of the selections in the book. (4 pts.)This book includes three stories. Each story has a part in it where a kiss plays a major part in how the story takes shape. In //Goblin Fruit,// a young girl by the name of Kizzy is being watched by goblins. These goblins have fruit that help attract the girls to them. It is the fruit that brings their lives to an end. Kizzy is one of the girls that has been warned about the goblins by her mother. One day, a very handsome boy appears in school. Kizzy is automatically drawn to him and her fate is in his hands! In //Hatchling,// a young girl named Esme learns about who, or what she really is. This story is full of creatures and magic. Esme learns of a life she had before that her mother never told her about.

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (4 pts.). I liked how the stories all had a common theme…the kiss. It made me wonder how it was going to be used in each story. I liked the idea of all the magic and creatures that were in the stories. I also really liked all the metaphors in certain parts of the story. “My blood fizzled like champagne.” 7. I found this book not as easy to read. I found parts that I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what was going to happen next, and then there were times that I felt the stories were too drawn out. I thought it was good to get to read a book of short stories since I never really have. I don’t think I would recommend this book to anyone, but like I said, there were some parts that I really enjoyed.

8. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. This week, I want you to write questions strictly //for discussion// here – not project ideas (you’ll see why below). (6 pts) 1. Discuss what you might feel like if you were Kizzy, knowing that the fruit was the secret of the goblins to getting who they wanted. 2. Did you like the ending to //Goblin Fruit?// What would you change about the ending? Be specific. 3. In //Hatchling,// do you think that Esme’s mother should have told her sooner about the Druj? Why or why not? Give examples.

8. How can you see this book being used in the curriculum? For what grade level would it be most appropriate? Give a specific example of how you as a teacher might use the book as part of the taught curriculum. What specifically would you use it to teach and what would you have students do with it? (7 pts.) I could see this book being used in a literature course for a specific study on short stories. The stories were so unrealistic that I think that it would be hard to tie it into other areas of the curriculum. I would think that this would be appropriate for high school grades, probably 11th or 12th since it is complex in some parts and there is some language and sexual content. I would have this book as a choice for them to pick from while studying short stories, or alternative format books.

Name Annie Gray

1. Book Title (1 pt.) Bruiser

2. Genre: Fantasy

3. Author (1 pt.)Neal Shusterman

4. Date of Publication (1 pt.)2010

5. Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (3 pts.) Brewster Rawlins is known by his classmates as being a loner, weird, scary, and dangerous. Bronte Sternberger feels differently. She and her twin brother, Tennyson, develop close relationships with “Bruiser” and learn that he is a sincere and kind teenage boy. They also discover a secret that they could never imagine having to live with….ever.

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (3 pts.) I loved this book. There are so many things that I enjoyed. I think that one of the main things that I liked was that the relationship between Brewster and Bronte was so sweet and sincere. The simplest things in their relationship made them happy. I was impressed by the lack of sexual content that could have easily been part of their relationship. I also loved how this book was written. The different chapters were told from Cody’s, Bronte’s, Tennyson’s, and Brewster’s points of view. The chapters that Brewster wrote were very interesting because they were in more of a poetic form. I noticed that many times, there were no endings to the sentences, no periods. I liked that the book grabbed my attention at the beginning, and it was an easy read. I also liked that the author didn’t reveal the twist until several chapters into the book. It seemed like it wasn’t too far into the book, or too early in the book. One thing I didn’t like was the ending. I like to know what happens after the happy ending, not just up to that point!

7. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts) 1. Can you relate to how Bronte felt about Brewster? Have you ever been in a social situation when you went against what everyone else thought about someone? 2. Describe how you think Brewster felt about letting people close to his heart knowing what the consequences would be. Do you blame him for keeping to himself for so long? 3. Do you feel it is fair to judge Tennyson for him wanting to keep Brewster home with him? Express your thoughts on Tennyson using Brewster to keep strong during the games and using him to feel contentment at home.

Comprehension Activity:

Write a newspaper article about someone or something that happened in the story. NOTE: this is NOT a book report! Review a few newspaper articles to get the "feel" of the format. What would the headline say? Was anyone interviewed for the story? Who are the sources of information? Are there quotes from characters? Be creative! (15 pts). Teenage Boy is a Suspect in his Uncle’s Death Brewster Rawlins is known by his classmates as being an outcast. He and his 8 year old brother live with their Uncle Hoyt near the edge of town in a run-down home. Hoyt took custody of the boys when their mother was too ill to care for them. County police are still waiting for the results of Hoyt’s autopsy. Brewster has been questioned regarding his uncle’s death. A classmate of Rawlins’s, Ozzy O’Dell, says “Brewster is a loner, a freak. He has no friends and has strange marks on him. I have no doubt that he could be capable of killing his uncle.” County police chief stated that they found Hoyt in his home with broken dishes everywhere. “Could be a sign of a struggle that happened between the two of them,” says the police chief. Bronte Sternberger, girlfriend of Rawlins, said “Brewster is misunderstood. He would never do this to his uncle. He is all he has. The man drank regularly, this has to be a mistake.” Brewster Rawlins will have to wonder about his future until the autopsy results come back. Did he have something to do with his uncle’s death, or didn’t he? Gray

1. Book Title (1 pt.) //Girl, Stolen//

2. Genre: (Adventure-Survival or Mystery) (1 pt) Adventure- Survival

3. Author (1 pt.) April Henry

4. Date of Publication (1 pt) 2010

5. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (5 pts.)

I absolutely loved this book. It held my attention the entire time, I didn't want to put it down. I really liked all the small twists that were put in the story. From the beginning I wondered what would happen between Griffin and Cheyenne and if a relationship of some sort would form between them. I experienced so many emotions while reading. I liked how the author went back and told the stories of Cheyenne and Griffin prior to where they were in the story. Learning about how she became blind and how Griffin's life was growing up. Just when I thought everything was fine and Cheyenne was going to be saved, another twist popped up! I loved how Cheyenne was such a strong girl, physically and emotionally.

There was one part that I didn't like....the last line of the book!! You will have to read it to find out!

6. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts) 1. Describe how you might feel if you were in the car when it was car jacked by Griffin. Do you think that your feelings are going to be different since you aren’t blind? 2. Imagine you are defending Griffin in court. What would be your main arguments be? 3. Griffin was trying to figure out a way to get Cheyenne out of the house. Come up with a different plan that he could have used that would have changed her escaping by hurting him.

Comprehension Activity: (15 pts).

Choose five artifacts that you believe represent the main character of your novel (or one of the main characters in your novel) and provide an explanation for choosing each. Avoid making all obvious choices, but instead, get creative and think outside the box!

Artifact #1 - Rock I chose this because Cheyenne is a very strong female character in this story. A rock is used later in the story which I found to be ironic once I got to that point.

Artifact #2 – A Ring I chose this because Cheyenne had to continuously follow demands, orders over and over again to get to where she was. She had to trust the person who kidnapped her in order to survive…symbolizing the endless cycle of this.

Artifact #3- Her Scarf I chose this because Cheyenne almost hid behind her scarf several times during the story. She had to hide her fears, her sadness at times so that they would see that she was strong.

Artifact #4 Stuffed Dog I chose this because if she would have had Phantom with her in the beginning, this would have never happened. She also relied on Duke to help her escape and get part way through the woods. This is also ironic because she was able to get through without either dogs in the end.

Artifact #5 Heart I chose this because she was able to forgive Griffin in the end and hopefully continue to have some sort of friendship with him. She had a big heart to care and respec t for Griffin.

Name Annie Gray

1. Book Title (1 pt.) //Notes from the Dog//

2. Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

3. Author (1 pt.: Gary Paulsen

4. Date of Publication (1 pt.) 2009

5. Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (4 pts.) Middle school aged Finn, finds himself having a summer like one he has never had before after meeting Johanna, the gal who is house sitting next door. Johanna has breast cancer and forms wonderful relationships with Finn, his dog Dylan, and his best friend Matthew. Finn is surprised when Johanna asks for his help over the summer. In return he gets a best friend that he really cares for and loves. Finn and Matthew go through a life changing event after getting to know Johanna.

6. What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (4 pts.) I absolutely loved this book. I loved that the characters seemed real. They seemed like normal everyday people that you could relate to. I also really loved how Dylan played such an important part of the story. Within the first 5 pages, I could tell that Johanna was going to be a dynamic character that I would just fall in love with. It was a fast paced story. I felt a lot of ups and downs with my emotions while reading this book. The love that Dylan had immediately for Johanna melted my heart. The way that Finn just really came out of his shell throughout the book was something I didn’t really expect. I also really liked the whole family aspect of the book. Finn starts out with just his dad and by the middle of the book he has gained an amazing family! Gary Paulsen did such a great job with Johanna’s character that I forgot that she even had cancer through some chapters of the book. I think this was obviously done on purpose, but it is the one part that I didn’t care for. It would just hit me while reading that her cancer was truly something that they all would have to deal with more than once.

7. Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts) 1. Describe Finn’s outlook on his summer at the beginning of the book (plans, ideas, personal goals). 2. Choose one character from the book and compare their characteristics from the beginning of the book compared to the end of the book. 3. Pick one of the notes from Dylan to Finn. What do you think this note really meant? Break it into pieces and analyze the quotes.

Comprehension Activity:


 * Create a “FakeBook: (not Facebook) page for the main character or one of the main characters from your Contemporary Realistic Fiction Book. Use the instructions provided in a separate attachment to help you. When you’ve finished your work online, copy and paste the URL for your Fakebook page below (15 points **
 * Fakebook page....http://www.classtools.net/fb/5/E3GbVX **