When you reach me

By Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Random House Children's Book
Copyright: 2010

This story takes place in the Upper West Side of New York City in 1979 and it follows the main character Miranda whom is in sixth grade. One day she receives a strange note saying, I am coming to save your friend’s life and my own. I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter. As the novel progresses she receives three more notes with requests. The novel contains three story lines: the appearance of Miranda’s mom on The 20,000 Pyramid, Miranda best friend Sal suddenly not talking with Miranda and the appearance of a laughing man. The stories conclusion is all three plots come together to reveal that the laughing man is Miranda’s friend Marcus who has come from the future to save Sal from an early death. Central themes in the novel include independence, redemption, and friendship. The story is inspired by Rebecca Stead favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time which the main character Miranda is often reading.

Suggested Delivery: Guided Reading


Lexile Level: 750L 

Key Vocabulary: allegations, truce, teleporting, racist, latchkey, conspiracy, epilepsy

Web Resources:

Meet the Author: Students can learn about the author and her upcoming books. http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com/

Guide for teaching: On page 28 there is a guide for teaching this novel http://www.dcfaward.org/Activities/dcfbookreviews&questions10-11.pdf

Comprehension Strategies:

During Reading: Since this book has many plots and little details that are 

key to understanding the book, have students complete while they are reading a concept map. 

After Reading: Complete a popcorn review with students; begin by asking students At the end, do you think all the pieces of the puzzle come together? Is there anything that still confuses you?


Writing: Rebecca Stead makes time traveling possible in this novel. If you could travel to a certain time, where would it be? Describe the details behind that place and your reasoning to why you picked there.

90 Miles to Havana

By: Enrique Flores-Galbis
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Copyright: 2010

A revolution has just started in Havana, Cuba, and Julian's parents must make the heartbreaking decision to send him and his two older brothers away to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation. But when the boys get to Miami, they are thrust into a world where bullies seem to run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves. The refugee camp where they are sent is not what they expected, it is an overcrowded facility ruled by a nasty bully, Caballo. The boys end up sleeping on the ground of a bathroom floor. Overtime Julian’s brothers are sent to a foster home up north leaving Julian all alone. Julian starts his own revolution at the camp in a democratic way fighting back against Caballo. When Julian plays his last trick on Caballo he is forced to leave camp where he meets Tomas a man who is fixing up a boat to illegally transport people from Cuba back to Miami. Julian wants his parents to be included in that group and on his adventure back to Cuba he is in for the trip of his life. 

Author and artist Enrique Flores-Galbis has written this story based on his own experiences as one of the 14,000 Cuban children sent from Cuba to the U.S. without their parents in 1961 by Operation Pedro Pan, the largest exodus ever in the Western hemisphere of unaccompanied children.

Suggested Delivery: Independent or Guided Reading 


Lexile Level: 790L

Key Vocabulary: Revolution, Pedro Pan Operation, immigrant, passport, refugee, illegal

Web Resources:

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozty5FRtpZs

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading: Show students a map point how where Cuba is located and we Miami is located. Explain students what the Pedro Pan Operation is using the website http://www.pedropan.org/category/history

After Reading: Have students in pairs compose a Poems For Two Voices, one of the voices being an immigrant child coming to the United States on the Pedro Pan Operation.


Writing: Students will go home and interview their grandparents or an elderly friend. Find out where they are from? How did they get to America? Where are their parents from? This will spark a great immigration unit.

Turtle: tough on the outside with a soft underbelly just like a turtle.

Turtle in Paradise

By: Jennifer Holm

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Copyright: 2010

Turtle in Paradise is a historical fiction novel set in the Great Depression. Eleven-year-old Turtle has been living with her single mother whom is a housekeeper in New Jersey, but her mother gets a new housekeeping job and it entitles no children, Turtle is sent to live with her Aunt Minnie in Key West with cousins she has never met; Buddy, Beans and Kermit. Her rowdy boy cousins are part of the neighbor “Diaper Gang” which coincidentally does not allow any girl members. In a world that is very different than the one she is used she learns about alligator pears (avocados), rum running, sponge fishing and most importantly that she has a grandma. Turtle uncovers what is means to have a family.

Authors Note at the end of the story: Many of these situations that Jennifer Holm wrote about in this story, had been her families stories that had been passed down from generation to generation.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read

Lexile Level: 600L

Key Vocabulary: guava, mutiny, skepticalks, exasperated, tromp, meringue, ruthless

Web Resources:

Meet the Author: Students can read about Jennifer Holm and how she gets inspired to write http://www.jenniferholm.com/01_aboutme/01_overview.html

Comprehension Strategies:

During Reading: Students will complete a Split Page Notetaking- In one column students will write down the name of the chapter they are reading then students will think of a new name for the chapter after they finished the chapter.

After Reading: Students will create a Voki of the main character Turtle. 

Writing: This story was written based on stories that were past down by Jennifer Holm's family. Write about a story that has been past down from generation to generation at your house? 

Moon Over Manifest

By: Clare Vanderpool

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Copy Right: 2010

12 year old Abilene Tucker has been shipped to a small town called Manifest in Kansas by her father Gideon. Gideon felt like his lifestyle was not appropriate for his daughter especially after Abilene cut her knee and got an infection which almost killed her. So Gideon sent her to the one town that had a major impact on him. When Abilene arrives she is welcome by her father’s old caregiver, Shady who is part bartender part priest. Abilene also meets Hattie Mae the town reporter, and it’s through old newspaper articles and a box of old artifacts found in Shady’s house (that Abilene believes is surely connected to her father) she begins to journey into the past. By reliving the past the people of Manifest overcome their troubles and Abilene finds her home. 

Suggested Delivery: Guided Reading

Lexile Level: 800L

Key Vocabulary: bootlegger, World War 1, spy, conjurer, jargon, diviner

Web Resources:

Meet the Author: Students can meet Clare Vanderpool and learn about what she is doing on http://www.clarevanderpool.com/abouttheauthor.html

Audio Tape: Students can listen to Clare Vanderpool and how she got the idea for Moon Over Manifest, then listen to her read an excerpt from the book.  

Comprehension Strategies:

During Reading: Students will have multiple fishbowl discussions about key parts in the book using the readers guide discussion questions: http://www.midwestbooksellers.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/MoonManifest_MidCon_ReadGd_WEB.pdf

After Reading: Students will create a Voki (http://www.voki.com/) resembling one of the following characters: Abilene, Shady, Hattie Mae, Gideon, or Miss Sadie.

Writing: Students will create the next chapter in the story based on the information given in the last chapter of the book. Do Abilene and Gideon stay in Manifest? Or do they pack their bags and travel to a new place?