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NOVELS FOR READERS in grades 3-6 play such a crucial role in helping

kids bridge from early chapter books to YA. It’s vital to nurture that

love of reading through these critical years to help kids develop ever more

sophisticated language skills and to blossom into life long readers.

Use the materials in this kit to celebrate reading and encourage your reading maniacs

to stay crazy for books!

ACTIVITY KIT

MiddleGradeMania

Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Smackdown!In the spirit of WrestleMania, host a Reading Smackdown! Challenge another class to a reading contest. How many books can your students read and report on in a month versus the other class? When the month is over, have each class vote to select one title from all the books reported on, which the entire class will read. Each class then presents their book through skits, artwork, videos, and the like to an impartial judge—perhaps the school principal or librarian. The judge, who has already read both books, selects the best presentation as the winner.

Word of MouthCreate a “This Reader Recommends” display on a bulletin board in your classroom or library. Whenever a student loves a book, have him/her fill out a recommendation card you can post in a public space to encourage other kids to give the book a try.

Jacket GalleryAs students finish books, have them create their own cover illustration depicting a particular character or scene. Be sure to have them include the title and the author’s name within the new cover design. Display the new book covers on a bulletin board or in a reading corner.

Book MobileHave students create a mobile for a favorite book. Use two pencils as the mobile framework—position them in an X, with one pencil on top of the other, and tape them in place. Wrap a string or piece of yarn around the intersection of the two pencils with a long length extending from the top, from which to hang the mobile. Create two-sided illustrations of characters and events and key elements from the story on cardstock and hang them from the pencil frame. Be sure to include the book’s title and author on one hanging element. Display the mobiles around the classroom or library.

Opening LinesBooks often begin with provocative, compelling openings to hook the reader from the very first page:

“In the beginning, there was the donut.” —The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

“It had taken me five years, but I’d finally found my way to Zooey Andrews’s heart. Now I was going to die there.” —Lenny Cyrus, School Virus by Joe Schreiber

“If Evan had known what would be hidden in his shoebox later that day, he might not have minded decorating it so much.” —The Candy Smash by Jacqueline Davies

Encourage your students to keep a journal of first lines from books to inspire them in their own creative writing endeavors.

Character QuiltPass an 8.5-by-8.5-inch square piece of construction paper to each student. Have each child draw a portrait of a favorite book character on his/her square using crayons, markers, or paint. Be sure to include the character’s name and the book title on each square. Arrange the squares in a quilt pattern on a bulletin board or wall.

Activities MiddleGradeMania

MiddleGradeMania

MiddleGradeMania

This reader recommends . . . BOOK TITLE

AUTHOR

RECOMMENDED BY GRADE

Plot summary/characters:

What I liked about the book:

This reader recommends . . . BOOK TITLE

AUTHOR

RECOMMENDED BY GRADE

Plot summary/characters:

What I liked about the book:

Illustration © 2013 by M. Sarah Klise from Hollywood, Dead Ahead. All rights reserved. This page may be photocopied for free distribution.

Use this handy log sheet to keep track of the books you read. How many books can you read in a month? In a year? Challenge your friends!

Reading Log Title Author Date finished

Flower illustrations © 2013 by Cara Llewellyn; face illustration © 2013 by Matt Smith. All rights reserved. This page may be photocopied for free distribution.MiddleGradeMania

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Bookmarks

This page may be photocopied for free distribution.MiddleGradeMania

This page may be photocopied for free distribution.

The Center of EverythingBY

Linda Urban

Name: ________________________________________

Ruby Pepperdine loves stargazing from the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors, snug in the circle of her grandmother Gigi’s hug. Ruby and her friends Lucy and Nero contemplate the stars one warm summer night and create their own constellation. Look at the star map below and create your own constellation by connecting stars however you like. What will you name your constellation?

Starry Sky

GradeMiddle

Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Cara Llewellyn. All rights reserved. This page may be photocopied for free distribution.

Name: ________________________________________

The Candy SmashBY

Jacqueline Davies

Someone is creating personalized valentine candy hearts for every student in room 4-O. The hearts have two-word descriptions that really capture the talents or personalities of the re-cipients. Make a list of your classmates, teammates, or friends and create your own two-word descriptive phrases for each person. (Always be nice!)

You in Two (Words, That Is)

GradeMiddle

Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Matt Smith. All rights reserved. This page may be photocopied for free distribution.

Name: ________________________________________

Thirteen-year-old Lenny Cyrus is a total genius. He can memorize an entire college textbook in an hour or less. But he’s a little less savvy when it comes to girls. His crush, Zooey Andrews, doesn’t seem to like him. Lenny’s best friend, Harlan, has a particular way of identifying Lenny when Lenny goes on an amazing adventure to literally change Zooey’s mind. Can you solve the cryptogram to discover Harlan’s clue that it’s Lenny who is trying to contact him?

Cryptogram

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

8 24 2 10 18 1 22 21 2 21 S BE E

8 4 1 2 22 4 2ES

5 2 15 1 6 24

T

Lenny Cyrus, School VirusBY

Joe Schreiber

GradeMiddle

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Illustrations copyright © 2013 by M. Sarah Klise. All rights reserved. This page may be photocopied for free distribution.

Name: ________________________________________

Hollywood, Dead AheadBY

Kate Klise ILLUSTRATED BY

M. Sarah Klise

Film producer Moe Block Busters wants to make a movie based on the 43 Old Cemetery Road story! Lured by the lights of Tinseltown, Ignatius B. Grumply, Olive C. Spence, and Seymour Hope pack their suitcases and head west, where they meet the ancient but still glamorous Ivana Oscar. But Hollywood is filled with crooks, so Seymour decides to direct his own version of 43 Old Cemetery Road. Can you design a movie poster depicting the four stars?

Movie Poster

43 Old Cemetery Road

StarringIVANA OSCAR

IGNATIUS B. GRUMPLYOLIVE C. SPENCE SEYMOUR HOPE

R A T E D

GG GHOST OR GRANNY GUIDANCE SUGGESTED

GradeMiddle

MAJORITY RULES ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

MORE GREAT READS!

The Year of the Baby by Andrea Cheng

illustrated by Patrice Barton978-0-547-91067-3 • $15.99

Parched by Melanie Crowder

978-0-547-97651-8 • $15.99

The Ugly One by Leanne Statland Ellis

978-0-547-97590-0 • $16.99

The Lightning Dreamer by Margarita Engle978-0-547-80743-0 • $16.99

Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

978-0-547-73846-8 • $16.99

The Vine Basket by Josanne La Valley

978-0-547-84801-3 • $16.99

The Watcher in the Shadows by Chris Moriarty

978-0-547-46632-3 • $16.99

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

978-0-544-02280-5 • $6.99 pbkNATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST

Escape from the Pipe Men! by Mary G. Thompson

978-0-547-85905-7 • $16.99

Frogged by Vivian Vande Velde

978-0-547-94215-5 • $16.99

Available wherever fine books are sold.

MiddleGradeMania

www.hmhbooks.com/middlegrademania