Thursday, March 4, 2010

Great Read Aloud So Far


When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

I needed a new read aloud for my seventh grade that would not only help me get my student to reflect and practice their journaling, but one that had the components of a good mystery. When You Reach Me, so far, has not let me down.



Miranda deals with the pressures of living in the inner city of New York City with her single mom and her best friend Sal. A missing key, a man sleeping under the mail box, Sal getting punched by a neighborhood bully, and mysterious letters that contain very personal information about Miranda all come together to a surprising and climactic ending. Rebecca Stead keeps the reader on their tows thinking about the significance of all of these seemingly unrelated events.



As a read aloud I have taken great pleasure in suspensefully ending my reading selection as much as I love reading to my class. The moans and pleas for more let me know that I am onto something big with this book.



Just one question: Is it a mystery? or Science Fiction?

Mr. Kohl

3 comments:

  1. i think it is a mystery i am not sure

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  2. i think its both because there are different parts in it that lead you both ways.

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  3. I would pick science fiction even though it has elements of both. It kind of reminds me of the movie Back to the Future. I really liked it.

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