EPGY

READING AND WRITING ABOUT

LITERATURE
Parent Guide

v. 05.01.07
2006 EPGY, All Rights Reserved.
Stanford University
EPGY Ventura Hall
Stanford, CA 94305-4101
Phone 800-372-EPGY
 TA B L E O F C ON T EN T S

INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................................................2

GETTING STARTED ........................................................................................................................................................3

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................................................................................3
CERTIFYING YOUR SYSTEM .............................................................................................................................................3
ACCESSING THE COURSE ................................................................................................................................................3

COURSE CONTENT AND STRUCTURE.....................................................................................................................8

COURSE CONTENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE ....................................................................................................8

PROGRESS THROUGH THE COURSE.....................................................................................................................12

INDIVIDUALIZATION ......................................................................................................................................................12
SESSION LENGTH...........................................................................................................................................................12
NUMBER OF SESSIONS PER W EEK ................................................................................................................................13

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE ....................................................................................................................................14

A TYPICAL SESSION ......................................................................................................................................................14

COMMUNICATION WITH EPGY ..............................................................................................................................21

COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR TUTOR .........................................................................................................................21
TUTOR ASSIGNMENT ..................................................................................................................................................21
EMAIL ..........................................................................................................................................................................21
VIRTUAL CLASSROOM ................................................................................................................................................21

TROUBLESHOOTING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT ..........................................................................................23

APPENDIX A: SELECTED REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................26

APPENDIX B: RECOMMENDED READING LEVELS OF BOOKS ...................................................................27
APPENDIX C: ALPHABETICAL LIST OF BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND ISBN NUMBERS .............................31
APPENDIX D: LITERATURE ASPECTS AND WRITING ACTIVITIES ...........................................................35
APPENDIX E: SKILL OBJECTIVES ..........................................................................................................................40

EPGY Reading and Writing about Literature i

 1
Chapter

Introduction
Welcome to EPGYs Reading and Writing about Literature course!

E
PGYs Reading and Writing about Literature (RWL) is a web-
based course that helps enrich students reading experiences
through their interaction with books and technology. This
release includes 150 books that were selected from
recommended literature lists available through professional organizations
and individual state departments of education. As students read books and
answer questions about the books, they increase their comprehension,
fluency, and vocabulary skills, as well as develop stronger critical thinking
skills. For selected titles, students will also engage in interactive writing
activities related to the book. In general, the recommended reading levels for
the books span from grade three through eight, with the majority of
selections appropriate for students reading on levels grades three through
six. Although there are books included that are on a readability level below
grade three, The Reading and Writing about Literature course is intended for
students who are reading on at least the third grade level.

EPGY course authors reviewed reading curriculum frameworks and

standards, recommended literature lists, and standardized achievement tests
prior to developing the course. The purpose of this background research was
to ensure that the selection of widely recommended literature titles for the
program and the development of exercises and activities addressed reading
comprehension skills typically covered in reading curriculum state standards
for grades three through eight.

The information included in the chapters and appendices of this manual have
been designed to help you and the student get the most out of the course.
Please review the material carefully before you begin using the course.
Chapter 2 describes the system requirements and directions for getting
started in the course. Chapters 3 and 4 describe the content and structure of
the course, as well as how a student makes progress. Chapter 5 describes the
student experience and various types of exercises. Chapter 6 describes how to
communicate with your tutor about the course content and the reports.
Chapter 7 provides information regarding technical questions or problems.

EPGY Reading and Writing about Literature 2

 2
Chapter

Getting Started

R
eview this chapter before your child starts using the course. You
will learn what the system requirements are and how to access
the course.

System Requirements
The minimum system requirements to run the Reading and Writing about
Literature program are:

Windows
Windows 98SE, 2000, NT, or XP multimedia system
Internet Explorer 6.0+ or Mozilla 1.7+
Flash MX Player
Java 1.4.2 or better

Macintosh
Mac OSX or better
Safari
Flash MX Player
Java 1.4.2 or better

Linux
Mozilla 2.0
Flash MX Player
Java 1.4.2 or better

Certifying your System

To test if your system is configured to run the course, please to go to:

http://epgycourses.stanford.edu/certify

This page provides instructions on the software plug-ins required and steps to
install them. Also note that your browser preferences must be set to allow pop-
up windows because the course and lectures within it come up in separate
windows.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 3

Accessing the Course
To access Reading and Writing about Literature, students login to their EPGY
student page on the EPGY website. This is done by entering your student
number and password as shown in Figure 1.

Enter your
student number
and password
here.

Figure 1. EPGY log in page.

When the student page comes up, select the RWL1 course link from the Course

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 4

 Pages menu at the left of the page. This will take you to the RWL1 student page
as shown in below in Figure 2.

RWL1 course
link

Figure 2. An EPGY student page.

From the RWL student page, you will be able to view and download the Parent
Guide and access the course as shown below in Figure 3. To access the course,

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 5

 click on the link labeled Your RWL1 course page and follow the directions
that appear on the screen.

Access the Parent

Guide by clicking
this link.

Launch the Click this link to install

course page by Centra Symposium to
clicking on this attend virtual classes.
link..

Figure 3. The Reading and Writing about Literature student page.

After the student logs into the course, a Books to Choose From page will appear
on the screen, as shown below in Figure 4. Books may be researched and
purchased by clicking on the appropriate link. Information about whether or not
the student has taken the exercises for a specific book is also included on this
screen. Indicators about the status of a particular book include a gold star, silver
star, bronze star, or CURRENT. When the student has completed reading a
specific book, the student can select the exercises for that book or continue with a

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 6

CURRENT book. The program will then launch the exercises for that book and
any related writing activities that may exist for that book.

Figure 4. Books to choose from page.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 7

 3
Chapter

Course Content and Structure

T he content of Reading and Writing about Literature (RWL)

consists of a bank of exercises developed for 125 books. In
addition to the questions associated with many of the books,
writing exercises are included to encourage further reflection and provide
practice in writing skills.

Course Content
The books included in the course were carefully selected in order to provide
students with systematically designed sets of exercises that assess, model,
and promote understanding of widely read literature.

The Goals of the Program

EPGYs Reading and Writing about Literature course is designed to enrich

students reading and writing experiences through their interaction with books
and technology. The program is primarily intended for gifted students reading
at a third grade level, but not yet at the eighth grade level.

Program Based on Research

The EPGY course developers conducted extensive research prior to the

development of EPGYs Reading and Writing about Literature. See Appendix A
for a list of selected references used in conjunction state curriculum frameworks,
textbooks, and standardized tests used in elementary and middle school
programs.

Selection of Literature

The books selected for the program are based on recommended literature lists
from the states of California, New York, and Texas, as well as the National
Council of Teachers of English. The recommended reading grade levels for the
books range from upper grade one through grade nine with the majority
appropriate for students in reading in grade levels three through five. Table 1
shows the distribution of books by recommended grade level. Note that many

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 8

books target more than one grade, and are identified as such. For more detailed
information about the recommended grade levels of books used in the program,
see Appendix B.

Table 1
Distribution of Books by Recommended Grade Level

RECOMMENDED GRADE NUMBER OF BOOKS

Grade 1 1
Grades 1 and 2 4
Grade 2 9
Grade 3 20
Grades 3 and 4 15
Grade 4 23
Grades 4 and 5 35
Grades 5 and 6 20
Grades 6 and 7 8
Grades 6, 7 and 8 9
Grades 7, 8 and 9 2
Grades 7 thru 12 2
Grades 8 thru 12 2
TOTAL 150

Matching Students with Books

Students may either select books to read from the list or ask a parent or course
tutor to help them with their selections. Information about a students
performance on standardized tests and reading comprehension assessments
may be used as a tool for selecting books. The recommended grade level(s) for
each book serve as a general guide to help determine the suitability of an
individual book for a particular student. After determining which books a
student will read, they can be found in the alphabetical listing of books included
in Appendix C. This appendix also includes the authors name and ISBN
number, which can be used for ordering a book through an online distributor, or
at a neighborhood bookstore or library.

Literature Aspects and Writing

The books selected for the program include authentic literature representing a
variety of genres and cultures from throughout the world. The books have close
connections to content areas included in a typical school curriculum. Writing
activities have also been included to provide students with additional
opportunities for further enrichment. For detailed information about the genre,
content area, cultural appreciation, and inclusion of writing exercises for each
book, see Appendix D.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 9

Structure of the Course
Students are expected to read a book cover to cover before taking exercises over
the material. There is one set of exercises available for each book. For many
books, there are supplementary writing exercises. This interactive feature
allows students to practice their writing skills and further enhance their
understanding and appreciation of a particular book.

Exercises about the Book

The number of questions associated with a book can range from as few as 15
exercises to as many as 50, however, most sets contain approximately 25
exercises. Every exercise presented is associated with a specific skill objective.
The skill objectives covered in this course are similar to those included in many
states curriculum frameworks and in most reading and language arts programs
at the elementary and middle school levels. See Appendix E for a list of skill
objectives used in the course.

Students engage in a variety of exercises while taking the course. This keeps
students motivated as they discover how much they remember about what they
have read in a book. Students are usually allowed two tries to locate the correct
answer and feedback is provided throughout each exercise. Additional
information about the variety of exercise types used in the course is presented in
chapter 5.

Writing Exercises

Many books contain a set of writing exercises. The first exercise in the series
also includes an audio lecture. The composition exercises were developed in
order to provide students with guided sentence writing practice by using the
parts of speech from word lists to answer questions about a particular book.
Students compose a sentence from a set of given words, in response to a
comprehension question about a book. This environment evaluates the
grammatical correctness of the sentences the student writes. After a student
constructs a response to a sentence composition exercise, the system evaluates
its grammatical correctness. Information about whether or not a book includes a
set of writing exercises is included in the final column in Appendix D. Further
discussion of the writing exercises may be found in Chapter 5.

Evaluation of the Exercises

When a student finishes the exercises on a book, the program evaluates each of
the students responses. Based on the data collected on a student for a specific
book, it is determined how well the student performed. Rather than display a
numeric score for a quiz, the student is given a more meaningful message based

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 10

on his or her performance. Examples of messages based on passing a particular
book are as follows:

A Low Pass is assigned for a student who passed the book, but
did not perform very well on the exercises.
Typical Message: We think it would be better to pick something
easer to read for your next choice.

A Medium Pass is assigned for a student who passed the book

within a middle range of correctness on responses to the exercises
in the quiz.
Typical Message: You did well on this book. We recommend
you select something at about the same level for your next book.

A High Pass is assigned for a student who passed the book

within a high range of correctness on responses to the exercises in
the quiz.
Typical Message: You did very well on this book. We
recommend that you select something more difficult for your
next book.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 11

 4
Chapter

Progress through the Course

S
tudent progress through Reading and Writing about Literature is
individualized, based on the specific books a student selects to read.

Individualization

The course is tailored to meet the needs of individual students by offering a

variety of books with readability levels generally ranging from grades three
through eight, and representing diverse themes, cultures, and genres. Students
make progress in the course while engaging themselves in reading authentic
literature and being tested about their understanding and appreciation of what
they have gained from reading selected books. They will also make progress in
their writing skills by spending time in the interactive writing environment that
has been included for many books. Based on how well a student performs on
exercises for a particular book, a personal message will be displayed to help
guide the students choice for the next book.

Students may be tempted to ask for the help of others. While it is fine for parents
PARENTS! to review the work with students after they have completed the exercises, it is
Make sure your counter-productive for parents to work on exercises with the student. Student
child works learning will be greatest if students are allowed to make their own mistakes.
independently.
Many students find it is helpful to take notes such as jotting down exercise
numbers of problems they have questions about to send it to their tutors. The
exercise identification numbers are in the upper left hand corner of the course
window. You might want to keep pencil and paper within easy reach.

Session Length

Sessions typically last between 20 and 30 minutes. Your child can end a session
early by clicking End Session at the bottom of an exercise screen. The program
will bookmark where the session ended. Depending on how many exercises and
writing activities are associated with a particular book, a few sessions may be
required for completion.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 12

Number of Sessions per Week

The number of sessions a student takes in a week will depend entirely on how
much he or she is reading. The length of books varies dramatically and the
student may find that some books are easier to read than others. The number of
sessions a student takes each week may be adjusted up or down, depending on
how well your student is doing in the course.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 13

 5
Chapter

The Student Experience

After registering for Reading and Writing about Literature, review this chapter
with your child. This chapter describes what a student does during a typical
session and the various question types used in the exercises and in the writing
activities.

A Typical Session

After logging into the course, the student will select the book that has been
completely read from cover to cover. After the first session of the course,
subsequent sessions will pick up where the last session ended. When the
student finishes the exercises and any related writing exercises (if they exist),
the book may be considered finished. The student will then select another
book to read, based on his or her performance.

The exercises use a variety of interactions, which help to keep students

motivated. Even within the multiple-choice type exercises, the number of
answer choices on the screen will vary. The types of interaction that a student
can expect to see in a quiz include the following:

Multiple Choice Single Answer

Multiple Choice Multiple Answers
Fill in the Blank
Order Events in a Series
Place Events Chronologically on a Timeline
Use a Venn Diagram for Categorization
Matching
Identify True or False Statements

A student is usually allowed two tries to answer an exercise, except in certain

circumstances, including exercises that use a True/False format. A correct
response on the first try leads the student to the next exercise about the book.
If a student has a second try, upon completion of the exercise, the student will
go on to the next exercise, regardless of whether the response is correct or not.
Figure 5 below shows a multiple-choice exercise that has one answer correct.
The student clicks on the correct answer and then clicks ok to have it evaluated.
Correct and incorrect answer feedback is provided to the student.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 14

Figure 5. Sample screen of a multiple-choice, single correct exercise.

Figure 6 shows a multiple-choice exercise that has more than one answer
correct. The student clicks on the correct answers and then clicks ok to have
them evaluated. Correct and incorrect answer feedback is provided to the
student.

Figure 6. Sample screen of a multiple-choice, multiple correct exercise.

Figure 7 shows a fill-in-the-blank exercise. The student drags the correct choice
to fill in the blue area of the sentence and then clicks ok to have it evaluated.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 15

Figure 7. Sample screen of a fill-in-the-blank exercise.

Figure 8 shows a matching exercise. The student connects each pair of choices
that go together and then clicks ok to have it evaluated.

Figure 8. Sample screen of a matching exercise.

Figure 9 shows an events order type exercise. The student drags the first event
to Event 1 and then clicks ok to have it evaluated. Based on feedback, the
student drags subsequent events to the correct locations.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 16

Figure 9. Sample screen of events order exercise.

Figure 10 below shows a timeline exercise. The student drags the first event to
the beginning of the timeline and clicks ok to have it evaluated. Based on
feedback, the student drags subsequent events to the correct locations on the
timeline.

Figure 10. Sample screen of timeline exercise.

Figure 11 shows a Venn diagram exercise. The student drags the highlighted
choice to the correct area of the diagram and clicks on ok to have it evaluated.
Based on feedback, the student drags subsequent choices to their correct
locations on the diagram.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 17

Figure 11. Sample screen of Venn diagram exercise.

Writing Exercises

Using the programs interactive writing environment, students have

opportunities to practice their writing skills by answering questions about a
particular book. Students use the parts of speech from word lists to compose
sentences. The program evaluates a students writing based on grammatical
correctness and provides meaningful feedback about the quality of the writing
and hints for improvement. Books that include the interactive writing feature
present a set of three exercises, which require the student to write responses to
question prompts about important aspects related the story.

Figures 12 through 14 show an example of a writing exercise that uses the

writing environment. Students drag words from the list to form a complete
sentence that responds to the question prompt. Then the student clicks on ok to
have the sentence judged for grammatical correctness by the program. Correct
and incorrect feedback is provided to the student to further enhance the writing
experience.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 18

Figure 12. Writing prompt in sample exercise.

Figure 13. Using words from word lists.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 19

Figure 14. Evaluation of students writing.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 20

 6
Chapter

Communication with EPGY and Reports

This chapter explains how you can contact your tutor when you have questions
about the course and reports.

Communicating with Your Tutor

You will communicate with your tutor primarily via email and through an
environment called the virtual classroom. Both modes of communication are
described below.

Tutor Assignment
Information about your tutor may be found on the web pages for this course.

Email

When you email a question or comment about the course content to your tutor,
please include the course acronym RWL in the subject line. If you have a
question about lecture content, please include the title of the lecture in your
email along with a description of the problem. If you have a question about an
exercise, please include the exercise identification number shown in the upper
right hand corner of the screen along with the description of your question.

Virtual Classroom

EPGY uses Centra Symposium software for virtual classes. This software allows
live discussion with real-time voice and graphics. The virtual classroom is an
optional part of the EPGY program and each tutor manages his or her class
differently. Tutors may give formal lectures, discuss challenging sections of the
course, introduce extra curricular grammar lessons or play games. Instructions
are available from the course page.

Most of the EPGY courses have weekly sessions in the EPGY Virtual Classroom.
In the virtual classroom, Students connect via the internet, using voice and
shared whiteboard conferencing software to create a real-time interactive
version of the EPGY lecture environment. The virtual classroom gives students
an electronic forum in which they can interact with their tutor and other
students. Students who want to work more intensively with an instructor, one-
on-one, or in a small group, are encouraged to attend virtual classroom sessions.
To install Centra Symposium go to your RWL student page and click the link.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 21

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 22
 7
Chapter

Troubleshooting and Technical Support

Before contacting EPGY technical support, review the system requirements
listed in Chapter 1 to verify that your computer system meets them. You should
also certify your computer system to test if your system is configured to run the
course. To do this, go to:

http://epgycourses.stanford.edu/certify

Technical support for this course is provided on the web pages for this
course.

1) A description of your computer system (i.e. operating system,

computer hardware maker, and internet browser)
2) A description of the conditions that caused the problem so that we
can attempt to replicate it.
3) The exercise identification number at the upper left-hand corner of
the screen if the problem occurred during the exercise.
4) If you experience a technical problem with a lecture, please include
the title of the lecture in your email along with a description of the
problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question:
I have tried running the course from the EPGY website and get as far as the
opening screen of the course. It shows a light bulb pulsing. In red, there is a
message that says "Computing next activity". Nothing else happens. Why wont
the course start?

Answer:
You may have a pop-up blocking program installed on your computer that is
preventing the course from operating as it should. If you do, please turn it off.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 23

To check whether you do, one of the procedures listed below should help solve
the problem.

1. Are you using either Internet Explorer or Mozillas Firefox browser? If

not, then please download either of those browsers from Microsoft or
Mozilla.

2. Check to see if pop-ups are disabled by searching for and using an

available online pop-up tester or visiting a website that you know has
pop-up windows. As you know, the location of various web sites often
changes, however, one pop-up tester that is available on the date of this
version of the parent guide that you may want to try is as follows:

http://edit.companion.yahoo.com/config/slv4_page?.p=pubtry

You should see a small pop-up window that says,

This is a test popup >window at the above page.

3. Yahoo Toolbar with Pop-Up Blocker

The latest version of the Yahoo Toolbar comes with a pop-up blocker
that is installed and enabled by default. This also seems to come with
Yahoo Messenger. Look at your Yahoo toolbar. Located two or three
buttons to the right of Search the Web is a button for the Yahoo Pop-
up blocker. Click the button and choose to disable it.

4. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 with Service Pack 2

Windows XP Service pack 2 installs a pop-up. Disable it as follows:
Open Internet Explorer
Go to tools menu, then Pop-up Blocker
Click Turn off Pop-up Blocker

5. Firefox Browser with Built-in, Pop-up Blocking

If you're using the Firefox browser, click on the bar at the top of the
window that says "Firefox prevented this site from opening a popup
window. Click here for options..." and choose "edit popup blocker
options" from the menu that opens up. Then add the following sites to
the list of allowed sites:

a) epgy.stanford.edu,
b) epgyschools.stanford.edu
c) epgycourses.stanford.edu

Be sure to click the "Allow" button after you type in each web site
address.

6. Other Pop-up Blockers

If you are using any third-party pop-up blocking software, then you may
need to follow the list of instructions provided directly from the software
developer.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 24

 Another suggestion for you to try is to press and hold the CTRL key to
let the pop-up through. (Hold the CTRL key down when you click
login, attend or run the course.) Note that pressing the CTRL key
down to temporarily disable a pop-up blocker only works on some
products.

You can also use Google and search the web for the terms disabling
pop-up blocking software and other variations of this term. You should
be able to locate a site that will provide access to lists of pop-up blockers
and instructions for disabling them.

If you still cant see the pop-up window, be sure that you have closed
any security programs (at least for now, they will restart when you
reboot your computer), such as Norton System Security, Zonealarm Pro,
or other programs. You will see small icons in the lower right corner of
your computer screen. Hold your mouse arrow over each icon to see
what it is and right click to choose to close, disable, or exit.

Question:
Can my child use this course from any computer at any time or does he have to
work from the same computer in order for start up from where he left off in the
previous session because you use cookies?

Answer:
We store the progress of the students taking this course in an online EPGY
database, so there won't be any trouble at all if your son uses multiple
computers to access the program. You'll just have to make sure that each of the
browsers he uses is set up to allow pop-up windows on the EPGY site and that
each computer contains the Java plug-in. The configuration page is as follows:

http://epgyschools.stanford.edu/certify

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 25

 Appendix A: Selected
References

The following selected references were used in conjunction with a review of

state curriculum frameworks, textbooks, and standardized tests.

California
California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR/CAT6) Blueprints (Fall 2002).
English-Language Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools: Kindergarten
through Grade Twelve. (1998). Sacramento: California Department of
Education.
2000 Reading/Language Arts Framework for California Public Schools Kindergarten
through Grade 12. (1999). Sacramento: California Department of Education.
Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content. (2000 Edition).
Sacramento: Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division,
California Department. of Education.
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through grade Twelve (2001, publication
#001553). Sacramento: Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources
Division, California Department of Education.

Florida
Grade Level Expectations for the Sunshine State Standards: Reading/Language Arts.
(1996- 2002). Florida Department of Education.
Introduction to the Language Arts Grade Level Expectations for the Sunshine State
Standards, (1996-2002). Florida Department of Education.

New York
English Language Arts Resource Guide: Instructional Materials. (1996). New York
State Department of Education.
Learning Standards for English Reading/Language Arts (1996). New York State
Department of Education.

Texas
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading (1997-
2002). Austin: Texas Education Agency.

Selected Other
Houghton Mifflin English, K-8 (2003). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Kaleidoscope: A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8. Fourth Edition (2003).
National Council of Teachers of English.
NCTE/IRA Standards for the English Language Arts (1998-2004). National
Council of Teachers of English.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 26

 Appendix B: Recommended
Reading Levels of Books
The information listed below can be used as a general guide for selecting books to read.
The list of books is organized according to recommended grade levels. The readability
levels were assigned based on the Lexile number, from the Lexile scale of The Lexile
Framework, a widely used reading measure in our schools. The Lexile number is a
measure of how difficult the text is to comprehend, based on semantic difficulty (word
frequency) and syntactic complexity (sentence length). The Lexile and readability levels,
along with the recommended grade levels are useful; however, a students interest and
maturity level are also important factors for determining which books to select from the
list.

RECOMMENDED READABILITY LEXILE TITLE OF BOOK

FOR GRADE(S) LEVEL LEVEL
1 1 130 Nate the Great
1 and 2 1 and 2 330 Shoeshine Girl
1 and 2 1 and 2 350 Hill of Fire
1 and 2 1 and 2 380 Cam Jansen and the Ghostly Mystery
1 and 2 1 and 2 380 Wagon Wheels
2 2 410 Glorias Way
2 2 440 Changs Paper Pony
2 2 440 The Well: Davids Story
2 2 440 Wayside School is Falling Down
2 2 450 Mollys Pilgrim
2 2 470 Aunt Clara Brown: Official Pioneer
2 2 470 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
2 2 480 Good Luck Mrs. K.!
2 2 490 Dave at Night
2 3 510 Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns
3 3 520 Stories Julian Tells
3 3 540 The Skirt
3 3 540 Rough-Face Girl
3 3 550 Baseball Saved Us
3 3 550 Cousins
3 3 560 Sarah, Plain and Tall
3 3 570 Junebug
3 3 570 The Whipping Boy
3 3 590 Pink and Say
3 3 600 Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Barrio
3 3 600 Fantastic Mr. Fox
3 3 600 The Pinballs
3 3 620 Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 27

 The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy (Time
620
3 3 Warp Trio)
3 Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp
630
3 Trio)
3 3 630 Sedako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
3 3 630 The Birch Bark House
3 3 630 The Silver Balloon
3 3 630 Trapped Between the Lash and the Gun
3 and 4 3 and 4 650 The Not-So-Jolly Roger (Time Warp Trio)
3 and 4 3 and 4 650 The Gold Cadillac
3 and 4 3 and 4 660 Francie
3 and 4 3 and 4 670 Class Clown
3 and 4 Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from
3 and 4 670 China
3 and 4 3 and 4 670 Number the Stars
3 and 4 3 and 4 670 Poppy
3 and 4 3 and 4 670 The House of Dies Drear
3 and 4 3 and 4 670 The Skin Im In
3 and 4 3 and 4 680 Charlottes Web
3 and 4 3 and 4 680 Color Me Dark
3 and 4 3 and 4 680 Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
3 and 4 3 and 4 690 Bandits Moon
3 and 4 3 and 4 690 Charlie Pippin
3 and 4 3 and 4 690 Zeely
3 and 4 4 700 Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale Mystery
4 4 700 Catwings
4 4 700 The Hundred Penny Box
4 4 700 The Korean Cinderella
4 4 700 Yang the Youngest and his Terrible Ear
4 4 710 Faith and the Electric Dogs
4 4 710 Jim Ugly
4 4 710 Shadow Spinner
4 4 710 The Little Prince
4 4 720 Lilys Crossing
4 4 720 Mufaros Beautiful Daughters
4 4 720 The BFG
4 4 720 The Black Pearl
4 4 720 Trouble Dont Last
4 4 730 Crazy Weekend
4 4 730 Thank You Jackie Robinson
4 4 740 A Wrinkle in Time
4 4 740 Over Jordan
4 4 740 Shadow of a Bull
4 4 740 Soup
The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the
4 4 740 Underground Railroad
4 The Legend of Bluebonnet: An Old Tale of

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 28

 4 740 Texas
4 4 740 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 Breaking Through
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 Esperanza Rising
North By Night: A Story of the Underground
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 Railroad
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 The Fortune-Tellers
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 The Friendship
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 The Westing Game
4 and 5 4 and 5 750 Words by Heart
4 and 5 4 and 5 760 Harriet the Spy
4 and 5 4 and 5 760 Hoot
4 and 5 4 and 5 760 Journey of the Sparrows
4 and 5 4 and 5 760 Little House on the Prairie
4 and 5 4 and 5 760 Lupita Manana
4 and 5 4 and 5 760 The Land
4 and 5 4 and 5 770 Go Fish
4 and 5 4 and 5 770 The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm
4 and 5 4 and 5 770 The Sign of the Beaver
4 and 5 4 and 5 770 Tuck Everlasting
4 and 5 4 and 5 770 Walk Two Moons
4 and 5 4 and 5 780 And Now Miguel
4 and 5 4 and 5 780 Gooseberry Park
4 and 5 4 and 5 790 Heaven
4 and 5 4 and 5 790 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
4 and 5 4 and 5 790 The Legend of Jimmy Spoon
4 and 5 4 and 5 800 Shades of Gray
4 and 5 4 and 5 800 The Great Gilly Hopkins
4 and 5 4 and 5 810 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
4 and 5 4 and 5 810 Mississippi Bridge
4 and 5 4 and 5 810 Ramona Forever
4 and 5 4 and 5 810 Run Away Home
4 and 5 4 and 5 810 Samir and Yonatan
4 and 5 4 and 5 820 Secret Letters from 0 to 10
4 and 5 4 and 5 840 Ramona and Her Father
4 and 5 4 and 5 840 The Lady of Guadalupe
4 and 5 4 and 5 840 The Shakespeare Stealer
4 and 5 4 and 5 850 Guests
4 and 5 4 and 5 850 Promises to the Dead
5 and 6 5 and 6 860 A Girl Called Boy
5 and 6 5 and 6 860 Homesick: My Own Story
5 and 6 5 and 6 860 My Name is Maria Isabel
5 and 6 5 and 6 860 The Mouse and the Motorcycle
5 and 6 5 and 6 870 James and the Giant Peach
5 and 6 5 and 6 870 Pippi Longstocking
5 and 6 5 and 6 870 Weasel

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 29

 5 and 6 5 and 6 880 Alvin Ailey
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His
5 and 6 5 and 6 880 Orchestra
5 and 6 5 and 6 880 Silent Thunder
5 and 6 5 and 6 890 Alices Adventures in Wonderland
5 and 6 5 and 6 890 Before We Were Free
5 and 6 5 and 6 890 Shiloh
5 and 6 5 and 6 910 A Sunburned Prayer
5 and 6 5 and 6 910 Old Yeller
5 and 6 5 and 6 920 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
5 and 6 5 and 6 920 Stuart Little
5 and 6 5 and 6 930 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
5 and 6 5 and 6 940 When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
6 and 7 6 and 7 950 Bud, Not Buddy
Christmas in the Big House: Christmas in the
6 and 7 6 and 7 960 Quarters
6 and 7 6 and 7 960 Heidi
6 and 7 6 and 7 970 A Jar of Dreams
6 and 7 6 and 7 970 Zack
6 and 7 6 and 7 980 Jazmins Notebook
6 and 7 6 and 7 980 Morning Girl
6 and 7 6 and 7 990 White Lilacs
6, 7 & 8 6, 7 & 8 1000 Across the Lines
6, 7 & 8 6, 7 & 8 1000 Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida
6, 7 & 8 6, 7 & 8 1000 The Phantom Tollbooth
6, 7 & 8 6, 7 & 8 1000 The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963
Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin
6, 7 &8 6, 7 &8 1010 Franklin Told by his Good Mouse Amos
6, 7 &8 6, 7 &8 1010 Leonardo da Vinci
6, 7 &8 6, 7 &8 1020 Hatchet
6, 7 &8 6, 7 &8 1070 Einstein Visionary Scientist
6, 7 &8 6, 7 &8 1070 Save Queen of Sheba
Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in
7, 8 & 9 7, 8 & 9 1070 Cuba
7, 8 & 9 7, 8 & 9 1070 Amos Fortune, Free Man
7 thru 12 870 To Kill a Mockingbird
5 and 5 Advisory: Mature content for readability level.
7 thru 12 1010 The Pearl
6, 7 & 8 Advisory: Mature content for readability level.
Double Helix
8 thru 12 3 and 4 690 Advisory: Mature content for readability level.
Godless
8 thru 12 4 700 Advisory: Mature content for readability level.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 30

 Appendix C: Alphabetical
List of Books, Authors, and
ISBN Numbers
The chart in this appendix provides an alphabetical list of the titles, authors names, and
ISBN numbers. The information will be useful when searching for books online, or at
your neighborhood bookstore or library. Keep in mind that a unique ISBN (International
Standard Book Number) number has been assigned to each book and consists of 10
digits, all of which must be used for searching via ISBN numbers.

TITLE OF BOOK AUTHOR ISBN NUMBER

And Now Miguel Krumgold, Joseph 006440143X

A Girl Called Boy Hurmence, Belinda 0395556988
Alvin Ailey Pinkney, Andrea Davis 0786810777
A Jar of Dreams Uchida, Yoshiko 0689716729
A Sunburned Prayer Talbert, Marc 0689813260
A Wrinkle in Time LEngle, Madeleine 0440498058
Across the Lines Reeder, Carolyn 0380730731
Alices Adventures in Wonderland Carroll, Lewis 1593080158
Amos Fortune, Free Man Yates, Elizabeth 0140341587
Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Barrio Johnston, Tony 0439189365
Aunt Clara Brown: Official Pioneer Lowery, Linda 1575054167
Bandits Moon Fleischman, Sid 0440415861
Baseball Saved Us Mochizuki, Ken 1880000199
Before We Were Free Alvarez, Julia 044023784X
Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin 0316517305
Franklin by his Good Mouse Amos Lawson, Robert
Breaking Through Jimenez, Francisco 0618011730
Bud, Not Buddy Curtis, Christopher Paul 0440413281
Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale Mystery Howe, Deborah and James 0689806590
Cam Jansen and the Ghostly Mystery Adler, David A. 0142402877
Catwings Le Guin, Ursula K. 0439551897
Changs Paper Pony Coerr, Eleanor 0064441636
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Dahl, Roald 0141301155
Charlie Pippin Boyd, Candy Dawson 0140325875
Charlottes Web White, E.B. 0064400557
Christmas in the Big House: Christmas in the McKissack, Patricia C. and 0590430289
Quarters Fredrick L.
Class Clown Hurwitz, Johanna 0590418211
Color Me Dark McKissack, Patricia C. 0590511599
Cousins Hamilton, Virginia 0590454366
Crazy Weekend Soto, Gary 0892552867
Dave At Night Levine, Gail Carson 0064407470
Double Helix Werlin, Nancy 0803726066

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 31

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His 0786801786
Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Orchestra
Einstein Visionary Scientist Severance, John B. 0395931002
Esperanza Rising Ryan, Pam Munoz 043912042X
Faith and the Electric Dogs Jennings, Patrick 0590697692
Fantastic Mr. Fox Dahl, Roald 0141301139
Francie English, Karen 0374424594
Glorias Way (Puffin Chapter Series) Cameron, Ann 0142300233
Godless Hautman, Pete 0689862784
Go Fish Stolz, Mary 0064404668
Good Luck, Mrs. K.! Borden, Louise 0689821476
Gooseberry Park Rylant, Cynthia 059094715X
Guests Dorris, Michael 0786813563
Harriet the Spy Fitzhugh, Louise 0440416795
Hatchet Paulsen, Gary 0689826990
Heaven Johnson, Angela 0689822901
Heidi Spyri, Hohanna 0517189674
Hill of Fire Lewis, Thomas, P. 0064440400
Homesick: My Own Story Fritz, Jean 0440436834
Hoot Hiaasen, Carl 044021705
Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns Quattlebaum, Mary 0440410665
James and the Giant Peach Dahl, Roald 0140374248
Jazmins Notebook Grimes, Nikki 0141307021
Jim Ugly Fleischman, Sid 0440408032
Journey of the Sparrows Buss, Fran Leeper 0142302090
Junebug Mead, Alice 0440412455
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World Walter, Mildred Pitts 0679803467
Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp Trio) Scieszka, Jon 0140346031
Leonardo da Vnci Stanley, Diane 0688161553
Lilys Crossing Giff, Patricia Reilly 0440414539
Little House on the Prairie Wilder, Laura Ingalls 0064400026
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China Young, Ed 0399216197
Lupita Manana Beatty, Patricia 0380732475
Mississippi Bridge Taylor, Mildred D. 0553159925
Mollys Pilgrim Cohen, Barbara 0688162800
Morning Girl Dorris, Michael 078681358X
Mufaros Beautiful Daughters Steptoe, John 0688040454
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH OBrien, Robert, C. 0689206518
My Name is Maria Isabel Ada, Alma Flor 068980217X
Nate the Great (Nate the Great Series) Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman 044046126X
North by Night: A Story of the Underground
Railroad Ayres, Katherine 044033747X
Number the Stars Lowry, Lois 0440403278
Old Yeller Gipson, Fred 0064403823
Over Jordan Johnston, Norma 0380976358
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida Martinez, Victor 0060267046
Pink and Say Polacco, Patricia 0399226710

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 32

Pippi Longstocking Lindgren, Astrid 0140309578
Poppy Avi 0380727692
Promises to the Dead Hahn, Mary Downing 039596394X
Ramona and Her Father Cleary, Beverly 0380709163
Ramona Forever Cleary, Beverly 0380709600
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Taylor, Mildred D. 1040384510
Run Away Home McKissack, Patricia C. 0590467522
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes Coerr, Eleanor 0698118022
Samir and Yonatan Carmi, Daniella 0439135230
Sarah, Plain and Tall MacLachlan, Patricia 0060241012
Save Queen of Sheba Moeri, Louise 0140371486
Secret Letters from 0 to 10 Morgenstern, Susie 0141308192
Shades of Gray Reeder, Carolyn 0689826966
Shadow of a Bull Wojciechowska, Maia 0689715676
Shadow Spinner Fletcher, Susan 0689830513
Shiloh Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds 0689835825
Shoeshine Girl Bulla, Clyde Robert 0064402282
Silent Thunder Pinkney, Andrea Davis 0786815698
Soup Peck, Robert Newton 0679892613
Stories Julian Tells Cameron, Ann 0394828925
Stuart Little White, E. B. 0064400565
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt Hopkinson, Deborah 0679874720
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Bloom, Judy 0142401013
Thank You, Jackie Robinson Cohen, Barbara 0688152937
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Robinson, Barbara 0060250445
The BFG Dahl, Roald 0141301058
The Birch Bark House Erdrich, Louise 0786814543
The Black Pearl ODell, Scott 0440411467
The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the Underground 0064440427
Monjo, F.N.
Railroad
The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm Farmer, Nancy 0140376410
The Fortune-Tellers Alexander, Lloyd 0525448497
The Friendship Taylor, Mildred D. 0140389644
The Gold Cadillac Taylor, Mildred D. 0140389636
The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy (Time Warp
Trio) Scieszka, John 0670843806
The Great Gilly Hopkins Paterson, Katherine 0064402010
The House of Dies Drear Hamilton, Virginia 1416914056
The Hundred Penny Box Mathis, Sharon Bell 0140321691
The Korean Cinderella Climo, Shirley 0064433978
The Lady of Guadalupe De Paola, Tomie 082340403X
The Land Taylor, Mildred D. 0142501468
The Legend of Jimmy Spoon Gregory, Kristiana 0152167765
The Legend of Bluebonnet: An Old Tale of Texas De Paola, Tomie 0698113594
The Little Prince de Saint-Exupery, Antoine 0156012197
The Mouse and the Motorcycle Cleary, Beverly 0380709244

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 33

The Not-So-Jolly Roger (Time Warp Trio) Scieszka, Jon 0140346848
The Pearl Steinbeck, John 014017737X
The Phantom Tollbooth Juster, Norton 0394820371
The Pinballs Byars, Betsy 0064401987
The Rough-Face Girl Martin, Rafe 0698116267
The Shakespeare Stealer Blackwood, Gary L. 0141305959
The Sign of the Beaver Speare, Elizabeth George 0440479002
The Silver Balloon Bonners, Susan 0374466475
The Skin Im In Flake, Sharon G. 0786813075
The Skirt Soto, Gary 0440409241
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Avi 0380728850
The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 Curtis, Christopher Paul 0440414121
The Well: Davids Story Taylor, Mildred D. 0140386424
The Westing Game Raskin, Ellen 014240120X
The Whipping Boy Fleischman, Sid 0060521228
To Kill a Mockingbird Lee, Harper 0446310786
Trapped Between the Lash and the Gun Whitmore, Arvella 0141303190
Trouble Dont Last Pearsall, Shelly 0440418119
Tuck Everlasting Babbitt, Natalie 0374480145
Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba Ada, Alma Flor 0689806310
Wagon Wheels Brenner, Barbara 0064440524
Walk Two Moons Creech, Sharon 0064405176
Wayside School is Falling Down Sachar, Louis 0380754843
Weasel DeFelice, Cynthia C. 0380713586
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Kerr, Judith 0698115899
White Lilacs Meyer, Carolyn 0152058516
Words by Heart Sebestyen, Quida 044041346X
Yang the Youngest and his Terrible Ear Namioka, Lensey 0440409179
Zack Bell, William 0689825293
Zeely Hamilton, Virgina 0689716958

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 34

 Appendix D: Literature
Aspects and Writing
Activities
The table in this appendix provides additional information about each of the books used
in the program. The genre or type of literature is identified for each title and its
relationship to typical content areas included in a school curriculum. Every effort has
been made to include authentic literature from cultures throughout the world to enhance
students cultural awareness and appreciation. Many books also include an interactive
writing activity. The writing activities provide further reflection about a book and
practice in writing skills.

GENRE CONTENT CULTURAL WRITING

TITLE OF BOOK
AREA APPRECIATION ACTIVITY
Latino,
And Now Miguel Realistic Fiction Language Arts Latino/American No
History, Social
A Girl Called Boy Historical Fiction Science African American No
Japanese,
History, Social Japanese
A Jar of Dreams Fiction Science American Yes
African American,
Alvin Ailey Nonfiction The Arts Multicultural Yes
History, Social Latino, Mexican,
A Sunburned Prayer Fiction Science Multicultural No
A Wrinkle in Time Science Fiction Language Arts n/a No
History, Social
Across the Lines Historical Fiction Science African American Yes
Alices Adventures in Wonderland Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts European, Other Yes
History, Social African, African
Amos Fortune, Free Man Biography Science American Yes
Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Latino, Latino
Barrio Realistic Fiction Language Arts American Yes
History, Social
Aunt Clara Brown: Official Pioneer Biography Science African American No
Historical Fiction History, Social Latino, Mexican No
Bandits Moon Science
History, Social Japanese
Baseball Saved Us Historical Fiction Science American Yes
History, Social Latino, Dominican
Before We Were Free Historical Fiction Science Republic Yes
Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of
Benjamin Franklin by his Good Mouse Fantasy, Historical History, Social
Amos Fiction Science American Yes
History, Social Latino, Mexican
Breaking Through Realistic Fiction Science American No
Historical Fiction, History, Social
Bud, Not Buddy Humor Science African American Yes

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 35

 Fantasy, Humor,
Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale Mystery Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Cam Jansen and the Ghostly Mystery Mystery, Fiction Language Arts n/a No
Catwings Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
History, Social
Changs Paper Pony Historical Fiction Science Chinese American Yes
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Charlie Pippin Realistic Fiction Language Arts African American Yes
Charlottes Web Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a No
Christmas in the Big House: Christmas in Historical Fiction History, Social African American No
the Quarters Science
Class Clown Fiction, Humor Language Arts n/a Yes
History, Social
Color Me Dark Fiction Science African American No
Cousins Realistic Fiction Language Arts African American No
Crazy Weekend Realistic Fiction Language Arts Latino, Chicano No
Jewish, African
Realistic Fiction, History, Social American,
Dave At Night Historical Fiction Science Multicultural No
Double Helix Mystery, Fiction Science American No
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His
Orchestra Biography The Arts African American Yes
History,
Einstein Visionary Scientist Biography Science n/a No
Realistic Fiction History, Social Latino, Mexican No
Esperanza Rising Science American
Fantasy, Fiction History, Social Latino, Mexican, Yes
Faith and the Electric Dogs Science Caucasian
Fantastic Mr. Fox Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Fiction History, Social African American Yes
Francie Science
Glorias Way (Puffin Chapter Series) Fiction, Short Story Language Arts African American No
Language Arts,
Godless Fiction Religion n/a No
Fiction History, Social African American Yes
Go Fish Science
Good Luck, Mrs. K.! Realistic Fiction Language Arts American Yes
Gooseberry Park Fable, Fiction Language Arts n/a No
History, Social American Indian,
Guests Historical Fiction, Science Multicultural Yes
Harriet the Spy Realistic Fiction Language Arts American No
Hatchet Realistic Fiction Science American Yes
Social Science,
Heaven Realistic Fiction Language Arts African American Yes
History,
Heidi Fiction Language Arts European, Swiss Yes
Hill of Fire Realistic Fiction Science Latino, Mexican No
Biography, History, Social Chinese American,
Homesick: My Own Story Autobiography Science Multicultural Yes
Language Arts,
Hoot Realistic Fiction Science n/a No
Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns Fiction Language Arts African American No
James and the Giant Peach Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Jazmins Notebook Fiction Language Arts African American No

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 36

 History, Social
Jim Ugly Historical Fiction Science American No
Latino, El
Journey of the Sparrows Fiction Language Arts Salvadorian No
History, Social
Junebug Realistic Fiction Science African American Yes
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World Fiction Language Arts African American No
Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp
Trio) Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Language Arts,
History, Social
Science, The
Leonardo da Vince Biography Arts, Science n/a No
History, Social
Lilys Crossing Historical Fiction Science European, Other No
History, Social
Little House on the Prairie Fiction Science American No
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story History, Social
from China Folklore, Fiction Science Chinese Yes
History, Social Latino, Mexican
Lupita Manana Realistic Fiction Science American No
History, Social
Mississippi Bridge Fiction Science African American Yes
Historical Fiction History, Social Jewish American, No
Mollys Pilgrim Science Russian American
Historical Fiction History, Social Caribbean, Yes
Morning Girl Science Bahamian
Fairy Tale,
Mufaros Beautiful Daughters Folklore Language Arts African Yes
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts Other No
Latino, Puerto
My Name is Maria Isabel Realistic Fiction Language Arts Rican Yes
Nate the Great (Nate the Great Series) Fiction Language Arts n/a No
North by Night: A Story of the History, Social
Underground Railroad Historical Fiction Science African American Yes
History, Social
Number the Stars Historical Fiction Science Jewish Danish Yes
Historical Fiction, Language Arts American Yes
Old Yeller Realistic Fiction
History, Social African American,
Over Jordan Historical Fiction Science Caucasian No
Latino, Mexican
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida Realistic Fiction Language Arts American No
History, Social African American,
Pink and Say Historical Fiction Science Caucasian Yes
Pippi Longstocking Fiction Language Arts European, Swedish Yes
Poppy Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts Other No
History, Social
Promises to the Dead Historical Fiction Science African American Yes
Ramona and Her Father Realistic Fiction Language Arts American No
Ramona Forever Realistic Fiction Language Arts American Yes
History, Social
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Historical Fiction Science African American No
History, Social American Indian,
Run Away Home Historical Fiction Science African American No
History, Social
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes Historical Fiction Science Japanese No
Samir and Yonatan History, Social

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 37

 Fiction Science Palestinian, Israeli No
History, Social
Sarah, Plain and Tall Historical Fiction Science American No
History, Social
Save Queen of Sheba Historical Fiction Science American Yes
Humor, Realistic European, Western
Secret Letters from 0 to 10 Fiction Language Arts European No
History, Social
Shades of Gray Historical Fiction Science American No
Shadow of a Bull Realistic Fiction Language Arts Latino, Spanish No
Shadow Spinner Fiction Language Arts Middle East No
Language Arts,
Shiloh Realistic Fiction Social Science American Yes
Shoeshine Girl Fiction Language Arts African American No
Silent Thunder Fiction Language Arts African American No
Soup Fiction Language Arts American No
Realistic Fiction,
Stories Julian Tells Humor Language Arts African American Yes
Stuart Little Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a No
History, Social
Science, The
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt Historical Fiction Arts African American No
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Fiction Language Arts American Yes
Thank You, Jackie Robinson Realistic Fiction Language Arts African American No
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Humor, Fiction Language Arts American Yes
The BFG Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
History, Social
The Birch Bark House Historical Fiction Science American Indian No
History, Social Latino, Latino
The Black Pearl Fiction Science American No
The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the History, Social
Underground Railroad Historical Fiction Science African American No
The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
The Fortune-Tellers Folklore, Fiction Language Arts African, Cameroon Yes
History, Social
The Friendship Realistic Fiction Science African American Yes
History, Social
The Gold Cadillac Historical Fiction Science African American Yes
The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy (Time Fiction Language Arts Other Yes
Warp Trio)
The Great Gilly Hopkins Realistic Fiction Language Arts American Yes
History, Social
The House of Dies Drear Mystery, Fiction Science African American Yes
History, Social
Science,
The Hundred Penny Box Realistic Fiction Language Arts African American No
Korean, Korean
The Korean Cinderella Fairy Tale, Fiction Language Arts American Yes
The Lady of Guadalupe Fiction Language Arts Latino, Mexican Yes
History, Social
The Land Fiction Science African American No
History, Social
The Legend of Jimmy Spoon Historical Fiction Science American Indian No
The Legend of Bluebonnet: An Old Tale
of Texas Fiction Language Arts American Indian Yes
The Little Prince Language Arts,

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 38

 Fable, Fantasy, Visual and
Fiction Performing Arts n/a Yes
The Mouse and the Motorcycle Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
The Not-So-Jolly Roger (Time Warp Trio) Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
The Pearl Fiction Language Arts Mexican No
The Phantom Tollbooth Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
The Pinballs Fiction Language Arts n/a No
Fiction Language Arts,
The Rough-Face Girl Social Science American Indian Yes
Fiction Language Arts,
The Shakespeare Stealer History British No
American Indian,
The Sign of the Beaver Fiction Language Arts Caucasian No
The Silver Balloon Realistic Fiction Language Arts American Yes
Language Arts,
The Skin Im In Realistic Fiction Social Science African American Yes
Latino, Mexican
History, Social American,
The Skirt Realistic Fiction Science Multicultural No
History, Social European,
Mystery, Historical Science, American,
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Fiction Language Arts Multicultural Yes
The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 Historical Fiction African American No
History, Social African American,
The Well: Davids Story Historical Friction Science Caucasian No
The Westing Game Mystery, Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Historical Fiction, History, Social
The Whipping Boy Humor Science n/a No
Fiction History, Social African American, Yes
To Kill a Mockingbird Science Caucasian
Trapped Between the Lash and the Gun Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts African American No
History, Social
Trouble Dont Last Historical Fiction Science African American Yes
Tuck Everlasting Fantasy, Fiction Language Arts Other No
Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Biography, History, Social
Cuba Autobiography Science Latino, Cuban Yes
History, Social
Wagon Wheels Historical Fiction Science African American No
Walk Two Moons Realistic Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Humor, Fantasy,
Wayside School is Falling Down Fiction Language Arts n/a Yes
Language Arts,
History, Social
Weasel Historical Fiction Science American Yes
History, Social
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Fiction Science Jewish Yes
History, Social
White Lilacs Historical Fiction Science African American Yes
History, Social
Words by Heart Historical Fiction Science African American No
Realistic Fiction,
Yang the Youngest and his Terrible Ear Humor Language Arts Chinese American No
African American,
Jewish, Jewish
Zack Realistic Fiction Language Arts American No
Zeely Realistic Fiction Language Arts African American No

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 39

 Appendix E: Skill
Objectives

The following reading skill objectives covered in the exercises about each book reflect
those typically included in curriculum materials used in reading and language arts
programs. The objectives have been organized into the following categories: Literary
Analysis and Response, Reading Strategies for Comprehension, Reasoning about the
Text, Style and Structure, and Word Analysis and Vocabulary.

LITERARY ANALYSIS AND RESPONSE

Define, understand, and use literary terms and devices.
Classify a book by genre and identify the defining characteristics.
Identify the storyteller or narrator of a book.
Identify the setting of a story.
Analyze the influence of a setting on the plot, mood, tone and meaning.
Identify and describe characters of a story.
Identify and analyze the story problem and plot structure.
Analyze a characters response to a problem and explain his or her motives in carrying out an action.
Evaluate the way in which problems or conflicts in a story are (or are not resolved.
Identify the main theme and message of a story.

READING STRATEGIES FOR COMPREHENSION

Identify the author of a work of literature.
Analyze how text reflects the heritage, traditions, attitudes, beliefs and purpose of an author.
Identify cultural influences on text.
Recall explicit information in the text.
Identify information that is implied rather than directly stated in the text.
Compare and contrast characters, setting, and events in a story.
Compare and identify ways in which characters change and develop throughout a story.
Use personal experience and knowledge to comprehend and relate text to own life.
Distinguish fact from fiction.
Distinguish fact from opinion.
Recognize or construct a paraphrase of summary of a text.

REASONING ABOUT THE TEXT

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 40

Order events chronologically.
Infer cause and effect relationships among events, actions, and information in a text.
Distinguish main idea from supporting details.
Understand the influence of ideas or events on subsequent events; anticipate consequences and outcomes.
Draw conclusions or generalizations from a text and support them with details.

STYLE AND STRUCTURE

Use a table of contents, index, headings, captions, and illustrations to locate and understand information.
Understand grammatical patterns to determine meaning.
Recognize rhythmical patterns such as alliteration and onomatopoeia.
Identify signal words that provide clues (e.g. next, finally) to organizational formats, such as time order.
Use knowledge of punctuation to assist in comprehension.

WORD ANALYSIS AND VOCABULARY

Use context to determine meaning of words including international words.
Identify and use knowledge of word parts such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots to determine meaning.
Use knowledge of word origins to determine meaning of words.
Identify synonyms and antonyms.
Identify multiple meanings of words.

EPGY - Reading and Writing about Literature 41