Hoot

Bibliographic Information: Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot. New York, NY: Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children's Books.

A 2002 Newbery Honor Book: Distinguished contribution to American literature in a book for children, the following criteria are considered for the award: interpretation of the theme or concept; presentation of information including accuracy, clarity, and organization; development of a plot; delineation of characters; delineation of setting; appropriateness of style; excellence of presentation for a child audience; the book must be a self-contained entity.

Brief Annotation: Roy Eberhardt is the new kid in town, battling bullies and trailing after a mysterious boy on a mission to save some owls.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Grade Level: 5 - 8

Readers who will like this book: Anyone who loves nature, zany characters and mysterious plots.

Rating/Response: 4 out of 4. A real hoot! Brings up some delightful discussion topics about preserving nature, bullying, and being a true believer.

One question I would ask before a read aloud: How far would you go to protect something you believe in?

10/40: Plot Profiles from 50 Literacy Strategies, by Gail E. Tompkins
This strategy is used to focus on the plot development of a story. The teacher creates a profile chart, introduces that chart after the class has read and discussed the first chapter, then charts the tension and excitement of the plot in that chapter. The class will continue to chart the plot development after each chapter. Once the book and profile chart are completed, the class will engage in a grand conversation about the overall plot development of the book. This book lends itself very well to the use of plot profiling, as it has many tense and exciting moments that all build up to the conclusion of the story.