The Reading Zone by Atwell Nancie;Atwell Merkel Anne;

Author:Atwell, Nancie;Atwell Merkel, Anne;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic, Incorporated
Published: 2016-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

I responded to Ben’s first letter of seventh grade by acknowledging what he’d done well and then pushing him to consider theme, within the context of this specific book as well as all the other titles he would write about.

Dear Ben,

Thanks for your thoughtful first letter-essay. I’m looking forward to reading your ideas about books this year. McKissack’s sounds like it appealed to a lot of your interests and your preferences as a reader.

I was interested to read your observations about how McKissack conveyed the dynamic between Jayson and Jomo. When you’re “reading between the lines,” you’re making inferences about the jealousy that McKissack implies. And your critique of the ending sounds legitimate—it may have been a little bit too action packed. Do you think McKissack or his editors might believe that a teen audience needs a lot of conflict and excitement? Sometimes restraint is more effective, yes?

Ben, it’s important that you remember to consider theme in every letter-essay. That’s the crucial piece missing from your analysis of Shooting Star. You get close when you mention how Jomo changes. Go further and ask yourself what big lessons he learns over the course of the novel. What larger ideas or so whats? about life is McKissack trying to get across? For the rest of the books you write about this year, make sure you ask these kinds of questions, to get at the ideas inside the story.

Thanks, Ben.

Yours truly,

Anne

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