Shakespeare’s Secret

Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach (Grades 6-8)
Hero has always hated her Shakespearean-based name. She is teased a lot by her classmates. Resigned to their constant teasing, she concentrates instead on her newfound friendship with her elderly next-door neighbor. That is when the mystery begins. There are lot of examples of mysteries on the pages on the St. Petersburg Times. Can you find one? Share the mystery you have found on this blog. What is the mystery? What information needs to be discovered to solve this mystery?

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Whisper in the Dark

Whisper in the Dark by Joseph Bruchac (Grades 6-8)
Maddie is one of the last living descendants of Canonchet, a Narragansett chief who died fighting for his people's freedom. While Maddie is learning about her heritage, strange things begin to happen in her life. Sometimes culture and traditions can affect people’s behavior. Look for an article in the St. Petersburg Times that represents this. Do you think the person’s culture has a positive or negative effect on his or her behavior? Would a person from a different culture have reacted differently? Share your thoughts in this blog.

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Red Kayak

Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings (Grades 6-8)
Brady’s neighbor, a toddler, dies as the result of a mean-spirited prank. No one was supposed to die, but what happens now? Throughout the book, Brady wrestles with his decision of what to do and his guilt. Taking responsibility for one’s actions can be challenging, especially when other people are involved. Look in today’s St. Petersburg Times for an article that focuses on someone taking or not taking responsibility for his or her actions. Share your thoughts about the article by clicking on the blogging link.

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The Sacrifice

The Sacrifice by Kathleen Benner Duble (Grades 6-8)
The Salem Witch Trials were a unique time in American history. Abigail lives in this time period and must adhere to society rules she does not agree with. During this time in American history, people were accused of being witches because they seemed different from other people. These differences resulted in stereotyping. Look in the St. Petersburg Times for articles depicting stereotypes, discrimination or prejudice. What are the dangers of stereotypes?  What can people do to break free from stereotypes?  Why is this important?

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Kimchi & Calamari

Kimchi & Calamari by Rose Kent (Grades 6-8)
Joseph Calderaro feels as though he is living in two different worlds. He is very aware of the gulf between his Korean ethnicity and the Italian heritage of his adoptive family. Joseph has a diverse family. What is diversity? There is a lot of diversity in Florida. Do your neighborhood and school have a lot of diversity? How does this diversity make life and learning more interesting? Discuss these ideas with your class and family. Look in the St. Petersburg Times for photos, cartoons pictures or words that show diversity. Discuss the diversity you see in the Times and how it effects our culture.

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Black Duck

Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle (Grades 6-8)
David’s determination to be published in the local paper leads him to Ruben Hart's front door and an unlikely friendship. The elderly man has a mysterious past associated with a legendary rum-running ship called the Black Duck. As David learns more about Ruben conflicts arise. Look for an article in the St. Petersburg Times that focuses on an issue or concern that affects the community. Read the article carefully. Think about the purpose of the author and the main idea of the writing. Discuss the main points of the article and the conflict presented. Compare this conflict with the one David faces in the book.

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Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass (Grades 6-8)
Jeremy Fink and his best friend, Lizzie, have quite the adventure in this book. Friendship, family, the meaning of life and a treasure hunt are all elements of this book. These also are great elements for any story. As a journalist for your school newspaper, you are assigned the job of writing a newspaper article about the incidents in this story. A good journalist must begin with six key questions: who, what, where, when, why and how? Before you plan your character interview, find an article in the St. Petersburg Times and answer each of those six questions. Now that you see the pattern for a newspaper article, discuss the six points here.

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Out of Patience

Out of Patience by Brian Meehl (Grades 6-8)
Jake Waters has a dream: he longs to be the first male in his family to escape the confines of the town he lives in, Patience, Kansas. The town was founded by his grandfather who inadvertently saddled the place with a curse. Jake's dad, the local plumber, also has a dream: to establish the first American Toilet Museum. Talk about embarrassing. Have your parents ever done anything to embarrass you? Look for an article in the St. Petersburg Times that focuses on a topic that could be embarrassing to a person or a person’s children. Share the story and your embarrassing moment here.

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The Kingdom Keepers

The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson (Grades 6-8)
When Finn and several of his friends become holograms at Disney World, well, they get a unique behind-the-scenes view of this famous Florida attraction. Imagine turning into a hologram and being able to go anywhere you want. Look in the St. Petersburg Times Sunday travel section, Latitudes, for a place you would like to explore behind-the-scenes. (You can go on the archives of the e-Edition.) Discuss your reasons for going there and what you would expect to see. Write a journal entry from the perspective of yourself as a hologram being in this location.

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Peak

Peak by Roland Smith (Grades 6-8)
Peak “Spider Boy” Marcello's passion for climbing gets him into a little trouble and a fascinating adventure filled with intrigue, drama and conflict. Using an article in the St. Petersburg Times as a model, come up with eight questions you would ask Peak about his adventure to write a feature article for the newspaper. Be sure to make the questions meaningful and open-ended. In other words, do not ask questions that would provide a yes or no answer. Share your questions by clicking on the blogging link.

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