Interesting resource to engage the reluctant reader

[8filltheheart]

I was at a book fair and picked up a copy of this really cheap. I have had it for a few weeks and just spent the morning reading it while waiting for my dd at the orthodontist. It looks like a lot of fun. I wish I had had something like this when my oldest was in about 6th grade b/c he would have loved it.

 

It ties old radio shows like "Sorry, Wrong Number" to suspense/mystery books like The Westing Game and The Hound of Baskervilles.

 

I originally picked it up thinking I might use it w/my rising 4th grader, but she is far too sensitive and it would probably scare her into having nightmares. I would love to use it with my rising 7th grader, but she has her heart set on Where the River and Brook Meet.

 

Some of the activities are lame and classroom oriented. But the premise behind the study and some of the projects/writing assignments are good. I like many of the book selections (I'm going to quickly type in the titles so ignore mistakes!!)

 

 

I would not use many of the titles with my kids, but there are enough good ones in there that I would. I would add quite a bit to flesh out the books over the simple comprehension questions that come in the book. But, I would never have considered tying old radio shows into mystery/suspense books this way. It could be a really enjoyable study to spark interest in a reluctant reader (especially boys, I think.)

 

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=10231333789&isbn=9780876289082&qsort=&page=1

[Mandy in TN]

I was curious so I looked up the author, Sue Jones Erlenbusch. She has written other titles along the same lines. If you liked the author's ideas, but not the books used, then maybe one of her other titles would work.

 

Mandy

[LBS]

I've got a 9-10ish grader who's reading faster than I can keep up (I've tried to make him check with big brother and sister before reading new stuff, so SOMEBODY can talk about it with him) but this looks like fun. Anything like this for older books, favorite books that are kid-choices, not just real lit analysis? Anybody?

[kiana]

Same author, different books. Some of my very favourites are on there, like Where the Red Fern Grows, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and From the Mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Favorite-Books-Activities-Ready-Use/dp/0876283091/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4