Realistic Fiction

1. Realistic Fiction Created as book log by Faye Ampe, UCD Spring 2008 Modified by Marcie Haloin UCD, Spring 2015

2. Types of Realistic Fiction (Tunnell) • Animals • Humor • Mysteries • Problem Novels • School and Family Novels • Series Books • Sports • Survival and Adventure • Short Story Collections

3. Literary Elements inRealistic Fiction • Plot: sequence of events that occur to the characters; has a beginning, middle, and end. • Setting: where the story takes place. Can include location, weather, time, or time period. • Characters: those that are involved with the story. Main characters are well developed and supporting characters are minimally developed. • Theme: underlying meaning or message of a story. Encompasses truths about human nature and/or society. • Viewpoint: the narrator. Can be viewed through the eyes of the main character using first person or can be an a third person view where the author informs the reader of character’s thoughts and feelings.

4. Nightmare at the Bookfairby Dan Gutman • Summary: Trip Dinkleman, who hates to read, romps through chapters that introduce all the different genres for reluctant middle grade readers • Delaware Blue Hen Children's Choice Award (2010) • Suggested use – middle grade read aloud to introduce genres-Horror, Sports Fiction, Adventure, Science fiction, Humor, Mystery, Reference, Historical Fiction, Easy Reader, Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction for Girls

5. A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray Summary • “Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal” (Follett,2012) Awards • Colorado Children’s Book Award 2006 • Starred reviews in Booklist, School Library Journal, VOYA Suggested activity • 4th/5th literature circles or read aloud • Point of view

6. Mrs. McBloom, Clean Up Your Classroom! By Kelly DiPucchio Summary • Mrs. McBloom is going to retire after nearly fifty years of teaching in room five. Awards • Starred reviews in Booklist, Booklinks, Horn Book, and School Library Journal • Reading Teacher, Teacher’s Choice 2006 Suggested activities • Great for retiring teachers and new teachers as well

7. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker Summary • Eight year old Clementine works out her friendship with neighbor Margaret and helps her father banish the pigeons from their apartment, all with humorous consequences. Awards • Starred reviews in Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal • ALA Noteable book • Colorado Children’s Book Award Nominee 2009 • 16 other state award lists

8. Swindle Summary • “After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his father's failing invention, the SmartPick fruit picker.” (Follett, 2012) Awards • Ten state awards Suggested uses • Read aloud

9. Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham Summary • Thirteen-year-old Theodore follows in the footsteps of his lawyer parents and gets involved in a murder trial that his class has been watching. Awards: • Positive reviews in Horn Book, Christian Library, Library Media Connection, and School Library Journal Suggested use: • Includes opportunity for discuss of immigration issues

10. Wright 3by Blue Balliett Summary: • Sixth Grade sleuths Petra and Calder are involved in a mystery involving Frank Lloyd Wrights Robie House, which their class is trying to save from demolition. Awards • New Jersey Garden State Award 2009 • Starred reviews in Horn Book and Kirkus Suggested Activities • Primary search research on Frank Lloyd Wright at American Memories

11. Heartbeatby Sharon Creech Summary “Twelve-year-old Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins faltering, and her best friend (and running partner) becomes distant.” Starred review SLJ and Publisher’s Weekly Suggested use: Teach footnotes

12. Word After Word After Wordby Patricia Maclachlan Summary • “A visiting author teaches five friends about the power of words and writing.” Follett Destiny Catalog Awards • Starred review in Booklist • New Hampshire Book Award Nominee 2011-2012 • South Dakota Nominee 2012-2013 • Tennessee Nominee 2012-2013 • West Virginia Children’s Choice Nominee 2011-2012

13. The PenderwicksA summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boyby Jeanne Birdsall Summary: While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother. Awards, Honors, Prizes: • Book Sense Book of the Year Award Honor Book 2006 Children's Literature United States • Great Lakes Great Books Award Winner 2007 Grades 4-5 Michigan • Maine Student Book Award Third Place 2007 Maine • National Book Awards Winner 2005 Young People's Literature United States Suggested activities: • Literature circle • Venn Diagrams with Wiles, Deborah The Aurora County Allstars

14. Half a Chanceby Cynthia Lord • Summary: Lucy’s family spends the summer at the lake and she enters a photography contest with the help of Nate and his grandmother in the beginning stages of loosing her memory. • Awards: ALA Notable Parents’ Choice Silver Medal • Suggested use: pair with other summer reads. Photography and art activities. • Nominated for 10 state book awards.

15. The Hello, Goodbye WindowNorton Juster Chris Raschka • A preschooler visits Grandma and Grandpa • Awards Caldecott 2006 • Suggested Uses Art activity where student draws who is looking through their “Hello, Goodbye Window” Set up a Hello Goodbye window in the classroom

16. The Year of Billy Millerby Kevin Henkes Summary Billy’s second grade year is a source of worry, fun, and laugh out loud fun, with a little serious family and school drama. Each section is his perspective of Teacher, Father, Sister, and Mother. Awards 2014 Newbery Honor Suggested use: read-aloud Personal narrative mentor text

17. Ivy + Beanby Annie Barrows + Sophie Blackall • Summary: Series about two spunky friends filled with humor and mischief. • Musical • Flicker Tale Children's Book Award Nominee for Intermediate (2011) • Suggested use: Musical came out in 2013 Compare with books.

18. Diaries (Dork, Wimpy Kid)

19. The Aurora County All-Starsby Deborah Wiles • Summary: House Jackson spends the summer learning about families, baseball, and life. • Starred Reviews: Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus • Suggested use: Great to compare with The Penderwicks or other summer stories.

20. Flush by Carl Hiaasen • Environmental Mystery • Set in Florida • Agatha Award for Best Childrens Young Adult (2005) • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2007)

21. PEAK a novelby Roland Smith Summary • Fourteen year old Peak is caught tagging a building. His sentence is to go with his long-lost father, who wants him to be the youngest person to summit Everest. Awards, Honors, Prizes • Washington Young Reader’s Choice Award Winner 2010 • Colorado Blue Spruce Award; Nominee; 2011 • Colorado Children’s Book Award; Nominee, 2009 • 12 other state nominations • Starred reviews in Booklist, Horn Book, Publisher’s Weekly Suggested uses Literature circles for boys 5th-8th

22. Guysread: Funny Businessedited by Jon Scieszka Book Trailer on You Tube • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCd9ln6Y5Cs This is the first Genre based collection in the series edited by Jon Scieszka. Authors include: Mac Barnett, Eoin Colfer, Christopher Paul Curtis, Kate DiCamillo, Jack Gantos, Jeff Kinney, David Lubar, Paul Feig, Adam Rex, and David Yoo