Parents and children acknowledge their own positive values in concert with certain characters and in contrast to others. The Secret Life of Owen Skye by Alan Cumyn is a laugh-out-loud funny book for readers ten and up. It has raised some eyebrows because of the dangerous situations in which Owen and his brothers find themselves. Owen’s older brother repeatedly tests boundaries and tempts fate, for example. What’s a younger brother to do?
As Owen finds himself in one pickle after another – whether it’s starting a brush fire while fiddling with matches or facing a beating by bullies – adult and child can compare reactions and propose alternate solutions.
Ask
Act
Am I conscious of the following ways to get more out of a shared read-aloud experience?
| WHEN WE READ TOGETHER, WE... | |
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| PLAY DETECTIVE PREDICTING FROM A BOOK COVER WHAT’S GOING TO COME, DISSECTING A LONG WORD TO FIND ITS ROOT |
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| USE DIFFERENT VOICES TAKING TURNS READING ALOUD EVERY OTHER PAGE, DRAMATIZING CHARACTERS’ VOICES |
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| WELCOME QUESTIONS I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE... WHAT DOES THIS WORD MEAN? |
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| VISUALIZE DETAILS IMAGINING WHAT CHARACTERS ARE WEARING, WHAT A PLACE LOOKS AND SMELLS LIKE |
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| ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS WHAT IF...? WHY DO YOU THINK HE MADE THAT CHOICE? |
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| RECALL AND RETELL WHERE WERE WE WHEN WE ENDED LAST TIME? WHAT’S YOUR VERSION OF THE STORY? |
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| EXPRESS FEELINGS AND OPINIONS WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE? WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART? I FELT SAD WHEN... |
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| LINK READING TO LIFE THIS STORY REMINDS ME OF THE TIME WE... LET’S EAT WITH CHOPSTICKS TOO... |