Lunch Walks Among Us

Do you have a child who sometimes worries about fitting in?  Perhaps it would help to introduce them to Franny K. Stein in Lunch Walks Among Us by Jim Benton.

The possibilities are almost endless with this fun book.

Here are some of our favorite tie-ins:

Talk about what makes a good friend and how to be a friend.

Work some free printable worksheets. 

Work on grammar with a Noun Chomping Monster 

Check out a few Monster math games.

Then, take a break and have a sandwich for lunch.  Don’t forget an extra slice or two of lunch meat for making monsters out of.

Make your own toxic industrial waste.

Play a build your own monster game.

Make a bat or two 

And learn to draw Franny 

Have Crab Ravioli in Pumpkin Sauce for dinner.

And, play a little baseball before bed.

Hooked on little girl mad scientists? Never fear! Franny’s next adventure is:

Attack of the 50-Ft Cupid

Want more books like Franny K. Stein? Try these!

Iggy Loomis, Superkid in Training by Jennifer Allison

The Adventures of Ali Baba Bernstein by Johanna Hurwitz

The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich by Greg Trine

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

My Weird School by Dan Gutman

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

And always remember:

 

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

Colette is going on the trip of a life time.  In fact, she’s orchestrated a significant part of her life in order to be able to take this trip.  But, it may just be the death of her.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender is an opportunity to explore Paris, history and life through Colette Iselin’s eyes.

The problem? Those eyes are seeing the ghost of Marie Antoinette and she seems to want Colette dead.

Colette’s trip itinerary is listed below.  Each site has a link to a short tour of the area.  Chose the attraction that appeals the most to you and research it’s more colorful history. (ghost sightings, murders, general debauchery and mayhem)

Itinerary

Chateau de Versailles

Le Louvre

Basilique de Saint-Denis

Notre Dame

La Conciergerie  

Champs-Elysees

Catacomes

Musee Rodin

Musee d’Orsay

Eiffel Tower

Sacre Coeur

If you could travel any place in the world and spend a week, where would it be?  Why?

Put together a full travel itinerary.  When would you go?  How would you get there?  What sights would you see and when?

What is your budget? Include the cost of transportation, admissions, hotel, food, and souvenirs.

If you were going to make this trip actually happen how would you have to budget and prepare for it?

If you choose France, don’t forget to learn a little of the language from sights suggested here and here.

Marie Antoinette was a true fashionista. If you were a fashion designer at the time, what kind of dress, or shoes would you design for her?

Or, perhaps you’d rather research the guillotine.

http://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/french-revolution.htm

http://www.theguillotine.info/how/

http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution/videos/guillotine

Let’s talk actual ghost sightings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moberly%E2%80%93Jourdain_incident

http://www.marilynztomlins.com/articles/haunted-versailles-the-day-marie-antoinettes-ghost-returned-to-versailles/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go071aHkfMI

Now, put on a pot of Mathilde’s Pot au Feu and try your own hand at ghost hunting with the help of Ghost Hunting for Beginners or The Everything Guide to Ghost Hunting.

Personally, we’re saving up for one of these ghost hunting starter kits.

Want more books like this?  Try a few of these:

Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Ghost Huntress: The Awakening by Marley Gibson 

Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Rules by Cynthia Lord

(AR level 3.9)

Rules by Cynthia Lord is a book full of fun and fabulous opportunities to see the world through the eyes of those who have special needs, as well as those who love them.

Catherine is a typical 12 year old, with typical thoughts and feelings, but a not-so-typical life that she sometimes has a hard time with.  Her brother has autism and it always seems as if his needs come before anyone else.  He has a lot of needs.

Rules has one both a Newbery Honor and a Schneider Family Book Award  for the humorous and sensitive way it portrays life with disabilities.

There is a fabulous set of teaching aid available for this title on Scholastic’s website.

And, here are some further book extension ideas to consider.

Every character in the book has a different way of coping with their problems.  Can you identify each person’s talent/personal therapy measures?  What are yours?

Have you ever considered learning to draw, or playing an instrument such as the guitar or piano?

Do you know someone with special needs? How would you draw a picture of their life?

What it’s like to have a brother with autism?

Or, be in a wheelchair?

Consider rules or schedules you have in your own life.  Do the help with daily life of feel restricting? If you could define your own set of rules for life, what kinds of things would you include?

Find and write out a list of all the rules Catherine creates in the book. What is your favorite rule in Catherine’s book for David? Practice writing it in different creative ways and turn it into an art project.

Consider how you feel about spending time with those who have special needs.  How does your time with them make you feel or think about life?  Do some research into what it's like to have a career as an art therapist, music therapist, speech therapist, or occupational therapist.  In what other ways can you use your own talents and interest to help others and build a career?

Also, if you really enjoyed this book, there is an opportunity to write to the author on her website.

Want more books like Rules?  Try these:

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

And just because we think it’s totally awesome, check out this fish tank.  But remember, No Toys in the Fish Tank!