Summer Reading Response: Book 1 Book Title: The Sneetches Book Author: Dr. Seuss Name: Great Student Step 1: Plot : Write a plot summary of the main events in your book. There once was a community that consisted of two different groups: Star-Belly Sneetches and Plain-Belly Sneetches. Although alike in every other way, the Star-Belly Sneetches bragged that they were better than the Plain-Belly Sneetches and would not interact with them at all. One day a salesman, Sylvester McMonkey McBean, showed up and offered the Plain-Belly Sneetches a process that would give them stars for just $3. Now everyone looked alike! The original Star-Bellied Sneetches did not like that, and Mr. McBean had a solution. For just $10, he removed the stars on the Sneetches who first had them so that they still could be different. The cycle continued, with each group paying more and more to replace or erase the stars to keep up with the other group and keep the separation between them. It finally got to the point where neither group knew for sure who was who. Once all of their money was gone though, so was Mr. McBean. Having taken advantage of their prejudice, he laughed about the behavior of the Sneetches as he left, commenting that they would never learn. Luckily for the Sneetches, however, they did learn a lesson. They finally realized that all Sneetches are the same, and no group is better than the other. Step 2 : Select any two of the prompts below. Write a well-developed paragraph for each prompt that you select. This means that your paragraph should have a catchy lead/hook, a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. Be sure to address all parts of the prompt. “Go green” by providing examples, explanations, and evidence. Paragraphs lacking specific details and examples will not receive full credit. All responses should fit into the space provided, so choose your words carefully! You will type each of these responses on the second page of this document. Option #1 Recommendation: Write a book review for next year’s sixth g rade class. Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? Be sure to include specific details about whether or not you liked the characters as well as if you felt the plot was interesting. Be sure to explain why you feel the way you do. Include specific examples, evidence, and details from the book to support your opinion. Option #2 P.S.: Write an epilogue (a one-paragraph explanation of what will happen after the story ends). Be sure to explain what will happen to the main character(s) and what leads you to believe this would be a reasonable prediction. Support your answer with specific examples, evidence, and details from the book. Option #3 Response: Select what you consider to be the most important word, line, image, object, OR event in the book. What makes this stand out? Be sure to explain in what way it is important to the story or a particular character. Use specific examples, evidence, and details from the book to support your answer. Option #4 Quote : Select a sentence in which you learn something important about a character’s personality. This sentence can be part of dialogue or not. Copy the statement directly from the book. Explain what you learn about the character from that statement and how the statement supports your conclusion. Use specific examples, evidence, and details from the book.

Page 2 Example: Option #1 Recommendation Why do some people think they are better than others? I would recommend the book The Sneetches as an excellent way to learn about the ridiculousness of that behavior. Even though the characters are fictional creatures, 6 th graders can easily relate to their behavior of comparing themselves to others. Part of the appeal of the book is the topic itself, which is one commonly faced by middle school students. When the Star-Belly Sneetches declare that they “will have nothing to do” with the Plain-Belly Sneetches, everyone can relate to that feeling of being left out, whether it is on a sports team, in the neighborhood, or a group at school. Although the topic is one that hits close to home, Dr. Seuss presents it in a way that is uplifting rather than depressing, and that is one reason why this is such a great story. The bouncy aabb rhyme scheme for which he is so famous keeps the tone light and fun to read. The image of all of the Sneetches repeatedly lining up to have stars added and removed and added again just to fit in is a silly way to make a serious point about people thinking they need to change themselves to be accepted by others. The triumphant ending will give hope to anyone who has ever been frustrated by the judgmental attitude of another group. All of these elements make The Sneetches an entertaining and powerful book for 6 th graders to read. Example: Option #2 PS Not only can you teach a Sneetch, but those Sneetches can then teach others! Once the Sneetches realized that “no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches,” they all decided to travel to the circus together to celebrate their new-found friendships. On the way, they drove past a billboard advertising the services of one Sylvester McMonkey McBean! The sign promised he could change anyone to be popular. The Sneetches were horrified! Since they had learned that everyone is valuable just the way they are, they did not want to see anyone else fall for this crook’s tricks. They followed the directions on the sign and went to the office of Mr. McBean. Once there, they saw a group of Middlers, friendly kids, some of whom had purple fur and others with green fur. The two groups were clustered away from each other. The Sneetches split up, and half went to talk to the purple-furs, and the other half went to talk to the green-furs. The Sneetches found out that the Middlers were there in order to change the color of their fur so that they could either maintain their places in the “popular group” or so they could get in the “popular group.” The Sneetches explained how they learned that “Sneetches are Sneetches” and encouraged the Middlers to accept each other as they were. The Middlers listened and then agreed they were being silly. The Sneetches and the Middlers decided to go to the circus together, leaving Mr. McBean and his silly promises behind.

Page 2 Example: Option #3 Response You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all. This is one of the most important lines from the book. It refers to the fact that some Sneetches have small stars on their bellies and others do not, and this is what sets up the entire conflict of the story. Although you would think something like that would not be important, it is in fact important enough to the Sneetches to split them into two separate groups who do not interact. The Star-Belly Sneetches believe they are superior, and the Plain-Belly Sneetches are excluded, all because of the design on their tummies. It is only because the Sneetches decide this difference is important that Sylvester McMonkey McBean is able to take advantage of their insecurities and take all of their money. While it is easy for the reader to see that the stars shouldn’t matter at all, this line also suggests that many of the differences we see in each other are insignificant as well: clothes, book bag design, hair cut, tennis shoes. Although at first the Sneetches defend their segregation based on physical appearance, they do eventually come to understand the truth behind this line, and it is only then that their lives become better. This line is a powerful reminder to focus on what is truly important about each other and not be distracted by the features that do not really matter. Example: Option #4 Quote Just what kind of a character is Sylvester McMonkey McBean? He is a selfish and heartless crook. The audience learns a lot about this character from looking at how he behaves, and the following line reveals his true motivation in the story: Then, when every last cent of their money was spent, the Fix-it-Up Chappie packed up and he went. This action shows that McBean is actually involved for his own benefit and not that of the Sneetches. This is one situation in which actions speak louder than words. Early on, he tells the Sneetches that he has heard they are unhappy, and he is there to fix that. Although he initially tells the Sneetches that he is there to help them with their problem, the fact that he leaves once he has all of their money as shown in the quote proves that he is more interested in his own wallet than their happiness. Later, he even laughs as he drives away, knowing that he has done nothing to improve the situation of the Sneetches at all and has actually left them financially in a worse position than they were before. He makes fun of them as he leaves and has no remorse for the problem that he has caused. McBean is certainly the antagonist in this story.