1. 5 th GRADE BOOK TALK Reading Unites Series 2007 – 2008

2. READING UNITES NOMINEE #1 SETTING CHARACTERS EXCERPT #1 CONFLICT STATS & CAUTIONS EXCERPT #2 & #3 EXCERPT #4 CONNECTIONS

3. OUR SETTING Return to Menu

4. SETTING

7.  The Corsica River Brady’s Hint from Chapter 1: “It’s a pretty river, the Corsica. But it doesn’t have a heart…” Return to Menu

8. CHARACTERS BRADY (and mother/ father) J.T. (and family) DIGGER (and family) DiAngelo Family Return to Menu

9. EXCERPT #1  From Chapter 2  Flashback to six months prior  What can you tell about each character’s life from this excerpt? Return to Menu

10. CONFLICT  …with nature  …with self  …with others Return to Menu

11. EXCERPT #2 & #3  From Chapters 8 & 13  “The Plot Thickens”  Who is ultimately responsible…the person with the original idea, or the person who sees it through to completion? Return to Menu

12. CONNECTIONS Return to Menu  A practical joke gone wrong…  The angst of torn friendships…  Raw emotions… REALISTIC FICTION

13. EXCERPT #4  From Chapter 22  “The Decision”  What do you think Brady decides to do? What would you do? Why? Return to Menu

14. STATS & CAUTIONS  Red Kayak  Copyright © Priscilla Cummings, 2004  Lexile: 800  Reading Counts! Points: 13 Return to Menu  Unnecessary, mild profanity  Mature themes  50+ page mark  None left? Try Jerry Spinelli’s Wringer or Barbara Park’s Mick Harte Was Here