Books and Resources for Power Lessons in Middle School and High School
PICTURE BOOKS
Some Smug Slug by Pamela Duncan Edwards alliteration
The Cowboy and the Black-eyed Pea by Tony Johnston caricature
Petunia by Roger Duvoisin irony
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig personification
Aida by Leotyne Price character, theme
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka parody, point of view
The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg metaphor, allusion
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Suess onomatopoeia
The Story of Ferdinand by Leaf Munro satire; foreshadowing
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble similes; imagery
The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg stereotype; inference
Squids Will Be Squids by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith fables
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munch irony, theme
Jabberwocky By Lewis Carroll figurative language
Oh! The Places You’ll Go! By Dr.Suess theme, alliteration
The Selfish Giant By Oscar Wilde theme
SHORT STORIES
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry irony, theme
The Last Leaf by O. Henry plot, foreshadowing
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson cause and effect
The Open Window by Saki irony
Thank You, Ma’m by Langston Hughes theme, irony
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell foreshadowing
The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Hyperbole, atmosphere
By Mark Twain
The Monster Who Grew Small By Joan Grant Symbol
The Ransom of Red Chief By O. Henry Irony
The Most Dangerous Game By Richard Connell Foreshadowing
Across Five Aprils\ Shades of Gray- Social Studies (Civil War)
No Promises in the Wind- Social Studies (Depression)
ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg writing
Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya social studies
Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland math
by Cindy Neuschwander (series)
The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry science
RESOURCES
Using Picture Storybooks to Teach Literary Devices by Susan Hall
Reading Renaissance Power Lessons for Grades 6-8
Worth a Thousand Words by Bette D. Ammon
Beyond Words by Benedict
Eyeopeners by Kobrin
Read All About It by Jim Trelease
MORE POWER LESSON IDEAS USING CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG BOOKS
The Wretched Stone- metaphors, fantasy, ship’s log
Two Bad Ants- Point of view, predicting, fact-fantasy
The Stranger- foreshadowing, drawing conclusions, inference, fantasy, autumn/seasons
The Sweetest Fig- cause and effect, summarizing, tone
Just A Dream- pollution, ecology
Ben’s Dream- geography
Jumanji- sequence, predicting, pun, mood, inference
The Z Was Zapped- predicting, personification, ABC order, alliteration
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick- analysis, creative writing prompts
The Widow’s Broom- characterization, conflict, plot, magic, personification
The Wreck of the Zephyr- Flashback, foreshadowing, inference, allusion
More Ideas….
Touching Spirit Bear – Ben Michaelsen – Turning Your Life Around
I’m Not Who You Think I Am – Peg Kehret – Stranger Danger
Earthquake Terror – Peg Kehret – Survival
Boy – Roald Dahl – Fiction/Non-Fiction
Just Ella – Margaret Haddix – Cinderella Extended
Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine – Cinderella Before
Hank the Cowdog (Series) – Point of View/High Interest-Lower Level
Faithful Elephants -- Yukio Tsuchiya -- War/Euthanasia
Aida -- Leontine Price -- War/Cause and Effect/Romeo and Juliette
Inch by Inch -- Leo Leonni -- Pun/Poetic Justice/Measurement
Paperbag Princess -- Irony/Theme/Poetic Justice
Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County -- Mark Twain – Hyperbole
Kirby Kelvin and the Not Laughing Lessons – Ivon Cecil -- Imagery
Pig, Pigger, Piggest – Rick Walton – Comparative/Superlative
Piggie Pie – Margie Palatini – Allusion/Alliteration
Hooway for Wodney Wat – Helen Lester
Tolerance of Differences