Second-grader Freddy hates being the middle one in the family until he gets a part in the school play.

Find out what it's like to be the middle child and what it means to be able to stand out and feel special. Students gain a deeper understanding of their own mind to visualize what makes them unique. Sort words from the story as short a or long a vowels. Complete quotes from the story with their missing quotation marks. Recognize whether Freddy practiced for his part before or after he showed how well he could jump. Students draw their own interpretation of Freddy's costume for the play, and explain how it fits and some of its important details. Brainstorm things that would make a good play and things that would make a bad play. Students compare themselves to Freddy in a Venn Diagram graphic organizer. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included. About the Novel: Freddy Dissel feels trapped between an older brother and younger sister. As the middle child, he feels neglected by everyone around him. He lost his room to his younger sister, and now shares with his older brother. He doesn't get new clothes of his own, but instead wears his brother's hand-me-downs. He is too young to play with his older brother, but too old to play with his younger sister. One day, Freddy learns of a school play and decides to try out for it. The only problem being, it's only for the fifth and sixth graders. But that doesn't stop Freddy. He lands a special part as the green kangaroo. Now Freddy can shine out front, no longer stuck in the middle.

Read Pam Allyn's posts on the Penguin Blog The books to read aloud to children at the important moments in their lives. In What to Read When, award-winning educator Pam Allyn celebrates the power of reading aloud with children. In many ways, books provide the first opportunity for children to begin to reflectively engage with and understand the world around them. Not only can parents entertain their child and convey the beauty of language through books, they can also share their values and create lasting connections. Here, Allyn offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their children—taking into account a child’s age, attention ability, gender, and interests— along with techniques for reading aloud effectively. But what sets this book apart is the extraordinary, annotated list of more than three hundred titles suitable for the pivotal moments in a child’s life. With category themes ranging from friendship and journeys to thankfulness, separations, silliness, and spirituality, What to Read When is a one-of-a-kind guide to how parents can best inspire children through reading together. In addition, Pam Allyn includes an indispensable “Reader’s Ladder” section, with recommendations for children at every stage from birth to age ten. With the author’s warm and engaging voice throughout, discussion questions to encourage in-depth conversations, as well as advice on helping kids make the transition to independent reading, this book will help shape thoughtful, creative, and curious children, imparting a love of reading that will last a lifetime. These Penguin Young Reader's Books are referenced in What to Read When Sylvia Jean: Drama Queen by Lisa Campbell Ernst (Penguin Young Reader’s Group: 2005) Two Is For Twins, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, illustrations by Hiroe Nakata (Penguin Young Readers: 2006) Remember Grandma? by Laura Langston (Penguin Group (USA): May 2004) Soul Looks Back in Wonder compiled by Tom Feelings (Puffin Books) Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey (Penguin Books USA, Incorporated: December 1957) When I was Young in the Mountainsby Cynthia Rylant illustrated by Diane Goode (Penguin Young Readers Group: January 1993) Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by Tomie DePaola (Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Books, Inc.:1973) Good Night, Good Knight by Shelly Moore Thomas, illustrations by Jennifer Plecas (Penguin Young Readers Group: 2002)

"Curriculum connections, vocabulary, unit tests, critical thinking"--Cover.

Sometimes life in the Hatcher household is enough to make twelve-year-old Peter think about running away. His worst problem is still his younger brother, Fudge, who hasn't changed a bit since his crazy capers in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. If you ask Peter, Fudge is just an older — and bigger — pain. Then Peter learns that his mom is going to have a baby and the whole family is moving to Princeton for a year. It will be bad enough starting sixth grade in a strange place and going to the same school as Fudge. But Peter can imagine something even worse. How will he ever survive if the new baby is a carbon copy of Fudge?

Sheila Tubman sometimes wonders who she really is: the outgoing, witty, and capable Sheila the Great, or the secret Sheila, who's afraid of the dark, spiders, swimming, and dogs. When her family spends the summer in Tarrytown, Sheila has to face some of her worst fears. Not only does a dog come with the rented house, but her parents expect Sheila to take swimming lessons! Sheila does her best to pretend she's an expert at everything, but she knows she isn't fooling her new best friend, Mouse Ellis, who happens to be a crackerjack swimmer and a dog lover. What will it take for Sheila to admit to the Tarrytown kids -- and to herself -- that she's only human?

Part of the classic Fudge series from Judy Blume, bestselling author of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! Fudge is obsessed with money. He’s making his own “Fudge Bucks” and has plans to buy the entire world. But life gets really crazy when Fudge and his older brother, Peter, run into their long-lost relatives, the Howie Hatchers. Now they have to deal with annoying twin cousins and a weird younger cousin, coincidentally named Farley Drexel Hatcher—just like Fudge! Their names aren’t the only similarity, and before long, mini-Fudge is causing just as much trouble as Fudge always has! “As a kid, Judy Blume was my favorite author, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing was my favorite book.”—Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling Wimpy Kid series Love Fudge, Peter, and Sheila? Read all the books featuring your favorite characters: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great Superfudge Fudge-a-Mania

Part of the classic Fudge series from Judy Blume, bestselling author of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! Peter Hatcher can’t catch a break. His little brother, Fudge—the five-year-old human hurricane—has big plans to marry Peter’s sworn enemy, Sheila Tubman. That alone would be enough to ruin Peter’s summer, but now his parents have decided to rent a summer home next door to Sheila the Cootie Queen’s house. Peter will be trapped with Fudge and Sheila for three whole weeks! “As a kid, Judy Blume was my favorite author, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing was my favorite book.”—Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling Wimpy Kid series Love Fudge, Peter, and Sheila? Read all the books featuring your favorite characters: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great Superfudge Double Fudge

Living with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing smashed potatoes on walls at Hamburger Heaven, or scribbling all over Peter's homework, he's never far from trouble. He's a two-year-old terror who gets away with everything—and Peter's had enough. When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter's pet turtle, it's the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge too long. How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

Discusses the life and work of this popular author, including her writing process and methods, inspirations, a critical discussion of her books, biographical timeline, and awards.

You’ll never forget your first time...reading Forever, Judy Blume’s groundbreaking novel about teen sexuality, as an ebook. When you build up something in your mind—really imagine it, wish for it—sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn’t live up to your expectations. True love is nothing like that. Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can’t get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven’t been together all that long, they know it’s serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom. But it’s senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big “first”: a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?

Each book in the Word Power series provides 22 activities which introduce more than 60 challenging new words chosen from popular literature at the designated level. This mode of selection expands the conventional basal vocabularies and ensures the usefulness of words learned. Three two-page reviews reinforce learning. Activity pages introduce new words in context. Reinforcement is provided in student activities matching words with their meanings, aphabetizing words, matching words with their antonyms, and completing puzzles. All lessons are teacher-created. The teaching guide includes a list of source books for each level.

Covers more than sixty women who published significant fiction after 1945, with a brief biography, exposition of major works and themes, survey of critical reception, and references to primary and secondary sources for each.

Noted teacher/author Lucy Calkins and a team from The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Community have created the most comprehensive and accessible leveled lists and guides for nearly 1,200 children's trade books.

Rediscover Judy Blume’s beloved classic chapter books—The Pain and the Great One, The One in the Middle Is a Green Kangaroo, and Freckle Juice—now available together in a collectible boxed set! No one knows more about growing up than Judy Blume. And in her classic chapter books, full of humor and heart, she tells it like it is to even the youngest readers. From Andrew, who is so desperate to get freckles of his own he’s willing to do anything, including drinking a very suspicious concoction, to the Pain and the Great One who squabble over who mom and dad love best, to Freddy who just wants a way to break out of being smooshed in the middle and stand out, there’s something for everybody in this collection.

Offers tips on taking tests and six sample tests of reading, writing, vocabulary, and mathematics skills.