MAUD by Melanie Fishbane

MAUD (Penguin Teen, 2017) is based on the life and times of the prolific author Lucy Maud Montgomery. Crafted by author Melanie Fishbane, a lifetime L. M. Montgomery devotee, this debut novel is as unforgettable as the countless novels, short stories, and poems Lucy Maud created. MAUD is an inspirational testimony to a life led by faith, determination, and a deep-seeded passion to write.

Fishbane examines aspects of Maud’s, at times, traumatic childhood with tender consideration, gradually revealing the truth about her parents’ relationship, a mysterious burden Montgomery unwittingly carried her entire life. She experienced a perpetual feeling of misunderstanding and lack of acceptance within the community in which she lived, as well as from her father, with whom she loved. Guided by opportunities Providence provided, Maud found solace in her love of writing.  She poured her soul onto pages and pages on her beloved journals, recording fodder that would later become the emotional core of publications winning the hearts of readers for ages to come.

The Educator’s Discussion & Project Guide created for MAUD deeply delving into the themes tying this beautiful novel together. The notions of faith, reputation, sacrifice, and perseverance are just a few of the concepts explored in the discussion questions and through written expression.  The guide serves as an insightful compliment to Melanie Fishbane’s stunning masterpiece!

The Guides by deb Library is Now Open!

You are invited to take a tour of a collection of the various types of guides I’ve created over the years. Guides for YA, middle grade, picture and chapter books – you name it, I’ve made it.  Access this link and you’ll find discussion questions, games, puzzles, and projects galore for some of the best books in the business!

The experience of organizing this collection of .pdfs was much like the nostalgic feelings one gets when flipping through a stack of old family photographs. Hard to believe that I began creating guides six years ago. Yet the books and the lessons created to compliment them are still as intriguing as they were back then.

I’m grateful to have the honor of partnering with so many great authors and illustrators on such a wide variety of projects. What a joy it is to explore opportunities for readers to connect with their stories in a creative ways. Access the link and see for yourself! Check out the science experiments and reader’s theater scripts and poetry and crafty, paper folding activities and… and… and... Such fun!

So, my friends, welcome to the Guides by deb Library of Reading Guides. Stop by and browse the lists. Additional titles will be added weekly. I’ll be sure to let you know when they arrive.

Reading Guides: Where Can They Be Found?

Need a reading guide and don’t know where to turn? While I'd love to be of service to you, there are some other options out there for you. Let's take a look at a few.

If you’re very lucky, your publisher will create a reading guide for your book. Publishers such as Peachtree arrange for the guides to be created and then post them on their website. These types of guides are typically formatted with the publisher’s brand and are comprised of discussion questions; writing prompts, and follow-up projects. Occasionally, the guide creator is acknowledged fine print. If you like what you see in the guide, Google them. Perhaps they can make a one for you, too.

Oftentimes, experienced teachers are contracted to create reading guides. Though these guides generally lack the branding pizzazz a publisher’s marketing team adds to a project, they work very well. The key is to find an educator who is able to present the lessons and activities in a lively way. Discussion questions should be structured in an engaging, rhetorical manner. Yes or no questions just won’t do.

A word of caution, though. If you’re considering asking a teacher-friend to help you, have a look at their work beforehand. Compare their content with guides that you admire. I say this because I have redone more guides made by teacher-friends than you’d care to know.

Avoid the heart-ache. Contact a pro. You’ll be better off in the long run.

DINOSAUR BOY by Cory Oakes Putnam

Title: Dinosaur Boy

Author: Cory Putnam Oakes

ISBN: 9781492605379

Synopsis: Everyone knows the dinosaur gene skips a generation.

So it isn’t a complete surprise when Sawyer sprouts spikes and a tail before the start of fifth grade. After all, his grandfather was part stegosaurus.

Despite the Principal’s Zero Tolerance Policy, Sawyer becomes a bully magnet, befriended only by Elliot aka “Gigantor” and the weird new girl. When the bullies start disappearing, Sawyer is relieved—until he discovers a secret about the principal that’s more shocking than Dino DNA. The bullies are in for a galactically horrible fate…and it’s up to Sawyer and his friends to rescue them.

Discussion & Activity Guide Download: Guide consists of discussion questions, a word scramble puzzle, a point-of-view writing project, and a guided research activity - all aligned with the Common Core State Standards.

Featured Guide of the Week - The Secret Side of Empty

This week I’d like to showcase a guide I made for Maria Andreu’s incredible A Secret Side of Empty, an important story about a good girl’s downward spiral and rise back to an authentic life.   

Here’s how Running Press Kids describes A Secret Side of Empty:  As a straight-A student with a budding romance and loyal best friend, M.T.’s life seems as apple-pie American as her blondish hair and pale skin. But M.T. hides two facts to the contrary: her full name of Monserrat Thalia and her status as an undocumented immigrant.

With senior year of high school kicking into full swing, M.T. sees her hopes for a “normal” future unraveling. And it will take discovering a sense of trust in herself and others for M.T. to stake a claim in the life that she wants.

This book is rich with depth and emotion – the perfect fodder with which to develop angsty, heart-felt discussion questions. I recall feeling such compassion for M.T., a bright girl who had done all the right things as a student and a friend, all under the guise of keeping her undocumented status a secret. For a time, the poor kid just gave up trying. It was painful to witness M.T.’s steady steps toward self-destruction. There are tons of kids who can relate to her struggle. What’s the use, right?

Click HERE to access the Discussion & Writing Prompt guide all-prettied up by Running Press’ graphic artists. Also, click HERE if you’d like review the others I’ve made for them.

Stay tuned. There will be more where these came from!

Featured Guide of the Week - Girl in Reverse

It is no wonder why NPR included Girl in Reverse (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2014) as part of their Best Books in 2014 list. Folks, this is so much more than a gorgeous cover (Isn’t it stunning, though?). Friends, author Barbara Stuber created a masterpiece. It’s powerful and tender, poignant and thoughtful, unbelievable and unforgettable. Historical fiction at its best. I swear.

Here’s a short synopsis of this great book pulled from Simon & Schuster’s website: Being adopted isn’t easy—especially when you’re seen as a national enemy. When Lily was three, her mother put her up for adoption, then disappeared without a trace. Or so Lily was told. Lily grew up in her new family and tried to forget her past. But with the Korean War raging and the fear of “Commies” everywhere, Lily’s Asian heritage makes her a target. She is sick of the racism she faces, a fact her adoptive parents won’t take seriously. For Lily, war is everywhere—the dinner table, the halls at school, and especially within her own skin.

Barbara gave me many themes to work with in this book– poetry, history, family, the need to belong, isolation, friendship, and more. These topics are explored in the Discussion & Writing Prompt Guide through discussion questions and in-depth writing prompts for grades 6 to 12. In addition, there is a list of linked research topics that add even more depth to the reading experience.

 And, I must say that partnering with Barbara on this project was a delightful experience. She’s generous and kind. It’s no wonder she penned such a remarkable book as this one. I’m honored to not only have created a guide for her, but to call her my friend.

 Smart NPR. They know a good thing when they see one, right?

Yay, Barbara!!!! I'm so very happy for you!