Observations of a Master Marketeer

• Strong As Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth
• Written & Illustrated by Don Tate
• ISBN: 978-1-58089-628-3
• Published by Charlesbridge Publishing
• Strong as Sandow Educator's Guide (Press Release Format)

I've made lots of guides for Don Tate and always enjoy doing so. But the one I made for Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth was my best experience with a Tate project ever. Not only is this picture book one of the most fascinating non-fiction stories of all time (Which makes my job tons of fun!), I got to watch a master marketer in action. Being that I’ve got a non-fiction picture book to promote soon enough, you can bet I'm watching this master in action – close! Here are few things I've learned, thus far:

• Be generous with information: Don has created a website dedicated to this story. Check out http://strongmansandow.com/. You’ll find lots and lots of information about his creative process, historical facts, great images, and links to fascinating videos! I’m planning on doing something very similar with Play Like a Girl, which reminds me, I’d better grab a domain for the PLAG website, a.s.a.p.
• Connect with readers in a personal way: I love how Don's friendly voice rings true in his posts. Consider the post titled "What’s Up With The Medallion Hanging from Sandow’s Neck?" In it, Don explains the how some facts, and the omission of others, served to guide his decisions regarding what to include in the story.  Being that Sandow's religious affiliation is unclear, yet the star medallion suggests otherwise, Don chose to leave the medallion off of the "dude" in his illustrations. Best not mislead his readers with ambiguity.  
• Be an expert in your topic: Don is a fitness fanatic, pure and simple. He’s a swimmer, a yogi, a “gym rat”, and was once a body-builder himself. We capitalized on his expertise in the Educator’s Guide by adding a weekly Fitness Plan using his illustrations as graphics. Hopefully kids will become inspired to become as strong as Sandown...and Don, too.

I want to wish Don all the very best with his book launch being held at Book People in Austin on Saturday, September 9. He’s been planning the launch for a year now (Take note, Deb.). It’s sure to be a colossal event, particularly because he is featuring modern-day strongman Andrew Perlot as a main attraction. He and Don are sure to wow the crowd. I wish I could be there with him.

Don, my friend, I’m with you in spirit! Have a grand time!

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!

BOB, NOT BOB! by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick

What child hasn’t suffered through the torture of a horrific cold?  The misery of achy sinuses? The hopeless yearning for relief? Who does a child turn to when plagued by such painful distress? You got it. Mom. That’s it. No one else will do.

Authors Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick, with illustrator Matthew Cordell nailed this exasperating, snot-filled scenario to a tee! Their BOB, NOT BOB! (Disney Hyperion, 2017) is a delightful story about Little Louie, a boy who is afflicted by the worst cold ever. Because his nasal cavities are swollen with mucus, Little Louie’s plugged-up calls for Mom sound more like Bob, which happens to be the name of his devoted, slobbery dog. Frustration adds to agony as every time Little Louie pleads for his loving mother’s care his goofy, fun-loving Dalmatian arrives ready to play. And, when this happens, everyone is miserable!

I invite you to take a look at the Standards-aligned Educator’s Guide crafted for BOB, NOT BOB! It’s formatted more like a press-release, and yet it is comprised of contents that educators and at-wits-end parents will find useful. Functional and fun, this guide is the perfect complement for one of the most charming books I’ve read in a long time.

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.

Reading Guides: When Do You Need One?

Any time is the right time to have Reading Guide created. Whether you’re a multi-published phenom or birthing your first book baby, if you’re hoping to land a niche in the school and library market, it’s time to think about adding a reading guide to your marketing platform.

Speaking of a multi-published phenom, meet author Lisa Wheeler. She’s published well over 30 books and keeps on keeping on. Because Lisa desired to give her Dino-Sports series a little promotional boost, we created a joint CCSS-aligned activity guide for six of the titles. She was wise to do so, in that these books offer more depth than the covers suggest. The guide proves it. Not only do her Dino-Sports series feature hot and fast game action, Lisa presents elements of history, mathematics, geometry, and athletic nomenclature in each book. The guide should help keep her Dino-Sports series on the winning roster for a long time! Score!

Many debut authors are crafting guides for their new releases well before advanced reader’s copies hit their front porch. Debut author and master teacher Dianne White created a sensational Teaching Guide for her stunning picture book, Blue on Blue.  Her years of experience in the classroom came in handy when it came to developing this well-crafted, CCSS-aligned Teaching Guide. She’s made an instructional tool that meets the needs of kindergarteners through 8th grade in clever and creative ways. Best of all, Dianne’s love for poetry resonates in each lesson. This debut author knows what she is doing and she is doing it well.

As you can see, it’s never too late or too early to add a well-crafted Reading Guide to your marketing platform. Wherever you are in the publishing game, think about adding a quality guide to your publicity tool box. It just might give your book the promotional boost it deserves.

ANYWHERE BUT PARADISE by Anne Bustard

Below is a Simple Saturday video describing how to create a gum-wrapper chain. This project was inspired by a particular plot line in ANYWHERE BUT PARADISE.  In the book, the chain serves as a way for protagonist Peggy Sue to link aspects of her life together. You’ll have to read the book to find out how and why. To download a gum-wrapper chain template access author Anne Bustard’s website at www.annebustard.com.

Title: Anywhere but Paradise

Author: Anne Bustard

Publisher: Egmont USA

ISBN:978-1-60684-585-1

Download the CCSS-Aligned Educator's Guide HERE!

From Indiebound:  Moving from Texas to Hawaii in 1960,12-year-old Peggy Sue faces a difficult transition when she is bulled as one of the few haole (white) students in her school. This lyrical debut novel is perfect for Common Core classroom connections.

It's 1960 and Peggy Sue has just been transplanted from Texas to Hawaii for her father's new job. Her cat, Howdy, is stuck in animal quarantine, and she's baffled by Hawaiian customs and words. Worst of all, eighth grader Kiki Kahana targets Peggy Sue because she is haole--white--warning her that unless she does what Kiki wants, she will be a victim on "kill haole day," the last day of school. Peggy Sue's home ec teacher insists that she help Kiki with her sewing project or risk failing. Life looks bleak until Peggy Sue meets Malina, whose mother gives hula lessons. But when her parents take a trip to Hilo, leaving Peggy Sue at Malina's, life takes an unexpected twist in the form of a tsunami. Peggy Sue is knocked unconscious and wakes to learn that her parents safety and whereabouts are unknown. Peggy Sue has to summon all her courage to have hope that they will return safely.

Folks, the guide is now available! Download it and enjoy!

How to Make a Constellation in 3 Easy Steps (An activity inspired by The Great Good Summer)

One of the many intriguing plot threads in this incredible novel is a metaphorical juxtaposition of protagonist Ivy Green's longing to be with her absent mother and the mythological story behind the constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Y'all, that is just one of the literary gems laced and layered in the storyline. Seriously, I cannot recommend that you read this novel more highly. It's truly one of the finest that I've read - EVER! Mark my words...we have a Newbery contender here.

In the Educator's Guide, you will find a super easy, step-by-step constellation creation project. If you can gather up some black construction paper, tape, and a thumb tack you, my friends, can create a little corner of the galaxy to enjoy for days and to day to come. Just watch the video below and see what I mean!

Book Title: The Great Good Summer

Author: Liz Garton Scanlon

ISBN: 9781481411479

Synopsis: Ivy Green's mama has gone off with a charismatic preacher called Hallelujah Dave to The Great Good Bible Church of Panhandle Florida. At least that's where Ivy and her dad "think" Mama is. But since the church has no website or phone number and Mama left no forwarding address, Ivy's not entirely sure. She "does "know she's missing Mama. And she's starting to get just a little worried about her, too.

Paul Dobbs, one of Ivy's schoolmates, is also having a crummy summer. Paul has always wanted to be an astronaut, and now that NASA's space shuttle program has been scrapped, it looks like his dream will never get off the ground.

Although Ivy and Paul are an unlikely pair, it turns out they are the perfect allies for a runaway road trip to Florida--to look for Mama, to kiss the Space Shuttle good-bye, and maybe, "just maybe," regain their faith in the things in life that are most important.

Educator's Guide Overview: This in-depth guide consists of discussion questions, a study of the scientific method, writing exercises, a study of point-of-view, a thematic study, a lesson involving the creation and observation of a paper airplane,  and the creation of a constellation.

CLICK HERE FOR A FREE DOWNLOADABLE COPY.

How to Make a Robotic Hand in 10 Easy Steps

Simple Saturday has returned - new and improved!

Check out this video inspired by Kersten Hamilton's most awesome Gadgets and Gears series. The robotic hand activity featured in the video below is part of the guide created for her newest book in the series, Ire of Iron Claw,  which will hit the market in July.  In the meantime, start reading the book that started all the buzz, The Mesmer Menace. While you're at it, check out the cool educator's guide that was created to compliment that book!

Y'all, this series is PERFECT for the bright child who owns a love of language, suspense, drama, and science! Just thinking about it makes me want to do a little hand jive!

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.

Author P. J. Hoover’s School Visit Programming Guide

Click on the image to access this Post-Presentation Discussion & Writing Lesson Application Guide.

Contact P. J. Hoover to schedule a school visit with her. You'll be super glad you did!!!

Featured Guide of the Week - Not in the Script

Amy Finnegan’s Not in the Script (Bloomsbury, 2014) is a swoony, dreamy, delightful romp into the world of teen screen stars. Cleverly told in alternating points of view, I found characters Emma Taylor and Jake Elliot to be perfectly cast for their roles in the wildly popular television series, Coyote Hills.

Emma is stellar – on and off of the set. She’s an awarding winning actress in search of authenticity in life and, most especially, in love. Jake, a model of Abercrombie hunkiness, decides to step off the runway to join Coyote Hills television cast. His motive? His mother is disabled and he desires to be closer to her. (Who wouldn’t fall in love with a gorgeous guy led by a tender, loving heart?) Enter dastardly ego-charged leading man Brett Crawford; self-centered Rachel, the manipulative bestie; and paparazzi with piranha-like appetites and, my friend, you have the makings of a deliciously angsty drama!  

The Educator’s Guide reads like a Screenwriting 101 course. In it, students are presented basic formatting structure and terminology of scriptwriting. They are then led through a series of character analysis, plotting, and storyboarding activities. The culminating project is a book trailer starring the cast of Coyote Hills. Lights! Camera! ACTION!

Not in the Script is a fun read – the perfect balance of steamy and sweet. Feel free to download the Educator’s Guide to get a sense of the creative writing possibilities Emma, Jake, and Brett inspire!

A Graphic Designed Guide for Press Play

As I’ve said before, each guide I create invites a unique experience. Making a guide for Eric Devine’s hard-hitting Press Play was one of the best, ever. Running Press asked for a different format than we’ve used before. Plans were to take my content to the art department to let them work their magic. The end result is amazing!! I’m really excited to show you what it looks like.

This YA is powerful, I’m telling you. Press Play reminds me of Cormier’s The Chocolate War. It’s the type of story that lingers in the mind well after the last page is read. I won’t lie to you. There were some parts of the story that were hard for me to read. Yes, it’s violent. Yet, like in The Chocolate War, the violence serves as a catalyst for the protagonist, and the reader, to look deeply within and check in with their core values. Even though I love the story, I still had to read some of the passages with my fingers over my eyes. Whoa, boy.

The guide content is aligned with the Common Core. There is an in-depth discussion component as well as a book trailer construction guide. The book trailer section doesn’t focus on the tech skills required to construct a video. Rather, it hones on the literary elements necessary to make the book trailer not only an academically sound project, but one that explores metaphorical images and the like. Plus, it’s FUN to make!

Please take a moment to have a look at this guide. Running Press did a smash-up job with it! I’d love to know what you think about.

And, check out Eric's book trailer...if you dare.

Presenting Author Margo Dill's School Visit Documentation

When I was classroom teacher, the author visits I appreciated the most were those that were a perfect blend of fun for the kids while being academically sound. One of my faves centered focused creating interesting characters. The author prepped me ahead of time, asking that I would have a stack of old magazines, glue sticks, and construction paper readily available for her follow up exercise. Man-oh-man! We had a blast!  She left behind a mess of paper scraps, a classroom full of inspired kids, and coolio follow-up activities to keep us going for several days afterwards!  Awesome!!!

I work to create this same wonderful experience with each CCSS Aligned School Visit Document I create.

I invite you to take a look at Margo Dill’s, just hot off the press! In it, you’ll find discussion questions and follow up activities designed to complement her fascinating school visit presentation, support the academic needs of the classroom, and get the kiddos jazzed about doing the research necessary to create their own great stories.

Margo’s leaving the teachers with a ton of CCSS aligned Reading Literature, Speaking & Listening, and Writing lessons to work with. Those students and educators will be singing her praises long after she’s gone.

Click here to access author Margo Dill's CCSS Aligned School Visit Document. Have a look. Get inspired. Have a little bit of fun while you’re at it. That’s the best part!

An Educator's Guide for T is for Texas

I want to home with the armadillo…

Well, shoot.

If I can’t go back to Texas, I’ll just have me some fun creating an Educator’s Guide about my beloved Lone Star State. Thanks to my good friend author Anne Bustard, that’s exactly what I got to do!

Just take a quick moment and check out the fun projects this guide is filled with, projects that tickle the creative side of the brain as well as the academic.

Why, we’ve got an awesome alphabet matching game and crossword puzzle, each with their very own answer sheets.

What’s not to love about this macaroni-backed armadillo? Isn’t he darling?

And, those fingertip bluebonnets are just about as a cute as a pig’s ear, don’t you think?

Each of the crafts has a writing component that’ll make both the kids and teachers holler, “Hi-dee-ho!”

Y’all, instead of hopping a flight to the heart of Texas, why don’t you simply download the Educator’s Guide right here and have some southern-fried fun.

It helped to take care of my homesick, bluebonnet blues for a little while. For that, amigo, I am mighty grateful!

An Educator's Guide for Outside In

Making an Educator’s Guide for Outside In was a joy to do. You see, the author, Sarah Ellis, was one of my VCFA advisors.  Not only was I delighted to be of service to someone I consider to a dear friend, I knew I’d be wowed by her work. Sarah did not let me down. Outside In is incredible! It’s no wonder it's been nominated for the prestigious Red Maple Award. Those smart Canadians … they know a good book when they read one.

Outside In explores the notions of community, environmentalism, materialism, honesty, and friendship. Sarah addresses these heavy concepts in the lively, humorous, and  heartfelt manner she’s known for.  Here’s how the publisher, Groundwood Books, synopsizes the story. “Lynn’s life is full — choir practice, school, shopping for the perfect jeans, and dealing with her free-spirited mother. Then one day her life is saved by a mysterious girl named Blossom, who introduces Lynn to her own world and family — both more bizarre, yet somehow more sane, than Lynn’s own.” I say, buy the book. You’ll be glad you did!

When going about creating guides for smart, multi-layered, well-crafted books like this one, I like to look for thematic threads in the storyline to explore. One such thread I found in Outside In was the notion of ‘triangulation’ (A term that, interestingly, rhymes with the word ‘strangulation,’ which comes close to describing the emotionally precarious situation the protagonist must face.). The process of triangulation is the establishment of the distance between two points of a triangle. Lynn is not only studying the process of triangulation in Geometry, she living it in the flesh!

 Lynn’s enactment of triangulation is contrived by three vastly different groups of people she is associated with – Shakti, her nut-case mother; Celia and Kas, her two best friends; and the Underlanders, a strange yet remarkably tender community of people who live in the underbelly of the city. Shakti, her best friends, and the Underlanders serve as triangle endpoints. When these three worlds discover one another, Lynn is pressed at the poigniant center point of the story – pressed in hard!

In the Educator’s Guide you’ll find several really cool graphic organizers that analyze character, theme, and point of view. And, as bonus, there’s a nifty craft project included that requires basically no cash to create. Download the guide, have a look, and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you.

Guide Review for Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance

To be completely honest, as a teen, historical studies were not my cup of tea. I’d gloss right over as teachers would yammer on about the geographical locations of historical battles. And, then, to have to pair that information with the dates they occurred…well, look for me hiding out in the janitor’s closet.

That being said, if I would have had a book like Charles Novacek’s memoir Border Crossing: Coming of Age in the Czech Republic (published by Ten21 Press) to connect with me on emotional level from the start, maybe studying WWII as a teen might have been a more palatable experience.  I do know that I’m richer for the experience of creating an Educator’s Guide for this incredible book.

Synopsis: Charles Novacek’s free-roaming childhood came to an end in 1939, as war raged across the continent and the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia. Charles and his sister were inducted into the Czech Resistance. At an age most children were learning how to diagram sentences, they were learning how to resist torture, handle phobias, and to control pain, hunger and thirst. Reflecting the desperation of the times, they were warned to trust no one.

The Educator's Guide has been crafted with the overall intent to connect readers with Charles’ emotional journey as a young man growing up in a time of historical turmoil. The lessons and activities presented in the guide are creative, intuitive, and informative, thus allowing students to consider Charles’ plight as if it were their own. All aspects of the guide have been aligned with the Common Core Anchor Standards of Reading Informational Texts, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and History/Social Studies for grades 6 to 12.

Timeline activity

The structure of the guide is defined by the use of personal bookmarks which establish four sections of study, each beginning with discussion questions inspired by quotations cited from the text and followed by carefully crafted, interactive activities. For instance, as a young man, Charles was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If.” In the guide, students are encouraged to analyze the poem, through citation and interpretation, in light of character traits demonstrated by Charles throughout his life. Also, being that poetry and art helped define Charles’ inner character, students are guided to craft a free verse poem based on their perception of what life in a Bavarian displaced person’s camp might be like.

The final activity is a hands-on, manipulative timeline through which young people can compare and contrast historical events with those of Charles’ personal life. Students are directed to use scissors and tape to craft the timeline and then lay out tabs labeled with intriguing information in a sequential manner using the dates printed on the timeline as guides. Lastly, they are instructed to write an essay interpreting the correlations between the historical tabs and those that represent Charles’ life.

This unforgettable book distills history down to a person level, one that young people can connect with emotionally. Students will identify with Charles and his initial desires to be a regular kid, engaging in activities and interests much like their own. As the incredible story progresses, students will be shocked by the unbelievable trials Charles was forced to endure – trials that are documented through letters, documents, and pictures. In short, Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance transcends a factual study of war and geography into an experience and appreciation of a man’s soulful journey of heartfelt love for his country and her people.

Ten Rules of a Super Hero

Book Title: Ten Rules of Being a Super Hero

Author/Illustrator: Deb Pilutti

Genre: Picture Book

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books - Henry Holt Books for Young Readers/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

ISBN: 978-0805097597

Click here to download the Common Core State Standards aligned Educator's Guide created for grades K-2.

Overview: In order to be a real superhero, you have to follow some important rules:

Rule #1: A superhero must ALWAYS respond to a call for help.

Rule #2: Saving the day is messy. But everyone understands.

In this handy guide, Captain Magma and his trusty sidekick, Lava Boy, take young readers on an adventure to learn all ten rules of being a good superhero (Amazon.com).

The Battle of Darcy Lane

Book Title: The Battle of Darcy Lane

Author: Tara Altebrando

Genre: Middle-grade

Publisher: Running Press Book Publishers

ISBN: 9780762449484

Click here to download the Common Core State Standards aligned Educator's Guide created for grades 4-6.

Overview: It is summertime, and twelve-year-old Julia Richards cannot stand the anticipation. Everyone on Darcy Lane seems to be holding their breath waiting for the cicadas to emerge, but what Julia and her best friend, Taylor, want is some real excitement. Which arrives in the form of a new neighbor named Alyssa, who introduces a ball game called Russia . . . and an unwelcome level of BFF rivalry.

Suddenly nothing stands unchallenged—not Julia's friendships, her crush, or her independence. But while Julia realizes that she cannot control all the changes in her life, she hangs onto the hope that everything will go in her favor if she can just win one magnificent showdown.

Acclaimed author Tara Altebrando's middle-grade debut features a voice that is true to the adolescent experience, where everything is felt acutely in a whirlwind of all-or-nothing emotion (Running Press).

Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life

Title: Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life

Author: P. J. Hoover

Genre: Middle-grade

Publisher: Starscape

ISBN: 9780765334688

Click here to download the Common Core State Standards aligned Discussion & Book Trailer Guide created for grades 4-8.

Overview: Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life is a funny, fast-paced novel for young readers by P.J. Hoover which chronicles the mischievous adventures of King Tut, now an immortal eighth-grader living in Washington, D.C..

You’d think it would be great being an Egyptian demigod, but if King Tut has to sit through eighth grade one more time, he’ll mummify himself.

Granted the gift of immortality by the gods—or is it a curse?—Tut has been stuck in middle school for ages. Even worse, evil General Horemheb, the man who killed Tut’s father and whom Tut imprisoned in a tomb for three thousand years, is out and after him. The general is in league with the Cult of Set, a bunch of guys who worship one of the scariest gods of the Egyptian pantheon—Set, the god of Chaos.

The General and the Cult of Set have plans for Tut… and if Tut doesn’t find a way to keep out of their clutches, he’ll never make it to the afterworld alive (Indie Bound).