Avi's Blog, page 24

Everything about School of the Dead

School of the Dead: behind-the-book, resources, discussion questions, and book recommendations for your reading group, classroom, and library work

Everything about The Secret School

The way The Secret School begins, with fourteen-year-old Ida driving a Model T Ford, but being so short her brother needed to be on the floor working the clutch and brakes, is a true tale, told to me by a bookstore owner who had gone to a one-room school house. Resources and more for teaching this book.

Everything about Sophia’s War

For those of you who feature Sophia's War in your curriculum or in your reading groups, or if you're considering this book for your lesson planning, here are resources, links, and guides to help you.

Everything about City of Orphans

Immigrants have arrived in this country for hundreds of years. For many of them, life in America was much harder than they expected. Maks’ story, set in 1893, is one of harrowing danger and a loving, caring family. In your classroom or book group, open up discussions comparing immigration then and now, as well as ... Read more

Everything about Catch You Later, Traitor

What is truth? What is rumor? To what lengths will a government go to round up citizens suspected of undermining the United States? Set amidst the true events of the McCarthy Era (late 1940s to 1950s), this novel is based on my own story. Classrooms and book groups will find much to discuss.

Everything about The Fighting Ground

For many years, schools have included this book in their Revolutionary War curriculum because it engenders good discussions, so in our tour of my books this summer, we need to include The Fighting Ground.

Everything about The Most Important Thing

An ideal book for discussion groups, these are seven short stories ranging from humorous to dramatic about boys' relationships with their fathers and grandfathers.

Everything Button War

This book is being discussed in classrooms, book clubs, and peace organizations around the world, so I offer you some interesting tidbits about The Button War: Behind the story It must have been something like forty years ago. I was visiting my father-in-law with my older boys. They were playing with something they were collecting, ... Read more

Everything Charlotte Doyle

For The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, learn the story behind the book, intriguing resources, book covers over the years, and what we know about a movie version.

Visiting classrooms

The first time I visited a classroom—in my role as a writer—was in 1970. I remember it well. This morning, via Zoom, I visited a class in Rumford, Rhode Island, via Zoom. Last class of the strangest season. I shall remember it well, too.