| Booktalk
#1
Cara Landry notices things
that other kids might miss. Then she reports them in her newspaper. In
her last school, Cara often got in trouble for her reporting because she
didn’t always have all the facts. Now, in a new school, Cara still reports
what she sees, but makes sure she always tells the truth, even if it hurts.
When Cara writes an editorial about her teacher not teaching anything to
their class, Mr. Larson is angry enough that she’s afraid he’ll stop her
from printing her newspaper. Instead, he turns the newspaper into a class
project. Soon the whole class gets involved. When the principal tries to
shut down their newspaper, Mr. Larson refuses to do it and finds his job
is in jeopardy. What happens to the newspaper? Does Mr. Larson lose his
job? Read The Landry News by Andrew Clements to find out. (New
Hampshire Great Stone Face Committee)
Booktalk #2
Would you write something about
your teacher that said she never taught you anything and then post it up
on the wall for everyone—even the teacher—to see? Cara Landry was
just that brave or crazy to do it!
Cara had always liked writing,
especially newspaper stories, so when she moved to her new school she kept
on doing it. Mr. Larson, the fifth grade teacher, was known for his
teaching style, which was to let kids teach themselves so he could read
his newspaper. Cara thought this was just fine since she had plenty
to do to stay busy while the rest of the class was in total chaos.
The day she published her first edition of the Landry News with the editorial
about Mr. Larson, things started to change in Room 145.
The kids all thought it was
great that she was so bold. Mr. Larson couldn't remember when he
had been so mad as when he read the editorial. The principal thought
this was going to be the perfect way to finally get rid of Mr. Larson,
even though at one point he had been named "teacher of the year" for 3
years in a row. What had happened to that Mr. Larson? Was Cara
just rude to have written her editorial? Cara wanted something more
from her teacher. She wanted to learn and she wanted to find out what had
happened to that great teacher he had been. After all, any good reporter
would dig to find the facts behind the story.
The commotion that was started
with Cara's first editorial, changes everything about Room 145 and the
kids in that class. In Landry News by Andrew Clements, Cara finds
out that there is much more to reporting than just telling the facts.
Mr. Landry discovers something about himself along the way. Your
best investigative reporting would be to read this book and find out what
happens because of one editorial that just told the truth. (Peggy
Lewis, teacher, plewis2@bsu.edu) |
