TEXT SET - Create your own with a BOOK RATIONALE

In order to create a valuable Text Set (please take some time to view the Jean Craighead George Text Set, listed in the Table of Contents), one must get to know the books intimately.  When creating a Text Set, be sure that you have an overview which explains why the topic has been selected and then follow the instructions below to create a complete, accurate, and useful Text Set of your own!

The Book Rationale

1.  CITATION:  Title, author, publication date and the publisher.

2.  INTENDED AUDIENCE: Grade level and situation (whole class, small group, individual, or teacher read-aloud)  

3.  BRIEF SUMMARY:  Create a two or three sentence summary which includes the basic plot, being sure to identify, by name, the main characters within the book.  

4.  RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:   Describe how the book will connect to the curriculum or subject which you are teaching and list the objectives in using the book.  

5.  IMPACT:  What impact do you hope the book will have on your students and what new behaviors do you hope to see in your students (e.g., excited about topic, interest in reading more on the subject, etc.  

6.  POTENTIAL PROBLEMS:  Identify what potential problems this book might create if you use it in your classroom.  In other words, what can someone deem as inappropriate or offensive?   How will you, as the teacher, address these problems?  (Some subjects which are questioned include linguistics, politically charged topics, historically accurate language, illness, etc.)  

7.  SUPPORT:   Include the awards which the book won.  Be sure to include at least three positive and substantive reviews which reference the literary quality of the work from reputable, academic sources such as School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, The Horn Book, Publisher's Weekly, New York Times Book Review, etc.)   

8.  ALTERNATIVE READING:  For each book, identify at least three books which, if a parent will not allow his/her child to read the selected book, will still satisfy the same relationship to curriculum and the same impact as the book within the rationale.