THE LIBRARY CARD by Jerry Spinelli

THE LIBRARY CARD by Jerry Spinelli
Gr. 8 Sem. 1
690L
These four stories tell a little bit about how a library card touches the
lives of four different kids. In the first story, Mongoose and his friend
Weasel have always been close. Now all of a sudden Mongoose has
discovered the library and a fascinating book that tells him all sorts of
things about animals he never knew. This causes him to grow apart from
Weasel, who is mostly interested in stealing and vandalizing the city.
In the second story, Brenda doesn't know how she'll survive her school's
television turn-off week.
In the third story, homeless Sonseray has a lot missing in his life, but
mostly he's missing the book his mother used to read to him, which he has
been looking for his entire life.
In the fourth story, April has moved from New York City to a small town,
which she hates. Then she catches a ride on the bookmobile and meets an
older girl who becomes her first friend in town.
The STORY OF MONGOOSE:
While you read fill in the below Compare and Contrast Chart on these two
boys.
Weasel (Bobby Morgan).
Mongoose (Jamie Hill)
While you read you will see that these two characters are creating their
own rite of passage. Read what rite of passage means:
Noun. - Rites of passage.
A ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person's life pointing out
a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to
adulthood. Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding events
such as childbirth, coming of age, marriage, weddings, and death.
In all societies, major events in the life cycle are subject to
ritualized forms of recognition. Across the world, such events are
celebrated in diverse and sometimes elaborate ways, with different
cultures singling out different stages of life for attention.
Rites of passage, which disconnect ritual moments from the normal
flow of life, break the passage of time, representing it as a constant
replay of opposed movements.
Life crisis rituals may not simply acknowledge changes in the life
history, but in many societies have a truly transformational intent: the
main and only means by which boys can be transformed into men,
girls into women, elders into ancestors, the sick into spirit mediums, or
princes into kings.
I.D.12 Connecting with literature – please describe and/or illustrate a
rite of passage you or someone you know has participated in:
The following quotes are from the story about
Weasel (Bobby Morgan) and Mongoose (Jamie Hill).
Look the quote up in your book to read it in context.
Then write in compete sentences why the quote is important to the story
AND what it means from the character’s point of view.
Page 7
“I don’t gotta be nothin’. I ain’t even here.”… “No I ain’t. Not
no more.”
I.C.4 Who said this and why do they feel this way?
Page 8
“They saw paint cans. They saw cars. They saw freedom.”
I.C.4 What freedom did they see and was it truly freedom?
Page 10
“Yeah, ragtop. Red. With mag wheels. Pinstripes.” Weasel
jumped up. He careened around the roof, his hands gripping an
imaginary steering wheel, working an imaginary stick shift.”
I.B.2&I.B.3 What does the word careened mean?
Page 15
“He had just completed [painting] the third “O” when he
suddenly stopped and drew back in fright. . . . he had just
painted over a huge insect.”
1.D.12 When you read this quote in the book what does this
tell you about Mongoose’s personality? Is he a bully?
Page 31
“As he pushed through the door the cold air and her voice hit
him at the same time: “Good-bye, Mongoose.”
I.C.4 How does the librarian know who Mongoose is?
Page 36
“He was in a battle of some kind, without weapons, all he
knew was that he was losing.”
I.C.4 In a few complete sentences describe who is the enemy.
THE STORY OF BRENDA
Pre-reading activity:
I.D.12
In a small group discuss what you think you would be able to
live without.
You don’t have to give up food, clothing, shelter or water – those you can
keep, but you must choose something that you use daily and possibly like
to use but now have to give up. . . .
Illustrate that item you would find difficult to give up here:
I.B.2 & I.B.3 Brenda Vocabulary:
Page & Word:
p. 62 sitcom
p. 64 glove compartment
p. 64 magnification
p. 66 antenna
p. 71 biography
p. 71 contents
p. 80 suspended
p. 80 accustomed
Word Meaning
THE STORY OF SONSERAY
I.B.2 & I.B.3 Sonseray Vocabulary:
Page & Word:
p. 90 runt
p. 90 impertinence
p. 91 civilized hesitation
p. 93 adamantly
p. 95 panorama
p. 105 mirth
p. 109 ingrate
Word Meaning
I.C.4 Compare and contrast the character traits of Weasel (in the story
Mongoose) and Sonseray.
Compare and Contrast:
Weasel
Sonseray
THE STORY OF APRIL MENDEZ
I.B.2 & I.B.3 April Mendez Vocabulary:
Page & Word:
p. 123 decent
p. 127 hallucination
Word Meaning
A relationship between April and Nanette develops on the bus while
traveling to Dorras Road.
This relationship like many takes unexpected turns and ends up differently
then what we may have initially thought.
In the table on the following page complete the chart. What occurs in each
of the character’s lives that eventually creates a lasting friendship.
April
A talkative, 11 and a half
year old girl.
The Relationship Road
Nanette
A young woman with a
very grumpy attitude