Book Cover Project Due: November 15th
1. Read the book
This is an obvious, but very important, first step! Finish reading the book
before you begin your project. After all, the ending may surprise you — and
you don't want incomplete information in your project.
2. Identify the information
Characters:
who is in the story
Examples: The people, animals, robots, aliens, or wizards
Setting: where
and when the story takes place
Examples: Aunt Mae's farm in 1982, last summer at acting camp, 1950s
London, a lake house in Michigan in present day, or 300 years from now
on Mars
Genre: what kind
of story is being told
Examples: Mystery, fable, historical fiction, or sci-fi fantasy
Point of view:
how the story is being told
Examples: First person — the narrator is also a main character who
refers to himself as "I." Third person — the point of view switches
around and the characters are "he" or "she."
Tone: why the story is being told
Examples: Serious tone for readers who want to learn about the Holocaust
or humorous tone for readers who want a silly book about surviving
middle school
3. Find an interesting
aspect of the story
This can be anything!
Think about your favorite character or the last scene in the book. What
sticks out in your mind as something you have a lot to say about?
4. Write 5 ideas about
the aspect you have chosen
Once you've decided
on a part of the story that interests you — say you think the dialogue is
really funny — sit down and write at least 5 different thoughts about it.
This helps you to pick out specific parts of the story and these details
will give you examples when you create your project.
5. Spin all the separate
pieces into the project
You're now ready to
put all of the information you gathered into an interesting,
entertaining, and above all, informative book project. Have fun with it!
Book Cover Elements
Your book jacket will be original work written and illustrated by you! Your jacket may be written or typed. Be sure to include:
Cover page with visual design and all of the things typically found on most book covers. Do some research if you’re not sure what these would be.
Back cover that includes a summary paragraph that draws the reader in without retelling the entire story. (Remember the correct formation of a paragraph.) Use interesting, vivid language. Proofread your project to make sure it is free from spelling and punctuation errors.
Book reviews can be fictionalized to add that creative touch to your project. Do not copy items off of the back of the original book. Pretend you are writing a review for a newspaper. What would you say about this book? What do friends or family members who have read this book have to say about it? Using direct quotes makes the jacket interesting to read.
Ideas for the Inside Front
Jacket:
Other books by same
author; who would want to read this book and why; awards this book or author
has received; or a particularly interesting scene from the book.
Inside back jacket: Descriptive paragraph about the author with an illustration of the author.
|
4 |
Includes all 5 elements, plus something extra; error-free; superior quality writing and illustration; clever and shows amazing creativity. |
|
3
|
Includes all 5 elements; well-written and interesting; communicates about the book; shows creative expression; 1-2 minor errors; legible, neat writing; turned in on time. |
|
2
|
Only 3 elements; product looks hurried or rushed; quality could have been better; doesn’t tell very much about the book; plain, uninteresting language; many spelling/grammar errors; turned in late. |
|
1
|
Includes 3 or fewer elements; poor quality; it’s clear that the book wasn’t read; phrases or statements were copied or plagiarized from the original book; more than 5 errors; late. |
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
by Avi Wortis
Charlotte Doyle is a young girl who is sailing alone from Liverpool, England to her family home in America to be with her family. Her father owns the Seahawk, the ship run by Captain Jaggery. The crew is planning mutiny, and Charlotte doesn’t know which side she should be on. After a terrible storm, a crew member is found dead on the deck. The question is, who is the murderer, and why did they kill a sailor? In her journal, Charlotte explains all of the exciting happenings aboard the Seahawk and how this scary adventure changes her life forever.
“Superb action-packed adventure. Sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!”
--Kirkland Book Reporter
“ . . . a spellbinding tale of intrigue and murder on the high seas. It’s full of suspense. You’ll want to read ahead, trust me.” --LC, 5th grade student
“I recommend this book because it is both exciting and adventurous. It is a great, great book.”
--CH, 5th grade student
“I think that fifth graders should read this book because it is a fun, adventurous book.” --EH, 5th grade student
“One of the best books I have read.”
CD, 5th grader
“If you like adventure or mystery, this is the right book for you.” --Janie Kach
5th grader
About the Author
Avi Wortis was born in New York City in 1937. He is 5 minutes older than his twin sister, Emily. Emily nicknamed her brother Avi and that has been the only name he has used for much of his life. Even though he had difficulty with writing as a child, he worked hard for many years to improve. He worked as a librarian at the New York public library for 25 years before becoming an author. When his first son, Shaun, was born, Avi began writing books for children, and has since written over 75 books!
Avi identifies with young children and that’s why he writes so many books for them.
So far, he has received twenty one awards for his many books, including the 2003 Newbery Award (Crispin: Cross of Lead) two Newbery Honors (one for The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle), the Horn Book Award, the Scott O'Dell Award, the Christopher Award, plus many state awards. The Man Who was Poe won the Library of Congress Best Book of the Year Citation in 1990.