Unit 5

What Are the Traits of a Good Mystery?

Unit 5 Introduction

Novel Study Introduction

Choose the novel you will read.  You will need to have it read before you reach the novel study assignments later in the Unit.


There are four novels featured here.  Choose one to read. Before choosing, read through the information given for each novel.

Here are the novels from which to choose:

Claudia and her brother Jamie Kincaid run away from home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The children become intrigued by the mysterious statue of an angel donated by the wealthy Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Has it been sculpted by Michelangelo?

To find out the truth, the children visit Mrs. Frankweiler and convince her to let them search her extensive files for information.
This is a mystery story which involves sixteen seemingly unrelated heirs of reclusive businessman Sam Westing and his challenge to figure out the secret of his death. The heirs must figure out who killed Mr. Westing by clues in Mr. Westing's will.
The Incredible Journey tells the story of three brave house pets and their journey across the wild countryside of northwest Ontario, Canada. Together, Luath, a young, gentle Labrador, Tao, a sleek wheat coloured Siamese cat, and Bodger, an old and half blind Bull Terrier  travel over four hundred kilometers in order to be reunited with their beloved owners. It’s a dangerous and difficult trip for all the animals, and there are many unexpected adventures on the way.  It is the friendship and support the animals have for one another and the love they have for their owners that make the entire journey possible.

Websites

Websites

The author, Sheila Burnford, is also a well known poet. 
When Jess Aarons first meets Leslie Burke, he doesn’t imagine that they could ever be friends. For one, Jess is already surrounded by females – his four sisters – and doesn’t need any more girls in his life. Also, Jess’s main ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade, and he is shocked when Leslie outruns him on the first day of school. But to his own surprise, Jess becomes best friends with Leslie, and together they imagine a magical kingdom in the woods called Terabithia. In Terabithia, imagination rules, and Jess and Leslie are king and queen of the land they have created. Then one morning, Leslie dies in a tragic accident while she is attempting to swing over the rain-engorged gully to enter Terabithia. Jess must accept the loss of his friend and recognize the courage, hope, and freedom that his friendship with Leslie had offered him.

Websites

Websites

Bridge to Terabithia earned Katherine Paterson a Newberry Medal. The website, Reading Rockets, provides a biography of the author, as well as a short interview with her.