A Secret Keeps
by?Marsha Wilson Chall
illus by Heather Solomon
Carolrhoda Books, 2012

I love mysteries, so the title alone, A Secret Keeps,?makes me want to read this book. What is the secret? I’m going to read the book and find out. [CCRA.R.4]

As soon as I start reading this book, I know it is a writer who loves playing with words. The opening is full of alliteration: [CCRA.R.4]

Past towers and trestles,
fences and fields,
the moon follows me to the farm.

I also notice a word I’m not sure of. Trestles. I think that’s like the bridges/raised railroad tracks that trains travel on, but I’m not actually 100% sure. The art doesn’t show anything like that, so maybe I’m totally wrong. I’m going to go look it up. [pause] OK, that is what it is (or at least one thing it is). [CCRA.R.4]

From the title, I wonder what the secret is. And then on the opening page, the kid who is telling the story says his Grampa has something waiting for him. [CCRA.R.1] [CCRA.R.5] ?[CCRA.R.6] I wonder what it could be. I’m going to make three guesses:

1.?????? a bicycle
2.?????? a calf
3.?????? a cool garden/crop to take care of

What do you think the secret will be?

I think it’s interesting that the text is different colors on different pages. Even sometimes on pages with the same color background. [CCRA.R.7]?I wonder why?

To be continued…

In this blog feature, I share a picture book I really enjoy and externalize my process of reading it–and then I go back and add in the CCSS Anchor Standards that my reading thoughts relate to. I’m hoping this will be useful for those of you who are?educators sharing books with kids and perhaps give you ideas of some?elements you could include?in your book discussions.