DINOSAUR BOY by Cory Oakes Putnam
Title: Dinosaur Boy
Author: Cory Putnam Oakes
ISBN: 9781492605379
Synopsis: Everyone knows the dinosaur gene skips a generation.
So it isn’t a complete surprise when Sawyer sprouts spikes and a tail before the start of fifth grade. After all, his grandfather was part stegosaurus.
Despite the Principal’s Zero Tolerance Policy, Sawyer becomes a bully magnet, befriended only by Elliot aka “Gigantor” and the weird new girl. When the bullies start disappearing, Sawyer is relieved—until he discovers a secret about the principal that’s more shocking than Dino DNA. The bullies are in for a galactically horrible fate…and it’s up to Sawyer and his friends to rescue them.
Discussion & Activity Guide Download: Guide consists of discussion questions, a word scramble puzzle, a point-of-view writing project, and a guided research activity - all aligned with the Common Core State Standards.
A New Year, Logo, and Focus
A few months ago, I asked some dear friends to help me define the skill set that I bring to the kid-lit table. After several insightful email exchanges, the concept you see on the left was conceived...and I love it!
I'm a kinesthetic learner. My mind works in a concrete way. I see patterns and structures in story. I can visualize braiding, layering, echoing, and the like in vivid color and line - ways that can be creatively communicated to others in my discussion and activity guides. In interpreting my vision, I connect readers with story. Holding closely with the slogan, Keeping your books in the hands of the educator and the heart of the child, striving to guide a kid's learning process in a non-didactic, entertaining manner.
It is by intentional design that 'education' is at the apex of the logo's equilateral pencil triangle. I believe, now more than ever, we authors and illustrators have the greatest impact on education. Our innate passion for story and love of young readers is what can be transferred as enthusiasm for learning process. Literary elements we hold dear - plot, theme, premise, tension, climax, a satisfying resolution, to name a few - is the stuff that kids need to hear about from folks that they admire - writers and illustrators. US!
I don't pretend to have all the answers to eliminate test anxiety, stress in the classroom, or teacher burnout. I wish I did, but I don't. But what I do know how to do is connect a kid to a story in a way that they will learn something. And, that's pretty cool...don't you think?