Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

For the first time in a decade, Willy Wonka, the reclusive and eccentric chocolate maker, is opening his doors to the public – well, five members of the public to be exact. The lucky five who find a Golden Ticket in their Wonka chocolate bars will receive a private tour of the factory, given by Mr. Wonka himself. For young Charlie Bucket, this a dream come true. And, when he finds a dollar bill in the street, he can't help but buy two Wonka's Whipple–Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delights – even though his impoverished family could certainly use the extra dollar for food. But as Charlie unwraps the second chocolate bar, he sees the glimmer of gold just under the wrapper! The very next day, Charlie, along with his unworthy fellow winners Mike Teavee, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, and Augustus Gloop, steps through the factory gates to discover whether or not the rumors surrounding the Chocolate Factory and its mysterious owner are true. What they find is that the gossip can't compare to the extraordinary truth, and for Charlie, life will never be the same again. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, another unforgettable masterpiece from the legendary Roald Dahl, never fails to delight, thrill, and utterly captivate.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a book that stands the test of time. Roald Dahl's story continues to capture the attention and imaginations of children today, as it did when it was first published in 1964.  Children relate to Charlie Bucket who is an ordinary boy.  The story is one of good versus evil, where the antagonists are not monsters but naughty children, who get their just desserts in the end.  There is magic.  There is imagination.  There is chocolate.  And in the end, good behaviour is rewarded.     All of this makes Charlie and the Chocolaty factory an ideal book to study, since it has already engaged the children's interest.  There are a myriad of things you can do, using this book in the classroom to build children's skills across a range of curriculum areas.  Click here to access more than 100 activities involving comprehension, character studies, craft activities, maths, ESL, music, social science, art, science.  There are puzzles, games, word searches, worksheets and more...=>  http://bit.ly/XOUHDY

 

He saved Harry's skin in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and now Padfoot is in need of his own savior.

As pointed out by the Sunday Express (via the Daily Mail), the German Shepherd that played Sirius Black's animagus (or, animal form) is up for adoption in Britain, as his owner, stuntman Paul Thompson, can no longer take care of him. => http://huff.to/rawymq

Lionsgate has just rolled out the second phase in its new viral campaign for the upcoming film, The Hunger Games.

The studio launched the first teaser trailer for the film — which is based on a trilogy of books — at the MTV VMAs on Sunday. At the end of the trailer was a hashtag: #whatsmydistrict. This hashtag led intrepid Twitter users on a chase to find a hidden website. More here => http://on.mash.to/n3c5TT

More about the book and the exciting movie poster here => http://bit.ly/n0MdUE

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

EAN:978-0439023528
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published in: Unknown
Published: July 2010
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

... also available at:

Rumors have been swirling all day, but we wanted to wait for the official word. Well, it’s here! Lionsgate has confirmed that Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence has signed on to play Katniss Everdeen in the much-anticipated big-screen adaptation of the bestselling trilogy from Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games.

=> http://bit.ly/gf2Hlb

Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo's debut novel wins a 2001 Newbery Honor and is a NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Bestseller!
The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket--and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.

Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship--and forgiveness--can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.

Recalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, here is a funny, poignant, and utterly genuine first novel from a major new talent.
An unforgettable first novel about coming of age one sweet summer--and learning to love what you have.

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Movie Trailer

The Wee Free men
by Terry Pratchett

A young witch-to-be named Tiffany teams up with the Wee Free Men, a clan of six-inch-high blue men, to rescue her baby brother and ward off a sinister invasion from Fairyland

A Teaching Guide to Terry Pratchett
Spark discussion about A Hat Full of Sky, The Wee Free Men, and The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents with the pre-reading activities and discussion questions in this printable teaching guide to these books by Terry Pratchett.

Discussion module

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Secrets of The Wee Free Men and Discworld: The Myths and Legends of Terry Pratchett's Multiverse

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The Polar Express
by Chris Van Alsburg

One couldn't select a more delightful and exciting premise for a children's book than the tale of a young boy lying awake on Christmas Eve only to have Santa Claus sweep by and take him on a trip with other children to the North Pole. And one couldn't ask for a more talented artist and writer to tell the story than Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg, a sculptor who entered the genre nonchalantly when he created a children's book as a diversion from his sculpting, won the 1986 Caldecott Medal for this book, one of several award winners he's produced. The Polar Express rings with vitality and wonder.

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Scholastic Lesson plan

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Shaun Tan - yes he's incredible. The Lost Thing is his book. He co-directed this short film based on the book. To hear him talk about it, he thought it was a fun thing to do. And now ...

Passion Pictures’ animated short The Lost Thing has been shortlisted by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to advance in the voting process for the 83rd Academy Awards.
The short, directed by Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann, is one of 10 to be pre-selected from a total of 33 films that originally qualified for the animated short film category.

You can watch the film and read more about the book in an earlier post I did on it here => http://bit.ly/fHM5WD