This first book is a wonderful story for kids of all ages. We will do reading on our own before each class, and practice our oral reading skills in class. Learners are not forced to read out loud during class, but are encouraged. During the first half of the class, we will discuss key plot points, our favorite parts, and other memorable moments.  We may also do an activity based on the lesson of the week such as a writing activity, brainstorming, using our imaginations, or we may even do role play and discuss adaptation. 

**You do not need to read before the first class. 

There is no assignment before the first class. Please read the following for the subsequent classes: 
Before meeting 2: read chapter 1 to the end of chapter 33
Before meeting 3: read chapter 34 to the end of chapter 51


About the book: "In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family. Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now. Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read."