I recently read Gregory Funaro's Alistair Grim's Odditorium. What an amazing collection of fantastical delights: a gigantic building which can travel through time and is powered by playing a pipe organ, samurais, banshees, a castle dungeon in the clouds, armored skeletons with glowing red eyes, creatures who are neither living nor dead, and fairies who are not always good. Then there is Prince Nightshade!
This seemed like a terrific vehicle for introducing students to Jen Malone's The Margin Project. Aspects of this unique project include:
This seemed like a terrific vehicle for introducing students to Jen Malone's The Margin Project. Aspects of this unique project include:
- Kids actually write in specifically identified books.
- The Margin Project creates a social experience for students. After they read a book and written notations in the margins, the book is passed on to another student, who may read and make notations on both the story and on the previous notations.
I inaugurated the project with the fourth grade classes. During library time, I booktalked Alistair Grim's Odditorium and then demonstrated possible written entries. Students and teachers became very excited. Throughout the year I will do additional booktalks with galleys, demonstrating ideas for Margin Project notations. Because all Fourth Grade classes are participating, books can be shared among the three classrooms. I love the idea of making books social. This book served as a perfect vehicle for introducing The Margin Project to students.
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