Fifth Grade

5

th

Lutz Preparatory 2014-15 Grade Summer Reading Assignment

Hello ‘rising 5th graders’! Welcome to your Summer Reading Project! Our hope is for you to have a great summer of exciting fun and interesting reading! Please read a book from those listed below, and pick one assignment from the list that you will complete and be ready to share on the first day of school. We will start off the year with these creative reading assignments and you will earn a free dress down pass. In addition you may decide to read other books of your choice from the list below for pleasure. You may want to keep a reading log to keep track of any questions, thoughts, or ideas you have while reading. *Remember to discuss what you are reading with someone. “Book Talks” are a great strategy to help comprehension. Also, think about and use your knowledge regarding the components of a story (and book reports in general) to help you put your project together. Remember, you are trying to display your knowledge and understanding of the book you read. You have all summer to put together your assignment, so good luck, be innovative, work to the very best of your ability, and happy reading! ASSIGNMENTS TO CHOOSE FROM: 1. TACTILE REPORT: Select a 3-dimensional form for your report. It can be a can, a box, or anything else that might be appropriate for your book. Decorate the container to describe some of the major details, elements, setting, characters, conflicts, problem, solution, and themes from the book, and sort the information into various types that you might find on a normal book report. Remember, be creative. 2. LETTER TO THE AUTHOR: After reading a book, share your reactions and opinions of the book in a letter written to the author. If you write to an author that is still alive, research him or her to see if you can locate the email address, or real address and consider mailing it. In the letter, briefly talk about the setting, plot, climax, and conclusion of the story. Be sure to use your best handwriting, or you may type it on your computer. Make a connection! 3. BE A JOURNALIST: Write 8 -10 questions to ask a main character in your book. Then write what the character would say in response to each question. The questions and answers should provide detailed information that shows that you read the book and understand significant details. Make sure the answers have good depth.

4. ‘ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER’ GAME: Create an innovative game similar to the TV show using flash cards that utilize key components of the story to indicate your knowledge of the book. Share the questions and answers with your peers. Here’s your chance to be the Host! 5. CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE!: Create a life-size “portrait” of one of the characters from the book. The portrait should include a written piece that tells about the character. It also needs to include information about the events, traits, or conflicts in the book that involve the character. 6. PICTURE BOOK: Create a picture book version of the story that would appeal to younger students. Be sure to include the beginning, middle, and end, setting, characters, plot, and anything else that you feel would help tell the story without words. However, you may use simple captions and phrases on each page. 7. DEAR DIARY: Write a diary for the main character as they progress throughout the story, as seen from that perspective. Include lots of visuals as if the character were drawing them. 8. HOLLYWOOD MOVIE: Create a simple video movie of your book, making the characters come to life with your acting skills. Get your family to be actors in your movie! You will need to plan carefully and craft a basic script first. We will play your movie on the white screen in the classroom, so utilize a flash drive or Disc for ease of use. Include a Movie poster advertising your movie! 9. BE AN ENGINEER: Create a model of a scene from the book, and describe the scene in depth, referencing the whole novel in terms of plot and character development. Be a builder! BOOKS TO CHOOSE FROM (with picture and description):

I Am the Ice Worm by MaryAnn Easley (Boys Mill Press, 1998).

This book is sort of a girls' version of Gary Paulsen's classic Hatchet. In both stories, a teenage character is stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash.

In I Am the Ice Worm, 14-year-old Allison is rescued from the Alaskan wild by an

Inupiat trapper, who takes her to his village to stay until she can be reunited with her mother. Allison's upbringing in an upper-class family in southern California certainly didn't prepare her for this icy adventure, but she turns out to have courage and adaptability that she didn't expect. Though Allison may initially seem too "girly" for boy readers, this novel has a great blend of adventure, wilderness, and family matters that will captivate boys and girls alike. 127 pages.

The Light Princess by George McDonald, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

(Farrar Straus Giroux, 1984). Just when you think your child might be getting too old for fairy tales, along comes this amazing 19th-century princess story to change both of your minds. Chock-full of puns and mixed with just the right blend of whimsy and ethics lessons, The Light Princess deserves a fresh set of 21st-century eyes. 110 pages.

Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan (Puffin, 2006). Ever dream of saving the world by sled? During World War II and the German occupation of Norway, children in a small Norwegian town prevented $9 million worth of gold from reaching their captors by smuggling it on their sleds in the form of bricks. This suspenseful tale is based on a true story and makes for an amazing read. 208 pages.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (Simon & Schuster, 2007).

The story is about Brian, 13, and how he manages to survive 54 days in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Brian was flying to visit his father when the pilot dies in mid-flight. Brian crash lands the plane into a small lake and swims out of the wreckage. He has his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and a hatchet (a gift from his mother). The novel takes us through Brian's days, how he learns patience through his experiences with failures and small successes: building a fire, fishing and hunting, making his shelter a safe one. He endures a porcupine attack, a tornado and being utterly alone for almost two months. This is a tale of adventure but, more importantly, it is a tale of character growth. 192 pages.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr, illustrated by

Ronald Himler (Putnam, 1999, originally published in 1977). This is a book to teach your child about the horrors of war and illness, but most importantly about hope. Based on a true story set in World War II Japan, young Sadako attempts to carry out the legend that the crafting of 1,000 paper cranes would heal her disease. Young readers learn indelible lessons that will stay with them for life. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a stunning portrait of life, death, and the power of courage. 80 pages.

Peak by Roland Smith (Harcourt, 2007).

When 14-year-old Peak Marcello is caught scaling a skyscraper to place his signature graffiti tag, he is offered a choice: spend three years in juvenile detention or climb Mt. Everest with his long-absent father. Though the choice might be easy, the journey is not. Peak is physically and emotionally challenged by the grueling climb, the weather, and the politics and drama of climbing culture. And the pressure is on, because if Peak can reach the summit before his 15th birthday, he'll break a world record and gain glory and money. Peak is gripping and surprising, and though it's written for a middle-grade audience, readers young and old will be sucked in by the sharp writing and memorable characters. 246 pages.

The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood (Puffin Books, 2000).

Fourteen-year-old orphan Widge works for a mean and unscrupulous master who goes by the name of Falconer. Ordered to steal the script for Hamlet, Widge is taken to London and forced to attend a performance of the play. Instead of concentrating on stealing the script, he becomes engrossed in the show. Reluctantly, Widge admits his failure to Falconer and is told to return until his mission is accomplished. Nothing goes as planned and a very surprised Widge finds himself an accepted member of the backstage crew. Once a lonely outcast, he has friends and a place to call home for the first time in his life. Will he have the moral integrity to disobey his master or will he betray his new family? Set in Elizabethan London, The Shakespeare Stealer introduces us to Shakespearean stagecraft, life on the streets of London, and to the truth behind the youthful appearance of Queen Elizabeth I! 216 pages.

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean (Harper Teen, 2005).

Sym Wates is obsessed with everything Antarctic — especially the doomed explorer Titus Oates, who died in a 1911 expedition to the South Pole. She is thrilled when her uncle Victor arranges to take her to Antarctica, but her delight doesn't last; it turns out that Uncle Victor has a strange ulterior motive for the trip and that some of Sym's fellow travelers aren't who they claim to be — especially Uncle Victor. The White Darkness weaves history, family drama and adventure into a thrilling tale. 373 pages.

The Contest: Everest #1 by Gordon Korman (Scholastic, 2002). In The Contest, the first installment of Gordon Korman's Everest trilogy, 20 young mountaineers vie for four spots on Summit Quest — the world's youngest team to ascend Mt. Everest. As climbers are cut from the team, tensions build, personalities clash and the remaining hopefuls struggle to deal with their own fears and weaknesses. This gripping story will have readers holding their breath — especially since we know from the prologue that one of the climbers doesn't make it off the mountain. 138 pages.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (Square Fish, 2008). The Cricket in Times Square has been initiating bookworms since 1960 and shows no sign of stopping. These days, fantasy-series books rule the bookshelves, yet this quiet tale of friendship endures. Chester Cricket, Tucker

Mouse and Harry Cat meet at a newsstand in a New York subway station when a lonely little boy, Mario Bellini, finds the cricket in a pile of trash. He decides to keep Chester as a pet, and a series of adventures follow. Perfect for a quiet read on a long trip this summer. 144 pages.

The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis (Yearling, 2007). The Misadventures of Maude March is a Wild West story about two orphan girls

who become outlaws. Set within the historical context of prairie life, 11-year-old tomboy Sallie March is a lover of dime-store novels. She and her sister become the main characters of their own "real-life" story when they escape their guardians and encounter rattlesnakes, cougars, an unsavory gang and a blizzard. The pages practically turn themselves in this roller-coaster ride of a book. 295 pages.

Pirateology by Dugald A. Steer, illustrated by Anne Yvonne Gilbert, Ian

Andrew and Helen Ward (Candlewick Press, 2006). The richly detailed Pirateology (the latest of the popular 'Ology books) is a standout among pirate merchandise, and a treat for both children and adults. This hefty volume centers on the search for treasure left by the "notorious" (i.e., fictional) pirate Arabella Drummond and comes with a host of pirate gear: a compass, maps and scraps of flags, among others. Pirateology is loaded with envelopes to be opened, journals and letters to pore over, and codes to be deciphered. Along the way, children learn about navigation, history, zoology and more. Real pirate lore is seamlessly blended with fictional narrative (even the publishing credits are disguised so as not to break the mood), and the old-fashioned illustrations are top notch. Another notable feature is that the pirate pursued here is female, making this book appeal to readers of both genders.

Chronicles of Prydain #01: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Henry Holt, 2006, originally published in 1964). Ah, the fantasy series, how we love thee. For children today, there is no higher praise than to compare a book to the Harry Potter series. The Book of Three is the first of the fabulous Chronicles of Prydain series and has Taran and his Psychic pig, Henwyn, taking on the evil Horned King. This is a great "under the covers, past your bedtime, flashlight" read; most highly recommended. 224 pages.

The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald, illustrated by Mercer Mayer (Puffin, 2004). Set in the early 1900s, Tom Fitzgerald, aka "The Great Brain," is of the "Tom Sawyer" ilk. He is a shrewd and wily kid with a keen ability to earn a penny. Nevertheless, his intelligence ends up saving the day when he and his younger brother get lost in Skeleton Cave. 175 pages.

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Simon and Schuster, 1991). Nothing is simple in this taut, unforgettable drama. Kids love this edge-of-the seat story of a boy, eleven-year-old Marty Preston, who loves to spend time up in the hills behind his home near Friendly, West Virginia. Sometimes he takes his .22 rifle to see what he can shoot, like some cans lined up on a rail fence. Other times he goes up early in the morning just to sit and watch the fox and deer. But one summer Sunday, Marty comes across something different on the road just

past the old Shiloh schoolhouses -- a young beagle -- and the trouble begins. What do you do when a dog you suspect is being mistreated runs away and comes to you? When it is someone else's dog? When the man who owns him has a gun? This is Marty's problem, and he finds it is one he has to face alone. When his solution gets too big for him to handle, things become more frightening still. Finally, Marty puts his courage on the line and discovers in the process that it is not always easy to separate right from wrong. Sometimes, however, you'll do almost anything to save a dog you love. 144 pages. Newbery Medal Award.

Homesick by Jean Fritz (Puffin, reissue edition, 2007). Celebrated children's author Jean Fritz turns her eye on her own childhood. Born in China of American parents, young Jean feels torn between her homesickness for the America of her grandmother's letters and the devout love she feels for the Chinese people and their culture. 176 pages. Krisha Roach

The School Story by Andrew Clements (Simon & Schuster, 2001). Readers will grin from beginning to end of this enchanting story. A kid getting a novel published — too ridiculous to be believable, right? Just ask Gordon Korman, whose first novel, which he wrote as a seventh-grade English project, was published when he was 12. It sold very well, and he had five more published before he graduated from high school. Publishers are looking for good school stories — who better to write one than a kid? This book should prompt many fruitful family discussions, and inspire young authors to reach for their dreams. 196 pages.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer

(Yearling, 1988). Described by many children as "the best book ever," this is fantasy at its best. Full of irony and insights, Juster created a masterpiece when he wrote The PhantomTollbooth. Give this book to your child and let the wave of words and numbers sweep them into a fantastical world. First published in 1961. 255 pages.

The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor (HarperCollins, 1911). Beautifully written, the book shows two selfish, disagreeable children transformed by the magic of nature and their own imaginations as they work to bring a near-dead garden back to life. For the serious kid reader, this is a stay-up all night, flashlight-under-the-covers story with fine watercolor illustrations. Hodgson combines realism, mystery and moral sensibility to make a world children will love. 368 pages.

Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). Life in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1912 wasn't easy. ... Born to Italian immigrants, Rosa's parents and older sister work in the mills. After her father died in a mill accident, Rosa's mother took in a family of boarders. Even though they needed the money, Rosa's feisty mother insisted that 12-year-old Rosa attend school rather than work in the mill. ... With her unfailing empathy for the young, Paterson combines the thoughts and feelings of a timid child who is torn

between the admonitions of an admired teacher who talks against an unfolding mill strike and her earthy Italian mother who, along with Rosa's older sister, participates wholeheartedly in the strike. ... Once again, Paterson displays her gift for bringing the hard past to life for present-day readers. 288 pages.

The Cay by Theodore Taylor (Yearling, 2002).

Set during World War II in the Dutch West Indies, this is a story about true friendship, survival and overcoming racism. This enduring tale strikes many of the same chords today as it did in 1969, the year it was first published. 144 pages.

The Canning Season by Polly Horvath (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003). Ratchet loves her selfish mother but receives little in return. Without warning or luggage of any sort, Ratchet's mother ships her to Maine to spend the summer with two elderly relatives. Tilly and Penpen are un-identical twins who are tremendously eccentric; they are also kind and generous. A laugh-aloud, farcical story evolves from this unlikely premise. Winner of the 2003 National Book

The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of 5th Grade by Kenneth Derby (Holiday House, 2004). Tony Baloney is obsessed with David Letterman and is determined to be a guest on his show. This fast-paced, action-packed story is sure to keep the reader amused — top 10 lists and all! 144 pages.

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (Eos, 2005).

Matt is a cabin boy on board a luxurious airship, the Aurora. Matt meets Kate, who has arranged for a flight on the Aurora so that she can investigate diary entries her grandfather made regarding large, feline creatures with bat-like wings. Soon, the Aurora is attacked by pirates and forced by a storm to land on a tropical island. While exploring the island, Matt and Kate stumble across the bones of one of the "cloud cats" and observe one living in the treetops. But they are captured by the pirates, whose hideout is on the very same island. Will Matt and Kate be able to escape? You won't want to stop turning the pages until you know the answer! Rich with action, the character development does not suffer. Matt and Kate are likable heroes, the pirates vile and even the airship, Aurora, takes on a personality of its own. 544 pages.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

(Simon & Schuster, 1967). Twelve-year-old Claudia and her younger brother Jamie are running away from the tyranny of unappreciative parents and the drudgery of day-to-day living. Claudia has carefully hand-picked the beautiful Metropolitan Museum of Art as their new home. There they quite unexpectedly stumble upon an unknown statue by none other than Michelangelo...or is it? Winner of the 1967 Newbery Award. 162 pages. Krisha Roach

The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Young readers will recognize their classmates and maybe themselves in the key witnesses who describe the events (interrogation-style) leading up to the discovery, use, and destruction of a computer that was supposed to make kids' lives easier. It didn't. 160 pages.

The Lady Grace Mysteries (series) by various authors writing as Lady Grace Cavendish (Random House, 2004-2006). Lady Grace Cavendish is the Nancy Drew of the Elizabethan Age, an independent-minded teenager whose godmother just happens to be Elizabeth I. Court intrigues and rivalries, swashbucklers, unlikely friends and a mystery in each book make these very lively historical novels.

Spy Force Mission: In Search of the Time and Space Machine by Deborah

Abela, illustrated by George O'Connor (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2005). An 11-year-old girl discovers boredom is the least of her problems during the summer she spends at her aunt's farm. Her secret-agent stories take on a new reality when she happens upon a real spy ring. This story is the ultimate thriller for our age. 240 pages.

Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye (Penguin, 2004). Hermux is a watchmaker who also happens to be a mouse. He is mostly content with his life of order and quiet nights curled up with some cheese and a good book, but that all changes when one Linka Perflinger, aviatrix and daredevil, enters and mysteriously exits the picture. 279 pages.

No Talking by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Mark Elliott (Simon & Schuster, 2007). This is an ear-to-ear-grinningly delightful school story. Parents need to know that there is nothing to be concerned about here and lots to cheer. It's a story that even reluctant readers can love, about good-hearted children and adults who grow in compassion and understanding. Families can talk about silence and civil disobedience. Why does the silence seem so powerful? How does it change everyone's perceptions? What do you think of the standoff between Dave and the principal? 146 pages.

The Emerald Wand of Oz by Sherwood Smith, illustrated by William Stout

(HarperCollins Children's Books, 2005). This book transports the reader back to the enchanted land of Oz, but it is a much different Oz than the one to which Dorothy traveled. Two girls named Dori and Em will try to save Oz from yet another wicked witch. 272 pages.

The True Meaning of SmekDay by Adam Rex (Hyperion, 2007).

A rollicking adventure told by young Gratuity Tucci, this is the story of the invasion of Earth by aliens known as the Boov. All Americans are relocated to Florida (but then to Texas, once the Boov figure out the joys of orange juice). Gratuity only wants to find her mom. She sets out on her own, joins forces with a renegade Boovian mechanic named J.Lo, has to figure out how to save the Earth, and then the Boov from the Gorg. Good grief, what a mess! But Gratuity Tucci is a heroine of the most invincible kind: a small, 12-year-old girl. And in the grand tradition of small, 12-year-old girls everywhere, she is completely underestimated by absolutely everyone! 423 pages.

Wizard of Earthsea: The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1 by Ursula Le Guin (Bantam Books Published, 2006). This is high fantasy, written by a master, one of the great works of young adult literature of the 20th century. So what keeps the pages turning? For turn they do — this thoughtful and thought-provoking novel hasn't stayed in print for 40 years for nothing. It's all in the details, the gradual unfolding and perfecting of another world, with its own rules and geography and magic. 183 pages.

Snow Wings by Jutta Goetze (Allen & Unwin, 2006). Snow Wings is a fantasy where evil forces have taken over the world. Six kids must learn to face their fears and work together to save the planet in this page-turner that takes its heroes on alpine adventures involving avalanche rescues, ski races, snow lizards, flying sleighs and magical snowmen. An engaging fantasy mixed with a modern-day thriller. 300 pages. FURTHER READING CHOICES (with description): Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech Zinnia Taylor lives in Bybanks, Kentucky, with too many brothers and sisters -- a mess of "tadpoles" and "pumpkins" is what her uncle Nate calls them. When Zinny discovers a mysterious, overgrown trail that begins on her family's farm, she's determined to clear it, from start to finish. For she's finally found a place of her own, a place where she can go, away from her family, to hear herself think. But what Zinny didn't realize is that the mysteries of the trail are intertwined with her own unanswered questions and family secrets, and that the trail -- and her passion to uncover it -- is leading her on a journey home. CHASING REDBIRD is a powerful, beautifully crafted story about a young girl discovering

that life is a tangle of mysteries, surprises, and everyday occurrences -- a journey that often needs unraveling and that sometimes must be traveled alone.

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary, Paul O. Zelinsky (illus.)

When fourth grader Leigh Botts asks Mr. Henshaw to write to him personally, he gets more than he bargained for. Mr. Henshaw's letters are full of questions, and Leigh is getting tired of answering them. But as he continues his correspondence with his favorite author, he not only gets plenty of tips on writing, but he also finds a wise and thoughtful friend to whom he can tell his troubles.

Holes by Louis Sachar

As further evidence of his family's bad fortune, which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish boys' juvenile detention center in the Texas desert. As punishment, the boys here must each dig a hole every day, five feet deep and five feet across. Ultimately, Stanley "digs up the truth" -- and through his experience, finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself. HOLES is a wildly inventive, darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment -- and redemption.

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord, Marc Simont (illus.) Shirley Temple Wong sails from China to America with a heart full of dreams. Her new home is Brooklyn, New York. America is indeed a land full of wonders, but Shirley doesn't know any English, so it's hard to make friends. Then a miracle -- baseball -- happens. It is 1947, and Jackie Robinson, star of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is everyone's hero. Jackie Robinson is proving that a black man, the grandson of a slave, can make a difference in America. And for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off, America becomes the land of opportunity.

Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park

How could someone like Mick die? He was the kid who freaked out his mom by putting a ceramic eye in a defrosted chicken, the kid who did a wild dance in front of the whole school -- and the kid who, if only he had worn his bicycle helmet, would still be alive today. But now Phoebe Harte's 12-year-old brother is gone, and Phoebe's world has turned upside down. With her trademark candor and compassion, beloved middle-grade writer Barbara Park tells how Phoebe copes with her painful loss in this story filled with sadness, humor -- and hope.

The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg It was a surprise to a lot of people when Mrs. Olinski's team won the sixth-grade Academic Bowl contest at Epiphany Middle School. It was an even bigger surprise when they beat the seventh grade and the eighth grade, too. And when they went on to even greater victories, everyone began to ask: How did it happen? Mrs. Olinski, returning to teaching after having been injured in an automobile accident, found that her Academic Bowl team became her answer to finding confidence and success. What she did not know, at least at first, was that her team knew better than she did the answer to why they had been chosen. This is a tale about a team, a class, a school, a series of contests and, set in the midst of this, four jewel-like short stories -- one for each of the team members -- that ask questions and demonstrate surprising answers.

Wait Till Helen Comes, A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn Molly and Michael dislike their spooky new stepsister Heather but realize that they must try to save her when she seems ready to follow a ghost child to her doom.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle, proud of her country roots and the "Indian-ness in her blood," travels from Ohio to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents. Along the way, she tells of the story of Phoebe Winterbottom, who received mysterious messages, who met a "potential lunatic," and whose mother disappeared. Beneath Phoebe's story is Salamanca's own story and that of her mother, who left one April morning for Idaho, promising to return before the tulips bloomed. Sal's mother has not, however, returned, and the trip to Idaho takes on a growing urgency as Salamanca hopes to get to Idaho in time for her mother's birthday and bring her back, despite her father's warning that she is fishing in the air. This richly layered Newbery Medal-winning novel is in turn funny, mysterious, and touching.

Coraline. By Neil Gaiman. In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close. The fourteenth is locked, and on the other

side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own. Only it's different.

Anne of Green Gables. By L. M. Montgomery.

Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middleaged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make a lasting impression on everyone around her.

Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day. By Gary Paulsen. Today Molly: Learned her wacky grandma was coming to spend the day at school with her; Lost her Notebook with Everything that Matters in it, including her homework; got a black eye; and tore her skirt. And it’s only 9 a.m. Could things get any worse? You bet!