Book Bag Activities for
The Pagemaster
By: Michele George

• Kirschner, David and Ernie Contreras (1993), The Pagemaster Turner Publishing, Inc.

Rationale

• I chose this book because I had seen the movie and fell in love with the characters. I found the book after I’d seen the movie ad the illustrations were beautiful. I think that there are a lot of possibilities with this book across the curriculum and through the grade levels. I also own the movie, which can be used as incentive for reading the book through and doing the related activities in preparation for viewing the movie.

Questions to use with the story:

• Before: What do you know about the library? What do you like about reading?
• During: What is Richard afraid of? What happened to Richard? Who does Richard meet along the way? What is Richard’s goal? Why are Adventure, Horror and Fantasy with Richard?
• After: Why did Richard take all three books home? What happened to Richard on the way home? Why does Richard sleep in the tree house?

Activities to use with the story:

• Class scavenger hunt in the library. Students will be given a list of items to find, such as genres, book titles, authors, specific information, etc.
• Students can draw a picture or illustration of their favorite part of the book.
• Students can draw a picture or illustration of what their ideal classroom reading corner would look like.
• Classroom field trip to the public library or university library if available.
• Students can write their own extended segment to the book. For example, students may create another obstacle or adventure for the main character to contend with.
• (Depending on age, ability and availability of bicycles) students can create a bicycle safety course.
• Students can write a story about the first time they went to the library or make up a story about going to the library.
• Students can create a map maze of their own library that other classes can complete. For example have the students decide on points of interest in the library and place map finders or place markers to put there for the other classes to find. Give the students a map of shapes or handwritten directions they must follow to retrieve all the objects. The objet would be to see which class knows the library best.
• Have the students create a scavenger hunt for the librarian and the teachers to complete.

Bibliography of other related books:

• Fairy Tale: A True Story Movie Novelization by Monica Kulling, August 1997.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Puffin Novels) by Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (Ill) June 1998
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle April 1973.
• Magic Tree House (Series) by Mary Pope Osborne
• The Wizard of Oz by Lewis Carroll
• Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
• The Redwall Series by Brian Jacques

Props

• Library Card
• Library Map
• Movie
• Jar of Fireflies
• Fairy Wand
• Eye Patch
• Red Bandanna
• Pointed Blue Magic Hat

Assessment Plan:

• Book: This is a long book, I wouldn’t read it all at once. Break it up with activities pertaining to particular sections or chapters.
• Students: Depending on the activity you may assess creativity, completion, cooperation, success, writing, spelling, etc.
• Teacher: Depending on the activity the students can assess the teacher on reading, success, completion, cooperation etc.