Text to Text Connections

"Sometimes the trail you leave behind you is more important than the path ahead of you."  Tyler's precept that he liked from How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor.  I love that students are picking up characters' mottos and precepts from the books they're reading.  Way to go, Tyler!  The precepts that we have on my classroom door at JFB are very profound!  Thank you, JFB students and families, for sharing your precepts with us!  KME and SLE - bring yours in, too, and we'll make a wall or door of them!

We're about to learn what Summer has to say.  What are your predictions?  What do you think Summer's thoughts and feelings are going to be like?

Are you making text to text connections between your book group book and Wonder? 
What are they?

 I have some thoughts about the similarities and differences between Via and Catherine in Rules since they are both siblings of a brother with differences.  If you're reading Rules, what are your thoughts about that?

If you're reading Out of My Mind, are you making text to text connections between Melody's mom and Auggie's mom?  Anything else?

While reading Report to the Principal's Office, I've been thinking about the point of view.  I wonder why Jerry Spinelli decided on limited omniscient point of view instead of multiple first person points of view like R.J. Palacio used in Wonder.  What do you think?

Can you find any text to text connections between Mango-Shaped Space and Wonder?  Mia and Auggie have one big difference.  Mia has been able to hide her disorder and Auggie can't.  What do you think about that?  Has that made Mia's life easier than Auggie's?  Why or why not?  The other difference is that Auggie's disorder is physical and Mia's is mental.  Does that make a difference?  Tell me what you think.

Anything But Typical and Wonder are good for making text to text connections as well.  Jason and Auggie are both looking for ways to connect with other people.  Do they have real friends?  How can they tell and why is so difficult for them to have "normal" relationships?

Can you make connections between Joey in Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key and Auggie?  How are they alike?  How are they different?  What about the adults in their lives - are they similar?

Last but not least, does The Strange Case of Origami Yoda have any connections with Wonder?  Are there similarities between Auggie's school and Dwight's?  Do Auggie and Dwight have any of the same problems?

Is anyone reading two of the small book groups?  I think some of you chose another small group book for your independent book this month.  Can you make text to text connections between them?  I think Rules and Out of My Mind have a lot in common because Jason in Rules sounds a lot like Melody!  Also, Anything But Typical would be interesting to read after Rules because it's told from the point of view of a main character who is autistic.  You would understand Catherine's little brother, David, better, since David isn't the narrator.  Also, Joey Pigza and Report to the Principal's Office sound similar to me.

I'd love for you to comment on all this and let me know what you're thinking!