Lesson 5: Reading Authors

Reading Assignment

The discussion will instruct you when to complete each reading assignment.

Daybook

In this lesson, you get to choose one from the following two units:

• Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, pages 63–78 (You will read Shiloh in lesson 6.)

• Avi, pages 127–140 (You will read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle in lesson 6.)

Writers Express

• Verbs, pages 425–429

Scan (quickly look through) the two units in the Daybook and see what kinds of readings are included and what types of things you will be asked to do in each. To make your decision about the unit you select, you need to know that in lesson 6, you will be reading a novel by the same author you choose in this lesson. Even if you have read both of the novels, you will be learning techniques of analysis that will be new to you. You might want to take a look at the novels and do the following:

• Read the back cover of the book.
• Skim the chapters.
• Read some excerpts.

In addition, think about these questions as you make your decision:

• Have you already read stories by one or both of these authors?
• Have you already read one or both of these novels?
• What types of books do you like to read: adventure, historical fiction, animal stories?