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Books Inspired by Talking Pictures by Ransom Riggs
Inspiration
Ransom Riggs is the author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The pictures in that book are considered "found photographs." Riggs is an avid collector of old photos that he finds in antique stores. He especially likes the ones that have writing on them to explain something about the mystery of the picture. So, let's have a little fun. What do you have to say about the pictures? What are the people thinking? Why might they be saying? Who took the picture? Why was the picture taken?
Quickwrite: Tell a quick story about what you think happened to this car. Oh, and tell it in the voice of the car! Five minutes. GO!
I Am A Genius of Unspeakable Evil by Josh Leib
Oliver Watson may appear dumb as dirt, but he's actually the Machiavellian owner of a secret global empire. The one thing he doesn't have is his father's respect, so he sets out to win the class election. The only problem is that he is NOT a nice person.
The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck
"If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year for it," 15-year-old Russell says, hoping the miracle of his teacher's death will mean his one-room school will close. Unfortunately, his great big, looming sister Tansy fills the teacher vacancy, and nothing - not a fire in the boys' privy, an adder in her desk, an exploding stove, or a fat lady stuck in a ditch - will deter her.
Texting the Underworld by Ellen Booraem
Teased for being afraid of everything, Conor is forced to face his greatest fears when a banshee shows up in his bedroom one night, looking to escort a family member to the underworld and earn her own mortality. The two become cautious friends as the banshee, named Ashling, decides to follow him to school with both humorous and disastrous consequences.
Quickwrite: This photo was taken in 1960's during the Vietnam War. Using the voice of one of the men in this picture, explain what went on right before this picture was taken. GO!
Dear Blue Sky by Mary Sullivan
In 2006 seventh-grader Cassie's brother, the rock of the family, is deployed to Iraq. Cassie starts following thirteen-year-old Iraqi girl Blue Sky's blog--for a class project on Lois Lowry's The Giver--and finds it eye-opening to see the war from her perspective.
Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan and Nathan Fox
Three fictional stories, told in graphic novel format, about soldiers in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War who were aided by combat dogs. Based on true stories.
Hunt for the Bamboo Rat by Graham Salisbury
Zenji Watanabe, seventeen, is sent from Hawaii to the Philippines to spy on the Japanese during World War II and, after he is captured and tortured, must find a way to survive months of being lost in the jungle behind enemy lines.
Quickwrite: What in the world is going through this little boy's mind? Are they posed for a picture? Who is he looking at? What is the purpose behind taking this picture? Pick any voice you would like to tell the story of what is happening right now! GO!
If You're Reading This by Trent Reedy
For a responsible sixteen-year-old, Michael Wilson has a lot of problems--his father was killed in Afghanistan in 2005, his overworked and overprotective mother will not talk about their situation, and does not want him playing football, and he has suddenly started to receive letters that his father wrote before his death.
Bruiser by Neal Shusterman
Sixteen-year-old twins Tennyson and Bront aren't the closest of siblings, but Tennyson is concerned when his sister starts dating "Bruiser" Rawlins, an antisocial delinquent from a dubious family. But as the twins grow closer to Bruiser, they discover his secret: he takes on the pain and injuries of those he cares about, healing them at his own expense, whether he wants to or not.
Relatively Speaking by Ralph Fletcher
A collection of poems that describe the experiences and relationships in a close-knit family.
Quickwrite: What is this couple's history? Do they have children? Where do they live? Are they really a couple or is this a posed photo under different circumstances? Who is taking the picture? Write a story about these people. You have three minutes. GO!
I Remember You by Cathleen Davitt Bell
Juliet and Lucas are falling in love, but when Lucas "remembers" things about Juliet he could not possibly know. Lucas already remembers their first kiss, their first dance, the gift Juliet’s going to give him for Christmas. He tells her that George H. W. Bush’s son will become president and that there will be another war in the Middle East—a war in which he will die.
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
After Taylor Edwards' family gets devastating news, they decide to spend one last summer all together at their lake house in the Pocono Mountains, they get to know each other again and bond, and Taylor remembers her past friends and crush.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
"It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die." The island of Thisby is the home base of a fierce breed of water horses, the capaill uisce, man-eaters who rise from the autumn seas to terrorize the islanders. They can be captured and somewhat tamed, however, and once a year the island hosts a tourist draw, the Scorpio Races, a beachside contest often fatal to the riders.