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Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero



Last updated Thursday, June 5, 2014

Author: Anne Cottringer
Illustrator: Alex T. Smith
Date of Publication: 2009
ISBN: 1589250834
Grade Level: Kindergarten    (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jun. 2014

Synopsis: By day, Eliot is quiet. He reads his books, feeds his goldfish, and watches Mr. Smith wash his car. "Eliot is such a quiet little thing," say all the grown-ups. But the grown-ups don't know that when the clock strikes midnight . . . Eliot is a SUPERHERO! Eliot's midnight adventures include saving a crowd from lions that escaped from the zoo, hanging from helicopters and finding lost teddy bears for babies. Then one night, Eliot receives an urgent message from the world's most important scientists and he embarks on his most important mission ever--saving the world.

Discussion topics for before reading:
•  Who is your favorite superhero? Why are they your favorite superhero?
•  If you could have any special skill or talent in order to save the world what would it be and why?

Vocabulary:
•  glacier - a very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land
•  rampaging - moving in a wild and destructive way
•  Coast Guard - a military or naval force employed in guarding a coast or neighboring waters
•  champion - someone who has won a contest or competition especially in sports
•  anchor - a heavy device that is attached to a boat or ship by a rope or chain and that is thrown into the water to hold the boat or ship in place
•  mastermind - a person who plans and organizes something
•  sleuth - someone who looks for information to solve crimes
•  meteor - a piece of rock or metal that burns and glows brightly in the sky as it falls from outer space into the Earth's atmosphere
•  mission - a task or job that someone is given to do
•  supersonic - speeds from one to five times the speed of sound in air
•  ingenuity - skill or cleverness that allows someone to solve problems, invent things, etc.

Discussion topics for during/after reading:
•  Has there been a time where you used a special skill of your own to help others? If yes, share your story!
•  If you were Eliot, what would you have done in order to stop the meteor?

Craft ideas:
•  Draw yourself in a rocket. You can draw or make a cut-out rocket with basic shapes, such as triangles & an oval.
•  Make a father's day card.

*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions. You can use them, but you don't have to use them. You can expand upon them, or add your own twist. Remember, though, that the focus of your time should not be on the development and execution of a craft; the focus should be on the read-aloud and the enjoyment of the book!