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Lulu's Mysterious Mission
Last updated Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Author: Judith Viorst
Illustrator: Kevin Cornell
Date of Publication: 2014
ISBN: 1442497467
Grade Level: 4th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Oct. 2024
Synopsis:
Eeny meeny miney mo,
That babysitter’s got to go.
Lulu has put her tantrum-throwing days behind her. That is, until her parents announce that they are going on vacation - WITHOUT LULU. Not only that, but they are leaving her with the formidable Ms. Sonia Sofia Solinsky, who says hello by bellowing, "The Eagle has landed," and smiles at you with the kind of smile that an alligator might give you before eating you for dinner.
The second her parents are out of the house, Lulu tries out several elaborate schemes to bring them straight back. But just when she seems to finally be making some headway, her babysitter reveals an astonishing secret… one that has Lulu crossing her fingers that her parents will go on vacation all the time - without her!
| Note to readers: |
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IMPORTANT - THIS IS A LONG BOOK. Follow these suggestions for what to read:
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Read from page 1 to 25. This gives the students an idea of what Lulu is like.
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Skip to page 81, explaining that Lulu has tried several different ways to get Ms. Solinsky to give up and call her parents (e.g.,
running away by climbing out her bedroom window and down a tree, pretending to be sick, having
her friend bring her cats over because Ms. Solinksy is very allergic. Page 81 is Lulu’s last effort and
leads to the “mysterious mission” in the title.
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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Have your parents left you with a sitter for a short time? Who was it? An older sibling, a grandparent, a
relative, or someone else?
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Did they ever go away for an extended period of time, like a week, and leave you with a sitter? How did
you like or not like it?
Vocabulary
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screeching: a sudden, abrupt loud scream.
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tantrum: a bad fit of temper
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ransom: a demand of payment for to release someone or something that is being held.
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mysterious: exciting curiosity or surprise over something that is baffling or unkown.
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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Lulu comes up with some interesting plans to get rid of her sitter. What do you think of them? Have
you any ideas of your own?
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| Craft ideas: |
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Halloween is coming …
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Draw a pumpkin and give it a jack-o-lantern face.
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Draw a costume you’d like to wear for Halloween.
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Using half of a paper plate, make a mask for Halloween.
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We have a special "Castles, Dragons & Dinosaurs" craft suggested for this month. See https://www.paulsprehistoricpark.com/?p=7748. This craft recommends the use of white gelly roll pens. If you have some or can pick some up, they will help with drawing on BLACK construction paper, since most of the schools do not have them in the craft boxes already.
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| Special activities: |
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Do the word search
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*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!
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