Stacy Symborski

Spinelli Author Study

Spinelli’s awards include:

*An American Library Association Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
*A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2000
*A Parent's Guide to *Children's Media Honor Book
*Winner of the Parents' Choice 2000 Fiction Gold Award
*Winner of the NAIBA Book Award for Children's Literature
*A New York Times Bestseller
*Newbery Award Winner
*Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award
 Biographical Information

 Born on February 1st, 1941 in Norristown, Pennsylvania

 Son of Louis A. (a printer) and Lorna Mae (Bigler) Spinelli
 Jerry excelled in reading comics, the sports section of the newspaper, and
cereal boxes, and his dreams focused on playing professional baseball when
he grew up.
 He received a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and spent
over twenty years in magazine editing.
 From 1966 to 1972, he was in the U.S. Naval Air Reserve.
 Spinelli married children's writer Eileen Mesi, whose five children from a
previous marriage provided Spinelli with a ready-made family. They
eventually had two children of their own.
 Spinelli is noted for his humor. He often writes about hard-hitting issues
such as racism, sex, and peer pressure.
 Jerry has written four unpublished adult books.

Works

 1982: Space Station Seventh Grade, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).

 1984: Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush?, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).
 1985: Night of the Whale, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).
 1986: Jason and Marceline, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).
 1988: Dump Days, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).
 1990: Maniac Magee, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).
 1990: The Bathwater Gang, illustrated by Meredith Johnson, Little, Brown
(Boston, MA).
 1991: There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, Simon & Schuster (New York,
NY).
 1991: Fourth Grade Rats, Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY).
 1991: School Daze: Report to the Principal's Office, Scholastic, Inc. (New
York, NY).
 1992: Who Ran My Underwear up the Flagpole?, Scholastic, Inc. (New
York, NY).
 1992: Do the Funky Pickle, Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY).
 1992: The Bathwater Gang Gets down to Business, illustrated by Meredith
Johnson, Little, Brown (Boston, MA).
 1993: Picklemania, Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY).
  1995: Tooter Pepperday, Random House (New York, NY).
 1996: Crash, Knopf (New York, NY).
 1997: The Library Card, Scholastic, Inc. (New York, NY).
 1997: Wringer, HarperCollins (New York, NY).
 1998: Blue Ribbon Blues: A Tooter Tale, illustrated by Donna Nelson,
Random House (New York, NY).
 1998: Knots in My Yo-Yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid, Knopf (New
York, NY).
 2000: Stargirl, Knopf (New York, NY).
 Contributor to books, including Our Roots Grow Deeper than We Know:
Pennsylvania Writers--Pennsylvania Life, edited by Lee Gutkind,
University of Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, PA), 1985, and Noble Pursuits,
edited by Virginia A. Arnold and Carl B. Smith, Macmillan (New York,
NY), 1988. Work represented in anthologies, including Best Sports Stories
of 1982, Dutton (New York, NY), and Connections: Short Stories by
Outstanding Writers for Young Adults, edited by Donald R. Gallo,
Delacorte (New York, NY), 1989.

Contact Jerry at:

Jerry Spinelli
HarperCollins Children's Books   
10 East 53rd Street    
New York, NY    10022-5299

Websites:

http://www.bcplonline.org/kidspage/kids_spinelli.html - Baltimore County Library’s

informative author page about the life of Jerry Spinelli and a list of his works

http://www.carr.org/authco/spinelli-j.htm - The Author Corner. The site includes

Interview questions and responses from Spinelli.

http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_001.htm - Jerry Spinelli’s home site that

includes personal information, pictures, a list of awards, and a schedule of Spinelli’s
speaking engagements
Lesson Plans for Student Activities

Stacy Symborski

Student Activity – Go to http://http:www.zuckermandsbarn.com/

Look at the gallery of drawings. Based on a Spinelli book you have read, work with a
partner to create an original book cover.

Goal: Students will create an original book cover that creatively and accurately
represents one of Jerry Spinelli’s novels.

Students will:

 Examine sample book covers;

 Identify what elements/information is often included on book covers;
 Study pictures and book covers located at the online site;
 Rate one picture or book cover located on a scale of 1-5 (5 being best) and
describe why they have chosen this rating;
 Select a Jerry Spinelli book for the end product;
 Determine what information they will include on their own book cover.

Resources and Materials:

 Computers with online access;

 Sample book covers for study;
 Construction paper or poster board;
 Markers and crayons;
 Clip art and pictures (optional).

To demonstrate learning, students will:

 State in writing the various components of an engaging book cover;

 Rate examples of pictures and book covers with a written justification for their
rating;
 Design a book cover that is accurate and creative.

Assessment will be based on:

 Observation - Students will discuss elements that make book covers appealing
 Writing – Students will select one online book cover to rate with an explanation
  Final Project – Book Cover. The grade will be based on accuracy, plot summary,
persuasiveness, information about the author, picture, neatness, and creativity.

Student Activity 2: Letter to the Author

http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/write.asp

Find the link for Jerry Spinelli. This will give you the author’s address.

Activity 1:

Write a friendly letter to Jerry Spinelli. Ask him 2-3 questions about his life.
Discuss your favorite book in your letter. Tell Mr. Spinelli why you enjoyed reading
his book. Invite the author to visit your school. Provide details about what you
would like for him to speak about. You may also want to include information about
yourself and tell why you are a fan.

or

Activity 2:

Write a business letter to Jerry Spinelli using business letter format. In your letter,
share an idea for a novel. You can give general suggestions or an actual storyline
that you have thought about. Describe why you think your idea would make a great
book for students your age to read.

Goal: To write either a friendly letter or business letter to Jerry Spinelli that includes the
specific activity requirements.

Students will:

 Study the differences between the tone and format of business and friendly letters;
 Select which Spinelli book is their favorite and include reasons why;
 Generate a list of possible story lines based on interests or conflicts that they feel
would appeal to other middle school readers;
 Choose which writing topic they will address.
Resources and Materials:

 Sample friendly and business letters;

 Their favorite Spinelli book as a reference;
 Paper;
 Computer with online access for address information (if computers are not
available, this will be provided).

Students will demonstrate learning by:

 Identifying the differences between a friendly letter and business letter;

 Selecting a favorite Spinelli book and listing three reasons why it’s a favorite;
 Listing possible storylines or conflicts for Spinelli’s next novel;
 Composing a letter to Spinelli that includes the specific requirements listed above.

Assessment will be based on:

 Students will explain in writing the difference between a business letter and
formal letter;
 Students selecting the friendly letter will write in an appropriate tone;
 Students writing a friendly letter will include 2-3 questions for the author;
 The friendly letter will explain the student’s favorite book and why they enjoy
this novel;
 The business letter will be written in correct business letter format and will
include an appropriate tone;
 The business letter includes the student’s idea for a novel that describes why this
would appeal to middle school students.
 Letters are understandable with few or no errors in grammar, spelling, and
punctuation.

Student Activity 3

Goal: To write an accurate, interesting biography on Jerry Spinelli

Students will

First, students will complete the following fact finder on Jerry Spinelli.

Must access http://www.jerryspinelli.com/ to answer the following questions:

1. How many books has Jerry written?

2. What image is featured after the introduction page to Jerry’s site?

3. Why do you think he chose to picture this?

4. Go to the Faqs link and select two facts about Jerry to record below:

5. Go to the Jerry’s books link. What is the title of his autobiography?

6. What did Jerry first want to be growing up?

7. What are some of his hobbies?

8. What was Jerry’s first published writing?

9. Why does Jerry consider his children an inspiration for his writing?

10. Go to Jerry’s book link. Write a summary of one of the books you have not yet
read. Does this sound like a book you would like to read? Why or why not?
Students will

 Complete the fact finder handout.

 Define the term biography.
 Select at least ten details to include in their biography about Spinelli.
 Print a picture of Spinelli to include with their paper.

Resources and Materials:

 Computer with online access;

 “Back-up” print outs for the fact finder;
 Handout of fact finder questions;
 Paper;
 Picture of Spinelli.

Students will demonstrate learning by:

 Completing the fact finder handout about Spinelli and his life;
 Writing a well-developed biography about Spinelli that includes a minimum of
ten details about the author’s life.

Assessment:

 Students will be assessed on the answers they provide on the fact finder activity;
 Students will be assessed on their biographies. Biographies should be well-
written, interesting, and should incorporate detailed information about the author
– Jerry Spinelli.

Spinelli Soiree

The final culminating activity will be to plan and incorporate the Spinelli Soiree. This
will be a schoolwide event that should help cement a sense of classroom community as
all students work together to make this successful. The event will feature the students’
book covers on a bulletin board, a display of their letters to the author, and pictures of the
students as they read Spinelli’s works and create final projects. During the soiree,
students will read aloud their biographies of Jerry. We also will create book displays and
written reviews of his novels. As a final treat, some of Jerry’s favorite snacks will be
served to attending students and faculty.