The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Our second read aloud book was "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo.  I read this book for so many reasons, but it is a great way to learn summarizing as each few chapters are different parts of Edward's journey and the students learn how to make a brief but telling statement about what has happened without including all the details.  We practice by making mini-books and as we read, we add a summary sentence and an illustration to show what has just happened.  It is great for making predictions and inferences as well and we practice all of these as we journey along with Edward.

 

It is also a heart-wrenching story and the kids will tell you I cry at the end (every time!)  It is a great story about hope and love and about opening your heart to new adventures. 

 

The very last section of the book, the Coda, is Kate DiCamillo's summary of what has happened along the way with Edward.  We took a look at it and compared it to our own summaries.  Ms. DiCamillo might say it a bit more eloquently, but we felt pretty good about our own summarizing skills.  For those unfamiliar with the story, this is Ms. DiCamillo's Coda at the end.  We all highly recommend it!

 

Once, there was a China rabbit who was loved by a little girl. The rabbit went on an ocean journey and fell overboard and was rescued by a fisherman. He was buried under garbage and unburied by a dog. He travelled for a long time with the hobos and worked for a short time as a scarecrow.

 

Once, there was a rabbit who loved a little girl and watched her die.

 

The rabbit danced on the streets of Memphis. His head was broken open in a diner and was put together again by a doll mender.

 

And the rabbit swore that he would not make the mistake of loving again.

 

Once there was a rabbit who danced in a garden in springtime with the daughter of the women who had loved him at the beginning of his journey. The girl swung the rabbit as she danced in circles. Sometimes, they went so fast, the two of them, that it seemed as if they were flying. Sometimes, it seemed as if they both had wings.

 

Once, oh marvelous once, there was a rabbit who found his way home.