The Stranger Text and Art Text and Art by Chris Van Allsburg by Chris Van Allsburg Compiled by: Terry Sams PESTerry Sams

Summary In late summer, a farmer hits a man in the road with his truck. The speechless stranger then spends several weeks on the farm. The weather stays warm into autumn and the leaves around the farm remain green. The stranger realizes something is wrong. He leaves the farm and the weather returns to normal.

GenreGenre: Fantasy Genre   A fantasy is a story that could never really happen. As you read, decide which events in this story could never happen in real life.

Question #1 What changes in nature take place in the fall?

Question #2 What is mysterious about the man Mr. Bailey strikes with his truck?

Since the stranger’s visit, how is fall on the Bailey farm different from nearby farms? Question #3

Question #4 How would you describe the fall season to someone who lives in a climate that is always warm?

Review Questions 1.Name at least one event that could not really happen? 2.How is the stranger different from most people? 3.Give a clue that the weather should have started to change? 4.How can you tell the stranger was not a hermit?

Review Questions 5. What are some effects the stranger’s visit had on the Bailey farm? What is the most important? 6. Why did the pumpkins grow larger than ever? 7. How can you tell the stranger continued to care about the Baileys? 8. What might have happened if he had stayed with the Baileys?

Vocabulary - Say It  draft  etched  frost  parlor  fascinated  terror  timid

More Words to Know drabhermithypnotizedbarrencropssproutwilt

barren  not able to produce

crops   plants grown or gathered by people for their use

sprout  to produce new leaves, shoots, or buds

wilt  to become limp and bend down; to wither

draft  current of air

timid  easily frightened; shy

terror  great fear

fascinated  interested greatly; attracted very strongly; charmed

etched  engraved; a design or drawing on a metal plate or glass

frost  moisture frozen on or in a surface

parlor  formerly, a room for receiving or entertaining guests; sitting room

drab  not attractive; dull; monotonous

hypnotized  put into a condition resembling deep sleep

hermit  person who goes away from others and lives alone

It was so hot that the crops began to wilt and die.

When Persephone returns to her mother, the barren fields will sprout with new flowers.

The steam that rose from the hot food fascinated him.

He looked up with terror and jumped to his feet.

Mrs. Bailey sat the stranger on the parlor sofa.

Mrs. Bailey shivered and said, “There’s a draft in here tonight.

He became one of the family as he became less timid each day.

The stranger had etched a message in the frost of the windows.

Mr. Bailey thought the stranger might be a hermit because he was alone.

The stranger stared at the birds like he had been hypnotized.

The trees around the Baileys’ seemed so drab and ugly to the stranger.

Spelling Words adding -ed and -ing  hurrying  hurried  slipped  slipping  robbed  robbing  noticed  noticing  happening  happened

Spelling Words Adding -ed and -ing  drying  dried  stopping  stopped  studying  studied  dancing  danced  watched  watching

CHALLENGE  answered  answering  magnified  magnifying  interfered  interfering

watched watching

danced dancing

studied studying

stopped stopping

dried drying

happened happening

noticed noticing

robbed robbing

hurried hurrying

slipped slipping