Written and Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg The Stranger Written and Illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg

Genre: Fantasy Characters and events that could occur in real life combine with those that could not.

Selection Summary: The Baileys take in an injured stranger. The man doesn’t speak or seem to know who he is, but strange cold drafts seem to follow him, and autumn mysteriously comes to a halt. Even so, the stranger becomes part of the family-until he suddenly realizes he must go. But he does return every fall!

Key Concept: Changing Seasons

Key Vocabulary Autumn Draft Etched Frost Mercury Peculiar Thermometer Timid

Autumn- n. the season after summer The leaves changed colors and fell to the ground once autumn arrived.

Draft- n. a flow of air We felt a cold draft from the ceiling fan while we were sitting at the dinner table.

Etched- v. made a design by cutting lines We found lines of frost etched on the windows of the house.

Frost- n. a very thin covering of ice The young boy slipped on the frost that covered the ground.

Mercury- n. silvery white metal used in thermometers The mercury in the thermometer began to rise from the heat.

Peculiar- adj. Unusual, strange or odd The boy looked peculiar when he dressed in his father’s sweater.

Thermometer- n. an instrument that measures temperature The thermometer said that her temperature was above 99 degrees.

Timid- adj. Easily frightened; shy The young girl seemed timid when she peeked out from behind the door.

Now let’s take a look at some of the reading skills we will practice as we read The Stranger…

Strategy focus: Monitor and Clarify When a mysterious stranger arrives at the Baileys’ house, unusual things begin to happen. Monitor your reading. If something doesn’t make sense, reread to clarify.

Comprehension Skill Focus: Noting Details To develop and practice this skill, use a detail map to see how the author describes the stranger and the weather.

Detail Map The Stranger

Enjoy Selection 1: The Stranger Check out www.eduplace.com for more activities relating to The Stranger.