Note and Notice: Things to look for when reading Contrasts/ Contradictions Aha Moment Tough Questions Words of the Wiser Again & Again Memory Moment

Contrasts and contradictions When a character does the opposite of what you would expect or contradicts his earlier acts or statements, STOP and ask yourself, “Why is the character doing that?” Clues: Unexpected behavior or element of the setting.

Aha moment When a character realizes, understands, or finally figures out something, STOP and ask yourself, “How might this change things?” Clues: Phrases, usually expressing suddenness, like: “Suddenly I understood…” “It came to me in a flash that…” “The realization hit me like a lightning bolt…” “In an instant I knew…”

Tough questions When a character asks his/herself a very difficult questions, STOP and ask yourself, “What does this question make me wonder about?” Clues: Phrases expressing serious doubt or confusion; “What could I possibly do to...?” “I couldn’t imagine how I could cope with…” “How could I ever understand why she/he…” Never had I been so confused about…”

Words of the wiser When a character (probably older and wiser) takes the main character aside and offers serious advice, STOP and ask, “What’s the life lesson and how might is affect the character?” Clues: The main character and another are usually off by themselves, in a quiet and serious moment.

Again and again When you notice a word, phrase, or situation mentioned over and over, STOP and ask yourself, “Why does this keep happening again and again?” Clues: A word is repeated, sometimes used in an odd way, over and over. An image reappears many times in the story.

Memory moment When the author interrupts the action to tell you about a memory, STOP and ask yourself, “Why might this memory be important?” Clues: The ongoing flow of the narrative is interrupted by a memory that comes to the character, often taking several paragraphs to recount.

Read closely