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If you have been following this adventure as closely as the authors have hoped, you will not be surprised to know that at this moment of supreme crisis, Nancy, the brave, the intelligent, the moral Nancy, took charge of the situation.
Click on a title below for book recommendations; reading, writing, and art information and activities; and discussion questions. • An Annotated List of Suggested Read Alouds and Independent Reads An Annotated List of Suggested Read Alouds and Independent Reads Under Construction How to End a Story by Marilyn Ludolph, Ed.D, Dominican University School of Education The end….How does a writer end a story so the action is complete? Or, how does a writer end a story without completing the action so a sequel can be written? Those are the questions! In this concluding episode, author Katherine Patterson has captured many of the elements that have been presented in earlier episodes, and she has created her own action to provide an ending to The Exquisite Corpse Adventure Think about the story elements presented throughout The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, such as the settings and the order of events. Also think about the characters and the problems they face as this final episode begins: • Characters: Nancy and Joe, Genius Kelly, Eggy-Things, Angel, Sybil Hunch, the Ringmaster, Boppo, Hathi, the members of the Sick and Tired Circus, and the Senior Sloppys. • Problem #1: How to prevent the train from crashing into the ravine? • Problem #2: How to stop the Eggy-Things from invading? With all of this in mind, how would you end The Exquisite Corpse Adventure? Could you rewrite the end to imply that there might be more to the story in the future? What other possible endings might there be if the Eggy-Things had not “whipped themselves into a frenzy”? ©2010 Marilyn Ludolph Discussion Questions and Activities by Geri Zabela Eddins, NCBLA Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “Achilles’ heel?” “Achilles’ heel” is simply a metaphor used to describe a particular weakness or vulnerability. The phrase comes from a Greek legend about a hero named Achilles whose mother dipped all of his body into the River Styx to make him invulnerable. Unfortunately, she missed a spot (his heel!), and Achilles was killed when a lone arrow found its mark there. (Take a trip to the library, and read more about Achilles in a book about Greek Mythology. Or, check out The Iliad by Homer, in which Achilles plays a starring role.) Think about the phrase “Achilles’ heel.” Do any characters in The Exquisite Corpse Adventure possess an Achilles’ heel? Does either Nancy or Joe have one particular vulnerability? What would you say is the Achilles’ heel of the Eggy-Things? The alien Eggy-Things certainly have a love for bad jokes. How does this lead to their demise? In your own life, have you ever found laughter to be a bad thing? For example, have you ever laughed at the wrong time? What were the consequences? The Exquisite Corpse Adventure ends happily ever after for Nancy and Joe, their parents, and their friends. Imagine a different ending in which something goes wrong, and everyone does not live happily ever after. Imagine the other dimension to which Roberta and Genius Kelly go. What will life be like for them there? Write a review of The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, and submit it to your class or school newspaper, newsletter, or literary magazine. Be sure to write the review to an audience of readers who have not read The Exquisite Corpse Adventure. Start by summarizing the plot and characters. Then describe the elements of the story you liked, as well as those you may have found disappointing. What worked? What didn’t work? Did the story come to a satisfying conclusion? Would you recommend this story to other readers? Be sure to explain your opinions. ©2010 Geri Zabela Eddins
For Parents, Teachers, Librarians—Talk Art! Calef Brown’s Illustration for Episode Twenty Seven By Mary Brigid Barrett Under Construction
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The Exquisite Corpse Adventure is available in hardcover, paperback, and audio. Ask for it at your local library and bookstore! 