Realistic Fiction-Chapter Book

Title: Stage Fright on a Summer Night

Author:  Mary Pope Osborne

Grade Level: Second or Third Grade

Summary: This edition of the Magic Tree House books follows Jack and Annie as they get sprung far into the past by their guide Morgan le Fay. In order to say thanks for everything the brother and sister have done in past stories, they are being thanked by learning some magic of their own. With the guide of Morgan le Fay and their reference book, the two travel back in time to Elizabethan Time. While there, Jack and Annie are instructed to turn daytime into night. Along the way, the two meet a man by the name of William Shakespeare. The two immediately learn that William needs their help in putting on a performance at the famous Globe Theater. Along the way they learn all about the history of this new place they have been propelled into. Through this all, Jack discovers the magic of the theater as both Annie and himself learn all about this place and the people they meet there.  

Strategies for the Classroom: This book would be a great addition to the classroom during a history lesson pertaining to the historical Elizabethan England time period. This read would be extremely interesting for the students because not only are they reading an exciting story about children their own age, they are also learning about the history and people of this unfamiliar time period. 

ESOL Applications: This story may not necessarily be appropriate for an ESOL student to read. Even though the text is fairly simplistic and the chapters are short, it may still be difficult for an ESOL student to comprehend the information because it isn't something that they can relate to. They aren't from the time period that the children get propelled into as well as, they may have difficulty understanding the book as it goes back into the past. If you were to use it with ESOL students, I would recommend having the students work in groups to read the text as well as use KWL charts or any other type of chart to document their ideas and keep track of the thins that happen in the story.

Read Aloud: If I were reading this book, I would try to read the entire book to the class if time permits. The chapters aren't that long and the book could be spread apart a couple of days.  If not, I would read the first chapter as the chapters aren't that long and this is a great introduction to the book and what the brother ans sister are going to encounter.


Personal Opinions: I really enjoyed reading this book. It was fun to follow the siblings as they got transported back in time on yet another exciting adventure where they learn about the places they encounter. I didn't want to put down the book, it kept intriguing me and made me want to read on, even read other books in the series. I think this style book is perfect for children this age because they are able to go on an exciting adventure back in time while learning about a time that they weren't around to experience.