The Mysterious Matter of I.M. Fine

by Diane Stanley

Booktalk:

Strange things are happening at school that include a jelly-worm fad, students having to go to the hospital with exploding headaches, and students that are seeing ghosts…all the things that happen in the plots of the popular “Chillers” book series. Franny and her friend Beamer are convinced that the author of these books is to blame, and they are determined to track the author down. Their investigation eventually leads them right into the author’s home where they discover a shocking surprise. (If time - read page 135 from “A car door” to p. 136 - when they are inside the author’s home.)

Discussion questions:

Give a brief summary of the plot without telling the ending of the story.
What is the genre of this story?
What grade are Franny and Beamer in?
What is the first strange incident that Franny witnesses in her new school?
Why couldn’t they convince any adults that the books were causing these problems?
Who found out the town where the author lived?
How did they find the exact house?
What did they find out from the microfilm newspaper?
How do they calm the author’s dog down when they are caught in the closet?
How did the author find them at Beamer’s grandparents?
How did they find the author’s twin sister?
Do you think a book’s plot can really make you do something?
What role did libraries play in the book?
Were there other choices the main characters could have made?
Is there anything you would change if you were writing this story?
What would you have done in this situation?
What did Franny talk Beamer into reading for extra credit? How do we know that book was used in the revised version of the last Chillers book?

Projects:

• Make a poster to advertise the book
• Make a drawing you would use for the cover of the book
• Make a bookmark
• Write a book review
• Make a map showing the paths Franny and Beamer took throughout the book that eventually ended up at the author’s home

Promoting the Nutmeg Books:

• Nutmeg Bulletin Board with information about the award with books displayed under it
• Have a discussion group with snacks
• Visit the schools to book talk and promote the books and your discussion group

Submitted by: Children’s Roundtable 3/15/04 Nutmeg Books Suellen Heinrich

Last updated on: 18 September, 2008

Webmoiselle: Caitlin > webmoiselle [@] nutmegaward [dot] org

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