Poppy
and Rye
Avi
Poppy
and Rye
Avi
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Poppy, a deer mouse, sets out on a search for her fiancé's family to tell them about his death. She is accompanied by her friend Ereth, the porcupine. She makes her way through the Dimwood Forest, not knowing where she was going so she asks for help along the way. When Poppy finally reaches Ragweed's family she discovers that the beavers have invaded their home. Now the oldest brother, Rye, who has fallen in love with Poppy tries to prove his love to her and his loyalty to his family by forcing the beavers to leave. During his adventure Rye gets kidnapped by the beavers. Will Poppy save him? Will they fall in love and get married? Will the family ever get their home back? What will happen?
Poppy and Rye is a novel full of romance, adventure and courage. It is geared for upper elementary students who love animals and have a vivid imagination. The novel also raises other issues such as friendship, loyalty, death and family life.
Avi Wortis was nicknamed Avi by his twin sister and only goes by Avi now. He was born in 1937 in New York City and raised in Brooklyn by his parents Joseph and Helen. Avi grew up in an artistic environment full of writers, painters, and a composer. He had difficulty in school growing up because of a dysfunction known as dysgraphia. Now he loves to speak to children with learning difficulties. He shows them his manuscripts with lots of red marks for corrections. Avi was a librarian and an assistant professor along with being a writer. He began writing plays and then wrote novels. Avi has written many books of a wide range, including mystery, adventure, and fantasy. His books have been translated into many languages and are quite popular.
Brian Floca is the illustrator of some of Avi's, others and his own books. He is the illustrator for the 2000 Texas Reading Club. His illustrations are greatly enjoyed by children and well recognizable.
Art --Teachers may ask their students to build a replica of Dimweed Forest, the setting for the story. Students may make posters, dioramas, etc.
Writing -- Teachers may want to ask their students to write their own animal fantasies with themselves as the main character. Another idea may be to ask the students to write a different ending to the story or what would have happened if Ereth had revealed his true feelings towards Poppy.
Compared to other books -- Teachers may want to compare this story to the prequel "Poppy" and have children compare the characters and the plot in both. Teachers may also want to compare this book to other animal fantasies, such as "Charlotte's Web", "The Velveteen Rabbit", "Bunicula", "Call of the Wild", "Wind in the Willow", etc.
Discussion -- Teachers may want to guide their students through reading the book by using comprehension and critical thinking questions at the end of each chapter. Teachers may also lead a discussion at the end of the story to discuss how the students reacted to the book, whether they enjoyed it or not, what they would change, what they enjoyed, etc.
Creative Dramatics -- Teachers may have their students create 'popsicle' puppets and stage a puppet show. They may also want to have their students set up a mock T.V. report on the debate about damning the brook to be videotaped with the students being either the beavers or the mice.
Social Studies -- Teachers can discuss which parts of the world this story could possibly take place in by using the scenes provided in the setting.
Science -- Teachers can have students research the various animals in the story: mice, owls, beavers, etc. They may also want to look at the habitats that the animals live in.
Math -- Teachers may ask students to estimate how far Poppy traveled. They can also create word problems to correlate with the story, "If the pond was two feet deep before the beavers arrived and it rose 10 feet, how high was it?", "If the boulder was 12 feet away from the brook and their original home was only 2 feet away, how far away did Rye's family move?", etc.
Other Books by Avi
COMEDY
Emily
Upham's RevengePublisher: Beech Tree Pub. Date: 1978
Punch
With Judy Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
July 1997
Romeo
& Juliet, Together and Alive at Last Publisher: Morrow,William
& Co Pub. Date: August 1988
S.O.R.
LosersPublisher:Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: May
1986
Who
Was that Masked Man Anyway? Publisher: Morrow,William &
Co Pub. Date:January 1994
MYSTERY
The
Man who was Poe Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
July
1991
No
More Magic Publisher: Knopf Alfred A Pub. Date: February
1991
Who
Stole The Wizard Of Oz Publisher: Random House, Incorporated
Pub.
Date:January 1990
Wolf
Rider Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Pub. Date:
October 1986
ADVENTURE
Man
From The Sky Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
August 1992
Smuggler's
Island Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
March 1994
City
of Light/City of Dark Publisher: Orchard Books Pub. Date:
February 1995
The
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle(1991 Newbery Honor Book)
Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: March
1992
WindcatcherPublisher:
Simon & Schuster Children's Pub. Date: February 1991
Poppy
& Rye Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
April 1999
HISTORICAL
FICTION
Emily
Upham's RevengePublisher: Beech Tree Pub. Date: 1978
The
Barn Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: July
1996
Punch
With Judy Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
July 1997
The
Man Who Was Poe Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
July
1991
Beyond
the Western Sea Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
September 1997
Captain
GreyPublisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: February
1993
The
Fighting Ground Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books Pub.
Date: May 1987
Night
Journeys Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
December 1999
Encounter
At EastonPublisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
August 1994
The
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle(1991 Newbery Honor Book)
Publisher:
Morrow,William & Co. Pub. Date: March 1992
FANTASY
Bright
Shadow Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Pub. Date:
August 1988
City
of Light/City of Dark Publisher: Orchard Books Pub. Date:
February 1995
Tom,
Babbette & SimonPublisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Pub.
Date: May 1995
ANIMAL
TALES
PoppyPublisher:
Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: January 1997
Poppy
& Rye Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
April 1999
Tom,
Babbette & SimonPublisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Pub.
Date: May 1995
Keep
Your Eyes on Amanda Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub.
Date: December 1998
Amanda
Joins the Circus Publisher: Avon Books Pub. Date: December
1998
Perloo
the BoldPublisher: Scholastic, Inc. Pub. Date: September
1999
GHOSTS
Devils
Race Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books Pub. Date:
April 1995
Something
Upstairs Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:September
1990
YOUNG
ADULT
Blue
Heron Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: August
199
Nothing
but the truth Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
August 1993
A
Place Called Ugly Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub.
Date: February 1995
Sometimes
I Think I Hear My Name Publisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub.
Date: August 1995
Wolf
Rider Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Pub. Date:
October 1986
SHORT
STORIES
What
Do Fish Have To Do With Anything? Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pub.
Date: November 1997
Tom,
Babbette & SimonPublisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Pub.
Date: May 1995
EARLY
READER
Finding
Providence Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, Incorporated
Pub.
Date:August 1997
Midnight
Magic Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. Pub. Date: September
1999
Abigail
Takes the Wheel Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Book Group
Pub.
Date:April 1999
RagweedPublisher:
Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: April 1999
NEW
RELEASES
Ereth’s
BirthdayPublisher: Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date:
May 2000
Midnight
Magic Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. Pub. Date: September
1999
Abigail
Takes The Wheel Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Book Group
Pub.
Date:April 199
RagweedPublisher:
Morrow,William & Co Pub. Date: April 1999
Finding
Providence Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, Incorporated
Pub.
Date:August 1997
NEWBERRY
HONOR AWARDS
The
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle(1991) Publisher: Morrow,William
& Co
Pub. Date: March 1992
Nothing
But The Truth: a Documentary Novel (1992) Publisher:
Morrow,William & Co
Pub.
Date: August 1993
ANIMAL
TALES
by
other authors
Black
Beauty by Anna Sewell Publisher:Penguin Putnam Books for Young
Readers
Pub. Date: July 1983
The
Call of the Wild by Jack London Publisher:Penguin Putnam Books
for Young Readers Pub. Date: July 1983
Charlotte’s
Web by E.B. White Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, Incorporated
Pub.
Date: April 1974
Learn more about deer mice at:
Learn more about porcupines at:
Learn more about Beavers at:
Activity: Students could complete a web on the life of a beaver. They could also draw a picture of a dam and write about what beavers have to do to construct one.Go see Avi’s official website at:
Activity: Students could learn more about the author to gain an interest in the story.
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