ELA5, CSS, Sferrazza

Here is an example of how to read around the text to help you understand what you are reading - before you read!

1) Find the author's name and book title.

The title of the book is Kawlija’s Blueberry Promise and it is written by Audrey Guiboche. It is illustrated by Jim Kirby.

I have not read books by Audrey Guiboche before. I looked up her name and found out she is a writer from the Métis community of Duck Bay, Manitoba. This is her first book. When I searched the book title, I found that it was published by Pemmican Publications which is “committed to promotion of Métis culture and heritage.” I think this book is from a Métis perspective.

2) Look at the pictures.

The cover shows a close up of a girl’s face, so I think she is Kawlija. Based on the title, I think the story will be about a promise Kawlija makes about blueberries. Maybe it will be about how many she eats or picks.

The cover of the book shows the smiling girl with blueberry plants around her. She is also throwing blueberries towards her mouth. The picture reminds me of summer because she has her hair in braids and is wearing a summer hat. My family likes to pick blueberries in the summer. I love to eat blueberries!

3) Read the book summary and review.

This is the book summary:

“The summer blueberry harvest is an annual expedition for young Kawlija and her family. When her father needs her to pick more berries than she eats, she promises to do her best. But can she avoid temptation? An enchanting story is also a rich portrait of rural Métis life in the '50s.”

The main character is Kawlija and her family goes on a trip every year to pick blueberries. The story is set in the past in the 1950s in a small Métis community. It sounds like Kawlija is eating more berries than she is picking. She promises her dad she will pick more and eat less. But because it says “can she avoid this temptation,” I think this will be a hard promise to keep.  

4) Look at charts. (no charts, maps or infographics - so can skip this one)

5) Look for big ideas.

When I pick berries, I eat probably as much as I put in the bucket. I think it would be hard to only pick the berries and not eat them. I think the big idea from the author is how it can be hard to resist doing something you really want to do, even if you made a promise.

6) Read the first and last sentence from a paragraph from the sample chapter.

“Kawlija was a seven-year-old Métis girl who had a huge imagination. She could speak Salteaux, Cree, and Michif, and also understand French. She spoke Salteaux to her dad and Cree to her mom. Life was always exciting and an adventure, but more so especially around blueberry time. The hardest part was waiting for her family to get ready.”

The first sentence tells me that Kawlija is the main character. I learn a lot about her just in the first sentence. She is a seven-year-old Métis girl with a big imagination. The last sentence tells me about her character. Kawlija sounds like she does not like to wait for things she wants.  She found it hard to wait for her family.

7) Ask questions! Come up with at least two questions you still have about the book.

Will Kawlija be able to resist eating the blueberries?

How good is she at picking berries?

Does she have brothers or sisters?

What was life like in the 1950s in a Métis community?