Before we left school due to COVID, one of my sixth grade book clubs had just finished a book that they wanted to blog about. If you are a fan of the Among the Hidden series, you will love the new Greystone Secrets series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The first book, entitled The Strangers, will keep your students on the edge of their seats as one secret after another is revealed. Haddix has the gift of creating books that students cannot put down.
Student Thoughts:
Sam: I always avoid long books and never thought I could read a book that had 400 pages! The Strangers changed all that. The chapters went so fast, and each one ended with a cliff hanger so you just HAD to keep reading.
Andrew: As I read, I was tracking character traits and how important they were to the plot and outcome of the story. All of the characters had unique traits that helped them solve the mystery of “the strangers” and figure out how their mom was involved in this alternate world.
Kyrsten: This is the best book I have ever read. My only disappointment is that I have to wait until the next book in the series comes out…Please hurry Margaret Peterson Haddix! 🙂
*Good News Kyrsten! The second book in the series, The Deceivers, is out now!
Final Thoughts
This is a great mentor text to teach students the craft of creating suspense in their writing. Book club members couldn’t wait to try and emulate Margaret Peterson Haddix’s writing style as they worked on their fantasy writing.
