Goggles

Title: Goggles

Author: Ezra Jack Keats

Genre: Fiction

Ages: 6-12

Summary: This story starts out with a boy finding a pair of goggles that he claims to be motorcycle goggles. Along with his friend and dog, he started to climb out of the hideout and go into his friends house. Just as they began walking, some big boys appeared. The big boys wanted Archie's goggles, but Archie was not going to give them to them. He have the goggles to his dog. Willie, who ran away with them. He told his friend to meet him at the hideout and Willie would find them. They got to the hideout and could see the big boys. They yelled that they were going to the parking lot to trick the big boys and it worked. The big boys ran to the parking lot while the other boys ran home with Willie safe and sound.

About the Author: Jacob Ezra Katz was born on March 11, 1916.He won a Caldecott Award for his book The Snowy Day. He has since then passed.

Theme/Skill: Bullying

Pre-reading activity: How would you feel? What would you do? Would you run away or call for help? Have the students wear a pair of goggles or glasses during the read aloud.

Post-reading activity: Did the boys in the story do the right things when the bullies came? What else could they have done? What would you do? Bring in various pairs of goggles and glasses. Hand one pair out to each child. Each student will write ten sentences about how they found the glasses or goggles, what they are really for, what they will use them for, and add other interesting details about them.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It brought up great ways to deal with the topic of bullying. I also liked that the little boy had a great imagination with the goggles and stood up for himself.