The New Reader as Detective

The New Reader as Detective is a reading skills book that teaches students to become reading detectives - active readers who search for clues and make inferences as they read. The book contains 22 classic and contemporary selections that feature an exciting mystery or twist at the end. Each story is followed by brief instruction and questions on key reading, language, and vocabulary skills. There are also writing, discussion, and technology applications.

Reading Selections include classic detective stories and contemporary Young Adult stories by well-known authors. There are also two non-fiction articles about real case studies. Selections are high-interest and include suspenseful twists to keep students engaged in the reading process.

Authors of classic selections include Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes author), O.Henry, Jack London, and Edgar Allan Poe.
Authors of contemporary stories include M.E. Kerr, Walter Dean Myers, Gary Soto, and Ray Bradbury.

The box “Now it’s time for YOU to be the Reader as Detective” has students make a prediction about what they think will happen next in a story.
Be a Reading Detective contains multiple-choice questions on key reading skills such as drawing inferences, identifying supporting details, finding the main idea, putting events in sequence, distinguishing fact from opinion, and finding vocabulary clues. Each reading skill is connected to an icon so students can see which skill is being assessed and learn to use these skills on their own.
Follow the Trail provides further instruction on a reading skill such as characterization or drawing conclusions, followed by five multiple-choice questions.
Find Word Meanings highlights five vocabulary words from a reading selection. Students study the definitions and then complete a cloze-based activity to practice using the words.
Look at Language provides brief instruction on aspects of language such as noun-verb pairs, compound words, context clues, and figurative language. This instruction is followed by five multiple-choice questions.
Review the Case includes writing assignments of varying lengths, discussion questions, and technology applications.
The glossary lists all the words highlighted in the Find Word Meanings sections.
The Index of Skills Taught in This Book helps teachers find questions and instruction on a particular skill.

An ANSWER KEY is included.