An Impossumble Summer
What’s inside...
After years of living abroad, ten-year-old Rianne and her family move to Reston, Virginia, where the acquaintance of a talking possum seems to influence the luck in their lives--sometimes for better and sometimes for worse.
Age
8-12
Length
144 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think Ollie the opossum felt when he faced challenges? What would you do in his place?
What lessons did Ollie learn about friendship over the summer?
Can you think of a time when you felt different like Ollie? How did you handle it?
Why is it important to help friends, like how Ollie helped during his adventures?
What does this story teach us about trying new things and not giving up?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive reading techniques, changing your tone and pitch to match the emotions and events of the story to keep your child engaged.
Encourage your child to describe their favorite part of the book and why it stood out to them, fostering a deeper connection to the story.
After reading, relate the story's scenarios to personal experiences or hypothetical situations to enhance empathy and understanding.
Ask your child to draw a picture of their favorite scene or character from the book, and then describe the reasons for their choice, helping reinforce their comprehension and memory of the story.
Introduce related activities, like role-playing different scenes, to help your child express thoughts and emotions about the book’s themes.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: In 'An Impossumble Summer,' the main character learns to understand and share the feelings of a new, unusual friend. This journey highlights the importance of empathy towards others, regardless of their differences.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by being considerate and understanding towards classmates and friends who may come from different backgrounds or have unique characteristics.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: The story portrays the protagonist facing and overcoming various challenges with clever thinking and persistence, demonstrating the value of problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: Kids can utilize this skill in real life by finding creative solutions during disagreements with peers or while tackling difficult school assignments.
Example Lesson: Courage
Explanation: As the protagonist encounters fears and unknown situations, they learn to face these with bravery. The book teaches that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
Real-World Application: This can inspire children to face their own fears, such as trying out for a sports team or speaking in front of their class.
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: The character in the book learns to take responsibility for their actions and the wellbeing of their friends, emphasizing the importance of being accountable for one’s actions.
Real-World Application: Children can mirror this behavior by taking care of their belongings, completing homework on time, and being reliable in household chores.
Example Lesson: Teamwork
Explanation: Throughout the adventure, cooperation among diverse characters plays a crucial role in overcoming obstacles, showing that teamwork is often necessary to achieve common goals.
Real-World Application: This lesson is pertinent as it encourages kids to work collaboratively in group projects at school or in team sports.