ABSTRACT
One afternoon in February we return from a field trip with just enough time before dismissal to read a chapter in Poppy by Avi, a book I return to year after year. We are closing in on the story’s resolution as Poppy, a deer mouse, is about to reach New House, the destination she has been struggling toward for many chapters. In the story, Poppy has promised to secure a salt lick for her friend Ereth, a porcupine, in exchange for his protection en route, but she has not yet figured out how to get the salt down to her level. So far my students have predicted that when Poppy arrives at New House she might find an owl, a cat, or a porcupine. Today’s reading reveals an owl twice the size of her adversary, the great horned owl Mr. Ocax. As I close the book, most of my students head for the hallway to collect their gear, but Anna is sitting pensively on the rug.
