Reaching For Sun

Encouraging, Captivating, Heartwarming, Sincere, Graceful Prose

Reaching For Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Published by Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books Copyright 2007

2008 Schneider Family Book Award Winner

"Readers living with a disability or trying to understand others seem like the target audience, but Josie’s voice has a universal appeal." - Kirkus

12 year-old Josie knows she is different in more ways than one.  She lives in an old farmhouse with her mother and Gran behind the new developments where the mansions and rich kids live.  She does not know her father, does not have any brothers or sisters, and her mother rarely has time to spend with her as she juggles waiting tables and earning her associates degree.  Josie wanders the hallways at school without friends.  But her biggest challenge is her lifelong disability - cerebral palsy.  The only thing that seems to give her strength is her garden that she tends to with her Gran.  However, when Jordan appears in her backyard one day, she discovers she may not have only found someone who appreciates her the way she is, but she has also made her first friend.  Written by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, Reaching for Sun is an inspiring story about being different and the challenges people face.  Readers of all ages can learn from this encouraging story.

Reading Level: Lexile Framework NP, Grade 5 

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read

Description: Diversity, Disabilities 

Electronic Resources:
Discussion Questions
This is a link to a blog that has several comprehension questions and discussion questions that take the reader through each season in the text.  The blog also includes activities to extend the learning and cross other content areas.  Additionally, there is an extensive portion designated to poetry in general, which includes an overview of poetic elements like metaphor, simile, and alliteration, as well as questions to help students analyze different parts of a poem.

Free Verse Poetry  

This is a link to a site that explains what free verse poetry is, who writes it, how it is significant, and how people can write this kind of poetry.  This is a helpful site for students when they begin to explore writing their own free verse poem after reading Reaching for Sun. 

Cerebral Palsy
This is a link to the official Cerebral Palsy website.  It provides information about the causes, signs and symptoms, treatment, and different therapy options.  This is an excellent source to provide background information to students about the disorder.

Key Vocabulary: Caustic, Chaplain, Cerebral Palsy, Crimson, Divinity, Foliage, Fluorescent, Metronome, Occupational Therapist

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use this text in reading and language arts as a model for free verse poetry.
2. Use this text in social studies to discuss how others should be treated.
3. Use this text to introduce students to disabilities and to help them recognize the world has different people in it.  Have students make text-to-self connections by reflecting on themselves by identifying what they struggle with and what they excel at to show students that everyone has challenges, not just people with visible, physical disabilities. 

Comprehension Strategies
Pre-Reading- Have students complete a KWL chart about Cerebral Palsy.  Many students may not have ever heard of this condition, but to understand Josie and what she experiences aside from her physical challenges, students need to have a full understanding of what this condition is.

During Reading- Have explore the text features of the free verse poems.  Does Tracie Vaughn Zimmer include any poetic elements?  Students should analyze the format of the book and record any elements Zimmer incorporates to enrich the text.  

Post-Reading- Have students create a Wordle about how Josie feels at the end of the story or about life with Cerebral Palsy.  Using this technological source, students can express these feelings or experiences using words, but represent them in a visually enticing way.  

Writing Activity: Have students write their own free verse poem about something in their life like Josie writes about her life.  It could be about a triumph, a concern, or a struggle.

Zimmer, T. V. (2007). Reaching for sun. New York: Bloomsbury Children's Books.