Savvy
By: Ingrid Law
Published by: Penguin Group
Copyright: 2008
Reading Level: Grade 6-8; Lexile: 1070
Suggested Delivery: Independent Read
Web Resources:
All About the Book: Want to find out more about Savvy? This website gives you a lot of information about the text such as a synopses, information about the author, teacher's guide, illustrations, and more! You can also find out about the book Scumble by the same author, Ingrid Law. Author's Site: Here is the link to the Ingrid Law's website. At her site you can find information about her, the books that she has written, including Savvy, appearances that she is going to make, illustrations from her books, and so much more.
For more ideas on discussion questions to help students engage in the text and think explicitly as well as implicitly about the text.
Vocabulary:
- Fizgiggly
- Flummoxed
- Froufrou
- Humdrum
- Pellmell
- Scritch
- Flibbertigibbety
- Foofaraw
- Gewgaws
- Jimjams
- Persnickety
- Tchotchkes
- Flimflamming
- Frippery
- Hobbledehoy
- Mollycoddled
- Razzmatazz
Suggestions for Activities for Students: During Reading -
Savvy has some interesting vocabulary within the text such as "flimflamming" and "flibbertigibbety". Many of these words aren't really words that we use in every day conversations. So, instead of having students simply looking up ordinary words in a dictionary, a teacher could use this FUN word search to find these unordinary words. After they have done that they can go to this dictionary link to find out what "hobbledehoy" and "frippery"actually mean! Although these vocabulary words aren't ones taught in every classroom or ones that students will be assessed on by standardized state exams, students will still be exercising their ability to identify and define words that they don't know. Sometimes usual vocabulary can be fun to use with younger students.
(This activity come from this website. You can find a number of other activities and discussion guides to use in your classroom. Check it out!!!)
Awards and Acknowledgements:
2009 Newbery Honor Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award
New York Times Bestseller
An ALA Notable Book for Children 2009
Midwest Booksellers Association Honor Award 2009
Lamplighter Award 2011
Judy Lopez Honor Award
A Kirkus Best Children’s Book of 2008
A Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2008
Booklist “Top Ten First Novels for Youth 2008”
Booklinks “Lasting Connection 2008”
#1 Children’s Booksense Pick
Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start
Borders Original Voices Selection
Association of Booksellers for Children New Voices Pick
Oprah’s Reading List Pick
New York Public Library “100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing”
A San Francisco Chronicle Best Fiction Book for Young Readers 2008
A Kansas City Star Noteworthy Children’s Book 2008
A Chicago Tribune “Book Not to Miss” 2008
A Bank Street College of Education's Best Books of the Year
2008 Cuffie Award: “Book We Couldn’t Stop Talking About”
2008 Cuffie Award: “Favorite Jacket”
2009 Cybil Award nominee
2009 Andre Norton Nebula Award Nominee
2009 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award nominee for Children's Literature
2009 Indie Choice Nominee: Best Young Adult Buzz Book
School Library Journal Review:
Grade 4–7—Mississippi Beaumont ("Mibs" for short) simply cannot wait for her 13th birthday. There's the allure of finally becoming a teenager, of course, but in the Beaumont family, 13 is when family members get their "savvy," or unworldly power. For Mibs's older brother Fish, it's control over the elements, and for her mother it's the ability to do everything perfectly. Unfortunately, Mibs's excitement is cut short when her father is injured in a car accident. Convinced that her new powers will be able to save her Poppa, she and some new friends climb aboard a bus toting pink bibles on her birthday, in the hopes of getting to the hospital. Instead they find themselves headed in the wrong direction with the cops looking for them, Mibs's powerful brother seriously angry, and the son of a preacher man she has a crush on coming dangerously close to figuring out the Beaumonts' secret. Mibs's real savvy isn't what she expected, and neither are her traveling companions. Though the story never lives up to the brilliance of its opening chapter, Law has a feel for characters and language that is matched by few. With its delightful premise and lively adventure, this book will please a wide variety of audiences, not just fantasy fans. Definitely an author to watch.—Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library
Booklist Review:*Starred Review* Upon turning 13, each member of the Beaumont family develops a supernatural ability, or “savvy, ” which must then be tamed. Well aware of the problems savvys can bring (the family had to relocate when one child had difficulty controlling his storm-producing savvy), 12-year-old Mississippi (Mibs) awaits her birthday eagerly but with a bit of trepidation. Then Poppa is seriously injured in an accident far away, and Momma goes to his side, leaving Mibs and the rest of the family to cope with Mibs’ 13th birthday on their own. Initially believing that her savvy is the ability to restore life, Mibs sets her course for Poppa. Joined by her brothers and the local preacher’s kids, she sweet talks her way onto a traveling Bible salesman’s bus. On the journey, however, Mibs realizes her savvy isn’t what she thought, which opens the way for a number of lively adventures both geographic and emotional. Law’s storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful. Readers will want more from Law; her first book is both wholly engaging and lots of fun. Grades 5-7. --Francisca Goldsmith
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