Readers Theater for Building Reading Fluency for Grades 6-8

Ordering
Stories by Topic/Theme Price List by Title Grade Level Kits K-12 Using the Arts in Afterschool After School Kits/Games K-8 Budget Kit K-5 Healthy Themes Kit K-5 Mini-Costume Kits Reader's Theater Games Reader's Theater Workshops Inter-active Staff Training Download Full Catalog (PDF) To Order by PO To Order Online Vendor Numbers/Approval
Information
What's New and Unique Watch Implementation Video Content Topics/Themes Character Building Stories in Spanish Parent Engagement Subscribe to our E-Newsletter News Archive Finding Funding for Your RT Request a Catalog Download Samples Free for Your Classroom Research/Approved Methods Reading Level Test Testimonials Employment Opportunities FAQ Contact Us

LIBRARY OF PLAYBOOK® STORIES FOR GRADES 6-8
	Mini, the Super Watermelon An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Dianna Cleveland Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Nicole Swanson, 5th Grade Teacher What comes to mind when you think of watermelons? You might think how sweet and delicious they are, or *how large and heavy they are.* But did you know watermelons are also super foods packed with vitamins, and they contain Lycopene, an anti-oxidant that helps rid the body of damaging substances? There are also miniature watermelons that are just as delicious and nutritious, but grow to a much more practical size? Well, this is just what Mini, the only miniature watermelon in her patch, learns when she decides to wander away from the vine all by herself. Even though the large, oval-shaped watermelons make fun of her for being so little and round, Mini learns at a nearby Farmer's Market that small watermelons are what everyone wants! Discover Mini's superpowers and some interesting facts about watermelon in this adorable story about a powerful little heroine. Story Length: 3,149 Words 24 bound pages (fully illustrated-notebook size) Download Pages to Print: 35 including Supplements Download File Size: 2,022 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order Master Man Told by: Aaron Shepard Illustrated by: Jorge Higuera Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Pat and John Fine, Retired Teachers A man named Shadusa believes he is the strongest man in the world. He tells his wife, Shettu, "From now on, just call me Master Man." But Shettu says, "Quit your foolish boasting. No matter how strong you are, there will always be someone stronger. And watch out, or someday you may meet him." In a tale that deals with the dangers of boastful pride, Shadusa gets into more trouble than he ever bargained for. Read this West African fable to find out if Shadusa really is Master Man. Story Length: 1,406 Words SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 2-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit™ Included FREE! Content for Grades 2-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2 - 4 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character.
	The Hidden One Told by: Aaron Shepard Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Pat and John Fine, Retired Teachers In this Native American Indian folktale, Little Scarface must endure the taunting and cruelty of her beautiful, yet selfish, older sister. The other members of her tribe tease her and believe she is ugly and clumsy. But Little Scarface knows there is more to her than most can see. In a tale of compassion, honesty, and discovery, she is determined to take her turn to visit the Hidden One in the hopes of becoming his bride. If beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder, will the hidden beauty inside of her win his heart, or will her sister get there first? Find out in this twist of a Cinderella tale. Story Length: 1,507 Words SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 2-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2 - 4 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit™ Available
	The Great Rhyme Travel Machine A Playbook® Original Story Written by: Gregory Brown Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier On the eve of the Summersville Elementary Invention Fair, twins, Melinda and Marcus, are still racing to finish a most unusual project. Their invention, The Great Rhyme Travel Machine, is designed to bring famous people from the past into the future! It may only be a cardboard box with aluminum foil and some lights, but it could hold a big surprise! The students know their machine doesn’t have to actually work to win the competition. Creativity and vision is what counts with the judges. When their favorite teacher, Miss Chalk, lets them stay after school to finish their invention, the twins begin to hear strange noises in their classroom. Mysteriously and magically, their machine works and out come two famous people, Amelia Earhart and Thomas Edison! This fun and creative story provides opportunities for students to use their imaginations in admiring and honoring famous people of the past. Great for Social Studies content. Story Length: 4,482 Words SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order The Great Rhyme Travel Machine Presents: African American Heroes A Playbook® Original Story Written by: Gregory Brown Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier As Summersville students listen to their teacher, Miss Chalk, read from her long lost diary, they are deeply inspired. One entry, detailing the famous “I Have A Dream” speech, leaves twelve year old Kelly spellbound. Motivated to do something important, she decides to run for Sixth Grade Class President! Unfortunately, her drive is short lived. Realizing there’s never been a historical president with green eyes, dark skin and pretty long braids, she feels defeated. To keep their frustrated friend from dropping out, Melinda and Marcus reactivate The Great Rhyme Travel Machine for some answers. What follows is a moving lesson that teaches kids what being a leader really means. Endearing childhood versions of George Washington Carver and Shirley Chisholm travel through time to motivate Kelly and her friends. This script not only promotes positive Character Education and Black History themes, but also mirrors the excitement of present day elections. Vote “YES” for another exciting adventure in rhyme! Story Length: 4,331 Words SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order The Fairy and the Frog A Playbook® Original Story Written by: Stephanie Ireys Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Pat and John Fine, Retired Teachers Frogs had disliked fairies for a very long time, and fairies absolutely never talked to frogs. That was just the way things were, until one young fairy's curiosity changed things. Pixie Lou, the daughter of the Fairy Queen, didn't understand why fairies and frogs couldn't get along, so she disguised herself as a dragonfly and flew over to meet some frogs and find out for herself. She came across George, who just happened to be a frog prince, lying in the sun. And he wasn't bad at all! In fact, he was quite nice and very funny, and the two became fast friends. So what was the big deal? Well, there was something Pixie Lou didn't know. There was a reason fairies and frogs didn't get along, a horrible secret hidden amongst the beautiful flowers of the tranquil river valley. It was definitely not a good idea for a fairy to be in the frog kingdom, something Pixie Lou would soon discover. Story Length: 4,623 Words 48 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 25 Download File Size: 957 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 3-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with.. Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Content for Grades 3-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with.. Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Content for Grades 3-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 3 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit™ Available
	My Wide World of Sports A Playbook® Original Story Written by: Francesca Passudetti Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier Michael wasn’t interested in sports. The only things he really liked to do were play video games and eat snacks. Then one day, his TV stopped working. Instead of video games, he could only see his pudgy reflection in the dark glass. When one of his friends invited him to watch his soccer practice, he reluctantly went along out of lack of something better to do. Out on the soccer field, Michael met up with his friends who each practiced a favorite sport, popular in his or her own culture. It was fun to learn about sports from around the world, but unfortunately, Michael wasn’t good at any of them. When the kids decided to cool off in the pool, however, things were about to change! Amazingly, once Michael hit the water, his awkwardness turned into agility, and he was a stronger and faster swimmer than any of the other kids. Was it possible that one day Michael Phillips would not only be good at a sport, but would excel? Story Length: 3,208 Words SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 3-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with.. Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 3 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character.
	Tiny Heroes of the Waves An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Sharon Brinkerhoff Illustrated by: Jimmy Chau Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Jan Abbott, 5th Grade Teacher What can five little sea creatures, some of them barely more than an inch long, possibly do against two large, fierce, and powerful sharks? You'd be surprised! When these five little friends set off on a fantastic adventure in the warm Brazilian ocean, not only do they encounter strange mysteries and objects of great beauty, they find themselves involved in something much greater and more dangerous than they ever imagined possible. Will they be able to face their fears and get the help they need? After all, once the full moon rises above the waves at midnight, it will be too late. Story Length: 4,286 Words 64 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 32 Download File Size: 981 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 3-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2-5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit Available
	Sundance and the Bully An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Jan Abbott Illlustrated by: Bret Berndes Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Jan Abbott, 5th Grade Teacher Sundance, the new kitten in the family, has a lot to learn, especially since his unusual tail has come to the attention of the neighborhood bully cat. How can Sundance safely stop the endless taunting of nasty Bully Cat? In a story that deals with working together against bullying, these cats have some pretty smart ideas. Can they really make a difference? Story Length: 4,862 Words 50 bound pages (fully illustrated-notebook size) Download Pages to Print: 42 Download File Size: 1,102 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-6 **Available in... Single-Level Format with All Roles at Stage 4 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character.** Mini-Costume Kit Available
	The Baseball Equation An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Kyle Namisniak Illustrated by: Antonio Nilo Tyler was great at math. In fact, he was great at all school subjects. But what he really wanted to do was play baseball. His friends tried to help him, his coach encouraged him, but he just couldn’t get it. Some of the kids at school made fun of him, and he would dread having to go out onto the field when it was time to play. One Saturday, he was determined he would practice until he played well, but even with his best efforts, he couldn’t make any progress. Luckily for Tyler, the school janitor had been watching, and together they figured out a formula that would use Tyler’s strengths to his advantage. For the first time, Tyler saw baseball from a new angle. But would this information help his game? Would Tyler ever be good at baseball? Story Length: 3,812 Words 44 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 22 Download File Size: 1,688 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 3-5 Click here to view/print summary an image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit™ Available
	Fabulous Food Detectives An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Susan Ingebretson Illustrated by: Liliane Grenier There’s always something cooking at Kayley and Madison’s house. Their father is ‘The Zesty Chef’ on his own TV show, which features healthy cooking with whole foods. He creates the tastiest recipes on the planet! The whole family loves to experiment—with science and with food. With their project for the school science fair, the Zest girls may have discovered a way to do both at once! Experiments are all about trying new things, even if you don’t know what will happen. Will everything go as planned or will everyone learn something new? Story Length: 3,519 Words SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2-5 Click here to view/print summary an image of each character.
	The Hairless Bear An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Susan Ingebretson Illustrated by: Tony Jacobs Remo loves his ordinary bear life in Woodfield, but his family is acting strange. His annoying sister is far too nice! Mother Bear talks too much and Father Bear hardly talks at all. Is all this fuss because he’s sick? When will everything just get back to normal? Story Length: 5,983 Words 66 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 31 Download File Size: 1,105 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-6 Available in... Single-Level Format with All Roles at Stage 4 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character.
	Armando & Amanda An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Patricia Fine Illustrated by: Len Gatdula Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Patricia and John Fine, Retired Teachers Armando Armadillo is a master at inventing exciting games, but he never knows when to stop! Soon after his family moves to South America, he is challenged to create ten new games in ten days, and in order to do that, he lets his enthusiasm and imagination run wild. This time, he inadvertently puts himself, his family, and his friends in danger of armadillo poachers! Will Armando be able to think his way out of this escapade? Story Length: 5,933 Words 64 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 32 Download File Size: 581 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-6 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character.

	Rikki Tikki Tavi A timeless tale adapted to Playbook® Format Retold by: Stephanie Comella Illustrated by: Mikhail Belomlinsky Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Nancy Eschen, 4th Grade Teacher, Tammy Turley, 2nd Grade Teacher Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is the story of a brave, young mongoose who saves his garden from two evil cobras. Rikki-Tikki makes many friends in the garden, but two fierce cobras want him to leave ... and they aren't going to ask nicely. Will Rikki-Tikki leave quietly, or will he stay and protect his new family? Based on the classic story. Story Length: 4,687 Words 62 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 30 Download File Size: 2,180 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-7 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 3 - 6 *or,* (Single-Level) Format with All Roles at Stage 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit Available
	Rumple Stilt Who? A timeless tale adapted to Playbook® Format Retold by: Elaine Carlson Illustrated by: Len Gatdula Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Amanda Hayes, 1st Grade Teacher, Linda Helgevold, 3rd Grade Teacher In this silly twist of the classic tale, Rumplestiltskin, Sir Knight has a problem with getting things straight. Because of his mixed up messages, the beautiful maid, Gwendolyn, is locked in the King's cellar with a very mean little troll! How can just one Knight confuse a whole kingdom? Based on the classic story. Story Length: 4,680 Words 56 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 29 Download File Size: 701 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-7 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 1 - 5 *or,* (Single-Level) Format with All Roles at Stage 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character.
	Watchamacallit Wizardry An Original Playbook® Story Written by: Louis Shultz Illustrated by: John Portez Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Jan Abbott, 5th Grade Teacher Billy loved anything that was unusual or mysterious. He would often go on adventures and would pretend to be a wizard seeking the answers to life's funny riddles. Little did he know his curiosity was about to lead him into a truly magical world, far beyond anything he had ever imagined. Only this world wasn't make believe, this time it was for real. Billy would find himself in a truly wonderful place, filled with the mystery and adventure he had always longed for. Even better, for reasons beyond human comprehension, he was meant to enter this special realm. Why he was led there, however, would prove to be the greatest mystery of all. Story Length: 7,858 Words 71 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 36 Download File Size: 790 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-7 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 2-5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit Available
	A Snail's Pace Race A Playbook® Original Story Written by: Patricia Fine Illustrated by: Jimmy Chau and Quinn Benedict Edited for Multi-Level Readability by: Jan Abbott, 5th Grade Teacher It is the day of the great race, and all the snails are excited. Many of the runners have trained hard, followed special diets, and bought new equipment. They all want to win. But some snails think they can depend on their reputations and fancy equipment and clothes without bothering to train, and rely on their popularity with the crowd to achieve first place. But will popularity win this race? A dynamic read aloud, complete with a screaming fan, roaring crowd, and interesting commentary-like dialogue from reporters Robin Bailey and Chris Cole. All the readers together form the "Crowd" and participate by cheering, booing, and expressing excitement throughout the race. If the costume kit is purchased, each member of the "Crowd" is given a pom pom to shake. Story Length: 3,244 Words 50 bound pages (fully illustrated-paperback size) Download Pages to Print: 25 Download File Size: 1,178 kb SELECT-View Pricing and Choose Options to Order	Content for Grades 4-8 Available in... Advantage (Multi-Level) Format with... Character Roles Written at Reading Stages 3 - 5 Click here to view/print summary and image of each character. Mini-Costume Kit™ Available