Grades 2–5 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE Book . .#1 . MESERVE by Mary Amato AMATO PRAISE FOR News from Me, Lucy McGee “Fun accompanied by useful life lessons.”—Kirkus Reviews news from Me, illustrated by Jessica Meserve “Lucy has an appealing earnestness and a Ramona-esque tendency to act first and think later.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Lucy McGee can’t believe that popular classmate Scarlett Tandy has asked her to join the exclusive Craft Club. There’s just one problem: Lucy’s dad already signed her up for the Songwriting Club. When Scarlett tells Lucy to skip the Songwriting Club, it’ll mean lying to her parents and disappointing her friend Phillip Lee—but if Lucy can be super-extra secretive about it, they’ll never find out . right? ABOUT THE SERIES This chapter-book series by favorite, award-winning author Mary US $7.99 $7.99 / CAN / CAN $10.99 $10.99 ISBN: 978-0-8234-4439-7 Amato stars a fun-loving heroine Holiday House Publishing, Inc. 5 0 7 9 9 EAN HolidayHouse.com who matches wits with a mean girl. 0710 9 7 8 0 8 2 3 4 4 4 3 9 7 NewsFromMeLucyMcgeePB_JKT_3p.indd 1 9/18/19 10:10 AM Spunky Lucy McGee is in the fourth Book BookBookBookBook #3 #2 #3 #3 Book #4 . #3. Lucy McGee’s ukulele is missing—and if she doesn’t find it M AM ESERV The big talent show is coming up and MARY AMATO is the author of soon, she’ll be kicked out of the Songwriting Club! grade at Slido Creek Elementary School A sing with me, Lucy McGee and Phillip Lee are sure the popular Riot Brothers series, The When Lucy learns that YouTube songwriting stars Ben & TO Lucky LuckyLucky me, me,me, Star on TV Word Eater, Our Teacher Is a Vampire that they have a hit on their hands Bree are playing a show on Saturday and they’re giving away E and Other (Not) True Stories, and a free ukulele, it seems like the perfect solution . if she can with “The Together Song.” They’re and struggles with making the right de- other novels. She is also a songwriter get a ticket. shocked when Scarlett steals the lyrics and musician. Her home is in Soon, frenemy Scarlett announces that she has an extra lucky and tries to pass off their work as her Hyattsville, Maryland. Visit her ticket to the show, and everyone in the Songwriting Club is own. Have no fear, Lucy and Phillip cisions. To make matters worse, Scarlett at maryamato.com trying to win her over. Lucy McGee will have to get extra aren’t finished scheming yet. But creative to find out what happened to her uke and to charm then, neither is Scarlett. JESSICA MESERVE has the always-scheming Scarlett in this humorous but heartfelt Me, Tandy, a mean girl, manages to manip- The spunky and hilarious Lucy written and illustrated her own illustrated chapter book. picture books as well as other books Check out the back of the book for lyrics to all the songs. McGee stands up to bullying, that have been published in the Hear the songs at maryamato.com/lucy-songs/. makes some pretty bad judgment ulate Lucy and her classmates as they US and the UK. She was born calls, and still figures out how to READ ALL THE L UCY M C G EE BOOKS ! in Maine and lives in England. bring the whole Songwriting Club together in this high-spirited chart their way through the school year. follow-up to News from Me, Lucy McGee. There are schemes that go wrong, but through it all spunky and hilarious Lucy, under the careful guidance of a wise fa- US $7.99$7.99 / CAN / CAN $10.99 $10.99 Holiday House Publishing, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-8234-4525-7 5 0 7 9 9 BY HolidayHouse.com Mary Amato EAN Holiday House Publishing, Inc. BY MaryBYBY MaryMary Amato AmatoAmato HolidayHouse.com ther, manages to right some wrongs and ILLUSTRATEDILLUSTRATED BY BY jessica meserve Printed in the U.S.A. 9 7 8 0 8 2 3 4 4 5 2 5 7 0710 Cover art © 2020 by Jessica Meserve ILLUSTRATEDILLUSTRATED BY jessicaBY jessicajessica meserv meservmeserve ee 0710 gather her friends in song. Coming soon SingLucy_McGeeJKT_6p.indd 1 9/16/19 11:01 AM PRE-READING ACTIVITY Discuss the phrase “Think before you act.” Then have the class brainstorm possible consequences of “not thinking” before “acting.” Divide the class into small groups and ask them to dramatize a scenario where a person or a group “acts before thinking.” Then reverse the dramatization and present the situation as an example of “thinking before acting.” HolidayHouse.com #LucyMcGee Book . .#1 . MESERVE AMATO NEWS FROM ME, PRAISE FOR News from Me, Lucy McGee “Fun accompanied by useful life lessons.”—Kirkus Reviews LUCY MCGEE “Lucy has an appealing earnestness and a Ramona-esque news from Me, tendency to act first and think later.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Book 1 Lucy McGee can’t believe that popular classmate Scarlett Tandy has asked her to join the exclusive Craft Club. There’s just one problem: Lucy’s dad already signed her up for the Songwriting Club. When Scarlett tells Lucy to skip the Songwriting Club, it’ll mean lying to her parents and disappointing her friend Phillip Lee—but if Lucy can be super-extra secretive about ABOUT THE BOOK it, they’ll never find out . right? Lucy McGee has been a failure at many activities, but now fourth-grader Phillip Lee is starting a Songwriting Club at school, and Lucy’s father enrolls her. But trouble erupts US $7.99 $7.99 / CAN / CAN $10.99 $10.99 for Lucy when she falls prey to Scarlett’s flattery and tricks. Lucy faces consequences ISBN: 978-0-8234-4439-7 Holiday House Publishing, Inc. 5 0 7 9 9 EAN HolidayHouse.com for her behavior at home and at school, but she also learns important lessons about 9 7 8 0 8 2 3 4 4 4 3 9 7 0710 keeping her word, telling the truth, and the real meaning of friendship. NewsFromMeLucyMcgeePB_JKT_3p.indd 1 HC: 978-0-8234-3871-6 9/18/19 10:10 AM PB: 978-0-8234-4439-7 E-book: 978-0-8234-4132-7 GROUP DISCUSSION • Describe Lucy’s family. How does the reader know means when he says, “If you have a feeling in your that the McGees are engaged in Lucy’s life? Con- gut that something isn’t right, listen to that feeling” trast her family with Scarlett Tandy’s family. Debate (p. 54). Sometimes impulsive behavior leads to re- whether Scarlett’s family is part of her problem. Ex- grets. What are Lucy’s regrets? Debate whether she plain what Lucy means when she says, “I’m glad I’m has learned from these regrets. in this family” (p. 55). • Scarlett encourages Lucy to lie to her parents about • Define “manipulation.” Describe Scarlett’s manipula- attending the Songwriting Club. Lucy is conflicted tive behavior. Why is it so difficult for Lucy to see that but decides to be “sneaky” and follow Scarlett. What Scarlett is manipulating her? Lucy takes the complete is the difference between being “sneaky” and lying? blame for making a mess at the Tandys’ garden shed. How is Lucy responsible for her own behavior? What When she tells her dad what really happened, he consequences does she face? asks, “Why didn’t you stand up to Scarlett?” (p. 54). What does Lucy’s dad see in Scarlett that Lucy can’t • Define “friendship.” What is the difference between see? How does Lucy get revenge on Scarlett? Debate a true friend and an almost friend? Discuss the rela- whether revenge is the best approach for dealing tionship between trust and friendship. At what point with people like Scarlett. does Lucy learn that she can’t trust Scarlett? Why is it difficult to be Scarlett’s friend? How is Phillip trust- • Lucy often “acts before she thinks.” Discuss the bad worthy? Discuss the friendship between Lucy and decisions that Lucy makes. Explain what Lucy’s dad Phillip. Explain how Phillip is a forgiving friend. ACTIVITIES • Ask students to work in pairs and dramatize the in class. Instruct them to cite scenes and use direct conversation between Lucy and Scarlett about the quotes to support their thoughts. stolen paint from the art room (pp. 33–34). • Lucy finds a way to replace the paint and brushes • “Adjectives” are words that describe a person or that she took from the art room. Write a song of a thing. As a class, make a list of five adjectives confession that she might sing to Mr. Hopkins, the that best describe each of the following charac- art teacher. Set the lyrics to a favorite tune, and ters: Lucy, Phillip, Scarlett, and Mr. McGee. Then perform it for the class. ask students to write a character sketch of one of the characters, using the adjectives brainstormed HolidayHouse.com #LucyMcGee Meserve © 2018 Jessica Illustration SING WITH ME, LUCY MCGEE Book 2 ABOUT THE BOOK Lucy McGee and Phillip Lee team up to write a hit song for the school talent show. Then Scarlett Tandy steals their lyrics and tries to con- vince the other kids that she wrote them. In the days leading up to the talent show, Lucy and Phillip develop a plan to out-scheme Scarlett. But Scarlett’s mean streak is hard to beat.