“If
there's one thing I've learned about people, it's that many will do anything,
anything not to die. And they'll do anything to keep from living their life.”
(Angus Tuck)
Tuck
Everlasting
Written
by Natalie Babbitt
Published
by Farrar, Straus, Giroux,
1975
Family, Nature, Immortality, Timeless (literally), Vivid imagery
Awards:
Phoenix
Award (Nominated, 1995)
Mark
Twain Award (Nominated, 1978)
Christopher
Book Awards (Won, 1976)
Summary:
This
novel is about a particularly interesting family, the Tucks. What makes them so interesting is that they
have drunken spring water which has made them immortal. The main mortal in the story is Winnie, a
sweet young girl who is taken by the Tucks in both senses of the word, she is
fascinated by them, and she is kidnapped by them because she mistakably figures
out their secret. Nevertheless another
man, a stranger to both Winnie and the Tucks knows their secret as well and wishes
to become filthy rich exploiting them and their spring water.
Reading Level: Lexile Measure: 770
Suggested Delivery: Read aloud
Key Vocabulary: Melancholy, Solemnly,
Scornful, Indomitable, Peril, Accomplice
Teaching Suggestions:
a) Use
this book as a read aloud! By modeling
good fluency and prosody, students will improve their own oral reading fluency.
b) To encourage student connections
to the character’s within the novel, students could make a “bucket list” (a
list of things one wishes to do before they die), or to make it easier to
grasp, they could write a paragraph of where they see themselves in ten years,
this could also be depicted through a drawing and description.
c) Whether used as a read aloud, or
independent reading, classroom discussion must occur intermittently analyzing
characters, major events, and making predictions.
Comprehension
Strategies:
Pre-Reading:
As
a whole class, take turn reading the two-page prologue. Brainstorm predictions of what may take place
in the rest of the novel. Look for
students using their own background knowledge and personal connections in their
prediction.
During
Reading:
Post Reading:
Students
will write a friendly, informal email to Winnie either as one who has drunken
the spring water or as a mortal who had the opportunity to, either happy with their
decision or having regrets.
Writing Activity:
Students
will consider the major events they highlighted while reading. They will go back in the text to look for
points of foreshadowing. Events that may
have seemed minor, may be relabeled as of high importance. Students will write a response to accompany
their drawing that explains the major events and identifies any other events
that may have foreshadowed it.
Electronic Resources:
Scholastic
offers a comprehensive reading guide to support the text.
Teachers
can access this website to find an excellent main idea graphic organizer.
Babbitt, N. (1975). Tuck everlasting. New
York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
