This project is due on April 1, 2011

You will be investigating the works and life of an author of your choice. In addition to reading three
books, you will be writing a business letter; three synopses or book summaries; a paper, About the
Author; a paper evaluating the authors style, and a list of the authors books. The final project must
be a display that includes all of the information you have gathered. Below is a list describing each
aspect of this project.
The Project:

Read three books by an author of your choice. (You must use books that you have not read.)
You will have approximately two to three weeks to read each book.

Write a business letter to the author of your choice requesting information that you may not be
able to gather on your own. Due: December 2, 2011

Write a one-page synopsis of each of your three books that you will include with your final
project. These synopses will need to be turned in every two weeks.

Synopsis #1 Due: December 16, 2011

Synopsis #2 Due: January 13, 2011
Synopsis #3 Due: Febuary 3, 2011

Find interesting information about your author to share in your final project. Write this up in a
one-page paper entitled About the Author. Due: Febuary 17, 2011

List the titles of all the books written by your author. Include copyright dates. Due with the
final project.

Write a two-page observation/reflection about your authors style and work. Due: March 9,
2011

Requirements for Your Paper About Your Authors Style

This paper should be a minimum of six paragraphs long. You should analyze four of the following
components to identify different aspects of your authors style. (Introduction + Component 1 +
Component 2 + Component 3 + Component 4 + Summary = 6 paragraphs)
Narrative Voice

First person The author talks through one of the characters. One main character tells the
story. You see the author using the words I or we. Notice also the age of the narrative
voice. For example is it always a child telling the story?
Third person, limited omniscient The author uses words like he, she, they (not I), when
moving the plot along. He/she does not share thoughts of all the main characters.
Third person, omniscient (all knowing) The author uses words like he, she, they (not I), when
moving the plot along. He/she shares thoughts and feelings of all the main characters.

Literary Techniques

Similes (comparisons using like or as)

Metaphors (His heart was a rock)
Symbolism (white = purity, black = evil, dragon = powerful foe)
Rhyming
Alliteration (Sally sells sea shells)
Onomatopoeia (word that makes the sound: plop pop)
Personification (giving human qualities to things or animals)

Descriptions

Technical
Flowery lots of imagery
Minimal

Use of Dialogue

Realistic dialogue
Authentic dialect (yall)
Minimal use

Vocabulary

Sophisticated? Written for an older audience

Simplistic

Genre

Is there one genre that this author tends to use? What is it?

Theme/Subject Matter

Does the author tend to write about similar topics or themes? i.e.: love, space-time continuum,
personal growth, reconciliation, good vs. evil

Poster/ Presentation
Biography

Authors Name

List of
Books

Picture of
the
author

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Quote from novel

Quote from novel

Quote from novel

Book 1

Book 2

Biography
Chr
onol
ogic
al

List of
Books

Quote from novel

Quote from novel

Authors Name
Picture
of
Author

Book 3

Chr
onol
ogic
al

Picture
of
Author

Quote from novel

Your Presentation will need to be 5 minutes in length. You will need to cover biographical
information, style, were you able to contact your author, and a synopsis of the books you read
for the project (you may also reference any other books you have read by this author). Your
poster is due on April 1, 2011.

Name__________________________________
Date___________________________________
Due Date: ______________________________
Authors Name:_________________________________________

Guidelines for your book selections:

1. Can not be a book you have previously read.
2. All books must be by the same author.
3. Each book may be from a series, but they can not be consecutive books in a series
4. Pick an author that you like (Remember, you will be reading three books by this author).

Pick three books that you will use to complete the author
study:
1.____________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________
______________________________ _____________________________
Parent Signature
Teacher Signature

Novel Organizer
Name____________________________________________________
Title of Novel______________________________________________
Authors Name_____________________________________________
Due Date _________________________________________________
Setting:
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Conflict:
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Resolution:
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Important Events:
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Main Characters:
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Favorite Quotes from the novel:
Chapter ______ Page _______
Quote:
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Reason for choosing this quote:
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Chapter ______ Page _______

Quote:
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Reason for choosing this quote:
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Chapter ______ Page _______
Quote:
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Reason for choosing this quote:
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Readers Review: (Write a minimum of seven sentences that tell how you felt about the book
and why.)

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Name______________________________

Authors Biography
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate information.
Author: _________________________________________________________________
What genre does your author write in? ________________________________________
Where was your author born? _______________________________________________
When was your author born? ________________________________________________
Where did the author grow up? ______________________________________________
Is your author still alive? If not, where, when, and how did he/she die? _______________
________________________________________________________________________
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What are the authors parents names? ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Does the author have any siblings? If so, what are their names? ____________________
______________________________________________________________________
Did/Does the author have a family? [Please give as much information about the authors family as you can
possibly find (names, occupations, are they still living, , ages, birth dates, death dates, current residence)].
________________________________________________________________________
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What religion did/does your author follow or believe in? __________________________
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Has the authors religion influenced their writing? If so, how? ______________________

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Did the author graduate from high school, if so, where? ___________________________
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Did the author go to college, if so, where? _____________________________________
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Did the author belong to any literary clubs? ____________________________________
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Where did the author get their inspiration(s)? ___________________________________
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Was the author famous during their lifetime? ___________________________________
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Was/ Is your author wealthy? _______________________________________________
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At what age did the author begin writing books? ________________________________
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When did the author publish their first book? ___________________________________

Did the author have any sort of traumatic event occur in their life? If so, did it affect his/her writing?
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What world events occurred during the authors life that may have influenced their writing?
________________________________________________________________

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What did the author do before he/she became an author? __________________________
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How has your author influenced the genre that he/she writes in? ____________________
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How many other books has your author written and what are some of their titles?
________________________________________________________________________
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Find the authors address, or the address that fan mail can be sent to.
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