This guide is designed to supply user friendly support materials for teachers, librarians, parents, and readers of all ages. It provides a smorgasbord of reading and response strategies and classroom suggestions that will help you to provide and attain a meaningful literary experience. There are many options built in so users, at a variety of different levels, can pick and choose to explore some or all of the material depending on the needs and abilities of the reading audience.

As a teacher, I fully understand the importance of having good solid support materials readily available to empower my teaching and enhance the reading experience of my students. The suggestions in this guide are directly related to the newest English Language Arts Standards as outlined by the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) and the IRA (International Reading Association). They are also based on current research into "best practices for interacting with text" and on years of language arts classroom experience.

Katherine Paterson, young adult award winning author of such books as Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, and Lyddie, has said:

"The wonderful thing about books is that they allow us to enter imaginatively into someone else's life. And when we do that, we learn to sympathize with other people. But the real surprise is that we also learn truths about ourselves, about our own lives, that somehow we hadn't been able to see before."

We welcome suggestions and feedback on this support material. Have a great time reading and responding to HOPE WAS HERE.

-Bob Bergstrom

Print a .pdf version of the teaching guide and reading guide.