Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher

1. Interesting lead. The class president, a future lawyer, an Air Force brat, a selective mute and a dead classmate have one thing in common. They are sixth grade students sharing a classroom without a teacher. The class is a train without a conductor, picking up speed. Will the train come into the station smoothly, or fly off the track? Read Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher to find out.

2. Introductory Paragraph. Ralph Fletcher is a master storyteller. Each year, the J.K. Rowling Award is given to an author for writing a wonderful story. Ralph Fletcher, author of Flying Solo, should be the 2012 recipient of the J.K. Rowling Award. Ralph Fletcher is superb at creating tension in Flying Solo. Mr. Fletcher uses strong, vivid language in his stories to develop tension that the reader can feel in his or her bones. The reader feels the rising emotions in the story because of the startling and powerful vocabulary used by the author. Also, the characters that Mr. Fletcher creates come to life in his stories. The characters in Flying Solo are people that each reader will connect to as a friend or classmate. Finally, Ralph Fletcher’s novel, Flying Solo, is incredibly realistic. From the dialogue to the sixth grade classroom, Mr. Fletcher has captured life in a sixth grade classroom. Without question, Ralph Fletcher should receive the 2012 J.K. Rowling Award.

3. Paragraph #2 : Body Paragraph – Reason #1 In the novel Flying Solo, Ralph Fletcher uses powerful vocabulary and vivid language to create tension. One example is when the school secretary, Mrs. Pierce, feels that she is forgetting something important. Mr. Fletcher describes Mrs. Pierce’s mind as, “a glass that is broken and shattered” that she won’t realize is broken until someone gets cut. This powerful description provides the first glimpse of the rising tension, as the realization that there will be no substitute for the class sets in. Another example that demonstrates Fletcher’s command of tension is when the character, Jessica, describes the classroom without an adult. Jessica wrote, “We are playing with a loaded gun.” These powerful words are filled with an ominous warning that something awful might happen. A third example of Fletcher’s ability to create a strong mood is his description of the events at the rock ritual. Even though Rachel is silent, her lips are “compressed with fury.” The tension in the story reaches its peak in this event thanks to Fletcher’s description of each character’s muttering, hissing, begging and shouting. This powerful vocabulary provides a scene of heartache and shame. Fletcher is certainly an expert at creating tension through his language, and it would be wonderful for him to be rewarded for his writing ability by receiving the J.K. Rowling Award.

4. Paragraph #3 : Body Paragraph – Reason #2 Characters…. Rachel Bastian Sean O’Day Christopher Karen …Tommy Feathers

5. Paragraph #3 : Body Paragraph - Reason #3 Realistic Story: dialogue, classroom, school setting, assembly

6. Paragraph #5: Concluding Paragraph In conclusion, Ralph Fletcher should be given the J.K. Rowling Award for his novel, Flying Solo. Mr. Fletcher is an authority on creating tension in his writing with his unbelievable vocabulary. Ralph Fletcher also creates characters in his writing that every student across the world will find a connection with, such as a classroom leader, a bully, or a dependable friend. Finally, Ralph Fletcher is a genius at developing a novel so realistic that every reader will feel they were in the novel. From the tears to the cheers, this novel becomes a part of the reader’s life experience. Without question, Ralph Fletcher should be the 2012 J.K. Rowling recipient.