Here are some examples to get you started:

• 1

  The first story, Best of Friends by Marc Barnett, begins with the description of a group of 4th grade boys all described as nerds – Ernest is chief among them. For two very different reasons, Dean the story’s narrator, and Ernest attempt to become best of friends. Consider the perspective of each boy and the title of the story – Best of Friends. After talking about this with your child, explain that the author has used the literary device of irony. The implied meaning of the title is actually very different than it first appears. Continue to look for examples of irony in this book and other stories.

• 2

  In the stories Will by Adam Rex and Kid Approval by David Lubar, some of the characters appear to have super-human powers. Compare with your child how these two authors use this notion of physical power. Talk about how this can make a story stronger.

• 3

  It seems that every family has one or two stories that get shared over and over because of their humor or shock value. Eoin Colfer shares one such recycled family story in Artemis Begins. Talk about the stories your family or friends still tell and compare them to Artemis Begins. What elements do they both share? For example, do both of them contain something shocking, or an injury, or humor?

• 4

  Expert readers make connections between events in a story. One way to awaken this kind of thinking is to look for a cause/effect relationship between story events. My Parents Give My Bedroom to a Biker is an excellent story to begin this kind of reading and thinking. After you have shared the story, reread it to uncover the relationship between the events. Some of these will be obvious; others will require a little more thinking.

• 5

  Nearly all of these stories involve groups of boys, both friends and brothers. Many of them describe members of their tribe as “idiots,” “nerds,” and “geeks.” Ask your child how these misfit characters enhance these stories. Talk about the characters and the stories you read. Ask yourselves if these characters are necessary. How would the stories be different without them? Finally, trace the progression of each of the stories and talk about whether these characters still have their geek status at the end. Did things change? Why or why not?

• 6

  Jon Scieszka put these 10 stories into a collection because they all share one common trait—humor. Spend some time talking about a few of the stories and what made them funny for you. As a family, talk about what stories you found funniest. Where were the moments you laughed the most? Revisit those pages and talk about how the author used his or her craft to make you laugh.