Written and Read by: Jo Watson Hackl
Cover design and interior illustrations by: Gilbert Ford
How far would you go to find something that might not even exist? All her life, Cricket’s mama has told her stories about a secret room painted by a mysterious artist. Now Mama’s run off, and Cricket thinks the room might be the answer to getting her to come back. If it exists. And if she can find it. Cricket’s only clue is a coin from a grown-over ghost town in the woods. So with her daddy’s old guidebook and a coat full of snacks stolen from the Cash ‘n’ Carry, Cricket runs away to find the room. Surviving in the woods isn’t easy. While Cricket camps out in an old tree house and looks for clues, she meets the last resident of the ghost town, encounters a poetry-loving dog (who just might hold a key to part of the puzzle), and discovers that sometimes you have to get a little lost . . . to really find your way.
Written and Read by: Jo Watson Hackl
Cover design and interior illustrations by: Gilbert Ford
How far would you go to find something that might not even exist? All her life, Cricket’s mama has told her stories about a secret room painted by a mysterious artist. Now Mama’s run off, and Cricket thinks the room might be the answer to getting her to come back. If it exists. And if she can find it. Cricket’s only clue is a coin from a grown-over ghost town in the woods. So with her daddy’s old guidebook and a coat full of snacks stolen from the Cash ‘n’ Carry, Cricket runs away to find the room. Surviving in the woods isn’t easy. While Cricket camps out in an old tree house and looks for clues, she meets the last resident of the ghost town, encounters a poetry-loving dog (who just might hold a key to part of the puzzle), and discovers that sometimes you have to get a little lost . . . to really find your way.
Standards
- ELA.3.OE.1 Read and write for a variety of purposes, including academic and personal, for extended periods of time.
- ELA.AOR.1 Evaluate and critique key literary elements that enhance and deepen meaning within and across texts.
- ELA.4.OE.1 Read and write for a variety of purposes, including academic and personal, for extended periods of time.
- ELA.4.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.
- ELA.AOR.1 Evaluate and critique key literary elements that enhance and deepen meaning within and across texts.
- ELA.5.OE.1 Read and write for a variety of purposes, including academic and personal, for extended periods of time.
- ELA.5.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.
- ELA.6.OE.1 Read and write for a variety of purposes, including academic and personal, for extended periods of time.
- ELA.6.OE.3 Make inferences to support comprehension.
Resources
Starting Nature Journals with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In the novel Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket recalls the times she spent in the woods with her father. He had taught her outdoor skills, such as how to build a fire and...
View LessonUnderstanding Ecosystems with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
Cricket, the main character in Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, moves into a treehouse in the woods to find her mother’s “bird room” before her mother returns. The book can be used to teach students...
View LessonSunset Times with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, sunset times are important for solving the clue trail. Students can use the book as a starting point to learn more about sunrise/sunset times and the rotation of...
View LessonSquirrel Study with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket discovers squirrels in a nest above the treehouse. Students can use the novel as a starting point for learning more about squirrels.
View LessonRaccoon Study with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket decides to live in a treehouse in the woods. She returns one afternoon to find her father’s book and her food supply destroyed by...
View LessonRabbit Study with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket finds a clue stating that she should “look like a rabbit”. Cricket later realizes that the clue means she should see the world from a...
View LessonFinding the Perimeter of a Rectangle with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
Using the novel Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe as a starting point, students will learn how to find the perimeter of a rectangle.
View LessonMagnetic Currency with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, Cricket uses a doogaloo to open the treasure box. Doogaloos, also known as scrip, were coins created to be used as currency in some mill towns. Students will use...
View LessonThe Lumber Industry with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket runs away to live in the woods while she searches for the Bird Room. She makes her way to the ruins of Electric City, an abandoned...
View LessonTree Identification with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, Cricket finds her father’s book about living off the land. In the book, he made notes about when he would teach Cricket certain skills. When Cricket was 10, he...
View LessonField Cricket Study with Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe
In Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, the main character Cricket finds a cricket stuck in a spider web. Cricket rescues the insect and names her Charlene. Students will use the adventures of Cricket...
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