Do Now..• In your notebook, draw a T-chart• On the left side of the T-chart, make a list of

FACTS you know about bats• On the right side of the T-chart, make a list of

OPINIONS you have about bats

Facts Opinions

“Silverwing”

By Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel• Canadian author (born

1967 in B.C.)• Published his first book

“Colin's Fantastic Video Adventure” when he was still in high school

• Best known for his Silverwing trilogy.

• A prequel, “Darkwing,” is the 4th and the latest one

From the Author“At around twelve I decided I wanted to be a writer …. I started out writing sci-fi epics (my Star Wars phase) then went on to swords and sorcery tales (my Dungeons and Dragons phase) and then, during the summer holiday when I was fourteen, started on a humorous story about a boy addicted to video games (written, of course, during my video game phase). It turned out to be quite a long story, really a short novel, and I rewrote it the next summer….

From the Author

“… We had a family friend who knew Roald Dahl - one of my favourite authors - and this friend offered to show Dahl my story. I was paralysed with excitement. I never heard back from Roald Dahl directly, but he read my story, and liked it enough to pass on to his own literary agent. I got a letter from them, saying they wanted to take me on, and try to sell my story. And they did.”

Silverwing Trilogy

Back-cover Blurb

• Shade is a young silverwing bat, the runt of his colony. But he’s determined to prove himself on the long , dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum, millions of wingbeats to the south.

Back-cover Blurb

• During a fierce storm, he loses the others and soon faces the most incredible journey of his young life.

• Desperately searching for a way to rejoin his flock, Shade meets a remarkable cast of characters: Marina, a Brightwing bat with a strange metal band on her leg; Zephyr, a mystical albino bat with an unusual gift; and Goth, a gigantic carnivorous vampire bat. But which ones are friends and which ones are enemies?

Back-cover Blurb

• In this epic story of adventure and suspense, Shade is going to need all the help he can find– if he hopes to ever see his family again.

Back-cover Blurb

“Shade”

Turn and Talk with Your Partner

• Do you know a story where “the runt of the colony/family/group” becomes the hero of the story? Share with your partner what the story is about, and discuss why we love these so much.

Check it out!

• The Author’s official page @• http://www.kennethoppel.ca/silverwing/• Yep, that’s where Ms. Tu got the quote and

the info

The Book Trailer

• Write down your initial reactions.. • What did you see?• In your notebook, jot down your observations

from the movie• Does the trailer give you ideas about the

book? Write down your predictions.• We will come back to this entry as we read the

book.