Maddie Makes a Movie
on Goodreads (11)
What’s inside...
Maddie's not your typical fifth-grader. With an electric skateboard, a stuntman dad, and a head full of crazy ideas, she often finds herself on the wrong side of Principal Richardson--particularly when that tattletale Raquel is always trying to get her into trouble.After Maddie founds a playground society celebrating the noble art of falling onto heaped cardboard boxes, Principle Richardson challenges Maddie to please, please find a constructive outlet for her creativity. He knows just the thing: The Young Filmmaker of the Year Award.Unfortunately, things don't exactly get off to a good start: Maddie's adaptation of Red Riding Hood ends in an unscripted battle scene, and Rapunzel hits a wall when Maddie's best friend Leila is left dangling above the playground by her hair. With the deadline swiftly approaching and Raquel's smug taunting becoming too much to bear, Maddie will need every idea she can think of and every friend she can find to make sure her final movie, Cinderella, wows the judges--maybe then Principal Richardson will get off her back.Maddie Makes a Movie is the hilarious, heart-warming debut by Sonia Garrett, and is a must for young readers with big ideas (as well as the parents who fear them!).
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
9-12
Length
138 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What did you like most about Maddie's approach to making her movie?
How did Maddie handle challenges and setbacks during her movie-making process?
Can you think of a time when you worked on a project like Maddie? What was similar or different?
What would you do if you were directing your own movie? What story would you want to tell?
How do you think Maddie felt when she saw the final result of her movie?
Tip: Role play these questions
While discussing Maddie's creative process, encourage your child to relate it to any personal experiences of creating or building something themselves.
Ask open-ended questions to allow your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the story, listening attentively to their responses.
Discuss the importance of persistence and creativity, highlighting how Maddie overcame obstacles to achieve her goal.
Encourage your child to imagine and describe their own movie idea, discussing what characters and plot they would include.
Share your own experiences related to starting and finishing a project, making the conversation a mutual exchange.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Teamwork and collaboration
Explanation: In 'Maddie Makes a Movie,' Maddie works with her friends to create a movie, demonstrating the importance of working together and valuing each person's contribution.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by engaging in group activities at school or in their community, learning to collaborate and appreciate diverse skills.
Example Lesson: Creativity and expression
Explanation: The story showcases Maddie's journey in expressing her ideas through filmmaking, highlighting creativity as a valuable skill.
Real-World Application: Kids can be encouraged to undertake creative projects like drawing, storytelling, or inventing games, helping them to express themselves and hone their creative thinking.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: Throughout the book, Maddie encounters and overcomes various challenges in making her movie, teaching problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: This lesson can be reflected when children face their own obstacles, whether in homework, relationships, or personal projects, emphasizing the importance of finding solutions.
Example Lesson: Resilience and perseverance
Explanation: Maddie's determination to complete her movie despite setbacks is a strong theme, promoting resilience.
Real-World Application: This can inspire children to persevere through difficulties in their own endeavors, understanding that setbacks are part of learning and growth.