Friday Writing Prompts: Week One

by Kayla Aldrich, Read to Them staff

Hello, all, and happy Friday! It's crazy to think we've already spent one week with Chai, TsTs, and the rest of the quirky cast of Nuts to You. Don't worry, though - we've got loads of things in store for the next two weeks of the read. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Character Spotlight for TsTs and our post detailing the long, long history behind the phrase "nuts to you."

Before diving into writing prompts, we have to ask: have you checked out the Flipgrid community for Nuts to You? Be sure to check it out so you don't miss this week's bonus activity! For week one, we encourage you to create your own comic strip to echo the illustrations in the novel. Feel free to be as creative as you'd like - make it based on your life or entirely fictional, experiment with styles and colors. Once you've nailed down how you'd like to craft your comic, share a video response on Flipgrid introducing your characters and story. We can't wait to see it!

Now, here's five writing prompts for your consideration:

• Even when Jed is picked up by the hawk, he decides not to give up even when his situation seems hopeless. Why is that? What can be learned from Jed's actions? Write about it.

• In chapter 3, we find that squirrels have some rather odd names for different objects. For instance, the utility wire tower is a "frozen spider web." Are there any things or places that you have a different name for that others might find a bit odd? What are they? Share the story of those names in a few sentences.

• TsTs and Chai have very different feelings about going to rescue Jed. If your friend was in a dire situation like this, what would your reaction be? If you were in Jed's shoes, would you expect to be rescued or would you try to save yourself? Write two paragraphs answering these questions.

• The scene where Jed lands in a new place is similar to a first day of school- getting the lay of the land, learning new names, and making introductions. Have you ever moved to a new town or school? Did people talk with a different accent when you moved? Was that tricky to navigate? Journal about your experience.

• In chapter 7, Jed has trouble falling asleep when he fails to think happy thoughts. Do you ever have trouble finding happy thoughts? What makes you happy? Write four or five sentences sharing your response.

Be sure to share photos with us of you and your family during the reading event on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking for a community to talk about all things Nuts to You? Don’t forget to join Flipgrid to share your thoughts with your peers. See you next week!