Rhyme Schemer
Written by K.A. Holt

Summary:
A novel in verse about Kevin’s journey from bully to being bullied, as he learns about friendship, family, and his talent for poetry.

Primary Source Pairing:
Kevin is a talented kid. His eye for the written word leads him to create blackout poems to express his creativity. The primary source pairing for this title is a blackout poem ultimately explaining the process of creating a blackout poem. The concept of blackout poetry was created by Austin Kleon. Read more about his process and view examples at his website NewspaperBlackout.com. As an extension activity, invite students to create their own blackout poems using newspapers or pages from discarded library books.

Questions for Discussion:

• Describe what you see.
• What do you notice first?
• Is there any text you can read?
• What does it say?
• Describe anything you see on the page besides words, such as images or decorations.
• How is the text and other information arranged on the page?
• Describe anything about this text that looks strange or unfamiliar.

Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Blackout Poem: Learning Parade