Plain Truth

Jodi PicoultPresented by Ms. Haeusser

Characterization

• Quiet/Vulnerable

• Katie is a traditional Amish teenager

• When she visits her brother at Penn State, she is nervous around his friends

• Headstrong

• Katie is determined to follow all of the traditional Amish rules

• Katie strongly insists that she never had a baby

Plot

• Inciting Incident: A dead infant is found on an Amish farm

• Reaction: Katie tries to act normally and avoid attention

• Change: She is rushed to the hospital when she starts bleeding

• Judge orders Katie to stay under “house arrest”

• Reaction: Katie is hesitant to let an outsider live so close

• Change: Katie and Ellie learn from each other and become closer

Theme

• People can surprise you

• Ellie is shocked by the steady, strong nature of the Amish people

• Everyone reveals a hidden side and secret relationships

• Your past can haunt you and shape your present in unforeseen ways

• Katie is plagued by the memory of her dead sister

• Ellie rekindles a romance with an old boyfriend

Recommendation• For...• High School girls• People who love

suspense and plot twists

• Jodi Picoult fans• People interested in

learning more about the Amish culture

Personal Editing

• Do NOW: Take out your Book It Powerpoint and your Book It speech script/notecards if you have them– You may get your earphones now to use later

• As I go through the following tips, you need to review your own work. Can you make it better based on my suggestions? If so, better it NOW

Ms. Haeusser’s Tips for a polished and creative presentation

• Make sure your font is LARGE (24 pt at least) and in a color/style that is easy to read from far away

• Incorporate some of the critical praise for the book on the intro and/or conclusion slide

• Just like a good essay, you need a HOOK, a claim (why this book deserves to be on the list), and a summary conclusion

More Tips • Keep your talking points to 4-6 sentences at MOST

per slide• Don’t go overboard with transitions and animations

and pictures; be tasteful!• Read your slides aloud to check for spelling/sense• Rehearse. Rehearse. Rehearse. Timing is important!• Only fools (or pros) try to deliver a 3-5 minute

speech without using notecards or a script as an aid. Don’t be a fool.