Choice List 2010

The Book That Eats People
by John Perry
Published by Random House Distribution readers
Copyright 2009

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud

Reading level: Reading level 3.9

Vocabulary: clattered, ravenous

Awards: 2012 North Carolina Book Award



"WARNING! THIS IS NOT A BEDTIME STORY
Legend has it there exists a book that eats people.

This is that book!
Many readers have been unable to escape its perilous pages.
But this isn't that book.

Yes it is!
This is simply a story about that book.
Really. I mean, how could a book eat people?
So if you're just dying to know the history of this literary monster, all you have to do is turn the page...

Don't do it!"- Amazon.com



This book is interactive, strange, tempting to the wandering eye, silly, but creepy book that captivates readers to the point where they can't put it down!

Pre- Reading Activity: Ask the the students about what makes them want to pick up a book and read it. It can be the cover, the author, the size, or the book jacket summary. Write a list of their reasons on chart paper. Have a discussion for why sometimes these reasons can deceive you. For example, you can pick up a book because it looks small and easy to read, but the font on the pages is very small and the topic is very boring. 

During Reading Activity: Students can answer the following question as a bookmark for the story, "How did the book disguise itself in order to find its other victims? Why did the book go after all these different characters? If the book was in your library would you pick it up? How would you know it was the book?"

Post Reading Activity: Divide the students into small groups. Assign each group a character that the book ate (Sammy Ruskin, Victoria Glassford, Mr. Title, etc.) Have the students pretend their character has not been eaten yet. Students can devise a strategy that the character might have used in order to avoid becoming the book's next meal. Have the students share their ideas with their classmates.

Writing Activity: The students can write a paragraph or two on the following question, "Sometimes when someone says not to do something then you really want to do it. Why is that? Explain using situations from the book and from your own life experiences."

Electronic Resouces:

The Book That Eats People Website
This is the website for the story The Book 
That Eats People created by the author of 
the novel, John Perry. The website includes
the front and back cover, reviews, pictures
of the author and publisher, a 'contact the 
author' page, and general information about
John Perry's life . The last page shows the book
locked away and chained up in a box, making
the book seem like it's alive. 


The Book That Eats People Video
This video is also by the author, John Perry. 
It is included on his website. The video 
consists of John standing infront of the camera 
and explaining that his book is banned from
some libraries and schools and warns the
viewers about the book. He really treats
the book as if its a ferocious beast that's
actually alive and eats people. This can be
a fun hook to the book as well as pre-
reading activity.