Discussion Questions/Talking Points • Graphic novels typically contain some or all of the following: panels, word balloons, sound effects, moon lines, narraon, and background colors. Find examples of as many of these elements as possible in this book. • How do you read a graphic novel? Panel by panel? Pictures first and then text? Text first and then pictures? There is no single “right” way. Compare your approach with a classmate’s. • Look at pages 10–11. What do you learn from just the text on these pages? What do you learn from just the images? How would you describe Squirrel and Bird? • The graphic arst chooses what to include in each panel and how the panels appear on each page. Read pages 39, 97, and 115 and pay parcular aenon to the boom illustraon on each page. How does the arst encourage the reader to turn the page in these three instances? What’s different visually when the page is turned? How does the dramac pause before the page turn and the visual shiſt once you’ve turned the page affect your sense of what’s happening in the story? • Pages 88–91 have almost no dialogue. Are Bird and Squirrel aware of Cat in these two scenes? What role does the reader play in grasping the humor here? How is the visual element crucial to expressing the humor? • Look at page 96. How does the inclusion of several smaller panels on this page affect the pacing of the story in this scene? Why would the arst want to stretch out Squirrel’s eang of the grub? How would this scene be different if Squirrel ate the grub in two panels instead of eight? Extension Activities • Create panels and dialogue for a new scene in the novel. Perhaps Bird helps Squirrel collect acorns, or Squirrel gets chased by bats in the woods. • Read page 56, where Bird and Squirrel have jumped down a hole to escape Cat and are plunged into total darkness. The arst shows just the eyes of the characters to reflect the dialogue and express their emoons. Recreate the scene on pages 8–9 pretending the characters are hav- ing this same discussion in a cave. Draw new panels using the dialogue found here, but your illustraons should only show the characters’ eyes. • Start a graphic novel club with fellow students who especially enjoy this literary form. At monthly meengs, encourage members to book talk graphic novels they’ve read since the last meeng. Create “Great Graphics!” forms for students in the club to fill out to recommend individual tles. Post them in the school library for other students to see. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholasc Inc. Art copyright © 2017 by James Burks. ISBN 978-0-545-31283-7 paperback BIRD & SQUIRREL ON THE RUN! James Burks Squirrel is afraid of his own shadow. Bird doesn’t have a care in the world. Unfortunately, Cat wants to eat them both. When Bird finally convinces Squirrel to head south with him for the winter, the two embark on one crazy road trip. That pesky Cat is sll in pursuit, but thankfully Bird is there to save Squirrel and, surprisingly, Squirrel is there to save Bird! Road trips are always much more fun with a friend! AN IMPRINT OF Some quesons revised from Scholasc’s A Guide to Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens, which can be found at www.scholasc.com/discussionguides. www.scholasc.com/graphix
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Discussion Questions/Talking Points• Graphic novels typically contain some or all of the following: panels, word balloons, sound effects, motion lines, narration,
and background colors. Find examples of as many of these elements as possible in this book.• How do you read a graphic novel? Panel by panel? Pictures first and then text? Text first and
then pictures? There is no single “right” way. Compare your approach with a classmate’s.• Look at pages 10–11. What do you learn from just the text on these pages? What do you learn
from just the images? How would you describe Squirrel and Bird?• The graphic artist chooses what to include in each panel and how the panels appear on each
page. Read pages 39, 97, and 115 and pay particular attention to the bottom illustration on each page. How does the artist encourage the reader to turn the page in these three instances? What’s different visually when the page is turned? How does the dramatic pause before the page turn and the visual shift once you’ve turned the page affect your sense of what’s happening in the story?
• Pages 88–91 have almost no dialogue. Are Bird and Squirrel aware of Cat in these two scenes? What role does the reader play in grasping the humor here? How is the visual element crucial to expressing the humor?
• Look at page 96. How does the inclusion of several smaller panels on this page affect the pacing of the story in this scene? Why would the artist want to stretch out Squirrel’s eating of the grub? How would this scene be different if Squirrel ate the grub in two panels instead of eight?
Extension Activities• Create panels and dialogue for a new scene in the novel. Perhaps Bird helps Squirrel collect
acorns, or Squirrel gets chased by bats in the woods.• Read page 56, where Bird and Squirrel have jumped down a hole to escape Cat and are plunged
into total darkness. The artist shows just the eyes of the characters to reflect the dialogue and express their emotions. Recreate the scene on pages 8–9 pretending the characters are hav-ing this same discussion in a cave. Draw new panels using the dialogue found here, but your illustrations should only show the characters’ eyes.
• Start a graphic novel club with fellow students who especially enjoy this literary form. At monthly meetings, encourage members to book talk graphic novels they’ve read since the last meeting. Create “Great Graphics!” forms for students in the club to fill out to recommend individual titles. Post them in the school library for other students to see.
SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. Art copyright © 2017 by James Burks.
ISBN 978-0-545-31283-7 paperback
BIRD & SQUIRREL
ON THE RUN!James BurksSquirrel is afraid of his own shadow. Bird doesn’t have a care in the world. Unfortunately, Cat wants to eat them both. When Bird finally convinces Squirrel to head south with him for the winter, the two embark on one crazy road trip. That pesky Cat is still in pursuit, but thankfully Bird is there to save Squirrel and, surprisingly, Squirrel is there to save Bird! Road trips are always much more fun with a friend!
AN IMPRINT OF Some questions revised from Scholastic’s A Guide to Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens, which can be
found at www.scholastic.com/discussionguides.
www.scholastic.com/graphix
Meet Creator James Burks James Burks loves to tell stories with his art and to eat tacos. In addition to creating the Bird & Squirrel graphic novel series, he’s written and illustrated several picture books and illustrated many books written by other authors. He’s also worked on some animated movies and television shows, including The Emperor’s New Groove, Atlantis, The Iron Giant, Space Jam, and Fan Boy and Chum Chum. When he’s not writing, drawing, or eating tacos, he’s outside running, swimming, or biking.
SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
Art copyright © 2017 by James Burks.
BIRD & SQUIRRELOn the Run!ISBN 978-0-545-31283-7 paperback
BIRD & SQUIRRELOn IceISBN 978-0-545-56318-5 paperback
BIRD & SQUIRRELOn the Edge!ISBN 978-0-545-80425-7 hardcover ISBN 978-0-545-80426-4 paperback
BIRD & SQUIRRELOn FireISBN 978-0-545-80429-5 hardcover ISBN 978-0-545-80430-1 paperback
Don’t Miss Any of Bird & Squirrel’s Adventures!
www.scholastic.com/graphix
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