Diving Deep Into Fiction
Transferable Tools for Reading ANY Fiction
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 14. July 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-1-0719-6434-7 (ISBN)
Description
Empower your students to unlock the hidden power of fiction
Fiction has the unique power to unlock a profound way of knowing the world, yet many learners struggle to understand and connect with literature on a deeper level. Building on the game-changing strategies from their bestselling Diving Deep Into Nonfiction, renowned educators Jeffrey D. Wilhelm and Michael W. Smith introduce a revolutionary framework that demystifies fiction for adolescent readers. This book empowers teachers to show students how to recognize the Rules of Notice-the conventions that signal what's important in a text-and analyze key literary elements like genre, character, point of view, symbolism, and theme. The essential mental models in the book will guide students as they read and write fictional texts. When students learn to pay attention to these signals, they begin to unlock the rich, complex worlds that fiction offers.
This practical guide provides everything you need to help students become more competent and confident readers of fiction. Inside, you'll find:
A clear introduction to the four Rules of Notice that accomplished readers use intuitively: direct statements, calls to attention, ruptures, and reader's response
Classroom-tested lessons and engaging short excerpts that model how to apply these rules to any fictional text
Sample think-alouds and ready-to-use materials that guide students to connect with what they notice and make their own meaning
Strategies for interpreting essential literary elements, including genre, character, point of view, symbols, and thematic conversations
With this book, you'll gain the tools to teach your students how to read fiction with intention and insight, giving them the confidence to navigate complex texts and discover the connections between literature and their own lives.
Fiction has the unique power to unlock a profound way of knowing the world, yet many learners struggle to understand and connect with literature on a deeper level. Building on the game-changing strategies from their bestselling Diving Deep Into Nonfiction, renowned educators Jeffrey D. Wilhelm and Michael W. Smith introduce a revolutionary framework that demystifies fiction for adolescent readers. This book empowers teachers to show students how to recognize the Rules of Notice-the conventions that signal what's important in a text-and analyze key literary elements like genre, character, point of view, symbolism, and theme. The essential mental models in the book will guide students as they read and write fictional texts. When students learn to pay attention to these signals, they begin to unlock the rich, complex worlds that fiction offers.
This practical guide provides everything you need to help students become more competent and confident readers of fiction. Inside, you'll find:
A clear introduction to the four Rules of Notice that accomplished readers use intuitively: direct statements, calls to attention, ruptures, and reader's response
Classroom-tested lessons and engaging short excerpts that model how to apply these rules to any fictional text
Sample think-alouds and ready-to-use materials that guide students to connect with what they notice and make their own meaning
Strategies for interpreting essential literary elements, including genre, character, point of view, symbols, and thematic conversations
With this book, you'll gain the tools to teach your students how to read fiction with intention and insight, giving them the confidence to navigate complex texts and discover the connections between literature and their own lives.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Publishing group
SAGE Publications Inc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 279 mm
Width: 215 mm
Weight
650 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0719-6434-7 (9781071964347)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Michael W. Smith, a professor in Temple University's College of Education, joined the ranks of college teachers after eleven years of teaching high school English. His research focuses on understanding both how adolescents and adults engage with texts outside school and how teachers can use those understandings to devise more motivating and effective instruction inside schools. A classroom teacher for fifteen years, Jeffrey D. Wilhelm is currently Professor of English Education at Boise State University. He works in local schools as part of a Virtual Professional Development Site Network sponsored by the Boise State Writing Project, and regularly teaches middle and high school students. Jeff is the founding director of the Maine Writing Project and the Boise State Writing Project.
Content
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Our Approach: Inquiring Into the Reading Process and How Texts Work
Inquiring Into the Reading Process and How Texts Work
Reading Literature Is a Rule-Governed Activity
Not Everything Is Equally Important
Four Rules of Notice Are Powerful Tools to Guide Reading
Five Key Elements Are Especially Important to Notice
A Few Words About Teaching to Transfer
How This Book Works
Chapter 2: Introducing the Rules of Notice: Must-Make Moves of Reading Competence
Must-Make Moves of Reading Competence
Lesson 1. Teaching Rules of Notice
Handout 2.1. Worksheet for the Teaching Rules of Notice Lesson
Chapter 3: Noticing and Interpreting Genres: How Texts Are Structured for Meaning and Effect
What Genre Is
Why a New Understanding of Genre Matters
Lesson 1. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Reading Visual Texts
Handout 3.1. Short Guide to Readers Rules of Notice
Lesson 2. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Practice in Miniature
Lesson 4. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Questioning
Handout 3.2. The KEEPS! Questioning Strategy
Lesson 5. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Writing and Responding
Lesson 6. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Putting It All Together
Handout 3.3. Poems for Lesson 7: Noticing Genre: Putting It All Together
Chapter 4: Noticing and Interpreting Key Details About Characters: From Life to Literature and Back to Life
A Quick Look at Character
Lesson 1. Noticing Details About Characters: Reading Visual Texts
Lesson 2. Noticing Details About Characters: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing Details About Characters: Practice in Miniature
Handout 4.1. Are They Admirable?
Lesson 4. Noticing Details About Characters: Questioning
Handout 4.2. Excerpt from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry with questions inserted
Lesson 5. Noticing Details About Characters: Writing and Responding
Lesson 6. Noticing Details About Characters: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing Details About Characters: Putting It All Together
Chapter 5: Noticing and Interpreting Key Details About Point of View: Positions and Positioning
Lesson 1. Noticing Details About Point of View: Reading Visual Texts
Lesson 2. Noticing Details About Point of View: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing Details About Point of View: Practice in Miniature
Handout 5.1. Are They Reliable? Worksheet
Lesson 4. Noticing Details About Point of View: Questioning
Lesson 5. Noticing Details About Point of View: Writing and Responding
Handout 5.2. What Really Happened With the Three Little Pigs
Lesson 6. Noticing Details About Point of View: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing Details About Point of View: Putting It All Together
Chapter 6: Noticing and Interpreting Symbols and Motifs: The Text Is a Profusion of Signs!
A Quick Look at Symbolism
The Symbolism Family
Thinking About Archetypes
Thinking About Allegory
Thinking About Motifs
Lesson 1. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Reading Visual Images
Lesson 2. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Practice in Miniature
Handout 6.1. Archetypal Lens
Lesson 4. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Questioning
Handout 6.2. QAR Introduction
Handout 6.3. Mental Model for Reading Symbols
Lesson 5. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Writing and Responding
Lesson 6. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Putting It All Together
Handout 6.4. How Coyote Stole Fire
Handout 6.5. Characters, Story Elements, Relationships, and Symbolism
Chapter 7: Noticing and Interpreting Thematic Conversations: But What Does It Mean?
Lesson 1. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Reading Visual Texts
Lesson 2. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Practice in Miniature
Handout 7.1. The E-R-C Mental Model: Find Evidence, Apply Reasoning-Generate a Claim
Handout 7.2. Reminders for Composing an Argument of Interpretation or Analysis of a Text
Handout 7.3. The Topic-Comment Mental Model for Claim Writing
Lesson 4. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Questioning
Lesson 5. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Writing and Responding
Handout 7.4. The Wolf & His Shadow
Handout 7.5. The Wolf & His Shadow Remix
Handout 7.6. The Wolf & His Shadow Remix 2
Lesson 6. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Search-and-Find
Lesson 7. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Putting It All Together
Chapter 8: Some Final Thoughts on the Current State of Reading Education
Works Cited
Index
About the Authors
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Our Approach: Inquiring Into the Reading Process and How Texts Work
Inquiring Into the Reading Process and How Texts Work
Reading Literature Is a Rule-Governed Activity
Not Everything Is Equally Important
Four Rules of Notice Are Powerful Tools to Guide Reading
Five Key Elements Are Especially Important to Notice
A Few Words About Teaching to Transfer
How This Book Works
Chapter 2: Introducing the Rules of Notice: Must-Make Moves of Reading Competence
Must-Make Moves of Reading Competence
Lesson 1. Teaching Rules of Notice
Handout 2.1. Worksheet for the Teaching Rules of Notice Lesson
Chapter 3: Noticing and Interpreting Genres: How Texts Are Structured for Meaning and Effect
What Genre Is
Why a New Understanding of Genre Matters
Lesson 1. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Reading Visual Texts
Handout 3.1. Short Guide to Readers Rules of Notice
Lesson 2. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Practice in Miniature
Lesson 4. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Questioning
Handout 3.2. The KEEPS! Questioning Strategy
Lesson 5. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Writing and Responding
Lesson 6. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing and Interpreting Genre: Putting It All Together
Handout 3.3. Poems for Lesson 7: Noticing Genre: Putting It All Together
Chapter 4: Noticing and Interpreting Key Details About Characters: From Life to Literature and Back to Life
A Quick Look at Character
Lesson 1. Noticing Details About Characters: Reading Visual Texts
Lesson 2. Noticing Details About Characters: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing Details About Characters: Practice in Miniature
Handout 4.1. Are They Admirable?
Lesson 4. Noticing Details About Characters: Questioning
Handout 4.2. Excerpt from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry with questions inserted
Lesson 5. Noticing Details About Characters: Writing and Responding
Lesson 6. Noticing Details About Characters: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing Details About Characters: Putting It All Together
Chapter 5: Noticing and Interpreting Key Details About Point of View: Positions and Positioning
Lesson 1. Noticing Details About Point of View: Reading Visual Texts
Lesson 2. Noticing Details About Point of View: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing Details About Point of View: Practice in Miniature
Handout 5.1. Are They Reliable? Worksheet
Lesson 4. Noticing Details About Point of View: Questioning
Lesson 5. Noticing Details About Point of View: Writing and Responding
Handout 5.2. What Really Happened With the Three Little Pigs
Lesson 6. Noticing Details About Point of View: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing Details About Point of View: Putting It All Together
Chapter 6: Noticing and Interpreting Symbols and Motifs: The Text Is a Profusion of Signs!
A Quick Look at Symbolism
The Symbolism Family
Thinking About Archetypes
Thinking About Allegory
Thinking About Motifs
Lesson 1. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Reading Visual Images
Lesson 2. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Practice in Miniature
Handout 6.1. Archetypal Lens
Lesson 4. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Questioning
Handout 6.2. QAR Introduction
Handout 6.3. Mental Model for Reading Symbols
Lesson 5. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Writing and Responding
Lesson 6. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Search and Find
Lesson 7. Noticing and Interpreting Symbols: Putting It All Together
Handout 6.4. How Coyote Stole Fire
Handout 6.5. Characters, Story Elements, Relationships, and Symbolism
Chapter 7: Noticing and Interpreting Thematic Conversations: But What Does It Mean?
Lesson 1. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Reading Visual Texts
Lesson 2. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Thinking Aloud
Lesson 3. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Practice in Miniature
Handout 7.1. The E-R-C Mental Model: Find Evidence, Apply Reasoning-Generate a Claim
Handout 7.2. Reminders for Composing an Argument of Interpretation or Analysis of a Text
Handout 7.3. The Topic-Comment Mental Model for Claim Writing
Lesson 4. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Questioning
Lesson 5. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Writing and Responding
Handout 7.4. The Wolf & His Shadow
Handout 7.5. The Wolf & His Shadow Remix
Handout 7.6. The Wolf & His Shadow Remix 2
Lesson 6. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Search-and-Find
Lesson 7. Noticing and Interpreting Theme: Putting It All Together
Chapter 8: Some Final Thoughts on the Current State of Reading Education
Works Cited
Index