Pictures and Story by Simon James• Simon James was born in Bristol,

England, in 1961. When he was young, he drew comic strips for his school's magazine. He says all of his stories are connected to his childhood.

• He had fourteen different jobs before becoming an artist and writer. He managed a restaurant, he was a policeman, and he was a farmer!

•Simon James says he often failed the first time he tried things, but he kept trying and eventually succeeded. •Now he lives in Devon, England, at a school where he helps children. •"I like to teach kids how to have fun making a mess and expressing something at the same time."

Genre: Informational

Story

• An informational story gives facts about a topic through a story plot.

• Look for:• Characters that tell facts.• A plot with a beginning , a middle and

an end.

Vocabulary

detailsdetails - small bits of information

This picture shows the details of the toy cash register.

disappoint• disappoint - to make someone sad because

something expected did not happen

It will disappoint Johnny if he does not have a bed time story read to him.

forcibly

• forcibly - strongly; by force

Firefighters use axes so they can forcibly get into a burning house.

information

• information - facts about a person, place or thing

Books have a lot of information.

oceans

• oceans - large bodies of salt water where whales and other animals live

The lighthouse sits near the ocean.

stroke• stroke - to rub

something gently

Dogs and cats love it when you stroke them.

• Say the words.

• Read the sentence.

• Fill in the blank.

How many ________ can you name?

• details

• information

• disappoint

• oceans

• forcibly

• stroke

If you want more ___________, look in the

dictionary.• forcibly

• stroke

• disappoint

• details

• information

• oceans

The teacher said, “This story is very good, but I would like you to

include more _______.”• details

• disappoint

• forcibly

• oceans

• stroke

• information

The burglar ________ entered through the window.

•oceans•stroke• forcibly•details• information•disappoint

Can you imagine what it would feel like to __________ a whale?

•disappoint• Information•details•oceans• forcibly•stroke

I didn’t mean to __________ Mom and Dad by throwing my football through the window.

• Information•stroke•disappoint• forcibly•oceans•details

Match the meaning to the word.

1. oceans ___

2. information ___

3. Disappoint ___

4. stroke ___

5. Details ___

6. forcibly ___

A. small bits of informationB. to make someone sad

because something expected did not happen

C. strongly; by forceD. facts about a person,

place, or thingE. large bodies of salt water

where whales and other animals live

F. to rub something gently

E

D

B

A

C

F

WEBSITES

• Inferences• Simon James• Building Background• Reading Skills• Test Tutor• Go for Grammar Gold - More

Adjectives• Other Activities• Whale Research• Whale Pages to color online• Graph Whale Size

Tweaked by Anne Miller