Week 12 Prompt

The Readers’ Advisory Matrix for The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

11.     Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

__  Highly Narrative (Reads like fiction).

X_  A mix (Combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose).

__  Highly fact based (has few or no narrative moments).

22.    What is the subject of the book? The book tells the story of the Wright Brothers and their invention    of the first working airplane.

33.      What type of book is it?  Biography

44.      Articulate appeal:

·         What is the pacing of the book?  Leisurely although filled with interesting and fascinating details.

·         Describe the characters of the book.  Wilbur and Orville Wright are the main characters.  The book also includes many other characters involved in their lives. 

·         What is the focus of the story?  A detailed account of the trials that Orville and Wilbur faced before and after they successfully flew their plane.

·         Does the language matter?  Yes, it is very well written and has a comforting tone that makes you want to curl up and read.

·         Is the setting important and well described?  The setting changes and is important to the story in the same way all the details of a historical novel are important.

·         Are there details, and if so, of what?  Yes, very detailed account of people, what they did and said and the events that surrounded their lives.

·         Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials?  They are sections of photos that are interesting and add to the reader’s understanding.  Are they useful and clear?

·         Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?  Yes, the book details the process that the brothers went through when creating a working plane.

55.   Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?

1.    Historical significance.

2.  Tone.

3.  Detail.