Okay For Now: (Grades 6-9)
Overview: Gary D. Schmidt’s novel Okay for Now, set in 1968, tells the story of 14-year old Doug and his fish-out-of-water experience when he makes the unwilling move to a small town in upstate New York. Doug struggles with family problems and his secret inability to read. However, he becomes fascinated with the beautiful drawings in a valuable library book owned by the town library - the original bird drawings of James J. Audubon. Can his interest in this save him?
Included:
· 25-question test (multiple-choice_ covering whole novel with key.
· 40 Study Questions covering whole book with key.
Age Level and Length: 5th Grade Reading Level; interest level is grade 6-9. The book is 384 pages long, but as far as vocabulary, it is a fairly easy read for middle schoolers. It will take an average of 5-7 hours for the average 7th grader to read. The test will take 30 minutes or less; the study questions can be spread out in four sessions of about 15 minutes each.
Maturity or Political Issues: There is no sex or politics in this novel, but there is some family mistreatment. Doug’s father is abusive (mostly verbal abuse with one hitting episode), and one of his brothers also bullies him, stealing and messing with his possessions. By the end of the novel, both of these guys have become reformed characters, and everyone is “okay for now”. His mother is enormously supportive throughout.
Additional Considerations: An interesting and unique aspect of this book is that Doug becomes fascinated with the beautiful bird paintings of John James Audobahn, and he ends up saving one of the paintings.
Okay For Now (Grade: 6-9)
What is included:
Study guide with answer key
Final quiz with answer key
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