Awards

An ALA Notable Children's Book

Edgar Alan Poe Award (Mystery Writers of America "Edgar")

School Library Journal Best Book

“The house held secrets, Thomas knew, even before he first saw it looming gray and massive on its ledge of rock. It had a century-old legend- two fugitive slaves had been killed by bounty hunters after leaving its passageways, and Dies Drear himself, the abolitionist who had made the house into a station on the Underground Railroad, had been murdered there. The ghosts of the three were said to walk its rooms…”

Author

Virginia Hamilton has received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the 1995 Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, The NAACP Image Award, a MacArthur Fellowship, the Newbery medal, three Newbery Honors, three Coretta Scott King Awards, five Coretta Scott King Honors, three Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, three Boston Globe/Horn Book Honors and the Regina Medal. She shared her Ohio home with her poet husband, Arnold Adoff until she passed away on February 19, 2002. Hamilton was considered by many to be the most distinguished literary voice writing for young readers of today. She shares the following quote on her web site:

The past moves me and with me, although I remove myself from it. It's light often shines on this night traveler: and when it does, I scribble it down. Whatever pleasure is in it I need pass on. That's happiness. That is who I am. (http://www.virginiahamilton.com/pages/biostuff.htm)

Pre-reading Activity

Give the student this list of words abstracted from The House of Dies Drear. Giving the students only the title and the list of words, have them write their own story. The words given must be used in the same order as they appear on the list. Any additional words may be added. Have students share and compare their stories. Talk about the similarities and why they occurred. Talk about the differences and why they occurred.

List:

1) Thomas

2) Underground Railroad

3) Slaves

4) New home

5) Mr. Pluto

6) Demon

7) Standoffish

8) Horse

9) Pesty

10) Trees

11) Lives

12) Murder

13) Dies Drear

14) Tunnels

15) Bottles

16) Green eyes

17) Cave

18) Mac Darrow

19) Treasure

20) Justice

Post Reading Activity

Place students in groups of three or four. Give each group a cardboard box. Have students modify the box to look like a treasure chest. Students must fill the box with items that represent the “treasures” of their cultural heritage. You may consider combining students into groups of mixed heritage or similar heritage. If groups are of mixed heritage, have students place the items in a Venn diagram that has been taped off on the floor or a tabletop. Items in the center of the diagram would represent all of the cultures in the group. Items in separate sections would represent attributes that are unique to a culture. Students must orally explain the selection of each item. They must explain why the item is a treasure. To represent people that are treasures to a culture, the students could include an illustration or a biography. To represent foods they could include recipes or actual food items. The creative possibilities are limitless.

In an alternative format, the items could be presented in a PowerPoint slide show.