By Samantha Kissel

and Nick Galczynski

RAY BRADBURY

An American fantasy and horror author

Early Life

Born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois

As a boy his life revolved around magic, magicians, circuses, and other such fantasies.

Whenever traveling circuses visited in Waukegan, Bradbury and his brother were always in attendance.

Early Life Cont.

As a boy, Bradbury read the series of books about the Emerald City of Oz and the terror-filled tales of Poe.

All these stories, with their fantastic characters and settings, were dramatic influences on Bradbury's later life as an author.

He decided to become a writer in 1931. Bradbury couldn't afford to go to college, so he went to

the local library three days a week for ten years instead.

Literary Career

In 1950, Bradbury published his first major work, The Martian Chronicles, which detailed the conflict between humans colonizing the red planet and the native Martians they encountered on the planet.

Bradbury's best-known work, Fahrenheit 451, published in 1953, became an instant classic for its exploration of themes of censorship and conformity.

Writing Style

Ray Bradbury's best stories celebrate the everyday. His vision is firmly rooted in the past. This particular style is evident from the influence of his

childhood on his writing as well as from growing up in Illinois.

Widely regarded as the most important figure in the development of science fiction as a literary genre, Ray Bradbury's work evokes the themes of racism, censorship, technology, nuclear war, humanistic values, and the importance of imagination.

Death and Legacy

In his final years, Bradbury felt content about his place in science fiction history, having achieved his childhood ambition of living forever through his work

He died on June 5, 2012

In 2007, Bradbury received a special citation from the Pulitzer board for his "distinguished, prolific and deeply influential career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy."

If you were a young CHILD and heard the sounds of a carnival entering town at 3 am, what would you do?

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade are 13 year old boys living in Green Town, Illinois. The boys and Will’s father Charles learn that a carnival is coming to town called Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show, which has arrived late in the year. The boys go out to watch the carnival arrive at three in the morning. They explore the carnival the next day to discover the carousel has the power to make people young or old. Later on the carnival is out searching for them. Charles discovers love is their best weapon to defeat the carnival. Then they manage to destroy the carnival with happiness.

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Critique

Publisher: Avon Age level: Grades 7-12 Genre: Modern Fantasy – Supernatural Themes: Character and Values, Culture and Diversity,

Friends and Friendship

Professional Critique

“A masterpiece of modern Gothic literature, Something Wicked This Way Comes is the memorable story of two boys, James Nightshade and William Halloway, and the evil that grips their small Midwestern town with the arrival of a "dark carnival" one Autumn midnight. How these two innocents, both age 13, save the souls of the town (as well as their own), makes for compelling reading on timeless themes. What would you do if your secret wishes could be granted by the mysterious ringmaster Mr. Dark? Bradbury excels in revealing the dark side that exists in us all, teaching us ultimately to celebrate the shadows rather than fear them. In many ways, this is a companion piece to his joyful, nostalgia-drenched Dandelion Wine, in which Bradbury presented us with one perfect summer as seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old. In Something Wicked This Way Comes, he deftly explores the fearsome delights of one perfectly terrifying, unforgettable autumn.” --Stanley Wiater

Something Wicked This Way Comes – Extensions

Language Arts Have students compare the book to the Disney movie or trailer using a

Venn diagram http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up7KHbJTmoo

Art Construct a carousel like the one in the novel.

The carousel represents different things to different people. Symbolizes their deepest desires Represents their greatest fears

Have students design two horses for a group carousel. One horse must represents fear One horse must represent a great desire.

Fahrenheit 451

Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books in a futuristic American city. The people here do not read books. He meets a girl name Clarisse who opens his eyes to the world. After some tragedies he starts to read books. His boss explains the problems with books and gives Montag a day to give up his books. Montag consults an English professor, Faber to learn more. Later the firemen burn Montag’s house and he runs. Eventually he joins the book people to memorize books.

What do you think we should do with books that could possible offend a minority?

Dandelion Wine

Douglas Spaulding is a twelve-year-old boy living in Green Town, Illinois. Douglas is happy to be alive and enjoys the beauty of everything and the dandelion wine he makes with his brother and grandfather. He decides to record the events of one summer. He realizes that adults and children are quite different. Soon the idea of death haunts Douglas. Later, the magic of summer comes back to him and he is again happy with life.

What would be your Happiness Machine?

Dinosaur Tales

A collection of short science fiction stories.

1983

6 science fiction stories.

3 original stories.

1. Besides a Dinosaur, Whatta Ya Wanna Be When You Grow Up?

Benjamin Spaulding dreams of being a dinosaur and even sees it as a profession. Kids in Benjamin's neighborhood ridicule his dream, but he isn’t about to give up on it. After going to a museum with his grandfather and studying dental charts Ben develops an obsession. Will this obsession lead to trouble? Can Ben’s grandfather help him come back to reality?

2. A Sound of Thunder Eckel is a hunter who pays to

travel into the past to kill the ultimate prey, a Tyrannosaurus Rex. He travels with a hunting group who grow frustrated when Eckel frantically runs away and falls off the path when they first see a T-Rex. The group kills the T-Rex but Eckel is given the task of taking the bullets out of it to not change the past. Will Eckel be able to perform this task or will he mess up again and change the future forever?

3. The Fog Horn Johnny and his boss McDunn

work at a lighthouse that is being attacked by a mysterious sea creature. Johnny and McDunn hypothesis that it could be because of the foghorn light. They think the monster thinks the fog horn is another of its kind. Will Johnny and McDunn solve the mystery of why the sea creature attacked the fog horn? Will they find out what this sea creature is? Will they both make it out alive?

QUESTION

Which of these short stories do you think would be best to use in a middle school

classroom?

The Halloween Tree Pipkin is the heart and soul of

Halloween in town, but when he doesn’t show up to go trick or tritting on Halloween Eve, Tom Skelton and the gang start to worry. They go to his house, but Pipkin appears to be very ill. Regardless, he agrees to meet them at the haunted house near the Halloween Tree. When Pipkin is almost at the haunted house he is whisked away by a mysterious creature. A strange man named Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud agrees to help them, but to get their friend back they will have to travel back in time to Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Paris, and other faraway lands while learning about the history and traditions of Halloween. Will they be able to save Pipkin?

The Halloween Tree - Critique

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Age level: Grades 3-7

Genre: Fantasy Novel

Themes: Loyalty to friends, being willing to learn something new, and the power of friendship.

Professional Critique

''If you want to know what Halloween is, or if you simply want an eerie adventure, take this mystery-history trip. You couldn't have a better guide than Ray Bradbury.'' -- Boston Globe

''Imaginatively cryptic . . . skillfully presented.'' --Los Angeles Times

''A haunting, unforgettable night of trick-or-treating . . . Satisfyingly spooky.'' --Midwest Book Review

''There is a great treat in Bradbury's frenetic imagery.'' --New York Times

The Halloween Tree – Extensions

Social Studies Research a country of your choice Students will take note if the country celebrates Halloween. Students will then research the country to see how they

celebrate Halloween and if they have special ceremonies or traditions.

Art Create a jack-o’-lantern and discuss their origin as discussed in

the story. (Samhain) http://www.ehow.com/how_7787273_teach-halloween-tree.html

Writing Prompt

In the short story from Dinosaur Tales, “Besides a Dinosaur, Whatta Ya Wanna Be When You Grow Up?” Ben has an obsession with being a dinosaur that drives him insane to the point that he has convulsions and grinds his teeth. Have you ever had an obsession? Do you believe obsessions can be healthy under any circumstances? If so, what circumstances?

Links

SWTWC – Art Extension http://www.brighthubeducation.com/high-school-english-lessons/128051-a-carousel-of-dreams-and-nightmares-something-wicked/

The Halloween Tree – Art Extensionhttp://www.ehow.com/how_7787273_teach-halloween- tree.html

Bibliography - Books

Bradbury, R. (1973). Dandelion wine (23. print. ed.). Toronto: Bantam Pathfinder ed.

Bradbury, R. (1983). Dinosaur tales. New York: Bantam Books.

Bradbury, R. (1967). Fahrenheit 451 ([Book Club ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster.

Bradbury, R. (1972). The Halloween tree. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc.

Bradbury, R. (1999). Something wicked this way comes. New York: Avon Books.

Bibliography - Research

Moje, S. (2013, August 21). "Something Wicked This Way Comes": A Carousel of Dreams and Nightmares. Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/high-school-english-lessons/128051-a-carousel-of-dreams-and-nightmares-something-wicked/

Weller, S. (2005). The Bradbury chronicles: The life of Ray Bradbury. New York: William Morrow.

Something Wicked This Way Comes [Mass Market Paperback]. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.amazon.com/Something-Wicked-This-Way-Comes/dp/product-description/0380729407/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

Ray Bradbury. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.raybradbury.com/index.html

Ray Bradbury. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2014, from http://www.biography.com/people/ray-bradbury-9223240#death-and-legacy

The Halloween Tree. (n.d.). Retreived November 18, 2014, from http://www.amazon.com/The-Halloween-Tree-Ray-Bradbury/dp/0375803017