The Cool Treasure Level 21-22

Mike's world turns upside down when he uncovers a 1944 diary in the basement of his new home. The Cool Treasure blends mystery with historical fiction as Mike follows a trail of clues left by the diary's original owner, revealing insights into life during the 1940s. This engaging narrative not only builds suspense but also provides a rich historical backdrop, introducing young readers to terms like œblackout, œfood stamps, and œcoal chute. The story cleverly plays on the term œcool treasure, adding a layer of linguistic fun. With its diary excerpts in letter form, this text encourages critical thinking and deeper comprehension, as students explore how first-person accounts reveal personal and historical experiences. This book serves as an excellent starting point for discussing how people recorded and preserved information in the past, sparking curiosity in history and writing.

Educational Benefits:

• Develops prediction and inference skills through clue-following.
• Supports historical understanding through descriptive setting and vocabulary.
• Encourages diary-style writing and first-person narrative analysis.
• Builds comprehension of idiomatic expressions and wordplay.

Classroom Ideas:

• Create a class diary project reflecting on students' daily lives.
• Investigate real historical artefacts or documents from the 1940s.
• Set up a classroom treasure hunt using written clues.
• Compare modern and historical vocabulary for everyday objects.

Safety & Information:

• Suitable for ages 7+
• Book dimensions: 19 cm x 13 cm
• 32 pages, softcover
• No small parts or physical hazards