A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E T O

THE STRANGER
by CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG

Plot Summary versations about the book!

Both pictures and words work to describe the weather and sea-
L ate one summer, Farmer Bailey has an accident. Driving along in sons in detail—an approach central to this story but also an impor-
tant addition to any description of setting.The author doesn’t sim-
his truck, he hits a man dressed in an unusual suit of leather.The
farmer brings the stunned and confused (but otherwise unharmed) ply tell us that it is late summer. His pictures capture the lengthen-
fellow back with him to his home. Farmer Bailey’s wife and daugh- ing light of early autumn, and he writes,“The warm days made the
ter welcome the stranger.The doctor comes and tells the Baileys pumpkins grow larger than ever.The leaves on the trees were as
that the man has temporarily lost his memory but will probably be green as they’d been three weeks before.”
fine in a few days.The man stays on and becomes a part of the fami- Students can also learn from Van Allsburg’s description of the
ly in spite of his odd ways: wild animals are not afraid of him and he stranger. He is an unusual and mysterious character. Because he is
can work all day without sweating or tiring. not typical, he is interesting.Van Allsburg describes his physical
appearance:“The man on the sofa was dressed in odd, rough leather
It was late summer when the stranger came to live clothing.” He describes his actions:“He looked up with terror and
with the Baileys, and while fall has come to the sur- jumped to his feet. He tried to run off, lost his balance, and fell
rounding areas, the weather remains unchanged on the down.”And it is these descriptions of the stranger’s peculiar behav-
Baileys’ land. The stranger becomes increasingly con- ior that give readers insight into the mystery of his identity:“The fel-
cerned when he compares the orange and red leaves low seemed confused about buttonholes and buttons,” and “The
of autumn across the hill with the green leaves of the steam that rose from the hot food fascinated him.”We are intrigued
Baileys’ trees. Soon he can think of nothing else but the when instead of running away, wild rabbits run right into the man’s
drab green leaves, until one day he pulls a leaf from a arms. Students can learn about the construction of a character both
tree and blows on it. It immediately turns orange. The as readers and as writers by studying The Stranger.
stranger remembers who he is! He dresses in his old
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clothes and bids the Baileys goodbye.As he leaves they Find Fritz:
notice that the leaves have all turned and the air is cold Fritz the dog is hidden
and crisp. Every autumn thereafter, the trees at the among a flock of sheep. He’s
Bailey farm stay green for a week longer than the trees the last little figure on the
to the north, and then change overnight. In the frost left.
on the farmhouse windows the Baileys read the words
“See you next fall.” Teaching Ideas
Special Features T he Stranger offers the
thrilling challenge of piecing
T he color pastel drawings that infuse all of Van Allsburg’s work together the mystery of a
man’s identity. Readers can
with characteristic vibrancy are an important element of The
Stranger.The face of the stranger is rendered particularly expres- be asked to develop a theory
sive, at first in his confusion and then in his astounding rediscovery that explains the enigma (he embodies the spirit of autumn, he is
of his identity. In this book perhaps even more than the others, the responsible for bringing fall to the land, he is “Jack Frost” or the one
reader is challenged to piece together a mystery:Who is this unusu- to bring the first frost of the season, etc.) and then to look back in
al man? Van Allsburg’s thoughtfully placed hints build suspense and the book for text evidence to support the theory. For example,
draw readers in. Rather than directly revealing who the silent man when the doctor assumes his thermometer is broken, it may be
in leather is, the author leaves clues in the pictures and the text that because the man is very cold inside—as one who brings cooler
allow readers to draw their own conclusions. Even at the end of the temperatures might be.When the man blows on his soup, a cool
story there remains some ambiguity and room for children to main- draft is felt.The rabbits run toward rather than away from him
tain differing opinions—which provides excellent material for con- because they are creatures of the wild, as is he.Younger children
may need some support from you in order to enter into a discus-

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 sion of this kind, as the clues are subtle, but Introduction:
even they will eagerly search for clues to Remind your students what a complex and
support their theories. Students writing interesting character Van Allsburg has creat-
stories can use The Stranger as a mentor ed in The Stranger.Ask them what they
text as they work to develop unusual and think makes the character so interesting to
well-rounded characters of their own. us.They may say that he does unusual and
Taking this discussion a step further, more unexpected things, or that strange things
experienced readers and writers may be happen when he is around.Tell them that
interested in studying how Van Allsburg writers work hard to create unusual charac-
builds suspense in The Stranger. He leaves ters so that readers will be curious about
clues that are clear enough to provoke them.Tell them that they are going to try to
thinking and guessing but not so blunt as to emulate Van Allsburg in their own work by
remove the sense of mystery and wonder. writing down specific and unusual details
Students can also benefit from examining that describe their own characters.
the inclusion of descriptions of weather and the
seasons.Van Allsburg creates compelling settings in which his Teaching:
characters operate. Encouraging students to add details about the Write “Stranger” at the top of your chart paper or overhead.Ask
weather or the seasons can enrich their descriptions of the worlds your class to think of details from the book that describe the
in which their own characters move. stranger.What are the things that stick in their minds?
You will want to refresh their memories by rereading some
Guiding Questions for descriptive passages from the text. For example,“The man on the
sofa was dressed in odd, rough leather clothing,” or “The fellow
Reading The Stranger Aloud seemed confused about buttonholes and buttons . . .The steam that
• What does it mean when mercury is stuck at the bottom of a
rose from the hot food fascinated him,” or “The stranger never tired.
thermometer? What might this mean about the stranger’s
He didn’t even sweat.”You may want to choose passages that
temperature? Do you think the thermometer is really broken?
describe what the stranger does as well as how he looks and feels.
For example:
• What does the stranger’s interaction with the rabbits teach us
about his character? Why do you think the rabbits are so comfort-
He walked across the yard, toward two rabbits. Instead
able with him?
of running into the woods, the rabbits took a hop in
his direction. He picked one of them up and stroked its
• What do we know about the season when we see geese flying
ears, then set it down. The rabbits hopped away, then
toward the south? Why is the stranger so fascinated by the geese
stopped and looked back, as if they expected the stranger
he sees?
to follow.
• What is happening when the stranger blows on the leaf? Look
After reading some of these passages to your students, write the
closely at the picture.What changes about the leaf as he blows on
details they observed on chart paper.Ask your students to notice
it? Look closely at his face.What does his expression mean?
how interesting the character of the stranger is as a result of the
unusual details Van Allsburg uses to describe him.Tell them that
• Who do you think the stranger is? What in the book makes you
in their own writing they will be trying out a character descrip-
think that?
tion, keeping in mind that they want to develop a character as
interesting as Van Allsburg’s by writing unusual details into their
www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com Copyright © 2004 Houghton Mifflin Company. All Rights Reserved. Guides written by Zoe Ryder White.

Writing About Characters Using Specific and description.

Unusual Details If your students seem to need more modeling, you can show
A lower-grade writing lesson them what you mean by writing
a character description.
What You’ll Need: Clearly, you will want to
• A copy of The Stranger have thought through
• Chart paper or an overhead projector your description
• Markers/overhead pens ahead of time.Tell
• Writing paper and pencils for the students your students that
• A prepared character description of your own you tried to think
like Van Allsburg
Background Knowledge: in order to write
This lesson works best for children who have been exposed to The unusual details
Stranger. Because the book is mysterious, it is important to have about the charac-
had discussions with your class during which you have encouraged ter in the story
students to build theories about the stranger’s identity. Especially you’ve been work-
with younger students, some extra support will help them to under- ing on. Either begin
stand this complex and lovely story in a deeper way. It is helpful, writing in front of
but not at all necessary, if children are involved in a writing work- your students, or show
shop unit in which they are writing narratives with characters— them what you have already
either fictional or from their own lives. prepared.You might want to
include some boring descriptions like “he is nice,” and ask your stu-

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 T H E S R A N G E R — A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

dents to point out the place where you develop theories about the stranger’s
should add a specific, unusual detail. identity that are tied to the text.The
Have them help you to do this.Then lesson works nicely within the con-
send them off to try their own character text of a mystery study, but can be
descriptions! presented within any reading unit.

Writing Time: Introduction:

As your students write, confer with them Tell your students that you will be
individually about their character reading a book to them that contains
descriptions.Ask them to think hard a mystery—a man cannot remember
about whether they are imagining and who he is! Their job, as you read the
then writing unusual and specific details about their characters, or book, will be to listen very carefully for clues in the words and pic-
writing abstract and boring descriptions. Help them along by asking tures that will help them to solve the mystery of the man’s identity.
them guiding questions, like “What does your character eat? What Paying attention to clues is an important skill to use when we are
does he keep in his pockets? What is his favorite book?” reading mystery stories, but it is also an important part of every
kind of reading.When we pay attention to clues, we build theories
Share: that are based on what the book actually tells us.Authors are tricky
Share the work of a child who has written about his or her charac- that way—they hide information that we get to search out and use
ter using specific and unusual details, as Van Allsburg does. to figure out what’s happening! Tell your students that today they
are going to practice this—first in The Stranger, and then in their
Adapting This Lesson for Use with More Experienced own books.
Writers:
• Discuss the difference between a flat character that is simple and Teaching:
predictable and an interesting character that is complex and sur- Read The Stranger to your class.As you read, ask the children to
prising. Make a chart for your room that contrasts the traits of a raise a thumb when they notice something that may be a clue to
flat character your students have read about and the character of the man’s identity.Write down what they notice on chart paper or
the complex stranger. on an overhead projector.They will be likely to notice such things
as the way the rabbits behave around the man, his ability to work all
• Talk about how writers often make their main characters more day without sweating, or his confusion about simple things like but-
complex and interesting than their supporting characters.Ask tons. Before you reach the page that describes the man blowing on
your students to think about why this might be. Discuss these the leaf, reread the list of clues the class has collected. Discuss how
ideas in the context of The Stranger.Ask your students to make this list might help readers build a theory about the man’s identity.
sure that the main characters in their own stories are as complex The students are likely to have different theories to share and you
and interesting as the stranger. may want them to turn and talk to a neighbor about their theories
before you discuss a selection of these ideas with the entire class.
Expanding This Lesson: Make sure to draw your students’ focus back to the process of build-
• Organize your students into writing partnerships.Ask them to read ing theories with the clues they have collected. If they describe a
their character descriptions to each other. Ask them to tell their nonsensical theory that is
partner when they can really see and imagine the character that he not related to the book,
or she has created, and, in a kind way, to say when the description ask,“What in the book
www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com Copyright © 2004 Houghton Mifflin Company. All Rights Reserved. Guides written by Zoe Ryder White.

is vague.Ask them to add to their descriptions, using the construc- makes you think that?”
tive feedback they received from their partners. Tell your students that
readers collect clues all
• Ask your students to think about where the stranger might have the time, whether they are
gone after he left the Baileys’ farm. Have them write about the reading mysteries or other
stranger’s continuing adventures! kinds of books.When we
collect information about
Collecting Clues to Build a Theory characters of all sorts, we
About a Character in The Stranger are building theories
An upper-grade reading lesson about them as we read.
Tell the students that dur-
What You’ll Need: ing their independent
• A copy of The Stranger reading time, they will be
• Chart paper or an overhead projector trying this out.Ask them
• Markers/overhead pens to choose a character in
• Paper, pencils, and books for students to read on their own the book they are reading
and keep a written list of
Background Knowledge: clues that help develop a
This lesson can be done with students who are not yet familiar with picture of who that char-
The Stranger. In fact, the lesson may be more successful if the book acter is.
is new to them, because it focuses on collecting clues (text evi- If your class does not
dence) from the book as they read.This approach helps students to do a reading workshop,

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 T H E S T R A N G E R — A T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

you can present this lesson in the context of the work they are
doing as individual readers.

Reading Time:
While your students are reading, confer with them about the theo-
ries they are building about characters based on the clues they col-
lect from the book.You might ask,“So what kind of a person is
__________? What in the book makes you think that?”

Share:
Ask a student to share the way he or she collected “clues” from the
text in order to build a theory about a character.

Adapting This Lesson for

Use with Less Experienced Readers:
• Present this lesson as a read-aloud rather than a reading workshop
lesson.That way you can support the students’ discussion. Instead The Stranger
of asking them to go off and do the same kind of work in their
Horn Book Fanfare Selection
own books, focus on The Stranger.Ask the children to spend time
talking to each other about the stranger’s identity. Keep referring New York Times Best Illustrated
their attention back to the clues they have collected, since Children’s Book of the Year
younger children tend to build theories that are less focused on
text evidence.
“How marvelous that this master painter and sto-
Expanding This Lesson: ryteller has added a new dimension to his con-
• Have the children make charts that describe their theories about
the stranger and that list text evidence or clues that helped them sistently original and enchanting body of
build these theories. work.”—New York Times Book Review
• The stranger is not a normal human—if he is human at all.
Challenge your students to create a character that has human
traits, as the stranger does, but is in some way magical as well.

Just for Fun

• Make your own story about how the seasons change; create an
unusual explanation for a natural process.

• What would happen if the seasons didn’t change when they were
supposed to? Write a story about the trouble this could cause.
www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com Copyright © 2004 Houghton Mifflin Company. All Rights Reserved. Guides written by Zoe Ryder White.

• The stranger was very different from the Baileys, yet they took
him in and cared for him.This doesn’t always happen.Write about
why it is important to be kind to people who are different from
us. Use The Stranger to support your ideas.

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