Details that Speak Ending Dialogue Tags Mentor Sentences

Details that Speak

Ending Dialogue Tags Mentor Sentences “Where did you first get Sounder? ” the boy asked. -William H. Armstrong, from Sounder “They’re dumping us on her is what they’re doing, ” Mary Alice said darkly. -Richard Peck, from A Long Way from Chicago “People live here? ” I asked finally. -Gary Paulsen, from Harris and Me “Otis Spofford!” hissed Mrs. Gitler. -Beverly learly, from Otis Spofford

Beginning Dialogue Tags Mentor Sentences She told Pa, “I don’t mind saying it, but this isn’t right. Coming out to Idlewild and putting these girls on a plane so Cecile can see what she left behind. If she wants to see, let her get on an airplane and fly to New York. ” -Rita Williams-Garcia, from One Crazy Summer People sometimes say, “You can’t compare apples and oranges. ” -Ken Robbins, from Food for Thought: The Stories Behind the Things We Eat They answered, “Why be scared of a hat? ” -Antoine de Saint-Exupery, from The Little Prince Webb squawked, “Yeah!” -Jerry Spinelli, from Crash

Invisible Tags Mentor Sentences “Little Man, would you come on? You keep it up and you’re gonna make us late. ” -Mildred D. Taylor, from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry “It belonged to your grandpa. Would’ve belonged to you anyhow sooner or later. Might as well be now. ” “You mean-it’s mine? ” “Aye, it’s yours. Be kind of company, hearing it tick. ” -Elizabeth George Speare, from The Sign of the Beaver “And they take out for taxes and stuff, so I really don’t take home all that much. ” “Eight hundred? ” “I don’t know, maybe. ” -Louis Sachar, from Small Steps

Middle Tags Mentor Sentences “Oh, Nell, even when I try my best, they don’t care, ” he whispered. “Now that Mama’s gone, you and Uncle Silas are all I have. ” -Deborah Hopkinson, from From Slave to Soldier. Based on a True Civil War Story “Well we can’t stand here all summer, ” said Grandma. “C’mon, Nicky, it’s time for supper. ” -Jim La. Marche, from The Raft “Sit, ” I said to Charles. “Here. ” -Anthony Browne, from Voices in the Park “Trying to, ” Eva answered, “but nothing ever happens on 90 th street. ” -Roni Schotter, from Nothing Ever Happens on 90 th Street

Action & Words Mentor Sentences Suddenly a large hand descended on his shoulder. “Well, m’boy, you’re on your way home, ” a gruff voice said, with a decidedly English accent. Alex looked up into the captain’s wrinkled, wind-tanned face. “Hello, Captain Watson, ” he answered. -Walter Farley, from The Black Stallion He pushed his face so close that Rob could smell his breath. It smelled metallic and rotten. “You ain’t a Kentucky star, ” Billy said, his eyes glowing under the brim of his John Deere cap. -Kate Di. Camillo, from The Tiger Rising “Get outta here! Beat It!” She repeated, raising a yardstick and slapping it against the refrigerator. -Gary Soto, from Local News

Say, What? Mentor Sentences Leo’s father grumbled something about turtle soup, but Leo’s mother was sympathetic toward turtles, so Leo was allowed to pick it up off the highway and bring it home. -Cynthia Rylant, from Every Living Thing Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. -J. K. Rowling, from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets The teacher droned on with the lesson, about the Arabic language. -Linda Sue Park, from A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

Tell Me About It Mentor Sentences Mama says it’s okay to be on the quiet side-if quiet means you’re listening, watching, taking it all in. -Jacqueline Woodson, from The Notebooks of Melanin Sun My best friend, Tracy Wu, says I’m really tough on people. She says she wonders sometimes how I can like her. -Judy Blume, from Blubber They asked the clerk in the shop. He said that the plane was built from a kit. It cost ten cents. -Montrew Dunham, from Neil Armstrong: Young Flyer She overheard Cirone and me as we unloaded crates, and she asked what we were speaking. She said Sicilian was pretty, like music. -Donna Jo Napoli, from Alligator Bayou

Talking and Thinking Mentor Sentences I didn’t know what to expect, “Where? ” -Jerry Spinelli, from Knots in My Yo-Yo String “Did you hear what I said? Otha Vance is building himself a hog house…” Himself, honey. Not hisself, Tut thought. Doesn’t Maylene of that school teach you a thing? -Virginia Hamilton, from Cousins “Not if I could help it, ” she laughed. Did she think anyone would stay in that stuffy cabin by choice? -Elizabeth George Speare, from The Witch of Blackbird Pond “I can’t wait. ” The truth is I’ve eaten an entire bag of Cheez Doodles. After school junk food is another fundamental right of the latchkey kid. -Rebecca Stead, from When You Reach Me

Mix It Up Mentor Sentences The sea is smooth, ” Ramo said. “It is a flat stone without any scratches. ” My brother liked to pretend that one thing was another. “The sea is not a stone without scratches, “I said. “It is water and no waves. ” -Scott O’Dell, from Island of the Blue Dolphins “Yesterday, ” Sam nodded. “It was a good book. I liked the bears, ” “Where is it now? ” asked Stella. “ I left it on the front porch, ” Sam answered, “by the mailbox. ” -Lisa Campbell Ernst, from Stella Louella’s Runaway Book I heard his voice saying, “What’s up, chief? ” before I knew it he was in the room. I sat up. “Dad, can we go to the Phillies game on Saturday? ” -Jerry Spinelli, from Crash