Translation and Adaptation: Wendy Maxwell

Illustrations: Tom Nesbitt

Appropriate for ages: 7-12

This is the story of Jorge, a boy who is not scared of anything. People think Jorge is crazy because he is not scared of anything. One day, after talking with his father, he decides to find out what fear is. First, he goes to a restaurant where he meets a group of men. They tell him that he will discover what fear is if he stays in the tower of the castle. At the castle he meets the King who explains that spending three nights in the tower would certainly help him understand what fear is. He promises Jorge that if he manages to sleep in the tower for three nights, he can marry his daughter. Jorge packs some wood, matches and a ball of yarn to take with him to the tower. At the end, Jorge comes to understand that people are afraid when they think they will lose something or someone very important to them.

You may also find this reader in our first AIM kit, Marco el Mago where you will discover how to fully implement our accelerative language methodology with your students. In the kit, we provide an explanation as to how to effectively introduce and work with the reader through a Balanced Literacy Approach, including suggestions for both Shared and Guided reading and writing activities.