There are numerous places throughout the story with vivid descriptions. Focus on the descriptions, point out the describing words, and have students stop and make a mental image.

Pg. 1 as the family drives into town—

• “The town clock struck wildly and ran backwards...”
• “...the water in the fountain in the village square turned crimson as their car drove by.”

Pg. 5 when Sara and Seth first enter the Graves home—

•  “... a dark cloud of flying things whirled around their heads, then darted upstairs.” 
• “Huge plants and musty flowers were everywhere...”
• “... skeletons leered at them near two chairs piled with huge, fluffy pillows.”

Pg. 8 when they enter Dr. Graves’ laboratory—

• Everywhere they looked were bubbling beakers, hissing gauges, flashing lights and buzzing buttons with curling glass tubes running from one to another.”

Use this strategy to engage students and keep them actively involved throughout the reading.

After reading pg. 1, make a prediction about the family. Adjust prediction throughout the story as we learn more about them. Are they really as scary and different as we first thought?

What do you think will happen when Mrs. Graves goes to the Garden Club Tea Party?

What do you think they will do with Dr. Graves’ hair growing elixir? What will happen if they try it on humans?

Pg. 2—

• “When they reached to grasp a rather hideous-looking door knocker, it grinned and writhed out of their hands, then knocked...all by itself!”
• “You want to play with me?”

Pg. 17—

• “Their food was moving!”

Possible word choices: 

• P.2 — hideous
• P.2 — writhed 
• P.5 — amateur 
• P.13 — repulsive
• P.14 — wafted
• P.24 — voraciously
• P.24 — devoured
• P.24 — hasty 
• P.26 — vying
• P.26 — inconsolable

Students can use prior knowledge and context clues to determine the meaning of words that may be unfamiliar.

Entomologist- pg. 5, some students may already know the word, but others can determine the meaning from context. “My father is not only an inventor and scientist, but an amateur entomologist. He collects endangered bugs and spiders from all over the world. He feels that by giving them the run of the house, they are happier.” Students can determine that an entomologist is someone that studies insects.