Max's Weather Spell Request
October 8
Dear Librarian Fern,
Could you please reserve A Beginner’s Guide to Weather Spells by Orla Moss for me? I looked for it on the library shelf yesterday, but the space between Cloud Creatures and Wind in a Bottle was empty. The catalog said the book was checked out, so I thought I should write to ask what to do next.
My name is Max Alder, and my library card number is 2417. If someone else has already requested the book, I’m happy to wait my turn. Would you let me know when it comes back and how long you can hold it? I usually visit the library on Thursdays after my wizardry lessons, but I can ask my grandfather to bring me on another day if necessary.
I’m looking for this particular book because our class is preparing a weather display for the autumn fair. Each student will make a small demonstration inside a clear glass jar. Mine is supposed to show how a cloud can form and release a few drops of rain. I don’t want to make an actual storm, especially not inside the school hall. Last spring, a student tried a thunder spell without checking the instructions, and the noise startled everyone in the next room.
- reserve:
- To arrange for something to be kept for you.
- catalog:
- A list of items a library owns, including information about their availability.
- demonstration:
- An activity that shows how something works.
- startled:
- Surprised or frightened suddenly.
- predicting:
- Saying what is likely to happen before it happens.
- supervise:
- To watch over an activity and guide the people doing it.
- small-scale:
- Limited in size or extent.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is Max's main reason for writing to Librarian Fern?
- 2How does Max know that looking on the shelf again may not get him the book?
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About this letter / email passage for Upper Elementary
“Max's Weather Spell Request” is a letter / email reading passage about Library Requests, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (496 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.