The Box: A Greek Myth Retold

Zeus is enraged when mankind accepts the gift of fire that Prometheus stole from Mount Olympus. The gods get their revenge by creating Pandora and a mysterious box that she and her husband, Epimetheus, are told to never open. This lively picture book version of Pandora's Box is designed to engage readers of all ages. In a unique strategy called Pair and Share Reading, an adult reads the introductory material, sparking discussions and enhancing comprehension, while the student reads the decodable story, which is told in verse. Students with a fifth-grade reading level may read the introduction independently, and fourth-graders may read it with support after studying the pronunciation guide for the names. The decodable poem in The Box focuses on closed syllables (short vowels) as well as initial and final consonant blends. The Box is Book 3 from Level 1 of the HOT ROD series. To read the other stories in the Greek creation story, see Book 1 - No Gift for Man, and Book 2- The Bandit. We're excited to announce that book 4, titled Gods and Gifts, is coming soon. It is a chapter book for older students with black and white illustrations incorporating Books 1-3 as chapters. It will include additional background information and descriptions of other creation myths. Activities for all three stories will be available in The Gods and Gifts Activity Book coming summer of 2024. At Word Travel Press we have created the HOT ROD series to complement any reading program. Our stories and poems help students develop Higher Order Thinking through the Reading of Decodables written as stories, poems, and more. For information about decodable books and the scope and sequence of HOT ROD and the progression from basic to advanced decoding visit www.wordtravelpress.com.