The Chocolate Touch

by Patrick Skene Catling (1952)

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Starting this month our school will be embarking on our fourth all-school book club called One School, One Book™. Every family will receive a copy of the same book – Patrick Skene Catling’s The Chocolate Touch – and will be asked to read it together at home over the next few weeks. Just as we read Mysteries According to Humphrey earlier this school year.  We are personally asking you to make the time so that your family can participate in this special activity.

Reading aloud at home is valuable because it better prepares your child to be an effective reader, and it is also a fun, worthwhile family activity. With the One School, One Book™ program, we aim to build a Community of Readers at our school. Everyone – students, parents, teachers, even administrative staff – will all be following along together.

Your child received a copy of The Chocolate Touch at a special school-wide kick-off introducing the program and the book. Along with the book, you will receive a reading schedule (found on the back of this letter) so that you can keep up at home. We will be following the pace of two chapters a week, don’t forget to mark your reading time in your Reading Rocks logs! 

In school, your child will be invited to answer daily trivia questions to encourage and reward attentive listening. You will soon find that your child will take pride in knowing and anticipating the details of the story. In class, students will explore the book through activities and discussion. You will want to make sure your family keeps up so that your child can be included. Throughout the month, everyone will be talking about The Chocolate Touch!

One School, One Book™ is a novel program in that children of all grade levels will all be listening to their parents read same book. Strange or daring as that may seem, it actually makes sound educational sense. Reading professionals recommend reading material out loud that is beyond a child's own reading level. We also believe that you can and should continue reading chapter books with your older children, even when they are able to read by themselves. We have selected a title that can be followed and understood and enjoyed by younger students, but will still captivate and stimulate older children.

I know that you’ll enjoy this special reading time with your children. I hope to talk with both you and your student sometime this month about John Midas, and chocolate…and moderation! "When a whole school reads a book, there's a lot to talk about." With your help, we can build a Community of Readers at our school.

– The Faculty and Staff of Sam Salem CLC