One Book, One School.
A school-wide read that holds the whole building’s attention.
Summer of the Woods — Book 1 of The Virginia Mysteries — has been used by elementary schools across Virginia for their One School, One Book programs. It works beautifully as a read-aloud for younger grades, and the mystery keeps even the most upper-elementary readers hooked. Everything you need to run a successful program is below.
How it works in a real school
“Our school, Temperance Elementary, chose to read Summer of the Woods as our One School, One Book program this year. We enjoyed all of the resources readily available, such as the introductory videos and trivia questions. Students followed a one-chapter-per-night reading schedule with an emphasis on reading with parents, guardians, and siblings. The students enjoyed the mystery of the book and made connections to the setting of the story. Each day, students had the opportunity to answer a trivia question about the previous night’s reading. Correct answers were sorted and compiled for our final assembly where names were drawn for prizes. The students were so excited to earn chocolate coins, Indian Head Cent pennies, and other books by Steven K. Smith! The next day, Steven came for a visit and shared an engaging presentation with all classes. We were so impressed with his rapport with the students and his genuine interest in their many questions. Overall, it was an excellent learning experience for all!”
Naomi Giles · Librarian, Temperance Elementary · Amherst, Virginia
Videos to kick off your program
Play these for students to build excitement before the reading begins.
Program resources
Everything you need to plan and run your school-wide read.
Chapter-by-chapter activity and discussion questions for the whole book.
Open activity PDF →Daily trivia — perfect for a one-chapter-per-night schedule and a prize drawing at your final assembly.
Open trivia PDF →The official Accelerated Reader quiz plus printable comprehension quizzes for the series.
View quizzes →A ready-to-print flyer to announce and promote your program to families.
Download flyer →Real-world connections for student research and “Visit the History” extensions.
Ordering for your school
Bulk paperback orders are available directly from the publisher at a discount — contact Steven for details. Summer of the Woods is also available through most educational distributors and these retailers:
Schools that have read along
Summer of the Woods has been a school-wide read at elementary schools across Virginia:
- Weaver Chesterfield
- Fox Richmond
- Curtis Chesterfield
- Glen Allen Henrico
- Reams Chesterfield
- Crestview Henrico
- Greenwood Henrico
- Rolling Valley Fairfax
- Providence Chesterfield
- Donahoe Henrico
- Temperance Amherst
- Waverly Yowell Madison
- Colonial Botetourt
- Greendale Abingdon
- Salem Spotsylvania
- DeHart Winchester
- Poquoson Poquoson
