Week1 （Part1）： Chapters 1-9；

Week2 （Part2）：Chapters 10-18；

Week3 （Part3）：Chapters 19-26；

Week4 （Part4）：Chapters 27-33；

Part 1: Introduction and Settling In (Chapters 1-9) Title: "Welcome to Oakland"

Summary: In this first part, we meet the protagonist, 11-year-old Delphine, and her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. The sisters travel to Oakland, California, to spend the summer with their estranged mother, Cecile. They struggle to adjust to their new surroundings and their mother's cold demeanor while learning about the Black Panther Party.

Reading guide: Pay close attention to the relationship dynamics between the sisters and their mother, as well as the cultural differences between Brooklyn and Oakland. Consider how Delphine takes on a caretaker role for her sisters and how she starts to learn about the larger social issues at play.

Part 2: Learning About the Movement (Chapters 10-18) Title: "Discovering the Panthers"

Summary: In this section, the sisters attend the Black Panther Party's People's Center, where they participate in a summer program. They learn about the organization's fight against racial injustice and the importance of community service. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern become more aware of their African American heritage and the political atmosphere of the late 1960s.

Reading guide: Observe how the sisters become more connected to their community and the Black Panther movement. Reflect on the differences between the sisters' previously sheltered lives in Brooklyn and the experiences they're now exposed to in Oakland.

Part 3: Growth and Revelations (Chapters 19-26) Title: "Unraveling the Past"

Summary: In this part of the story, the girls deepen their understanding of their mother's past and her reasons for abandoning them. Delphine, feeling responsible for her sisters, learns about her mother's involvement with the Black Panther Party and her passion for poetry. The sisters also discover the truth about their father and his relationship with Cecile.

Reading guide: Focus on the personal growth of the characters, especially Delphine, as she navigates the complexities of her family's history. Consider how the girls' relationship with their mother evolves as they learn about her past and her connection to the Black Panther movement.

Part 4: Coming Together and Moving Forward (Chapters 27-33) Title: "One Crazy Summer's End"

Summary: In the final part of the book, the sisters bond with their mother as they work together to organize a rally for a jailed Black Panther Party member. Through this experience, they gain a deeper understanding of the importance of activism and the power of unity. As the summer comes to an end, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern prepare to return to Brooklyn, changed by their experiences in Oakland.

Reading guide: Reflect on the journey the sisters have taken and how they have grown throughout the summer. Consider the changes in their relationships with each other, their mother, and their understanding of the world around them.

Part 1: Chapters 1-15     （Week1）

Part 2: Chapters 16-30  （Week2）

Part 3: Chapters 31-45  （Week3）

Part 4: Chapters 46-55 （Week4）

Part 1: Chapters 1-15 

Summary: In this section, we are introduced to the protagonist, Miranda, a sixth-grader living in New York City with her single mother. Miranda's best friend, Sal, is suddenly distancing himself from her, leaving Miranda feeling confused and hurt. Meanwhile, Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes from an unknown person, who seems to know intimate details about her life and even predicts future events.

Key Points:

• Introduction of main characters: Miranda, her mother, Sal, and other friends.
• The mysterious notes begin to appear, creating intrigue.
• The theme of friendship and its complexities is introduced.

Part 2: Chapters 16-30 

Summary: As Miranda tries to navigate her changing friendships, she befriends Marcus and learns about the concept of time travel. The mysterious notes continue to arrive, and Miranda starts to believe that the sender might be a time traveler. Meanwhile, Miranda's mother is selected to be a contestant on the popular TV game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid."

Key Points:

• Introduction of new characters: Marcus and Julia.
• The concept of time travel is introduced and explored.
• Miranda's mother's upcoming appearance on the game show adds a new subplot.

Part 3: Chapters 31-45

Summary: Miranda works with her friends to decipher the cryptic notes and figure out the identity of the sender. They start to believe that the notes are connected to a tragic event that will occur in the near future. As they dig deeper, Miranda learns valuable lessons about the importance of friendship, empathy, and understanding others.

Key Points:

• The mystery of the notes deepens, and the characters become more invested in solving it.
• Themes of empathy, understanding, and forgiveness are further explored.
• Characters grow and change through their experiences.

Part 4: Chapters 46-55 

Summary: In the final chapters, the identity of the mysterious note sender is revealed, and the tragic event the notes predicted comes to pass. However, due to the information provided in the notes, Miranda and her friends are able to prevent the tragedy from having a lasting impact. Miranda's mother wins the game show, and the story ends with a deeper understanding of friendship, love, and the power of human connection.

Key Points:

• The resolution of the mystery surrounding the notes.
• The climax of the story with the prevention of the tragic event.
• The conclusion ties together themes of friendship, love, and the power of human connection.

Part 1: Book Part I - Primordium

Part 2: Book Part II - Illumination

Part 3: Book Part III - Intersections

Part 4: Book Part IV - Incendiary 

Part 1: Book Part I - Primordium 

Summary: This part sets the stage for the novel and introduces the main characters, Celia and Marco, as well as their mentors, Hector and Alexander. They are bound together in a mysterious competition of magical skills, and the stage for their contest is the enigmatic Le Cirque des Rêves.

Key Points:

1. Introduction to Celia, Marco, Hector, and Alexander.
2. The binding of Celia and Marco in a mysterious magical competition.
3. The creation and anticipation of the magical circus, Le Cirque des Rêves.

Part 2: Book Part II - Illumination 

Summary: As the circus arrives, Celia and Marco's competition intensifies, with each creating increasingly spectacular displays of magic within the circus. Meanwhile, they begin to fall in love, complicating their rivalry. Other important characters, such as the circus performers and visitors, are introduced, and their stories become intertwined with Celia and Marco's.

Key Points:

1. The growing rivalry and romance between Celia and Marco.
2. The enchanting atmosphere and magical feats within Le Cirque des Rêves.
3. The introduction and development of supporting characters and their connections to the main storyline.

Part 3: Book Part III - Intersections 

Summary: In this part, the stories of the supporting characters, including the circus performers and visitors, intersect with Celia and Marco's competition. The circus continues to grow in fame and wonder, but the strain of the competition begins to take its toll on the two magicians, as well as the circus itself.

Key Points:

1. The further development of the supporting characters and their connections to the main story.
2. The increasing tension and consequences of Celia and Marco's competition.
3. The impact of the competition on the circus's stability and the well-being of its inhabitants.

Part 4: Book Part IV - Incendiary & Part V - Divination 

Summary: The final part sees Celia and Marco attempting to break free from the competition and save the circus. They must confront their mentors, face the consequences of their actions, and make sacrifices to ensure the safety of the circus and its inhabitants. The story concludes with a resolution that brings peace to the characters and allows the circus to continue its enchanting journey.

Key Points:

1. Celia and Marco's confrontation with their mentors, Hector and Alexander.
2. The sacrifices made by Celia and Marco to save the circus and its inhabitants.
3. The resolution of the competition, allowing the circus to continue and the characters to find peace.

Book Summary

“The Invisible Man” was published in 1952 and written by African American author Ralph Ellison. It won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1953, and Ellison was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1985 for his contributions to American literature.

 

Invisible Man’s protagonist is a young Black man whose name is never used in the text, and lives in a segregated world in which he is the victim of racial stereotypes and discrimination.

 

Ellison combines psychological and social storylines in Invisible Man, examining the effects of racism on his protagonist and his ability, nonetheless, to rise above the difficulties he encounters to craft his own sense of self.

Weekly Reading Plan

 

578 pages. Approx. 144 pages per week.

 

*Note: Please refer to the ‘part number’ when using either version of book.

 

	Book Version (2020)	PDF Version
WEEK 1	pp. 1 – 150 Ch. 1– end of Ch. 6	pp.  – Ch. 1– end of Ch. 6
WEEK 2	pp. 151– 295 Ch. 7– end of Ch. 13	pp.  –   Ch. 7– end of Ch. 13
WEEK 3	pp. 296 – 444 Ch. 14– end of Ch. 20	pp.  – Ch. 14– end of Ch. 20
WEEK 4	pp. 445 –  581 Ch. 21– end of book	pp.  – Ch. 21– end of book

 

To purchase online:

*Note: To open hyperlinked pages below, please use a computer or laptop; smart phone will NOT direct you to the linked page)

 

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