With his Zapato Power sneakers, Freddie Ramos can jumphigh, hear from far away, and run at top speed. But even a boy with superpowerscan be afraid of the dark. When a big storm takes out the electricity at his apartmentbuilding and most of the city, Freddie is forced to face his fears. 

A special set of night goggles helps Freddie until he realizesthat a friend needs them more than he does. At that point, Freddie relies onwhat he learned in science class about the five senses. If one sense is notworking, you can use the other ones. In the climax of the story, Freddie uses aheightened sense of hearing to navigate in the dark and rescue an elderlyneighbor.

Read Freddie Ramos Sees in the Dark with yourstudents. Discuss their own fears and how they have handled them. Ask if theyhave ever used their sense of hearing or touch to find their way in the dark.Discuss how each of our five senses provides important information.

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riting Prompt: If you could invent a tool to help youface a fear, what would it be? What would this invention do? How would it work?Would you try to sell your invention? If so, how would you advertise it?      

Freddie Ramos Sees in the Dark is book #14 in the ZapatoPower series. In each book, Freddie uses his superpowered sneakers to solvea mystery and help his neighbors. Check out the other titles in the series at Albert Whitman, the publisher’s website. 

BIO: Jacqueline Jules is the author of fifty books for youngreaders including the Zapato Power series, the Sofia Martinez series, MyName is Hamburger, The Porridge-Pot Goblin, Never Say a Mean Word Again, andTag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence. The resources page of herwebsite has many activities for educators and parents. Visitwww.jacquelinejules.com