Click here to see how Stanley became a Hollywood Star
The story of Flat Stanley is about a boy named Stanley. One night Stanley is accidentally squished "as flat as a pancake" when a bulletin board falls on him. Stanley is very, very flat but otherwise fine. The story goes on to tell how Stanley discovers some real advantages to being flat. He can slide under doors, go down into sidewalk grates, and even fold himself up small enough to fit into an envelope and be mailed to California (from a city far away in the USA) for an exciting vacation.
In Jeff Brown's own words, here's how the Flat Stanley
story came about:
"More than thirty years ago, I was saying goodnight to my now grown-up sons, J.C. and Tony (Flat Stanley is dedicated to them), and JC stalling for my chat time, asked me not to leave the bedroom. He was scared, he claimed, and when I asked him what he was afraid of he couldn't think of anything. As I started out again, he had an inspiration. 'I'm afraid my big bulletin board will fall on me,' he said. I told him that that was ridiculous; the big board on the wall above his bed had been securely mounted by me, and even if it got loose it would do so so slowly that he wouldn't even notice it, just go off to sleep, and by the time it rested fully upon him he'd be sound asleep and wouldn't wake, so the board would just lie there all night. Then I thought of small joke and said: 'Of course, when you wake up in the morning, you'll probably be flat.' Both boys thought that was a hoot and many evenings after that one, we'd make up stories about adventures you could have if you were flat. Best idea I ever had, and I didn't even know I'd had it. Not for many months, until a friend in the kid-book business, who knew about the flat stories, suggested I make them into a book."
You can learn about different places along with us! Come back soon to see all the places Stanley gets to visit.
Stanley started his trip in Grand Rapids Michigan
Map of where Stanley visited
April- Flat Stanley visits Hawaii
March- Flat Stanley visits Massachusetts
February- Stanley just got invited to New York. Click here to see what grade Stanely visited and learn more about their school and state.
Click here to see what Stanley saw in Arizona
Today is Tuesday January 6th, 2009 and Stanley is being sent to Miss Sally in Arizonia. We will post the email she sends back, as well as pictures and links to Arizonia. We may be cold this winter but at least Stanley will visit a warm place.
Click here to see Overland Park, Kansas
Click Here to meet the kids in North Carolina and find out what Stanley is learning about
Jan 16th, 2009
Other Flat Stanley Sites
The Official Flat Stanley Project
This site tells about the official project created by Dale Hubert. Includes a letter from author Jeff Brown and a Flat Stanley tracing template.
These lessons have vocabulary words from the book. Click the forward arrow for each new set of words.
Scroll toward the bottom of this page for links to a Flat Stanley cutout that can be downloaded in both Word or as a pdf. The site also has many pictures showing Flat Stanley dressed in different outfits.
This site has lots of fun ideas for having a Flat Stanley day at school.
This is a photograph of Flat Stanley in the Discovery space shuttle in 1994.
Read a clear explanation of how to use Flat Stanley in the classroom.
This is good example of a class site devoted to Flat Stanley and his travels.
Flat Stanley Travels to U.S. Regions
This activity involves video conferencing between schools in different regions of the U.S. where students have read Flat Stanley.
In this activity, students create PowerPoint presentations about states that Flat Stanley visits. Students also contact state tourism centers to collect information about the state.
See what types of things Flat Stanley learns at this Aikido school in California.
Flat Stanley Author Jeff Brown
Read about author Jeff Brown and learn how he came up with the idea for Flat Stanley.
Fans of Stanley Lambchop and his family should take a look at Jeff Brown's other books in the series. They are: Stanley In Space, Stanley and the Magic Lamp, Invisible Stanley and Stanley's Christmas Adventure. |