December Grades 5-6 Book Club: Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

For December's Book Club, we read Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Peter Auxier. Those attending were Eva, Erin, Cam, Cameron and Harry were present.  Here are our thoughts...

(For more Peter Nimble fun, check out: Peter Auxier's Peter Nimble website: http://www.peternimble.com/mischief/)

If I could be a character from this book it would be:

Erin: Sir Tode. I think he's kind of funny. And I love mustaches.

Harry: I'd want to be Peter. Or a rebel ape who fought against the other apes.

Eva: I'm still thinking because most of the people in the kingdom were being tortured. And the people back in the real world were mean. No one was really nice.

Cam: I'd love to be Good Old Frederick. Because he's giant and able to kill a sea-serpent. 

Cameron: I'd like to be one of the apes. Longclaw.

Would you trade one of your senses to have a really interesting skill?

Erin: I would give up my sight for really good hearing.

Eva: I would give up my smell for something like really good eyesight. To see super far (hundreds of miles). Or I would get really good touch for weaving and knitting.

Harry: I would give up my eyes because my other senses would be amplified. Or my nose because my sense of smell already isn't great. I might be willing to give up my taste because then I could eat things that I think taste bad.

Cam: I'd give up my ears to have the Force. I'd give up my sense of smell to control weather.

Cameron: I would give up taste to be able to jump high like a kangaroo.

Talk a little bit about friendship and loyalty in this story.

Cameron: At the end of the book, when Sir Tode found the Fantastic Eyes for Peter. That about sums it up.


What do you think about the ending of the book? Was it a good conclusion to all of the adventures?

Erin: It was really good. They should make more adventures. In books, sometimes people die. This happens in books. (this led to a long Harry Potter Part 7 discussion)

Eva: Parts of the book were really predictable. It was obvious that Peter was Prince NoName. The green eyes were the last piece of the puzzle.

Harry: It was really good. None of the really important characters got killed, which was good.


Did you think that Peter should have stayed blind? And Sir Tode stayed a cat/human/horse?

Erin: Sir Tode should stay like that. Peter should definitely have his eyes back.

Cam: The eyes were a cool trick.

Eva: There should be another book because you're not sure if Sir Tode changed or not. I kind of like where the story went because you didn't fully know what happened with all of the characters.

Harry: I think Peter should have gotten his eyes back and Sir Tode should have become a human as well.

Cameron: Peter should not have stayed blind. Having his eyes back makes him the true king. 


Erin: What are the eyes made out of? Are they gold, emerald and onyx eyes or the irises?
 

Did you like the author's style? With the wry humor? And the violence? Did you expect so many characters to die?

Cameron: I liked the author's style. There was wry humor. The author would sometimes address the reader. And the dying people was silly and funny.

Cam: I want to talk about the eyes again. A cross between treasure and eyes. A little bit soft like regular eyes with some treasure that was put into them by magic.

Erin: I think maybe the eyes were flipped.

Cameron: How would Peter Nimble take his eyes out?

(humorous discussion of him taking his eyes out with the hook)

Eva: What if he stabbed someone by accident?

Harry: I think that they can take out the fishhook and put in a magical hand.

 
What's Peter Nimble's next adventure going to be?

Cameron: He's going to try to find the old hag but it could lead to Peter Nimble and Sir Toad's demise.

Erin: The rats go into battle with the hag against Peter and Sir Toad. The dragon eats Sir Toad. And the hag turns Peter into a rat. And the dragon eats the rat. The end.

Cam: I think that the hag leads them into a trap. The rats lead them into a trap. Then the hag gets rid of the curse. Sir Toad starts stumbling around because he forgets how to walk on two legs.

Eva: I thought that the first half was finding the island and they had to go through a bunch of obstacles. And then the second half is the witch needing saving. The apes are 100 times the size of a normal rat. I'm not 100% sure what is going to happen. They don't necessarily die.

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Cameron: 4.752

Eva: 4.5

Erin: 3.5 (because not as many people died)

Cam: 5 (one of the best books I've ever read)

Harry: 4.9 (it was very good but there are tiny bits that take away from it)

Cameron: I read about 100 pages while watching football. That means I really liked it.

The book for the next Book Club meeting is Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. We will be meeting on Wednesday, January 8th at 4:00 p.m. (PLEASE NOTE THE TIME. IT WILL ONLY CHANGE FOR JANUARY) Copies of this book will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. Please come with recommendations for January's Book Club selection. Thanks!

Grade 5-6 Book Club Recommendations for January

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

It takes a graveyard to raise a child.

Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead. There are adventures in the graveyard for a boy—an ancient Indigo Man, a gateway to the abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, he will be in danger from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family.- amazon.com Book Trailer

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape.- summary Book Trailer


Bomb by Steven Sheinkin

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

Bomb is a 2012 National Book Awards finalist for Young People’s Literature. amazon.com Book Trailer

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee.- amazon.com Book Trailer

November Grades 5-6 Book Club: Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

For November's Book Club, we read Chomp by Carl Hiaasen. Those attending were Cam, Eva and Harry. Andreas and Harry chimed in via email. Here are our thoughts...

If I could be a character from this book it would be:

Harry: I wouldn't want to be any of the characters. They don't have anything that I like. Almost everybody in the book got bitten.

Eva: I wouldn't want to be any of the characters. I wouldn't want to be Tuna because she went from being abused by her father to being on a TV set where everyone was getting wounded.

Cam: I could dress up as a zombie if I was Wahoo because his missing thumb would be cool and creepy.

Would you watch Derek Badger's show?


Eva: It would depend on how much I knew was being faked and how much was real.

Cam: Most survival shows seem more realistic than this one.

Harry: I wouldn't watch the animal eating scenes.


Do you like Mickey?

Eva: He was kind of crazy in that he antagonized Tuna's father when he had a gun.

Harry: He didn't like animals to be picked on.

Cam: Or kids. 


Would you want to have Wahoo's job?

Eva: No. Because it's really dangerous and I can see that Derek Badger is the kind of person who wanted all of the wildlife scenes to be real and that's just dangerous.

Harry: I wouldn't want the job. Eva's reasons and the biting reason.

Cam: I would want to have Wahoo's job because it's interesting and I've always wanted to work with really strong animals. I love snakes. When I held reptiles during the Summer Reading Program, I realized that I really like reptiles.

Eva: I thought of another reason. I really don't like snakes.


Did you think that Tuna should have run away from her father?

Eva: I think that she should have because her father had a gun so she really couldn't fight back when he was abusing her.

Harry: I think she should have run away. Her dad was horrible. In the end, she got away from her dad and he was arrested.

Cam: And no one got killed. Except for Mickey's toe.




Did you like the author's style? With the humor? And also the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters?

Harry: The writing style gets you hooked in and makes you keep reading.

Eva: I thought that since Mickey was one of the main characters, he wouldn't die.

They got into a discussion about Lemony Snicket and the "deaths" in that series.

Would you be able to do Raven Stark's job?

Eva: No. Because she has to handle Derek Badger's craziness.

Harry: She got to see all of the blunders on the reel at the year-end party though.

Cam: And tantrums.

Eva: Derek Badger is definitely a handful.

 
Do you think that Derek is a bad person or he's just clueless? Did he learn from his mistakes?

Cam: He's clueless and spoiled.


Harry: He's an idiot and spoiled.

Harry: He got fired because he wanted a higher salary. I think that after saving everyone's lives, he deserved more that getting fired. 

Eva: Even though he thought he was a vampire, he's still pretty nice. I thought that when he was trying to save the others, he was a different person. But then when he realized he wasn't on camera, he showed that he was back to his old self.

Harry: Everyone has a moment of goodness. And they deserve recognition if they become a better person, even if for only just a moment.

 
Do you think that Mickey should have taken the job at the end of the book?

Harry: The show would always involve animals getting hurt and Mickey can't stand that. I'm the same as Mickey that way.

Cam: If Derek were still on the show, Mickey could get back at him in a funny way.

Harry: By doing that, he'd only give him more to get back at.

Eva: I would think that he should take the job. He still needs money.

 
Funny moments:

Cam: Quote: "Don't worry; I'll treat them like they're my own." Response: "That's what I'm afraid of." When he gets chomped by the bat. When the salamander goes up his shorts. The part where he climbs up a tree and tries to secure his position with a cheap copy of a Swiss Army knife.


Eva: I thought that the funniest part was when the bat chomped on his tongue. It stayed on his tongue. Mickey knew to tickle the bat to get the bat off Derek's face.

Harry: Still thinking...one of them was when he tried to get an eagle egg. When he got to the bottom of the tree, park rangers were there who banned him from National Parks for the rest of his life. One of the funniest parts was Derek Badger's funniest moments. This would make a great movie.

Eva: Another funny part was when he was on a tree branch upside down and he thought he might grow wings and become a vampire. 

Harry: Once he was fired, I bet they posted all of Derek's blunders on YouTube. 

Eva: I think that they should have made a TV show called "Derek Badger's Funniest Moments".

Cam: All of the clips put together could be called "Expedition Survive-Fail".

Eva: "This is the real in reality TV."


If you could have a reality show, what would it be about and what it be called?

Harry: I would make something like Mythbusters or Cryptids. I might make something like that. Like Finding Bigfoot.

Eva: I have 2 ideas. The first would be to go to many different places and see the owls there. The second would be to go to places that had temples and ruins from when people believed in gods and goddesses.

Harry: I would name mine Urban Legends Revealed and the other Hunters of the Cryptids. They would both talk about different things.

Cam: I have to think about it. Maybe Hunting Down Sasquatch.



Comments from Andreas and Cameron:

Chomp was a great book! There were some really big cliff hangers and scary details like the shootings and the bitings. I also read the other books in the series as well. Hoot and Flush were the best because it had the most suspense.- Andreas

AND

I read Chomp, and I realllllly enjoyed it.  The beginning was a little slow, but when Derek Badger came, the book really picked up.  My favorite character was Mickey Cray, because not only was he an all around cool dude, but he was funny when he talked with Derek and made fun of him.  A lot of the things Mickey said put a grin on my face.  Also, Mickey was risk-taking when he put himself in harm's way to give Wahoo and Tuna and Link a chance to go to Sickler's dock and get away from Tuna's father.  I really liked the book. -Cam

 

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Harry: 4.5 It was missing action in the beginning but was pretty much awesome.

Eva: 2-2.75 It was hard to get into in the beginning. It went from interesting to not interesting to interesting and on and on.

Cam: 5.5 It was the best one I've read. It was extra good.

The book for the next Book Club meeting is Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier. We will be meeting on Wednesday, December 11th at 3:00 p.m. Copies of this book will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. Please come with recommendations for December's Book Club selection. Thanks!

Grades 5-6 Book Club Recommendations for December

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is the utterly beguiling tale of a blind 10-year-old orphan who has been schooled in a life of thievery. One fateful afternoon, he steals a box from a mysterious traveling haberdasher—a box that contains three pairs of magical eyes. When he tries the first pair, he is instantly transported to a hidden island, where he is presented with a special quest: to travel to the dangerous Vanished Kingdom and rescue a people in need. Along with his loyal sidekick—a knight who has been turned into an unfortunate combination of horse and cat—and the magic eyes, he embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure to discover his true destiny.- amazon.com Book Trailer

King of Shadows by Susan Cooper

While in London as part of an all-boy acting company preparing to perform in a replica of the famous Globe Theatre, Nat Field suddenly finds himself transported back to 1599 and performing in the original theater under the tutelage of Shakespeare himself.- summary Book Trailer

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape.- summary Book Trailer

October Grades 5-6 Book Club: The Giver by Lois Lowry

For October's Book Club, we read The Giver by Lois Lowry. Those attending were Cam, Eva and Harry. Here are our thoughts...

If I could be a character from this book it would be:

Harry: Jonas because he's the one who got the few good things about being in that society. He got emotions and other things. Both good and bad things.

Eva:  I want to be Fiona because Jonas said that she's nice, smart and intelligent. I would say that I want to be Jonas but he had to go through a lot of pain.

Cam: Would you want to be emotionless?

Eva: I wouldn't want to have to go through the level of pain that Jonas went through. But the Giver was in so much pain as well.

Jonas is chosen as the next Receiver of Memory. Is this an honor or a punishment?

Cam: A punishment because it's just pain and more pain.

Eva: Even though there's a lot of pain, there is the highest honor in that job.

Cam: You have to take on the burden of everyone else.

Harry: I view it as a punishment and an honor, as well. This book reminds me of A Wrinkle in Time. 

Harry: This is similar to The City of Ember. Society devolved, not evolved, in both. 

Eva: I think that I recognize with the babies that aren't perfect. People talk themselves into things, both good and bad.

Harry: The lack of emotions means that they won't feel pain, not just happiness.

Did the father know that he was killing the babies?

Eva: I think that he knew but he'd done it so many times that he was used to doing it and no longer saw it as bad. (this comment was agreed upon by everyone)

What about the breeding moms?:

Harry: The breeding moms were kind of like robots or some other alien form. Everyone knew about them but didn't really talk about them and what they were doing.


The Ending:

Harry: I think that Jonas and Gabriel got to a real place and it was Christmastime.

Eva: I think that it was real people because the way it was written did not seem like Jonas was going to Heaven. There would be a clue. There wouldn't be snow and all of the other things. I never thought that it was Heaven.

Harry: He was going down on a sled and if he were going to Heaven, he'd be going up. There would be people with wings and halo.

Cam: Maybe it was Heaven but no one was there because there was a Christmas celebration.

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Harry: 3 1/2 (missing action)

Eva: 5 (I really liked the idea of how it is showing how people can talk themselves into things. I liked how the author let you think your own thoughts.)

Cam: 4 (I'd like him invading the place that had the releases)

The book for the next Book Club meeting is Chomp by Carl Hiaasen. We will be meeting on Wednesday, November 13th at 3:00 p.m. Copies of this book are available behind the Circulation Desk. Please come with recommendations for November's Book Club selection. Thanks!

Grades 5-6 Book Club Recommendations for November

Chomp by Carl Hiassen

When the difficult star of the reality television show "Expedition Survival" disappears while filming an episode in the Florida Everglades using animals from the wildlife refuge run by Wahoo Crane's family, Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him while avoiding Tuna's gun-happy father. Book Trailer

Ungifted by Gordan Korman

Due to an administrative mix-up, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students, after pulling a major prank at middle school. Book Trailer

Spendlors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

When Clara vanishes after the puppeteer Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at her twelfth birthday party, suspicion of kidnapping chases the trio away from London and soon the two orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini's ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it is too late. Book Trailer

September Grades 5-6 Book Club : The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

For September's Book Club, we read The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Those attending were Cam, Cameron (RG4), Harry and Liam. Here are our thoughts…

If I could be a character from this book it would be:

Harry: My favorite character was Sage/Jaron. He was a strong, clever character. He had everything under control.

RG4:  I liked Prince Jaron the most.

Cam: If I had to choose, I'd love to be Mott. My reason is that he never got in pain or was frightened. He wasn't the one being threatened.

Liam: I liked Imogen because she was good at hiding her true intentions.

The character I wouldn’t want to be locked in a dungeon with is:

Cam: Conner, when he has a whip and a dagger or a sword.

RG4: I wouldn't want to be in the dungeon with Roden because he is a good liar and might try to trick me. Or Tobias because he gets so mad about stuff and ends up stabbing people in the back (figuratively and literally).

Liam: I wouldn't want to be in a dungeon with Cregan.

Harry: Cregan.

If I could change one scene in the book, it would be:

Cam: Roden should have fallen in the river. It would have been good justice.

RG4: I thought it was plotted out really well so I wouldn't change anything.

Liam: I wouldn't have had Latamer killed. He didn't deserve to die.

Harry: I would add some more action to the book. It dragged in some points.

Cam: They should have had Mott whip Conner at the end.

Harry: Slowly dying in the dungeon would be a good thing for Conner.

RG4: I want to know what happens to Tobias after the party.

The one character I would want to be happy forever is:

RG4: I would want Princess Amarinda to be happy because she's been so upset about Darius. I want her to not dwell on her sadness.

Cam: Mott because he's an understanding character. He wasn't a bad guy of his own free will.

Harry: Mott, because he didn't get credit for being good.

 

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Harry: 3 or 4 (it lacked excitement and a climax)

Liam: 4

RG4: 3.5 ("I was hoping more people would die")

Cam: 5 ("It was the best book I've ever read")

The book for the next Book Club meeting is The Giver by Lois Lowry. We will be meeting on Wednesday, October 9th. Copies of this book are available behind the Circulation Desk. Please come with recommendations for November's Book Club selection. Thanks!

Grades 5-6 Book Club Recommendations for October

These book trailers will be shown during September's Grades 5-6 Book Club discussion as possibilities for October reading.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper: Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time. Search the catalog

The Giver by Lois Lowry: Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. Search the catalog


Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt: As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends, an abusive father, and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer--a fiery young lady. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon's birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage. Search the Catalog

June Book Club: Wonder

For June's Book Club, we read Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Harry, Evan, Callum, Cameron, Calvin and John were present and Andreas participated virtually. Miss Lisa used the Random House website on Wonder in order to steer this book club conversation. Here are our thoughts…

Friendship— Discuss the characteristics of a good friend.: 

Cameron: Be nice, not boring, want to do stuff

Callum: Treat people the way you want to be treated

Harry: They should never lie to their friends

Calvin: Thoughtful

Evan: Trustworthy

John: Loyalty

Which of Auggie’s friends demonstrate these qualities?:

Cameron: Jack Will. Jack wanted to be cool and be with the other kids which didn't work out for him.

Harry: Jack Will said the rude stuff that he said in order to keep in touch with his older friends.

Calvin: Summer. Jack wasn't consistent in his friendship.

Evan: Max, Amos, Henry and Miles ended up sticking up for Auggie.



What characteristics of a good friend does Auggie possess?:

Cameron: He is trustworthy and loyal. He's not boring. He's funny

Callum: Honesty.

Harry: He'll help you out if you have trouble and protect you. He helped Jack Will with his homework.

Calvin: Thoughtful

Evan: Trustworthy

How does Auggie help his friends see him as an ordinary kid?:

Cameron: He acts like a "normal" kid and tries to make people at ease about his face. He jokes around.


Callum: He tries to act cool and fit in.

Harry: He lets them go to his house so that they can see that his home life is really normal.

John: In the beginning, he says that he does all of these things that normal kids would do.

How does Auggie’s ability to be comfortable in his own skin make it easier for his friends 

and family to relate to him?:

Cameron: Kids at school aren't afraid to address the issue of his face because he shows that it doesn't bother him.

The other boys felt that this was the perfect answer.


In Mr. Tushman’s speech at the end of the year, he shares this quote, “Always try to be a little kinder than necessary.” How does being kind help someone overcome challenges?:

Cameron: Be more kind than you can be. If someone is kind to you, you'll want to go to school. If people are mean to you then you might not want to participate.

Callum: When you get bullied, it might affect you. You might become one.

Harry: If you're nice to people, they'll want to help you out.

Calvin: Sometimes being nice still doesn't help.

If you could change a scene in the story, which one would it be? Why?:

John: I think that Jack should have punched Julian a lot harder than did. 

Evan: I think that Auggie should have worn his Bobba Fett costume.

Callum: I think that while everyone gave a precept, Julian should have said something negative about the school. 

Andreas had a class assignment to write another chapter to Wonder using another character's voice/perspective. Andreas chose Principal Tushman and this is his amazing chapter:

My Story
This is my story of August Pullman. The wonder who won the Beecher award. Yep. He caused
happiness and sadness of the past year himself. (Not all of it) I am so surprised with what he did.
Why? Because having an abnormal face when you just start school and try to fit in is so brave. I
bet I won't see someone like August again. He is a person who is "a billionaire in uniqueness".
Here is my- and some of his story at Beecher last year.

Calls That Prepared our School-For Better or For Worse
I knew that everyone new in Beecher gets a tour- always. But for a kid who's never been to
school and might get teased because of his face- It's going to be harder. I've seen pictures of
August. He has a severe facial deformity and a cleft palate. It's going to be hard, so I'm going to
pick 3 kids to help August at his first year. Charlotte is a very polite and thoughtful girl. I called
her parents. (Ringing) "Oh hi Ms. Cody? It's Lawrence and I would like to know if Charlotte
wants to befriend our new student who might have a hard time fitting in." I call Jack's mom. " Hi
Ms. Will? Its Lawrence and I would like to know if Jack is up to befriending a new student who
is different." I call Melissa. "Hi Mrs. Albans! Is it okay if Julian befriends a new student at
Beecher?" Jack Will, Charlotte Cody and Julian Albans were available. They are super nice kids except
for Julian who soon applied out of Beecher because he didn't fit in and he was a bully. I
didn't know about Julian back then, so I had to keep my eyes peeled if this call went for better or
for worse. You never know.

School Tour
I finally met August for the first time before school started. He was a bit shy but had a sense of
humor- we talked about my last name, Tushman and August said that his parents knew someone
called Ms. Butt. We talked to each other and introduced August to Ms. Garcia, my assistant and I
showed August his home room and introduced him to Charlotte, Julian and Jack. I see them leave
safely out of their home room. No chance to keep my eyes peeled. Anything can happen now.

Halloween
Everything was fine until Halloween. August plays the stomach ache and he's gone. He's gone
for a while and I start to think who's responsible. Charlotte? No, she's too kind. Julian? Nah.
People hide their feelings when it comes to bullies. No one else really knows who he is so who
did it? Who is this August? The August I know is nice, not absent. Who turned the key? Who
made him transform?

Punches, Email and More
All I know is that about a month after Halloween, something big happened and it hit the world
of Jack and Julian like a meteor that hit the earth 65 million years ago. The punch. Evidence says
that that Jack punched Julian right in the mouth. That's it. I talked to Jack but he seemed shy and
upset. What caused this meteor to hit? Can't be nothing. So I suspend Jack for 2 days so his
suspension goes right into winter break. I say it'll be clean slate. No such luck. I just didn't know.
Julian's mom emailed me and the Wills and said that August should be expelled because he
caused the commotion. Back to slate.

Dirty Slate
I was so happy thinking that everything was okay. I looked in August and Jack's lockers and I
was aghast. There was a note saying:
Dear Jack and Zombie,
Nobody likes you. You stink. From, Julian
Horrible. I had betrayed Jack. Instead of clean slate, Julian slapped mud on it. I have to tell
August right away. Poor them.

The Big Trip
This really showed August was a wonder. Going and fighting a bunch of 7th graders showed
that he was brave even without his face lowering confidence. It seemed okay when we got to the
reserve. The next day we went to the fairground. When we were watching a movie, August and
Jack disappeared and came back all bloody with Miles, Henry and Amos and August didn't have
his hearing aids. Someone must have stole them. Amos tells the story to everyone and fame
spreads. After the trip, I tell August that Edward Johnson vandalized the hearing aids and ask him
if he would charge Edward. Then I tell him that Julian is applying out and he was happy. He was
also surprised I saw the dirty slate. This is near the end of school and graduation day is on the
way.

Graduation Day
Today is the big day. I feel choked up because I feel so happy for my students. I stand on the
podium and make my speeches and so does Mr. Jansen I present academical awards to many kids
and then here comes the good part. I say that the Beecher medal goes to someone who has
confidence, happiness and friendship. I choke up and almost cry. Not only that, but the medal
goes to someone who tests one courage and friendship and kindness. I need a drink to stop
crying. My last words of this story will be: "So will August Pullman please come up here to receive this award?"

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Cameron: 4 1/2

Calvin: 4 1/2

Evan: 4 3/4

John: 4 9/10

Harry: 4 99999/100000

Callum: 5

The book for the next Book Club meeting is The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. There will be copies waiting for you behind the Circulation Desk. We will be meeting on Wednesday, July 3 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss this book. The book for the Wednesday, August 7 meeting will be The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson.

May Book Club: Starry River of the Sky

For May’s Book Club, we read Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin. Cameron, Harry and John were present and Andreas participated virtually. Here are our thoughts…

Who is your favorite character in the story? Why?:

Cameron: I liked Mr. Shan because he seemed kind of crazy and mental but then as the book progressed, his true character came out. He’s really smart and not loopy.

Harry: It was funny when Mr. Shan held up the bridge. I liked the stories in the book. Madame Chang was wise.


What did you think about the fighting in the book?:

Cameron: I thought that it added to the story. It helped Rendi figure out some things.

Harry: This book shows real relationships and things that happen every day. The people didn’t seem that surprised by things that were happening in the book.


What did you think of Rendi?:

Harry: I liked him. I thought he was cool. I liked the big emotional moments.

Cameron: I liked Rendi. At the beginning, I thought that he was like a hobo but he ended up being the son of a powerful guy. He kept saying “a few more days” regarding staying in the village. He was often upset. I liked how the book showed his emotional changes and how he grew as a person.

Harry: He’s a smart kid. He must be special that he could hear the frog/moon crying.

Cameron: I liked how everyone tricked the kidnappers in the Inn.


What did you think of Peiyi?

Cameron: I thought she was like Rendi. At first she didn’t like him and then she grew to almost love him.

Harry: They started out as rivals but ended up as friends.


If you could change a scene in the story, which one would it be? Why?:

Harry: I wouldn't change any scene but I would change the title.

Cam: I wouldn't change any scene. I really liked this book. It was like a puzzle and all pieces came together.


Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Cam: 4 

Harry: 3.5


Any more thoughts?:

Cameron: I liked how this book was connected to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. You didn’t necessarily have to read the first book but reading it would help your understanding of this book. It was amazingly good. 

Andreas: Great pick! The wonderful pictures and stories were beautiful! I read it for one day straight it was so good!

The stories about Magistrate Tiger really captured my mind! The stories were my favorite part of the book! I also really liked how Rendi got the moon back into the sky- with the help of amazing people like Mr. Chang!

Next, I read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon! The two books had a small relation to each other, but it was great! Thank you for recommending these books! 

The book for the next Book Club meetings is Wonder by R.J. Palacio. There will be copies waiting for you behind the Circulation Desk. We will be meeting on Wednesday, June 5 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss this book.

April Book Club: In a Glass Grimmly

For April's Book Club, we read In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz. Here are our thoughts…

Harry:
I liked it and I thought it was great. (a good way to start off a book club meeting!)

Andreas: It was pretty disgusting and gory like the prequel! Why did the author like it. It was a great book but because of Eddie but it WAS TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DISGUSTING! It had a good ending with the Seeing Glass and the story couldn't be true!

If I could change one scene in the book, it would be:

Lisa: Like Andreas, I would change how much description went into saying how smelly Eddie was. I got the point after the first few descriptors.

Harry: I would change the part where the mother heard when Jack and Jill were telling their story. They should have stayed by themselves for a little while longer.

If I could be a character from this book it would be:

Harry: I'm not sure. Most of the characters were funny but some had flaws that I wouldn't want.

My favorite character is:

Harry: The Frog. He's really funny, with the jokes he makes and how he reacts to situation.

Lisa: The Frog was funny.

The character I wouldn’t want to climb a beanstalk with is:

Harry: Marie was a jerk. He sounded like a bully.

Were you confused by anything in this book?

Lisa: I was confused by the goblin world. Harry just helped me figure it out.

The one character I would want to be happy forever after is:

Harry: It's a tie between all of the main characters who first had a miserable time of it.

Lisa: Exactly what Harry said.

Which fairy tale would you like to be dropped into? 

Harry: I have no idea.

Lisa: Me neither. There are so many options (most of which are scary!). 

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best (or a numerical scale):

Harry: 4 or 5, it's a good book. Probably 4.

Lisa:  4

Andreas: This would be a B- because the goriness was horrible!

The book for the next Book Club meeting is Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin. We will be meeting on Wednesday, May 1st.

March Book Club: Liar & Spy

For March’s Book Club, we read Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead. Calvin, Cameron and Harry were present and Andreas participated virtually. Here are our thoughts…

Who if your favorite character in the story? Why?:

Cameron: The Moo Cow kid. Because he just goes MOO and is funny and is really little. He shows that little kids know nothing.

Harry: My favorite character is Bob English Who Draws because he draws, like me. I like how he has a nickname. And I like the sound of the name Bob.

Calvin: I like Bob English Who Draws because he's a cool kid who never did anything wrong to anybody else.

What did you think about the bullying in the book?:

Cameron: It made me feel sad because the guys who bullied Georges were mean. It made me feel happy Georges ignored them.

Harry: The taste test plan was genius.

Andreas: I think Dallas was a big bully and if I was the author, I would omit him but a bully is good with a story!


How would you react to the bullying that they endured?:

Cameron: I'd tell my parents, adults and teachers so that they could try to solve the problem together.

Calvin:  The bullying made me sad and happy. No one would want to be bullied. I was happy for Georges because he ignored them.

Harry: I thought the following thing with the bullying: "What the ...... is wrong with that person?" Dallas took control over all of the others even though he wasn't that strong. He was a total JERK.

What did you think of Safer?:

Calvin: At the beginning, I thought he was really nice. When he lied, I didn't like it.

Cameron: I thought he was cool. And then he lied and I didn't think he was cool. It was lamosity for him.

Harry: I think he was a dynamic character who needed to change. He seemed really nice in the beginning but he kept getting more and more mean. He was brave at the same time, though. When you discovered he lied, you didn't like him. He's a big baby.

Cameron: I think that he grew up afraid and stayed afraid. He got used to being afraid.

Re: Safer's phobias:

Cam: Maybe his parents should have done something earlier to get Safer some help.

Harry: Maybe his parents didn't know how bad his fears were.

If you could change a scene in the story, which one would it be? Why?:

Harry: I wouldn't change any scene.

Calvin: I would change the part where Georges finds Safer on the beanbag when he found out that he lied. I would make it so that it was the truth and Mr. X was real. But then this would be a different story.

Cam: I wouldn't change any scene. I really liked this book. And my mom did too. There was stuff in the beginning that made us ask questions and then it all came together at the end.

What about Mr. X?:

Calvin: I knew that Mr. X was fake all along and wasn't that surprised that he wasn't really bad. There were so many different parts that pointed to him being fake.

Cam: I wanted him to be real so that there would be some action with the saw in Mr. X's apartment!

Harry: I think it would be awesome to have a scary cliffhanger to the story.

Harry: I suspected that Safer thought that Mr. X was a psycho.


Then all of us talked about playing games with friends when we were little and how you would start believing in the make-believe.

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

Cam: 4 1/2

Calvin: 4 1/2

Harry: 4

Any more thoughts?:

Calvin: In the book, there's the quote, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I think that Jason was pretending to be Dallas and Carter's friend so that he could be popular and not a target of theirs.

Cam: Jason separated himself from Georges knowing that Georges would get bullied.


Re: Taste as human experience:

Cam: I was playing football with pals. I was the youngest kid there. They had me be quarterback and I played really well. It was sweet. Sweet revenge for an earlier comment about my abilities.

Calvin: There was a hula hoop competition. The adults tied and the kids tied. I was one of the kids winners and it was umami.

The book for the next Book Club meetings is In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz. There will be copies waiting for you behind the Circulation Desk. We will be meeting on Wednesday, April 3 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss this book.

February Book Club: Seer of Shadows

For February’s Book Club, we read The Seer of Shadows by Avi. Harry and Cameron were present and Andreas participated virtually. We had a truncated meeting but Cameron and Andreas both seemed to really enjoy the book. Cameron mentioned that the book is a good mix of suspense, creepiness and historical fiction. Andreas went so far as to write"I LOVED THE SEER OF SHADOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so good that you felt like you were a spectator and I really liked how Mr. Middleditch actually used people's thoughts to get advantages. Avi is one of my favorite writers and you made a great choice!!!! Ps- sorry about the caps. I just wanted to show extreme happiness. :)"

Although we had  short meeting this month, we did watch book trailers for options of upcoming Book Club selections. The members enjoyed them so much that we decided to read almost all of them! So, we have the next three months of Book Club selections picked out. Yay us!

Wednesday, March 6th: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead.  
Wednesday, April 3rd: In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz. 
Wednesday, May 1st: Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin. 

All meetings are held at 3:00 p.m. and include good conversation and a snack.

Interesting Note: Did anyone notice that all of these are repeat authors for Book Club? Liar & Spy is unrelated to When You Reach Me, while In a Glass Grimmly and Starry River of the Sky are "companions" to A Tale Dark and Grimm and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, respectively.

March Book Club Selections?

Here are some books that I am going to suggest to the Book Club at today's meeting. I think any of these would be a great read for next month. What do you think? Will these book trailers help you decide? Do you have any suggestions?

In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Q2iJBXxhzDI

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-e-WQlt8MMA

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwTtvIPUS4s&feature=player_detailpage

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBduGaCKKko&feature=player_detailpage