Wednesday, January 8, 2014

January Grades 5-6 Book Club: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

We had a very interesting discussion in January about Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. Abigail, Cameron C., Ella, Erin, Eva and Harry were present. Cameron T. submitted his comments via email. Please find some of the comments about the book below. 

1. In the beginning of the story, Kyle's teacher and his mother compare him to his brothers. Have you ever been compared to your siblings or other students? How did it make you feel?

Abigail: Nope.

Harry: I have not.

Cam: As far as I remember, no.


Erin: Yes, because it's us comparing ourselves to each other. I really don't care about our comparisons. With other students, our comparisons are about art.

Eva: I'm pretty sure no.

Ella: I would say the total opposite. We have been compared to our dogs. ("You need to be good like our dog, "so-and-so".)

Erin: Our older cat has more attitude so it's compared to my older sister.


2. On the statue of Mr. Lemoncello, there is the following quote: "Knowledge not shared remains unknown." What do you think that quote means?



Abigail: Like the government.

Cam: I was thinking that if the world doesn't know knowledge that is kept, then the world does not gain.


Erin: What is too much for one, perfect for two and is not possible to be kept at three? A secret. Knowledge is like a shared secret.

Eva: It means that if you don't share what you know, no one else will know it.


3. Charles says, "You should never help your competition." Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

Abigail: Disagree. Because if everyone joins together, everyone wins.


Ella: I disagree because it's not about winning or losing. You could have gained a friend or someone who supports you. In the book, Charles was the only one who didn't team up and he didn't win. He was so mean to everyone.

Cam: Treat people how you want to be treated.


Eva: I think that it matters with the prizes and the rules of the competition. If only one person can win, it's hard to choose a single winner if you group up. If multiple people can win, then grouping up is good because everyone can win and learn.


Erin: I would say that I disagree but if everyone teams up in one big team, it's not much of a competition. 


Ella: They still all could have lost.


Harry: It depends on what people you are competing with. If you are competing with a jerk, you wouldn't want to team up.


Cam: It's also dependent on people's personalities. You should always help others because they'll be thankful to you and give you something in return.



4. At one point, the Lemoncello dummy says, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Do you agree or disagree? Explain.


Erin: I agree because it goes to show how you are being a good sport or not. If you're helping people out, etc.


Abigail: I agree. It should be about how you play the game.

Cam: I agree because you can get a lot of knowledge from how you play the game.

Eva: I agree. Charles was playing the game opposite from this quote. He was playing the game all about winning. The other team was playing more by the quote and they were playing it better.

Cam: Maybe Charles learned his lesson. Maybe he didn't learn his lesson.

Harry: I think that it's true. You don't have fun in the game if you only care about winning. How you play the game is the important thing. It's boring to only focus on winning.

Ella: First, I thought it funny that Mr. Lemoncello says that, you need to listen to him. I agree because when you compete in anything, it's how you act that gets you to winning or losing. If you're a poor sport, you're not being the best you can be. 


5. Miguel says "A library should be a know-place for know-bodies." What does that mean?


Ella: People should learn things at the library. Bad joke.

Erin: People go to the library to learn and read. You know things when you go to the library.

Cam: People add more knowledge when they go to the library.


6. Who was your favorite character and why?

Erin: Mr. Lemoncello because he's full of questions, riddles and is funny.

Abigail: Sierra Russell because she just kept reading and she ended up having a lot of energy and helping them out.

Ella: Two characters. I liked Miguel because he had the smarts to make funny-dumb jokes. I liked Charles because he's so rude to everybody. It's so unreal that it's funny. He's so full of himself. Haley as well.

Eva: I liked Sierra Russell because of how much she read. I didn't like her as much when she wasn't very active when they were exploring the library. She missed a lot of what other people saw.

Harry: I liked Kyle. I always like the main character. I also liked Sierra.

Cam: Mr. Lemoncello because he's really funny and he reminds me of Willy Wonnka.



7. Please rank the book from 1-5.

Cam: 5 3/4


Harry: 4 1/2


Eva: 5


Ella:4 7/10


Abigail: 4- it needs more riddles


Erin: 4 9/10- it needs more juice


Here are some thoughts I had about the book. My favorite character in the book is Sierra Russell. She is my favorite because at the beginning of the escape game, everybody thinks that she is not going to participate in the challenge because she was constantly reading her book(s), but instead potentially wins the game for team Kyle with her literature knowledge. Hooray for underdogs! My favorite part of the book is when Kyle and his teammates decide to play the game Mr. Lemoncello's Bewilderingly Baffling Bibliomania to find the clues. I thought it was very clever thinking that the library version was just a bigger version of the real game. I also liked it when Kyle broke the window in his basement to best his two older brothers in the game at the beginning. I thought is was funny when Sir Charles went home for breaking that one simple rule. I thought Chiltingtons never lost! Too bad Charles, better luck next time. Oh yeah, there is no next time! Haha. If I were to change one scene in the book it would be...(drumroll) no scene. I thought that the book sailed simply smoothly and that the clues and puzzles were all perfect. I liked how in the middle to end, the author had one or two chapters about Kyle and his team, then a chapter about Charles and his team. I swear, I could not figure out one puzzle until it was solved, except the word one at the very end that was on the glowing tile. I solved that one within 60 seconds. Overall, I would give this book a 4 4/5 stars because it was funny and I guess you could say interactive. I loved it! - Cameron


The Grades 5-6 Book Club selection for February is The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood. "Fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley, a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is hired as governess to three young children who have been raised by wolves and must teach them to behave in a civilized manner quickly, in preparation for a Christmas ball."--summary. Copies of the book will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next week. Please remember to register for Book Club so that we know how many people will be attending.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Grades 5-6 Book Club Recommendations for February 2014

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

A mix-up involving the greatest magic in the world has tremendous consequences for Liesl, an orphan who has been locked in an attic, Will, an alchemist's runaway apprentice, and Po, a ghost, as they are pursued by friend and foe while making an important journey.- summary Book Trailer

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Twelve-year-old September's ordinary life in Omaha turns to adventure when a Green Wind takes her to Fairyland to retrieve a talisman the new and fickle Marquess wants from the enchanted woods.- summary Book Trailer

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

Fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley, a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is hired as governess to three young children who have been raised by wolves and must teach them to behave in a civilized manner quickly, in preparation for a Christmas ball.- summary Book Trailer

June Grades 5 & 6 Book Club: Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor

  For June's Book Club, we read the book  Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor   by Ally Carter.  Nicole, Natalie, and Julianna were...