December Grades 5-6 Book Club: Creation of Book Crossing Profiles

For December's Book Club, we created profiles on the website www.bookcrossing.com, similar to those that were used in Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. Andrew, Courtney, Jared, Kelsey, Liam, and Rileigh were present. Please check out the website to see what we did and to check on our progress!

In January, we will be reading Menagerie by Tui Sutherland and meeting on Wednesday, January 13 at 3:00 p.m. to discuss the book.

"Filled with unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, and other fairy tale creatures, the Menagerie is a highly guarded secret facility in the small town of Xanadu, Wyoming. At least, it was a secret--until six griffin cubs escaped. If Logan and Zoe don't get the cubs back fast, the entire Menagerie will be shut down. The race is on and the resulting adventure is only the beginning of a thrilling series that will leave readers wanting a magical menagerie of their very own."

Copies of the book will be available behind the Circulation Desk. Please be sure to sign up so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!

November Grades 5-6 Book Discussion: Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

For November's Book Club, we read Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. Andrew, Courtney, Jared, Kate, Kelsey, Liam, Owen, and Rileigh were present. This is what we talked about.


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

-James because he lives in one place and has a lot of computers
-Emily because I love reading and so does she
-Emily because she collects books and so do I (another kid agreed)
-I would be Mr. Ramora because he collects books and has a gun
-I would Mr. Griswold because he's awesome (I wouldn't want to get shot or anything) and he's an amazing inventor. He makes games.
-I would be one of the people working at Bayside Press because I would get to see all of the things at the press.
-I would like to operate a cable-car.
       

Would you mind moving around all of the time? What are the advantages and disadvantages?


-It's nice to see a lot of different things but it's hard to move away from your friends. It's hard to keep friends and the longest I've had a friend is 3 years.
-Same exact thing as Jared.
-It's nice because you can experience new foods and see things that you only read about in books.
-I would not like to move around a lot because you would be so stressed about what is coming next. If you stay longer, you can explore more.
-I would like to move around more and see different places and different experiences. I would move my friends.
-I would like to move a lot because I don't want to worry about being in one place for too long. Your teachers won't know if you've bad.
-Moving stinks.
-I wouldn't mind moving so long as I stayed in the general Northeast area. It would be easier to stay in touch with people you've met.
-I would not like to move. I hate the idea of moving and change. I love my house and I love my life.
-I wouldn't want to move because I always get attached to places.

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

-Friendship is important, especially because Emily had cut herself off before. 
-Part of the reason that her parents decided that they would move indefinitely and now she has friends and her parents decide to give her the choice not to move.
-Friendship is important because you can have someone to count on. 

Did you like the author's use of misdirection, meaning that you thought the story was going one way but it ended up another?

-I like a story that is unpredictable.

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

-There was a good conclusion to the book and there probably won't be a sequel.

Did you like the author's style? With the humor? And the violence?

-I liked the style of the book and the way it's set up. There's a bit of mystery in this book as well. You don't know until the 2nd chapter that Mr. Griswold got shot. 

Do you think that there will be (or should be) a sequel to this book?

-There wouldn't be a sequel. There's not a lot of plot left.
-Some books are better without a sequel.
-There could be more plot left.

Would you play Book Scavenger? Did you know that it actually exists? http://bookscavenger.com/

-The kids were so excited about the website that we decided to spend December's Book Club session on creating our own Book Scavenger accounts. Please bring a book that you would like to hide so that we can do the labeling here at the library and get started on this fun new adventure!

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

-2
-4
-2
-5
-4
-3
-4
-3 (so far)
  

The kids were so excited about the website that we decided to spend December's Book Club session on creating our own Book Scavenger accounts. Please bring a book that you would like to hide so that we can do the labeling here at the library and get started on this fun new adventure! We will be meeting on Wednesday, December 16 at 3:00 p.m.

December Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

The League of Beastly Dreadfuls by Holly Grant

Anastasia is a completely average almost-eleven-year-old. That is, UNTIL her parents die in a tragic vacuum-cleaner accident. UNTIL she’s rescued by two long-lost great-aunties. And UNTIL she’s taken to their delightful and, er, “authentic” Victorian home, St. Agony’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

But something strange is going on at the asylum. Anastasia soon begins to suspect that her aunties are not who they say they are. So when she meets Ollie and Quentin, two mysterious brothers, the three join together to plot their great escape!


Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She's thrilled that her own name is a homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose's obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make her different – not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father.

When a storm hits their rural town, rivers overflow, the roads are flooded, and Rain goes missing. Rose's father shouldn't have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Bradley

Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
 
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

October Grades 5-6 Book Club: Nightbird by Alice Hoffman

In October, we met to discuss Nightbird by Alice Hoffman. Andrew, Courtney, Kate, Kelsey, Owen, Rileigh and Zoe were present. This is what we discussed.



Twig is aware of the Fowler family curse and that the family left Brooklyn because of James. Discuss why Twig’s mother thought things would be better for them in Sidwell, where the curse began.  


-In New York, someone would end up seeing him. Especially in a small apartment.
-In Sidwell, no one will see him.
-I think they moved to Sidwell because they have a big house that he can hide in.
-They moved to Sidwell because there's bad stuff in the air and a bunch of people who could see James. In Sidwell, there's less pollution.
-They had to because the grandparents passed away and they needed to take over the family business.
-Because you would be tempted to go outside but in NYC, people would see him because people are awake throughout the day and night.



Discuss what Sophie Fowler means when she says, “The only way for us to stay in Sidwell was to live in the corners of everyday life” (p. 19). Why is living in the “corners” easier for Sophie and James than for Twig? 

-Living in the corners because Twig goes to school and see her in public and ask her questions. She might not be able to come up with a lie to cover up for James.
-It makes Twig look like a nobody.


Discuss why the people of the town refer to Twig’s mother as “poor Sophie Fowler.” Twig says that her mother was brave and independent in high school. In what ways is she still brave and independent? Does Twig inherit her mother’s traits? 

-They might refer to her as "poor Sophie Fowler" because she was so social in high school and now she's in her own little world.
-Her mom isn't very independent because she doesn't like to see people that she used to know and she tends to run away from people. 
-They call her that name because she seems so timid. She is brave though because she doesn't get upset with Twig or James and doesn't get mad at her circumstances.
-She is brave because she has to make a living from making pies and caring for Twig with just pie money.

Twig says, “The only thing I’m good at is running. And keeping secrets” (p. 4). In what way does this reveal how lonely she is? How does she deal with loneliness? Contrast her loneliness to the lonely life that James lives in the attic. 

-She deals with her loneliness by climbing trees. Twig can't really talk to people because she doesn't want to reveal her brother's secret.
-She deals with her loneliness by climbing trees, talking with James and reading.


What event causes Sophie Fowler to admit that her rules about visiting Mourning Dove Cottage are unfair? Are there some rules that your parents have for you that seem unfair? Can you understand their point of view?

-My parents have an unfair rule that we can't ride our bikes without our parents knowing our destination.
-I think that when Twig tells her mom about Julia (and falling out of the tree). My mom has an unfair rule that I can't play on electronics on the school day.
-I can't get an Instagram until I'm 16.
-I'm not allowed to get a phone until I get a job to pay for it.
-People can get too attached to their technology and their parents know that their kids aren't paying attention.
-Your parents don't want anything bad to happen to you and they need you to call so that they know that you're okay. They want to know where you are.
-No one should text in school.


Twig wants and needs a friend. Discuss why she is reluctant to respond when Julia Hall reaches out to her. At what point does Twig begin to doubt Julia’s friendship? Julia suggests that she and Twig become “soul sisters.” What is the difference between a friend and a “soul sister”? 

-Twig and Julia weren't in contact for awhile.
-When Julia and Agate got popular the first day of school, Twig thought that they would figure that she's a nobody.
-When Colin and Julia were talking together, Twig thought that they were becoming better friends than she was with either of them.


Explain what Miss Larch means when she says, “Don’t judge your father too harshly. Not everything is what it appears to be” (p. 68). 

-Because sometimes the reasons for things aren't apparent.
-Mr. Rose is her father. Miss Larch knew that Mr. Rose had been the one who was left.

The General Store is the gathering place for the Gossip Group, and Twig hears them talk about the Sidwell Monster. Why does Twig worry that James may be the monster? What else concerns the Gossip Group? How does their talk influence others in town? 

-Because he flies at night and she knows it. She's afraid if someone sees him they will think that he's the monster and not a flying boy.
-They influence others in the town by riling others up with saying how bad the Sidwell Monster is.


Discuss the meaning of the inscription “Now I can fly free” on Lowell Fowler’s grave. Explain how Twig, Julia, Agate, and Colin Montgomery set James free. How does James free them and the entire town of Sidwell? 


-The meaning of the inscription is that he's free of the curse now that he's dead. He no longer has the burden of the wings. 
-They free James by reversing the curse. James frees them by not having them have to keep the secret of him and not have to lie anymore about him.



How might Twig Fowler and Colin Montgomery define family by the end of the novel? What is symbolic about Twig wanting to be called Teresa Rose?

-Teresa Rose was the name she was given at birth. 
-I think that everyone is related in some way. There were originally just 2 people on earth.



The book for November's discussion will be Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. 

Just after twelve-year-old Emily and her family move to San Francisco, she teams up with new friend James to follow clues in an odd book they find, hoping to figure out its secrets before the men who attacked Emily's hero, publisher Garrison Griswold, solve the mystery or come after the friends.


Because of Veteran's Day, we will be meeting on Wednesday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m. Please pick up your copy of the book at the Circulation Desk. Don't forget to sign up each month for Book Club so that Miss Lisa knows how many people need to be fed!

November Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Fans of The Magician's Elephant, Savvy, and Roald Dahl will fall in love with Circus Mirandus, which celebrates the power of seeing magic in the world. Do you believe in magic? Micah Tuttle does. Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn't approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other--the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather. The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn't want to keep his promise. And now it's up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.


Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss

For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it's the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger (a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles). Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game. Racing against time, Emily and James rush from clue to clue, desperate to figure out the secret at the heart of Griswold's new game--before those who attacked Griswold come after them too.


Nooks and Crannies by Jessica Lawson

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Clue when six children navigate a mansion full of secrets--and maybe money--in this humorous mystery with heart. Sweet, shy Tabitha Crum, the neglected only child of two parents straight out of a Roald Dahl book, doesn't have a friend in the world--except for her pet mouse, Pemberley, whom she loves dearly. But on the day she receives one of six invitations to the country estate of wealthy Countess Camilla DeMoss, her life changes forever. Upon the children's arrival at the sprawling, possibly haunted mansion, it turns out the countess has a very big secret--one that will change their lives forever. Then the children beginning disappearing, one by one. So Tabitha takes a cue from her favorite detective novels and, with Pemberley by her side, attempts to solve the case and rescue the other children...who just might be her first real friends.

September Grades 5-6 Book Club: Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

For September's Book Club, we read Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Andrew, Courtney, Elizabeth, Kelsey, and Rileigh were present.

Gregor’s life isn’t as easy or as happy as it used to be since his father disappeared. How has his life changed? Do you think these challenges in any way prepared him for his quest in the Underland?

-He didn't have his dad to teach him saxophone.
-Losing his father helped prepare him for harder times. When one of the Underlanders gives Gregor his dad's keychain, he was afraid to hope that his dad was still alive.He doesn't want to be let down again.
-I think he never thought realistically.
-Gregor wants to see his father again so much that that helped keep him going during the quest. Once he knew that his dad was alive, he wasn't going to let anything stop him.
-Knowing that his father was still alive gave him hope for the first time.

In the beginning of the story, Gregor believes his father will be back, but he has created a rule for himself that prohibits him from thinking about a future that includes his father. Why? How might this aid him in his quest? Does Gregor ever break his own rule?

-Breaking his own rule is arguable. You could say that he did or didn't break it. 
-He already believed that his father would be back; the Underlanders just helped him build on this belief.
-I think he doesn't want to grieve about his father having disappeared. He didn't want to have to think if what would happen if they found his dad dead.
-Getting into the Underland and finding out about his dad allowed to break his own rule. 
-I think the reason that Gregor made the rule so that he wouldn't have to think of all of the things that he could have been doing with his dad when he was gone. Disappointment could be inevitable.

What are some of the descriptions in the book that show how the Underlanders have adapted to their new environment? How do the adaptations help them survive? What might happen to them if they came back to the Overland?

-They to the rats by always washing themselves so the rats couldn't smell them. 
-You can see every vein in their bodies and they are so pale because there is no light in the Underland. 
-They made the city of Regalia out of things that were found in the Underland. Baths and toilets are made from the water that flows away from the city. 

The Underlanders see Gregor as the great warrior told of in the Prophecy of Gray, and because of that he is to lead the quest to prevent their annihilation. But Gregor sees himself differently—he says to Vikus, “You’ve got the wrong guy. Really, I promise you, I’m not the warrior.” Explain his feelings. Why is Vikus so convinced that Gregor is the right one?

-The prophecy is full of wordplay that can be taken for different meanings. The son of the sun is a big thing to them but no one knows for sure.
-Gregor sees himself as just another kid who has lost a family member. He lives with his mom, sisters and delusional grandma. 

How is Gregor like many soldiers who go off to war? Gregor has many qualities that we associate with the typical American hero. What are they? How are these traits different from those of Luxa and Henry?

-Because Gregor doesn't really believe in himself. He's not accustomed to his surroundings. Everyone else has made peace with who they are. Gregor is slightly insecure.
-Luxe and Henry are sure of themselves, they know who they are. They think very highly of themselves.
-He will do whatever it takes to find his dad and complete his mission. He will do his duty but he's not going to act like a servant to Luxe and Henry.

One of the most interesting characters in the novel is not human, but a rat that Vikus has enlisted to be the guide for the questers. Discuss Ripred’s traits that set him apart from the others, both rats and humans.

-He is sarcastic.
-He is lethal.
-He thinks ahead.
-He knows his facts about the other species who live Underland.

At one point, Ripred says, “Mutual need is a strong bond. Stronger than friendship, stronger than love.” What does he mean by this? In what ways do the various groups have mutual bonds that outweigh friendship and love? Do you think Ripred is wrong?

-Aries broke the bond to save Gregor. He risked being banished in order to be with someone who was good.
-Aries didn't save Henry who turned out to be evil.
-Luxe needs Vikus because she doesn't know how to run a kingdom.

Authors sometimes plant clues in a story to foreshadow future events. Often these clues can be very subtle and hard to pick up on. Look back in the story, and find things that Henry said and did that point to his treachery.

-He tried to kill Ripred even though Vikus trusted him with their lives. 
-If Gregor hadn't woken open, Ripred might be dead.
-The Prophecy of Bane is foretold by Luxe at the end of the book.

At the end of the story, Gregor does not accept Bartholomew of Sandwich’s sword, a gift from Vikus. Why? Even after the quest is over and Gregor has helped the Underlanders avoid annihilation, do you think Gregor thinks of himself as a warrior?

-No, Gregor just helps the Underlanders. He doesn't see himself as a warrior.
-His mom wont' let him have a pocketknife.
-He didn't think about the Prophecy of the Gray. He didn't think that he was responsible for it. He just did what he had to.

Rate this book between 1 and 5 with 5 being the best.

-5.5555
-5.9999
-5
-4
-5
-4 1/2
 
In October, we will be reading by Nightbird by Alice Hoffman . We will be meeting on Wednesday, October 14 at 4:00 p.m. Copies of the book will be available behind the Circulation Desk. Please register for Book Club so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!
 
"Twig lives in Sidwell, where people whisper that fairy tales are real. After all, her town is rumored to hide a monster. And two hundred years ago, a witch placed a curse on Twig's family that was meant to last forever. But this summer, everything will change when the red moon rises. It's time to break the spell. What Other Authors Are Saying "I loved Nightbird. Such a clever mix of fantasy and reality; the fantasy is so persuasively meshed with the story that the reader accepts everything. Alice Hoffman enters brilliantly into the twelve-year-old mind and winds her account of a disordered family into the twists and turns of an elegantly crafted narrative in which past and present unite to solve a magically intriguing problem of witches, feathers and owls." -summary
 

October Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein

What if your favorite characters came to life? Billy’s spending the summer in a lakeside cabin that belongs to the mysterious Dr. Libris. But something strange is going on. Besides the security cameras everywhere, there’s Dr. Libris’s private bookcase. Whenever Billy opens the books inside, he can hear sounds coming from the island in the middle of the lake. The clash of swords. The twang of arrows. Sometimes he can even feel the ground shaking. It’s almost as if the stories he’s reading are coming to life! But that’s impossible . . . isn’t it? 

Nightbird by Alice Hoffman

Twig, aged twelve, is practically ignored by classmates and other residents of Sidwell, Massachusetts, but gets along fine with just her mother and brother, whose presence must be kept secret, until descendants of the witch who cursed her family move in next door and want to be her friends.

Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens by Julie Mata

Kate Walden wants to be a famous film director. However, she has to deal with her mother's job of raising back yard chickens as well as a best friend who has recently been hanging with the popular girls in school. Without her main actress, and crazy chickens in the way, can she accomplish her movie making dreams?

August Grades 5-6 Book Club: Greenglass House by Kate Milford

For August's Book Club, we read Greenglass House by Kate Milford. Those attending were Courtney, Elizabeth, Kelsey and Rileigh.  Here are our thoughts...

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

-I would like to be Addie because she's a ghost. I want to be able to walk through walls.
-I want to be Clem because I love her hair and I want to be a cat burglar.
- Milo beause he is a foundling who knows nothing about himself and is trying to find out everything.
-I would like to be the ghost.
-I want to be a ghost but she has such a sad past.

Talk a little bit about family in this story. Could you relate to Milo at all?:

-I can relate to Owen because he didn't know that he had a family related to the house he went to. Once I met a cousin at a party that I didn't even know I was related to.
-Except for Mr. Vinge, it seemed like all the guests and people living at the inn are one big family. They are one big dysfunctional family.

Do you think that this story happens in our world or another one, one in which smugglers are commonplace?: 


-This probably took place in the 1900's.
-There was no TV or modern electronics.



What did you think of the guests? Were they interesting?:

-Two girls who came to the same place to compete for the same man. A couple of smuggler's from an underground train. A lady who went there for a magic item. 2 men who went for the same treasure. Yes, they are pretty interesting.

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

-It was awesome.
-I was surprised that Meddy was a ghost. 
-It was a good conclusion.
-I liked how they outsmarted Mr. Vinge and his cronies. 
-I liked how they gave back Doc Holystone's final cargo.


Do you think that Meddy will visit other places when she's not at Greenglass House or does she just disappear?:

-She'll visit other places and help other kids. 

-I think that Meddy can't really leave the area around Greenglass House because that's where she died and that's where she's buried. She may be trapped there by rules of ghosts.

If you were Milo, would you tell your friends at school about Meddy?:

-No.
-I would wait and see if Meddy came back and showed herself to them. Then he could tell them that she was a ghost and her friend.
-It would be hard to keep the secret but if the subject never came up, I wouldn't say anything.
-I would be scared of being sent to a mental asylum.
 

Did you like the author's style? Did you like the bits of humor? How about the threat of violence at the end?:

-I liked the humor of the ghost face.
-I thought it might be boring. But it ended up being an interesting and captivating book. I liked the author's writing style.

 
What's Milo's/Negret's next adventure going to be?:

-Finding the mystery of the stolen underpants.
-Finding more treasure in the attic. There's a lot of cool stuff there.
-His next campaign mission should be exploring the house and finding out more (not dangerous) secrets about it.
-He should explore the dumbwaiter.


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

-pi
-4.99999999939999995
-5
-5

The book for the next Book Club meeting is Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. We will be meeting on Wednesday, September 9th at 4:00 p.m. Copies of this book will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. Please come with recommendations for October's Book Club selection. Thanks!