December Grades 5-6 Book Discussion: The War That Saved My Life

For December's Book Club, we read the book The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Cadence, Grace and Lily were present. This is what we discussed, with suggestions from teentweenbooks.com.

1. Who is Ada? Why is Mam ashamed of her?  Why do you think Mam "wanted Ada to be a cripple?"

-Mam never wanted kids. 

-She didn't want to spend the money to fix her foot.
-She didn't want Ada to have a good life because of her foot.

2. What does Ada do when she is at home alone? Why doesn’t she share her secret with anyone?

-Learning how to walk. She doesn't tell anyone because her mom will hurt her.
-Mam would take her anger out on Jamie as well.

3. How do Ada and Jamie get out of London in the beginning of the story?

-They go early so that Ada will have time to walk to the station. Jamie learns for the first time that Ada knows how to walk.

4. Why are Ada and Jamie “the only ones not chosen”? Why do they end up at Susan’s?

-Because they are dirty, because of Ada's crippled foot and Ada won't be separated from Jamie.
-They ended up at Susan's because she had no choice.

5. When talking about Susan, Ada said, “She doesn’t like us. She didn’t want us, remember?”  Does Susan like the kids? Why or why not?

-She does. She doesn't like them at the beginning but she learned to love them,
-She ends up practically adopting them because she loves them.
   

6. Susan treats Ada with understanding and compassion. How does Ada respond to this kindness? Why?

-With tears and screaming. I think she's not used to it and she doesn't want it at the time.
-This book was so cringe-y because Susan put up with a lot from the kids. 

 
7. What do you know of Susan? Tell the untold story of Susan’s life as you imagine it might be.

-I think her life was sad because Becky died and she was alone and her dad thought that she couldn't be redeemed. 
-She didn't take care of Butter or leave the house that much.

8. Ada stated, “I knew Susan wasn’t real. Or, if she was a tiny bit real, sometimes, at the very best she was only temporary” (p. 202). Later, on page 216 Ada said, “Susan was temporary. My foot was permanent.” Is Susan temporary for Ada? Why or why not?

-In the middle of the book, Susan was temporary for Ada. Ada and Jamie are evacuees. 
-I think Ada said that Susan was temporary because she thought nothing was real. She thought that after the war was over, she was going to have to go home to Mam.

 

9. What does Jamie's teacher think about his being left-handed?

-The teacher thinks that it's the mark of the devil.

 
10. Is Ada capable of learning? Why is she afraid of learning at the beginning of the story? 

-She thinks she can't learn.
-She is very capable of learning. She thinks she is incapable of learning. 

11.  On page 206 Ada said, “Somehow Christmas was making me feel jumpy inside. All this talk about being together and being happy and celebrating—it felt threatening. Like I shouldn’t be part of it. Like I wasn’t allowed. And Susan wanted me to be happy, which was scarier still.” Why is Ada feeling jumpy, threatened, and scared?

-Because she never had Christmas, her mom has convinced her that she doesn't deserve happiness and shouldn't be around "normal" people.

 12. When the police officer doesn’t believe Ada’s story about seeing a spy, what does she do and say to convince him?

-She sees him looking at her crippled foot and says "my foot is a long way from my brain."

13. Why did their Mam come to take them back to the city?

-Not because she loved them. She was having to pay for their "child care" and didn't want to.

14.  How does the way Mam treat Ada differ from the way Susan treats Ada?

-Mam abuses Ada. And Susan loves her.
-Susan loves Ada. Mam hates her and abuses her.

15. Why do you think Kimberly Brubaker Bradley decided to title the book The War That Saved My Life?

-Because of the war, she was an evacuee, because she was an evacuee, she got placed with Susan and met Butter, and because of Susan, she got happier in her life.

16. In what ways did Susan save Ada’s and Jamie’s lives? How did Ada and Jamie save Susan’s life?

-They opened Susan's eyes and showed her that Becky's death was not the end of the world.
-Susan saved their lives by opening them into her heart and family. She showed them the secret of life.

17. What are your favorite details of the story?

-Butter.
-The part where Maggie's horse and surprises Butter. And then Maggie and Ada met each other.
-I liked that Susan was so nice and caring and perservered even though she didn't want the kids at first.  

 
18.  Do you like the ending? If you were the author, would you change the ending of the story?

-I would make it a happier ending (her house was destroyed and all of her memories were burned away).
-It was a terrible ending in that they got taken away.
-I liked the book but why didn't the mom tell them from the beginning that she didn't want them.


Rank this book from 1-5.

-4
-5
-4, but I would definitely recommend it. Not for kids younger than us.  

Our next Book Club will be held on Wednesday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m. We will be reading Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle. 

"When his mother is sent to jail in Los Angeles, eleven-year-old Tony goes to live with his forest ranger great-uncle in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where Tony experiences unconditional love for the first time through his friendship with a rescue dog."

Please be sure to pick up your copy of the book and register at the Circulation Desk so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!

January Grades 5-6 Book Suggestions

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielson
When the Berlin Wall went up, Gerta, her mother, and her brother Fritz are trapped on the eastern side where they were living, while her father, and her other brother Dominic are in the West--four years later, now twelve, Gerta sees her father on a viewing platform on the western side and realizes he wants her to risk her life trying to tunnel to freedom.


Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Lost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica--and decades later three children, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California find themselves caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact, and tied together by the music of the same harmonica. The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart When Reuben discovers an antique watch that was mortared into the wall, he soon learns it has a secret power. As one secret leads to another, Reuben finds himself torn between his innately honest nature and the lure to be a hero. Now he is on a dangerous adventure, and with fearless Penny, mighty Jack, and the wise Mrs. Genevieve on his side, Reuben must outwit and outmaneuver the sly villain called The Smoke and his devious defenders the Directions, in order to save the city from a terrible fate.

November 2016 Grades 5-6 Book Club: Raymie Nightingale

For November's Book Club, we read Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo. Cadence and Grace was present. This is what we discussed, guided by questions provided by Candlewick Press.


What role does friendship play in the lives of Raymie, Louisiana, and Beverly? Are there any characters in this book whom you would like as a friend? Why or why not? 

-They have a rough friendship. Beverly is tough on all of them. Louisiana is always so positive. Raymie is always the average: Beverly is like one side of her personality and Louisiana is like the other side. 
-They didn't expect to become friends at the beginning of the book
-I'd like Louisiana as a friend because she's so positive.
-I feel like I'm a little related to Beverly. I can be tough like her.


Magical thinking is the belief that a thought, action, or event can cause something else to happen without any logical reason for that to be true—for example, the belief that wearing a certain shirt will make your favorite sports team win a game, or that avoiding stepping on cracks will keep something bad from happening. There are many examples of magical thinking in Raymie Nightingale. How many can you identify? 

-She thought if she won the Miss Florida Tire contest, she would get her picture in the paper, become famous and her dad would come back.
-Raymie said to herself that she knew she wasn't getting her dad back but she's still going to try.
-Beverly thinks that her dad will come back or that she can find him.
-Beverly thought she could see NYC from the top of a tower (in Florida).
-Louisiana thought that Archie would come back.   


What three words would you use to describe Raymie? Louisiana? Beverly? Describe how the traits of these characters come to life in the book. 

-Raymie: quiet, smart, independent. Louisiana: bright, bubbly, positive. Beverly: mean, hateful, has a good side


Over the course of the story, each of the Three Rancheros has the opportunity to move from being powerless to taking action. How do Raymie, Louisiana, and Beverly each take charge in their lives? 

-Raymie takes charge by realizing that life will not be perfect and her father will not come back. Louisiana takes charge by winning the competition. Beverly gives others the chance to be nice to her.






Which character seems to be the most changed by the story’s end? 

-Raymie. Because she goes from being lonesome, Beverly-Louisiana kind of girl, and then she goes to saving Louisiana's life.


The secondary characters in Raymie Nightingale are beautifully portrayed. What are your impressions of Mrs. Borkowski, Mrs. Sylvester, Louisiana’s grandmother, Raymie’s mother, Alice Nebbley at the nursing home, Ruthie, and Ida Nee? Why are these characters important? What do they bring to the story? 

-Borkowski is crazy, Mrs. Sylvester is an adult version of Louisiana, Ida Nee was not responsible


A question that echoes throughout Raymie Nightingale is “What is life all about?” Does the story give us answers? 

-Life is crazy
-Life can be messed up
-Life isn't always what you expect it to be


Raymie often describes having the feeling that her soul is shrinking. What do you think she means by this? What do you think she feels in those moments when she says her soul is inflating or growing bigger? 

-She has a very strong conscience
-Her soul is shrinking because she's depressed.


In December, we will be reading The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. We will be meeting on Wednesday, December 14 at 3:00 p.m. Please be sure to pick up your copy of the book and to register at the Circulation Desk so Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!

December Grades 5-6 Book Suggestions

The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox

In 1940, during the Blitz, Katherine, Robbie and Amelie Bateson are sent north to a private school in Rookskill Castle in Scotland, a brooding place, haunted by dark magic from the past--but when some of their classmates disappear Katherine has to find out if the cause is hidden in the past or very much in the present.



The Gallery by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

In 1929 New York City, twelve-year-old housemaid Martha O'Doyle suspects that a wealthy recluse may be trying to communicate with the outside world through the paintings on her gallery walls.



Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand

Finley Hart is sent to her grandparents' house for the summer, but her anxiety and overwhelmingly sad days continue until she escapes into her writings which soon turn mysteriously real and she realizes she must save this magical world in order to save herself.

October 2016 Grades 5-6 Book Club: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

For October's Grades 5-6 Book Club, we read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.  This is what was intended for discussion.

1. Discuss the relationship between Bruno and Gretel. Does their relationship seem realistic?

2. At age 12, Gretel is the proper age for membership in the League of Young Girls, a branch of Hitler’s Youth Organization. Why do you think she is not a member, especially since her father is a high-ranking officer in Hitler's army?

3. What is it about the house at Out-With that makes Bruno feel “cold and unsafe”? How is this feeling perpetuated as he encounters people like Pavel, Maria, Lt. Kotler, and Shmuel?

4. Describe his reaction when he first sees the people in the striped pajamas. What does Gretel mean when she says, “Something about the way [Bruno] was watching made her feel suddenly nervous”? (p. 28)

5. Bruno asks his father about the people outside their house at Auschwitz. His father answers, “They’re not people at all Bruno.” (p. 53) Discuss the horror of this attitude. How does his father’s statement make Bruno more curious about Out-With?

6. Explain what Bruno’s mother means when she says, “We don’t have the luxury of thinking.” (p. 13) Identify scenes from the novel that Bruno’s mother isn’t happy about their life at Out-With. Debate whether she is unhappy being away from Berlin, or whether she is angry about her husband’s position. How does Bruno’s grandmother react to her son’s military role?

7. Bruno issues a protest about leaving Berlin. His father responds, “Do you think that I would have made such a success of my life if I hadn’t learned when to argue and when to keep my mouth shut and follow orders?” (p. 49) Do you think he still feels that way at the end of the novel?

8. A pun is most often seen as humorous. But, in this novel the narrator uses dark or solemn puns like Out-With and Fury to convey certain meanings. Bruno is simply mispronouncing the real words, but the author is clearly asking the reader to consider a double meaning to these words. What is the narrator trying to convey to the reader? How do these words further communicate the horror of the situation?

9. When Bruno dresses in the filthy striped pajamas, he remembers something his grandmother once said. “You wear the right outfit and you feel like the person you’re pretending to be.” (p, 205) How is this true for Bruno? What about his father? What does this statement contribute to the overall meaning of the story?

10. Discuss the moral or message of the novel. What new insights and understandings does John Boyne want the reader to gain from reading this story?

For November's Book Club, we will meet on November 9 at 3:00 p.m. We will be reading Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo. 

Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who's determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship -- and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

 Copies of the book will be available behind the Circulation Desk. 

November Grades 5-6 Book Suggestions

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker 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?


Moo by Sharon Creech

Following one family's momentous move from the city to rural Maine, an unexpected bond develops between twelve-year-old Reena and one very ornery cow. When Reena, her little brother, Luke, and their parents first move to Maine, Reena doesn't know what to expect. She's ready for beaches, blueberries, and all the lobster she can eat. Instead, her parents "volunteer" Reena and Luke to work for an eccentric neighbor named Mrs. Falala, who has a pig named Paulie, a cat named China, a snake named Edna--and that stubborn cow, Zora. This heartwarming story, told in a blend of poetry and prose, reveals the bonds that emerge when we let others into our lives.

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who's determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship -- and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

September 2016 Book Club - All Groups

For September's Back-to-School Book Club session, all of the groups met together and discussed a lot of books and themes. And then we voted on the books to read for October. Take a look at some of what we chatted about...

What was your favorite book you read over the summer? Choose just one.

-Wings of Fire: Darkstalker
-Wings of Fire: Darkstalker
-Harry Potter Book 2
-Wings of Fire: Dark Secret
-Percy Jackson: Battle of the Labyrinth
-Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
-Diary of a Wimpy Kid
-all the books I read over the summer     
-Castle in the Attic 

 
Is there a book coming out soon that you are looking forward to? 

-Wings of Fire
-next Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Do you tend to like series or stand-alone books? Or do you not have a preference?

 

-Series
-Series
-Series
-Series
-Series
-no preference
-Series
-Series
-Series   

Do you think there's such a thing as "boy books" and "girl books"? If so, can you name one for me. Would you read a book that is supposedly written for the other gender?

-Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Yes, I would read them.
-I would read them.
-I wouldn't read them.

What do you hope to get out of Book Club this year? Besides snacks. :)

-People to know the lore about books. The history behind the plots of books.
-Every month, someone gets to pick the book.
-I'd like people to read the books I suggest.
-I am against scary books.
 

How do you want to choose the book for each month's Book Club? We have voted in the past. Does that still seem fair?

-Continue to vote.

   
After voting to vote (!), we chose books for October's Book Clubs. Books will be ordered through the Inter Library Loan system and be available at the Circulation Desk at Jamestown roughly 3 business days after we meet. 

Grades 3-4 will be reading The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry for Wednesday, October 12 at 3:00 p.m.

Grades 5-6 will be reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne for Wednesday, October 19 at 3:00 p.m.

Grades 7 and Up will be reading The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen for Wednesday, October 26 at 3:00 p.m.


Snacks will be provided. And please bring ideas to share for November's Book Club selections!