February Grades 5-6 Book Club: Lifeboat 12

For February's Book Club, we read Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood. 

Also, be sure to check out the author's website with some very cool videos and photographs pertaining to the sinking of the SS City of Benares. https://susanhoodbooks.com/node/255

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

-What do you think of Ken? Would you want to be friends with him?:



-What did you think of the relationship between Ken and his family? At the beginning of the book, did you think that his step-mother really disliked him and was glad to see him shipped off to Canada?

-How do you think you would have reacted if you were in Ken's position? 

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

-Would you read another book by this author? Why or why not?

-What feelings did this book evoke for you? Did you feel like you could relate to anything in the book?

-What did you think of the book’s length? If it’s too long, what would you cut? If too short, what would you add?

-If you got the chance to ask the author of this book one question, what would it be?

-How original and unique was this book?

-If you could hear this same story from another person’s point of view, who would you choose?

-What did you like least about this book?

For March's Book Club, we will be reading Wildfire by W. Rodman Philbrick. Book Club will meet on Wednesday, March 18 at 3:00 p.m.

Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp as evacuation buses are loading, but Sam runs back to get his phone. Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his bus, and there's only one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die.

Lungs burning, Sam's only goal is to keep moving. Drought has made the forest a tinderbox, and Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Then, when he least expects it, he encounters Delphy, an older girl who is also lost. Their unlikely friendship grows as they join forces to find civilization.

The pace never slows, and eventually flames surround Sam and Delphy on all sides. A powerful bond is forged that can only grow out of true hardship -- as two true friends beat all odds and outwit one of the deadliest fires ever.

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

March 2020 Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Delsie loves tracking the weather--lately, though, it seems the squalls are in her own life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life with new eyes and wishing she could have a "regular family." Delsie observes other changes in the air, too--the most painful being a friend who's outgrown her. Luckily, she has neighbors with strong shoulders to support her, and Ronan, a new friend who is caring and courageous but also troubled by the losses he's endured. As Ronan and Delsie traipse around Cape Cod on their adventures, they both learn what it means to be angry versus sad, broken versus whole, and abandoned versus loved. And that, together, they can weather any storm.

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian -- they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous.

In June 1893, when Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate.

As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugglers give Audra a chance to rescue her parents?

Wildfire by W. Rodman Philbrick

Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp as evacuation buses are loading, but Sam runs back to get his phone. Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his bus, and there's only one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die.

Lungs burning, Sam's only goal is to keep moving. Drought has made the forest a tinderbox, and Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Then, when he least expects it, he encounters Delphy, an older girl who is also lost. Their unlikely friendship grows as they join forces to find civilization.

The pace never slows, and eventually flames surround Sam and Delphy on all sides. A powerful bond is forged that can only grow out of true hardship -- as two true friends beat all odds and outwit one of the deadliest fires ever.