February Grades 5-6 Book Club: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

For February's Book Club, we read the book The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart. Cooper, Julianna, Natalie, Nicole, and Rileigh were present. This is what we discussed, with discussion prompts from the publisher!

Coyote says that this story begins when she meets Ivan—even though her adoption of Ivan is long before she ever thinks about going home. Why do you think this is where Coyote decides to start her story? What does Ivan mean to her?

Coyote spends a lot of time telling us about her memories. Why are memories important? How do memories play a part in your life, which memories hold strong significance for you? 

Each of the characters that join Coyote and Rodeo on their journey have a problem or situation that they are trying to overcome. How do their journeys affect each other, and what lessons do you think they learn from meeting and traveling with one another? 

Salvador is Coyote’s first friend since she lost her sisters. Why is Coyote able to get close to Salvador in a way that she was never able to get close to anyone else? How are Coyote and Salvador similar? How are they different? Why are friendships so important? 

Rodeo and Coyote have a close father-daughter bond, but there is still a lot they have trouble talking about. Why do you think some things are hard to talk about even with loved ones? 

One of the things that Coyote and Rodeo like to do is ask each other for a “once upon a time.” Why do you think they do this? Why are stories so powerful? 

Goodbyes are hard for everyone; Coyote just avoids them altogether. How do you deal with goodbyes? Have you ever had to say a hard goodbye? How did you deal with it? 

Many promises are made throughout the novel by the characters. What are some of the promises made and why? Why is it important to keep promises and when is it right to break a promise? 

What are the no-go’s in Rodeo and Coyote’s life? Why do you think they’re off-limits? What changes by the end of the book? 

Rodeo calls Coyote his compass because she guides all his decisions. What guides your decisions, and why? 

If you lived on Yager, what three questions would you ask someone before letting them on? Who would you bring along on a road trip?

Please rate this book between a 1 and a 5, with 1 being one of the worst books you've ever read, 3 being average and 5 being one of the best books you've read!

-One 3

-Two 5s

For March's Book Club, we will be meeting on Wednesday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. We will be reading I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day.

"When twelve-year-old Edie finds letters and photographs in her attic that change everything she thought she knew about her Native American mother's adoption, she realizes she has a lot to learn about her family's history and her own identity." - summary

Please be sure to register for Book Club so Miss Lisa can send you the Zoom link on the day of our session!

March Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

 Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

A meteor is going to hit the moon, and 16-year-old Miranda, like the rest of her family and neighbors in rural Pennsylvania, intends to watch it from the comfort of a lawn chair in her yard. But the event is not the benign impact predicted. The moon is knocked closer to Earth, setting off a chain of horrific occurrences: tsunamis, earthquakes, and, later, volcanic eruptions that disrupt life across the planet. Written in the form of Miranda's diary, this disquieting and involving story depicts one family's struggle to survive in a world where food, warmth, and well-being disappear in the blink of an eye.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public" -- in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?