January Grades 5-6 Book Club: Swim That Rock

For January's Book Club, we read Swim That Rock by John Rocco and Jay Primiano. Anthony, Claire, J.T., Linden, Madison, Maida, Reagan, and Ryan were present. We were joined by author Jay Primiano and his friend, poet James Geary.

Mr. Primiano shared readings from Swim That Rock, and posed questions to the kids about those specific chapters and the book itself. There were many insightful comments made by the readers, particularly about whether or not Jake is a good person even though he does some bad things. 

The kids were particularly interested in Mr. Primiano's writing process and inspiration. He compared the outline of his book to the border of a turned over puzzle. When the characters start to be fleshed out, the color begins to be introduced into the puzzle, enabling the greater picture to be seen.

We were treated to a reading from the first chapter from Mr. Primiano's next solo book, Where the Road Isn't. The group is very much looking forward to reading this companion novel to Swim That Rock.

Thank you again to Mr. Primiano and Mr. Geary for sharing Book Club with us!

We will be meeting on Wednesday, February 20 at 3:00 p.m. in order to discuss Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

"When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds himself in possession of an ancient amulet filled with magic once reserved for the Gods, and becomes the center of a conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and destroy Rome." Please be sure to register for Book Club and to pick up your copy of January's book at the library Circulation Desk.

January Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

Darkdeep by Ally Condie

Everyone in Timbers knows Still Cove is off-limits, with its creepy Beast sightings and equally terrifying legends. But when a bullying incident sends twelve-year-old Nico Holland over a cliff and into Still Cove's icy waters, friends Tyler and Emma--and even Opal Walsh, who usually runs with the popular kids--rush to his rescue . . . and discover a mysterious island hiding in the murky, swirling mists below.

Though the island appears uninhabited, the kids can't shake a feeling that something about it is definitely not right. Their suspicions grow when they stumble upon an abandoned houseboat filled with all sorts of curiosities: odd-looking weapons, unnerving portraits, maps to unknown places, and a glass jar containing something completely unidentifiable. And in its lowest depths churns a dark, deep secret.

Refugee by Alan Gratz

Although separated by continents and decades, Josef, a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany; Isabel, a Cuban girl trying to escape the riots and unrest plaguing her country in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 whose homeland is torn apart by violence and destruction, embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge, discovering shocking connections that tie their stories together.


Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

Growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. While others have always seen Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. She will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of justice as tensions mount.