March Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions by the Members of Book Club

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

The False Prince: The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer Nielsen

The Iron Trial: Magisterium by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

How to Speak Dolphin by Ginny Rorby

Magyk: Septimus Heap by Angie Sage

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Dragonet Prophecy: Wings of Fire by Tui Sutherland





  

January Grades 5-6 Book Club: The Menagerie by Tui and Kari Sutherland

For January's Book Club, we read The Menagerie by Tui and Kari Sutherland. Andrew, Courtney, Jared, Kelsey, Liam, Owen, Rileigh and Zoe were present. This is what we talked about.

Logan and his dad have moved to a new town and it's been hard for Logan to make friends. How did he he first become involved with Zoe and Blue?

-He crashes into them with his bike.
-He crashes into them and then he finds the griffin under his bed and then Squorp helped him sneak into the menagerie.
-He overheard them talking about having to recapture the griffins.
-He saw them outside his house.

Talk a little bit about friendship in this story. Do you think Zoe's parents asked too much of her to not be friends with Jasmin anymore?

-No, because security is first.
-They are not asking too much. If anyone found out about the menagerie, all the animals would be sent to another menagerie.
-I think that they weren't asking too much because they were good friends but sometimes you have to make tough choices. Do you want friendship or potentially stay alive.
-They aren't asking too much because Zoe even admits that it's her own fault for losing Zoe as a friend.
-Keep your home. Lose your friend.
-A lot of the animals in the Menagerie are in Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts books.
-If Zoe stayed friends with Jasmin, that might have caused a trigger memory. 
-Matthew caught Jonathan trying to steal one of the animals. If they had become friends again, a memory might have been triggered.

What did you think about the truth about Logan's mother?

-I was like "how is this possible?"
-I had a sneaking suspicion about it.
-When people kept saying that Logan looked familiar, I had an idea.
-I thought his mom went away. This was a surprise.
-I thought "ahhhhhhhhhh".
-I was surprised.
-I thought she might be a SNAPA agent.

Did you like the ending of the book? Did you like that it ended on a cliffhanger?

-I was surprised because someone had killed the golden goose.
-I despise cliffhangers.
-I was like "wait, why did the goose die again?" I didn't think the goose would die. I thought the phoenix blew himself up again.
-I wasn't surprised. I think she killed herself because she was driven to insanity or I thought someone accidentally left something there and it killed her.
-No, I wanted to know what happened next.
-I think that if Nero did it, there wouldn't be blood. The phoenix didn't leave blood.

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

-Matthew because he's a Tracker.
-I would like to be Keiko minus the annoying parts.
-A random living in a house. I wouldn't want to be involved in any of this.
-Zoe because it would be cool to have the whole menagerie.
-Zoe.
-I would like to be Logan because he finds the first griffin cub and he's one of the first people to be allowed in the menagerie outside of the menagerie
-I would want to be Zoe or Logan because of all of the stuff he does with the griffins and Zoe because she lives in the menagerie every day.

If I could be a mythical creature from this book, it would be:

-I would be a griffin because their lives sound like fun.
-I would like to be Squorp.
-I would like to be Riff, the dad griffin.
-Captain Fuzzbutt.
-Flurp.
-A dragon.
-I would like to be Nero because being a phoenix would be awesome.
-The Yeti, Mooncrusher.

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

-Yes.
-I thought it was okay.

Will you read the rest of the series of these books? The adventures continue...

-Everyone but one will continue with the series.

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

-.5
-5
-5
-5
-5
-4
-4.5
-4
  

For February's Book Club, we will be reading H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden. 

Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain.

That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic, the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101. But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program, and leaving is not an option.

With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?

We will be meeting on Wednesday, February 10 at 3:00 p.m. to read H.I.V.E. Please be sure to sign up for Book Club and to pick up your books at the Circulation Desk.

Miss Lisa's February Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

As the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen’s family takes in Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family.

Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.


The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

An aviator whose plane is forced down in the Sahara Desert encounters a little prince from a small planet who relates his adventures in seeking the secret of what is important in life.



The Marvels by Brian Selznick

The journey begins on a ship at sea in 1766, with a boy named Billy Marvel. After surviving a shipwreck, he finds work in a London theatre. There, his family flourishes for generations as brilliant actors until 1900, when young Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage. Nearly a century later, Joseph Jervis runs away from school and seeks refuge with a reclusive uncle in London. Albert Nightingale's strange, beautiful house, with its mysterious portraits and ghostly presences, captivates Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about the house, his family, and the past.

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!