March Grades 5-6 Book Club: Magisterium: The Iron Trial

In March, the Grades 5-6 Book Club read Magisterium: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. Andrew, Courtney, Jared, Kelsey, Owen, Rileigh and Zoe were present. This is what we discussed, based on questions from a Scholastic study guide. 


All his life, Callum has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him. So he tries his best to do his worst — and fails at failing. Now the Magisterium awaits him. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future. 

1. How is Call’s life at the Magisterium different from his life at home? 

-At home, he is forbidden to use magic but at the Magisterium, he uses magic all the time
-At the Magisterium, Call has friends. At home, he is constantly being made fun of because of his leg.
-At his new school, he is accepted. At his old school, he was the odd man out.
-Where he grew up, no one else did magic.
-He has a life now.


2. How does Call’s relationship with Tamara and Aaron change over time? 

-It changes because at first, Aaron is really nice to Call but he doesn't know why. Tamara is kind of weird to him; she didn't even talk to him. But they eventually start working together.
-At first, Call was suspicious when Aaron was nice to him. Then Aaron was designated the Makkar and Call became his counterweight so their relationship changed.


3. Why does Call take part in the log exercise, despite Master Milagros’ warnings that it is too physically demanding? Have you ever insisted on doing something even though you knew it might not be a good idea? Explain. 

-Call was tired of people telling him that he couldn't do things because of his leg. 
-Call takes part in the exercise because Master Milagros seemed to be feeling sorry for him.
-I agree with everyone about the log exercise.  


4. How is Tamara’s family different from Aaron’s and Call’s families? How does she feel about her family? 

-Tamara's family is different from Aaron and Call's families because her sisters were in the Magisterium.-Tamara's family is different because Call's dad is a weirdo and Aaron doesn't have a family. Tamara lives in a big house because her family is rich.


5. How do you think Call’s friends and Master Rufus would react if they knew Call’s secret?

-Call's friends will wonder why he didn't tell them because they are good friends.
-They will reject him for a little bit but then they will accept him.
-Call's friends would be scared and weird around him because he's the Enemy of Death. 
 

6. How might things have been different if Call had not intercepted the letter and bracelet from Alastair Hunt? 

-I think it would change because Call and Tamara wouldn't know that Alastair and Master Rufus had ties to Constantine Madden.


7. Do Call’s feelings toward the Magisterium change over time or stay the same? Explain. 

-I think that they changed over time because at first he was nervous about the things that his dad had said about magic and the Magisterium. Later, once he had friends and learned some magic, he started to like the Magisterium more.


8. Call wants to tell Master Rufus his secret, but when he tries, the words don’t come out. Have you ever had a hard time telling the truth about something? Can you relate to the way Call felt? 

-I think that Call couldn't say what he wanted to say because they would bind his magic.
-I think that Call had a hard time because he thought that they would get mad at him. He doesn't want to go back home where everything is unmagical. He doesn't want things to go back to the way they were.
-I can relate because sometimes when I do something wrong, I don't want to own up to it. 
 

9. Do you think Call’s fate is predetermined or can he change it? Do you think fate plays a part in your own life? 

-No, you can change your fate. You can work really hard to do something. Fate doesn't change while you change.
-Never tempt the fates while you are being chased by something.
-Fate cannot change.






10. How is this book similar to and different from other fantasy books you have read?

-I think it's like Harry Potter because it has a lot to do with souls and fate. It has a lot to do with The Prophecy. And the horcruxes. Which kind of relates to him being Constantine.
-I think that it's a little bit like Wings of Fire because there is a war of sorts going on.
-I think that it's like the second Percy Jackson series. With amnesia. And prophecies.  


For April's Grades 5-6 Book Club, we will be reading The Dragonet Prophecy: Wings of Fire by Tui Sutherland. 

"Clay has lived his whole life under the mountain. The MudWing dragonet knows war is raging between the dragon tribes in the world outside - a war that he and four other dragonets are destined to end, according to the mysterious prophecy they have been taught. The five "chosen" dragonets were stolen from their homes while they were still in their eggs - and hidden away for years - all to fulfill the prophecy. But not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when danger threatens one of their own, Clay and his friends may choose freedom over fate ... leave the mountain ... and set the dragon world on a course that no one could have predicted." -- Jacket.
We will meet on Wednesday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m. Please be sure to register in advance!

April Grades 5-6 Book Club Recommendations by Miss Lisa

The Giver by Lois Lowry

"Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives." -OSL catalog - 180 pages

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Collier

"All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father.
With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father." -amazon.com - 216 pages

Skellig by David Almond

"Ten-year-old Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill, his parents are frantic, and Doctor Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then he steps into the crumbling garage. . . . What is this thing beneath the spiders' webs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never before seen? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend, Mina. Together, they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever. . . ." -amazon.com - 182 pages

April Grades 5-6 Book Club Suggestions by Members

Zoe: Dragonet Prophecy

Rileigh: Kane Chronicles Book 1

Owen: Eye of Minds

Jared: Fablehaven

Henry: undecided

Liam: Silmarillion

Julia: Selection Book 1

Kelsey: Quantum League Book 1: Spellrobbers: Not enough available in state

Andrew: undecided
  

February Book Club Grades 5-6: H.I.V.E.

For February's Book Club, we read H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden. Andrew, Jared, Julia, Kelsey, Liam, Owen, Rileigh, and Zoe were present. Please find some of our conversation below.

Otto and Wing seem to take their abductions in stride. Do you think this is an indicator of their adventures (and revealed backstories) to come?

-It is.
-I would be like "oh, I can go to a cool school for 6 years and don't have to do LA homework!"
-No, I would scream my head off.
-I'd probably try to beat up the guards who are guarding me. And then I'd get shot again. Then I'd play it all cool.  

As aforementioned, the story begins with Otto waking up and having no idea how he got where he is. Use this idea to start a new story of your own.

-They then read their stories to the group...They were all over the map and quite amusing.

When the new students arrive at H.I.V.E., they are introduced to many strange things, one of them being the H.I.V.E.mind. How would you feel knowing that an AI like H.I.V.E.mind was watching you all the time: safe or intimidated?

-I wouldn't care because I would know that it wasn't a human watching me like a stalker
-I wouldn't mind
-I would be kind of freaked out knowing that a creepy robot was watching me all the time
-I would be intimidated because it's a thing watching your every move
-I would feel intimidated and stalked
-It would feel creepy for me because they had to get dressed in front of it
-I would feel the opposite of safe; it could be dangerous since it has thoughts

      

When the children first arrive at H.I.V.E., Dr. Nero uses the following words to describe them... cunning, mischievous, villainous, undesirable, wicked. Do you think that Dr. Nero is accurate or are these just misunderstood kids?

-Half thought they were misunderstood
-Half thought they were villainous and wicked

Dr. Nero might have written a private letter to the parents of the each pupil, inviting them to send the children to H.I.V.E. What might this letter say?

-They then read their varied letters. Some were positive, starting with a "your child will be cared for" to "your child is a murderous villain and I will make him/her even worse". One letter began with an amusing "Hello there,"!

In Chapter 4, Otto finds some textbooks that are in use at the school. Titles include: Deathtraps: Their Use and Care and Elementary Evil. Could you write one of the pages from these manuals? Can you think of another appropriate title for a book in use at H.I.V.E.?

-They then read their suggestions.

Rate this book between 1 and 5 with 5 being the best:

-5
-3
-5
-5
-5
-5
-5
-4 

On March 9, we will meet at 3:00 p.m. to discuss Magisterium: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.

"Warned away from magic all of his life, Callum endeavors to fail the trials that would admit him to the Magisterium only to be drawn into its ranks against his will and forced to confront dark elements from his past." - summary

Please be sure to pick up your copy of the book and register at the Circulation Desk so that Miss Lisa can get enough snacks. 

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.