Wednesday, June 17, 2015

June Grades 3-4 Book Club: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

In June, we discussed Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. Eve, Owen and Spencer were present. Please find some of the comments about the book below. 

1. In the beginning of the story, Kyle's teacher and his mother compare him to his brothers. Have you ever been compared to your siblings or other students? How did it make you feel?

 -It made me feel like I'm way better than other kids in the class.
-I've been compared to my sister in height and she's younger than me. It makes me angry that she's almost taller than me.
-My mom and dad sometimes compare me to my brother but not often because my mom does not like comparing.

2. On the statue of Mr. Lemoncello, there is the following quote: "Knowledge not shared remains unknown." What do you think that quote means?


-It means that if you don't share what you know, other people might never know. You need to get it out there.
-It's hard to accomplish things by yourself. If you don't share things with others, it's much hard.


3. Charles says, "You should never help your competition." Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

-I agree and disagree. If you want to make an alliance with someone, you need to team up with others. If you don't want to make an alliance, you're not going to help your competition. If you do make an alliance, don't help the other alliances.
-If you help your competition to form a team, you can combine your resources so that things make sense. 


4. At one point, the Lemoncello dummy says, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

-How you play the game is the most important thing. If you're going to cheat to win, that doesn't make sense.
-If you're going to cheat to win, there is not pride in the win.



5. Miguel says "A library should be a know-place for know-bodies." What does that mean?


-It means that it should be a place where people are who know a lot of stuff.
-A place for people who are smart.
-A place for people who want to learn.
 
6. Who was your favorite character and why?

-It's either Miguel or Kyle. They stand out because of their good sportsmanship.
-I don't have one. I liked everyone but Charles. My favorite character is Dr. Zinchenko.
-I don't know yet who my favorite character is.

7. Please rank the book from 1-5. 

-4
-5
-4


We will be meeting on July 8th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.


"Relates the tale of Rumpelstiltskin's childhood and youth, explaining why his name is so important, how he is able to spin straw into gold, and why a first-born child is his reward for helping the miller's daughter-turned-queen."

Please remember to sign up for Book Club so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to get.

June Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions









Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.



A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd 

Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.



The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.
Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection--he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?

May Grades 3 & 4 Book Suggestions

One-Third Nerd by Gennifer Choldenko "Fifth grade is not for amateurs, according to Liam. Luckily, he knows that being more than one-t...