Thursday, October 15, 2015

October Grades 3-4 Book Club: Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater

In October, we met to discuss Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater. Cadence, Cameron, Clare, Ellie, Eloise, Isabella, Linden, Sage and Spencer were present. This is what we discussed.

Because of a Unicorn Incident at her school (it was an accident!), Pip is spending the summer with her Aunt Emma at the Cloverton Clinic for Magical Creatures. At first, it’s all fun, games, and chatting with Hobgrackles, but when Fuzzles appear and start bursting into flame at the worst possible places, Pip and her new friend Tomas must take action. If the mystery of the Fuzzles isn’t solved soon, both magical and unmagical creatures are going to be in a lot of trouble! 

The foreword in Pip’s guide says, “a good researcher will continue to study and discover magical creatures across the globe.” Name a topic that would make you want to trek around the globe to learn more. 

-Horses
-Magical creatures but more varieties in this book
-Landmarks
-Animals
-Pro-skaters and Super Crown
-Animals

Bubbles says that Tomas and Pip seem to be the same kind of weird. How are you and your friends the same kind of weird? 

-Nolan and I are the same kind of weird because we do funny Pokemon trades and tell jokes to each other.
-Erin and I both want to be fashion designers so we talk about fashion a lot
-A friend of mine and I make a mess in my backyard.
-My friend Emily and I are both interested in the same thing.

The illustration on page 20 shows the many items Pip carries in her pockets. What items would you carry in your pockets? 

-Cookies
-Magic staff, instant mechanical weapons, strange cookie used for training dragons, mini-snack machine, a small time machine, a phone that can remember anything in the whole world, the African savanna shrunken, knife, armor, magical gear
-Flashlight, cell phone, batteries
-Phone, bubble gum, hair tie
-Techdeck, miniature skateboard that can turn into a larger skateboard, spare hats, button that can turn into a mansion
-Spy watch, spy pen, spy suit, spy glove/bracelet 


Pip likes interesting things, but Tomas is pretty sure he is allergic to interesting things. Discuss the similarities and differences between Pip and Tomas. 

-Different because Tomas has over 300 allergies, floats in the air when a magical creature is nearby
-Tomas doesn't have a ponytail
-Pip loves magical creatures and Tomas is allergic to them; Pip can talk to magical creatures while Tomas cannot
-Pip isn't afraid of anything and Tomas is afraid of everything



Why do you think Pip is so surprised that her aunt trusts her with Regent Maximus? 

-After the "Unicorn Incident", Pip thought that no one would trust her with magical animals anymore

Most people think of Fuzzles as “pests,” but Pip realizes that they want to be treated like “pets.” Think of a pest that would make a good pet in real life. Explain. 

-A skunk would make a good pet. They don't do anything to cause mischief.
-A skunk would be a good pet because it could drive predators away with the threat of a stink bomb.
-A mouse could make a good pet because they're cute.
-Termites would make a good pet because they could show you how to burrow and dig.
-Ants would make good pets because they would clean up your mess.
-Vultures eat a lot of meat so they would eat any meat leftovers you have and maybe vegetable too.
-Praying Mantis
-Spiders


How do Tomas’s allergies end up helping? 

-The Grim that was eating the Fuzzles was found because Tomas was flying in the air
-In the beginning, when Pip first met Tomas, he used his eyedrops to extinguish the flames.
-In the end of the story, Tomas was floating in the air and was able to find the Grim



How is Regent Maximus different from the unicorns at Pip’s school? 

-The unicorns at the school were show-offs who were just interested in getting attention. Regent Maximus is scared of everything.

What is your favorite magical creature in the book? Why?

-I liked Bubbles because he's grumpy like me (especially in the mornings)
-Baby Grim because he's cute
-I liked the Grim
-Fuzzles because they were cute and added to the plot, the baby Grim is a cute mix between a puppy and a ninja dog
-The Grim because he's big and black but he's also a baby and that's cute
-I liked the Fuzzles because they are cute.


In November, we will be reading A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. 

The Pickles are new to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town which legend says was once magic--but Felicity is convinced the magic is still there, and with the help of her new friend Jonah the Beedle she hopes to bring the magic back.

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!

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

November Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy hits—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. And now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will save him. In fact, Mibs is so sure she’ll get a powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus with her sibling and the preacher’s kids in tow. After this extraordinary adventure—full of talking tattoos and a kidnapping—not a soul on board will ever be the same.


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.




Jack: The True Story of Jack & the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff

All his life, Jack has longed for an adventure, so when giants turn up in the neighbor's cabbage patch, he is thrilled! Soon Jack is chasing them to a land beyond the clouds, with his little sister, Annabella, in tow. The kingdom of giants is full of super-sized fun: puddings to swim in, spoons to use as catapults, monster toads to carry off pesky little sisters. . . . 

But Jack and Annabella are on a mission. The king of the giants has taken something that belongs to them, and they’ll do anything—even dive into a smelly tureen of green bean soup—to get it back.

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...