Wednesday, March 13, 2019

March Grades 3-4 Book Club: Winterhouse



For March's Book Club, we read Winterhouse by Ben Guterson. Caitlin, Kailynn, Mira, and Mark were present. This is some of what we talked about.


Please use one word to describe your first impression of Elizabeth at the beginning of this book:

-nerdy
-curious
-kind
-smart
-adventurous
-interesting
-interested


Later in the book:

-nosy
-sneaky
-deceptive


Who was your favorite character in Winterhouse?  Why?:

-Elizabeth and Freddy
-Elizabeth because she was the main character
-Elizabeth because she was in all the scenes
-Elizabeth because she was adventurous


Who was your least favorite character in this book?  Why?:

-Gracella because she was evil
-Gracella wanted to destroy Winterhouse
-Gracella was envious of Norbridge



What's your favorite scene of the story?:

-Walking into Winterhouse for the first time
-The scene where the light shattered outside of Gracella's room
-When Gracella was in the coffin
-How the whole book was a puzzle. And how the necklace was the key.



Did you think that Elizabeth was a bad person because she often lied to Freddy and Norbridge?:

-No, because she did it for good reasons
-She lied to save Winterhouse



Let's talk a little bit about Gracella. Was she evil or just misunderstood?:

-She was both
-She was misunderstood because she just really wanted to be in charge of Winterhouse. She was jealous of Norbridge.
-She did evil things and not really for a good reason but you can understand her motivations



Do you think that Elizabeth is a good friend to Freddy? How about Freddy to Elizabeth?:

-Yes, because she's nice
-They're equals
-Freddy is a good friend to Elizabeth.
-He tries to save her from so many things and she doesn't listen.



How does Elizabeth change by the end of the story? Is she a different person than when it started?:

-She is surprised because Norbridge is her grandfather.
-She is happier because she's gotten a new family and doesn't have to go back to her awful aunt and uncle.
-She's a better person at the end.
-She's got a better family.


Do you think that there was a message in this book, beyond the story it told? What might the message be?: 

-Be patient.
-Don't be like Freddy.



Please use one word to describe your last impression of Winterhouse, the place:

-creepy
-magical
-spooky
-beautiful/creepy



What did you think about the ending of the book? Do you think there will be a sequel or did the author complete the story in one book?: 

-Good



Rate this book from 1-5:

-Four 5s!



For the Grades 3-4 Book Club in April, we will be reading The Collectors by Jacqueline West.

Van has always been an outsider. Most people don't notice him. But he notices them. And he notices the small trinkets they drop, or lose, or throw away--that's why his collection is full of treasures. Then one day, Van notices a girl stealing pennies from a fountain, and everything changes. He follows the girl, Pebble, and uncovers an underground world full of wishes and the people who collect them. Apparently not all wishes are good and even good wishes often have unintended consequences--and the Collectors have made it their duty to protect us. But they aren't the only ones who have their eyes on the world's wishes--and they may not be the good guys, after all.

We will meet on Wednesday, April 10 at 3:00 p.m. Copies of the book are available at the Circulation Desk. Please do not forget to register so Miss Lisa knows how many participants to expect!

April Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

The Collectors by Jacqueline West

Van has always been an outsider. Most people don’t notice him. But he notices them. And he notices the small trinkets they drop, or lose, or throw away—that’s why his collection is full of treasures. Then one day, Van notices a girl stealing pennies from a fountain, and everything changes. He follows the girl, Pebble, and uncovers an underground world full of wishes and the people who collect them. Apparently not all wishes are good and even good wishes often have unintended consequences—and the Collectors have made it their duty to protect us. But they aren't the only ones who have their eyes on the world’s wishes—and they may not be the good guys, after all.  


Granted by John David Anderson


Everyone who wishes upon a star, or a candle, or a penny thrown into a fountain knows that you’re not allowed to tell anyone what you’ve wished for. But even so, there is someone out there who hears it. 
In a magical land called the Haven lives a young fairy named Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets. Ophela is no ordinary fairy—she is a Granter: one of the select fairies whose job it is to venture out into the world and grant the wishes of unsuspecting humans every day.
It’s the work of the Granters that generates the magic that allows the fairies to do what they do, and to keep the Haven hidden and safe. But with worldwide magic levels at an all-time low, this is not as easy as it sounds. On a typical day, only a small fraction of the millions of potential wishes gets granted.
Today, however, is anything but typical. Because today, Ophelia is going to get her very first wish-granting assignment.
And she’s about to discover that figuring out how to truly give someone what they want takes much more than a handful of fairy dust.



Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don't have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. 

So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci's school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna's jealousy. Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci's grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately -- forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what's going on, so she's left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school.

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...