February Grades 3-4 Book Club: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

For February's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Marisa was present. This is what we discussed:

Why has Sam run away to the mountains?

-Because he wanted to get away from the city. New York City. He lives with his family.

What tasks does he set for himself once he finds the property?

-He wanted to find his grandfather's farm and make it his. He went to a library and asked a librarian for help in finding the farm. And he did. He got food and he found someone who taught him how to make a fire. He also learned which foods he could eat.

Sam uses various survival skills to make a home in the wilderness. What are some of these skills?

-He learned how to get deer by taking the deer out from under hunters' noses. He used the deer for food and clothing. Sam also found a tree stump that was hollowed out and he used it for water.


Why doesn't Sam's father prevent him from leaving home?

-Because he said that he should run away because every boy has to try it sometime. He also thinks that Sam might come back quickly. His father tried leaving home once but it was only for a day. He ran right back home.

Sam says of Frightful, "She was a captive, not a wild bird, and that is almost another kind of bird." What do you think Sam means by this? In what way might Sam's statement apply to himself?

-Maybe because the bird hunts different animals and Sam is kind of the same.


On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best, how would you rate this book?

-So far, the book is a 4.

 
For Book Club in March, we will be reading the book Bunnicula by Deborah Howe.
Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.-summary

We will be meeting on Wednesday, March 4th at 3:00 p.m. As always, snacks will be provided. Please be sure to pick up your book at the Circulation Desk and sign up for Book Club for each session that you attend!

March Recommendations for Grades 3-4 Book Club

Bunnicula by Deborah Howe

Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox!

Someone's been stealing from the three meanest farmers around, and they know the identity of the thief—it's Fantastic Mr. Fox! Working alone they could never catch him; but now fat Boggis, squat Bunce, and skinny Bean have joined forces, and they have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded. What they don't know is that they're not dealing with just any fox—Mr. Fox would rather die than surrender. Only the most fantastic plan can save him now.

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman

When a tornado watch is issued one Tuesday evening in June, twelve-year-old Dan Hatch and his best friend, Arthur, don't think much of it. After all, tornado warnings are a way of life during the summer in Grand Island, Nebraska. But soon enough, the wind begins to howl, and the lights and telephone stop working. Then the emergency siren starts to wail. Dan, his baby brother, and Arthur have only seconds to get to the basement before the monstrous twister is on top of them. Little do they know that even if they do survive the storm, their ordeal will have only just begun. . . .

January Grades 3-4 Book Club : A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

For January's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Marisa, Natalie, Owen, Sean and Spencer were present. This is some of what we discussed:

  About the author

Charles Dickens, the most popular writer of the Victorian age, was born near Portsmouth, England, in 1812 and died in Kent in 1870. When his father was thrown into debtors’ prison, young Charles was taken out of school and forced to work in a shoe-polish factory, which may help explain the presence of so many abandoned and victimized children in his novels. As a young man he worked as a reporter before starting his career as a fiction writer in 1833. In his novels, short stories and essays, Dickens combined hilarious comedy with a scathing criticism of the inhuman features of Victorian industrial society. 


In A Christmas Carol Dickens wishes to raise awareness of social inequality in Victorian England. Among the many sources of suffering for the poor were the workhouses, public establishments that provided them with housing at the expense of brutal treatment. Social inequality: Who is responsible for the well being of the less fortunate?

-Scrooge.
-Scrooge has more money than anyone else it town.


Childhood: Does an unhappy childhood necessarily lead to an unhappy adulthood?

-Yes.
-If you have a sad life and keep it that way, you will move on with your life that way.
-If you feel down about yourself, you won't feel good in your adulthood.
-If you have a bad childhood and feel sorry for yourself, you won't be excited for adulthood.

 
A change of heart: Can human beings change their behavior for the better as Scrooge does?

-Yes, they can. We saw that with Tiny Tim. He didn't want Tiny Tim.
-His nephew was so joyful when Scrooge had a change of heart.


Why doesn't he go to his nephew’s house for Christmas?

-He didn't want to because he isn't a very jolly person.
-Scrooge doesn't like Christmas and his nephew is all about Christmas. 

 
Marley thinks that some people walk the streets of the world when they are dead. Why does he think they must do that? Do you think there are ghosts around us?

-I think that are ghosts around us because they wanted to watch Scrooge be mean.
-I think that the ghosts come back and walk the streets in the book because they want to change what they have done wrong.
-The ghosts walk the streets.
-If a relative has died, they might be watching us to see how we are. Dead relatives might want to see how their relatives grew up in the future.
-Ghosts probably can't interfere with the future.
-Ghosts can move things. 
-Sometimes in movies, ghosts can become people.
-Ghosts can be hurt by the sun.

 
Scrooge loved the following books as a child: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Robinson Crusoe. What do these books have in common? What are some of your favorite children’s stories?

-These books are all about bad things.
-Once Scrooge understood money, he realized that he wanted it.
-The Magic Unicorn series.
-The Magic Tree House
-The Cat in the Hat books. Now I like the Bone books.
-I like reading sports books or famous people (sports players and teams).
-I like Emily Windsnap because it has mermaids and monsters.

It was agreed that we almost all found this book hard to read. On a scale of 1-5, there were two "1"s and three "3"s.

For Book Club in February, we will be reading the book My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.
Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land, and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons- amazon.com
 We will be meeting on Wednesday, February 4th at 3:00 p.m. As always, snacks will be provided. Please be sure to pick up your book at the Circulation Desk and sign up for Book Club for each session that you attend!

February Recommendations for Grades 3-4 Book Club

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins: Book Trailer 
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George: Book Trailer
Terribly unhappy in his family's crowded New York City apartment, Sam Gribley runs away to the solitude-and danger-of the mountains, where he finds a side of himself he never knew.

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
Struggling with Asperger's, Rose shares a bond with her beloved dog, but when the dog goes missing during a storm, Rose is forced to confront the limits of her comfort levels, even if it means leaving her routines in order to search for her pet.

December Book Club for Grades 3-4: Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

In December, we read Kate DiCamillo's Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures for Grades 3-4 Book Club.Cameron, Marisa, Natalie, Owen, Sean and Spencer were present. This is some of what we discussed.


What’s in a name? Which character do you think has the most fun-sounding name? Which character has a name from classic literature? Which character wants his whole name used at all times? What, if anything, can a name tell us about a character?



-Ulysses
-Ulysses
-Ulysses
-Ulysses
-William Spencer
-Tootie Tickham
-Phyllis
-William Spiver wants his full name used at all times. He pushed his stepfather's truck into a sinkhole when the father would not call him his full name.
-I think that Ulysses sounded like some sort of toilet cleaner. And then I figured out it was a vacuum's name that became a squirrel's name.
-Flora means flowers. Flora is her dad's flower.
-Sometimes they name people Bill Carpenter because that is his profession.



The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto! is Flora’s favorite comic book. It includes special bonus comics at the back of each issue including Terrible Things Can Happen to You! and The Criminal Element Is Among Us. Throughout the story, Flora refers to many of the life skills and themes that appear in her comics. One lesson is CPR. One theme is that “impossible things happened all the time” (page 21). What other things does Flora learn from her comics? Name some of your favorite sayings or lessons from her comic books.

-Terrible things can happen to you.
-The criminal element is among us.
-The thing about shock and not knowing if you are in shock.
-When William Spiver was wearing sunglasses and he thought he had permanently lost his sight.


Let’s talk about superheroes. What makes Ulysses a superhero? Are there special requirements for being a superhero? Are there special things that all superheroes seem to have?


-Ulysses flies. He got Mr. Klaus off of Mr. Buckman's head.
-Ulysses has super strength.
-He can demolish cats.
-He can pick up vacuum cleaners with a finger.
-He can type.
-Superheroes tend to have a talent that no one else has.
-Shooting webs.
-You have to fight crime and put others above yourself.
-They all have to be able to know how to fight crime, have some sort of weapon and have to know a certain skill.



What is the funniest scene in the book for you? Describe it.

-When Ulysses vanquishes the cat, it's very funny to me. Normally, cats try to kill squirrels but this time Ulysses wins.
-When Ulysses went into Rita the waitresses hair. 
-I liked that giant donut scene with Ernie the cook going to defend Rita.
-When Phylis took the typewriter away from Ulysses.



We hear the promise “I will always turn back toward you.” It is repeated many times
throughout the story. What do you think it means?

-If you are far away, you'll stay in contact with others.






Describe the relationship between Flora and William Spiver. In what ways are they the same? In what ways are they different?

-They are different because William thinks that he's blind and Flora likes the comics that she likes. 
-William Spiver and Flora are different. William thinks that if he takes his glasses off, he will be open to the world. Flora doesn't like being called her full name.
-Flora Belle does not like being called Flora Belle and William Spiver likes his full name.
-There are a lot of differences. William Spiver acts like he's blind and is not. Flora says that he's not blind. That's technically opposite.
-Flora is a cynic and sees things negatively. William is hopeful and sees things in a negative light.


On page 216, a miracle is said to occur and William Spiver is able to see again. What do you think happens?

-I don't think he was ever blind. His dark sunglasses made him think that he was blind. When the sunglasses fall off, he is no longer blind.
-Maybe he was lying about being blind and thought people would think he is cool.
-It was not a miracle. He was playing a trick on people.
-I think it was a miracle. I don't know he would say he was blind if he wasn't.
-I think he was faking his blindness.


There are many quirky characters in the story. Whom do you like best and why?

-I like Ulysses because he's an animal.
-I like Ulysses because he can type his poems.
-I like Flora's dad the best because he's weird and awesome.
-I like William Spiver because he pretends to be blind.
-I like Ulysses the best because he knows how to fly, type, open cheese puffs, pick up heavy stuff and demolish cats.
-Ulysses was my favorite because he's cute.


What would you like to see happen next for Ulysses and Flora?

-I would like them to fight different types of crime.
-I would like Ulysses to beat up a robber.
-I want to see Flora and Ulysses fight crime in a comic book/graphic novel.
-I would like Ulysses to turn bad all of a sudden. Ulysses would then lose his power, Flora would get it and then Ulysses would become a criminal by robbing banks and stealing jewelry from jewelry stores. Then, a year later, Ulysses would become good and Flora would become bad. And they would go back and forth over time.

Rank the book:

-Unanimous decision on this book. All 4s!



For January's Book Club, the group voted to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. "A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future." Book Club will be held on January 7th at 3:00 p.m. Snacks are always provided. Please sign up at the Circulation Desk when you pick up your copy of the book. Thank you!

January 2015 Recommendations for Grades 3-4 Book Club

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford 
A Siamese cat, an old bull terrier, and a young Labrador retriever travel together 250 miles through the Canadian wilderness to find their family.
Book Trailer (we are not watching the movie for book club: this trailer is just a good example of what the book is about)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future.
Book Trailer (we are not doing the picture book: this trailer is just a good example of what the book is about)

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
Book Trailer (we are not watching the movie for book club: this trailer is just a good example of what the book is about)

November Grades 3-4 Book Club: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

For the November Grades 3-4 Book Club, we discussed Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick. Ava, Cameron, Marissa, Natalie, Shawn and Spencer were present. Here are some excerpts of what we talked about.

How does Ben feel about living with his aunt and uncle and sharing a room with his cousin? 

-He doesn't feel comfortable because his cousin Robbie isn't very nice to him.

-I agree with Spencer. He doesn't like sharing a room because his cousin Robbie doesn't give him much space in the room.

What are the early connections between Ben’s story and Rose’s story?

-Both of them are deaf. 

-Rose worked at the museum that Ben ended up going go.

-Once in the book, Rose's mother smoked and Ben's cousin was pretending to smoke.

-Ben and Rose both feel trapped.

Discuss the meaning of the quote Ben’s mother liked: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” 

-Some people don't have a good life but they try hard to think positively.

-Jamie took Ben to the planetarium. He liked the planetarium.

When do we first learn that Rose is deaf?  How are Rose and Ben's experiences similar and how are they different?

-Ben found out that Rose was deaf when he was on the stairs and he saw Rose signing.

-When Rose's mother wrote a note to her, rather than speaking.

-They both see stars.

-They both have to be able to learn how to communicate rather than speaking and hearing.

-Rose's deafness was permanent and Ben's might not be.

Compare Rose’s encounter with her mother to Ben’s first experiences in New York. Why does Rose run away from her mother? Why does Ben run away from the boy who tries to help him? 

-Rose runs away from her mother because her mother was being mean to her.

-Rose's mother says that she was trying to protect Rose because NYC is no place for a deaf girl to be.

-Ben ran around from home to find his dad.

-Ben ran away from Jamie because Jamie knew where the Kincaid Bookstore was and Jamie didn't tell him though he knew the truth. 

How does the storytelling structure in the book change when Ben finally finds Kincaid’s Bookstore? Describe Rose’s feelings when she sees Ben and realizes who he might be. Describe Ben’s feelings when he realizes his connection to Rose.

-Rose and Ben's stories come together at the same time.
-They both feel surprised.
-Rose and Ben are both a little confused.

Discuss Ben’s thought that “maybe we are all cabinets of wonders” [p. 574]. What does he mean?

-A person can be a cabinet of wonders because they are curious and wonder about all sorts of things.

Why is it important for Rose to take Ben to the Queens Museum to tell him the story of his father? What does the Panorama mean to her and how does it relate to her childhood?

-Daniel's possessions were inside the buildings that made up the Panorama. It is a memorial to him.-The author's cover makes you feel like you are in the book in the book called Wonderstruck.

Compare Ben’s experience during the blackout in Minnesota when he is home alone with the blackout in New York when he is with Rose. What do you think Ben’s next chapter will be—staying in New York or returning to Minnesota?

-Ben's blackout experience was scary in Minnesota. His blackout experience in New York starts out scary but then is fun.
-Staying in NY with his grandmother.
-Maybe he'll split his time between the two places. Just like Jamie does with his parents.


Please rate this book between 1 and 5, with 5 being the best.

Everyone ranked this book a 4!

For Book Club in December, we will be reading Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo. "Rescuing a squirrel after an accident involving a vacuum cleaner, comic-reading cynic Flora Belle Buckman is astonished when the squirrel, Ulysses, demonstrates astonishing powers of strength and flight after being revived." Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, December 3. Books will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. As always, snacks and good conversation will be provided at Book Club!