Wednesday, May 6, 2015

May Grades 3-4 Book Club: The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

For May's Book Club, we read The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks. Owen and Spencer were present. This is what we discussed.

Spencer noted that his book cover isn't accurate to the portrayal of the Indian in the book.

1. Why doesn't Omri want Patrick to have the little men? 

-Omri didn't want Patrick to go overboard. Patrick was prone to being immature. Omri didn't want Patrick to turn more figures to life.
-Omri hesitated because Little Bear was kind of bossy and he was worried that Patrick might do something to him.
-Patrick would not like being bossed around.

2. Why is Mr. Yapp so suspicious of Omri?

-Since Omri took Little Bear and Boone out to see the women and then put them in his pockket, Mr. Yapp thought that Omri stole them. Patrick and Omri had actually purchased them before.
-Mr. Yapp had a lot of shoplifters.

3. How does Patrick save Omri from Mr. Yapp?
-He says that he had paid for them before and could describe them. Plus, Mr. Yapp knew Patrick's family and was less likely to think that he would steal.
-Patrick worked hard to get Omri out of trouble. It was important that the figures not be taken away by Mr. Yapp because they'd be nearly impossible to get back.

4. Why does Little Bear shoot Boone?

-Boone was making remarks about the TV show.
-Little Bear was making more remarks about cowboys (and Boone). If Boone had ammo, he might have shot Little Bear earlier.

5. Why does Omri think it's fun when the art teacher sees Boone's drawing?

-Because the art teacher thinks Omri did the drawing and no human hand could have drawn what he did.

6. Why is Omri surprised that Boone and Little Bear Want to go back to their own worlds?

-Because they don't like it there. They are used to their own worlds where people are their own size.
-They want to go back because the humans are like giants, lumbering around.

7. How does Little Bear show his concern about Boone?

-After meeting, Little Bear doesn't want Boone on his land. And then he shot Boone's hat off. But then he felt bad.
-He also goes under the floorboards to get the key in order to bring the medic to life to save Boone's life.

8. How do Omri and Patrick resolve their conflict?

-I think they resolve their conflict because Patrick gets Boone for a certain amount of time, and sharing them.

9. How do you feel about the way Mr. Johnson reacts to Little Bear and Boone? How would you have reacted?

-He stuttered and got faint. He couldn't believe his eyes. And then he left work. 
-I would have yelled at Patrick and tried to get the figures back
-I wouldn't have been able to believe my eyes either.

We had a nice discussion about what happens to their bodies when they are in the current world.


10. Do you think Omri and Patrick are right to send Little Bear and Boone back to their own time?

-Yes.
-Maybe. I don't know.

11. If you could live in another time, when would it be?

-World War II
-pre-colonization of America
-Native American time period

13. What did you learn from this book about being responsible for other people?

-You shouldn't boss people around (from Little Bear's perspective).
-Omri didn't want to put more figures in the cupboard because he didn't want to take all of his time taking care of others. He had to do a lot to keep Little Bear and Boone okay.


13. Rank

3
4.9999

We will be meeting sometime in July (date to determined) and be reading The Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. This book will count toward Summer Reading! Copies will be available in early May and again in early-mid June to read (reread).

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...