December Grades 3-4 Book Club: The Bad Beginning

For December's Book Club, we read A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. Abigail, Alba, Amelia, Ava, Claire, Finley and Lauren were present. This is some of what we talked about.


Which one of the Baudelaire children do you most identify with? Violet? Klaus? Or Sunny?

-Sunny, because she has the ability to bite stuff.
-Klaus because he's a reader
-Violet because she's creative and she likes to invent stuff. Plus, she's brave.
-Klaus, because he likes to read and he has a bunch of books. He had a big library at the house that burned down. :(
-I am a mixture between Violet and Sunny. Sunny took risks and Violet is funny, kind and fun. Violet threw the grappling hook and risked her life to save Sunny.
-Klaus because he likes to read a lot.
-Violet and Klaus because he likes to read and can memorize anything in his books. Violet is creative and she likes to help her siblings.

Tangent
-Maybe Count Olaf burned down the house to kill the parents in order to get the money.
-A mysterious fire happened and they don't know how it started.



Why are all the adults in this story so darned incompetent? In the end, which adult is the very worst? Is it Count Olaf? Or is Mr. Poe just as bad? Maybe Justice Strauss should have done more to help?

-I think Justice Strauss should have fought harder for the kids.
-Mr. Poe because he doesn't listen to the kids, even when the truth is right under his nose.
-I think Mr. Poe because he could have helped with many things (he could have checked on them to make sure they are okay).
-I think Count Olaf because he tries to marry a 14 year old to get her money.
-I think Mr. Poe and Count Olaf because Olaf wasn't protective and he only gave them one bed. Mr. Poe didn't check on them and to see if they were doing okay. He didn't listen to them when they told him about Count.
-Count Olaf and Mr. Poe. But Mr. Poe isn't as bad as Count Olaf.
-I also think Count Olaf is worst because he ties Sunny to a tower.
-Mr. Poe is worst because he coughs a lot (he can get them sick) and he didn't come to check on them even though he promised he would. He didn't have time for them. Even though the kids made the effort to get to the bank, he ignored them.
-If Mr. Poe hadn't contacted Count Olaf, they might not have been in the play.
-The guys who work for Olaf might not be as bad as they seem.
-Count Olaf and Mr. Poe are equally bad. Count Olaf was going to marry Violet and steal her fortune. That's creepy that he wanted to marry his own child. 
-Mr. Poe should have listened more to the kids. The kids should tell Mr. Poe that he needs to start listening to them.
-SPOILER!!!: the kids were supposed to go to a relative closer to them (in the second book)



Compare and contrast Count Olaf and Justice Strauss. Why on earth won't Mr. Poe just let the Baudelaires live with that nice lady?

-He was following the rules and would only let them live with whoever was closest to them.
-I think Mr. Poe is following the rules. He should have realized that Justice Strauss would be the better guardian. Maybe he could have done a split arrangement so that the kids live part of the time with Justice Strauss and part somewhere else.



What role does money play in the story? How is the Baudelaires' enormous fortune both a blessing and a curse for them?

-It's a blessing because they can buy whatever they want. But it's a curse because everyone wants to steal their money from them.
-It's a blessing because they can buy themselves better things than Count Olaf will give them. It's a curse because Count Olaf tries to marry Violet so that he can control her (his wife's) money.
-I think it's a blessing and a curse because when they ask for money to do things for Olaf, they are forced to use their own. It's a blessing because they would have enough money to support themselves if they run away.
-They can't use the money until they are 16. If they ever wanted to go, they could break the law and use the money.



What's up with all the creepy eyes in Count Olaf's house? Is he really always watching the Baudelaires?

-They are actually the eyes of his team. They are behind the walls watching them. The eyes could be little cameras. Or he could be obsessed with different kinds of animal eyes. He might be using magic.
-I think it's a symbol for something and it represents something.
-He has an eye tattoo on his ankle. I agree, maybe it's a symbol of something evil.
-There could be many tattoos on Count Olaf that we just haven't seen yet.
-The eye on his ankle might be something that Count Olaf really wanted to remember (the group was split on whether the memory was good or bad).



When the children lose their parents, does their relationship with each other change? How?

-I think they are closer because they realize they have to stick together to take care of each other.
-I think they have decided to stick together. 
-They have decided to stick together because they have no one else to count on. And then they continued to stick together.


Why is this book divided into thirteen chapters? Does Lemony Snicket just love unlucky things?

-I think Lemony Snicket does it on purpose. He made it even more unhappy with that number of chapters.
-I think that it could have been a coincidence but I think he did it on purpose. People might not have noticed it at once.
-He made it 13 chapters because he wanted to lengthen the story. And he wants to get the reader to feel like they know the story and the characters.
-I don't think that it's a coincidence because it's supposed to be an unhappy book. If people recognized the number of chapters, they might notice the story and the structure. 



Please rate this book between 1 and 5, with 5 being one of the best books you've read.

-Everyone ranked it a 5!



For January's Book Club, we will be reading Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson.

When forced to choose between staying with her guardian and being with her big brother, Ari chose her big brother. There's just one problem—Gage doesn't actually have a place to live.

We will be meeting on Wednesday, January 10 at 3:00 p.m. Copies of the book will be available at the Circulation Desk. Please be sure to register so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to provide!

January Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

 Frindle by Andrew Clements

When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume Two is a crowd when Peter and his little brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. From throwing temper tantrums to smearing mashed potatoes on the wall, Fudge causes mischief wherever he goes!

November Grades 3-4 Book Club: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

For November's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. Alba, Ava, Fiona, Lauren and Luna were present. Here's some of what we talked about!

Edward is repeatedly lost by those who love him. Have you ever lost something you treasured? How did you deal with it?

-I used to have a puppydog toy, which I would tell my friends was real, and one day I lost him. I cried and then I forgot about him.
-I have a stuffy that I sleep with every night. We were at a hotel and I left it in the sheets. The cleaners at the hotel thought they had found it but it was the wrong bunny! I cried.
-I got an Orca from Sea World and lost it. I kept thinking that it was where I used to live and blamed my brother. I was sad.

The day the maid misplaces Edward, Abilene runs from room to room, calling for him. Why does Abilene loves him so much? What emotion does Edward feel in return and why?

-Abilene really loves Edward. Edward feels like she can be annoying sometimes. He definitely loves her less.

This book is Edward's story, but all of the people who take him in have their own stories, too. Which was your favorite story and why?

-When he was with the fisherman because he was happy there and wasn't cranky. It seemed fun.
-My favorite story was with Bryce and Sarah. I was sad when she died. I liked how Edward loved them.
-My favorite part was with Bull and the dog because all of the homeless people would whisper secrets to him and call him by his own special name.
-I liked when Edward was with Bull and Lucy because I like dogs but also because he was with them so long, he learned to love them. And he listened to the hoboes and what they had to say to him.
-I liked when Edward was with Sarah and Bryce because that's where he was most happy.
-I think that Edward loved the grandma and grandpa and Sarah and Bryce the most.

What might happen to the characters after Edward leaves? How does Edward change their lives?

-I think when he got kicked from Bull and Lucy, Lucy would have tried to have jumped off the train to find him

-I think Abilene was very sad and tried to look for him. I think she put up Missing posters.
-In third grade, we had to write about inanimate objects and I wrote about a pencil that didn't like its owner. I think Abilene, Bryce and Bull were the most upset.
-Everyone that Edward traveled with thought that he was alive. They talked to him and acted like he was alive.
-I think when Edward got his head cracked, Bryce showed how much he loved him by giving him up to get him repaired.

The old doll helps Edward change his attitude and open his heart again. She tells him, "If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless" (page 189). What does she mean? Have you ever encountered someone who changed the way you thought or looked at the world?

-I think she meant that if Edward doesn't ever love anyone on his journey, then why go on the journey
-Wonder did that for me

What are some of the life lessons Edward learns on his journey, through good times and bad? What life lessons have you acquired in your life that you would like to pass on to someone else?

-To be less cruel
-To love people
-To be more loving
-When Sarah died, he learned that everyone dies
-From Lawrence and Nelly's daughter, Lolly, he learned that he should be nice 
-He learned that everyone thinks of him differently (Nelly thought he was a girl)
-Bull and Bryce treated him the same (they went on adventures)
-He represented a child that they lost to Nelly and Lawrence
-Lolly could have been a nice person but maybe her sadness about her brother's death made her a mad person (sad and mean) and she let her emotions out on Edward
-Lolly probably changed because she thought differently about the world after her brother's death
-Lolly wanted to know why the highchair was out and it brought out bad memories of her brother's death.

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

There was one 3
There were three 4s.
There was one 5.


For December's Book Club, we will be reading A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket.

After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune.

We will meet on Wednesday, December 13 at 3:00 p.m. Please register (and pick up your library copy of the book) at the Circulation Desk so that Miss Lisa knows how many people to expect!

December Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

The Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Three farmers, each one meaner than the other, try all-out warfare to get rid of the fox and his family.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater Relates how the unexpected delivery of a large crate containing a live penguin changes the life of Mr. Popper, a house painter obsessed by dreams of the polar region.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune.

October Book Club: Wonder by RJ Palacio

We had an interesting book discussion about Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Nine participants were present. Thanks to Alba, Amelia, Ava, Charlotte, Claire, Elizabeth, Fiona, Finley, Lauren, and Luna for joining in! Please read some of the comments about the book below, taken from the author's website.


1.  Don’t judge a boy by his face
What do you think of the line ‘Don’t judge a boy by his face’ which appears on the back cover of the book? Did this affect how much you wanted to read the story?

-It made me curious to read the book.
-It would make me intimidated to read.
-It makes sense for that to be on the back of the book because that's what it's about.
-We are all the same on the inside and didn't choose to look that way.
-It would make me wonder what it's about.
-I didn't read the book but I had seem it before and it made me feel nervous about reading it.
-I would think it would be a boring book, just about one thing.
-When I first saw it, before I ever read it, I thought it was called Eye Wonder because of the art of the cover.
 

2.  Auggie’s appearance

·Throughout Wonder, Auggie describes the way that many people react to seeing his face for the first time: by immediately looking away. Have you ever been in a situation where you have responded like this to seeing someone different? Having now read Wonder, how do you feel about this now?

-The author wrote this book because of an incident that happened at a store.
-I've never that way but if I had, I would probably feel bad for what I did and regret it.
-I haven't done that but if I did and then read this book, I would be ashamed of myself.
-I try to get a closer look at them.
-I looked away but now that I know that it would make them feel bad.
-When I went to Disney World and someone was staring at someone else, I made sure not to stare at them.
-Most people look away because they can't help it and it's rude to stare.
-People walking around someone who is handicapped is rude.
-I think it was rude for Julian to say "this is an eraser", saying that he thought Auggie didn't know anything because he looks different, like he's dumb or something.
-Julian asked in front of him in a rude way "did you walk through a fire?"
-When Julian's mom cut Auggie out of the school pictures. That was the worst.
-When the other kids started breaking away from Julian realizing that he's wrong
-When they were on the field trip, I liked that August's friends stood up for him.



·Auggie’s face is not fully described until quite far on in the story, in Via’s chapter ‘August: Through the Peephole’. How close was this description to your own mental picture of Auggie? Did you have a picture of his face in your mind while reading the book? Did this description alter that picture?

-I had a picture of a boy who had a ton of scars on his face and people still teased him. I realized that it wasn't so bad as not to be his friend.
-I imagined that you could see red in his eyes and his nose was crooked.
-The picture in my head was way worse than what I read.
-I imagined his face as droopy. 
-I imagined him something like what they said in the book but I didn't imagine his eyes halfway down his face.
-It said he couldn't hear sell so I imagined his ears just a little smaller.
-I imagined him to be tall and thin and his eyes droopy and mouth droopy. And his eyes halfway closed.
-I thought that maybe didn't have eyelids and wouldn't be able to smile that well because his mouth is straight.



3. Auggie’s personality

·How would you describe Auggie as a person in the first few chapters of the book? What about the final few chapters? Has he changed significantly? Are there any experiences or episodes during the story that you think had a particular effect on him? If so, how?

-The difference isn't in his face, it's in his personality. He changes from being a shy, scared kid to being a brave, nice person.
-In the beginning, he's afraid to meet people because he thinks they'll make fun of him but by the end, he's made friends who support him.
-He's much more bold and brave.
-He was shy and then he turned bold after he met more people.
-He was a kid who put pressure on himself but then began to like himself.
-I think the part that sticks out is that people avoid him and by the end he was someone everyone wanted to know.


4. The astronaut helmet

·In the chapter ‘Costumes,’ Auggie describes the astronaut helmet that he wore constantly as a younger child. We later learn that Miranda was the one to give Auggie the helmet, and is proud of the gift, but that it was Auggie’s father who threw it away. What do you think the helmet signifies to each of these characters and why do you think they all view it so differently?

-I think that Auggie loves the helmet because he wore it everyday and it was his special thing (so that he wouldn't be embarassed in public), his dad was annoyed that people couldn't see his real face and Miranda was happy to have given him something so precious.
-If I were Miranda, I'd want to see Auggie's face.
-Miranda was like a sister to Auggie.
-I think that the dad also because you couldn't see his inner beauty.
-Everyone was fighting over Auggie but in different ways.


We started running out of time here, so we sped up and only had a few of the kids give answers. They were all so into discussing this book, it was hard to tamp down that enthusiasm!

5. Via

·What did you think of Via as a character? Did you empathize with her? Why do you think Via was so angry to learn that Auggie cut off his Padawan braid? Do you think Via’s own attitude towards her brother changes throughout the story?

-I'm not sure why Via is so mad but the book says that sometimes she just is mad. Maybe it's because he took so long to grow it.
-Since August was in the hospital a lot, it was one of the last memories she had of Auggie
-I think that Via's attitude changed throughout the book. At first she was a little embarassed of Auggie and by the end she accepted him.



6.  At the ice cream parlor:

·The author has explained that she was inspired to write Wonder after an experience at a local ice cream parlour, very similar to the scene described in the chapter ‘Carvel’, where Jack sees Auggie for the first time. In this scene, Jack’s babysitter Veronica chooses to get up and quickly walk Jack and his little brother Jamie away from Auggie, rather than risk Jamie saying something rude or hurtful. What do you think you would have done, if put in that position?

-Via glared at Jack after he had a bit of an outburst about Auggie.
-Veronica rushed away with the kids.
-I would slap Jamie in the mouth.

The precepts (rules to live by) from the book:

"When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind."   —Dr. Wayne Dyer

"Your deeds are your monuments."   —Inscription on ancient Egyptian tomb

"Have no friends not equal to yourself."   —Confucius

"Fortune favors the bold."   —Virgil

"No man is an island, entire of itself."   —John Donne

"It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers."   —James Thurber

"Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much."   —Blaise Pascal

"What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful."   —Sappho

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can."   —John Wesley

"Just follow the day and reach for the sun."   —The Polyphonic Spree

"Everyone deserves a standing ovation because we all overcometh the world."   —Auggie Pullman



Precepts that some of the Book Club members shared:

-"There may be doubt in who you are but there's never any doubt that you are someone."
-We have something we say to be kind to people.
-"Live your life and have some freedom."
-"There are limits but sometimes you have to push yourself past those limits."
-"There's a time for this and there's a time for that and now is a time for that."
-"If something brings you down, just get up and try again."



The next Grades 3-4 Book Club will meet on Wednesday, November 15th at 4:00 p.m. Miss Lisa will be on vacation during our normal week (second Wednesday of the month).


We will be discussing The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo.

"Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. . . . 
Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle – that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again."- amazon.com

Please be sure to pick up your copy of the book at the Circulation Desk and to register for each session of the club so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!

November Book Club Suggestions

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

Clementine is having not so good of a week.

-On Monday she's sent to the principal’s office for cutting off Margaret’s hair.
- Tuesday, Margaret's mother is mad at her.
- Wednesday, she's sent to the principal... again.
- Thursday, Margaret stops speaking to her.
- Friday starts with yucky eggs and gets worse.
- And by Saturday, even her mother is mad at her.

Okay, fine. Clementine is having a DISASTROUS week.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. . . . 
Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle – that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

October Book Suggestions

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate  

When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life. When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin  Pinmei, a storyteller's granddaughter, must find the Luminous Stone that Lights the Night to rescue her grandmother, who has been kidnapped by the Tiger Emperor. Wonder by R.J. Palacio  Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

September Book Club: Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

For September's book club, we read Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Abigail, Amelia, Ava, Claire, Fiona, Kathryn, Lauren, Lottie, Luna, Mari, and Truman were present. We used these questions to guide our discussion but allowed ourselves to go off topic!



Fern shows her parents that she is responsible enough to care for Wilbur. What do you need to do to care for any pet? Do you have a pet? 




-You have to feed it and make a bed for it. 
-Wash it, feed it, give it water and let it play outside
-You should walk it
-Feeding it your leftovers (if you had a pig)
-You have to treat the yard for fleas and ticks   
-Take them to the vet
  

When Wilbur escapes from his pen, he runs about frantically until he lets himself be captured. He thinks, “I’m really too young to go out into the world alone” (chapter 3). Do you ever feel this way? When you are trying something new on your own, do you feel excited, brave, nervous, or frightened? 

-I'm sometimes scared to do new things
-I feel mostly excited and am nervous about doing something wrong
-It depends on what it is


Charlotte’s Web takes place on Mr. Zuckerman’s farm. Which farm animal would you most want to be, and which farm animal would you least want to be? Why? 

-I would be a horse because they would be one of the tallest and biggest animals
-I would be a spider. I would like to make a web and they are tiny so they can go in tiny spaces.
-I would want to be a goat.
-I would not want to be a pig because I don't want to get roasted.
-I would want to be a goat because they can eat trash
-I would be a horse because cows, chickens and other animals get eaten
-I would like to be a horse because you get to jump a lot. I would not want to be a rat because, like Templeton, they eat a lot.
-I would not like to be a pig because I don't want to be bacon. I would like to be a sheep because they're not eaten that often. 
-I would not want to be a spider because of what happened to Charlotte. They don't live very long. And I don't want to be captured by someone and tortured. I would like to be a rat. I would be a good rat and others would like me.
-I would like to be a horse because they don't get killed that often. I wouldn't want to be a pig because of bacon and pork.
-I would like to be an old dog. I wouldn't want to be a chicken because I don't want to be chicken.          


Fern and her brother, Avery, spend their days on the farm swinging on a rope swing, catching frogs, and picking raspberries. Do you think these activities are similar or different to what a lot of kids do for fun today? What activities do you like to do? 

-I go rope swinging.
-I do all.
-I catch frogs
-I pick raspberries, blueberries, etc.
-I usually
-They didn't have technology
-Trampolines
-Video games?
-No phones!       
-We all have books


Charlotte is desperate to save her friend Wilbur’s life, and she’s determined to come up with a plan. What are the disadvantages Charlotte faces as a spider trying to save a pig’s life?

-Spiders can get smooshed often and easily. She is tiny. And she can't talk to humans. And most people don't like spiders.
-Wilbur is so big compared to Charlotte. She's tiny but she saves him.
 

Mr. Zuckerman tells his wife, “Our pig is completely out of the ordinary” (chapter 11). Do you think this is true? Are there multiple characters in the story that are extraordinary?

-Charlotte
-The talking spider
-The talking pig
-All of the talking animals


When Charlotte’s plan starts to work, Wilbur becomes a famous pig. Fern is happy that Wilbur will be saved, but finds that now “the barn was not nearly as pleasant—too many people. She liked it better when she could be all alone with her friends the animals” (chapter 11). Would you like to be famous? Why or why not? What do you think are the costs of being famous? 

-I wouldn't want to be famous because then everyone knows your personal information
-I would not like to be famous because they ask stupid questions of you.
-I would half and half. People wait for you to mess up. 
-I would not want to be famous because I would always have to ask questions and I would never be home for dinner and I would miss my family
-People would be following you around all of the time.
-People would be crowding around you all the time and ask personal questions and you'd have no alone time
-I would like to be famous because I would have an entourage. Plus, I'd have my own private jet. I would bathe in money.
-I would like to be famous because lots of people like you and you have bodyguards and then you go to dinners and you can have dinner any place.   



In chapter 13, Charlotte has to complete the difficult task of weaving “TERRIFIC” into her web. She talks to herself as she works until the task is completed. What is the most difficult thing you have accomplished? How did you do it? Did you encourage yourself by talking to yourself or in another way? 

-The most difficult thing I did took me years. It took me a long time to learn to read. I still look up to him. I was trying to read out loud. I had to encourage myself along the way. When I was five, I started to read in my head. And Harry Potter was my breakthrough.
-I used to want to draw like my dad. So I started to draw.
-Climbing a mountain
-My friend from kindergarten was reading a lot and I was watching her. I watched her. And I learned from you.
-One of the hardest things was a competition and there was a trophy you could win for reading the most books.
-Skiing down a really hard mountain
-My hardest thing is to beat the battle of my sister. 
-If I was rich, I could have cookie gun. When we ran of Oreos (and cookies in general).  
-We went to the Alps and there were no ski lifts and we had to climb up the mountain and it was really yard
-I had to face doing a front-flip into a foam pit. I never did it. And my brother.
-Playing soccer
       

Here are some questions that I had prepared but we didn't get to. We were pretty busy in today's book club!

At first Wilbur is embarrassed that Charlotte is going to write “TERRIFIC” in her web, but eventually he begins to feel that he really is terrific. Why do you think Wilbur’s feelings about himself change?



How has fame affected Wilbur? What is the most important thing in his life? What are the most important things in your own life? Do you think those things would change if you became famous? 


Wilbur blushes when he receives a medal at the fair. Have you ever won an award or trophy? How did you feel (or how do you think you would feel)? 


Charlotte reflects upon her life and tells Wilbur, “By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.” Think about ways that kids can “lift up their lives a trifle” by helping others. What can you do to “lift up your own life?”


Charlotte saves Wilbur’s future, and Wilbur saves Charlotte’s future. How does each character accomplish this?

For October's Book Club, we will be reading Wonder by R.J. Palacio, per the club vote.

Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student. We will be meeting on Wednesday, October 11 at 3:00 p.m. Please pick up your copy of the book and sign up at the Circulation Desk so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!