January Grades 3-4 Book Club: Paper Things

For January's Book Club, we read Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Abigail, Alba, Amelia, Ava, Claire, Finley and Lauren were present. This is some of what we discussed, based on suggestions from Candlewick Press.

Gage leaves his home and takes Ari with him. What personality traits lead him to make this decision? Do you think he is a good brother?

-I think he's a good brother. When he was leaving, he was confident that he could get a better life. He was confident and brave.
-I think he was a bad brother because he didn't give Ari a chance to decide.
-I think that Gage is very independent because he doesn't to be with Janna. He kind of pulls Ari into it but he gives her time to decide.
-She wants to stay with Janna and Gage didn't give her a chance to decide.

Which scenes best show Ari’s strengths as a person? Which scenes shed light on her weaknesses? Did the experience of homelessness change her? If so, how?

-She's really brave when she spoke to the reporter during crazy hat day. She hadn't even told her best friend yet.
-I think she's brave when she keeps on going and she doesn't go back to Janna right away.
-She's really brave in trusting her brother. She didn't know if she was going to ever get a home again.
-It was hard for her not to be clean and the other girls were teasing her. 
-She was weak when she saw Keisha at the soup kitchen and pretended that she wasn't there. She was too embarrassed by her circumstances.

Discuss Ari and Sasha’s friendship. Do you think they will remain best friends? Why or why not?  

-I think that they don't remain best friends. Keisha takes over Ari's spot.
-They aren't going to remain friends. Ari will realise that Sasha is not the friend to have if she dumps her so quickly.

Both family traditions and school traditions are important to Ari. What traditions are important to you? Why?

-Pajama night on Christmas Eve. It's important because it's fun and special. 
-I was born in Spain. We go to Spain every winter break. There's a tradition there that you eat grapes during the countdown to midnight. I love doing that with my family.
-On Christmas, we always open a package from our relatives in Kentucky. I get a B&N gift card and a Hallmark ornament. It's like getting to see my grandparents again.

Ari says, “Ever since I can remember, I’ve had this theory that when each person is born, he or she is given an imaginary sack with the same number of happy moments, same number of horrible-news moments, same number of please-let-me-die-now embarrassments” (105). What do you think of this theory? Support your argument.

-I think it's a good theory to think. You're thinking on the bright side. Her life has been so terrible and now her life will have to be upbeat.
-I disagree. She said at the end that she has horrible news moments. She was looking at the bad side of things.
-I also disagree. It depends on the person's life. 

Why doesn’t Ari tell others that she and Gage are struggling? What would you have done in her situation?

-I think she doesn't tell others. She's embarrassed of what others might think. No one will feel bad for her. They will just walk away from her. If I was in that situation, I might tell my teacher. I might not.
-I agree.
-I think she's not telling because people might feel too bad for her. I would only tell my best friend if that happened to me and tell her not to tell anyone else. 
-I would have told my friends part of the truth. I would have told white lies to excuse why I was acting the way I was. 
-I think she's embarrassed to tell other people. She used to be pretty popular and the teachers liked her. I think I would have told my friends and asked them to help me a bit. 

Daniel creates a bucket list. What things would you like to do before you leave your current school?

-I move all the time so I don't care.
-I would find another school.
-I move all the time.
-I would make a bucket list for college. I would publish books and go to all of the states.
-I want to fling mashed potatoes on the ceiling in the cafeteria. And I want to put ice under my feet and slide all the way down the hallway. I want to sleep in the school.

For February's Book Club, we will be reading Fortune Falls by Jenny Goebel. 

In Fortune Falls, where superstitions are real, and all children must pass regular "luck tests" to see if they are worthy, ill-fortuned Sadie has always been deemed as unlucky, and shunted aside for her luckier younger brother--but when she finds an unusually intelligent black cat named Jinx, her fortunes begin to change for the better.

We will meet on Wednesday, February 14 at 3:00 p.m. Please be sure to pick up a library copy of the book at the Circulation Desk (and to register for Book Club). 

February Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Fortune Falls by Jenny Goebel In Fortune Falls, where superstitions are real, and all children must pass regular "luck tests" to see if they are worthy, ill-fortuned Sadie has always been deemed as unlucky, and shunted aside for her luckier younger brother--but when she finds an unusually intelligent black cat named Jinx, her fortunes begin to change for the better. The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan An award-winning, big-hearted time capsule of one class’s poems during a transformative school year. A great pick for fans of Margarita Engle and Eileen Spinelli. Eighteen kids, one year of poems, one school set to close. Two yellow bulldozers crouched outside, ready to eat the building in one greedy gulp. But look out, bulldozers. Ms. Hill’s fifth-grade class has plans for you. They’re going to speak up and work together to save their school.   Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes When her fifth-grade teacher hints that a series of lessons about home and community will culminate with one big answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Dèja can't help but feel confused. She sets off on a journey of discovery, with new friends Ben and Sabeen by her side. But just as she gets closer to answering big questions about who she is, what America means, and how communities can grow (and heal), she uncovers new questions, too. Like, why does Pop get so angry when she brings up anything about the towers? Award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes tells a powerful story about young people who weren't alive to witness this defining moment in history, but begin to realize how much it colors their every day.