December Grades 3-4 Book Club: Clean Getaway

For the December's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read the book Clean Getaway by Nic Stone. Alex and Emily was present. Here's what we discussed, with help from the publisher's website. 

Reflect on the following quotes:

 

 a. “Looks like we’re both trying to make a run for it.” (p. 48)

 b. “It’s possible to know too much about the folks in your life.” (p. 77)

 c. “So people don’t have to enjoy the wrong they’re doing to do it?” (p. 85)

 d. “Man, I hate this world sometimes.” (p. 136)

 e. “They get seventeen more days. Most of them good.” (p. 211)

 

 

Guilt is a recurring theme in this book. How does guilt motivate G’ma? How does guilt affect Scoob?

 

What is your opinion of G’ma? Was she a good person? Explain the multiple facets of her character. Is anyone all good or all bad?

 

What are some lessons or universal themes in this book? Did it make you think about anything in a new way? What? And why?

 

What are your thoughts about the relationship between G’ma and G’pop? Do you agree with her choice to not bring their son to visit G’pop in prison? Do you agree with her choice to keep secrets from her son? Reflect on this relationship.

Do you think Scoob will ever tell his dad about what G’ma confessed to him? Why or why not?

 

What realization does Scoob come to when he says, “I’m sorry you lost your mom.” (p. 215) Do you think kids sometimes forget their parents are people, too?

 

What do you think of Scoob’s decision to bury G’ma’s treasure box in Mexico? What would you have done?

Do you think events like those in the book could ever happen? Why or why not?

 

Would you call the end of the book a happy one? Why or why not?

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

-4

-4

Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, January 13 at 3:30 p.m. We will be meeting via Zoom. We will be reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume.

"Peter finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever increasing problem."

Books will be available within a week. Please be sure to register so that I can email you the Zoom password!

January Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

Life with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing mashed potatoes on the walls at Hamburger Heaven, or trying to fly, he's never far from trouble. He's an almost three-year-old terror who gets away with everything, and Peter's had it up to here! When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter's pet turtle, it's the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge for too long. Way too long! How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

Upside Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins

It's never easy when your magic goes wonky.

For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn into a dragon or a kitten, she turns into both of them at the same time -- a dritten.

For Elliott, the simple act of conjuring fire from his fingertips turns into a fully frozen failure.

For Andres, wonky magic means he's always floating in the air, bouncing off the walls, or sitting on the ceiling.

For Bax, a bad moment of magic will turn him into a . . . actually, he'd rather not talk about that.

Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax are just four of the students in Dunwiddle Magic School's Upside-Down Magic class. In their classroom, lessons are unconventional, students are unpredictable, and magic has a tendency to turn wonky at the worst possible moments. Because it's always amazing, the trouble a little wonky magic can cause . . .