October Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Life of Zarf: The Trouble with Weasels by Rob Harrell

Love fractured fairy tales? Zarf is a troll who lives among fairy tale characters. After the King goes missing, Zarf’s arch nemesis, Prince Roquefort, takes over the kingdom. Zarf must team up with his best friends to save the day. 

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgrin

Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!

Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater

An exciting new series full of magical creatures, whimsical adventures, and quirky illustrations. Pip is a girl who can talk to magical creatures. Her aunt is a vet for magical creatures. And her new friend Tomas is allergic to most magical creatures. When things go amok -- and they often go amok -- Pip consults Jeffrey Higgleston's Guide to Magical Creatures, a reference work that Pip finds herself constantly amending. Because dealing with magical creatures like unicorns, griffins, and fuzzles doesn't just require book knowledge -- it requires hands-on experience and thinking on your feet. For example, when fuzzles (which have an awful habit of bursting into flame when they're agitated) invade your town, it's not enough to know what the fuzzles are -- Pip and Tomas also must trace the fuzzles' agitation to its source, and in doing so, save the whole town.

August Grades 3-4 Book Club: The Terrible Two by Jory John and Mac Barnett

For August's Book Club, we read The Terrible Two by Jory John and Mac Barnett. Those attending were Andrew, Cadence, Eloise, and Henry.  Here are our thoughts...

Who if your favorite character in the story? Why?:

-Niles because he's pretty funny at first. He's a serious character and it's pretty impressive how he tricks everybody by making them think he's a goody-two-shoes.
-Stuart because he just goes along with everything, even when he's been pranked. He thinks everything is funny. 
-I like how Stuart only yells certain words. 
-I kind of like Miles. He was the main character but he didn't go big with his pranks.


Did you feel bad for Miles when he moved to a new town and realized that his role of prankster had already been taken?:

-A little bit bad. He didn't want to move and then he wasn't the thing that he thought he'd be when he got to the new town.

Do you think that Principal Barkin was a good principal? Why or why not?: 

-Because he blamed Miles for stuff he didn't do.
-He wasn't a good guy but I bet if you were a principal and all of these bad things happened, you might act a little bit like Principal Barkin might did. Principal Barkin was somewhat justified in thinking that the new kid did it.
-He was horrible. Some of the people before him as well. No one ever canceled school even if the situation called for it.


What was with Josh Barkin getting away with being a bully? Why was he allowed to be so mean to other kids?

-Because his dad is the principal.
-He didn't know that his kid was bad. Whenever he was with his dad, he acted nice and innocent.
-No one ever bothered telling on Josh because they knew he wouldn't get in trouble.

Have you ever pranked someone? Did it turn out like you planned?

-I was at my friend's house and he and I put ice water in balloons on a string and cut the string to land on people who then fell on a blanket. It only worked out okay. The water balloons missed them but a bucket of water hit them. They were mad.



Do you think that Miles and Niles's final prank was a good one? Why or why not? 

-Uh, yeah. Because they can't get down stairs.
-It was well-planned but not good. Cows to miss a school day? It's a big risk. All that planning.
-Yeah, because the cows couldn't get out. They finally missed a day of school.
-They covered their tracks well.



If you could change a scene in the story, which one would it be? Why?:

-Everything was kind of necessary in the book.


Are you excited to hear that this is a series and there will be more adventures for Miles and Niles?


-I wouldn't read more.
-They could add more main characters.
-It's hard to top stuffing a ton of cows in the school.
-Less cows for the next prank.

Please rate this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best:

-4
-3
-3.5
-2

Here's a link to making your own Prankster's Notebook: https://www.abramsbooks.com/pdfs/academic/terrible_two_activities.pdf

The book for the next Book Club meeting is Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds  by Marissa Moss. We will be meeting on Wednesday, September 9th at 3:00 p.m. Copies of this book will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. Please come with recommendations for October's Book Club selection. Thanks!

September Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss

A story of a nineteen-year-old woman who disguised herself as a man to avoid an unwanted marriage and who distinguished herself as a male nurse during the Civil War, and later as a spy for the Union Army.

July Grades 3-4 Book Club: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

In July, we discussed Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff. Andrew, Clare, Ellie, and Owen were present. Please find some of the comments about the book below. 


1. In the magical kingdom where Rump is set, a name determines a person's destiny. How do you think names affect people? If you had a different name, do you think that you or your life would be different?
-I think that I would have a different destiny if my name were different. When you have a bad name, you probably won't have as good as a destiny as other people.
-In the book, only one person could have a name, like Red.




2. Rump thinks that he isn't smart, mostly because of his name. Do you agree? Does Rump's belief about himself change how he sees the world? How does this affect the choices he makes?
 
-When Rump goes on the journey to rescue Opal, he gets courage even though he has his name. He does make smart decisions.
-I don't think he's stupid at all. He makes good decisions sometimes.
-The bullies are not being smart.




3. What events or actions from the original Grimm Brothers' tale of Rumpelstiltskin are explained or clarified in Rump? What liberties did the author take in changing the original tale?


-It adds more details to the story.
-This one is definitely different.
-Red. The pixies. The gold. Red's granny.
-Yonder and Beyond.


4. The original Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale is written from the third-person point of view, while Rump is written from Rump's first-person point of view. How does that affect the two stories and what we understand about them? How might point of view affect other stories, or even history?


-In the third person, it often moves to a different character. In the first person, it stays with the same character. If you do third person, you learn from different perspectives. In first person, you learn more detail.
-Rump talks about his destiny, which you wouldn't know in third person.
-In the original story, Rumpelstiltskin's reasons for doing things are not obvious.




5. What are pixies? Would you consider them to be helpful or harmful? How does their presence change the story or cause certain events to happen?


-The pixies are little fairy things. They are both harmful and helpful. They bite but they can help you find gold. They are greedy.
-Near the end, Rump finds their helpfulness.
-The pixies are pests. They change though. They used to sing and dance and be happy but now they are just pests trying to find gold because there is so little gold for them to find.
-They are like little fleas trying to steal your gold. They try to bite. They are harmful and they are harmful.




7. Throughout the story, there are many secrets that are kept and revealed. Instances of someone keeping an important secret from someone else. What reasons do each of these characters have for keeping a secret? Does trying to keep the secret accomplish what each character hoped it would?


-I think that not telling Gran about the gold was hurtful because she had so much stress and she died.
-I wouldn't trade the gold to the fat greedy miller.
-I would say that Rump should have traded with someone nice. Rump kept going back to the greedy miller who wouldn't have given him a better bargain.



8. What other fairy tales were mentioned in Rump? 

-The Witch of the Woods
-Red is Little Red Riding Hood


10. Do you think that the author should write a sequel or companion book to Rump?

-No
-Yes



11. On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate Rump?

-7
-10
-9.5 
-10

We will be meeting on Wednesday, August 5th at 3:00 p.m. to discuss The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John. Please remember to sign up at the Circulation Desk when you pick up your copy of the book!

Miles Murphy is not happy to be moving to Yawnee Valley, a sleepy town that’s famous for one thing and one thing only: cows. In his old school, everyone knew him as the town’s best prankster, but Miles quickly discovers that Yawnee Valley already has a prankster, and a great one. If Miles is going to take the title from this mystery kid, he is going to have to raise his game.

It’s prankster against prankster in an epic war of trickery, until the two finally decide to join forces and pull off the biggest prank ever seen: a prank so huge that it would make the members of the International Order of Disorder proud.

August Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle

When Tony's mother is sent to jail, he is sent to stay with a great uncle he has never met in Sierra Nevada. It is a daunting move--Tony's new world bears no semblance to his previous one. But slowly, against a remote and remarkable backdrop, the scars from Tony's troubled past begin to heal. 

With his Tió and a search-and-rescue dog named Gabe by his side, he learns how to track wild animals, is welcomed to the Cowboy Church, and makes new friends at the Mountain School. Most importantly though, it is through Gabe that Tony discovers unconditional love for the first time, in Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle.

The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. by Gregory K. Pincus

Gregory K is the middle child in a family of mathematical geniuses. But if he claimed to love math? Well, he'd be fibbing. What he really wants most is to go to Author Camp. But to get his parents' permission he's going to have to pass his math class, which has a probability of 0. THAT much he can understand! To make matters worse, he's been playing fast and loose with the truth: "I LOVE math" he tells his parents. "I've entered a citywide math contest!" he tells his teacher. "We're going to author camp!" he tells his best friend, Kelly. And now, somehow, he's going to have to make good on his promises.

Hilariously it's the "Fibonacci Sequence" -- a famous mathematical formula! -- that comes to the rescue, inspiring Gregory to create a whole new form of poem: the Fib! Maybe Fibs will save the day, and help Gregory find his way back to the truth.

For every kid who equates math with torture but wants his own way to shine, here's a novel that is way more than the sum of its parts.


May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love.

June Grades 3-4 Book Club: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

In June, we discussed Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. Eve, Owen and Spencer were present. Please find some of the comments about the book below. 

1. In the beginning of the story, Kyle's teacher and his mother compare him to his brothers. Have you ever been compared to your siblings or other students? How did it make you feel?

 -It made me feel like I'm way better than other kids in the class.
-I've been compared to my sister in height and she's younger than me. It makes me angry that she's almost taller than me.
-My mom and dad sometimes compare me to my brother but not often because my mom does not like comparing.

2. On the statue of Mr. Lemoncello, there is the following quote: "Knowledge not shared remains unknown." What do you think that quote means?

-It means that if you don't share what you know, other people might never know. You need to get it out there.
-It's hard to accomplish things by yourself. If you don't share things with others, it's much hard.


3. Charles says, "You should never help your competition." Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

-I agree and disagree. If you want to make an alliance with someone, you need to team up with others. If you don't want to make an alliance, you're not going to help your competition. If you do make an alliance, don't help the other alliances.
-If you help your competition to form a team, you can combine your resources so that things make sense. 


4. At one point, the Lemoncello dummy says, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

-How you play the game is the most important thing. If you're going to cheat to win, that doesn't make sense.
-If you're going to cheat to win, there is not pride in the win.



5. Miguel says "A library should be a know-place for know-bodies." What does that mean?

-It means that it should be a place where people are who know a lot of stuff.
-A place for people who are smart.
-A place for people who want to learn.
 
6. Who was your favorite character and why?

-It's either Miguel or Kyle. They stand out because of their good sportsmanship.
-I don't have one. I liked everyone but Charles. My favorite character is Dr. Zinchenko.
-I don't know yet who my favorite character is.

7. Please rank the book from 1-5. 

-4
-5
-4


We will be meeting on July 8th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff.

"Relates the tale of Rumpelstiltskin's childhood and youth, explaining why his name is so important, how he is able to spin straw into gold, and why a first-born child is his reward for helping the miller's daughter-turned-queen." Please remember to sign up for Book Club so that Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to get.

June Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.


A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd 

Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.


The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.
Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection--he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?