May Bookworms Meeting - Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood

This past Thursday we had our fifth and final meeting of the 4th & 5th grade book club - The BOOKWORMS - for this school year at our library. For the May meeting, the kids chose to read PRAIRIE EVERS by Ellen Airgood.

Book Description: 
Prairie Evers is finding that socialization isn't all it's cracked up to be. She's been homeschooled by her granny and has learned the most from traipsing through nature. But now she has to attend public school, and feels just like her chickens--cooped up and subject to the pecking order. School is a jolt for Prairie until she meets Ivy, her first true friend. But while raising chickens and the great outdoors have given Prairie wisdom and perspective, nothing has prepared her for the give and take of friendship. When Prairie finds out that Ivy's home may not be the best place for Ivy, Prairie must corral all her optimism and determination to hatch a plan to help.

This book really was a sweet, but thoughtful foray into a young girl's life. Prairie was homeschooled until she moves and begins to attend fifth grade in public school. Her story is such a mix of family-handed down wisdom, country life, and her new life in upstate New York. All three girls really enjoyed the story, and we got into some great discussions about school, family relationships, and raising animals for pets and food.

To start the meeting, we again did our trivia contest, with a candy to both the winner and our very close runners up. Then I had a list of discussion questions that we talked about. Here are a couple quick examples:

*What do you think are the benefits to homeschooling? What are benefits to being in "regular" school?

*What is the best show and tell item (or visual aid for a presentation) that you have ever brought to school?

*How would you feel about eating chicken if you raised your own?

I'm always amazed at how intuitive these kids can be about certain topics. They talked about social interactions in school, being held back by slower learners, or learning in different ways from a classmate if their teacher's style didn't work for them. They discussed the ethics of eating meat if you owned chickens, pigs, or cows as pets... I really do love hearing their ideas and perspectives and seeing how they end up influencing my own!

We finished out our meeting by designing our own quilt squares. Prairie's mom makes her money by creating quilts and teaching a quilting class in the book. I'd loved to have taught them how to actually make a real quilt square, but time, skill levels and money were all a factor here, so... we colored our quilt designs instead.

(This is mine.) It's amazing to see how very creative the kids can be. One girl did all of her squares in orange, but with different patterns drawn on each square. Another created a larger picture over all nine of her squares. Honestly, I would have loved to see these quilts in real life.

 
I'm sad to say that we're done for this school year. I'm hoping each of these attendees will return in the fall. But for now, on to planning the summer reading programs!!

April Bookworms Meeting - The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

This past Thursday we had our fourth meeting of the 4th & 5th grade book club - The BOOKWORMS - at our library. For the April meeting, the kids chose to read THE HUMMING ROOM. It is a modern day retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden.

Book Description: 

Hiding is Roo Fanshaw’s special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment’s notice. When her parents are murdered, it’s her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.

As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn’t believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.

Despite the best efforts of her uncle’s assistants, Roo discovers the house’s hidden room—a garden with a tragic secret.

I really enjoyed this retelling and both the girls and our boy participant enjoyed it, as well. One had even read The Secret Garden before so she understood the parallels the author made in this new version.  We had a lot of fun talking about family relationships, friendships, and the start of what could become romance. (They made laugh, claiming I was turning the whole book into a soap opera...LOL)  

To start the program, we again did our trivia contest, with a blowpop to the winner and some consolatory tootsie rolls to the "non-winners." Then I had a list of discussion questions that we talked about. Here are a couple quick examples:

*What do you think Roo thinks of herself in the beginning of the story? Does her opinion change over time?

*How are Roo and her uncle alike? What about Roo and Phillip?

*Why does Phillip dislike Jack at first? How do his feelings change?

I'm always amazed at how intuitive these kids can be about certain topics. They even picked up on some things that I may have missed, partially because I am an adult reader, rather than a child... I love hearing their perspectives and getting to facilitate their discussions!

We finished out our meeting by decorating some bio-degradable "jiffy pots." 

 I also gave them seeds that they could go home and plant in their pots, so they could add to their own gardens. It was a fun time and perfectly timed for one of our spring meetings, too! 

Next Month: PRAIRIE EVERS by Ellen Airgood 

March Bookworms Meeting - One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

This past Thursday we had our third meeting of the 4th & 5th grade book club - The BOOKWORMS - at our library. It went really well! This month I had my first boy attendee and we had some awesome discussions about the book. 

 

For the March meeting, the kids chose to read ONE FOR THE MURPHYS. It is a heart-wrenching, but hopeful tale of a girl who learns what family love can truly be like from her temporary foster home.

Book Description:
Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she's blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong--until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She's not really a Murphy, but the gifts they've given her have opened up a new future.

 

I loved this book, the girls and our boy all loved this book (especially because there was no romance, ugh... LOL) and they really got into discussing all of the emotional and family issues that were tackled here.

To start the program, again we had a little trivia contest, with blowpops as the prize for most correct answers, and then I had a list of discussion questions that we talked about. Here are a couple quick examples:

*When Carley first goes to live with the Murphys she hopes NOT to like Mrs. Murphy. Can you figure out why she might feel that way?

*Carley learns a lot about courage and being someone's hero. What do you think true courage is? Who are your heroes?

*Why do you think the author chose to have Carley go back to her mom at the end? Would you have made the same choice?

Some of their answers were pretty insightful, and some parked excellent new discussions. I love hearing what their perspectives are on real life issues!

 

We finished up the meeting by doing a great and thoughtful activity.  The author, herself, actually put together a teacher guide for this book.  One of the things she posted on her website was a list of "culminating activities" and one was PERFECT for our group:

Fast forward twelve years into the future. Carley is now twenty five. Write a letter from Carley to Julie Murphy explaining what Carley's life has been like since she left the Murphys.  Where is she now and what is she doing?

Each of the kids brainstormed their own ideas about what happened to Carley as she grew up. I loved seeing how each of them pictured different outcomes.  Some of the kids had Carley growing up and naming her children after the Murphys, one had her become a firefighter like Mr. Murphy, and in my vision of her future, she became a school psychiatrist so that she could help lots of children work through their own family troubles.

All in all, a FABULOUS meeting!

Next month: The Humming Room by Ellen Potter.

February Bookworms Meeting - Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

This past Thursday we had our second meeting of the 4th & 5th grade book club - The BOOKWORMS - at our library. It went really well! Attendance was still a little low, but the girls that came had loved our activity and we had some awesome discussions about the book. 

For the February meeting, the kids chose to read THREE TIMES LUCKY. It is a action-packed Southern mystery with a very plucky narrator named Mo. There's murder, mayhem, a tornado, sass, and plenty of heart. 

Book Description:
Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

I loved this book, the girls loved the book, and what do you know?  Shortly after we picked it, it was announced as a Newbery Medal Honor book for 2012!!

To start the program, again we had a little trivia contest, with blowpops as the prize for most correct answers, and then I had a list of discussion questions that we talked about. Here are a couple quick examples:

*What really makes up a family?

*How did living in a small town affect Mo's life?

*If you had a friend with an abusive parent (or other adult) in their life, what would you do?

Some of their answers were pretty insightful, and some parked excellent new discussions. I love hearing what their perspectives are on real life issues!

We finished up the meeting by making our own MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE. We used baby food jars and I printed out paper from the computer that had a parchment look.  I let the girls use the special edging scissors to make cool effects and then we wrote with fancy pens that look like paint.

This particular message is mine, but the girls decided to write messages that they were going to throw in the sea while they were on vacation. They used the library address as a place that someone finding the message could write back to...we'll have to see if they make any new pen pals. The girls loved it!!

All in all, a GREAT meeting!

Next month: One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

January Bookworms Meeting - Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger

This past Thursday we had the very first meeting of our book club for grades 4&5 - The BOOKWORMS - at our library.  It went really well!  Attendance was a little less than I'd expected, but the girls that came had a really great time and we had some awesome discussions about the book. 

For this first meeting, I chose Tom Angleberger's newest book, FAKE MUSTACHE (check out my personal review here).  It is a hilarious book that manages to touch on some interesting moral issues and it isn't too long, so I thought it would be a great first pick. 

The girls agreed - HA! Victory to the Librarian...LOL. :) 
I was so pleased that they liked the book.  Things are so much easier when that's the case.  Anyway... they had a ton of fun plotting things like what they would do if *they* could hypnotize peolpe with fake mustaches! 

We had a little trivia contest, with blowpops as the prize for most correct answers, and then I had a list of discussion questions that we talked about.  Here are a couple quick examples:

*When you meet someone for the first time, how does what they look like affect what you think of them?

*If you could hypnotize people into doing things for you, would you?

*Have you ever read another book where an object had good or bad feelings or powers attached to it?

Some of their answers were pretty insightful, and some were downright hilarious!

We finished up the meeting by making our own fake mustache rings.  The girls loved it!!

(Photographic evidence, LOL!)

Next month: Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage