October's Book

Posted
by John David Anderson

October 19th (3rd Thurs)
7:30 pm at Aimeè's

Summary from Harper Collins.com

From John David Anderson, author of the acclaimed Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, comes a humorous, poignant, and original contemporary story about bullying, broken friendships, and the failures of communication between kids.

In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.

When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.

In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same.

Click here to find it at the public library
Click here to find it on Amazon
Click here to find it at Barnes and Noble

Click here for discussion questions from Harper Collins

June's Book

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
by Richard Bach

June 29th (5th Thurs)
7:30pm at Sarah F.'s 


Note from Sarah

Here are some questions to think about as you read/rethink what you read and I'd love to hear what you guys think on Thursday. I love analyzing literature and hope you do too!

-Why did the author choose a seagull as the base of his story/what could be some of the symbolism?

-Why flight/flying as the 'goal' (what's the symbolism in flight)?

-In what ways did Jonathan begin to understand that he was more than a 'limited mortal' (or perhaps think of it as an eternal being)?

-What can we learn about love and missionary work in the story? (How did Jonathan help Fletcher and others)

-How is forgiveness and love one of the keys to learning and progressing in the story? What are some of the other keys discussed?

-In what ways are we like Jonathan? In what ways are we like Fletcher? What is the Flock-are we?

Bring other thoughts/questions/discussions as you'd like.

If you are looking for something else to read in the meantime-I highly suggest Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson...many parts of it match well with Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Summary from Amazon:
This is the story for people who follow their hearts and make their own rules...people who get special pleasure out of doing something well, even if only for themselves...peopel who know there's more to this living than meets the eye:  they'll be right there with Jonathan, flying higher and faster than they ever dreamed.

A pioneering work that wed graphics with words, Jonathan Livingston Seagull now enjoys a whole new life.

Click here to find the book at the public library
Click here to find the book on Amazon
Click here to find the book at Barnes and Noble

May's Book

The Westing Game
by Ellen Raskin

May 18th (3rd Thursday)
7:30pm at Angela's

Summary from Amazon
A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel w. Westing's will.  And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger-and possible murderer-to inherit his vast fortune, one things for sure: Sam Westing may be dead...but that won't stop him from playing one last game!

Book trailer:

Discussion Questions can be found here

To find the book click below:

• Public Library
• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble

September's book

Anthem
by Ayn Rand

Sept. 17th (3rd Thurs.)
8pm at Aimeè's

Summary:
In a chilling future world in which all individuality has been crushed, one man, Equality 7-2521, dares to defy the ideals of collectivism, make personal choices, to seek forbidden knowledge, and to love the woman of his choice.

summary from local library website

*This book comes from the sophomore English reading list, there are 2 copies of the book floating around the book club.

Click here to find it at the library.

Click here to find it on amazon.

Click here for discussion questions.

May's Book

Michael Vey 
The Prisoner of Cell 25
by Richard Paul Evans

May 14th (2nd Thurs)
8pm at Judy P.'s 

Summary:

To everyone at Meridian High School, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette's syndrome. But in truth, Michael is extremely special--he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. With the help of Michael's friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric teens--and through them, the world.

Summary from the libary website

Click here to visit the book website and see the book trailer 

Click here to visit the library website 

March's Book

Peak
by Roland Smith

March 19th (3rd Thurs)
8pm at Andi M.'s

Summary:

After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he's left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father's renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit — and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it's also one that could cost him his life.

Roland Smith has created an action-packed adventure about friendship, sacrifice, family, and the drive to take on Everest, despite the incredible risk. Peak is a novel that readers won't be able to put down.

Summary from www.scholastic.com

Click here for discussion questions from wikibloggroup.com

Click here to visit the library website

*Emily P. picked up a library caboodle kit.  Please pick up & return books to her.

August's Book

Beauty
a retelling of the story of Beauty and the beast
by Robin McKinley

Aug. 15th  (3rd Thurs)
8pm at Janeen's

Summary:
A strange imprisonment...

Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.

When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?"

Robin McKinley's beloved telling illuminates the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple, Beauty and the Beast.

summary from www.goodreads.com

Click here to visit the library website and reserve your copy.

January's Book

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

Jan. 19, 2011 (3rd Wed.)
8pm at Judy's

Judy said:
There is a wait at the library but most books were due before Christmas, so that should give us all time to read.

Summary:
In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.

Click on the picture to go to the library web site

January's Book

Book of a Thousand Days
by Shannon Hale

January 14th (Wednesday)
8pm at Jenn's

The Library has several copies of the book. Click on the picture or the word library above to go directly to the library's web site.

Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Dashti, sworn to obey her sixteen-year-old mistress, the Lady Saren, shares Saren's years of punishment locked in a tower, then brings her safely to the lands of her true love, where both must hide who they are as they work as kitchen maids.

Review:
Drawing from a classic Grimm's fairy tale and Mongolian tradition, this is an engaging tale of a resourceful maid and her emotionally fragile mistress. Set in medieval times, Dashti comes to Titor's Garden, one of the Eight Realms, to find work. She becomes maid to Lady Saren just as Saren is confined to a tower for refusing to marry Lord Khasar. They are given food and other items to last for seven years, and then the tower is bricked up except for a hole for emptying waste. When the food begins to run out after three years, Dashti finds a way out of the tower, and the two begin a journey to the realm of Kahn Tegus. After arriving, the two go to work in the kitchen. Dashti, brave and intelligent, helps Saren and the khan, whose realm faces attack. In the end, she marries Khan Tegus. Written as a journal, the book has a historical feel with fantasy elements. Drawings among the entries help the reader visualize unfamiliar elements and give insight into the characters. The book is another solid work from this Newbury Honor Medal winner. Recommended. Betsy Ruffin, Librarian, Irving Elementary, Cleburne, Texas © 2008 Linworth Publishing, Inc