Pax

Waiting for my friends to show up!

Yesterday I held my second book group of the summer at Starbucks.  There were only four of us but boy did we have some great conversation about Sara Pennypacker's much loved and talked about book of 2016, Pax.  There was definitely consensus that this book will make our Newbery 2017 list for fifth grade.

"The book was filled with metaphors with a strong theme of loyalty," one girl expressed. "I learned that it is not a perfect world."

I gave the kids some sentences to complete and here's what they said:

My favorite character is...

...Runt because he is playful and liked Pax from the start, even though Bristle tried to keep him away.

...Pax because I like his personality.  It comes across as inviting through the author's writing.

...Bristle.  I liked Bristle because she cared deeply for Runt.  It was sweet when she finally warmed up to Pax.

I could relate to Peter when...

...he took Vola as a friend because I'm always willing to be a friend.

....he felt sad about not having his pet by his side.


I felt angry when...

...Peter found out that his dad knew about the war coming to where he wanted to leave his fox, but didn't tell him.

...his dad was pressuring Peter into doing some things he didn't want to.

...Peter sent Pax away.  Also when hearing how angry Peter's dad got and how sometimes he would take it out on his own son.

And about whether they liked it or not and what made it "distinguished":

This book has good detail and description about the setting.  Also the author uses characters (foxes) that others might not use often.

I think it has some things you could relate to and parts that made you think and feel.

Amazing descriptions of characters, feelings, setting.  Good plot.

I am looking forward to sharing this book with more students in the fall!  It will definitely be a Newbery book group book for sure!

This young lady is going into fourth grade and had so many good things to share!

This rising 6th grader came to every book group last year and looks like she will be at every one this year, too!
#SheLovesToRead

I knew that this rising 6th grader read Pax in the spring but I invited her to join us at the last minute.
She came straight from camp! Hooray!

The obligatory, hot and humid Summer Leap for Books!

The summer that will be remembered...

What a SUMMER!  It started hours after school ended on June 25 as I boarded a plane to ALA in San Francisco to Barcelona, France, mountains of North Carolina, two Broadway shows, a 15k, Jersey Shore, Virginia and more...This pictures are so *random* but capture a little taste of my unforgettable summer. 

FIRST day of SUMMER VACATION!  On my way to ALA!

Bill Konigsburg (no relation to E.L.) I picked up this book for my daughter and then she read it for her summer reading homework!

I forgot!  The music teacher, Mrs. Gibney, and I saw Trombone Shorty live.  He was AMAZING!

If you ever have a chance to see him, GO! And pick up his book today!  It's illustrated by our friend, Bryan Collier.

Getting as many cousins and more to jump with me on the Jersey shore.

La Familia Sagrada in Barcelona--pretty incredible.

A leap with my cousin in Barcelona

I took that Crossover book everywhere with me.  This gentleman must have thought I was crazy when I asked him to pose with it!

Relaxing at my aunt's house in Lagleygeolle, France.

Leaping during our night bike tour of Paris.

It didn't matter how heavy my backpack was, that book was coming with me for the day!

A final leap in Paris. We WILL be back!

And I read a little, too.  I always wish I could read more.  In no particular order, I read Crenshaw (comes out in a couple of weeks), George, Sunny Side Up, Roller Girl, Book Scavenger, Circus Mirandus, Lost in the Sun, Unusual Chickens, The War that Saved My Life, Enchanted Air, Stella by Starlight, Hilo and just today I started listening to Echo in the car. Ah, man.  I really wish I had read more.  Everything I read I enjoyed and I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED having my FIVE book groups over the summer.  I will definitely be doing that again next year.

Tomorrow is our first day of school.  I'm super excited.  We are going to have a Sarah Weeks year with a sprinkling of Chris Grabenstein and who else?  Last year Kwame Alexander was our big surprise.  Right now I'm humming all songs I can think of with the words "honey" and/or "pie" in it for my introduction to Sarah tomorrow.  I want to get those kids crazed for her and I know I will!

Today I got up early and drove to Albany to shop at Trader Joes.  I stuck the first CD of Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan in the CD player and was instantly mesmerized.  I'm hooked.  Only that I walk to school and don't have much time in the car alone to listen.  Winter time is my book listening time because I can just throw my ear phones on and shovel to my little heart's content. Fortunately, there is no snow yet but unfortunately, I'm looking for a long road trip to come my way.

I have never felt so excited about a first day in a long time (of course, I have no plan for what to wear, but do have my lunch made).  I'm excited about Sarah and Chris and the collaborations that will take place over the course of the year.  October and November are going to be super busy with my daughter's Bat Mitzvah, NYLA and AASL but it's all good.  By Thanksgiving I will need to stay under my covers for a while and not come out for a few days.  Great time to catch up on my reading that I never had a chance to do while I was "summering" all summer.

May you all have a wonderful start of school and splindiferous year ahead of you!

Filling in a couple of other book club pictures...Book Scavenger, Unusual Chickens and Roller Girl

I realized that I just posted about tonight's book group without sharing anything about the other three. The summer has gotten away from me.  Remember my blog from this morning?  I wanted to cross BLOG off my list.  That sharpie is out to put that big, black line through the word, "BLOG." But right now I am just procrastinating doing anything else.  At least this is a productive way to procrastinate.

Some of my students had this to say about, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones:

4 1/2 * I like that she writes letters as the text.  

I also like that she finds more chickens as the book goes on.

4* It's funny, sad and an interesting writing form.

4* Funny book and sometimes sad and mysterious

4* Funny, sad and weird.

5* This book was great! 

It was mysterious, interesting, funny and sad.

We had a great time at Starbucks in East Greenbush (except for the fact that I spilled some hot chocolate!)

Can you believe this is a summer book club?  These kids are awesome!

Look how serious they are!

And the obligatory LEAP!

A week later we met at 16 Handles for our Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson book club meeting.

We talked about what our roller derby names might be.  Here are a few the students came up with:

COOKIE SMASH

HOT SAUCE

PURPLE SPIKER

COLORFUL POKADOTS

SPANISH BEAST

CRAZY ONE

I love these!  The kids loved the book. They thought it was funny and sad. One said she "liked the book and would read it a lot." Most of the ratings were 5*!

Frozen yogurt with a side of Roller Girl. Yum!

The rain stopped so we could jump!

I can't seem to find the reviews for Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman but know that the kids loved that book, too!  They loved the mystery!

What a summer filled with great reading!  I am looking forward to a fall filled with just as many good books!

LOST in the SUN

Back in June when I was planning my summer reading book clubs, I kept calling myself words like, "insane", "crazy" and other synonyms along those lines when I planned for FIVE. Especially when I knew I'd be heading to Europe, North Carolina, Virginia, and Utica. Now that the fifth one finished tonight I promise I will do it all over again next summer. Mark my word.

Seven 5th - 7th graders showed up tonight at 16 Handles for some yummy yogurt (sponsored by the Schodack Faculty Association) and a great discussion on Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff.  They LOVED the book.  Here are just a few of their quotes (note there may be some spoilers):

5*Best book ever!  I loved the ending.  I hope there is a second one just as good!

I like how it ends in mystery.

4 1/2 * This was an amazing book.  

It had a great ending with how they didn't tell you how she got the scar. 

[He didn't give it 5* because he really did not like Dad.]

I liked when Trent made friends with Fallon because they both had no friends.

I didn't like the ending because it didn't tell how she got her scar.

There better be a second one!

Some of the kids were so mad about the ending that one threw it on the floor and another one punched the couch!  If that doesn't say they were into it, I'm not sure what is!

Of course we LEAPT!

Lost with the sun in our eyes...

Circus Mirandus

Circus Mirandus

By Cassie Beasley

Can you believe this banner?  I want it for my library!!!!

Cassie wasn't at ALA but they gave away signed books and animal crackers! #Awesome

 

This book is another fabulous one in the magical realism genre.  If you liked Natalie Lloyd's Snicker of Magic last year you will love this!  When Micah Tuttle's grandfather, Ephraim, was younger he was in the magical Circus Mirandus.  The kind of circus we would all love to go to!  Now Ephraim is not well and he is asking to use his saved miracle from the past that he got from the "Lightbender." Micah, with the help of his friend, Jenny find the Circus Mirandus, the Lightbender and Mr. Head to try and get Ephraim's miracle and save him.  Wow.  Talk about magical.  It reminded me, too, of Megan Frazer Blakemore's delightful 2013 MG novel, The Water Castle.  Circus Mirandus is beautifully written with fabulous quotes you will hold on to for a long time.  I imagine that kids who like realistic fiction and/or fantasy are going to love it.




 Here are just a few of my favorite quotes. There are many more scattered throughout:

"It's important when you see magic, to recognize it." (p.34)

"Just because a magic is small doesn't mean it is unimportant…

Even the smallest magics can grow." (p.120)

"…when you try too hard to hold on to something, you break it…

Sometimes we need to let go so that other people can have their chance at the magic." (p.221)

Tomorrow I have a book group meeting at Panera to talk about the book!  I can't wait to hear what the kids thought!