FEBRUARY BOOK CHOICE 2017

For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken -- Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good -- powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.

Order:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416947205/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1416947205&linkCode=as2&tag=orsoshesays-20&linkId=SVYZEF6HK6K2BIWC

NOVEMBER BOOK CHOICE!!

NOVEMBER!!

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

To ORDER ONLINE:

https://www.amazon.com/Miss-Peregrines-Home-Peculiar-Children

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-peregrines-home-for-peculiar-children-ransom-riggs/1100388567?ean=9781594749711

OR VISIT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY!!

QUESTIONS:

Pre-Reading

1. Do you believe that there is such a thing as time travel?
2. Do you think there could be another type of person out there we don’t know about?
3. Do you believe in monsters?
4. Do you believe in people having special powers?

Connections:

1. Write about an experience where you had to trust someone even if you thought it was a bad idea.
2. If time travel were possible, when and where would you go and why?

During Reading

1. Page 26- How would you explain the friendship between Ricky and Jacob?

2. Page 29- It never explained what really killed his grandfather. Was it the "monster" Jacob saw in the woods?

3. Page 91- When Oggie doesn't remember one person surviving the bombing does this seem like he's hiding more? Use evidence from the text to explain your answer.

4. Page 99- Is his grandfather really all that crazy, or is what he told him as a kid really true?

5. Page 102- Does the bird symbolize something? Will it later lead him to the woman he's looking for to figure out more about his grandfather?

6. Do you think Jacob going through the loop so often is a good thing? Explain your answer. Pg. 196

7. What questions would you want to ask Miss Peregrine? Pg. 204

8. What was the problem with Jacob talking to the children about his time and where he comes from? pg. 205

9. How is Jacob similar to his grandfather? Use quotes from the text to support your answer. Pg 230

10. What are some of the problems that you think will come from Jacob and Emma seeing each other? Pg. 239

ACTIVITIES:

Survival

List ways in which the peculiar children survive the world and ways in which modern equipment could help them.

Character Description

Write a physical, emotional, and relational description of two characters from Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Add a portrait to go along with your written description.

Special Ability

Choose a special ability you would like to have and explain why you would want it and how you would use it.

Comparison

Read another Ransom Riggs book and write a comparison and contrast between the two of them.

Posters

Create three posters about Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children using a variety of media (chalk, paint, markers, watercolors, etc.).

TV Reporter

Pretend you are a TV reporter and provide an on-scene report from a specific scene in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children as if it is happening right now. For example, Abe being killed, Jacob...

WATCH THE MOVIE!!

OFFICIAL TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAdpJw-MM-M

August Book Choice

#1

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

DO IT YOURSELF HARRY POTTER WANDS:  http://boxycolonial.com/diy-harry-potter-wands/

HARRY POTTER WOULD YOU RATHER GAME:  https://www.getawaytoday.com/blogs/2015-12-10/harry-potter-would-you-rather-game 

                                 #2

Ben Coffin has never been one for making friends. As a former foster kid, he knows people can up and leave without so much as a goodbye. Ben prefers to spend his time with the characters in his favorite sci-fi books…until he rescues an abandoned mutt from the alley next-door to the Coney Island Library. 
 
Scruffy little Flip leads Ben to befriend a fellow book-lover named Halley—yes, like the comet—a girl unlike anyone he has ever met. Ben begins thinking of her as “Rainbow Girl” because of her crazy-colored clothes and her laugh, pure magic, the kind that makes you smile away the stormiest day.  

Check your local library for copies or purchase at Barnes and Noble/Amazon!!

BOOK CHALLENGE FOR KIDS!

GRUMPASAURUS ACTIVITIES:

Ernest HEMINGWAY info!!

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/ernest-hemingway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway

http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/ernest-hemingway

ACTIVITIES:

Coloring Page:  http://www.thecolor.com/Coloring/Ernest-Hemingway.aspx

Make a timeline of Ernest Hemingway's life and/or work.

Ernest Hemingway Notebook Page: http://homeschoolhelperonline.com/PDFs/notebooking/biography/ernest_hemingway.pdf

Make a lapbook on Ernest Hemingway: http://mullinitoverforyou.blogspot.com/2011/12/learning-through-lapbooks-scrapbooking.html

Build a dinosaur: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/diNosaurs/buildadiNo/index.htm

Draw your own dinosaur: http://www.eslprintables.com/vocabulary_worksheets/the_animals/dinosaurs/_Draw_Your_Own_Original_Di_275924/

JUNE BOOK CHOICE 2016!!

For Younger ages or just a fun read!

Have you ever met a Grumpasaurus? I bet you have. In fact, you may even have one in your own home. Want to know what makes them tick? This handy guide, meticulously researched and lovingly illustrated, tells you everything you need to know. Above all they should be handled with care—otherwise they can become VERY loud and VERY fearsome. In this appealingly modern and clever picture book, a field guide format is applied to the study of the cranky child . . . er, rather, the GRUMPASAURUS . . . who, in spite of himself, will win your heart.





For Older ages  9-12!

The It Girl, by Katy Birchall
In Katy Birchall’s debut novel, super-shy 12-year-old Anna Huntley thinks she’s a total dork. She’s happiest hanging out at her home in London with her Labrador named Dog, recreating famous film scenes like the lift from The Lion King during that “Circle of Life” song. But her journalist dad just got engaged to a famous actress, unexpectedly thrusting Anna into the spotlight as Britain’s new It Girl. After some funny blunders and truly absurd moments, Anna learns the importance of staying true to herself in this hilarious and endearing book.

Read this month and stay tuned for activities to accompany the books!

October Book Choice!! NOT NORMAN by Kelly Bennett--Jumpstart's READ FOR THE RECORD BOOK CHOICE!

Join us for the 10th anniversary of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record®, a global campaign that generates public support for high-quality early learning and highlights the importance of building children’s vocabulary and love for reading. On October 22, 2015 children and adults worldwide will take action by participating in the world’s largest shared reading experience.

Each year, Jumpstart selects one children’s book as the catalyst for Read for the Record. This year’s campaign book, Not Norman: A Goldfish Story, written by Kelly Bennett and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones, is a humorous tale about a child who finds a new friend in an unexpected place. With vivid illustrations and expressive language, the story is sure to engage children and adults of all ages. Help us break the world reading record (again!) for the most people reading the same book on the same day.

http://www.jstart.org/campaigns/read-for-the-record

OVERVIEW

Norman the goldfish isn’t what this little boy had in mind. He wanted a different kind of pet — one that could run and catch, or chase string and climb trees, a soft furry pet to sleep on his bed at night. Definitely not Norman. But when he tries to trade Norman for a "good pet," things don’t go as he planned. Could it be that Norman is a better pet than he thought? With wry humor and lighthearted affection, author Kelly Bennett and illustrator Noah Z. Jones tell an unexpected — and positively fishy — tale about finding the good in something you didn’t know
you wanted.

ACTIVITIES

• Caring for Critters:

Children learn best when they use the knowledge they already have about something and connect it to new information. Consider providing a variety of books about veterinary offices or owning a pet to help children learn new things about animals and pets.

• Full of Feelings:

Boost children’s comprehension by recalling scenes from the book and discussing a character’s feelings. For example, you could say, “I remember this part. The boy was disappointed because he wanted a pet that could run and chase strings.” Children will follow your lead as they recall events from the story as well.

• Pick a Perfect Pet:

Look at a non-fiction book about animals or create additional picture cards based on the animals you know children are interested in. Encourage their attempts at writing, even if it just looks like lines. When in doubt, ask the expert! “That’s your writing, you know what it says. Can you read it to me?”