Friday, March 10, 2017




March is National READING Month!

Featured Book:

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.
The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

NOW in Theaters--(Warning--this movies is pretty racy for this age group--preview prior to taking your child)


READING MONTH CHALLENGE!!

Pick 2-3 of these types of books to read this month!
  1. Read one of your parents’ favorite books.
  2. Read again a book you read when you were younger.
  3. Read a book set in Africa.
  4. Read a book about a missionary.
  5. Read a book recommended by a friend.
  6. Read a classic book, not required for homeschool (or school).
  7. Read a book with a one-word title.
  8. Read a book whose author was younger than 25 when they wrote it.
  9. Read a book of historical fiction. 
  10. Read an autobiography written by someone you’ve never heard of. 
  11. Read a book that is a travel journal.
  12. Read a book in which the main character is an animal.
  13. Read a book in which animals speak.
  14. Read a book with a giant in it.
  15. Read a book set in London.
  16. Read a book about a sports figure or artist.
  17. Read a book based on true events.
  18. Read a book that takes place in the Middle Ages.
  19. Read a book that has a child as the main character.
  20. Read a book that has a character with a disability of some sort.
  21. Read a book that involves a flood or other natural catastrophe.
  22. Read a book whose title contains the name of a city or country.
  23. Read a book whose setting spans more than one hundred years.
  24. Read a book that was authored by two people.
  25. Read a book where one of the main characters is in law enforcement or the military.
  26. Read a book in which a character is adopted.
  27. Read a book written by G.A. Henty.
  28. Read a book that is a compilation of short stories.
  29. Read a book about someone who signed the Declaration of Independence.
  30. Read a book that has been translated into another language.
  31. Read a book with “how to” in its title.
  32. Read a book that you never thought you would read.
  33. Read a book where most of the action takes place on an island.
  34. Read a book that is the first in a series.
  35. Read a book written in the 1800s.
  36. Read a book that takes place in the future.
  37. Read a book that has a cover where the author’s name is written bigger than the title of the book.
  38. If you’re a girl, read a book with a male protagonist. If you’re a boy, read a book with a female protagonist.
  39. Read a dystopian novel.
  40. Read a book with a color in the title.
  41. Read a mystery novel.
  42. Read a book that’s been made into a movie.
  43. Read a book in which something happens that could never happen in real life.
  44. Read a book written by C.S. Lewis.
  45. Read a book that is a biblical allegory.
  46. Read a book that contains time travel.
  47. Read a book of poetry.
  48. Read a book of mythology.
  49. Read a book that has more than 500 pages.
  50. Read a book that was the winner of the Newbery Medal.
  51. Read a book that is set during a war.
  52. Read a book that fits in at least 3 of the above categories.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

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:


Monday, November 21, 2016

NOVEMBER BOOK CHOICE!!

Cover art

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

Image result




Friday, August 5, 2016

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!!



Sunday, June 26, 2016

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/

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

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.

Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus



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!