The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Locale: Emma & Diana's

The Selection

Kiera Cass

The Book: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.  http://www.kieracass.com/books/  

The Meeting:  Our last meeting with Emma & Diana, hosted by them in their home, with packed boxes all around.  A bittersweet meeting.  Excited for them and their new adventure, moving to Wake Forest.  So sad to see them leave.  It was a fun meeting though.  Reading the novel, reminded mothers of the old TV show, The Dating Game, so we had a mock dating game with the girls.  Someone playing the prince, and three girls playing one of the girls in The Selection, one of which, of course, was Natalie.  It was a somewhat impromptu, somewhat planned activity, but it was a hoot.

The Vote:Odessa presented...

• Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt 
• OK for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
• Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar  WINS!!!

We will meet at Odessa & Ai Ying's home on September 20th to discuss Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar.  

Up Next: 

We will be meeting @ Cassie & Susan's on on August 23rd to discuss Looking for Alaska by John Green.   

Updates:  We are down to 8 mom/daughter members.  We typically like to have 10, which means we have space to invite two new pairs.  Olivia and I know of some interested parties.  Does anyone else have any moms/daughters in mind?

Next to present:  Kate

Then:

• Ashley
• Emily
• Rylee 
• Olivia
• Perri
• Emma
• Cassie
• Kate

Maximum Ride, The Angel Experiement by James Patterson

The Locale:  Emma & Diana's

Official Maximum Ride Website

James Patterson

The Book:  
From the bestselling author James Patterson comes the stunning, breathtaking start to the blockbuster series! Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans... and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it. (From GoodReads)

The Fun:  
As asked, most of the girls showed up dressed in costume, a character with super powers.  We had to guess what was each girl's super power based on the costume.  We had girls who harnessed the power of fire...and was a Animal Whisperer.

The girls were also directed to pair up and conduct TV Interviews, as if one girl was the TV reporter and the other was a customer in the restaurant were the characters of the book flew about.  However, that was not the end result.  The girls took it step further and created a video, with most girls playing a part.

The Vote:  
Odessa presents-- 

• When You Reach Me By Rebecca Stead Winner! 
• Every Soul A Star By Wendy Mass 
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate By Jacqueline Kelly 

 Up Next:  
Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis at Cassie & Susan's on Saturday, April 20th
 
Next to Present: Megan

Then:

• Kate
• Smith
• Ashley
• Emily
• Olivia
• Perri
• Emma
• Cassie
• Odessa
• Megan

The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John

The Locale: Emma & Diana's

The Book's Website

The Author's Website

The Book: Martine is an eleven-year old girl living in England.  When her parents are killed in a house fire, she is forced to live with her grandmother, Gwyn Thomas, who lives on a game reserve in South Africa.  During her first few weeks there, she hears stories of the white giraffe, a legendary animal.  Martine doesn't believe the myths...until, one day, while sneaking through the forest, she comes face to face with the ivory-colored creature itself!  But while Martine learns to ride the giraffe, whom she names Jemmy, poachers wreak havoc on the reserve.  When Martine was not in the forest, they took Jemmy!  Will Martine ever see her beloved giraffe again?

The Fun: The girls got into pairs and completed a crossword about the animals on the reserve.  Afterwards, the girls got creative and drew their havens.  This related to the book because in the novel, Jemmy took Martine to a beautiful place that was his haven.  Many ideas shared were similar to this, like Odessa's and Kate's, which both took place in the woods, while others were extremely different, like Smith's shopping haven, or Emma's giant chocolate cupcake.  Then, girls and moms voted on blog names.  The top two were "Tally Town Bookworms" and "Somepocack".  Obviously, "Tally Town Bookworms" was indeed the winner.

The Vote: It was Odessa's turn to bring up books.  The choices were:

•  Bloomability by Sharon Creech 
• The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick, which was brought up for the fourth time, having been brought up twice by Cassie and once by Olivia
• Where I'd Like to Be by Frances O'Roark Dowell. 

 The Mother-Daughter Book Club won almost unanimously.

Who Presents Next: Megan and Dawn

Up Next: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares at Cassie and Susan's house on March 31st.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The Locale: Emma & Diana’s Home

The Book: It is the story of Lina, a 12-year-old girl who lives in Ember and has been given her first job assignment after school has ended. This sci-fi tale of adventure and friendship is a good read for upper elementary to middle schoolers (although I think adults will enjoy it more as a commentary on society). (Thanks, Creamer Blog)

The Fun: The girls were asked to bring old items, items that have been unused and ready to give or throw away, and come up with an idea for repurposing those items. Some of the items and their uses are listed below.

• A non-writing pen = turn into a flashlight; a"stabber" thing; a trick pen
• View master slide = use as a Frisbee toy
• Broken watch = use as a cat collar
• Gold chain = turn into a bracelet 
• Chewed up pencil = save and use lead; save and use the eraser; incense stick
• Flat tennis balls + tube = use carton tube as a cup; use the balls for a walker to cushion the metal
• Timer = alarm clock; wall holder; beeper to annoy people

                                                      

The girls were also asked to come up with a list of items that they didn’t have in Ember. Here’s their list.

• TVs
• Candles
• Pineapples
• Phones
• Sunscreen
• Wii
• Weeds
• Peaches
• Flashlights
• Birds
• No animals
• Blue sky
• Oil
• Cars
• Weather
• Probably cold and damp
• Salt water
• Beaches

Since the people of Ember often gathered to sing traditional songs, the girls were asked to come up with some songs of their own. Below is a few:

Song of Darkness

The dark of the night and black outs.

We don’t like these things. 

We know every inch of the streets but in the dark we freeze...

Lalalalalalalalalal

We are scared of the dark but we are glad when the lights are back Yaah! 

We don’t like the darkness but we sing this joyful song!

Ember is cold

And it’s really old

There’s nothing good to eat

And the mayor isn’t sweet

But on a happier note

I don’t mean to gloat

It’s save underground

Where Mayor Cole is round

So in Summary

The people live in misery

Cause Mayor Cole is a Cheat

And he gets lots to eat

And so is Looper

The River Song

(Sung to the tune of Bad Romance by Lady GaGa) 

Riv-Riv-Riv-River

Riv-Riv-Riv-River

Riv-Riv-Riv-River

Where we get our water

It’s where we get our water supply

Without our water oh me oh my

oh why, why, why

why, why, why, oh why, oh why, yeah

We need our water to survive

without it we would surely die

oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 

and we really don’t want to die

oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, 

the river is a giver of life (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)

the underground river

The Food:  

1. •Mayor Cole Is a big Chicken salad
2. •Pineapple with Generator Grease dip
3. •Doon Harro's humus
4. •Lina's Lemonade (made with River Water)
5. •Clary's Greenhouse Veggies
6. •Darkness and Light Cook
   
   
   Up Next: School of Fear at Cassie & Susan’s on January 22nd. 
   
   
   The Vote: No vote was taken at this meeting.
   
   
   Who Presents Next: Both Odessa and Megan should be prepared to bring books to our January meeting. Odessa would be up first, then Megan.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

The Locale: Emma & Diana’s Home

The Book: Not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book, or a movie, but a combination of all these things. Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery. 
The Fun: Meeting at Emma’s was great fun! The girls paired off for interviews--One of the girls pretended to be the author while the other was the interviewer. At the end, the girls performed their interviews for their group. After that the girls discussed their favorite pictures in the book, and there were LOTS! Olivia’s mom brought a movie screen and projector and we got to view several You-Tube videos that Emma’s mom found, all which related to our book.

The Videos: 

• An Interview with the Author
• A Today Show Interview with the Author from Al Roker's Book Club for Kids
• Demonstration of the Franklin Institute Automaton
• The movie A Trip to the Moon by Georges Melies  
• A Train Arrives at the Station - very short - not by Melies but mentioned in the book as causing a riot when shown, as folks had never seen anything like it and thought the train was really headed toward them.

The Food: Yummy eats included cream puffs, brie cheese, chicken salad, and strawberries.

The Vote: Presented by Odessa - Blister by Susan Shreve, Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery, Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan. Ida B wins!

Up Next: Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater at Cassie’s house on November 7th.