The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Locale: Kate & Brenda's home

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

John Boyne

The Book: Nine year-old Bruno knows nothing of the Final Solution or the Holocaust. He is oblivious to the appalling cruelties being inflicted on the people of Europe by his country.

All he knows is that he has been moved from a comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a desolate area where there is nothing to do and no one to play with. Until he meets Shmuel, a boy who lives a strange parallel existence on the other side of the adjoining wire fence and who, like the other people there, wears a uniform of striped pyjamas.
Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel will take him from innocence to revelation. And in exploring what he is unwittingly a part of, he will inevitably become subsumed by the terrible process.
http://www.johnboyne.com/fiction/younger-readers/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/

The Meeting: Again, we had a small group. Olivia and I were unable to attend, but we do hope it was a good meeting. Knowing Kate & Brenda, it was. A viewing of the movie was offered after the meeting, but as I understand it, no one was able to stay.

The Vote: Again, we are behind. Not enough there to make the final decision. Email votes were needed. We will find out the results at our next meeting.

Emily presented:

• Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant 
• Mr. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 
• Origin by Jessical Khoury

We'll met @ Emily & Kristine's TBD.

Up Next: We'll met on November 15th @ Ashley & Jian's.

Next to Present: Rylee

Updates:  We still have room for two mom/daughter pairs to join us.

Then:

• Olivia
• Perri
• Cassie
• Odessa
• Kate
• Ashley
• Emily

Percy Jackson - The Lightening Thief by Rick Riodan

The Locale: Brenda & Kate's

Percy Jackson - The Lightening Thief

Rick Riodan

The Book: 
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction – Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.(http://www.rickriordan.com/my-books/percy-jackson/percy-jackson-olympians/lightning-thief.aspx)

The Fun: 

Yummy Greek food. Pastitsio - a Greek lasagna type dish. Greek salad. Ambrosia - fruit bar dessert. Nectar of the Gods - ice cream punch. Keftethes - meatballs. Tzatziki - dip & hummus. 

The girls were asked to arrive dressed up as their favorite Greek God or Goddess.  We had lots of Anthenas.  After partaking of the yummy Greek, book themed food, the girls   broke into groups and were asked to pick two animals from a bowl and, together, create and draw a new creature, a combo of the two animals chosen.  

A super discussion followed, including discussion of how the book compared to the movie.  After the meeting, several moms & daughters headed to Movies 8 to see the new Percy Jackson movie, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

Emily as Athena

Odessa as Athena

Cassie as Athena

Perri as Aphrodite

Kate as Artemis.  Odessa as Athena

A Snake + A Pig = A SNIG

A Man + A Cow = A Cowboy?

A Man + A Cat = A Catman  

The Goddesses

Hmmm….here's a riddle

The Vote: 

Emily presents...

• Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
• Divergent by Veronica Roth WINS!!
• Ashes by Ilisa Bick

We will be meeting @ Kristine & Emily's on February 15th. 

Up Next: 

• We will be having our annual cookie exchange again this year.  Many thanks to Susan & Cassie for hosting.  We will be meeting for this holiday Celebration on December 14th, Saturday, 2:00-4:00.  Everyone should bring 2 1/2 dozen cookies or treats--a 1/2 dozen to munch on at the exchange and 2 dozen to share.
• We will to discuss The Billionaire's Curse by Richard Newsome @ Jian & Ashley's on January 11th. 

Next to Present: Olivia

Then:

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

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

The Locale: Kate & Brenda's

Book’s Website:  None Available

Author’s Website:  None Available

The Book:  When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run from somewhere she wants to run to somewhere--to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother, Jamie, has money and thus can help her with the serious cash flow problem she invites him along. Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie, find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at an auction for a bargain price of $250. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. This quest leads Claudia to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself. (From Google Books)

The Fun:  Yummy! Nouilles et fromage en casserole (Mac n cheese) purchased at the Met Cafe.  The girls take a quiz and discuss the book. 

The Vote:  Our newest member, Ashley, presented the following books:

• Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (4 votes)
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (5 votes)
• Artemis Fowl: the opal deception by Eoin Colfer (0 votes)
  

Up Next:  The next meeting, on October 13th, will be at Smith & Elizabeth's home to discuss Number the Starts by Lois Lowry. 
Next to Present: Olivia

Updates: Katie & Brenda B. left the group.  Felt it was no longer a good fit for them.  Next up to invite new members in Megan & Dawn.

The Sorta Sisters by Adriane Fogelin

The Locale: Kate & Brenda’s

Adriane Fogelin's Website

The Book's Website

The Book: With insight and compassion, Fogelin explores the complexities and rewards of friendship and family. Twelve-year-old foster child Anna, a quiet loner, hopes she’s finally found a home in Tallahassee with biology teacher Miss Johnette. Outspoken 11-year-old Mica lives on a sailboat in the Keys with her increasingly absent father, a marine biologist. The girls, both nature lovers, become pen pals and “sorta sisters,” as they exchange letters, shells, milkweed seeds, and support on issues such as how to fit in at school and Mica’s father’s alcoholism. A heartfelt story that shows the many factors that create family, friends, and home. Grades 5-8. (From Booklist)

 The Fun (waiting for Kate’s Report): 

(Susan’s Report) We were fortunate enough to have the book’s author, Adrian Fogelin, attend our meeting. Thanks Kate & Brenda! Ms. Fogelin spent time explaining how she came up with the idea for the book--and other books, which aren’t in a series but all involve the same characters and their relationships. So interesting! She also brought her portfolio of original artwork that she created and used for the novel. I look forward to getting Brenda & Kate’s take on the meeting and adding it to the blog.

The Vote: At our April meeting held at Megan & Dawn’s home, both Katie & Smith presented books and votes were cast.

We will meet at Katie & Brenda’s home on August 20th to discuss Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris.

We will meet at Smith & Elizabeth’s home in September/October, date TBD, to discuss The Girl Who Could Fly.

Who Presents Next: Olivia & Susan @ Katie & Brenda’s.

Changes/Updates: Looking for adding one more mother & daughter team, it is Cassie & Susan’s turn to invite a member, who will possibly attend our August meeting.

The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker

  

The Locale: Kate & Brenda’s Home 

The Book: This debut novel follows the adventures of 14-year-old Princess Emeralda and the talking frog she meets one day in a swamp. The frog begs her to give him a kiss so that he will turn back into Prince Eadric, his identity before an evil witch turned him into an amphibian. When the young royal obliges, she, too, is transformed into a frog, and the two leap off in search of the spell-casting witch to ask her to reverse her handiwork. Describing the duo's futile quest in laborious detail, the author pads her tale with some curiously drab characters, including another witch (who hopes to use Emeralda and Eadric in a spell she's concocting) and a bat and snake who reside in her cottage. The tale occasionally offers peppy dialogue and some comical scenes-particularly as the newly transformed Emeralda adjusts to catching flies with her tongue.

The Fun: What a fun day, and what a fun way to end our meetings for the school year! Brenda & Kate outdid themselves, starting with the creative titles for the delicious refreshments (see below). After the initial “hello’s” and munching, for the first activity, the girls broke up into three groups and were given the task of creating their own magical spell.

• Group One:  Kate, Perri, & Megan 
• Group Two:  Inkary & Emma 
• Group Three:  Olivia & Cassie 

The spell rules - the spells had to have a minimum of four lines and rhyme. After creating their spells, the girls had to read their spells for the entire group which had to guess what the spells did. The spells were FAB-A-MUNDO! Very creative and thoughtful.

Group 1
A Spell to Stop Poachers
Poachers Big; Poachers Small
Poachers Short; Poachers Tall
Come Together All of Y’all
Stop Drinking Root Beer
and Definitely Stop Killing Deer

Group 2 

A Spell to Make a Shelter 

With this Spell I Say in Delight 

Make a Shelter to Stay in Tonight 

Don’t Make it too Cold 

Don’t Make it too Hot 

But Make Sure I Like it a lot!

Group 3

 A Hair Detangler Spell
Shampoo, Condition, and Take it Out!My Knot is Very Big & Stout
Using Dragon’s Breath & Oil of Seal
Make this Knot so small
That I cannot Feel!

The Fun Continued: After sharing their spells, the girls played a bean bag tossing game, bouncing frog bean bags off a mini frog trampoline onto pads numbered 1-6. Staying in their teams, if their frog bean bags landed on a numbered lily pad, the teams answered questions about the book and earn points. After five rounds--the girl’s REALLY enjoyed this competition--team 1 had earned about 20 points and won the competition.

The girls then had a mini-discussion about the book. Most of the girls loved it; the mom’s--not so much. But it was decided for most young ladies, this would be the perfect beach read.

The festivities ended with Toilet Paper Brides. The girls broke up into two groups, dressed their model in a haute couture designed from toilet paper, which of course, was modeled for the moms. I’m sure Brenda & Kate had fun cleaning up that mess!

The Food: Kate and Brenda got VERY creative with their food and dish titles. We ate Magic Wand Sandwiches (egg, pimento, and PBJ on star shaped bread), Dragon’s Breath Punch, Swampy Dirt Dessert, and Princess Emeralda Cake. Yum, Yum!

The Vote: Starting at the beginning of our rotation, and starting off our second year together, Olivia presented the following books:

• The Magician’s Nephew, the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia Series, by C.S. Lewis 
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen 
• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart 

To Vote, the girls closed their eyes and/or put their heads down. As I called out the girl’s name, each girl raised her hand, indicating their choice by holding up one, two, or three fingers. After the first round, there was a tie between The Magician’s Nephew and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Megan, who cast the only vote for Hoot got to break the tie by changing her vote to the The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. The meeting at Olivia and Susan’s is planned for September 25th.

Up Next: The Bad Beginning--The first book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket at Smith & Elizabeth’s house on August 28th. And don’t forget the challenge to read as many of the entire series, starting with number one, as possible.