The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

The Locale: Odessa and Ai Ying's

The Book's Website

The Author's Website

The Book: Megan is one of the most popular girls in her school.  Cassidy is a jock.  And Jess and Emma only have each other.  But even though tense relations exist between them, their mothers form a mother-daughter book club after yoga, scheduled to meet once a month.  When the book Little Women is chosen, the girls can't help but compare what's going on in their lives to what's going on in Jo's life.


The Fun: Fun facts on Heather Vogel Frederick were passed out.  The girls then discussed the novel.

The Vote: The Winner was:  From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg.

Who Presents Next:  Smith, then Katie, then Ashley...and then we're at the top of the list again with Olivia.

Up Next:  The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch @ Megan & Dawn's on May 19th.

Updates:  We will not be meeting over the summer.  Our last meeting for this school year will be in May.  We'll look to meet again in the fall @ Kate & Brenda Powell's.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

The Locale: Cassie and Susan's

The Book's Website

The Author's Website

The Book:  Carmen, Lena, Bridget and Tibby are very close friends who spend all their time with each other.  But this summer, Carmen's visiting her father in South Carolina, Lena's visiting her grandparents in Greece, Bridget's going to a summer camp on Baja California, and Tibby's working at the Wallman's back home.  So when they find a pair of pants that magically fits all four girls right before they depart, it must be fate...right?  Will the faded denim of the Pants be strong enough to keep the Sisterhood together?

The Fun: First, Susan S. explained the new blog features to the members of the book club.  Then, the girls discussed their thoughts about the book.  Later, the girls performed a relay,  They kicked a soccer ball up a hill to represent Bridget, played tennis with Cassie to represent Carmen, and buried a Mimi to represent Tibby.  Afterwards, the movie adaptation of the novel was shown.

The Vote: It was Megan's turn to bring up books.  Although she and Dawn were unable to make it to the meeting, they emailed in Megan's choices.  The choices were:

• The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
• The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
• Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

The winner was The Name of this Book is Secret.

Who Presents Next: Kate and Brenda

Up Next: The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick at Odessa and AiYing's on April 28th

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.

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Locale: Perri & TJ’s

Elijah of Buxton Book Talk Trailer @ Scholastic

Book Review @ Scholastic

Elijah of Buxton Book Trailer @ Scholastic

Elijah of Buxton Book Talk Trailer @ Scholastic

The Book:
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor Book for 2008, the wonderful book is about eleven-year-old Elijah, the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit. He's best known for having made a memorable impression on Frederick Douglass, but that changes when a former slave steals money from Elijah’s friend, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Elijah embarks on a dangerous journey to America in pursuit of the thief and discovers firsthand the unimaginable horrors of the life his parents fled--a life from which he’ll always be free, if he can find the courage to get back home.

The Fun: We welcomed our new members, Ashley and Jian. Munched and visited. Discussion got started by the girls doing a word scramble. Girls then picked a mom to do an question/answer worksheet. As a large group, we discussed and answered the questions. We also watched a video that TJ got on Buxton, Canada.

The Vote: Cassie’s three selections to consider were:

• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
• Flush by Carl Hiaasen
• Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli

The winner was Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.  

Who Presents Next: Odessa & AiYing

Changes/Updates: Welcome new members Ashley & Jian!

Up Next: The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John @ Emma & Diana’s home on February 18th.

Cookie Exchange 2011

We  want cookies!

Yea!  Cookies!

The Locale:  Smith & Elizabeth's

The Fun:
For the 2nd time, Smith & Elizabeth graciously hosted a Cookie Exchange for us. Everyone brought 2 1/2 dozen cookies--a 1/2 dozen to munch on at the exchange and 2 dozen to share. While Moms chatted and munched, the Girls had a Wii Competition. Girls & moms left with a variety of yummy delights to munch on over the winter break. Afterward, several of us went to the movies to see Hugo, the movie version of one of our favorite reads, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It was great!! Thanks again, Smith & Elizabeth!

Who Presents Next: Cassie & Susan

Up Next: Elijah of Buxton at Perri & TJ’s on January 7th.