'Book Club'
We have had a great response from our Book Club members since we started in January. We will be putting together a list of other books our members have read over the year, and enjoyed, which people might like to read over the summer – watch this space before the summer holidays for that list.
Arklow Library have been very supportive of our Book Club and supported us by lending as many books as they can find for us. Membership of the Library is free as is borrowing books they have on their shelves. They are always delighted to get new Library members, and any member can even order books in advance. So…………….if you like the sound of any books listed on our blog, it is possible to order them for a fee of 40 cents from the Library. We think that is pretty good value for money.
They have also expressed interest in seeing our reviews and perhaps putting them up on their notice board for other Library members to share. Nice to think we can spread the work about books we really like. We really appreciate their support so it is nice to think we can give something back.
As We have been running for some months now, We are about to gather suggestions from the students in 5th & 6th Class about how we can improve our meetings, and continue to capture the attention of the avid readers who have joined. For anyone in those classes who still might like to join – it is not too late, All are welcome.
May 2nd, 2012
We would like to explain that just because a book gets a low star rating doesn’t always mean it isn’t worth reading if you like the sound of the story. In most of our groups we have approx 8 readers, so sometimes 3 people might love it and give it a 5 but if the other 5 give it a 2,then it will only get a star rating of 3.
If we really thought no-one would enjoy a book we just wouldnt put it up on our blog – our star ratings are just a guide to what WE thought – We would love to know what you think…. if you have read any of the books listed.
May 2nd, 2012
Our Star Rating: 1.5
Ali Ferguson has just moved into Lever Tower with his mum. It’s not long before he meets Caitlin and the Alsatian dog she looks after, Falcon, who doesn’t take too kindly to being walked on a lead. Caitlin introduces Ali to her best friend, Gez, and together the three set out to discover why the foxes have disappeared from the area secondly, why the owls have appeared and, thirdly, why Miss Osborne has, it seems, vanished . . . And how exactly her disappearance is related to the previous two.
With the help of his friends and, significantly, Caitlin’s dad, Ali and his mum begin to feel comfortable and happy in their new life without Ali’s dad.
This book is a funny and lively adventure mystery about 3 children making friends, solving a mystery and working out their problems – however we did think that it was possibly for a younger audience than our 5th & 6th Class book club. So if you know any avid readers in 3rd or 4th – we think they might like this.
May 2nd, 2012
Our Star Rating: 3.5
It centres on a young heroine transplanted from England to a wildlife preserve in South Africa to live with her grandmother after the death of her parents. After she arrives, she discovers a mythical white giraffe and tries to unlock the mystery of why everyone’s keeping the giraffe a secret. St. John, whose author’s note explains that she grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe that was partially a game reserve, brings characters and setting to life with equal clarity in her debut children’s book
The author, Lauren St. John grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe that was partially a game reserve. Perhaps this is how She manages to bring the characters and setting to life .
Her tale centers on recently orphaned Martine, who moves to South Africa to live with the grandmother she’s never met. The woman, whose husband died at the hands of animal poachers, owns Sawubona, a game reserve and wildlife sanctuary. Soon after the 11-year-old’s arrival, a Zulu healer with second sight tells the girl that she has a special gift and warns her that it “can be a blessin’ or a curse. Make your decisions wisely.” The perceptive woman also mentions there are “too many secrets at Sawubona”; indeed, Martine’s many questions to her stony grandmother are met by a “wall of silence.” Martine is intrigued by rumors that an elusive white giraffe resides on the grounds of the reserve—a local legend holds that the child who is able to ride a white giraffe will have power over all the animals. When she encounters the gentle creature one night, she feels an immediate bond and even knows what he’s thinking. And so it comes as no surprise that she is the youngster capable of fulfilling the legend.
Our readers loved the mystery and intrigue of this story. They described it as ‘puzzling, exciting, mysterious, unpredictable and interesting’. So if you are an animal lover who likes mystery and legend we think you will like this.
May 2nd, 2012
Our Star Rating: 5 stars
A young boy called Michael, travels with his parents around the world on a yacht after his parents lose their jobs and decide to sail the seven seas. He is on lookout one night when Michael and his dog are washed overboard. They awake to discover that they are stranded on a desert island.
The island is a hostile jungle full of howling gibbons, voracious mosquitoes, and searing heat, all of which challenge his ability to survive. Yet when he finds fresh water and food mysteriously laid out for him each morning, he realizes that he is not alone. He soon comes face-to-face with Kensuke, an old Japanese soldier who cautiously protects Michael in spite of the boy’s dogged determination to build a bonfire that will signal potential rescuers, defying Kensuke’s wish that the outside world never learn of his existence on the island. For nearly a year, the man and boy help each other, moving to a deep friendship. What might have been just a tale of survival evolves into a gentle story about trust, compassion, love, and hope.
We LOVED this book. Some of our readers even said they think it was the ‘Best Book Club Book so far’. This is a pretty small book and so we thought it would be a very quick read but we were very surprised at the amount of detail the writer packed into the story. It really held our attention. They felt it was split into two halves – fantastic story line but then it had a number of areas in the story that were very far fetched, even though this book wasn’t ‘ fantasy’. They all agreed that it was so good that the writer got away with that, and they loved the way he completed the ending.
May 2nd, 2012
Our star rating: 2 .5
Dubliner John Boyne, author of ‘The Boy in the striped pyjamas’ has written about eight year old Noah. Noah is running away from his problems, or at least that’s what he thinks until he meets the unusual toymaker and travels with him on a journey that will change his life forever.
The tale is full of fantasy – there are talking apple trees, flying wooden birds and doors that switch places. The storyline allows Boyne to play with language and puts Noah in situations and conversations that lead him to think about life and loss.
‘This book got great reviews from all the top newspapers and websites but…………our readers found it ‘weird, funny, sad, awkward, complicated and strange’. We just couldn’t agree on it – Try it for yourself ’
May 2nd, 2012
Our Star Rating: 3 Stars.
Written by Wicklow based Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, this story is based in ‘The Old Dublin Button Factory’. There, Jessie meets a boy who walks through walls and can’t remember his own name, and discovers the Timecatcher, a swirling, powerful Magic, which every seven years reveals the past, both good and bad, in a jumble of days. Now the Timecatcher is about to open, and there are those who will go to any lengths to control it. Jessie and her friends – both ghosts and human- must stop them before it is too late.
This is a ghostly adventure. We liked the description of this story before we read it, and felt that the book did live up to that. It was magical and mysterious. We also liked the idea of it being set in Dublin, it made it easier to relate to somehow but with the twist in the story that caught our attention. The fantasy element of this book seemed to really work.
Also we really liked the look of the cover – this , we all agreed, really helps when choosing a book.Overall we found it was a good read, but some of our readers didn’t find it gripping enough and felt it was a little long winded in the way the story was told. The interesting thing is that not everyone agreed which gave us a great opportunity for discussion. We did also have readers who loved it and would highly recommend it.
So we are finding throughout our bookclub meetings that there is a wide variety of taste, which is why it is important to offer a selection of books every month.
January 29th, 2012
Our Star Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
A bag filled with money, suddenly comes tumbling out of the air and lands right at Damian’s feet. Suddently the Cunningham brothers are rich. They can buy anything they want. There’s just one problem- they only have seventeen days to spand all the money before it becomes worthless, and the crooks who stole the money in the first place are closing in fast! Sounds like good story – that’s what we thought when we read the back of the cover!
This was the most popular choice when we were selecting the books. However out of the nine people who read it, five loved it and four didn’t finish it. Those who didn’t finish it all stopped before the main part of the story came to light so we got them to read that chapter at the meeting. Three of them agreed that if they had stayed with the book to that point they would have continued reading to the end. This gave us great discussion about the benefits of not giving up on a book too soon.
We also discussed how we choose books and everyone agreed it was by the cover and the description on the back. We all agreed that it would be a good idea to look inside the cover and maybe even read a little of the story to get a feel for the book before choosing – a good tip when you are next visiting your local library or bookshop!
January 29th, 2012
Our Star Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
This book has won several awards for childrens literature, being described as a real page turner. It is about eleven year old Miranda who is ‘a latch key child’.Miranda’s life starts to unravel when her best friend Sal, gets punched by a kid on the street for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The key that Miranda’s mum keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen and then a mysterious note arrives…………..and so the story unfolds!
The book is about time travel and friendship. We liked this book, but we did at times find it confusing. Other comments were -‘ interesting, strange, and unpredictable’.Yes! it was puzzling but we liked that about it and would say that overall it was very readable.
January 20th, 2012
Welcome to our Avoca NS Book Club Blog!
January 20th, 2012
