Gone-Away Lake

Imagine you were given an amazing old house to use as a club house. What would you name your club? What would you do in your club house?

Julia (9): "I would name it 'The Great Gone-Away Explorers.' We would find new ways to use the plants in Gone-Away and we would decorate the house in our own type of way."

Gabe (7): "I would name my club "Wu Crew" because the people in the club would master their Spinjitzu like in Ninjago."

Mom's Notes: Elizabeth Enright is a favorite author of mine. She writes kids so well. You feel like you know (and want to be friends with!) Julian and Portia. Her books may be dated, but the way the kids act and think is relevant. I remember reading this as a girl, and though I'd forgotten much of it, the atmosphere the book emits stuck with me. We'll read the second one next summer!

The Magic Finger

A "magic finger" is a powerful thing! What would you do if you had one?

Julia (9): "I would use it on all the people who are bullying people, until they learn their lesson. Also, I would give myself every power I can imagine!"

Gabe (7): "I would use it to make enough money for the lego set I really want to buy."


Mom's Notes: Whenever we take a break from the RD box set, one of the kids brings us right back when a new read-aloud is needed. Gabe grabbed this one and we read it in a few sittings.

Because of Winn Dixie

How is this book sweet and sad like a Littmus Lozenge?

Julia (9): "It's sad because because her mother went away and didn't come back in the end. It's sweet because she finds a new friend, Winn Dixie, who introduces her to other new friends. Like Otis and Gloria Dump."

Gabe (7): It's sad because her mom doesn't come back. And it's sweet because she learned to live with that."

What does Opal learn about making friends?

Julia: "That it can be hard to make friends and easy to make friends."

Gabe: "You can be friends with anyone you want."


Mom's Notes: This book has a beautiful way of showing rather than telling. Even in such a succinct novel, there is so much to learn and discover about the characters - and about ourselves. I hope to read this book aloud many, many more times through the years. Life is complicated and heartbreaking at times, but there will always be light and love and truth. I treasure this book for the hope that it radiates - beginning even with the cover illustration. 

Number the Stars

Mom's Notes: This book was a Julia (8) and Mom book club pick. Julia's teacher read it aloud at school, and she pulled it off our shelf to read it again on her own. It's been years since I read it, and I'm very impressed with Lowry's approach to showing the effects of WWII through the eyes of a child. Even though it's a very short novel, the characters are so well-developed that your heart aches for the families in hiding and you find yourself praying for their safety and cheering on their rescuers. 

Redwall

Which Redwall character do you relate to most?

Julia (8): "I relate to Cornflower. She's always watching out for Mattheas and I watch out for my friends and family."

Gabe (6): "Matthias. Because I would kill a snake."

If you were Matthias, would you trust the crow? 

Julia: "I would keep her as prisoner, and see if she was right or wrong. Then I would release her and we would be friends, if she was telling the truth."

Gabe: "Maybe. Because two of the crows were good."

Mom's Notes: Jonny had mentioned reading some of the books in this series as a kid. I surprised him with the first one for his birthday. The British vocabulary and prose made this read-aloud a bit of a challenge, but the kids were ever-attentive and followed the story of bravery and sacrifice well. I wouldn't be surprised if they pick up a few more in the series on their own in a few years.

the Mercy Watson series

What is the silliest thing Mercy did in the books?

Evy (3): "She tries to eat a hot butter toast candy on Halloween! And she tries to not get her princess dress on."

Gabe (6): "Someone thought she was a monster! And the police came and found out it was a pig."

Julia (8): "I think the funniest thing is that she thinks that chasing is really fun. Like when she gets chased by people who are actually trying to catch her."



Mom's Notes: Because I think Kate DiCamillo is an incredible writer, I purchased this set on a whim for a family Christmas gift. Mercy Watson is a hoot and these simple stories are hilarious. The books are very easy-readers, so Julia breezed through them on her own and they are just the right level for first-grade Gabe. Evy and I have read them all more than once in the past few months, usually reading an entire book in one sitting while the babies nap and we snuggle on the couch. So naturally she now often requests "toast with a great deal of butter on it" for lunch! Who can resist?

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

If you were shooting into space with Willie Wonka in a glass box, would you be nervous? Would you trust Mr. Wonka?

Julia (8): "I would be kind of nervous, but seeing how strong the glass elevator is would make me not as nervous. I would trust Mr. Wonka because he made some wonderful things and he's a really nice man."

Gabe (6): "I would trust him because I've seen the first movie."

The Vita-Wonk can make any person younger. Would you want to take the magic pill? Why or why not?

Julia: "When I'm a grandma I might like to, but not now because then I turn into a minus! And I would listen to Willie Wonka carefully so I would know how many pills to take."

Gabe: "I would if it made you three years younger because I liked it when I was three."

Mom's Notes: This book was an unpredictable adventure! We had no idea the story of Willie Wonka and Charlie went so far beyond (and above!) the famous Chocolate Factory.