The Chocolate Touch

What did John learn from his chocolate curse? 

Julia (9): "You shouldn't eat candy all the time. Other kind of food can taste good too. You should obey and listen the first time."

Gabe (7): "Chocolate is not the best thing in the world. He was being super greedy and selfish."

Mom's Notes: I remember my second grade teacher reading this aloud. The fateful image of John kissing his mother is still fresh in my mind from all those years ago. I imagine that might be the case for the kids after reading this as well!

Fablehaven

If you could visit Fablehaven, would you go? If so, what precautions would you take?

Julia (9): "Of course I would go, because I would like to discover this part of the world and see some mystical things. But I'd never got to the lake and always stay on the trail. And I'd bring an umbrella for the ticks."

Gabe (7): "I would not go. Because if I want to be a famous soccer player I need to practice. So I'd trade that coupon to Fablehaven to someone else for 100 soccer balls."

Mom's Notes: The kids beg for another chapter most every night, no matter what book we are reading. This one was certainly no exception there! The story is definitely a page-turner and one that they are excited to continue discovering in the series. There is a lot to think about and discuss in this one, especially concerning the choices the kids make and how they grow from their experiences.

Danny the Champion of the World

Danny and his father loved each other very much, and were best friends. How could you tell? 

Julia (9): "They always were interested about each others' lives and would work together and be happy with what they had. And they shared stories."

Gabe (7): "His dad cared about Danny so much he didn't want him to go into the woods. But Danny loved his dad so much he went to the woods to help his dad."

Mom's Notes: The poaching plot certainly caught me off guard. (You wonder and wonder what Danny's Father's big secret is... so it's kind of hilarious and confusing at the same time when you find out!) But the father/son relationship and interactions here are priceless. 

A Wind in the Door

If you were the Blajney the teacher, and you could choose the test for Meg and Progonoskis, what would it be?

Julia (9): "I would have them learn the names of the people who have been X-ed. It would help them prepare for the other tests they'd be given."

Gabe (7): "I would make them go back to their dimension then go all the way back."

What do you think it would feel like to hold a brand new star in your hands? 

Julia: "I think it would be amazing to know there are more special starts in the universe than grains of sand in the world."

Gabe: "Hot."

What would you like about being able to kythe? 

Julia: "I think it would be awesome and I'd kythe a bunch of emojis to Eli!"

Gabe: "I could say hi to my friends at school and Mrs. Jones even though she's not my teacher anymore."

Mom's Notes: There's a lot to discover and digest in this story, and while it might have been a bit over their heads, the kids were all ears. They are now well acquainted with mitochondrion! They were quick to pick up on lots of the symbolism - which led to insightful discussions. 

A Wrinkle in Time

How would you feel if the Mrs. Ws sent you off on a dangerous adventure through space and time?

Julia (9): "I would feel like I might get sick and feel dizzy and wonder if they got the right person."

Gabe (7): "I'd feel cool because I'd get to fight bad guys for once."

How do you think you would react if you saw IT?

Julia: "I would scream and also try to sing something that was out of the rhythm of IT."

Gabe: "I would react like I was just in a normal elevator. And just pretend that I wasn't seeing IT."

Mom's Notes: I believe this is the first science-fiction book we've read aloud. Because these kids love a good story of seemingly any genre, they were enthralled with this one. Some of it may have been a little deep for them, but children often surprise us by what they can comprehend. Julia and Gabe pointed out the eternal truths within the story on their own much of the time. We are all interested in picking up the next books in the series, which I haven't read myself. 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Which of the three tasks would you want to compete in? 

Julia (9): "I would choose the second one, the gillyweed one, because it would be easier to find a spell to help me go through."

Gabe (7): "I would do the dragon one because I want to see what the dragons really look like." 

Mom's Notes: Jonny read this one. It's been fun for him to be involved in the HP books as he's never read them until now. The kids had been begging to read this for months, and they were completely captivated from the spooky first chapter. They were a little disappointed in the movie though, what with characters and subplots being left out. Still, they thought it was amazing and can't wait to dress up as Harry and Hermione for Halloween in a few weeks!

James and the Giant Peach

If you were stuck inside (or on top of) a gigantic fruit, which one would you wish it to be? Why? 

Julia (9): "A pomegranate or a cherry, because cherries are really juicy and delicious and so are pomegranates. And the pomegranate would have a ton of little tiny homes for each person."

Gabe (7): "An apricot, because it's my favorite fruit."

Which insect did you like best? 

Julia: "I like the Spider because she's really kind, and dark and smooth."

Gabe: "I liked Centipede because he's funny and he likes being a pest. He says, 'I'm a pest and I'm proud of it.'"

Mom's Notes: Now we have another incredibly imaginative and expectedly wacky Roald Dahl tale under our belts this year. There's just something completely unforgettable about picturing a giant peach sailing through the sky. And the crazy cloud men!? RD's first very first chapter book for children was as big a hit as his others in this house.