Hey guys, it's Rose and I'm back with the last edition of Let's Start a Discussion. Last week, I wrote a post with discussion questions based on the first 4 books in the Harry Potter series and today I'll be posting questions on books 5-7 and you can comment your opinions down below! There are some spoilers, so I would recommend reading the book before you read this post. Also, know that you don't have to comment your answers to all of the questions--even your opinion regarding one question is great with us!
All right, let's go! Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Question 1: If you were a student at Hogwarts, would you join D.A. (Dumbledore's Army)? Question 2: How do you think Cho felt when Marietta gave away D.A.? Do you think she felt embarrassed or do you think she agreed with Marietta? Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Question 1: There are some big differences between Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movies and in the books. Are you pro "movie Luna" or pro "book Luna"? Question 2: After Dumbledore dies, Harry is pretty shook. How do you think Hermione and Ron are handling Dumbledore's death and Harry's reaction? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Question 1: This final installment of the Harry Potter series is different from all the rest because it does not take place at Hogwarts. Did you miss Hogwarts? Did that get in the way of your enjoyment of the book? Question 2: Which of the deathly hallows would you most like to have (resurrection stone, invisibility cloak, or the elder wand)? Question 3: Near the end of the book, Harry learns he has to give up his life to destroy Voldemort. When he learns this, he figures out the message (I open at the close) on the golden snitch Dumbledore left him and finds the resurrection stone was inside of it. Why do you think Dumbledore didn’t just secretly give him the stone earlier or leave it to him in a more obvious way? BONUS QUESTION: Which book is your favorite? That's it for the post! I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to starting a debate/discussion with you in the comments below! -Rose
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Hey bookworms! It’s Chrisley back with another book review for you! As an animal lover I have read many horse related books and I can honestly say that the one that I liked best was Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Perhaps the story’s most engaging quality is that it’s told from the perspective of a young foal, Black Beauty, as he grows up and is transferred from owner to owner. Through him, we get an inside look at how horses are mistreated and we see all of the hard work they have to learn to do. But we also get to see the kindness that some have for horses and learn more about these beautiful animals.
The story: In his early life, Black Beauty didn’t have a care in the world. His mother Duchess always kept a loving, watchful eye over him, fed him, and taught him how to play with the other colts. He and his mother had a wonderful time living together and he enjoyed watching her handsomely work for their good English master, Farmer Grey. And soon Farmer Grey patiently worked to “break in” or train the young horse to be able to work just like his mother some day. Black Beauty was happy. But soon he got sold to a new master, Squire Gordon, and is separated from his friends and his mom. Although he is not used to his new surroundings and, for the first time in his young life, feels truly alone, Black Beauty soon finds, by watching Squire Gordon’s interaction with other horses and through talking to his two new stable mates, an older horse named Ginger, and the cheerful pony Merrylegs, that his new master is almost as good as the old one was. John Waters is Black Beauty’s caretaker and he is a very important part to his life. He is kind and takes him on special trips, where there always seems to be an adventure. Black Beauty is now well respected at his home by all the other horses and by the people, too, because he has proven to trust his instinct in an emergency situation where he ended up saving his master’s life. But, after a while, when his wife gets very ill, Squire Gordon decides to move to where she may be able to get better. Because of this, he can’t take care of his horses anymore so Black Beauty, Ginger, and Merrylegs (who had become the best of friends) get split up. Black Beauty becomes a cab horse now, having to work under harsh people. He always tries to remember what his mother said to him all those years ago in Farmer Grey’s fields--how she encouraged him to have patience and always be kind, even if others aren’t kind to him back, and the memory of her is what keeps him going. When Black Beauty can’t work anymore, an old lady graciously takes him in, and he finds contentment there. My Thoughts... Black Beauty is a wonderful novel that I would definitely recommend you to read! For those who are horse crazy (like me), I especially think you should check this out. But even if you aren’t into horses, this book is great literature and the horses have real personalities which are fun to read about. See you next time, Chrisley COMMENT OF THE DAY: What's your favorite animal? Hey book addicts, Chrisley here! I am starting a new blog series called “Top 9 Facts” where I’ll share some interesting tidbits about a book, it’s characters, and it’s author. My first entry is on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Let’s get onto the facts!
1.)The book and its characters were based on Harper Lee’s childhood. Dill was based on Truman Capote, her childhood friend and writer of “In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany’s". Harper Lee's father was a lawyer just like Atticus and so she, like Scout, grew up watching her father in court. The character Boo Radley may also be based on the truth. 2.) Truman Capote and Harper Lee Some people said that Truman Capote wrote To kill A Mockingbird not Harper Lee, but there's not much evidence behind this. Truman Capote was jealous because the novel was so successful and the two's friendship parted ways. 3.) The book is loved by many people. To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize and once even outsold the Bible! 4.) A flood of To Kill A Mockingbird fans 30,000 tourists and To Kill A Mockingbird fans visit Monroeville, Alabama each year which is where Harper Lee lived. 5.) The movie To kill a Mockingbird became a movie in 1962, starring Gregory Peck and won three Academy Awards! 6.) Harper Lee's family life Harper Lee's real name is Nelle Harper Lee. She had three siblings, Alice, Louise, and Edwin. Harper and her sister loved football and were huge fans. Harper Lee was a Crimson Tide fan since she was a kid (GO ALABAMA!) 7. Banned in schools To kill a Mockingbird has become quite controversial, some call it the greatest work in literature while others think it is inappropriate. It has been banned in some public schools because it speaks about hard to discuss racial issues and includes some bad language. A Mississippi school wanted to get rid of it from their recommended reading list but To Kill A Mockingbird fans are rallying against that happening. 8.) Not one for fame Harper Lee didn’t like all of the fame and money she actually stayed in her small town of Monroeville. Harper Lee stayed there until she died last year on February 19 at the age of 89. 9.) Quotes Here are some famous quotes from Harper Lee: "Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view." Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. I hope you enjoyed the post and the facts about To kill a Mockingbird. Comment which one surprised you the most! Signing off, Chrisley PS. To read a full summary on the book click HERE. To read a discussion question post on To Kill A Mockingbird click HERE. Hi guys! It’s Rose and today I get to post the fourth edition of Let’s Start a Discussion. This week's edition is on one of my all time favorites, Harry Potter! From quidditch (a wizarding sport on flying broomsticks), to magical spells, to evil Lord Voldemort, this book is packed full of adventure and themes of friendship and good defeating evil are held throughout.
I have seperated the discussion questions by book (there are seven of them in the series but today we'll focus on the first four). There are some spoilers, so just be aware of that. Also, feel free to put your opinion in the comment box below whether you only answer one question or all of them! Here we go! Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1): Question 1: If Harry’s parents were not murdered by Lord Voldemort, what are some things about Harry’s childhood and character that would be different? Question 2: If Harry were to be friends with Draco Malfoy instead of Ron Weasley, how do you think the plot might have been different? Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2): Question 1: If you could not get through the barrier on platform 9 ¾ like Ron and Harry, what would you do? Do you think Harry and Ron handled the situation well or did they act too fast? Question 2: How do you think the Weasley’s felt about Ginny opening the chamber of secrets? How would do you think Ms. Weasley felt? How do you think Ginny felt? Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3): Question 1: If Remus Lupin had told everyone he was a werewolf from the beginning, how do you think the story would of changed? Question 2: What do you think your patronus is? How can you see the characters' personalities reflected in their patronus? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4): Question 1: What would've happened if Ron’s name was pulled out of the Goblet of Fire rather than Harry's? What would be some side effects if this had happened--would Harry have been jealous? How would it've affected their friendship? Question 2: Do you think Hermione is really going to change anything with S.P.E.W. (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare)? Why does she spend her time on this organization? Bonus question! What Hogwarts house do you think you'd be in? (I'm definitely a Ravenclaw:) I hope you enjoyed the post. I can't wait to start a discussion, debate, or "fangirl" session with you in the comments down below! -Rose Hey bookworms, Chrisley here! I have discovered an amazing book called The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (it is the first book in a series). So, I thought I'd share my thoughts with you!
Let's get into it! The story... Reynie Muldoon, an orphan at Stonetown Orphanage, is surprised when he sees an interesting ad in the newspaper that invites children to enroll in a series of tests that rely on intelligence and the ability to think out of the box. Knowing that Reynie has a special ability to solve puzzles he and his tutor agree that he should enter. Along with many other kids his age, Reynie shows up to do the whacky, odd, mind-straining tests. He soon learns that he and the other kids will have to go on a top secret mission and only the four most intelligent, fast thinking, of the group will be able to get through it and win a mysterious unknown prize. Because this mission is so tough on the mind and the body, the kids end up forming a strong bond and learn to use their specific abilities, such as puzzle solving, a photographic memory, and physical strength, to work together to conquer the most difficult challenge of all. My thoughts… I think this book had lot of heart and shows the true spirit of friendship while also including a good amount of humor that worked well with the plot. One thing that helps keep the reader hooked is that you can test your knowledge and your brain's ability right along with the main characters'! One issue that some people have with the book is that the plot line gets a bit confusing during the middle, but I still think that The Mysterious Benedict Society is hands down a great read! Hope you enjoyed the post! Chrisley Don't forget: you can get a shoutout on our website by emailing three of your friends with a link to your favorite post and forward the email to us! Hey bookworms it's Phoebe welcoming you back to the blog! Today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite educational books. For clarification, know that I think all books have educational value--they are exposing you to knew vocabulary, topics, characters, lifestyles, etc. and so they are definitely all great for learning. But today I'm specifically talking about educational science and history books that are interesting, readable, and informative. Let's get started! #1. Bridge to the Wild by Caitlin O'Connell This book takes us behind the scenes at the Atlanta Zoo and gives us a look at social and cognitive experiments being done with the animals and at how the staff work to make the animals feel at home, even in captivity. Great for the animal lover, I found this book very interesting and fun to read. From chapter to chapter we get to learn about many of the individual animals and their personalities. This makes visiting the ATL zoo especially fun because you can be on the lookout for the adorable twin pandas Mei Lun and Mei Huan or the Coochie, the most protective Gorilla in the pack. This book is also very informative about what you can do to help your favorite animals from going extinct. I would totally recommend this book (especially for those 9 and older). #2. The Usborne Book of Big Dinosaurs by Alex Frith and Fabiano Fiorin A favorite of my little brother's, this huge picture book is perfect for the 3-7 year old dinosaur enthusiast. They will learn about all different types of prehistoric creatures, what they ate, looked like, and their very cool and varying features. The detailed illustrations are great for little kids, making all of the information more readable and exciting! #3. African American Inventors by Fred M.B. Amram I recently checked this book out of the library and I really enjoyed it! Over five chapters it explores useful inventions by African Americans that may be overlooked. It takes us through inventions from the toy water gun to the refrigeration in vehicles (which, by the way, made ice cream trucks possible). It also included a few of the initial drawings sent in by these inventors. I would definitely recommend this book for 8 years old and older. #4. A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
This historical fiction book is a real favorite of mine! The book follows two characters: Salva, living in Southern Sudan during the war, and Nya, living in Southern Sudan after the war in 2008. Both of these characters' lives center around one thing: water. Salva, forced apart from his family, friends, and tribe, must walk and find water in order to live and safely escape from his war torn country. Nya treks the two long trips on foot daily to fetch water and bring it back for her family to keep them healthy. One of the things I love about this book is how the two stories connect to each other. I also appreciate that Salva's journey is based on the true story of Salva Dutt, one of the "lost boys of sudan". If you want to get a full review on this fantastic book, click HERE. That's it for the post! How'd you like it? I hope you have a great day and be sure to keep reading! -Phoebe Comment of the day! Which of these books do you most want to check out? Hey y'all! It's Phoebe with another post for you. Today, I thought I'd share some misconceptions people have about bookworms and reading in general! Let's get started!
Misconception #1: You aren't a bookworm if you haven't always loved reading: FALSE. Sometimes those who end up being the most enthusiastic about books are the ones who discovered how great they are a little later than the rest. If you haven't noticed yet, I am crazy about reading and promoting it now but I didn't like reading at all until recently. Misconception #2: Bookworms do nothing except read: FALSE. Book worms sometimes are the ones who do the most. They can apply what they read about to the real world, whether they are advocating for something or just exploring a topic that a really good non-fiction got them started on. Plus, I know that my life isn't all book centered nor would I like it to be that way. I love reading and blogging of course but I have to make time for schoolwork, friends, family, and my other hobbies such as theater and gymnastics and that's good. It's pretty important to balance things, even thing you love. Misconception #3: I can't be a bookworm 'cause I'm a slow reader FALSE. I used to not like reading in part because I got frustrated that one book would take me a long time to finish. But being a slow reader is okay. Some kids can devour books super quickly but others, like me, savor their chapters. Misconception #4: Reading isn't cool: FALSE. Although this could be a matter of opinion, I certainly think reading is totally cool! Why? Well first of all, readers are smart--this may sound like an odd statement, but books really grow your vocabulary, your knowledge about a variety of topics and situations that you otherwise might not have known about, and help you learn. And I think smart equals cool! Misconception #5: Boys don't read: FALSE. Yes they do and it's terrific! Reading is for everyone with no exceptions. There are great books for guys and girls alike (ps. a book with girl characters does not equal a "girl book"). Hey bookworms, Chrisley here! Recently, I finished reading a great novel called Making Bombs For Hitler by Marsha Skrypuch. I found the book very interesting and so I thought I’d do a book review about it!
The story: In the midst of World War ll, Lida and her sister Larissa are captured by the Germans. They are not Jewish so they're surprised when they get taken away after having thought they would be "safe". Separated from Larissa and her parents, Lida is shoved onto a train with other captured kids just like her. Days pass without food or water and she and her fellow prisoners long to get out of the train’s doors. Once they do get out, their situation is not much better than it was in the train as now they are stuck in a Natzi prison camp, forced to do physically demanding work that could be back breaking. While Lida spends hours working, she hopes her sister isn’t having to go through what she herself is going through. Soon Lida is given a job along with a few fellow captured children she has made friends with through having bonded while doing the gruesome work together. They are to make bombs for the German army. The only problem is, Lida and her friends don’t like Hitler and what he stands for and yet they have to help him make something that will destroy many people, perhaps even their own families. Lida comes up with an idea to ruin the bombs by putting dirt in them to make them duds. As the war ends, she finds herself alone and hungry with no way to find her family. After some time, she receives a letter from her sister telling her to come to Canada where Larissa has been adopted by a kind German family! My thoughts… Making Bombs for Hitler is intruiging, very sad, and heartfelt. If you love historical fiction, this book’s for you! Because of the intensity of the plot, I would say this book is best for kids 10 years old at least and it may help if you have studied some of the history that this book is based around before you read it. If you fit that age range, I would absolutely encourage you to read this heartwarming story! Hope you enjoyed the post! Your comments down below make my day, so please be sure and let our team know you've been visiting the blog! Chrisley Remember: YOU could be featured on our website if you share this blog post on Facebook, google+ or twitter and send the IABA team the link to it! Hi! This is Linden. I'm a new member of the I'm A Book Addict team, and I'm happy to present a review of one of my very favorite books! (Seriously, I love this book so much I made parts of it into a play….twice.)
This book is titled Remarkable. The story is set in the beautiful and extraordinary town of Remarkable, where every inhabitant is absolutely amazing at doing one certain thing, like rollerskating or singing or even pirating. To tell the truth, though, not every person in Remarkable is Remarkable. One of them is nothing but average. And that average person happens to be 10-year-old Jane Doe. Although Jane is pretty much used to being the most boring person in town, she still wishes her painter brother, math genius sister, architect mom, and novelist dad would simply pay her some attention. Adding to her loneliness, since everyone is so astoundingly talented, they all get to go to the private Gifted School, which leaves Jane sitting alone every day in a regular public school devoid of kids. Luckily, things are about to change. When Jane runs into a pair of gleefully wicked twins and an amiable pirate captain all in the same day, an explosion of crazy, fantastical events (including feuding jelly factories, a bell tower, a missing composer, a weather machine, a fifth-grade teacher, and a lake monster) take place and eventually end with Jane finding contentment in doing what makes her happy, whether she's remarkable at it or not. One of my favorite things about this book is the many, many characters. They're almost all exaggerated and most are a little cocky about their gifts and talents. To add to the whimsical nature of the book, many also have long names, like Lucinda Wilhelmina Hinojosa or Anderson Brigby Bright Doe III! The Grimlet twins and Ms. Schnabel the fifth-grade teacher are some of the most memorable and interesting of the characters. The biggest problem people have reading this book is the writing style. Remarkable is written in an exaggerated and slightly ironical style. It has many subplots and, as I said before, its characters have confusing, unrealistic names. To me, all this goes perfectly with the spirit of the book. To others, it's a lot of distracting clutter that makes the book harder to get through. It's really just a matter of personal preference. Running throughout the whole story is a great message: Whether you're amazingly talented or not, you're still wonderful because you're you. And I think that's something worth remembering! Hey everyone! It's Phoebe with the 3rd edition of Let's Start a Discussion (where I pose questions based on a popular book and you leave your opinion down below in the comment box). One of my favorite books of all time is Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It centers around a boy with a facial disorder named August Pullman as he is starting 5th grade. With different sections of each book from the point of view of many different characters, we see how Auggie effects all of his peers and how his peers are effecting him. Simply thinking about this tender story can almost make me cry, let alone reading it. It's a very heartwarming book with real characters and stories! This is a new-ish book (2012) but has become very popular for teens and adults alike.
Let's get started! Question 1: How do you think Via's boyfriend Justin influences the story? Why do you think the author chose to include a chapter from his perspective rather than from the perspective of Julian or another important character to the plot? Question 2: In the story, Charlotte is nice but Summer is kind. What difference do you think that makes? How do they interact with Auggie differently? Question 3: Why do you think it was important that R. J. Palacio didn't really describe what August looked like? Do you think that gave the reader some freedom to imagine for themselves and create their own Auggie? Question 4: What importance do you think Mr. Browne (Auggie's English teacher) has in the story? How does he inspire August and all the other kids in his class? Question 5: For those of you who have read the companion book Auggie and Me which has three additional chapters from the point of view of Christopher, Charolette, and Julian, why do you think those chapters were left out of the original book? Question 6: What differences do you notice between Jack Will's relationship with August and Summer's relationship with August? What do they bring to Auggie's life respectively? Question 7: Via loves Auggie, that's very clear from the start of the book, but she doesn't really want anyone at her new school to know about him. Why not? Do you think she's ashamed of him or just doesn't want to be known for being the sister of a "deformed" kid? Question 8: What are the differences between Mr. Pullman and Mrs. Pullman's parenting style? How is that illustrated in the first few chapters when they are arguing in the car about school for August? Question 9: Who do you think told Mr. Tushman about the mean notes Julian was leaving in Auggie's locker and why? Question 10: Are you interested in seeing the Wonder movie that's coming to theaters November 17th? Question 11: Which character's chapter was your favorite? Which did you connect with the most? How was the writing style different for each one? I hope you enjoyed this post! I'm going to comment some of my opinions/answers to these questions to get y'all started.... Keep reading, Phoebe |
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