Tag: Online Book Club

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Wild Robot. 

Did you enjoy reading more about Roz this week? I liked that the animals realized quickly that Roz was atoning for the goose accident by raising the gosling. I think that helped her gain all of the other animal’s respect. I was glad they didn’t make her feel bad for killing the rest of the family. Maybe they all understand accidents and how quickly things can go awry in the wilderness. 

What do you think of Brightbill? Do you think he is a fun character? I love how loyal he is to Roz. He really views her as his mother, and it doesn’t seem like he is upset that he has to grow up with her. He accepts that they have a different kind of family. I really appreciate that. 

It was interesting to read about all of the goose mother things Roz had to do. It’s nice that she was willing to take him swimming, even though water is really dangerous for her, and it was wonderful how she was able to help him with is flying. Brightbill is lucky to have her, and he is lucky to have the other goose group that is willing to show him some things. I did think it was surprising that the group wouldn’t take him in to raise him, but at least they are helping him swim and fly and migrate for the winter. Were you surprised when Brightbill left to migrate at the end of the section? Did you think it was surprising that he was able to leave Roz? 

I liked reading about how the beavers helped Roz build a nest. It sounds like an incredible nest. I wonder if any of the other animals were jealous that she got such a cool building. I also really enjoyed reading about how the deer helped her with her garden. It was fun to see the animals using all of their talents. Could you believe the beavers were even able to make Roz a replacement foot? They are quite the craftsmen!

Why do you think Brightbill was so curious to see the robot graveyard? Were you surprised that he eventually pressed Roz’s on/off button? I was really nervous that Roz would be different when she woke up. I was so relieved that it just took a minute for her to get back to herself. They were really brave to try that. I don’t know that I would have been so brave. 

Are you excited to read the last section? Do you have any idea what will happen next? Do you think Brightbill will be different when he comes back from the winter away? Do you think the ship that Roz saw in this section will come back in the last section? 

Before you go, check out the clip below of Brightbill learning to fly. Doesn’t it seem different from the way he learned to fly in the book? Do you like the way the scene was portrayed in the movie? 

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts in the comments! I hope you’re able to finish the book for next week!

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Wild Robot.

What did you think of the first section? I didn’t expect to find myself rooting for a robot, but I definitely did root for Roz right from the start. It’s hard that she is so different from all of the animals. I hope they all decide to give her a chance, and I hope they decide that she really isn’t a monster. 

What did you think was the most interesting thing about Roz? I thought it was so neat that she was able to change her body to adapt so quickly. She is learning things so quickly! I like that she is using the animals and their adaptations to teach herself how to survive on the island. I can’t imagine how overwhelmed Roz was by all of the differences and changes on the island. I think I would have been too scared to move, but Roz really worked hard to find shelter and stay safe. 

The saddest thing about this section was how Roz accidentally killed the geese and crushed the eggs. She obviously would not have wanted to harm anything in the forest, so it was really unfortunate that she created such a disaster. Do you think the other animals will be upset with her once they hear about the accident? Will this cause them to be more cautious of her? What do you think will happen with the goose that hatched at the end of this section? It seems like it really believes that Roz is its mother, so it will be interesting to see how that impacts the story going forward. 

Roz has made a couple of friends by the end of the section. Do you think they will stick around? She becomes friendly with Fink the fox after pulling the quills from his face, and she makes a connection with Pinktail after watching Pinktail play dead to evade a predator. Do you think these connections will be enough to endear Roz to the rest of the animals? 

What do you think will happen in the next section? Are you curious to see what will happen to Roz and the gosling? 

Before you go, check out author, Peter Brown’s, experience with writing a chapter book on his blog. It’s so cool to see his writing and editing process! And, check out the clip below to see how Roz’s awakening on the island played out on screen. 

Thanks for following along this week! I can’t wait to hear what you thought of the first section. Make sure to leave a comment to let me know how you enjoyed the beginning of the book. We’ll discuss the next 26 chapters for next week, so make sure to read through chapter 54 before reading the next blog post. I hope to hear from you in the comments!

Welcome to Week 1 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. 

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

The Wild Robot is the story of a robot named Roz that washes up on shore on a remote island. At first, all of the animals that live on the island are scared of Roz, and she is unprepared for a wild life in the wilderness. Slowly, Roz learns to survive and begins to adapt to life with the animals, and she begins to make some animal friends. But, just as she feels connected to the island, her past comes back to haunt her, and she realizes that she might not be able to stay in her wild life forever. 

If you want to follow along with us but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the animated movie version. Check out the trailer above if you want to get a feel for the how the story plays out on screen. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you’re only watching the series and not reading the book. 

We’ll be reading the first 27 chapters for next week, so make sure to read those before checking out the next post. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments!

Welcome to the final discussion of Dear Edward.

Did you enjoy the way the book finished? Did you find yourself crying at the end? I think I cried throughout the last section. It was all so sad. Reading about the plane crash itself was as painful as I thought it would be. 

When we left Edward in the second section, he was going to go see Jordan’s girlfriend. Did that trip go as you expected it would? It was interesting to see that his reaction to Mahira made Shay jealous. The trip definitely helped Edward and Shay realize their feelings for each other. Mahira was really kind. She related to Edward and treated him differently than most people he has interacted with in the book. Weren’t you glad when you read near the end that Edward was going to pay for Mahira’s college education? I knew he would put all of that money to good use. Mahira was such a sad character because it was obvious she had feelings for Jordan, but she wasn’t publicly known as his girlfriend, and she wasn’t anything permanent to him like a spouse, so I think she didn’t get to grieve like other people. 

Weren’t you glad when Shay and Edward let John know about the fact that they were reading the letters? I was relieved once an adult knew. Those letters were just so intense. I felt like someone else needed to know about it. I was glad John wasn’t mad about it. He seems like a more relaxed man than I thought he was at the beginning of the book. It was nice once Edward was able to be honest and open about his feelings with his aunt and uncle. That really helped them all get closer. And, it was important when his aunt and uncle felt like he was strong enough to hear some of their feelings. I was glad when they all started to come together as a family. 

Near the end of the book, Edward talks to his therapist about the fact that he feels like he should be over the plane crash by now. The therapist assures him that the plane crash will be with him forever–that it is baked into his bones. Didn’t you think that was an interesting way to describe his trauma? I think that helped Edward realize that it was normal for him to always have pain about the accident. But, he could still learn to live a full life with that pain. 

The pages about the final moments before the plane crash were so hard to read. It was really heartbreaking that the crash was a result of pilot error. That made me really sad. And then reading about the fact that Edward’s mom wished she were back with them was really hard. It was also really hard to read about the last moments Edward had with his father and brother. I didn’t even want to read those pages, but I’m glad I did. Did you struggle to make it through those pages? 

It was also heartbreaking to read about how the paramedic found Edward in the wreckage. I cannot believe that he survived. That was pretty incredible. 

At the end of the book, Edward goes to the memorial. It seems like he has been able to build a life for himself, and it was nice to see that used the money well. Are you glad that it appears that Shay and Edward will have a great life together? I’m glad he was able to build a life for himself through the pain. And, I’m glad he had someone like Shay with him through the whole thing. I thought the ending was really satisfying. Did you enjoy the ending? Would you have changed anything about it? 

Did you enjoy this book? If you liked this book and would like to read some similar titles, check out this list I created. Let me know if you check out anything on the list!

Check out the video below to see a sneak peek of the Apple TV+ series. Don’t you think it looks very different from the book? Do you think you will watch the show? Let me know if you’ve already seen the show and enjoyed it!

Thanks so much for following along this month! I hope you loved the book. I can’t wait to hear what you thought in the comments. Make sure to come back next month as we read The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. 

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of Dear Edward.

Did you enjoy reading this section? How do you feel about Edward as the story is progressing? It’s interesting to read about Edward on the plane because he seems so different from the serious boy that we know from after the crash. It’s also interesting to read the plane chapters because it’s easy to see that Edward and Jordan were so close. Do you feel connected to anyone else on the plane? Do you want to know more about any passenger in particular? 

At the beginning of this section, Edward gets the all clear from the doctor, and suddenly, everyone around him is treating him differently. People aren’t as careful with him and have higher expectations for him. It seemed like that transition was hard for him because even though his outsides were healing and were normal, his insides were still so full of grief. He had a freak out in gym class–it’s so surprising the things in normal life that are so triggering to him. 

The other big change at the beginning of this section is that Shay says that Edward can’t sleep in her room anymore. That change sends Edward into a complete spiral. It was really scary when he ended up falling asleep on the sidewalk. I just wish he could be comfortable in his aunt and uncle’s house. It would make things a lot easier for him. 

At school, he is weight lifting. Do you think that is helping him? It’s hard to find anything that interests him. Being in the garage and reading the things from the people on the plane seems to interest him. What did you think of the letters that everyone was sending him? Do you think it was fair of them to ask all of those things of Edward? Those letters just show how hard it is to grieve. The people were just looking for anything that would make them feel some closure about the crash. Don’t you wish that Edward would talk about these letters with some sort of adult so they could help him process everything? 

Lacey is a really sad character throughout the book. She obviously loves Edward and is doing her best to care for him. But, she is so sad about babies and the life she thought she would have but didn’t. I just felt so sad for her every time she showed up in the book. What did you think of Lacey? What did you think of John? John is harder to read. But, it’s obvious that he cares about Edward a lot, too. They just seem to sad as a pair. 

At the end of this section, Edward reads one of his letters and gets a check for $7,300,000. What do you think he’s going to do with that money? He doesn’t need to have that money, so I can’t imagine that he won’t use it for something else. And, then, he reads that his brother had a girlfriend, and he wants to go see the girl. Do you think he will do that in the next section? What do you think that will be like for him to meet someone who was so important to his brother? 

What do you think will happen in the next section? How do you think the story will end for Edward? We obviously know how the plane chapters will end, but what do you think his real life will be like? Are you excited to keep reading? 

Before you go, check out this interview that Ann Napolitano did on Today. And, check out the video below to see three books that Ann Napolitano recommends. Have you read any of the books that she recommended? 

Thanks for following along this week! I hope you are really enjoying the book. Make sure to leave a comment to let me know how you felt about this section! 

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Dear Edward.

How did you enjoy the beginning of the book? Do you feel like it is a story that you are going to enjoy reading, or are you already feeling sad about all of the trauma of Edward’s life? I definitely felt sad while reading, but the writing is so good that it made me want to keep reading!

The story shifts back and forth between Edward’s time on the plane and his life after the crash. Do you think it’s interesting to read about his time on the plane? What do you think about the fact that these chapters allow you to get to know Edward’s parents and brother? Do you think that makes his real life chapters more hard to read? What do you think about Edward’s aunt and uncle? Don’t you think it would be really hard to take in a grieving child when you, in fact, are grieving? 

On the plane, Edward’s mother is sitting far away from the rest of the family. Did that make you sad to know that when the plane crashed, she wasn’t with everyone else? What are your impressions of Edward’s mother? She seems to have a really interesting job. I just felt sad thinking about her knowing that she just wanted to get work done, but because of that, she wasn’t with her family at the end. 

Do you like getting to know more about people that were on the plane with Edward and his family? I think it makes the story more sad because now the people on the plane aren’t just nameless faces. They are real people who had real lives outside of the airplane. I found myself almost dreading the plane chapters because I didn’t want to read more about all of the people that lost their lives. I found it a little easier to read the chapters about Edward’s life after the plane, because even though those chapters were sad, there was hope that his life would get better and his grief would become more manageable. 

Aren’t you glad that Edward has Shay to help him? She is definitely a no nonsense person, and she doesn’t treat him differently. I think it’s good for him to have that type of person in his life. What did you think of the fact that Edward wanted to sleep in Shay’s room every night? Why do you think that was so comforting to him? Do you think it reminded him of his time sharing a room with his brother? It was sweet that Shay was willing to read to him at night. 

It was interesting to read about the ways people worked to protect and help Edward. His uncle and aunt kept a lot of details about the crash and his impact on the world from him and his principal offered to have Edward help him take care of plants. I can’t imagine how hard it was for the people around him to know what to do to help him. It seemed like once he was able to get his own clothes and clothes from Jordan that he was able to feel more comfortable. What else to do you think helped him figure out how to continue his life? 

Were you surprised when Gary, the boyfriend of Linda from the plane, approached Edward? Do you think it would have helped Edward to see other grieving family members? Do you think that would have helped him feel less alone, or do you think it would have overwhelmed him? He definitely got overwhelmed at the hearings. That was too many people to encounter at once. 

What do you think is going to happen in the next section? How is Edward going to continue to heal? Are you anxious to find out what caused the plane crash? Do you want to read more about the time on the plane? 

Before you go, check out the video below in which Ann Napolitano explains how she became an author. 

Thanks for following along this week! I hope you enjoyed the first part of the book. Make sure to leave a comment to let me know what you thought of the first chapters. Make sure to read the second section before coming back next week! I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. 

Welcome to Week 1 of the Online Book Club discussion of Dear Edward.

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

Dear Edward tells the story of Edward Adler, a twelve year old boy who is the only one to survive a plane crash. The story shifts back and forth to tell about the plane journey Edward took with his parents and brother and his life after the crash. It’s a heartbreaking book, but it’s also beautifully written and incredibly engaging to read. Make sure you keep a pack of tissues nearby when reading this month!

If you want to follow along with us but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the Apple TV+ adaptation. Don’t have a subscription to Apple TV+? No problem! You can request one of the Roku Express 4K+ Streaming Devices  at the library. Check out the trailer above if you want to get a feel for the how the story plays out on screen. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you’re only watching the series and not reading the book. 

We’ll be reading Part 1 for next week, so make sure to check those out before reading the next blog post! I hope to hear from you in the comments. 

Welcome to the final Online Book Club discussion of The Hunger Games.

Did you enjoy the ending of the book? Did things go the way you expected them to go? I did not think it was a predictable ending. There were a lot of twists and turns. 

Katniss is able to find Peeta at the beginning of this section, even though he is camouflaged to look like rocks. I’m curious how he was able to camouflage himself so completely with just mud and leaves. Especially since he was so injured when he did it. How much longer do you think he would have survived had Katniss not found him? I think he was pretty close to death. 

Peeta starts to make a turn for the better after he gets some broth. What did you think about the fact that Katniss and Peeta were sent supplies after Katniss kissed Peeta? Don’t you think that Peeta really believed that Katniss’s affection for him was real? Do you think it ever was real for her, or was it always part of the game? What did you think when Katniss drugged Peeta so that she could get the supplies that the Gamemakers promised? I don’t think he would have let her get them otherwise. Katniss was incredibly lucky that Thresh from Rue’s district saved her life. Cato and Clove would definitely have killed her. 

It was definitely interesting when Peeta revealed his first memory of Katniss. After I realized that Peeta’s dad had liked Katniss’s mom, I was able to understand why he had always been so nice to Katniss. And, maybe that explains why Peeta’s mom wasn’t very nice! Maybe she knew that Katniss’s mom was Peeta’s dad’s first love. It made me happy every time that the pair got food and supplies after sharing an intimate moment, but it was still really weird that the people watching were getting so much enjoyment out of their private moments. What do you think Peeta and Katniss’s families thought of seeing the pair in such intimate situations? I think that would be really weird to watch. 

Were you surprised that Peeta’s inability to recognize poison berries led to Foxface’s demise? She must have been desperate for food to eat something she wasn’t completely sure was safe. 

What did you think of those mutated wolves? The Gamemakers must have been desperate to have the games wrap up if they were willing to introduce such terrifying creatures. I found it really hard to read the section with the wolves and Cato. It was so creepy when the wolves had the faces of the other tributes. That was so scary. Cato had such a horrifying end. I can’t imagine what his family thought as they watched him die such a horrible death. I just don’t know how anyone watched the children die. It was terrible that they let his death continue on for so long. 

Were you surprised when the announcement said that they couldn’t have two winners? I knew they wouldn’t let both of them win. They just wanted to have Katniss and Peeta reunite in the arena. I was glad the Gamemakers relented when Katniss and Peeta decided to eat the berries. I guess they figured there needed to be some sort of winner of the Games. 

Do you think Katniss’s actions with Peeta were just for the games? Don’t you think she had real feelings for Peeta? I think she did, but I don’t blame her for feeling confused. Were you surprised that the Capitol was upset with Katniss and Peeta’s last stand? It makes sense that they were mad. Peeta and Katniss kind of made a mockery of the game at the end. Do you think they will be able to convince people that they acted out of love? 

Are you going to read the next book in the series to see what happens next? Are you curious to see how the storyline continues? If you enjoyed this book and would like to check out some similar titles, check out this list I made. Make sure to let me know if you check out anything on the list!

Before you go, check out author, Suzanne Collins, as she talks about her inspiration behind the novel. Does it surprise you that she was able to come up with a book series just by flipping channels on the television?  

I hope you enjoyed reading along with us this month! Next month, we’re reading Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Hunger Games.

What did you think of this section? It was full of so much action and suspense! It was hard to read about the deaths of so many of the contestants. It’s really so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that these are young children out there fighting. And that the people in the Capitol are finding it all entertaining. It’s just so shocking. 

Katniss was not very happy with Peeta after he announced that he had a crush on her. I don’t think Katniss likes having to play the political game with the Capitol. 

I was glad that Katniss followed Haymitch’s advice and stayed away from the cornucopia. I couldn’t believe how many kids died that first day. That was crazy. It’s shocking that the other kids were able to be so blood thirsty right out of the gate. They were ready to kill from the very start. I was sad that Katniss didn’t get a bow at first, but it was good that she got that backpack and a knife. Were you shocked when you realized that Peeta was fighting with the group of Career Tributes? I did think that was surprising. He must have some sort of reason for thinking that’s the best way for him to go. What did you think of the fact that the Gamemakers created disasters to force the competitors together? Instead of just being able to live in a tree, Katniss is forced to flee from the fire that the Gamemakers send through the forest. It seems wild that the people in the Capitol needed so much entertainment that they had to create more drama for the contestants. 

I was glad when Rue and Katniss paired up with each other. Rue really saved Katniss’s life by showing her the tracker jacker’s nest. It’s a wonder that Katniss didn’t die after being stung by the tracker jackers. She was so completely defenseless when she was having her delusions. What did you think of her plan to attack the Career Tribute’s food stash? I think breaking them down like that is her only option. Again, it was a wonder that Katniss wasn’t killed when the supplies blew up. She had so many close calls. 

It was so sad when Rue died. Her death was so quick and upsetting. I thought it was so touching when District 11 sent Katniss some bread so say thank you for what she had done for Rue. That scene was really emotional. 

This section ends with a rule change saying if both contestants from the same district are still alive, they can win the Hunger Games as a pair. Do you think that it’s a trick? Are the Gamemakers trying to get Peeta and Katniss back together? Katniss calls out for Peeta at the end. Where do you think he is? Do you think he’s injured? Do you think she’ll be able to find him? 

Before you go, check out the video below to see how the filmmakers showed the Gamemakers’ influence on the arena. Could you imagine having to manipulate the arena to hurt the participants? 

I hope you will leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on this section! Make sure to finish the book before checking back next week!

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Hunger Games.

Did you enjoy reading this first section? I loved that the story was so interesting right from the first pages. The premise of the story is so sad that it’s hard to actually picture what’s going on. From the very beginning, we know that two children from each district go to some sort of competition to be “reaped.” I just can’t imagine how that would go. I can’t believe that the society is ok with sending children off to their deaths. I also couldn’t believe how Katniss was pretty resigned to the possibilities of the day. She knew she was at a disadvantage since she had put extra entries into the pot for a chance to get more food and supplies at home. What a horrible system. 

How shocked were you when Prim’s name was pulled? She only had one entry in the pot! I was pretty surprised that her name was pulled, but I was not surprised that Katniss volunteered to take her sister’s place. Katniss is definitely the care taker in her family, so it’s no surprise that she would sacrifice herself to save her sister. What are your first impressions of Peeta? Does he seem like he will be a good ally for Katniss during the Games? 

It was shocking that Katniss was immediately whisked away for the Games. They sure didn’t give them much time to get used to the idea of going! What did you think of the train ride to the Capitol? What do you think of Effie and Haymitch? Do you think either will be much help for the pair once they get started in the actual competition? I think Effie tries her best, but I don’t think Haymitch is going to be much help. He doesn’t seem to like Katniss very much, for starters, and he doesn’t do much other than get drunk and fall over into his sick. I hope he offers more help once the competition starts. 

Once they are at the Capitol, the pair immediately has to start performing for the crowd so they can get supplies and things during the Games. Check out the video below to see the pair and their flaming outfits. Don’t you think Cinna is an asset to the team? He has a lot of creative ideas for making the team stand out. I would never think to have their costumes light on fire. 

What did you think of the training exercises? I thought it was smart for Peeta and Katniss to try everything and not show their strengths to the group. I think it will help them stay under the radar once they are in the arena. What did you think of Katniss’s anger explosion at the end of her chance to show her skills to the Gamemakers? I didn’t blame her for being mad that they weren’t paying attention to her, but I thought for sure she really shot herself in the foot to get a good rating. But, it seemed like the Gamemakers enjoyed her attitude and her ability with the bow. Could you believe what a high ranking she got? I think having that high ranking, though, won’t help her as she goes into the arena. I think it will make the other players go after her. 

This section ends with Peeta telling the crowd that he has a crush on Katniss. Do you think that’s true? Or do you think he’s just trying to create a story for the people? How do you think Katniss will react to him saying that? I can’t imagine that she will be very happy about it. 

Are you anxious to read the next section? Are you interested to see how the compeition goes in the arena? Do you think Katniss and Peeta will work together? 

I hope you’ll leave a comment to let me know what you thought of this section! Make sure to read the next nine chapters beore checking back on the next blog post!