Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat

Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat written by Gary Paulsen is a short story or play that takes part in a junior high bathroom.  There is an extreme weather warning and everyone at the middle school needs to take shelter until the storm cell passes.  The time was about an hour after school let out and all six of the students were there at the middle school after hours for various reasons.

The six students knew of each other but were not friends.  While sitting in the restroom waiting out the storm, they began to talk and share with one another.  Friendships were made over the time spent in the bathroom during the storm and they discovered new things about one another.  Avery carried around a stuffed cat, Jordan got bloody noses because he was anxious, Taylor pretended to be stupid so  he could hangout with and become friends with Mason, Mason is always on the look out for contacts (not friends), and Regan is always trying to get people to join a group of some kind.

In the end, they all become friends and discover very humanistic things about one another.  Rather than judging one another, they accept each other and become friends.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
This was one of Gary Paulsen's short stories.  It was an easy read and I finished it in a short amount off time.  The thing I  like about Gary Paulsen's stories is that they tend to be believable.  Living back east during my junior high years, I can easily relate to this story.  Although I never sat in the bathroom with five other guys during a sever storm, I have hung out at my friends house in the garage during a huge thunder and lightening storm.  We all stayed in the garage, talked, watched the storm, and waited out the storm.  As a middle schooler, your conversations go in all kinds of directions and tend to create a bond with those involved in the conversations.

At the end of the short story, Gary Paulsen wrote the  story in a play.  It is all mapped out so that a group of students could easily act out the story.  If I were a literature teacher and taught the  sixth or seventh grade, I would give this book and play a shot.  It would be fun to do as well as watch.

AR Quiz: 90%

MTH: Christmas in Camelot

The adventures of Jack and Annie continue in the book Christmas in Camelot.  It thought it would be fun to read this particular book over the Christmas holiday.  Jack and Annie go to Camelot by invitation but when they get there they discover that no one there sent them an invitation to come.  King Author has banned all magic in Camelot and Camelot has been placed under a spell of sorrow and unhappiness.  If they don't go to the Other World and get some of the magic water, then Camelot will remain unhappy forever and Jack and Annie will never be able to visit again.  On their adventure they have to get four gifts:  a cloak, a cup, a compass, and a key.  They get the cloak from the Christmas Knight, the cup from Sir Galahad, the compass from Sir Percival, and the key from Sir Lancelot.  Jack and Annie run into a white stag and ride it to and from the Other World.  While in the Other World, Jack and Annie save the three missing knights and bring back a cup of the magic water.  As Jack tries to walk over to all of the frozen Camelot people (King Author, Morgan le Fay, and the knights at the round table) he trips and spills all of the water in the cup.  As it seeps into the ground a gold cloud of smoke rises and then everyone is unfrozen and laughing and singing.  Jack and Annie saved Camelot from being forever unhappy.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
This was a pleasant and fun read over the Christmas holiday.  I really enjoy the simple structure of the MTH books.  They are an easy read, predictable, and informative.  I think this series of books are good for children just getting into chapter books and for students who are struggling readers.  Their predictability makes it easy for the reader to follow and even guess what comes next.  I own almost every MTH book and have a goal to read everyone.  I have to look back at my list of MTH books that I have read so that I can systematically read every one.  Another thing I like about the MTH series is that the books are intended to be read in fours because of the mystery or puzzle Jack and Annie are trying to solve.  However, each book is filled with a separate adventure and can be read as a standalone book.  I recommend reading them in order so that you stay connected with the progression of the overall story line.  Mary Pope Osborne has done an excellent job with this children's literature series.


AR Quiz:  100%

More Than a Bucket List by Toni Birdsong

More Than a Bucket List by Toni Birdsong is an interesting book.  It focus' on establishing dreams, your passions, and building your faith.   It is filled with short stories, positive thoughts, and quotes that center around various themes.  After a few paragraphs of stories or thoughts, the author lists some dreams, adventures, passions, or ways to build your faith.  These lists are not meant as a check off list, but rather a list of suggestions.  The suggestions are broad and deep.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
This is not a sit down are read through book.  It is a book intended to be picked up, read for a little bit, and then set back down.  My wife and I thought this this would be a good bathroom book for those who tend to spend a lot of time in there.  I like the fact that this bucket list book was more well rounded than the others I have read or skimmed.  This one was more focused on the individual rather than things that can be done as a couple.  However, I will say that as I skimmed the many lists on dreams, adventures, passions, and building faith, I found myself writing them down in our Bucket List journal.  This book is definitely worth the look over because it has a lot of unique ideas and suggestions.

AR Quiz:  No AR quiz.

MTH: China - Land of the Emperor's Great Wall by Mary Pope Osborne

This particular book written by Mary Pope Osborne and her sister, Natalie Pope Boyce, is a non-fiction book about China.  In a nutshell, it an easy to read book that states facts about China.  The book covered bits and pieces of the Great Wall of China, the first emperor, the Terra-Cotta Soldiers, many of China's great inventions, the daily life in China, and the many things they celebrate.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
A few years back I visited China as one of the requirements for my doctorate degree.  It was a fascinating trip and very  educational.  Many of the things the book covered, I was fortunate enough to see or hear about while I was there.  However, we did not have enough time to visit the Terra-Cotta Soldiers.  I heard it was fascinating to  see.  As I read the chapter on inventions, I was impressed to learn that paper, the compass, and gunpowder were invented in China.  China is definitely an old civilization and have contributed a lot to what we take for granted today.  I do want to take a trip back to China with my wife.  I would like to visit the Great Wall and the Red Square once again.  In addition, I would take some time to visit the Terra-Cotta Soldiers.

If you like reading the MTH fiction series, then these books (the Fast Tracker series) are well worth the read because they bring you behind the senses of the fiction books.  They help you see what the author saw when she began writing the story.  In addition, these books are filled with fun facts that can lead you in a discovery direction on other topics.

AR Quiz: 90%

Field Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen

Field Trip is written by my favorite youth author, Gary Paulsen, and his son, Jim Paulsen.  Field Trip is the companion book Road Trip.  This book can be read after Road Trip but can also be read independently.  The only characters that move through both books are the two collies (Atticus and Conor), the dad, and the boy (Ben).  The readers are introduced to several new characters in this book.  The reader is introduced to the twins, Brig, and a new puppy.  The setting for this story is the road.  The dad decides to help Ben and two of his classmates, Jacob and Charlotte, catch up to the school field trip bus.  This adventure takes place in the new work truck that dad purchased.  This new truck is a used ice cream truck.  As they drive down the road to catch up to the school bus, Ben's dad gets side tracked by a flea market and hold house.  Charlotte arranges to buy the old house for $1 and they give it to charity.  Jacob gets a news crew out to cover the great story of fixing up an old house and giving it to a family in need.  On their way to the meet the bus, Jacob noticed a movies set out on the road.  Jacob always wanted to be in a movie so he convenced everyone to pull over and give it their best shot to be an extra in the movie.  It all worked out and everyone had a part and even Jacob got a speaking part.  After the movie adventure was over, Ben was able to swindle his way over to the hockey try-outs and trys-out even though his dad did not want him to try-out.  Try-outs went well and they liked Ben.  After the try-outs things were pretty quite in the truck as they drove on.  As they were driving by a animal shelter, Atticus began to bark.  They stopped there to pick up Ben's new puppy.  The new puppy's name is Puck.  As they drive home, Ben discovers that his mom had bought a new house for them to move into, a hockey rink is only a block away from their new house, there will be a 10-week hockey camp with real NFL hockey players coaching, and Ben gets a girlfriend (Charlotte).  Although they never caught up to the school bus and the school field trip, all things seemed to work out.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
I like how this book and the other book, Road Trip, was written by both authors.  It started out as an interest story sent by Jim to his dad, Gary.  Gary responded by writing the next chapter.  This went on until the book was finished.  This style of writing a story is interesting and keeps the ideas fresh but builds upon one another.  I definitely liked the way they were able complement each other throughout the story.  It did not give the reader the impression that there were two different trains of thought.  I also enjoyed the way they included the dog's perspective.  It was always nice to "get into" the minds of the dogs and know what they were thinking as things transpired.  If you are a Gary Paulsen fan, this is a must.  If you like taking semi-planned or unplanned road trips, this book is for you.  If you like dogs and family dynamics, this book is for you.

AR Quiz: 90%