Alcatraz Smedry celebrates his 13th birthday by meeting his grandfather for the very first time. Alcatraz breaks everything he touches and soon learns this is his gift. Alcatraz receives a bag of sand, a birthday gift from his father whom he has never met, only to have it stolen by the evil librarians. Alcatraz’s life takes a peculiar turn into an unknown world of the TRUTH. Alcatraz, his grandfather, Sing, and Bastille seek to recover the bag of sand from the evil librarians.
1) The librarians’ objective is to conquer the remaining Free Kingdoms and rule the world. How do you feel about the librarians being the bad guys?
2) Alcatraz has the talent of breaking things and Grandpa Smedry has the power to arrive late to appointments. What odd talent would you like to have?
3) Author Brandon Sanderson narrates throughout his book. Explain why you like or dislike the narratives.
Cody’s Dad works undercover for the CIA. Cody has been homeschooled and has worked as his father’s partner until witnessing a recent café bombing. Cody is then sent to live with his aunt to attend a regular school for the first time in his life. Read what happens as Cody tries to fit into his new life and connects with his neighbor, a war veteran who struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Questions:
1) Andy tells Cody, “War can bring change. Sometimes change is good.” Do you think war is sometimes necessary or good? When might it be justified?
2) Cody’s father has a dangerous job that sometimes puts his family in danger. Should Cody’s father stay in the CIA? Why or why not?
3) Cody has adapted to all kinds of countries and danger, but he has a hard time figuring out junior high school. How is his school similar or different from yours?
Eric and his family have moved to Bellport, Long Island to give his fractured family a new start. Eric a typical seventh grader and the new kid in town is finding it difficult to know who should be his friends. Griffin seeks Eric out; Eric soon learns there is more to Griffin than meets the eye. If Griffin is your “friend” then you are safe but if not, you may have a target on your back. Eric is faced with making difficult decisions. Will he be a bystander, a bully, or stand up for what is right?
1) The ending does not have a strong conclusion regarding punishment or forgiveness. How do you feel about the way this story ended?
2) Griffin is a charismatic leader. How do you feel about him in spite of his track record? Will he make positive changes?
3) Do you consider spreading rumors/slander and gossip to be a kind of bullying? Why do you feel this way?
Ty, raised by his parents in a deep sea colony, meets Gemma, a Topsider runaway. Together they attempt to defend their friends from underwater outlaws while also wrestling with mysterious circumstances surrounding the outlaws’ leader.
1) “We are the ones who are the Dark Life.” Why does Gemma, the Topsider, say this? What does she mean? Do you agree or disagree with her?
2) If the USA set up an experimental underwater sea colony, would you be interested in living there for a time? Why or why not?
3) What was your favorite part of Ty’s living conditions underwater? If you could design an underwater invention to make life better underwater, what would it be?
4) If you were living in this society, would you want to be a Topsider or sea dweller? Why?
The Lleshi family are Albanians and are living in turbulent Kosovo. They are forced by the Serbians to leave their home when Meli’s brother, Mehmet, is kidnapped by Serbian fighters. Read about how they endure hardships and face danger.
1) Meli wondered if her disobedience in drawing the pelican picture of her teacher caused any of the problems her family encountered. Was she to blame? Have you ever felt that your actions might have caused something bad to happen?
2) Mehmet wanted to kill the men who tried to kill him, while Baba decided that the family should flee. Did they make the right decision? Are there ever times that it might be better to fight than to flee? To flee than to fight?
3) Mehmet and Meli are told that they will not quit their teams and that they must go back despite the bullying that has occurred. Do you agree with this decision? What do you think will happen when they show up for practice?
Sam, a dachshund show dog, is falsely accused of kidnapping a baby. Framed by the evil poodle, Cassius, Sam sees darker times ahead.
1) Cassius unfairly frames Sam for a horrible crime. What’s the difference between getting revenge and seeking justice in Sam’s situation?
2) Which of the abandoned dogs from the Last Ditch Dog Depository would you want to adopt? Why?
3) Sam suffers pain, imprisonment and many near-death experiences, yet he continues to persevere. What do you think Sam’s motivation to live is? Do you think it is love of Heidy, justice for Cassius, or something else?
Newton Starker’s family appears to be cursed. His mother and all but one of her family tree have been struck and killed by lightning. Newton’s father sends him to the Jerry Potts Academy for Higher Learning and Survival so that he can learn survival skills.
1) Newton plans to go back to the Jerry Potts Academy next year. What might happen to Newton and his friends next year?
2) Do you think you can prevent bad things from happening to you or do you think you just have to accept fate? Share your thoughts.
3) Newton has lists of tips for survival. Do you have any survival rules? (Note: They can be tips about school survival or survival in general.) Share a couple of your ideas.
Three teenagers are hired to work in a monster-themed pizzeria. They are recruited to fight actual monsters, who appear as normal individuals in between their transformations.
1) Toby discovered his inner strength in fighting the guttata. Have you ever surprised yourself in what you were able to accomplish or overcome?
2) If you were to create a themed pizzeria, what would it be like? What are some examples of menu items you would offer?
3) Toby would like to be a chef. Do you have a career in mind for yourself? How would your interests and skills support that career?
4) Describe a sequel you might create for Killer Pizza.
Melody Brooks, an 11-year-old with cerebral palsy, has a brilliant mind and a photographic memory but cannot control her body or communicate. Relegated to exceptional education classes, she languishes and experiences intense frustration until a friend and advocate arranges for her to receive a Medi-Talker communication device which changes her world.
1) If you were Melody, what would you like to tell your classmates?
2) How might Melody’s life have been different if she had never known Mrs. Valencia?
3) How has reading this book affected your perspective and attitude toward people with cerebral palsy?
4) Have you read any other books about people facing physical challenges? How were they similar to or different from Out of My Mind?
Lonnie Collins Motion (Locomotion) writes to his younger sister, Lili, who has been placed in a different foster home after their parents died in a fire.
1) Lonnie writes, “Sometimes people say something about you and no matter how hard you try not to believe it, you still do.” Can you identify with this statement? In what way?
2) In what ways is Clyde a good friend to Lonnie? What do you look for in a best friend?
3) Do you think Rodney would make a good teacher? Why or why not?
4) Foster parents can make a big difference in the life of children and teenagers. Do you think you’d ever want to become a foster parent when you’re older and married? If so, in what ways would you try to help your foster child(ren)?
Pemba and her mother have just moved from Brooklyn, NY to the small town of Colchester, CT. They have moved into an old house and Pemba begins having paranormal experiences in which she connects with a former slave resident of the house.
1) Pemba’s mother decides that they should move to a safer town after Pemba gets attacked and beaten by some girls in Brooklyn. Do you agree with her mother’s decision to move? Why or why not?
2) Pemba learns a lot about Black History through her paranormal experiences and through her research. What did you learn new about Black History while reading this book? What surprised you?
3) Do you believe in paranormal experiences where people can talk to the dead? Tell what you think happens and why.
Boston Red Sox professional baseball team is cursed and only a family member is able to break the curse. Twelve-year-old Oscar Egg feels he too is cursed. Oscar learns he may be the one to break the curse for the Red Sox Team. Will Oscar be able to break the eighty-six year old curse in time for the World Series?
1.) If you were able to travel back in time to meet a sports hero, who would you meet? Explain why you would want to meet this person.
2.) Are you a sports fanatic? Which sport? Which team? Why?
3.) What message do you think the author is trying to get across to readers? Did she succeed?
Nick and his friend Marta decide to investigate when a mysterious fire starts near a Florida wildlife preserve and an unpopular teacher, who was recently threatened by an intimidating student, is missing.
1) Do you see yourself in any of the characters in this book? If so, which one and why?
2) Mrs. Starch was not the person Nick and Marta thought she was. Have you ever discovered surprisingly positive traits in someone you’d misjudged? Without using names, give a general description of the scenario.
3) Smoke made a radical change in his appearance, work habits, and attitude. If you had been in class with him during this time, to what do you think you would have attributed his motivation for the change? Would you have been right or wrong in your suspicions?
4) Ecology has also been a theme in Carl Hiaasen’s other recent books, Hoot and Flush. Which have you read, and what is your opinion concerning the ecological issues raised in them?
Dwight, the sixth grade oddball has an origami finger puppet, Yoda, who dispenses wise advice. Is Yoda a hoax? Tommy and his skeptical friends set out to prove whether Yoda is right or wrong through their own personal encounters.
1) Do you think Dwight is smart enough to give Yoda’s wise advice? Why or why not?
2) In your opinion, is Dwight more comfortable being Yoda or himself? What makes you think so?
3) Would you trust Yoda’s advice? What kind of advice would you ask for?
4) What do you think Tommy learned about friendship by researching Yoda’s wise advice?
Thirteen-year-old Samuel Smith comes home from hunting to find his neighbors massacred and his parents captured by Iroquois Indians working with the British. Setting out to rescue them, he befriends the young daughter of a family massacred by Hessian soldiers.
1) Samuel took Annie under his wing after her parents were killed. Would you have done the same? What would the challenges have been in being responsible for an eight-year-old girl on the frontier during a war?
2) The author quoted the following slogan: “Morale is to fighting as four is to one.” What does this mean? How do you think this motto applied to Samuel and his search for his parents?
3) What would have been the greatest challenge for you if you were in Samuel’s position, feeling responsible for rescuing your parents?
4) How might the story have changed if Samuel and Annie hadn’t met Abner McDougal?
