Summer Reading 2015

It's Time for Summer and Shaw's Summer Reading Program!

Check out what Mrs. Gadberry has planned in the library this summer!

Shaw's Summer Reading Program-What are you reading this summer?

If you are reading a book that is not posted, leave a comment here and tell us what you are reading.  Write a short summary and tell us what you like about it.

Shaw's Summer Reading Program: Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia

Book Introduction:

When Mr. Carter mistakes Amelia Bedelia for the new teacher, the literal-minded housekeeper takes over the class in her usual highly entertaining manner.

Interest Level: Grades K-3

Genre: Humor

Questions: 

1.  Why did Amelia Bedelia have to go to the school?

2. What was the classroom like when Amelia Bedelia walked in?

3. What did Amelia Bedelia think "Call the Roll" meant?

4. What did Amelia Bedelia have the children do with the light bulbs? Why?

Shaw's Summer Reading Program: Shredderman

Book Introduction: 

Bubba Bixby is a bully -- he cheats, steals, cuts in line, and terrorizes little kids.  Even teachers and principals can't seem to stop him.  Nolan thinks it would take a superhero to make Bubba behave.  But what no one knows yet is there's a little superhero luking within Nolan's nerdy exterior, just waiting for a chance to bust out.  And when that happens... Bubba better beware!

Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Genre: Adventure

Questions:

1. Nolan's mom thinks some people are born mean. His dad thinks people grow into being mean. What do you think?
2. Nolan has to interview someone in the community for his project. Who would you choose in our community, and what would you want to know?
3. How does Nolan let kids know about his website? Would you have done it differently? If so, how?
4. Mr Green says you can tell what kind of person someone is by what they do when others aren't looking. What kind of kid is Nolan? What kind of kid are you?

Shaw's Summer Reading Program: The Hoboken Chicken Emergency

Book Introduction: 

When Arthur Bobowicz is sent out to bring home the family's Thanksgiving turkey, he returns instead with Henrietta---a 266 pound chicken with a mind of her own.  Feathers fly when this colossal clicker descends upon Hoboken, New Jersey.

Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Genre: Humor

Questions:

1. Why does Arthur end up buying Henrietta instead of a turkey?

2. What are some of the tricks Arthur taught Henrietta?

3. What does the community think is in the tree?

4.What would you do if you had to give back something you loved? How would you feel?

5. What does the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover mean"?

Summer Reading Program: Horrible Harry and the Locked Closet

Book Introduction: 

Horrible Harry has discovered the biggest mystery ever in Room 3B! There's a locked closet in the classroom that's been sealed off for years, and he wants to find out what's inside.

Interest Level: Grades 2-5

Genre: Humor

Questions:

1. What 3 visitors came to room 3B to find the answers to the mystery?

2. What did Harry really see through the hole in the closet when he saw eyeballs?

3. Name 3 characters and what they brought out of the closet and why they picked that item?

Summer Reading Program: Rodzina

Book Introduction:

One of a group of orphans, 12-year-old Rodzina boards a train on a cold day in March 1881. She's reluctant to leave Chicago, the only home she can remember, and she knows there's no substitute for the family she has lost. She expects to be adopted and turned into a slave or worse, not to be adopted at all. As the train rattles westward, Rodzina unwittingly begins to develop attachments to her fellow travelers, even the frosty orphan guardian, and to accept the idea that there might be good homes for orphans maybe even for a big, combative Polish girl.

Interest Level: Grades 4-5

Genre: Historical Fiction

Questions:

1.  What are some examples of prejudice in the story? Why do you think the author chooses to include them?

2. The adults in the story claim that they have the orphans' best interests in mind. When is this true? When is it not true?

3. How is Rodzina's ethnicity important to her? How does she let other people know this?

4. What emotions does Rodzina keep to herself? Why?

5. Rodzina doesn't always follow the rules. Do you think she is justified in doing this? In what instances does this behavior help her to survive?

6. Why do you think people say Lacey is "slow"? Do you agree? What examples support your opinion?

7. Despite their differences, how are Rodzina and Miss Doctor alike? Do you think they will be able to get along in the future?

Summer Reading Program: Miss Nelson Has A Field Day

Book Introduction

The Smedley Tornadoes are a pitiful, undisciplined, losing football team . . . until the notorious Viola Swamp appears! The world's meanest substitute teacher soon whips the team into shape for the big game. 

Interest Level: Grades K-2

Genre: Humor

Questions:

1.  What was making the children at the Horace B. Smedley School so sad?

2. What happened to Coach Armstrong?

3. What did Miss Nelson overhear when she passed by Lulu’s?

4. What did Miss Nelson decide to do to try to solve the team’s problem?

5. Who did the children think was the new coach for the team?

6. Who did the coach turn out to be at the end of the story? 

Shaw's Summer Reading Program

Watch this video to learn about our Summer Reading Program.

We want everyone to read with us this summer!

Summer Reading Program: Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary

Book Introduction:

The world's smartest mouse is back...and he's going to school! When Ralph learns that his old friend Matt, the bellhop at the Mountain View Inn, is going to lost his job beacuse of mice in the hotel, Ralph gets the housekeeper's son to take him to school with him. Ralph the mouse causes quite a sensation in the classroom—and gets quite an education himself.

Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Genre: Adventure

Questions for Chapters 1-2:
1. Ralph has two prized possessions, his motorcycle and his crash helmet.  What is your most prized possession?  Tell about it and why it is important to you.
2. Do you think that Ralph is being selfish by not letting his relatives ride his motorcycle?  Why or why not?
3. Do you think there are other mice at Ryan's school?  Why or why not?

Questions for Chapters 3-4:
1. How do you think your teacher would react if you brought a mouse to school in your pocket?  Explain your answer.
2. Write a story to tell what happened the next morning when the kids in Room 4 came back to find their art projects eaten by Ralph.

3. Do you think it would be cheating for Ralph to look at or practice the maze before the mouse exhibit?  Why or why not?

4. How do you think Ralph will do running the maze?  Explain your answer.

Questions for Chapters 5-6:
1. Would you like to be able to have as good of a sense of smell as a mouse has?  Why or why not?

2. Do you think Ralph jumping to the top of the maze instead of running it correctly was cheating?  Why or why not?

3. How do you think Ryan feels about breaking Ralph's motorcycle?  Explain your answer.

Questions for Chapters 7-9:
1. Pretend you are in Ryan's class.  Write a letter to the editor about the article on the mouse exhibit.
2. Did you like the ending of the book?  Why or why not?

Summer Reading Program-Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

Book Summary
Poor little Wemberly worried about everything! Now this adorable little mouse has the biggest worry of all to overcome, the first day of nursery school.

Interest Level: Kindergarten & 1st Grade

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Questions:

1. Do you remember how you felt before the first day of school. Did you feel worried? 

Did you feel excited?

2. What did Wemberly worry about?

3. What caused Wemberly's worries about school to go away?

Shaw's Summer Reading Program

Here is how it is going to work...
**We will post different books on our blog, with different interest levels.
**Students pick one or more books to read.
**Then answer the questions below the book's picture by leaving a comment.
**If you are reading a book not posted, leave a comment under the "What are you reading post?".
**The easiest way is to leave a comment is as Anonymous, but be sure and write your first name and last name initial in the comment section.
**For each relevant comment left, the student's name will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Gift Card to the Scholastic Book Fair at Shaw in September.  We will have 3 winners!!
**All comments will be approved before being published!
**Check back often, as we will add more questions.
**If you need a Summer Reading Program book, the Shaw Library will be open every Wednesday from 9 a.m.-Noon this summer.  Parents must come with students to check out books.

Summer Reading Program-How To Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

Book Description: 

When Billy claims he’ll eat anything, his friends challenge him to a bet that he can’t eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. At first Billy needs lots of mustard, ketchup and horseradish to get the worms down, but before the fifteen days are over, he has learned to like them.

Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Genre: Humor

Questions for Chapters I-IV:

 1. Why does Billy agree to the bet?

2. Why does Tom say the others aren’t being fair to Billy? 

3. What other dares has Billy accepted? Have you ever accepted a dare?

4. How does he prepare to eat his first worm? 

5. How does Tom talk him into eating it? 

6. Compare how Billy acts after eating the first worm and then after eating the second worm? 

7. What would it take for you to eat a worm?

Questions for Chapters V-VII

1. Describe what Joe said would happen when Billy ate the peppered worm. 

2. What did Billy do as he ate the last bite of the worm? 

3. What is the most unusual thing you have ever eaten? 

4. How did you happen to eat this unusual food? 

Questions for Chapters VIII-X

1. Why do you think ChapterIX is called "ThePlotters"? 

2. In your words retell the story Joe told Billy to frighten him.

3. What would you do if you were Alan or Joe to stop Billy from eating the worms?

Questions for Chapters XI-XV

1. Why did Tom want Billy to hurry and eat the fifth worm? 

2. Tell about a time when you couldn't sleep because you were worried. What did you do to get to sleep? 

3. What did Billy's dad say when he learned Billy had eaten five worms? 

Questions for Chapters XVI-XXIX

1. Describe a Whizbang Worm Delight.

2. What do you use to change the flavor of a food you have to eat, but don't like? Does adding this to a food help?

3. Tell about a time when you've eaten too much junk food.