Who's the Hero? Thoughts on the Hunger Games Series

*****SPOILER ALERT*****SPOILER ALERT*****SPOILER ALERT*****SPOILER ALERT*****  

Do not continue reading 

if you plan to read the Hunger Game books or if you have not finished the books!

     I just finished the Hunger Games series last night.  I closed the final book and tried to name the emotion I felt.  Satisfied.  I was satisfied.  
     Suzanne Collins is an incredible writer who created a page-turner with surprises so shocking that I actually gasped out loud once or twice.  However, she is not writing from a Christian point-of-view and that makes working out the tension between good and evil (sin) difficult.  She writes of a society gone terribly wrong with no Redeemer in sight.  That makes swallowing the story line and facing the incredible evil a problem, and although Katniss sparks the revolution, she is NOT the hero.
     Although Katniss is willing to die for her sister, her positive qualities are limited.  She feels compassion towards the Avox she did not save, and Rue, the little girl who reminded her of her sister.  Although she is smart, intuitive, resourceful, brave, and fierce, she is also quick to anger, selfish, distrustful, and suspicious, and she knows it. The girl on fire, fueled by hatred and revenge, becomes a murderer, a survivalist, a manipulator, yet her behavior is completely understandable considering she almost starved to death when 11, watched her mother descend into deep depression, broke the law daily to save her family, and acted as an adult simply to survive the cruel society into which she was born.  The girl's got baggage, but it's important to remember, she is a girl, and she is a survivor.
     Gale is no better.  He starts out angry and then becomes vengeful, creating traps that play on human sympathies in order to kill others.  Even Katniss is uncomfortable with his methods.
     Peeta, on the other hand, is the only one in the series who seems to have a grasp of what the society has done and is capable of doing to ruin all that is good about humanity.  In book one he says, "'I don't want them to change me in there.  Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not.'"  Despite President Snow's "hijacking," it is Peeta who is able to NOT become that monster.  When even Katniss stoops so low as to  call for a Hunger Games for the children of the Capital, Peeta, arguing with Haymitch, is appalled at "the atrocity he could become party to."  (Book 3).  While Gale is the one who brings Katniss the arrow to assassinate Snow, Peeta is the one who takes the nightlock from her.  
     Peeta.  I closed the book, and I was satisfied because of Peeta.  In the end, he redeems her.  He loves her unquestionably, faithfully, and unconditionally.  He never gives up on her.  He cares for her and those around him.  He does what is right, what is good.  He sees beauty in the darkness.  He never kills anyone in the book unless by accident, even when brainwashed.  Peeta.  It sounds like Peter, to me, and if so, it means "rock."  Peeta is a rock -- unchanging, steadfast.  Peeta is hope.  Peeta does not become the monster, never crosses that line, redeems Katniss with his love, and in the end, redeems the humanity that has become reduced to a Darwinian world of the strongest and most deadly survive.  Peeta makes Katniss and the world around him a better place, and that is why I am satisfied.
     


     For a different opinion, see Why the Hunger Games is Flawed to Its Core.  I respect N.D. Wilson very much, and I've read all his books.  However, I don't agree that Peeta is a wimpy, passive guy.  He's a teenager trapped in a hopeless system.  Yes, I would have loved it if, in the first book, Katniss cut out her arm tracker and saved the other tributes from the bad tributes, but then what?  The Gamemakers could have killed her off quickly, and then the books would be over.  Finally, I disagree that revolutions aren't started by small things like berries.  In that moment, she decided it was better to kill herself and Peeta than to let them win, to force her to do the unthinkable -- kill her friend.  That was a huge act of courage that could indeed spark a revolution if such a terrible world existed and that entire world was watching live, but that is just my opinion.  

NOTE:  Considering the darkness of the books, I think parents need to be very wary of allowing children younger than 13 to read them.  By the third book, the author is describing the tributes being used as sex slaves, and we must remember -- the tributes are children.  Alcohol and drug abuse, brutality, murder, evil -- all of this is dark and takes maturity to work through.

The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit -- A Great Read Aloud!

     "This is the story of the different ways we looked for treasure, and I think when you have read it you will see that we were not lazy about the looking."   From the first sentence of the first page, The Story of the Treasure Seekers:  Being the adventures of the Bastable children in search of a fortune, by E. Nesbit gets right to the point, and the adventures that follow are as irresistible as the Bastable children themselves.
     Originally published as short stories in magazines and put into book form in 1899, The Story of the Treasure Seekers is the delightful tale of the six Bastable children, Dora, Oswald, Dicky, Alice, Noel, and Horace Octavius (H.O.)  After their mother dies ("and if you think we don't care because I don't tell you much about her you only show that you do not understand people at all") and their father also falls ill, "his business-partner went to Spain -- and there was never much money afterwards."  As creditors start calling and the children must leave school because father can no longer afford it, they decide they must do something to restore their fallen fortunes.  Each child comes up with a plan, and, well, their plans are hysterical.  Oswald suggests stopping "people on Blackheath -- with crepe masks and horse-pistols -- and say 'Your money or your life!  Resistance is useless, we are armed to the teeth.'"  Other ideas include rescuing an old gentleman in deadly peril, using a divining-rod to search for gold, becoming bandits, finding a princess and marrying her, becoming detectives, and digging for treasure.  Fortunately for us but not so much for their father, they actually carry out their plans and much hilarity ensues.
     Written over 100 years ago, this book has never lost its appeal to readers young and old alike.  My boys were ages 11 and 8 when I read it, and we all laughed from beginning to end.  I recommend it as a read aloud because it's great fun for the entire family and because there are some vocabulary words that are difficult.  It was written in the 1890s, afterall.
     I leave you with a poem, written by Noel.  If you have a child who is sad, here in Houston, when the dead June bugs litter the sidewalks, then you'll love this poem.
     

Lines on a Dead Black Beetle that was poisoned

Beetle how I weep to see
   Thee lying on thy poor back!
It is so very sad indeed.
   You were so shiny and black.
I wish you were alive again
But Eliza says wishing it is nonsense and a shame.


     "It was a very good beetle poison, and there were hundreds of them lying dead -- but Noel only wrote a piece of poetry for one of them ...and the worst of it was he didn't know which one he'd written it to -- so Alice couldn't bury the beetle and put the lines on its grave, though she wanted to very much."     (Chapter 4)


Thanks so much, Holly S., for recommending this book!  We LOVED it!

100 Cupboards Trilogy by N.D. Wilson -- EXCELLENT!

     After reading N.D. Wilson's first book, Leepike Ridge, my oldest son and I sped through his three novels in the 100 Cupboards Trilogy:  The 100 Cupboards, Dandelion Fire, and The Chestnut King.  I started reading first, but by the third book, my son passed me and eagerly waited for me to finish so we could talk about the ending.  Each book grew longer (320, 480, 512 pages), but neither of us wanted to put them down.  When he finished reading at night, I asked him to leave it on the floor by his bed so I could snag it.  They were just that good.
     After his parents are kidnapped, Henry York, age 12, ends up in a town called Henry, Kansas, living with his Uncle Frank and Aunt Dotty and their three children, Penelope, Anastasia, and Henrietta, whom they also called Henry until Henry moved in with them.  One night, he finds plaster in his hair and using the knife Uncle Frank had bought for him, picks all the plaster off the wall to find 100 cupboards of all shapes and sizes, and thus begins his adventures.
     So Henry, a young, unlikely hero, who throws up when scared and whose parents made him wear a helmet to P.E. class, never told him he was adopted, and continually left him with nannies and in boarding school, finds 100 new worlds and a surprising heritage, learns to be brave, discovers baseball, family, and friendship, and, by the end, is given an impossible, Frodo-like, task.  It's a classic tale of good vs. evil, with well-developed, unique, irresistible characters and some pretty rotten, evil ones, too.  The plot keeps you guessing, and the writing is pleasantly refreshing, unique, and unexpected.   You'll find yourself holding your breath, cheering for Henry and his family, and hoping he doesn't lose everything he has just gained.  There are funny parts, intense battle scenes and fights, and loving and tender moments.  Unlike some book series which end badly as if the author didn't know how to wrap it up, this book ties up beautifully at the end, leaving you satisfied.  
     My favorite part, though, is that the boys are young, but they are loyal, keep their word, face fear, and grow as young men.  Henrietta starts out as an impulsive, sneaky girl, stubborn, and obsessively curious and turns into a brave, still-stubborn, yet strong young woman by the end.
     As a fantasy series, this is one of my favorites; it may not be The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia, but it is very close.  Wilson's first novel, Leepike Ridge is good, but his 100 Cupboards Trilogy is incredible.  His next series, Ashtown Burials, is out, and we can't wait to read the first book!


     N.D. Wilson wrote an article for DesiringGod.com called "Stories Are Soul Food: Don't Let Your Children Hunger" on why our children need good strong stories of good and evil, and even magic.  I wrote earlier about Wilson's father, Doug Wilson, author of Future Men, here.  (It was quite by accident and a cool coincidence that I found out that N.D. Wilson and Doug Wilson were thus related!)   For a three-chapter-sample of 100 Cupboards, click here.
     Finally, I leave you with two quotes from the last book, The Chestnut King; quotes which reveal why both my son and I loved this series.

     "Frank opened his mouth.  He wanted to make her promises, to tell her lies, but he couldn't.  Instead, he leaned his face over into her wet, straggling hair.  
     "'Dots,' he whispered.  'You're my life, and I've loved it.'  He drew in her smell, and she leaned her head against his lips.  'Every kiss, every dirty look, every night we slept between clean, starchy sheets, and every night we didn't.  Every nag and needle and nudge.'
     "He sat up.  'Your peaches,' he said.  'And your applesauce.  How many pies do you think I've eaten in my life?'  He looked down at her.  'Not enough.'  He smiled.  'If we get out of this, there needs to be more pie.  That's all the complaining I've got.'"  -- Frank to Dotty when it seems they will both die soon, The Chestnut King


     "Let evil hear the pounding of our feet!  Let evil hear our drumming and our chanting songs of war.  Let evil fear us!  Let evil flee!  In any world, may dark things know our names and fear.  May their vile skins creep and shiver at every mention of the faeren.  Let the night flee before the dawn and the darkness crowd into the shadows.  We march to war!"  -- King Nudd, The Chestnut King


Note for parents:  I recommend this series for children ages 10 and up, maybe older, depending on the sensitivity of your child.  My son is 12.  The books contain fighting and other violence, bloodshed, death, some very dark moments, and magic.  The 2nd book uses the profanity d**n. 

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle -- A Great Read Aloud

     When I first began reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald aloud to my two boys, I wasn't sure what to expect.  We quickly found ourselves chuckling, giggling, and laughing out loud.
     Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is an older lady who lives in an upside down house with "no family at all."  However, she quickly befriends all the neighborhood children with her stories, games, and fun!  She allows the kids to dig for treasure in her backyard, comb her hair, and make a mess baking cookies in her kitchen.  The real laughs begin, though, when Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle begins to give the neighborhood parents "wonderful cures" to help them correct their children's poor behavior.  Her cures include The Won't-Pick-Up-Toys Cure, The Answer-Backer Cure, The Never-Want-To-Go-To-Bedders Cure, The Fighter-Quarrelers Cure, and more.  All of these cures are hilarious, but when we got to The Radish Cure to help little Patsy learn to take a bath, I laughed so hard I cried!
     Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is eight short but wildly-entertaining chapters long and highly recommended by the Mullin family!  


Note:  If you don't read aloud books as a family, turn off the television and try reading this book together.  It's great, cheap, memorable family fun!  

BOOKS! Part 2 -- A Reading List for 4th grade and Older

      As promised, here is a book list for 4th grade through middle school.  As we find good books, I will update the list so check back every once in a while! 

• Author - Chris Van Allsburg RL 3.7-4.9 The Polar Express, Jumanji, Zathura: A Space Adventure, etc.  (His beautifully illustrated picture books tend to get made into movies!)
• Wayside School books by Louis Sachar RL 3.3-4.3  Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Wayside School Is Falling Down, Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger, Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School  I have never read these.  However, both of my boys have read them multiple times.  I believe the way I would describe them is ridiculously funny.  My youngest, age 12, just reread them all again.  
• Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol RL 4
• Dragonbreath Series by Ursula Vernon RL 3.7-4.3, short reads, lots of pictures Dragonbreath, Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs, Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner ,  Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster, Dragonbreath: No Such Thing as Ghosts , Dragonbreath: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies, Dragonbreath: When Fairies Go Bad, Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana, Dragonbreath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants, Dragonbreath: Knight-napped! 
• Hank the Cowdog Series  by John R. Erickson RL 3.5-5.4, almost 60 titles, Listen to some of his books on CD first and get the voices in your head -- Erickson, a former cowboy and ranch manager, and his west Texas drawl are hilarious!
• 39 Clues by various authors, RL3.0-5.0  (mystery/adventure stories, first is written by Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series.  My son says that the 2nd series of these books are too violent and not very good.  He did, however, like the first series.)
• McGrowl series by Bob Balaban RL 4.0
• Origami Yoda Series by Tom Angleberger RL 4.0 to 5.0  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, Art2-D2's Guide to Folding and Doodling, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue!, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus  (My 6th grader is reading these -- and so is his 10th grade brother!)
• Author Beverly Cleary RL 3.5-5.6   Henry Huggins (1950), Henry and Beezus (1952), Henry and Ribsy (1954), Beezus and Ramona (1955), Henry and the Paper Route (1957), Henry and the Clubhouse (1962), Ribsy (1964), Ramona the Pest (1968), Ramona the Brave (1975), Ramona and Her Father (1977), Ramona and Her Mother (1979), Ramona Quimby age 8 (1981), Ramona Forever (1984), Ramona's World (1999), The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Runaway Ralph, Ralph S. Mouse   (Some of her books are for older children:  Dear Mr. Henshaw (deals with divorce), Jean and Johnny, etc.)
• Author E.B. White – Stuart Little 3.9, Charlotte’s Web 4.9, The Trumpet of the Swan 5.1
• Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder RL 4-5
• Illustrated Classics – Adaptations of classical works, a great way to introduce your child to the classics – RL 4.0 and up
• Holes by Louis Sachar RL 4.6, recommended for ages 5th grade and up
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo RL 4.8, not a series
• Bloodhounds Inc. series by Bill Myers for ages 8-13, Christian author, hilarious
• TJ and the Time Stumblers series by Bill Myers for ages 8 and up, Christian author
• The Cooper Kids Adventure Series by Frank E. Peretti, Christian author, RL 5-6
• The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, RL 4.0
• Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black (RL 4.0)
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, RL 5.1  (Half novel, half illustrations, mysterious with a happy ending.  A dead body is mentioned.  Movie Hugo based on this book.)
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madelein L’Engle RL 5.8 (Also, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters (My oldest said to skip Many Waters – it was not as good as the others).
• The Chronicles of Prydain  by Lloyd Alexander RL 5.5, The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron (Newbery Honor), The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, The High King (Newbery Medal), The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain
• Cricket in Times Square by George Selden RL 5.9, not a series
• Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon RL 5-6
• The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill RL 5.9, not a series (both of my boys loved this book)
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O’Brien RL 5.8, not a series
• Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis RL 5.5-6.1
• Indian in the Cupboard by Lynn Reid Banks RL 6, Also, The Return of the Indian, The Secret of the Indian, The Mystery of the Cupboard, The Key to the Indian  (a few "bad words" in this series)
• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls RL 6.4, not a series, one of our favorites
• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George RL 6.7, Also, On the Far Side of the Mountain, Frightful’s Mountain, Frightful’s Daughter, Frightful’s Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel  (We have not read the last 2 of these.)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl RL 5.9, not a series
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin RL 6.1, The only mystery to win a Newbery, not a series
• The Berinfell Prophecies by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper, Christian authors, The Curse of the Spider King, Venom and Song
• The DragonKeeper Chronicles:  DragonSpell, DragonKnight, DragonQuest, DragonFire, DragonLight by Donita K. Paul, Christian author  (Grades 4 and up)
• Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson, Christian author and singer/songwriter, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, North or Be Eaten, The Monster in the Hollows, The Warden and the Wolf King   “The evil was a nameless evil, an evil whose name was Gnag the Nameless.” – from the introduction, GREAT, quirky, fun, adventure books!  
• Island Series by Gordon Korman, Shipwreck, Survival, Escape  (a story of kids stranded at sea and then on an island -- death in the stories) (RL 4.0)
• Redwall Series by Brian Jacques (RL 6-8)  23 books so far in this series, for ages 6th grade and up
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, RL 6.3  This book is one of the most recommended by librarians, etc.  However, know your child because there are some more mature themes.  SPOILER ALERT:  At the beginning of the book, the pilot dies of a heart attack which strands the hero, a thirteen-year-old boy, in the wilderness.  Also, he recalls throughout the book seeing his mother with another man while married to his dad and struggles with whether or not to tell his father post-divorce. This book is mostly a great story of survival, but I waited until my son was older because of the above themes.
• Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen, RL 4.3.  This book is hilarious and seems like it should be written by Louis Sachar, not Gary Paulsen!  It's a short read, and I would require it to be read by anyone studying economics!
• The Adventures of Tintin Series by Herge' (RL is 3rd grade.  However, books include lots of whiskey drinking!  Comic books written from 1929 to 1976).
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan RL 3-4  (Reading level is easier, but content is more middle school.  Contains heavy god/goddess worship, misdeeds, etc.  Towards the end of the series, Percy is older, and the book crosses into boy/girl relationship saga but not too heavily.  My oldest read the entire series in 7^th grade in little over a week.  However, Greek myths were never a threat to his faith while I still haven’t studied such myths with my youngest.) 
• The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan  (These books introduce new characters and brings back Percy and many of his friends.  However, the kids are not 16 and 17 years old, and there is kissing and 'I-love-yous', and other teenage romance drama.  In addition, you find out that a character is gay -- and that he had a crush on Percy Jackson.)
• Seven Wonders series by Peter Lerangis -- The Colossus Rises, Lost in Babylon, The Tomb of Shadows, The Curse of the King, The Legend of the Rift  for ages 6th grade and up.  Teens caught up in modern adventure and ancient series -- reminds me a bit of the Percy Jackson series.
• The Chaos Code by Justin Richards (Mystery, adventure, action story.  Note:  parents divorced, uses the *b---h* word once)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain   RL 5.9 (Tom Sawyer is a wonderful read aloud.  Both books contain plenty of uses of the word n*****r -- especially Huck Finn.  However, it is clear that Mark Twain, unlike Harriet Beecher Stowe, is using humor and inference to show that he believes slavery to be wrong.  I personally would recommend reading Huck Finn in high school.  Also, if not done as a read aloud, discuss with your student that the n-word should never be used!)
• Margaret Peterson Haddix, The Missing Series:  Found, Sent,. Sabotaged, Torn, Caught, Risked, Revealed, Redeemed (mystery, history, and time travel)
• Anything written by N.D. Wilson,   100 Cupboards Trilogy: 100 Cupboards 3.7, Dandelion Fire 3.7,  The Chestnut King 3.5, Leepike Ridge 3.7, Ashtown Burial Series:  The Dragon's Tooth (The 100 Cupboards Trilogy is great!  However, the content is older.  In Leepike Ridge, the boy's father is murdered, and he encounters a dead body.)  Boys of Blur is his newest stand-alone book (lead character's father is abusive, but not descriptive) -- a great read.
• N.D. Wilson, Ashtown Burials series:  The Dragon's Tooth, The Drowned Vault, Empire of Bones  (can't wait until the next one comes out!)
• N.D. Wilson, The Door Before -- This book is a prequel to both the 100 Cupboards and ties in Ashtown Burials.  It's amazing!  I read it in 2 days!
• N.D. Wilson, Outlaws of Time series: The Legend of Sam Miracle, The Song of Glory and Ghost, and The Last of the Lost Boys
• John Flanagan, Ranger's Apprentice series, 12 books,  all awesome!  The Ruins of Gorlan 6.6, The Burning Bridge, The Icebound Land, The Battle for Skandia, The Sorcerer of the North, The Siege of Macindaw, Erak's Ransom, Teh Kings of Clonmel, Halt's Peril, The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, The Lost Stories, The Royal Ranger  Prequels: The Tournament at Gorlan and The Battle of Hackman Heath 
• John Flanagan, Brotherband series:  (spin-off from the Ranger's Apprentice series, different country, some of the same characters)  The Outcasts 4.7, The Invaders, The Hunters, Slaves of Socorro (in this one, the Herons work with a famous Ranger from his first series), Scorpian Mountain, The Ghostfaces, The Caldera 
• John Flanagan, Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger series:  A New Beginning,The Red Fox Clan 
• The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen  If you like the Ranger's Apprentice series, you'll like this one, too!  Mystery, suspense, adventure, etc. The False Prince, The Runaway King, and The Shadow Throne   RL 4.4-5.0  The False Prince is one of my all-time favorite books.
• Richard Paul Evans, Michael Vey series:  The Prisoner of Cell 25, The Rise of the Elgen, Battle of the Ampere, Hunt for Jade Dragon, Storm of Lightning, Fall of Hades, The Final Spark  (This is one of the best series I've read in a long time.  My youngest son read the entire series back to back in about 2 weeks at age 15.  He loved it, too.  It's right up there with Harry Potter for me.  Amazing friendships, a terrible, evil villain, brave kids with super powers, sci-fi/fantasy, and more!  Note: In one of the books, someone dies, and it is very sad.  Also, the villain is pure evil -- he may be disturbing for younger or sensitive children.)
• Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien RL 8- and The Hobbit

****NOTE:  Rick Riordan's new series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard has a "transfluid" character.  In his new series The Trials of Apollo, Apollo gives long monologues discussing why he doesn't care if his kids are gay.  I do not recommend these series.**********

Writing a Book Report -- A Guideline

     A book report is a great way for children to learn the arts of reading, summarizing, analyzing, and writing.  However, when my oldest wrote his first one, I searched and searched for some sort of guideline or outline -- something that he could use to get started.  I finally found an outline on the internet that I liked, and then I changed it to suit our needs.  
     The idea is that you use the questions to help your child write six paragraphs.  If each question in a section is answered, the paragraph will be pretty solid.  However, do not use each question as one sentence. (I've never been a stickler for:  "Each paragraph must have five sentences.")  If you do, you will have a book report that sounds like this:  "I read Blah by John Doe.  I chose it because it had a great cover.  It was written in 2011.  It won the Bad Book Award.  The author is famous for writing Yuck and Boring.  There are 1,000 copies of this book in print."  The sentences will be too short and choppy!  First, print out the outline, then the student can write notes to the side of each question or write out his or her own outline before writing the actual book report.
     I'm including the outline with my changes and additions, followed by a book report my oldest finished today!  I asked his permission to use it because it's a great way to see how a book report should flow, and many students learn by example!  

Book Report Outline

Title of Book:  ________________________  Author:  _______________

Introduction: 

_____Title (underlined), Author

_____If desired, why did you choose the book? 

_____When was it written? 

_____Has it won awards?  (check the back of the book)

_____ Is the author famous for writing another book?

_____ Are there millions of copies in print?  (check the back of the book)

_____ What else would you like to say?

I. Setting

_____ 1. What was the setting for this book?

(example: snow-covered wilderness)

_____ 2. Where did most of the action of the book take place?

(example: northern Alaska)

_____ 3. When did it take place?

(example: the 1880's)

_____ 4. Describe what was this place like.

(example: bitterly cold, desolate, lack of food)

_____ 5. Why do you think the author picked this setting for the story?

(example: to show how hard it was to survive in Alaska)

II. Main Character

_____ 1. Who or what was the main character of this book? (example: a wolf-dog named Butch)

_____ 2. What did this character look like?

(example: large head, thick body, heavy brown and black fur)

_____ 3. What kind of personality did the character have?

(example: fierce, fearless)

_____ 4. Give an example of one of his or her good traits.

(example: loyalty to his master)

_____ 5. Give an example of one of his or her faults.

(example: reckless, easily distracted)

_____ 6.  Are there other important characters?  Discuss them briefly. 

III. Plot

_____ 1. Briefly summarize the book’s plot in one sentence.

(example: a new dog fought for survival on a sled team)

_____ 2. What was the goal of the main character? (example: to become the lead dog on the sled team)

_____ 3. Why was he or she trying to accomplish this goal?

(example: he was tired of being abused)

_____ 4. Who or what was working against the main character?

(example: a large husky named Plato)

_____ 5. What was the climax of the book? How did things resolve or work out?

(example: when Butch fought to defend his master)

     Climax is the turning point in the book, the high point.  Everything in the book builds up to this point, the climax, and the conclusion usually follows soon after.

IV. Message/Theme

_____ 1. What was the message of this book?

(example: kindness will be repaid)

_____ 2. How did the author get his message across to the reader?

(example: he showed that an animal can sense and return love)

_____ 3. Give a specific example of this from the book.

(example: Butch slept near the man who showed him kindness)

_____ 4. Give another specific example of this from the book.

(example: Butch was given his freedom, but he chose to stay)

_____ 5. What do you think the author wanted you to learn or to feel after reading this story? (example: that love can be more powerful than physical strength)

V. Personal Review/Conclusion – Conclude by wrapping it all up.

_____ 1. Did this book hold your interest? 

_____ 2. Why or why not? (interesting, sad, boring, etc.)

_____ 3. What was the author’s writing style? 

_____ 4. Did you enjoy the author’s writing style? Why or why not?

_____ 5.  What were strengths or weaknesses of the book? 

_____ 6.  What was your favorite part?

_____ 7. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

A Book Report of A Single Shard

By Darius Mullin

     A Single Shard was written in 2001 by Linda Sue Park and has won the Newbery Award. Linda Sue Park is also the author of Seesaw Girl, The Kite Fighters, and When My Name Was Keoko. A Single Shard is great historical fiction.

     A Single Shard is staged in a small potter’s village, named Ch’ulp’o, off the west coast of mid-twelfth century Korea. The village is surrounded by forest and mountains and has a good view of the ocean. I think the author picked this setting because this is what a potter’s village was actually like.

     The main character of A Single Shard is a 12-year-old boy named Tree-ear who lives under a bridge with his mentor, foster parent, and friend, Crane-man. Tree-ear is eager, curious, loyal, polite, and enthusiastic; however, he is also sometimes foolish and does things without thinking. He works for Min, the best potter in the village who is often quick-tempered and grumpy.

     This book is the story of how Tree-ear worked for ‘The Honorable Potter,’ Min, and how he took two pots to the royal emissary in Songdo, that Min might become the royal potter. Tree-ear’s goal is to please Min enough that he would teach him to make a pot. Tree-ear admires pottery very much and wants to make a pot himself. The only thing in his way is Min himself, who is unwilling to teach him. The climax of the book is when, even though robbers ambush him on the way to Songdo, he takes one shard to the emissary… and gets his master the job!

     There are many messages in this book, but the most important is that good may come as long as you stay loyal to the end. Tree-ear is loyal even when times are tough, and, eventually, Min adopts him. For example, even when he is told by The Honorable Potter that he will never teach him to make a pot, he is still as loyal as ever. Another example is even when he is ambushed on the way to Songdo by robbers, he looks until he finds the remains of the pots and takes a shard to the emissary.

     When I finished the book I felt shocked, happy, and sad all at the same time. Because it was very well-written and entertaining, I found it hard to put down! My favorite part was Tree-ear’s journey. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about Korea or just loves a good story.


(I assigned this book to my son because of his Korean heritage!)


I have searched and searched the internet to find the original source of the outline, but since I found it about two or three years ago, there are multiple copies of it on multiple sites.  In addition, I have changed it some to suit our needs.  Many thanks to the anonymous author.

For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever

     I am pleased to present to you a guest book review by Darius Mullin, age 12.   

     Did you know that there are more chances of becoming president than winning a jackpot in the state lottery? How ‘bout that America eats 350 slices of pizza a second?  For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever by Marc Aronson and HP Newquest holds everything from when Pop-tarts were invented to THE scariest amusement park ride in America to spies to never-solved mysteries to the date of the first Super Bowl to the most successful movies in America to… well, you get the idea.

     “From ancient wonders to extreme sports, you’ll find all this-and much more- close to 200 pages of the biggest and baddest information on just about everything.”  --Back Cover of For Boys Only

     “How could you not love a book with monsters, treasures, disasters, weapons, and Lamborghinis- a must-have for every boy adventurer.”  --John Scieszka, author of The Time Warp Trio and founder of the GUYS READ Program.

     I would recommend this book for ages 10+.  Some of my favorite parts are ‘Odds are…’, ‘Mark Your Calendar!’, ‘Great Mysteries: Spooky’, and ‘Speeds… in Miles Per Hour.’

     So, if you’re looking for the perfect book for your son, this is it!

Thank you Darius for this awesome book review!

                   

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever -- A Great Read Aloud for the Entire Family

     “The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world.  They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s old broken-down toolhouse.”  Thus begins The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, one of the funniest books I have ever read. 

     I began reading this short, seven-chapter book aloud to my boys, not knowing what to expect.  By page four, after reading about how the six Herdman children enjoy trying to squish each other in the garage door and about their evil cat, we were practically rolling on the floor laughing:  “There was also a sign in the yard that said, ‘Beware Of The Cat.’  New kids always laughed about that till they got a look at the cat.  It was the meanest looking animal I ever saw.  It had one short leg and a broken tail and one missing eye….”

     The basic story line is that the Herdmans, the worst kids in the history of the world, invade the church one day, hoping for snacks, force their way into the church Christmas pageant, and help everyone see the Christmas story in a whole new light.

     And this is the best part of the book.  The shenanigans are hilarious, but the books causes you to stop and ask yourself, “What if I had never, ever heard the Christmas story before?”  Well, the Herdmans had not heard the story, and when they did,   “You would have thought the Christmas story came right out of the F.B.I. files, they got so involved in it – wanted a bloody end to Herod, worried about Mary having her baby in a barn, and called the Wise Men a bunch of dirty spies.”  In the midst of the laughter, we got a glimpse of the magic and wonder of the Christmas story -- a story that, sadly, becomes too predictable after hearing it year after year.

     I love this book.  We laughed, we cried, but in the end, it helped us see that Christmas is about Jesus, “a new baby, and his mother and father who were in a lot of trouble – no money, no place to go, no doctor, nobody they knew.”  I think we’ll read this book every year!

Thanks Cathy H. for giving us this book.  You were right!  Our boys did enjoy it!

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

     After studying John Bunyan in history, I decided to read The Pilgrim's Progress to my boys, ages 9 and 12. A quick Amazon search revealed more versions than I could count:   Today's English Version, Little Pilgrim's Progress, Pictorial Pilgrim's Progress, Modern English Version, The Pilgrim's Progress in Words of One Syllable....really?

     A good friend of mine suggested and let me borrow The Pilgrim's Progress All-in-One Curriculum by Answers in Genesis.  It was exactly what I was looking for.  This large hardcover illustrated book contains the original version with Scripture annotations in the margins and commentary and definitions to aid in understanding.  Although we did not use them, there are questions and activities for both younger and older children and adults at the end of each chapter.  There is a short history of the reformation and a biography of John Bunyan at the beginning of the book.

     Before reading, I explained the vocabulary words (listed at the end of the chapter) and then read the chapter.  We discussed what was going on as I read, and having the historical background was very helpful in our understanding.  Having grown up reading the King James Version of the Bible, I did not have a very difficult time understanding the original version and "translating" difficult parts for my boys.  However, there is an audiobook edition that is fully dramatized.  This would be great to use if you do not want to struggle through reading it in the original 1678 English or if you just want five hours of audio for a long car trip.

      Of note, this version does not contain the second part of the book that John Bunyan wrote and published in 1684.  The second part chronicles the pilgrimage of his wife, Christiana, and their sons. 
     It took us about two months to complete the entire book, reading 1-2 chapters a day, 3-4 days a week (25 days).  However, my friend and her family studied the book for an entire year doing many of the activities in the book.

     After we finished the book, we watched the DVD Pilgrim's Progress:  Journey to Heaven, a "modern retelling" of Bunyan's book released in 2008.  My boys and I enjoyed the movie, but the book is much richer.  There are parts in the movie that may be quite scary for young children -- Apollyon is a demon if not Satan himself, creepy minions of Satan drag someone off, the Valley of the Shadow of Death is filled with moaning and screaming, etc. Christian and Hopeful get beaten by the Giant Despair, Christian stabs Apollyon, another pilgrim attacks and stabs minions trying to keep him from the Celestial City, and Faithful is martyred for his faith by being burned at the stake.  However, there is very little blood in the movie. 
     I had never read The Pilgrim's Progress before.  What struck me most is that many of the attitudes and beliefs that John Bunyan was arguing against then, still come up today.  For example, Christian, concerned for Ignorance's soul, asks:  "But why, or by what, art thou persuaded that thou has left all for God and heaven?"  Ignorance responds, "My heart tells me so."  Christian retorts, "The wise man says, 'He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.'"  Ignorance replies, "That is spoken of an evil heart; but mine is a good one."  Later, Ignorance grows weary of arguing with Christian and Hopeful and states:  "That is your faith, but not mine, yet mine, I doubt not, is as good as yours..."
     Indeed, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Thank you Clarissa B. for directing us to this curriculum and for allowing us to borrow it.

BOOKS! A Reading List for PreK to 3rd Grade Readers

     Once your kids begin reading, sometimes the challenge is finding books for them to read!  Here is a list of the Mullin household's favorites. Although girls will like these books, this list has the Boy Seal of Approval.  In fact, almost all of these books have been read by my oldest, and my youngest is following in his brother's footsteps.  Maybe this list will keep your readers busy for a while!  Most of these we checked out at our local library.

     I have included the title, author, and reading level for most of the books.  Reading levels vary depending on the criteria used to assign the level, so please forgive me if the reading level doesn't match up with something you've seen somewhere else.  Also, most of these books are a series.  Some have 4 books, and some have over 30 in the series.  
     Check back later for a book list for 4th grade to middle school.

• Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems – early readers, (Pigeon, from Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus is hidden on the inside back cover of each Elephant and Piggie book.) I LOVE these books!  Funny for all ages!

• 1 Today I Will Fly! (Mar 2007)
• 2 My Friend is Sad (Mar 2007)
• 3 There is a Bird on Your Head! (Jul 2007)
• 4 I Am Invited to a Party! (Jul 2007)
• 5 I Love My New Toy! (Jun 2008)
• 6 I Will Surprise My Friend! (Jun 2008)
• 7 Are You Ready To Play Outside? (Oct 2008)
• 8 Watch Me Throw The Ball! (Mar 2009)
• 9 Elephants Cannot Dance! (Jun 2009)
• 10 Pigs Make Me Sneeze! (Oct 2009)
• 11 I am Going! (Jan 2010)
• 12 Can I Play Too? (Jun 2010)
• 13 We Are In A Book! (Sept 2010)
• 14 I Broke My Trunk! (Feb 2011)
• 15 Should I Share My Ice Cream? (June 2011)
• 16 Happy Pig Day! (Oct 2011)
• 17 Listen To My Trumpet (Feb 2012)

• Also by Mo Willems:   Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! — Caldecott Honor 2004, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too!, The Pigeon Loves Things That Go! ,The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale — Caldecott Honor 2005,  Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity — Caldecott Honor 2008 ,   Knuffle Bunny Free: an Unexpected Diversion

• Adventures of Otto by David Milgrim – early readers (See Pip Point -- very funny, Ride Otto Ride!, Swing Otto Swing!, See Otto, See Santa Nap)

•  Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke – a quirky, funny chicken,  RL 1.5  (Minerva Louise on Halloween, A Hat for Minerva Louise, Minerva Louise at School, Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve, Minerva Louise at the Fair, Minerva Louise, Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs, Minerva Louise and the Red Truck, and A Friend for Minerva Louise)
•   Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester RL 2  -- (Three Cheers for Tacky, Tacky in Trouble, Tacky and the Emperor, Tackylocks and the Three Bears, Tacky and the Winter Games)
• Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell RL 1.5-2.7
• Absolutely Lucy by Ilene Cooper RL 2.0 (Lucy on the Loose, Look at Lucy!, Lucy on the Ball)
• Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant     RL 2-2.7
• Mr. Putter and Tabby  by Cynthia Rylant RL 2-3  (Very fun!  Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears is a favorite!)
• Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish and Herman Parish RL 2.0
• Nate the Great  by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, a pancake-loving detective RL 2.1-2.9
• Berenstain Bears  by Stan and Jan Berenstain, RL 1.8-3.5
• Franklin by Paulette Bourgeois RL 2.1-2.9
• Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel RL 2
• Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey RL 2-2.6
• Magic School Bus by Joanna Cole RL 2.5-3.7
• Jigsaw Jones by James Preller RL 2.0
• Secret Agent Dingledorf by Bill Myers, Christian author, very funny (a few at the library)
• The Box Car Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner RL 3 (Darius loved the first one.  The others, not so much.)
• Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne RL 2.1-2.3, history and science (We stopped at the Merlin Missions.)
• Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline RL 3
• Cam Jansen Mysteries by David A. Adler RL 2.6 (only read a few of these)
• Magic School Bus: A Science Chapter Book by a variety of authors, RL 3
• Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey RL 3 (My kids love them, but only use if desperate to get your boys to read...full of burping, gas, and boogers).
• The Cul-De-Sac Kids by Beverly Lewis RL 3.0, Christian author, none at library
• Three Cousins Detective Club by Elspeth Campbell Murphy, Christian author, character named Titus, 30 in the series, 64 pages each, first chapter books, a few at library
• Third Grade Detectives by George E. Stanley RL 3.0
• Andrew Lost by J.C. Greenburg  RL 3.0, great science books, skip Andrew Lost in Time #9 (They get sent back to three minutes after the Big Bang.)
• A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy  RL 2.8-3.5
• Katie Kazoo by Nancy Krulik RL 3.4
• Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo Stilton RL 2.0-4.0, Average about RL 3.5
• Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale RL 3.7-4.1
• The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catlin RL 3.0, not a series
• Author  Shel Silverstein –Books of Poetry:   Where the Sidewalk Ends, Falling Up, A Light in the Attic RL 3.5-3.9
• How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell RL 3.5, not a series
•  Flat Stanley and Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures by Jeff Brown RL 3.4-4.4 (For ages 7-10, but  vocabulary is a tad tougher with words like anatomical, simultaneous, application, osteal, and vulnerable)
• The Hardy Boys: Secret Files by Franklin W. Dixon RL 3.7 (Joe and Frank are younger in this series.)

Do you know of others?  Let me know.  I'm sure I've left out a good book or two!