Book Club

Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story

Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story is an autobiography about a famous neurosurgeon who grew up in a single parent home in inner city Detroit.  The last sentence of the book reads as follows:

“Whatever direction we choose, if we can realize that every hurdle we jump strengthens and prepares us for the next one, we’re already on the way to success.”

After you read the book, I want you to think of an incident from Ben Carson’s  life story that meant the most to you.  Write a paper explaining what the incident was and why it affected you.  Compare/contrast this to your own life story and how you think Ben Carson’s example will help you overcome possible obstacles in your own life.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Deadline by Chris Crutcher was suggested to me as a Panthers’ Top Choice Read by Sacoya Brown.  Many of you may have read other books by Chris Crutcher such as “Whale Talk” or his short story collection, “Athletic Shorts.”  Regardless, this Panthers’ Top Choice will definitely give you something to think about. 
Deadline’s main character Ben Wolf has big plans for his senior year of high school.  That is, he had big plans until he finds out in the results of a routine sports physical that he has only one year to live.  The decisions he makes after hearing this news and how he does live his senior year makes for a thought provoking, intriguing and interesting story.
This is a book that can make you think about, look at and even inspire how you perhaps want to live your own life.  
If you want to join the Panthers’ Top Choice Book Club, do these three things: 

1. Read Deadline by Chris Crutcher.  Check it out at the PHS Media Center, buy the book or borrow it from a friend, but READ IT!
2. Reflect on how Ben Wolf lived his senior year and what he learned from it.  Also, consider how his decisions affected not only him, but his family, friends (characters in the novel) as well.
3. Pick a character from the novel and write a paper from their perspective explaining how Ben Wolf’s last year affected you and what you learned from him and how you (as the character you chose) would make changes in living the rest of your life.  For example, you might choose to write from the perspective of Sooner Cowans, Cody, Dallas, his parents or Coach.  Whomever you choose, your paper would be written as though you were that character telling what you learned from Ben Wolf’s last year and how what you learned would alter your life from this day forward. 

The deadline for this DEADLINE assignment is Thursday, January 15, 2009 so you have plenty of time. Turn your perspective paper in to the Media Center by that date.  Your paper will guarantee you an invitation to the book club luncheon and book discussion the following week.    If you have any questions, please feel free to ask one of your friendly Media Specialists, Mrs. Ducote or Mrs. Purcell.  Check it out and read. 

Twilight Assignment

Bianca Martinez was talking about Twilight.   She commented that it was easy to get wrapped up in the fantasy aspect of the book,   but with the flip of a page, the reader could be smacked with a choice or situation that paralleled a choice or situation that could actually occur in real life.  Our conversation was the impetus for this assignment

• After reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, pick two situations from the book that are examples of fantasy. Describe and explain the situations in a detailed way that makes it apparent you have read the book.  (Edward will know if you have not read the book)
  
• Compare and contrast the examples from Twilight with real life situations or choices.  These real life situations/choices can be from your own experience or from something you have heard about, read about or even imagined.  They must, however, be based on a real life occurrence.
  
• This paper should be at least the front of one page.  Typed submissions are preferred but legible handwriting is acceptable.
  
• Turn your Twilight papers in to one of your friendly Media Specialists or Reading Coaches in the Media Center.  Deadline is Friday, Oct. 17^th.
  
• Your assignment paper guarantees you an invitation to the Twilight book discussion and luncheon. Exact time and date of luncheon will be announced at a later date.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer is Panthers' Top Choice

It's official.  The first Panthers' Top Choice for the first book club read for the year is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Olivia Tilton recommended the book but she was not the only Panther who did so.  This book is the first in a 4 part series.  This book was A New York Times Editor's Choice, Teen People's "Hot List " pick and A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

*"Propelled by suspense and romance in equal parts, this story will keep readers madly flipping the pages of Meyer's tantalizing debut."  --Publishers Weekly

*"The novel's danger-factor skyrockets as the excitement of secret love and hushed affection morphs into a terrifying race to stay alive. . .Twilight will have readers dying to sink their teeth into it." --School Library Journal

If you've read the book and have a comment,( good or bad) please add it to our blog.  We also welcome book reviews and recommendations or books you wish we would order for the PHS Media Center.  Please let us hear from you, and as always you can come by and check us out. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ducote and Mrs Purcell, PHS Media Specialists

Books With Bite @ your library/PHS Media Center

Books with Bite is the theme for Teen Read Week which is October 12-18th.  We felt it was also an appropriate theme for our first book club selection for this school year.  We're doing our Book Club, formerly known as "Sophie's Choice" a little differently this year.  First, we have renamed it and from now on it will be called Panthers' Top Choice !    In previous years, the Media Specialists have picked the book for our book club.  However, so many of you Panthers have made such good suggestions for good books that we have decided to let the Panthers pick our selections.  The old book club rules still apply.  When you hear Panthers' Top Choice announced, go to the Media Center and check it out.  Read the book and then do the accompanying assignment.  Usually the assignment is a short reaction paper, but it varies according to the book.  Turn the assignment in to one of your friendly Media Specialists in the Media Center and that will guarantee you an invitation to the Panthers' Top Choice Luncheon and Book Discussion.   Our luncheons are always fun and delicious.  Chef Bjorn and his culinary arts classes prepare the lunch and serve us.  From Chef's menu, you, our luncheon guests, will have your choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert.  We'll talk about the Top Choice book, and it's always a lot of fun. Did I mention you get out of your 4th period class too?  Yes, you do with your teacher's permission, of course.  We'll announce the Panthers' Top Choice Title at the Cat Chat Cafe Wednesday, September 10th before school.  Coffee, tea, donuts and various breakfast snacks will be available for 50 cents each before school beginning at 7:15 AM.  Come to the Media Center and join us in the Cat Chat Cafe.  We look forward to seeing you.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Our book for the last Nine weeks is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. His story told through his cartoons and narrative reveals many instances of unfairness, and prejudice both inside and outside the Reservation.
Assignment for Luncheon and Book Discussion
Recount two such instances from the book. Then, explain how the characters involved coped with the instances of unfairness or prejudice. Secondly, compare one of the the experiences with something you have experienced in your life (or some life experience that was unfair or prejudiced that you know about) with the instances you picked from the book. Do not use anyone's real name as you write about this. Also, compare how the fictional characters coped to how your "real life" characters coped with their experiences.
Post your papers online (Web Blog) or submit them to Mrs. Ducot e or Mrs. Purcell in the Media Center. Completing this assignment will guarantee you an invitation to the Sophie's Choice Luncheon and Book Discussion. Deadline for this assignment is Friday, May 23rd. If you have any questions about this assignment, please don't hesitate to ask us.

No Easy Answers

Book Club
The book for the 3rd Nine weeks is No Easy Answers, edited by Donald R. Gallo. It is a collection of short stories about Teenagers making tough choices. The short stories are arranged according to 5 themes:
(1.) How Did I Get Myself Into this? (2.) It Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time (3.) What Do I Do Now? (4.) How Do I Get Myself Out of This? (5.) I’m Sorry.

Sophie’s Choice Assignment:
Read the stories. Summarize your favorite story from each themed section, and write/post your reaction to it. Be sure to apply the story to your life or experience, and explain how the story affected or changed you. What did it remind you of or make you think about? You will be responding to five different stories from each of the five themes listed above. We look forward to reading your papers/posts and discussing your thoughts and reactions at our upcoming book discussion and luncheon.  Post on the blog or turn in your papers to Mrs. Ducote or Mrs. Purcell in the Media Center by Tue. March 25th.