ANA Book Club?

[cindyj]

Not sure why I kept reading them, but think primarily to see how she would wrap it all up - thought it was very well written, and because I do like a love story - I really wanted to find out which boy she would end up with.  I think I was able to "enjoy" it despite the horrible theme because it was SO absurd that it was beyond realistic to me.  I do find it difficult to read books which have any sort of child abuse/murders if it is more realistic in nature...Whistling in the Dark, for example, or even The Giver (which I did love).  I will say that I don't think I would have wanted my boys to read them when they were young teens...isn't that the target audience of these books? Then again, as it was like pulling teeth to get my older son to read, I suppose I would have been glad if he would have shown ANY interest at all in a book!

Cindy

[saralynn143]

I think the pace of the first book pulled me in. The second not so much. My daughters and I had an ongoing discussion of who Katniss would end up with. I was right. Although I had some doubts during Mockingjay. I know a lot of people were disturbed by the ending of the trilogy, but I am glad that it was not a happy-ever-after. I don't think anyone would have been able to get over what happened in the arena, much less the war against the Capitol.

Sara

[Kaybo]

I think that I have said this before, but Addi read it last year (6th grade) - they were promoting it as a school wide read and selling it for $5.  I noticed that it will be a book for NEXT's years (8th) pre-AP classes...really do wonder about our "youth" reading books like that...What do you say Ms. Maggie?  You have more of a pulse for what that age should be reading!!

K   

[msmaggie]

I'm thinking that 8th grade would be about the right age to "require" the reading, esp. if it would be for an advanced class.  I'm not sure the majority of kids at a younger age would be able to properly process what takes place in the book.  Then again, I tend to be a bit conservative about these things! I REALLY hate violence, and there were some violent things going on.

Priscilla

[leapyrtwins]

I liked all 3 of the books - even the 2nd one which didn't get great reviews. 

I was disappointed by the ending of Mockingjay - I was hopeful that Katniss would end up with Gayle.  I liked him better than I liked Peeta.

Jan

[CHD63]

Jan .....

I had the same reaction.  Gayle was with her from the very beginning, through all of the things she endured ..... but I also figured she would end up with Peeta.  I cannot say I liked the books, but after reading the first one, I was sort of hooked to find out where the author was going with all of the events.

Clarice

[cindyj]

I was hoping she'd end up with Peeta; though, I usually pull for the Gayle-type of guy...

But, I did vote for Team Edward in that other teen series 

Cindy

P.S.  I did finish Girl w/ Tattoo...you guys were right, it did finally pick up and was pretty good.  Not going on my favorite list, but was ok and I'll probably read at least one more of them just to see more of Lisbeth for a bit.  I can see this turning into a movie...maybe already in the works...would be interesting to see who would play her

[CHD63]

I have not seen it, but Sweden produced a movie of TGWTDT ..... opened in March.  It is available here with English subtitles.  See http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124738531

I always like to read the book first, before seeing the movie.  So, I have it but have not started it yet. So shhhhhh.   

Clarice

[moe]

Following this thread, though can't keep up with any of the reading!

Did recently buy TGWDT and will try to muddle through the beginning. My daughter actually saw the movie in Dallas over the summer , some sort of special preview.

.She said it was good, a little graphic.

Did finish the newest Anna Quindlen book-"Every Last One."
A tear jerker so beware. I liked it though. First half of the book is  kind of dull, second half throws you for a loop......

Oh and finally would love to read "The Immortal Life of Hentrietta Lacks


Okay that's my entry for a year!
Maureen

[Soundy]

Having just ran a book fair for 7 days at school I will add ... We had all three books available ... the books come in rolling cases with info of target ages... they have these books targeted 5th grade and up ... The Giver is in same group of books ... we sold alot of them , but mostly to 7th and 8th grade since their teacher is pushing them ... I don't know what is up ... a trend or whatever , but we had alot of books that were of what I would call questionable subject matter ... teens murdering for "the right reason" in their minds  ... one book was about a boy who killed a classmate after years of emotional abuse as a way to end the bullying ...in another a kid killed an abusive father ...and in another a boy killed the boyfriend of his ex girl friend because he wanted her back ...

we have had a school shooting in our small community leaving a student and a teacher dead ... that was in 1995 ... The shooter had been harassed all through school for his small size and quietness …in high school a teacher/coach joined in the bullying and that set him off , targeting teachers who he thought should be there to help and protect him … he snapped  … then 2 years ago we had a pair of teens go in and kill a mom and her 2 sons … the older son was dating one of the killers ex girlfriend …the books we pulled were just too close to home ...

the principal , book fair workers and librarian do a walk through before the fair opens and any questionable books are read through ...read the description on back cover and if the book is iffy we spot read 5 or 6 pages in about 10 places in book ... if it fails we pull it ...I know this is censorship which I am against on the whole , but  depending on the book we do it ... I know that is hypocritical but we pulled them anyway along with some that had a lot of sexual content in them … I think they are pushing some things at younger audiences too soon … some of the books we were sent are more on target for high school age students … and some books that were left on shelves are not books I want my girls reading …

My now 6th grader read The Giver in 4th grade and it disturbed her ... we don't have an AR (accelerated reading ) test at school on Mockingjay but do on the first 2 books ...each is 10 points ... Sarah asked about how easy they were to read and I told her they were fast reads but I would rather her leave them be for at least another year ... I know they would upset her like The Giver did so they sit on my shelf and wait ... she is thinking of the 90 AR points she has to get and thinking that reading them would get her alot points fast ...

[saralynn143]

I second you on book content, Soundy. Here in mid-Missouri we had a 15-year-old girl kill a 9-year-old neighbor girl last fall just because she wanted to see what it felt like. Now she is awaiting trial and her lawyer is filing all kinds of motions demanding regular dress and that the state pay for distance learning until she graduates from high school. I think the focus should remain on what she did to the other little girl. I don't think it is cruel and unusual for her to wear an orange jumpsuit while studying for the GRE. Now this girl obviously had problems to begin with, but why plant the seed through popular literature?

[Kaybo]

WOW!  I think I need to check Addi's books...even though she is a good girl and I don't think that particular stuff would interest her, you can never be too watchful!

K   

[saralynn143]

Soundy, your daughter could read Gone With the Wind. It's worth 75 points, but do not let her watch the movie. It might confuse her on the AR test questions, which are designed for the book version.

[saralynn143]

A few last comments about Mockingjay:

• I was sure from about the middle of the second book that Katniss and Peeta would ultimately get together. (Sorta like Peeta was Victor Laslow from Casablanca, and Gale was Rick Blaine. Ilsa was attracted to both for different reasons but ultimately stayed with Laslow.) However I began to have doubts when Boggs turned over his command to Katniss with instructions to kill Peeta.
• I also guessed that Katniss was going to kill Coin instead of Snow.
• I was surprised that Prim died, although looking back it is the perfect irony that Katniss went into the original game determined to save Prim's life, only to lose her near the victory by the rebels.
• I was initially surprised that Katniss would have voted for a seventy-sixth Hunger Game. She knew it would not avenge Prim's death so that seemed very out of character. However, I later remembered that Boggs had earlier warned her that if she ever disagreed with Snow, that Snow would have her killed. Although I don't think it was explained very well, I think that she agreed because she felt she had no choice at the time.

Sara

[cindyj]

Soundy, your daughter could read Gone With the Wind. It's worth 75 points, but do not let her watch the movie. It might confuse her on the AR test questions, which are designed for the book version.

Ah, Gone With the Wind!  That was required reading at my southern school   But, seriously, that was the first time I experienced the "book is always better than the movie!" phenomenon.  I had read many, many books by the time I saw GWTW, but had never seen any of them as movies.  Thankfully, I saw the movie first, then read the book.  Now I try to always see the movie first, then read the book.  Otherwise, I'm inevitabley disappointed in the movie.  There are a few exceptions, though, I know...but not many

Cindy

P.S.  Have I ever mentioned what my sons names are?  Stewart & Brent...must have been my subconscious, wasn't done intentionally, I assure you...