AUGUST -- NEW format this month!

We've changed our club format this month!
Read the whole book and then post your comments & questions about the story.

This month's book pick is The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.
To read an excerpt from this book click HERE.
To read reviews about this book, click HERE.

"I can steal anything." After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task--to steal a hidden treasure from another land. To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own..."
Book summary from back cover

Copies of this title are available at the library.
Stop by and pick up a copy!

How are Gen and the magus similar?

Ambiades is being trained to eventually take the position of magus (a position of immense power, authority, and wealth). Why does he throw that away by giving information to the Queen of Attolia? Were his short term rewards worth this betrayal?

What surprised you about this story? Is there anything that you would have liked to have seen occur differently?

At what point in the story did you begin to realize that Gen was more than just a common thief? What clues does the author give you to help you realize he's more than what he seems? How much of Gen's true identity is revealed?

What was your first impression of Gen, the Magus, and the other characters? How did your impression of the characters change through the story?

The magus and the rest of the party seeking Hamiathes's Gift all underestimate Gen because of their expectations of him. How often do people underestimate each other's abilities due to first impressions?

While you were reading this story did it feel like it was taking place in ancient Greece? What made you think so? In what ways was it obviously not meant to be in ancient Greece?

Mrs. Rizzo

Were you satisfied by the way in which Bobby's invisibility problem was solved?

Mrs. Rizzo

-What do you think was going through Ms. Pagett's mind when she realized that Bobby was there safe and sound?

Mrs. Rizzo

Were you surprised that Sheila did not want to become visible? Why was her reaction so different from Bobby's?

Mrs. Rizzo

Do you think it would be dangerous if the rest of the world knew how to become invisible? Why/why not?

Mrs. Rizzo

Do you think it was good that Bobby sent the package to Sheila? What do you think his dad's reaction will be? What do you think Sheila will do with box?

--With which character can you identify the most? Why?

--Overall, what did you think of this book? Who was your favorite character? Which character did you dislike? Any other comments or ideas about the story, characters, plot, etc?

Do you think it was right for Bobby and Alicia to take the list of names from the Sears' office? Why or why not?

Mrs. Rizzo

Bobby and Alicia go online to research invisibility. How hard is it to find accurate information online? Have you ever researched a topic where you had to sift through a lot of nonsense in order to find truth? What topics would be ones where you had to do a lot of sifting?

Mrs. Rizzo

Alicia tells Bobby that he is prejudice against the popular kids after he says that Alicia's friends from before she was blind would probably laugh at him if they had met him when he was visible. In his defense, Bobby argues that, in the past, pretty girls have looked right through him. How much of 1st impressions are because of what we see? Is Alicia's impression of Bobby more accurate because she's blind?

Mrs. Rizzo

Should Bobby have stayed home instead of wandering outside to meet Alicia? Was getting out worth the risk of discovery? What would you have done?

Mrs. Rizzo

What to you think might have happened if Bobby's invisibility was discovered by those outside of his family and close friends?

Mrs. Rizzo

How was Alicia's experience becoming blind similar to Bobby's experience becoming invisible?

Mrs. Rizzo

Should Bobby and his parents just let the authorities know the truth when they came with questions and a search warrant? Why?

Mrs. Rizzo

Do you think that the lady for child services is good or bad? Why?

Mrs. Rizzo

In Chapter 11, if you were Alicia would you have believed Bobby after the test she used? What would have convinced you?

Mrs. Rizzo

When Bobby visited the outside of his school at dismissal time, he imagined what some of the other guys would think if they new he was invisible (chapter 8):
"And I can just hear some guys at my school talking about his. They'd go, 'Whoa! You're invisible? And you're bummed about it? Like, what's your problem?...That's so cool!' ... Because if that's what some kid is thinking, that's because it's not happening to him. He's not facing it all day and all night, what it really means..."

Do you agree with Bobby? Why or why not?

Have you ever thought someone else's situation was so great and then found out it wasn't?

Mrs. Rizzo

Do people use their clothes as armor? How? Why?

Mrs. Rizzo

Bobby was invisible...so why was he so nervous about being home alone that first night? No one could see him even if someone broke into his house!

He felt more comfortable when the TV was on. Why did this help? Do you like to have background noise to fill up empty space?

Mrs. Rizzo

Welcome!

Welcome to our NEW Blogger Book Club!

For instructions on how this club works & how to join please click here.

In July we will be reading Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements.

Each week in July we will be reading and discussing certain chapters.

Here’s our July schedule:
July 1-6: chapters 1-5
July 7-13: chapters 6-11
July 14-20: chapters 12-17
July 21-27: chapters 18-23
July 28-31: chapters 24-28

I will post a couple of starter questions each week to get our discussion going. You can comment on those questions and you can post your own questions & thoughts too!

Please don’t post information about the chapters ahead of the schedule. You don’t want to ruin the story for someone who hasn’t gotten up to that part of the book yet!

Mrs. Rizzo

Let's chat about chapters 1-5

Bobby didn't go into the elevator in case it filled up and someone noticed his invisible body. What else should he be careful doing?

Mrs. Rizzo

The first place that Bobby went to was the library. Where would you go? What would you do? What would worry you the most about venturing out invisible? How would his journey have been different if this had happened in the summer?

Mrs. Rizzo

What do you think of Bobby's experiments with his invisibility (ex. chewing & swallowing gum). What would you do if you woke up to find yourself invisible?

Mrs. Rizzo

What would be the greatest thing about being invisible? The worst? Why?

Mrs. Rizzo

How would your family react if you came downstairs invisible?

Mrs. Rizzo

Bobby's dad thinks that there is an explanation for everything. What do you think? Can everything in our world be explained or are there some things that are impossible to explain?

Mrs. Rizzo