Book Chats The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Book Chats

• • • The Maze Runner by James Dashner Movie Trailer Author Talk Genre: Science Fiction Protagonist: Thomas Setting: Glade Conflict: Thomas and the other Gladers (teenage boys) wake up trapped in a giant maze, remembering nothing from their former life. They must find a way out before being eaten alive by the Grievers.

Middle School the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson • Genre: Realistic Fiction • Protagonist: Rafe • Setting: Middle School (6 th-8 th grade) • Conflict: Rafe is a good kid but he’s dealing with issues at home and is bored in school. He creates a game with his best friend Leonardo. The objective? Break every school rule. • James Patterson talks about this book

This is the totally insane story of how I, Rafe… • Fought and overcame a diabolical teacher called the Dragon Lady • Sold my soul to the school bully, a dollar at a time • Wrestled with a real live bear, repeatedly • Fell kind of in “like” with the most popular girl in school • Went into the soda business and went bust • Accidently-on-purpose hurt all the people I care about The worst days of my life were good sometimes. Bad sometimes. But mostly they were hilarious.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Speak Genre: Realistic Fiction Protagonist: Melinda Setting: High School Conflict: Melinda busted an end of summer party by calling the cops. Now, she is the most hated girl in school. She trusts no one, and falls into a deep depression because of a secret that is haunting her.

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn Genre: Realistic Fiction Protagonist: Nick- good looking, popular, athletic Setting: Miami, high school Conflict: Nick is sentenced to anger management classes because his ex-girlfriend Caitlyn has taken a restraining order against him. He is ordered by the judge to write about their relationship.

If I Stay By Gayle Forman • Genre: Realistic Fiction • Setting: Hospital, flashbacks • Main Characters: Mia, her family, and BF Adam

If I Stay By Gale Forman

Book Chats- Conflict • Take your SSR book and your note card. • Stand in two lines. • Read/describe the conflict of your book to your partner. • Your partner must guess the type of conflict you’ve just described. • Switch roles. • 1 minute

Book Chats: Take on the point of view of your protagonist! • Hello my name is _________ and I am the protagonist of the book ________. • I am about ____ years old and I live ____. • One interesting fact about me is _______. • Some other characters that are important to me are _______________. • Right now I am facing a conflict because __________.

Skeleton Creek Series by Patrick Carman • Setting: an abandoned gold dredge in the town, Skeleton Creek • External Conflict: Strange things are happening in the town and Ryan and Sarah are trying to prove the dredge is haunted by the ghost of Old Joe Bush • Protagonists: Ryan and Sarah • Ryan records everything in his journal, Sarah videotapes clues and sends them to Ryan

Sold Patricia Mc. Cormick Realistic Fiction Copyright: 2006

Exposition-Lakshmi (young girl) Protagonist Mumtaz (runs the brothel)Antagonist Setting: Begins in a small village in the mountains of Nepal and then a city in India. Conflict: Lakshmi’s stepfather gambles away all of the family’s money and they begin to starve. He sells her to Mumtaz to become a prostitute.

• http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ytl. Dtf-AXTE Facts about Human Trafficking • Almost 200, 000 girls from Nepal, many of them under the age of 14, are working as sex slaves in India • An estimated two million women and children are sold into the sex trade every year, the U. S. research group Protection Project states

Edgar Allan Poe-The Black Cat (1843) Poe is best known as one of the earliest American writers of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. • • Genre: Horror Antagonist: The Black Cat Protagonist: The narrator Point of View: 1 st person • Conflict: The conflict begins to unfold when the man describes how his personality changes because of his heavy drinking which results in moodiness and violence. He starts abusing his cat Pluto and then soon directs it towards his wife. • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=qz. A 2 NHw. Yt. WA

Deadline by Chris Crutcher Genre: realistic fiction Setting: present day high school Protagonist: Ben, 18 years old, diagnosed with a rare blood disease Conflict: keeps his sickness a secret but wants to make the most of the few months he has left. Ben starts to wonder how his family and friends will cope once he’s gone.

Repossessed-by A. M Jenkins • Main Character: Kirel (A Demon or AKA-Fallen Angel) • Genre: Fantasy • Conflict: Internal (feels guilty that he overtook a teenager’s body) Plot: Kirel needs a vacation from tormenting the dead souls in hell, so he takes a forbidden break. He takes over the body of 17 -year-old Shaun Simpson moments before the teen steps in front of a speeding cement mixer. He takes over living Shaun’s life and shows how Shaun did not appreciate the value of his best friend, brother and parents-things humans take for granted.

Unlikely Friendships • Author: Jennifer S. Holland • Genre: Nonfiction • Stories about animals who have nothing in common, bond in the most unexpected ways and thrive on warmth, closeness, and trust that come with best friends. • Some unusual “friendships”: The Cockatoo and the cat, The Dachshund and the piglet, and The Gorilla and the kitten • • http: //video. search. yahoo. com/search/video; _ylt=A 2 KLq. IRj a. KFQAy. AAea 37 w 8 QF; _ylu=X 3 o. DMTBnc. Gdy. Mz. Q 0 BHNl. Yw. N z. ZWFy. Y 2 g. Edn. Rp. ZAM? p=unlikely+friendships+you+tube&ei=utf-8&fr=yfp-t-701

Book Chats • The title of my book is _____ and the author is_______. • I chose to read this book because_____. • The protagonist of my book is _______ and he/she is (age/personality). • The antagonist of my book is _______ because _______. • One interesting that has happened so far in the plot is ___________.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson • Protagonists: Lia and Cassie (18 years old), best friends since second grade • Conflict: Cassie just died mysteriously and Lia is coping with her death as well as her own struggle with anorexia. She starves herself because it is her only way to cope with her own problems and insecurities.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Flipped

The Outsiders • Protagonist: • Antagonist: • Conflict:

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Peak By Roland Smith

The Hunger Games By Suzanne Colllins Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

The Shack by William P. Young The Shack WM. Paul Young

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

If I Stay By Gayle Forman • Genre: Realistic Fiction • Setting: Hospital, flashbacks • Main Characters: Mia, her family, and BF Adam

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne • Genre: Historical Fiction • Setting: World War II Concentration Camp • Main Characters: Bruno and Schumel

Wonder by R. J. Palacio I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse. Protagonist: August “Auggie”, 5 th grade - Born with a severely deformed face - 27 surgeries Conflict: Auggie is starting school for the first time and his classmates are horrified by his face. *Each section is a different character’s point of view.

Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson • Protagonist: Jane, 9 years old • Conflict: Jane’s mom is always too busy for her, so her only companion is an imaginary friend named Michael leaves her on her 9 th birthday, promising she’ll forget him… but she doesn’t. • movie trailer

The Acorn People Ron Jones (Nonfiction) Characters: Ron Jones (camp counselor) Ron signs up to be a camp counselor thinking that he would have a fun vacation swimming and boating at the camp. He finds out that his is responsible for five students with severe physical handicaps. They are known as the Acorn People. • Benny B: A child who is in a wheelchair because of polio. • Spider: Has 2 extra arms and a extra leg. • Aaron (A. K. A. ) Arid: smells awful, he has no bladder • Thomas : has muscular sclerocis • Martin-Blind • Theme: Over time, they teach their counselor that despite their disabilities, they are just like everyone else on the inside and that they are capable of accomplishing anything. • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? feature=endscreen&v=w. Npch. XQ 1 jh 4&NR=1

DIVERGENT BY VERONICA ROTH Genre: Science Fiction Protagonist: Beatrice (Tris), 16 years old Setting: Chicago (in the future) Plot: Tris finds out she’s divergent and chooses to leave her faction (Abnegation) to join another Dauntless. Five Factions � Abnegation (the selfless) � Amity (the peaceful) � Candor (the honest) � Dauntless (the brave) � Erudite (the intelligent)

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and his friends, Annabeth and Tyson, team up for an adventure when they need to travel to an island in the Bermuda Triangle to find Grover and recover the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece is a gold-hair winged ram. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=5 Ko. Otiu. Sju. I

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian By Sherman Alexie • The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian By Sherman Alexie

• Thirteen Reasons Why Jay Asher

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay • Setting: France, 1942 • Protagonist: Sarah (10 years old) and her family • Antagonist: The French military • External Conflict: Sarah’s family has been captured and sent to a concentration camp • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v= 0 Amxn. Nxi. NWA

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman • Protagonist: Shawn (14 years old) with cerebral palsy • Point of View: first person, Shawn • Setting: Seattle • Antagonist: Shawn’s father • External conflict: Shawn knows his dad is thinking about killing him • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v= RZ_p. Lw. YP 3 b. A

Book Chats • In groups of 4, use your SSR journal to discuss the book you are currently reading. 5: 00

Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher • Realistic Fiction • Protagonists: Dilon & Jennifer • Conflict: Both Dilon & Jennifer are dealing with a terrible past

The Boy from the Basement by Susan Shaw • Realistic Fiction • Protagonist: Charlie • Conflict: Brainwashed by abusive father

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead • 2010 Newbery Medal • Genre: Science Fiction & Mystery • Protagonists: Miranda and best friend Sal • Conflict: Miranda is finding creepy notes that predict her future • Setting: NYC • The laughing homeless man always says “book bag pocket shoe” • clues are found in the story itself, on the map, in words and chapter titles

Book Chats • WHO is the book about? • WHAT is the book about (quick plot summary) • WHEN does the story take place? • WHERE does the story take place? • WHY did you choose to read this book? • HOW do you think this book will end? (prediction)

The First Note • I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Go Ask Alice Anonymous

A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer

Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix • Protagonist: Luke • Static Character: Jen, Luke’s neighbor and another shadow child • Conflict: The government is coping with food shortages by creating a Population Police. Families are only allowed two children. Luke is a shadow child. Shadow children will be killed or imprisoned. • trailer

The Shadow Children Series (7 books) Margaret Peterson Haddix

Book Chats • Share with your partner(s): – Who is the protagonist of your book? How do you know? – Who or what is the antagonist of your book? How do you know? – Based on what you’ve read so far, who is a dynamic character? Or who do you PREDICT will be a dynamic character? How do you know? – Who is a static character in your book? How do you know?

Cut by Patricia Mc. Cormick

What my Mother Doesn’t Know

Slam by Nick Hornby • Protagonist: Sam – 16 years old – Lives for skateboarding and idolizes Tony Hawk – Dreams of going to college and making something of himself, unlike his own father • Conflict- Sam’s girlfriend Alicia is pregnant

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson • • Genre: Realistic Fiction Protagonist: Tyler Conflict: External- Character Vs. Society Tyler already has a bad reputation for doing graffiti on the school. He attends a party with Bethany, his Dad’s bosses daughter. After the party, nude pictures of Bethany end up on the internet and everyone thinks Tyler is responsible.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick • Protagonist: Alex, 16 years old – Dad ran off with his 3 rd grade teacher, Mom is on her first date since Dad left • Conflict: an accident faces him with a $375 fine, $125 to fix his mom’s car, 100 hours of community service with a nasty old man named Sol

Book chats: pick one • If you could have dinner with the protagonist OR author of your SSR book, what are TWO questions you would ask him/her? • What are TWO ways you can connect your life to your SSR book?

The Shadow Children Series • Setting: future • Protagonist: Luke, a 3 rd child hiding from the population police • Conflict: Luke and other 3 rd children are being blamed for food shortage, so they must stay in hiding or be killed

Book Chats: Your Turn • Bring book with you • Share the following: Title, Author, Genre, Setting, Protagonist, Conflict • Switch partners every 3 minutes

Life of Pi by Yann Martel • • • Genre: Fantasy Adventure Protagonist: Pi Antagonist: Nature Setting: India, a raft in the middle of the Pacific Plot: His family owns a zoo in India and decide to sell the animals and move to Canada. The ship wrecks during a storm, and Pi is the only survivor, along with a few animals.

Final Book Chat Look back at your SSR journal. Reflect on the following questions: • How have you grown as an independent reader this year? What do you notice about your reading habits? What genre of books have you been reading? • Out of all the books you read this year, which one stands out? Why? • How many books did you finish this year? Write your responses to these questions as a final entry in your SSR journal.