Senior Owlets: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

This month, the Senior Owlets read The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Todd Hewitt has never seen a woman. His mother was the last to die. He doesn’t remember her. When his people came to the planet to colonize it, everyone was infected with the Noise germ. The infection caused men’s thoughts to become audible. The infection also killed all women. Todd is the youngest, counting down the days until his 13th birthday. The he will be considered a man, and let into the secrets. But the, Todd from the girl in The Swamp.

Comments from the Senior Owlets:
Believable characters.
Really liked the dog, Manchee
Author did incredible job with all characters.
Characters were all very distinct and believable.
Really liked the portrayal of The Noise. The different fonts helped.
Some parts dragged.
Possibly more for a male audience with some of the violence.
Very deep themes.
Very symbolic.
Great discussion.
Made reader think.

Final score: 8.025

For the next meeting (on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012) the book up for discussion is Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

From the book’s description:

Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first.

Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.

If you’re a kid in grades 6 to 9 and are interested in joining Senior Owlets, we’d love to have you. Membership is free and you can join any time. If you’d like more information, call us at 403-287-9557, email us at owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca or just pop into one of the meetings.

Published in: on January 11, 2012 at 1:53 pm  Leave a Comment  

Senior Owlets: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This month’s selection for Senior Owlets was The Maze Runner by James Dashner. 

He wakes up in an elevator.  The only thing he remembers is his name: Thomas.  The door opens, and he steps out into The Glade.  There are other boys there.  They have all arrived the same way Thomas did, with their memories wiped clean.  Beyond the stone walls of The Glade is The Maze, where the wall change every night, where the Grievers wait.  Every day the boys run the Maze, trying to solve it. 

Comments from the Senior Owlets:

Really enjoyed. 
Well written.
Excellent concept.
Liked the characters. 
Left with more questions after reading. 
Interesting idea.
Makes one think of a great computer; Greivers were the viruses and kids were the programmes. 
Wonder about the mind cleanse…was it selective for each?  How did certain characters have skills such as cooking?
Who were the first kids?
Kept reader interested. 
Liked how you didn’t notice things until Thomas did.

Final score: 8.866 out of 10

The next meeting of Senior Owlets will be on December 6th at 4:30pm.  The book up for discussion is The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. 

The summer of 1899 is hot in Calpurnia’s sleepy Texas town, and there aren’t a lot of good ways to stay cool. Her mother has a new wind machine, but instead, Callie’s contemplating cutting off her hair, one sneaky inch at a time. She’s also spending a lot of time at the river with her notoriously cantankerous grandfather, an avid naturalist. But just when Callie and her grandfather are about to make an amazing discovery, the reality of Callie’s situation catches up with her. She’s a girl at the turn of the century, expected to cook and clean and sew. What a waste of time! Will Callie ever find a way to take control of her own destiny?

If you’re a kid in grades 6 to 9 and are interested in joining Senior Owlets, we’d lo’ve to have you.  Membership is free and you can join any time.  If you’d like more information, call us at 403-287-9557, email us at owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca or just pop into one of the meetings.

Published in: on November 4, 2011 at 9:35 am  Leave a Comment  
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Best Book of the Year: Senior Owlets

At the end of each year, our kids and teen book clubs look back over the ten books they’ve read and choose one as the Best Book of the Year. 

The candidates for Senior Owlets (Grades 7 – 9) were:
Gone by Michael Grant
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Flush by Carl Hiaasen
Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Airman by Eoin Colfer
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Test by William Sleator
Touch by Francine Prose

And the winner is…

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, paperback $9.99

In a future North America, the Capitol of Panem controls the twelve surrounding districts.  Each of those districts must send one boy and one girl to the Capitol every year to compete in the annual Hunger Games.  Katniss steps in to replace her younger sister Prim when her name is called to represent District 12.  The Hunger Games is a fight to the death and Katniss is determined to survive. 

The Hunger Games was read in October and got a rating of 9.78 out of 10. 

Congratulations, Ms. Collins, on willing Best Book of the Year from the Senior Owlets!

Published in: on June 9, 2011 at 1:32 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Senior Owlets and Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Genesis by Bernard Beckett, paperback, $11.95

March’s selection for Senior Owlets (Grades 7-9) was Genesis by Bernard Beckett. 

Comments included:

Very compelling idea.
Book has a “killer” ending.
Dragged in places. 
Liked how the hsitory of the Republic was presented through Anaz’s exam. 
Gave a chance to really examine the degradation of society.
Mirror’s society, giving it a positive spin.
Discussion was prompted by how surprising the ending.
Realization of the role of the individual.
Very thought provoking.
Set up like a science experiment.
Worthy of a second read, possibly in a couple of years.
Excellent discussion!

Final score out of 10: 7.4212916

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce, paperback, $12.99

The next Senior Owlets meeting is April 5th at 4:30pm.  The book up for discussion is A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce. 

Charlotte Miller has always scoffed at talk of a curse on her family’s woolen mill, which holds her beloved small town together. But after her father’s death, the bad luck piles up: departing workers, impossible debts, an overbearing uncle. Then a stranger named Jack Spinner offers a tempting proposition: He can turn straw into gold thread, for the small price of her mother’s ring. As Charlotte is drawn deeper into her bargains with Spinner–and a romance with the local banker–she must unravel the truth about the curse on the mill and save the community she has always called home.

Senior Owlets is a book club for kids in Grades 7 to 9.  If you’re interested in joining Seniors or one of our other clubs, check out the Book Clubs page on our main site, chat with us at the store, or just drop in to one of the meetings.

Published in: on March 2, 2011 at 7:16 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Senior Owlets and Airman by Eoin Colfer

Airman by Eoin Colfer, paperback, $10.25

This month’s selection for Senior Owlets was Airman by Eoin Colfer. 

Feel this should represent a new genre called Steam Air..
Unlike steampunk, the inventions are appropriate for the era.
Enjoy the writing style. 
The book was true to the era it represented. 
Lots of information about inventions during the Victorian Era. 
Moves slowly although there is lots of action. 
Pacing was different: lots of character development.
Liked the writing better than the Artemis Fowl series.
Connor was very well developed but had almost too many good traits.
Other characters fairly undeveloped. 

Final score: 7.4102952 out of 10. 

Genesis by Bernard Beckett, paperback, $11.95

The next Senoir Owlets meeting is Tuesday, March 1st at 4:30pm.  The book discussed with be Genesis by Bernard Beckett. 

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the novel takes the form of an examination undergone by young Anaximander, as she prepares to enter an enigmatic institution known simply as The Academy…

Senior Owlets is a book club for kids in Grades 6 to 9.  If you’re interested in joining Seniors or one of our other clubs, check out the Book Clubs page on our main site, chat with us at the store, or just drop in to one of the meetings.

Published in: on February 9, 2011 at 6:29 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Senior Owlets and Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, paperback $12.99CAN

The January selection for Senior Owlets was Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. 

Here are some of the comments that came up:
Well written.
Interesting characters.
Liked the view of history.
Good introduction to steampunk fiction.
Liked the slang language.
Alek and Deryn were very realistic.
Liked the changing point of view.
Liked the science aspect and how Westerfeld stretched it.
Interesting use of Darwin’s theories. 
Interesting storyline.
Enjoyed how the action moved the story and developed the characters.

Final score out of 10: 8.7082222

Senior Owlets is a book club for kids in Grades 6 to 9.  If you’re interested in joining Seniors or one of our other clubs, check out the Book Clubs page on our main site, chat with us at the store, or just drop in to one of the meetings.

Published in: on January 5, 2011 at 1:08 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Senior Owlets report on The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, paperback, $9.99

On Tuesday, Senior Owlets gathered once again for their October meeting.  Under discussion was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

With a final rating of 9.7815, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins also recieved the following comments:

Very fast paced. Loved the writing style. Nice balance between love story and violence.  Some of it was too graphic.  Dystopic theme.  Can see the way our society is on the verge.  Upset over Rue’s death, although knew she would not survive.  Felt cheated that it ended with “End of Book One”.  Loved the description, particulary how the food made your mouth water.  Violence was essential to the plot because they were fighting for their lives.  

Senior Owlets’ next meeting is Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 at 4:30pm.  The book to be discussed is Flush by Carl Hiaasen.

Published in: on October 7, 2010 at 3:57 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Senior Owlets’ verdict on Gone by Michael Grant

Our Senior Owlets met yesterday afternoon to discuss Gone by Michael Grant.  At the end of the discussion, the readers scored the book out of ten, and gave final comments. 

Gone by Michael Grant recieved an average of 9.016666. 

Comments offered:
Could not put down. Bit slow moving in places. Compelled right away to read the second in the series. “Action, then slow” worked in places, but dragged in others.  Interesting character development. Characters were very varied, particularly the autistic boy.  Evil character was a bit too blatant. Not good to skip parts: may miss essential parts of plot. Cover is a deterrent, but if covered reader can get past it.

Senior Owlets’ next meeting is Tuesday, October 5, 2010.  We’ll be discussing The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 

Are you interested in joining Senior Owlets or one of our other bookclubs?  We have more information on our main site.

Published in: on September 8, 2010 at 4:09 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, Hardcover, $22.99

In the middle of the night, Aleksander Ferdinand is ripped from his bed, told that his parents, the Archduke Francis and Sophie have been assassinated and his life is in danger. 

This is the beginning of World War One, straight out of the history books…but this is not your teacher’s history book. 

This is a new genre, steampunk, that mixes elements of historical fiction and science fiction.  It gets its name from the Victorian era, when steam was the principal source of machine power. 

The author, Scott Westerfeld, pits the steam power of the Clankers; machines that look like something from Star Wars, against the Darwinists, who create their weapons by genetically engineering animals.  The Leviathan of the title is one of their whale-dirigibles; a living, breathing airship.     

Aboard the Leviathan is young seaman, Deryn Sharp.  Deryn carries a secret: she is a girl disguised as a boy.  The Leviathan is also carrying a mysterious cargo, bound for Constantinople. 

The Leviathan is shot down by German war planes, near where Alek and his guardians are hiding.  Alek goes to help them, despite the danger to himself…

Published in: on March 31, 2010 at 12:00 pm  Comments (1)