To the Jedi Academy, Return Victor Must - Youngling Battles Alarm Clocks, New Kids, and Rumors in Year Two

Jedi Academy: The Force Oversleeps by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Hello, Readers!

This week, 4th grade book club members are discussing Jedi Academy: The Force Oversleeps by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. This graphic novel is the fifth book in the Star Wars Jedi Academy series, and it continues to entertain with relatable characters, humorous situations, and simple, yet important, lessons in humanity.

Victor Starspeeder is back at Jedi Academy for year two, but it's not going the way he'd planned. He was thrilled about Drama Club and hoped to get the lead in this year's musical. But a new kid got the role! What gives?! Plus, he keeps oversleeping and arriving at class late.

Worst of all, his big sister Christina is getting ready to graduate from Jedi Academy, and there are rumors going around that she's a Sith! What's a Padawan to do? In times when he feels more alone than ever, Victor will have to trust the ways of the Force and his friends if he's going to survive year two.

(Source: https://www.scholastic.com/kids/book/the-force-oversleeps-by-jarrett-j-krosoczka/)

Possible Discussion Questions:

1. What formats of writing appear in this story, and which was your favorite? Did the multiple formats of writing make it more challenging or more entertaining as you read?
2. New Beginnings - Why is Victor looking forward to this school year? How is Zavyer new and not new at the same time?
3. Friendship - Friendship is a subject that is explored in The Force Oversleeps. What lesson(s) or message(s) did you learn about friendship by reading this story?
4. Family - Describe Victor’s relationship with his sister, Christina. What is going on at school (or on Stargram) that has Victor concerned about Christina? 
5. Emotions and the Force - Why did Yoda say that it was important to talk and get your feelings out instead of letting them stay bottled up inside? 
6. Growth - Which characters changed the most in this story? In what ways? 
7. Learning – What did Victor learn this year, both literally from attending his classes at school, and more importantly, through his experiences with his friends, family, and teachers?
8. Humor - Humor is a big part of the Jedi Academy series. What part did you find the funniest? What strategies or techniques does Jarrett J. Krosoczka use to make the story funny (for example, references to the Star Wars books/movies)?

Curriculum Connections:

• Visit Jarrett J. Krosoczka's web site to learn more about him and the other books he has written and illustrated.
• Character Development (friendship, problem solving, working together)

What 4th Grade Book Club Members Thought:

• Our rating: 4.9 out of 5 - Wow! We loved it!
• "My favorite part was when the 2nd and 3rd years had a light saber tournament." --Varun
• "I want to talk about the Stargram posts." --Rehet
• "How did their father turn Sith?" --Jack
• "I wondered what did his mom and sister talk about?" --Addie
• "My favorite part was the light saber tournament when Krio Vin invades Victor's mind." --Alex
• "Why did Victor want to be a star speeder driver?" --Jeb
• "I wondered how long the Academy has been around." --Ryan
• "My favorite part was when it said, 'If you can't help your sister, annoy her.'" --Hailey
• "How come Viktor got crazy mad about his sister calling him a Nerf Herder?" --Varun
• "My favorite part was when the book showed Victor's report card and he never got an 'A'!" --Anjulia

If You Like This Book, You Might Try Reading These:

      

What We're Reading Next:

Cats and Dogs ... Playing Together? Another Pleasing Graphic Novel by Pilkey

Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties by Dav Pilkey

Hello, Readers!

This week, 2nd and 3rd grade book club members are discussing Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties by Dav Pilkey. This graphic novel is full of humorous puns, heartwarming characters, and page-turning adventure. If you have never given graphic novels a try, I encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone and read the Dog Man books. Before young readers have time to realize what just happened, Pilkey will subliminally "illustrate" how to be humans of character through his stories.

He was the best of dogs... He was the worst of dogs... It was the age of invention... It was the season of surprise... It was the eve of supa sadness... It was the dawn of hope...

Dog Man, the newest hero from the creator of Captain Underpants, hasn't always been a paws-itive addition to the police force. While he can muzzle miscreants, he tends to leave a slick of slobber in his wake! This time, Petey the cat's dragged in a tiny bit of trouble—a double in the form of a super-cute kitten. Dog Man will have to work twice as hard to bust these furballs and remain top dog!

(Source: http://www.pilkey.com/book/dog-man-a-tale-of-two-kitties-dog-man-3)

Possible Discussion Questions:

1. At the beginning of the story, Chief gives Dog Man a job to do. Why might it be a bad idea for Dog Man to take that job?
2. How does Petey break out of jail?
3. Is Li’l Petey a clone of Petey? How do you know?
4. When did Dav Pilkey use foreshadowing (a hint that something is about to happen) in this story? See page 51.
5. How did it both hurt and help Li’l Petey to constantly ask, “Why?”
6. Do you like the Flip-o-Rama pages? Do you make sound effects when you do the Flip-o-Rama?
7. Which characters in this story were mean and grumpy? Why do you think they acted that way?
8. Which characters were heroes in this story? How do you know?
9. There are tons of puns (jokes using a word that has multiple meanings or two words that sound similar) in this story. Find an example of a pun you thought was funny.
10. Which characters changed the most in this story?
11. What lesson or message did you learn by reading this story?
12. Do you think Dav Pilkey has pets? What type of pets do you think he has?

Curriculum Connections:

• Visit Dav Pilkey's web site to learn more about him and the other books he has written and illustrated.
• Character Development (friendship, problem solving, working together)
• Art (how to draw characters, how to animate drawings using flip-o-rama)

What 2nd and 3rd Grade Book Club Members Thought:

• Our rating: 4.6 out of 5 - We loved this book, and it made us laugh.
• "My favorite part was the cloning machine." --Caleb
• "My favorite part was Li'l Petey saying, 'Why?' It was weird! And the 'Supa Awesome Science Center Over There'." --Sanika
• "My favorite part was when Li'l Petey made Flippy good." --Boris
• "I wondered how strong was Dog Man to break a chair?" --Rivian
• "My favorite part was when they went into Dog Man's house. On the outside it was small, and in the inside it was big." --Jake
• "How did Li'l Petey do the same 'Grrr ruff ruff' noises like Dog Man?" --Boris
• "My favorite part was when Chief fell down on his back because of Dog Man." --Valeria

If You Like This Book, You Might Try Reading These:

     

What We're Reading Next:

How the Theme of "Breathing" Brings Together a Story of Ghosts, Cystic Fibrosis, Anxiety and Family

Hello, Readers!

This week 4th graders will discuss the graphic novel Ghosts by New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Raina Telgemeier.

Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn't happy about leaving her friends for Bahia de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahia de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister's sake - and her own. Check out the video book trailer below:

Telgemeier explains in the notes at the end of the book that she chose to write about cystic fibrosis because breathing is huge theme in this story. Ghosts can't breathe, Maya (who has CF) can't breathe very well, and Cat is often anxious and need to be reminded to stop and breathe deeply.

Discussion questions can be found here. Remember to visit the Grade 4 page for more information about Cystic Fibrosis, Dia de los Muertos, and other books by Raina Telgemeier.

Happy reading!