Meeting of 29 March 2014

Phew! The meeting actually happened, with a lot of to-ing and fro-ing.  Early(!) on Saturday morning, three of us met at the Roskill Coffee Project to sample the wares (yummy-plus), enjoy great service and to discuss books.

Roskill Coffee Project - we will be back.

And what did we discuss...

A Meg title by Holly Beth Walker - one of the 6 Meg titles written, chosen at random from Kat's childhood collection.  Published in the late 1970s these wholesome American books were a great read, exciting in the same terms as the Enid Blyton Famous Five.

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (winner of 2014 Newbery Medal) 

Rescuing a squirrel after an accident involving a vacuum cleaner, comic-reading cynic Flora Belle Buckman is astonished when the squirrel, Ulysses, demonstrates astonishing powers of strength and flight after being revived.

Stand Tall by Joan Bauer  

Tree, a six-foot-three-inch twelve-year-old, copes with his parents' recent divorce and his failure as an athlete by helping his grandfather, a Vietnam vet and recent amputee, and Sophie, a new girl at school. (A very popular choice!)

Meeting of 1 March 2014

The meeting point - Bread and Butter at Ponsonby Central - was a revelation to some of us.  With the fresh food market and all the eateries, it is definitely a place to go back too.

So what did we discuss...

Enid Blyton's Famous Five 

 We were all encouraged to read any one of the Famous Five - and an enjoyable read it was.  Some of the story and langauage may have been a little old fashioned, but the excitememnt of the adventure was very catchy.  We were impressed.

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
The 2012 Newbery winner - it is surprising that it is available for a few dollars!  Some of the story is very fun, the obituaries are really cleverly written, and town history faccinating.  There were some distirbing parts such as the parents each trying to dominate the son.  A good read overall.