Archive for the ‘Arrow’ Category

February 2019 Arrow Book Club

Brave Writer 2019 Feb Arrow Book Club

Can you believe it’s already 2019?! We can’t either. But believe it or not, February is coming up and with it the next Arrow Book Club.

If you’re looking for an easy way into online classes for your child, our book clubs are great for that! Kids love “talking” (a.k.a. writing) about books. In these Brave Writer classes, they will be able to discuss the books freely with instructor guidance and encouragement.

Also a FREE digital copy of our language arts guide based on the book is provided.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

February’s Arrow Book Club selection is Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling.

Meet the tenacious Harriet Tubman and follow her journey as she not only escapes slavery but returns to the South to lead slaves to freedom by a secret route called the Underground Railroad. The story begins with seven-year-old Harriet tending a baby and ends with her passing at the age of ninety-three.

Purchase the novel here.

The Arrow Book Club provides an online discussion space (asynchronous, bulletin board style) for students to learn to discuss literature using literary analysis vocabulary without the pressure of writing “essays.” Homeschool students especially need the chance to talk about what they read—-yet the busy mother-of-many doesn’t always have time to take the discussion to a written form.

Let Brave Writer help you. These book discussions are drawn from entertaining works of fiction that your kids are sure to love!

REGISTER HERE

Caveat: Please remember that you’re the parent. If you have doubts about the content of a particular book, please check the reviews of the novel or read it for yourself first.

Also starting in February are our Boomerang and Pouch Book Clubs.

Posted in Arrow, Online Classes | Comments Off on February 2019 Arrow Book Club

January 2019 Arrow Book Club

Brave Writer Arrow January Book Club

The Arrow Book Club for January 2019 is starting soon! It’s hard to believe that December is almost halfway over already, but January will be here sooner than you know it, and we at Brave Writer want to make sure you don’t miss out on the January Arrow Book Club.

If you’re looking for an easy way into online classes for your child, our book clubs are great for that! Kids love “talking” (a.k.a. writing) about books. In these Brave Writer classes, they will be able to discuss the books freely with instructor guidance and encouragement.

Also a FREE digital copy of our language arts guide based on the book is provided.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

January’s Arrow Book Club selection is Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

Hiroshima-born Sadako is an active, full-of-life athlete until she falls ill with leukemia. Legend holds that if a sick person folds one thousand paper cranes, they will regain their health. Sadako takes up the challenge with courage and bravery. Based on a true story, this short, classic tale will touch your heart.

Purchase the novel here.

The Arrow Book Club provides an online discussion space (asynchronous, bulletin board style) for students to learn to discuss literature using literary analysis vocabulary without the pressure of writing “essays.” Homeschool students especially need the chance to talk about what they read—-yet the busy mother-of-many doesn’t always have time to take the discussion to a written form.

Let Brave Writer help you. These book discussions are drawn from entertaining works of fiction that your kids are sure to love!

REGISTER HERE

Caveat: Please remember that you’re the parent. If you have doubts about the content of a particular book, please check the reviews of the novel or read it for yourself first.

Also starting in January are our Boomerang and Pouch Book Clubs.

Posted in Arrow, Online Classes | Comments Off on January 2019 Arrow Book Club

DEEP DIVE with Us into the Magical World of Harry Potter!

Brave Writer DEEP DIVE into the magical world of Harry Potter

Whether your kids are new to Harry Potter or veteran “Potterheads,” this delightful franchise primarily following the journey of the Boy Who Lived is not only enchanting to experience but is also a great opportunity to DEEP DIVE into literary techniques, adaptation theory, and even playwriting!

The Harry Potter universe is rich with diverse forms of storytelling and delves into universal themes such as love, loss, and the need to make a stand for what one believes in.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

The first installment of the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling was published in the UK in 1997. As difficult as it may be to believe now, at the time Rowling was a complete unknown. A first-time author, she had written much of the first Harry Potter novel in a small flat while desperately trying to support herself and her young daughter. She had no idea that her little novel would explode into one of the biggest franchises of all time!

The Story

The Harry Potter series follows a boy wizard who, at its onset, does not know he is a wizard. An orphan raised by his abusive aunt and uncle, and tormented by his cousin, Harry believes there is nothing special about him at all, until one day a giant arrives and informs Harry that he is a wizard. Not only that but somehow, as a baby, Harry survived an attack from the greatest dark wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort. Harry’s parents died in the attack, but miraculously Harry survived with only a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, and Voldemort’s powers were broken.

Harry leaves behind his miserable life with his aunt and uncle and begins magical training at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he meets his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and together they face mysterious plots, the impending return of Lord Voldemort, and perhaps most terrifying of all…end of year exams!

Diving In

The Harry Potter franchise now encompasses a book series, film adaptations, supplementary materials, a play, and now new films taking place long before Harry ever went to Hogwarts. It is one of the most successful and well-loved franchises and it provides a wealth of language rich experiences for kids and teens.

One of the wonderful things about Harry Potter is that you can decide how deeply you want to dive. If your child only wants to read the books, there is still so much to be learned, discussed, and examined. But if they want to read the books and watch the films, or if they want to take the full plunge into paratexts and prequels and plays, there is so, so much to be discovered.

Brave Writer Resources

Check out our Movie Wednesday posts for the first Harry Potter film as well as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. They include summaries and discussion questions, along with party ideas, recipes, and crafts.

Need even more discussion questions for Big Juicy Conversations?

Here are some more ideas to give your kids food for thought.

  • Is Harry an unreliable narrator? The books are primarily from Harry’s point of view and present his thoughts and feelings as integrated parts of the narrative. Multiple times in the books, Harry makes assumptions about characters and their motives which are often proven wrong at the end, even though these assumptions are presented as fact at first. Should we ever completely trust Harry’s observations, then?
  • A red herring is when a writer deliberately misleads the reader to come to an incorrect conclusion. Perhaps the most famous red herring in the Harry Potter series is Sirius Black in the Prisoner of Azkaban. Can you think of any other red herrings in the series? Which ones and did any of them fool you the first time?
  • If you looked into the Mirror of Erised, what do you think you would see?
  • The Goblet of Fire film is noticeably different from the book it adapts in order to conform to time constraints. When the movies were being made, there were quite a few fans who felt that the fourth book should have been adapted into two films instead of trying to cram the whole book (it’s over 700 pages long!) into a single film. Do you think the fourth Harry Potter film suffers from such heavy condensing or do you think the streamlined structure makes for a better film? Explain your answer.

A note to parents: Although the first three Harry Potter films are rated PG, many of the later films are rated PG-13 and contain some dark, mature, or frightening elements. We recommend looking up the films on sites such as Common Sense Media before deciding if they are right for your family.

Posted in Arrow, Deep Dive | Comments Off on DEEP DIVE with Us into the Magical World of Harry Potter!

December 2018 Book Clubs

Brave Writer December Book Clubs 2018

The December Arrow, Pouch, and Boomerang book clubs are starting soon!

If you’re looking for an easy way into online classes for your child, the book clubs are great for that! Kids love “talking” (a.k.a. writing) about books. In these Brave Writer classes, they will be able to discuss the books freely with instructor guidance and encouragement.

Also a FREE digital copy of our language arts guide based on the book is provided.

December book clubs start discussion in the first week of December in order to end early for winter break. Sign up early.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

For the Arrow Book Club (ages 9-12), we’ll be reading Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

The Arrow Book Club provides an online discussion space (asynchronous, bulletin board style) for students to learn to discuss literature using literary analysis vocabulary without the pressure of writing “essays.” Homeschool students especially need the chance to talk about what they read—-yet the busy mother-of-many doesn’t always have time to take the discussion to a written form.

For more information and to get registered, click here.

For the Pouch Book Club (ages 11-14), we’re reading The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg.

Due to popular demand, Brave Writer now offers a transition book club between the Arrow and Boomerang. This club is for middle schoolers who want to discuss novels with their peers, who are ready to learn the art of thinking and writing simultaneously all while excited about a great story!

For more information and to get registered, click here.

For the Boomerang Book Club (ages 12-18), we’re reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Rather than reading in isolation, without the benefit of examining the writing and the layers of meaning novelists intend their readers to experience, The Boomerang Book Club provides a forum for that opportunity. Homeschool students especially need the chance to talk about what they read—yet the busy mother-of-many doesn’t always have time to read those lengthy dense books, let alone discuss them in depth!

For more information and to get registered, click here.

Let Brave Writer help you. These book discussions are drawn from entertaining works of fiction that your kids are sure to love!

Caveat: Please remember that you’re the parent. If you have doubts about the content of a particular book, please check the reviews of the novel or read it for yourself first. Pouch and Boomerang books in particular may include sexuality, graphic language, and mature themes.

Banner header Arrow Boomerang

Posted in Arrow, Boomerang, Online Classes | Comments Off on December 2018 Book Clubs

November 2018 Book Clubs

Brave Writer November Book Clubs 2018

The November Arrow, Pouch, and Boomerang book clubs are starting soon!

If you’re looking for an easy way into online classes for your child, the book clubs are great for that! Kids love “talking” (a.k.a. writing) about books. In these Brave Writer classes, they will be able to discuss the books freely with instructor guidance and encouragement.

Also a FREE digital copy of our language arts guide based on the book is provided.

[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,
Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!]

For the Arrow Book Club (ages 9-12), we’ll be reading Journey to Jo’burg: A South African Story by Beverley Naidoo.

The Arrow Book Club provides an online discussion space (asynchronous, bulletin board style) for students to learn to discuss literature using literary analysis vocabulary without the pressure of writing “essays.” Homeschool students especially need the chance to talk about what they read—-yet the busy mother-of-many doesn’t always have time to take the discussion to a written form.

For more information and to get registered, click here.

For the Pouch Book Club (ages 11-14), we’re reading Holes by Louis Sachar.

Due to popular demand, Brave Writer now offers a transition book club between the Arrow and Boomerang. This club is for middle schoolers who want to discuss novels with their peers, who are ready to learn the art of thinking and writing simultaneously all while excited about a great story!

For more information and to get registered, click here.

For the Boomerang Book Club (ages 12-18), we’re reading The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy.

Rather than reading in isolation, without the benefit of examining the writing and the layers of meaning novelists intend their readers to experience, The Boomerang Book Club provides a forum for that opportunity. Homeschool students especially need the chance to talk about what they read—yet the busy mother-of-many doesn’t always have time to read those lengthy dense books, let alone discuss them in depth!

For more information and to get registered, click here.

Let Brave Writer help you. These book discussions are drawn from entertaining works of fiction that your kids are sure to love!

Caveat: Please remember that you’re the parent. If you have doubts about the content of a particular book, please check the reviews of the novel or read it for yourself first. Pouch and Boomerang books in particular may include sexuality, graphic language, and mature themes.

Banner header Arrow Boomerang

Posted in Arrow, Boomerang, Online Classes | Comments Off on November 2018 Book Clubs