Book Club


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Book Club Hello, and welcome to the Girls on the Run of the Triangle’s (GOTR) Summer Book Club! This casual reading program is a great way for us to stay in touch with you if you have recently completed GOTR, or - if you are new to GOTR - it’s a great introduction to what we are all about! We have put together a diverse list of books for the girls to read, along with some fun and motivating rewards for reaching various milestones or completing certain activities! We also are looking forward to hosting a book club finale on Saturday, August 15th where we can all meet, share our favorite books, and engage in fun games and activities; stay tuned for details! The following book list contains twenty-one books that we believe portray girls and women as active agents in their stories and leading value-driven, inspired lives. Each book listing includes an associated GOTR value, two reading questions to prompt you to further explore the meaning of the book and its implications, and - lastly - an activity that hopefully will engage not just you but also your family, friends, and community. We hope that these books inspire the girls to read, and stay connected to the values and lessons they learned during their time as a Girl on the Run. The rewards for participating in the book club are as follows:         

Get your own library card – earn a pack of GOTR temporary tattoos! Read 1 book – earn a GOTR bookmark! Read 3 books – earn a GOTR water bottle! Read 8 books – earn a GOTR headband! Read 15 books – earn a GOTR slap bracelet! Read all the books (21) on the list – earn a GOTR t-shirt! Read all the books and create a movie poster for your favorite book – earn a GOTR cap! Read a book that’s over 100 pages long – earn a GOTR glitter cup! Choreograph an interpretive dance of your favorite character or scene from a book you read – earn a GOTR accessory case!

Parents, we haven’t forgotten about you! Attached to the end of this reading & activities guide is a brief list of both fiction and non-fiction books that are centered upon parenting young girls. This summer, we will host an evening get-together to discuss The Parents We Mean To Be, facilitated by our executive director (details to follow). Please join us (and your daughters!) in a summer of eye-opening and thought-provoking literature. Joining the book club is quick and easy! Simply register online . You will receive a confirmation email letting you know that we received your registration. We will occasionally check in with you and your daughter over the course of the summer to see how things are going. The books on this list can be found at your local library, at local bookstores, or online. GOTR is particularly fond of www.AMightyGirl.com, where many of these books were found and are available for purchase. If, at any point, you have questions about the book club, rewards, or end of summer gathering, please feel free to email us at [email protected], or call us at 919-401-6307. Happy reading! The GOTR team

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Book List Ages 5-7 1. Grace for President, by Kelly DePucchio 2. Amelia Bedelia Chapter Book #1: Amelia Bedelia Means Business, by Herman Parish 3. The Talented Clementine, by Sara Pennypacker 4. Travels with Tarra, by Carol Buckley Ages 8-10 5. How Ella Grew an Electric Guitar: A Girl's First Adventure in Business, by Orly Sade 6. Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words, by Karen Abouraya 7. Nim’s Island, by Wendy Orr 8. One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia 9. Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai 10. Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls, by Jane Yolen 11. Book of Black Heroes, Vol. II: Great Women in the Struggle, by Igus, Ellis, Patrick and Wesley 12. The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester 13. Super Women in Science, by Kelly Di Domenico 14. Across the Great River, by Irene Beltran Hernandez 15. The Breadwinner, by Deborah Ellis 16. Sita's Ramayana, by Samhita Arni 17. Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper Ages 11-14 18. Found (Missing Series #1), by Margaret Peterson Haddix 19. Under the Mesquite, by Guadalupe Garcia McCall 20. Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli 21. Picture Perfect, by Jill Zimmerman Rutledge 2

GOTR Triangle Book Club Reading and Activity Guide 1. DePucchio, Kelly. Grace for President. 2012. Disney-Hyperion. Ages 5-9. a. A fun introduction to the American electoral system that also teaches the value of hard work, courage, and independent thought - and offers an inspiring example of how to choose our leaders. b. Associated GOTR value: Empowerment c. Reading questions: i. What are qualities of a good president? ii. What would you do if you were president of the United States? Of your classroom? iii. If running for class president, how might you convince others to vote for you? d. Action item: i. Make a campaign poster for your presentation campaign. What should it say? 2. Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia Chapter Book #1: Amelia Bedelia Means Business. 2013. Greenwillow Books. Ages 6-10. a. Amelia Bedelia's parents say they'll split the cost of a new bike with her, and that means Amelia Bedelia needs to put the pedal to the metal and earn some dough! With Amelia Bedelia anything can happen, and it usually does. b. Associated GOTR value: Optimism c. Reading questions: i.

Read page 1 of the book. Predict what you think might happen based on the events that are described.

ii. Why do you think Amelia Bedelia is confused by words that have multiple meanings, such as shorthanded, stand or lemons? d. Action item: i. Make a comic strip of your favorite three scenes in the story. 3. Pennypacker, Sara. The Talented Clementine. 2007. Disney-Hyperion. Ages 7–10. a. Clementine is a true original, an empathetic human being with the observant eye of a real artist and a quirky, matter-of-fact way of expressing herself. Whether shopping for new shoes with her mother, saving the talent show, or dining with her parents at the Ritz-no-crackers restaurant, she is laugh-out-loud funny. b. Associated GOTR value: Joy 3

c. Reading questions: i. How did Clementine feel when she learned about the talent show? ii. What were the steps Clementine took to find what she was good at? d. Action item: i. Put on a talent show! Gather your friends or family and showcase what you feel you are good at. 4. Buckley, Carol. Travels with Tarra. 2002. Tilbury House Publishers. Ages 7+. a. A heartwarming look at the life of one captive elephant and her devoted human caretaker, who realizes that Tarra's needs as an elephant are more important than anything else in their life together. b. Associated GOTR value: Compassion c. Reading questions: i. In Lesson #15 (It’s Okay to Choose Our Friends), we learn about how to be a good friend and have healthy friendships. What was Carol and Tarra’s friendship like? ii. How did Carol’s life change after she became friends with Tarra? d. Action item: i. Visit a local petting zoo and learn about how their owners care for them and how you can help animals. 5. Sade, Orly. How Ella Grew an Electric Guitar: A Girl's First Adventure in Business. 2011. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Ages 8+. a. This is the story of Ella, who when faced with a cash crunch, learns business skills to solve her problem. Ella and her friends, Madison, Jack and Tyler, have formed a band. But they lack the powerful sound of an electric guitar. Ella’s parents are in no hurry to buy one. Instead, they offer to instruct Ella on ways she can raise the money herself. And so begins the journey of E l l a and her friends as they research, start and run a business venture with a musical goal. b. Associated GOTR value: Responsibility c. Reading questions: i. Do your parents have a bank account for you? Talk to them about that. ii. Have you ever wanted something that was expensive? What did your parents say about it? Did you have to earn it? How did you earn it? d. Action item: i. What do you want to “grow” in your life? Start planning how to make that dream a reality! 6. Abouraya, Karen. Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words. 2014. StarWalk Kids Media. Ages 8-11.

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a. The inspiring, true story of Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani girl who stands up and speaks out for every child’s right to education. Though she and two of her schoolmates were targeted by a Taliban gunman, a life-threatening injury only strengthened her resolve. Malala spoke at the U.N. on her 16th birthday in 2013, nine months after she was shot. Malala’s story is more than a biography of a brave and outspoken teenager. It is a testament to the power of education to change the world for boys and girls everywhere. b. Associated GOTR value: Empowerment c. Reading questions: i. What is the Nobel Peace Prize? Did Malala deserve being awarded one? ii. Do you like school as much as Malala does? Why or why not? d. Action item: i. Design a Peace Prize and award it to someone you think does really important work! 7. Orr, Wendy. Nim’s Island. 2008. Yearling. Ages 8-12. a. A girl. An iguana. An island. And e-mail. Meet Nim–a modern-day Robinson Crusoe! She can chop down bananas with a machete, climb tall palm trees, and start a fire with a piece of glass. So she’s not afraid when her scientist dad sails off to study plankton for three days, leaving her alone on their island. Besides, it’s not as if no one’s looking after her–she’s got a sea lion to mother her and an iguana for comic relief. She also has an interesting new e-mail pal. But when her father’s cell-phone calls stop coming and disaster seems near, Nim has to be stronger and braver than she’s ever been before. b. Associated GOTR value: Open-hearted c. Reading questions: i. What does Nim do when her father leaves her on the island to explore plankton? ii. In what ways are you similar to Nim when reading a book? Do you think about the characters or create adventures in your imagination? d. Action Item: i. Create a fictional island and write a story of you and one other person experiencing adventure! 8. Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. 2011. Amistad. Ages 8-12. a. Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She's had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California. When they arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with her, Cecile is nothing like they imagined. While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves 5

during one truly crazy summer. This moving, funny novel won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction and the Coretta Scott King Award and was a National Book Award Finalist. b. Associated GOTR value: Empowerment c. Reading questions: i. What does the stool in the kitchen mean to Delphine? Does her relationship with Cecile change the evening the stool appears? How? ii. Are Cecile and Delphine at all alike? How? How are they different? d. Action item: i. Put yourself in Delphine’s shoes. Plan a day trip for two younger siblings by choosing a city. Find a map or look up places you would take your siblings, and decide how much money you will need for the trip! 9. Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again. 2013. HarperCollins. Ages 8-12. a. After her father has been missing in action for nine years during the Vietnam War, 10-yearold Hà flees with her mother and three older brothers. Traveling first by boat, the family reaches a tent city in Guam, moves on to Florida, and is finally connected with sponsors in Alabama, where Hà finds refuge but also cruel rejection, especially from mean classmates. Based on Lai’s personal experience, this first novel captures a child-refugee’s struggle with rare honesty. b. Associated GOTR value: Connectedness c. Reading questions: i. What did you know about Vietnamese culture before reading the story? What are some of the things you learned as you read? ii. What does Mother mean when she tells Hà to “learn to compromise”? What are examples of times she had to compromise? d. Action item: i. Take a trip to a local Asian market and explore some of Hà’s favorite foods, such as mung bean cookies or glutinous rice. 10. Yolen, Jane. Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls. 2000. HMH Books for Young Readers. Ages 9+. a. These thirteen folktales have one thing in common: brainy, brawny, brave heroines--and not one damsel in distress! From Bradamante, the fierce female medieval knight, to Li Chi, the Chinese girl who slays a dreaded serpent and saves her town, these heroines use their cunning, wisdom, and strength to succeed. Drawing from diverse cultures around the world, renowned Jane Yolen celebrates the smart, strong, and sassy heroines of legend and lore 6

in a collection that will encourage bravery in every girl. b. Associated GOTR value: Empowerment c. Reading questions: i. Which one of the stories was your favorite? Why? ii. Do you think it’s important to tell stories about brave girls? d. Action Item: i. Create an action story with you as the main character defeating one thing that is challenging for you! 11. Igus, Ellis, Patrick and Wesley. Book of Black Heroes, Vol. II: Great Women in the Struggle. 1993. Scholastic, Inc. Ages 9-12. a. Read about more than eighty black women who have made a difference - as freedom fighters, educators, writers, artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and scientists. Some are from the past, and some are from today, but all of them have overcome great obstacles and made significant achievements. b. Associated GOTR value: Diversity c. Reading questions: i. What were some of the difficulties that the women profiled in this book faced? ii. What are some things we do as a society to end racism? d. Action item: i. Pick your favorite woman from the book. Tell us her story, and why you chose her. Can you find another book that tells more of her story? 12. Forester, Victoria. The Girl Who Could Fly. 2010. Square Fish. Ages 9–12. a. At turns exhilarating and terrifying, Victoria Forester's debut novel has been praised as "the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men...Prepare to have your heart warmed." The Girl Who Could Fly is an unforgettable story of defiance and courage about an irrepressible heroine who can, who will, who must . . . fly. b. Associated GOTR value: Diversity c. Reading questions: i. In Lesson #22 (Honoring Our Greatest Gifts), we celebrate our individual talents and strengths. How does Piper honor her greatest gift? Do her family and friends support Piper and her unique talents? ii. What talent would you have if you could pick something unique? iii. Talents can be used for good and for evil, what choices did the characters in this book make in using their talents. d. Action item: i. Make a t-shirt design for The Girl Who Could Fly 7

13. DiDomenico, Kelly. Super Women in Science. 2001. Second Story Press. Ages 9-13. a. Women breaking new ground in areas once thought beyond them, and establishing a legacy for others to follow—that's what the Women's Hall of Fame Series is all about. Super Women in Science is no exception. Meet ten women from ancient times to today, with lively senses of curiosity and the vision and determination to discover how and why things work. An educational and fun tour through centuries of research and discoveries, sure to inspire future scientists! b. Associated GOTR value: Empowerment c. Reading questions: i. In Lesson #12 (Standing Up for Myself), we discuss how to stand up for yourself. Did these women have to stand up for themselves? ii. What did they have to overcome in order to be the scientists they became? d. Action item: i. Visit a museum! The Museum of Life & Science in Durham, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh are both great places to explore and see what scientists have been and are still working on. 14. Hernandez, Irene Beltran. Across the Great River. 1989. Arte Publico Press. Ages 10+. a. This book is an exciting tale of a young girl maturing and taking on the leadership role in her family when her parents become separated while illegally crossing the Mexican border into Texas. The family's experiences with smugglers, a folk healer, Tex. Social Services and the authorities are told with an innocence and directness by ten-year old Katarina Campos who must find a way to survive in a strange country. Though written in English, its cadence evokes a sense of the Spanish language. b. Associated GOTR value: Optimism c. Reading questions: i. Why do people flee to the United States? ii. How did Katarina adjust to her parents separating? d. Action item: i. Write down or illustrate a dream you recently had. Incorporate the feelings that you had during and after the dream. 15. Ellis, Deborah. The Breadwinner. 2001. Groundwood Books. Ages 10+. a. Eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city. Parvana's father — a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed — works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One 8

day, he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food. As conditions for the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy, and become the breadwinner. b. Associated GOTR value: Responsibility c. Reading questions: i. In what ways do you think Parvana changed throughout the story? Keep in mind the struggles she faced with her family and culture, and how she overcame them. ii. How do you think Parvana felt before she had to work to support her family, and after? d. Action item: i. Imagine you are Parvana. Create a journal entry that she may have written after she realizes that she now has to be the breadwinner for her family. 16. Arni, Samhita. Sita’s Ramayana. .2011. Groundwood Books. Ages 10+. a. The Ramayana is an epic poem by the Hindu sage Valmiki, written in ancient Sanskrit sometime after 300 BC. It is an allegorical story that contains important Hindu teachings, and it has had great influence on Indian life and culture over the centuries. This version of The Ramayana is told from the perspective of Sita, the queen. The story is exciting and dramatic, with many turns of plot. Magic animals, snakes, divine gods, demons, sorcerers and a vast cast of characters all play a part in the fierce battles fought. In the process, the story explores ideas of right vs. wrong, compassion, loyalty, trust, honor and the terrible price of war. b. Associated GOTR value: Optimism c. Reading questions: i. In Lesson #7 (Celebrating Gratitude), we learn that being grateful is something we can practice every day. How does Sita practice gratitude? ii. What did you learn from the decisions Sita made throughout the story? d. Action Item: i. Draw a magical map of Sita’s kingdom and brainstorm ways her kingdom is different from your life. 17. Sharon, Draper. Out of My Mind. 2012. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Ages 10+. a. Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow. 9

b. Associated GOTR value: Optimism c. Reading questions: i. In Lesson #4 (Positive Self-Talk and Why I Choose It), we discuss how the things you tell yourself are very powerful. In this story, does Melody choose to speak to herself positively? Would the story be different if Melody didn’t think she was a strong person? ii. How do you think Melody’s perspective affected the people around her? d. Action item: i. March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Create a poster including what you learned about cerebral palsy and a list of what Melody would want people to know about the disability. 18. Haddix, Margaret. Found (Missing Series #1). 2009. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Ages 11+. a. A plane arrives at an airline gate unnoticed by radar and most personnel. There are no flight attendants, no pilot, in fact no adults at all, but there are 36 passengers—each seat is inhabited by an infant. Thirteen years later in Ohio, teenage adoptees Jonah and his friend Chip begin receiving ominous messages declaring that they are among "the missing" and that someone is coming to find them. Frightened yet intrigued, the boys begin a search for their real identities with the help of Jonah's younger sister. Their search leads them to a discovery that strains credulity and leads them into danger greater than they ever imagined possible. b. Associated GOTR value: Connectedness c. Reading questions: i. How does Chip react when he learns he is adopted? Why do you think his parents kept the adoption a secret? ii. What was Katherine’s role in the book, and how did she help the other characters? d. Action item: i. Think of a person in history you would like to meet if you had the opportunity to space travel. Create a list of questions you would like to ask them and imagine their responses. 19. Garcia McCall, Guadalupe. Under the Mesquite. Tu Books. Ages 12+ a. As the oldest of eight siblings, Lupita is used to taking the lead—and staying busy behind the scenes to help keep everyone together. But when she discovers Mami has been diagnosed with cancer, Lupita is terrified by the possibility of losing her mother, the anchor of her close-knit Mexican American family. Suddenly Lupita must face a whole 10

new set of challenges, with new roles to play, and no one is handing her the script. She begins to shape a new life, there is no easy comfort: her father is still gone. b. Associated GOTR value: Nurturing c. Reading questions: i. How do you think Lupita is able to manage everything that has happened to her over the four years? How has writing and acting affected her outlook on life? ii. How does the mesquite tree represent Lupita? How are Lupita and the tree alike by the end of the story? d. Action Item: i. Write your own poem about your favorite scene in the story! 20. Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. 2002. Ember. Ages 12+. a. 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 b. Associated GOTR value: Diversity c. Reading questions: i. In Lesson #11 (Standing Up to Peer Pressure), we talk about being able to stand up for what’s right, even when people are pressuring us to do something else. Do you think Stargirl felt pressure? How did she handle it? ii. In what ways do you think Stargirl is a good role model? d. Action item: i. Draw a picture of what you think Stargirl looks like, and include some of her favorite items and hobbies. 21. Rutledge, Jill Zimmerman. Picture Perfect. 2007. HCI. Ages 11-16. a. Do you ever wish you looked like someone else? Or that you could skip school because you feel self-conscious about your appearance? So many girls have these kinds of feelings from time to time. The important thing is to find ways of coping with them so they don't stop you from living your life. This book will help you see how other girls who struggle with liking themselves have found solutions that really help them feel better about who they are - and their stories will show you ways to feel better too! b. Associated GOTR value: Health

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c. Reading questions: i. Remember Lesson #18 (Tuning into a New Message) when we looked at magazine pictures of women? What do you think happens when these are the only kinds of pictures girls see? ii. Any time you feel yourself getting self-conscious or anxious, remember the Girls on the Run Cord. What do you feel like when you’re plugged into the Cord? Can the Cord help you overcome the need to be “picture perfect?” d. Action item: i. Make a list about all the things you like about yourself – include your talents, strengths, and interests. Post it somewhere you can see it every day

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