An Update from our fourth Stone Soup Book Club meeting! The Stone Soup book club is open to all Stone Soup contributors and subscribers, ages 9-13, during the COVID-19-related school closures and shelter-in-place arrangements. We meet for one hour every Wednesday to discuss our chosen book via Zoom. On Wednesday, May 6, we began discussing our second book: The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, by Adam Gidwitz. We were so happy to have over 20 participants this week and were able to have some really great discussions! We started off the meeting by splitting up into breakout rooms in groups of three to share our overall thoughts and predictions about the book. Then we met in a whole group discussion to share those ideas out. From there, we split into two groups, one that discussed setting, and one that discussed characters. We switched groups after a ten-minute discussion. The ideas that people raised were thoughtful. We discussed how we felt that we could relate to the characters, even though they are living in 1200’s France, and how diversity and acceptance plays a large role in the book! It was great to hear everyone’s ideas! Next week, we will finish discussing The Inquisitor’s Tale. We are planning on having specific discussions about theme, and other aspects of the book that the book club members said they were really enjoying! On May 20, we will start discussing our third book, which we have yet to choose. Our Current Book: The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, by Adam Gidwitz Our Next Book (beginning May 20th): To Be Determined, but we will announce it next week! Participants: Anya (13), Raeha (11), Chloe (10), Georgia (11), Ever (10), Ever (10), Lena (11), Willa (11), Enni (13), Kia (11), Isabel (10), Joanna (10), Simar (6), Allegra (10), Lucy (13), Djin (10), Chloe (8), Sophia (11), Sachi (13), Iris (8), Penelope (12), Abhi (12), Ariana (9), Jackeline (12) Next meeting: Wednesday, May 13, at 1:00 p.m. PST, via Zoom. The Book Club is always open to new members!
COVID-19
My Life in Corona Social Imposed Distancing: A Poem Memoir by Leah Mesuk, 12
My Life in Corona Social Imposed Distancing A Poem Memoir By Leah Mesuk, 12 Every day is a struggle to remember what is going on outside People dying others suffer Me, here, asking to go swim in a pool I feel selfish But also very lucky Struggles define the human race All of us Even you With mind disorders Physical disorders Problems at home With bullying at school We all have problems Even though at times Not visible with the human eye People may take out their problems on others Like the Chinese Hate Crimes Because it is said they started the Coronavirus That doesn’t make it right Let all of us join together to End this fight And win it right Leah Musak, 12 Manhattan, NY
Quarantine, a poem by Daisy Hampton, 11
Quarantine By Daisy Hampton, 11 I’m stuck on Manhattan Island Because I’m in quarantine I can’t wait to see all of my friends When we say bye to Covid-19. When school closed it was cold, dry, and dreary Not a flower could be seen When I get out I’ll see the sky clearly It’ll be warm and the trees will be green Right now all I see is my family And my friends on my Macbook Air I snuggle with my dog Maddie And the empty ferries pass by my window and blare This Coronacation Sure isn’t as fun as it sounds Like everyone in this nation I can’t wait till the U.S. rebounds Daisy Hampton, 11 New York, NY
