Get $10 off my class "Book Club - The Giver, City of Ember, Esperanza Rising, and Tuck Everlasting" with coupon code MICHEP56X710 until Dec 16, 2024

This 16-week class offers students the chance to dive deep into the themes, characters, and moral dilemmas in four classic novels: The Giver, The City of Ember, Esperanza Rising, and Tuck Everlasting. Each session will center on thoughtful discussion, encouraging students to analyze the choices characters make and the challenges they face within unique worlds. Through guided discussion questions, students will explore topics such as freedom vs. control, resilience in the face of adversity, and the cost of immortality.

Some key questions we will explore:
- How do rules shape behavior? Can true happiness exist without freedom of choice?
- How does curiosity lead to discovery? When is it right to break rules for the greater good?
- What does it mean to "rise" in the face of hardship?
- Is eternal life a gift or a curse? How does understanding mortality shape our choices?

Each class will open with a journal prompt. Then, we will review of the week’s assigned reading, followed by open-ended questions to spur group discussion. Students will have these questions before the class and can use them during class to take notes. Students will share insights and participate actively in class discussions.

*** please read chapters 1-5 of The Giver before the first class

Please read each synopsis carefully and check out Common Sense Media online to see if these books are the right fit for your learner:

The Giver by Lois Lowry
This dystopian novel follows Jonas, a boy living in a seemingly perfect society where emotions, memories, and choices are strictly controlled. Jonas is chosen to become the Receiver of Memory, tasked with learning about the world’s true history from The Giver. As he uncovers hidden truths, Jonas begins to question the cost of his community’s utopia and must make a life-changing decision.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Set in an underground city built to sustain human life after a disaster, this novel follows Lina and Doon, two children determined to save their crumbling city. They discover clues left by the city's builders and embark on a dangerous journey to uncover the truth about Ember’s origins and the way to a brighter future.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
This historical fiction story follows Esperanza, a privileged girl from Mexico who faces hardship after her father’s death and her family’s loss of wealth. Forced to immigrate to California during the Great Depression, Esperanza must adjust to a new life of poverty and labor, finding strength and hope in her journey of resilience and growth.

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
This timeless fantasy explores themes of immortality and choice. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster meets the Tuck family, who have drunk from a magical spring granting them eternal life, she learns about the challenges of living forever. Winnie must decide whether to join them in immortality or embrace the natural cycle of life.