My One Hundred Adventures Discussion

Here are some questions to get you started on My One Hundred Adventures:

• What genre would you put this book in? Would you describe it as funny or serious? Why?
• What surprised you most about the book?
• How did Jane change by the end of the book?
• Were you satisfied with the book's ending? Why or why not?
• Who was your favorite character besides Jane? Why?

The Convicts Discussion

Okay, gang! It's time for our first discussion! So...here's what we'll do. I'll post four or five discussion questions below. You can respond by answering one or more of the questions, or just by giving your opinion of the books. Remember, to give your opinion, you'll need to comment on this post. (See isntructions on the right side of the page if you need a reminder of how to do this!)

Here are some questions for The Convicts:

What did you think of the way convicts were treated in 19th century England? Do you think locking them away on ships was an effective way of dealing with criminals?

Who was your favorite character in the book?

What did you think of Tom? Was he a likeable character? Were you rooting for him to escape?

What did you think of Tom's friendship with Midge? Would you have stayed loyal to Tom if he treated you the way he treated Midge?

There are a lot of coincidences in this book. (The likeness between Tom and the dead boy, the identity of the captain on the former slave ship.) Was there anything you found too hard to believe? Did any of the coincidences take away from the story?

Let's hear what you thought of The Convicts!

The Convicts

Next week we'll be discussing Iain Lawrence's The Convicts. Hopefully you're finishing it up this week!

If you want to know more about the book, author, or setting, check out the following links:

• Kids Reads: An interview with the author about how he came up with the story and about his historical setting.


• Randomhouse: Find out about the author's life and writing process.


• Dickens' London Page: Click here to read about what life was like in 19th century London (the time when Tom's story takes place).


• London's Children in the 19th Century: What was it like for kids to grow up in the time period that this story takes place? Check out this site to find out.