Copies For Sale!!!!!

We are selling copies of May's Book Choice "His Name is Guck" by Clyde A. Landon.  The books are autograghed by the Author.  They are $20.99 each and are equipped with a few surprise, but you have to buy the book to find out what they are. If you would like to buy a copy, please send an email to stocktonbookclubut@yahoo.com or call Jamie West at 435-840-8183.

Newsletter for March 2011

Stockton Book Club Newsletter!!!!

March 2011

stocktonbookclubut@yahoo.com
Edition #3
http://www.stocktonbookclubut.blogspot.com/

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli(March's Book Choice)



This book is the sequel to the New York Times bestselling book, Stargirl and centers on "the world's longest letter" in diary form. It picks up where the previous novel left off after Stargirl left Mica High and describes her bittersweet memories in the town of Mica, Arizona along with the involvements of new people in her life, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Stargirl, living now in Pennsylvania, tells her own story this time, in "the world's longest letter," which is actually a series of journal entries. New in town, homeschooled, and feeling rejected by Leo, the 16-year-old narrator of the first book who had fallen under her spell, she is lonely and sad -- her "happy wagon," where she keeps stones representing her level of happiness, is almost empty. She befriends Dootsie, a loud but loveable 6 year old who takes a shine to Stargirl and her pet rat Cinnamon. Betty Lou never leaves the house and is known as the witch. Shes actually extremely nice and Stargirl visits her nearly ever day.
With the arrival of autumn, Stargirl's life is affected when, arriving at her Enchanted Hill to plant another spatula in her solar calendar, she sees a house on fire, and in her attempt to break in to warn any possible residents, ends up in the hospital with smoke-damaged lungs and a sprained ankle. She stays in the hospital for one week, getting visited by Dootsie (in her waffle halloween costume), Alvina, the Honeybees and Perry, also getting calls from Betty Lou. Once Stargirl recovers, she returns to her Enchanted Hill to plant the next spatula, only to find Perry has been planting them in her absence. Perry and Stargirl share a sunrise kiss, ending Stargirl's confusion over having feelings for both Leo and Perry, but leaving her to deal with the reality of living with uncertainty.
As winter sets in, Stargirl turns herself to planning her Winter Solstice party, inviting all of the people she has encountered in her new town to celebrate the beginning of winter by joining her at sunrise on the Enchanted Hill. Stargirl also discovers the truth about Perry, whose mother has a new baby, whom Perry has been trying to support by working several jobs last summer and by resorting to "stealing" to avoid burdening her with feeding him. In the end, Stargirl becomes worried that no one will show up for her solstice party, but is reassured by Archie, her former teacher and friend from Arizona, who arrives to attend her celebration and comforts her with his wisdom.On the morning of the Winter Solstice, Stargirl is overwhelmed and surprised when a huge crowd of her friends and acquaintances, and several other people she's unfamiliar with, flock to Calendar Hill, as she now calls it, including her friend Betty Lou who hasn't left her house in nine years. The magic moment of sunrise is magnified by a special tent her parents have built, allowing the sunlight to stream in through a hole in the tent, forming a single beam that cuts through the crowd of people and pierces the back wall. Everyone is profoundly affected by the start of this new day, and returns home to the start of cold winter.

Editor’s Note: We’ll be meeting on April 9th at noon at the Stockton Miners Café in Stockton, Utah. Love, Stargirl is a Young Adult book, you can find it in the Teen section of Barnes & Noble. It’s a very fast and entertaining read. You’re also welcome to read the first book Stargirl if you didn’t have a chance to read it last month.



Fun Facts About Phoenixville, PA


Portions of The Blob, starring Steve McQueen, were filmed here.

Portions of M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening ere filmed here, most notably the 'Filbert Restaurant' which is in actuality 'The "G" Lodge'.


Terry Gilkyson (1916–1999), Disney composer, was born here.


"The Sundance Kid", Harry A. Longabaugh moved from Mont Clare to Phoenixville at an early age. He worked on farms and attended school in Phoenixville. His parents & sister are buried in the Morris Cemetery in Phoenixville.


Mike Piazza, former catcher and designated hitter for Major League Baseball, is a graduate of Phoenixville Area High School.


The Fountain Inn in Phoenixville was the farthest point inland reached by the British in the Northern Colonies during the Revolutionary War.



Fun Facts About Jerry Spinelli


Stargirl was inspired by his wife Eileen Spinelli


He was born in Pennsylvania and still lives there.


His first four adult books were rejected by publishers.


When he was a kid, he dreamed of being a Major League Baseball Player but he found that he was better at writing when he wrote a poem and it was published in the local newspaper.


His book Maniac Magee won a Newbery Award.


He has published twenty-five children and young adult books.


Future Months’ Book Choices
April:

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Book was chosen by Jim Wilde. This book is Miss Marple's first mystery.


About the Book:
Miss Jane Marple, spinster sleuth extraordinaire, is introduced in this first-ever mystery to feature her brilliant talents. The setting is St. Mary Mead, where Colonel Protheroe is found shot in the vicar's study. Nearly everyone in town is a suspect: his daughter, his second wife, the artist enamored with both of them, the poacher, and even the vicar. Into this uproar, Miss Marple carefully steps and shrewdly fits the nearly endless puzzle pieces together. Match wits with this master of the deductive arts.


May:

His Name is Guck by Clyde A. Landon.
Book was chosen by Donna Wilde.

About the book:
At the age of ten, Clyde Landon's world revolved around slingshots, marbles, and talking his way out of trouble. But that all changed the day he met Guck, a motley colored shepherd dog. The bond between them was immediate, and when Guck needed a new home, it was Clyde who quickly assumed responsibility, convincing his parents to allow him a pet, despite the family already having too many mouths to feed.


Guck was ours. I could hardly believe it. There wasn't another dog in the whole wide world like him...'You're ours!' I told him. 'You're mine. Mom said I could keep you.' For some strange reason, I felt as though I was telling him something he already knew, but he listened intently while I carried on...'Guck Landon.' It sounded perfect, just perfect.


In His Name is Guck: A Story of a Boy and His Dog author Clyde Landon recounts his unforgettable memories with this special dog, one who displayed the ultimate in love, courage, and devotion. Landon uses his knack for description to transport readers to 1940s Colorado, where a boy and his dog roamed the mountainside together, sharing incredible adventures and an undying bond of friendship.

Editor’s Note: The Author, Clyde Landon will be at April’s Book Club Meeting selling and signing his book “His Name is Guck”. Then he will come and speak to us about the book at May’s Book Club Meeting. If you would like to order the book before hand. The book is available on Amazon for $20.99 (new) and $12.00 (used). Book is also available at Barnes and Noble and Hastings in Ogden, Utah.


June:


Like Father, Like Son?, by Roger T. Muir and Greg D. Boyd.
We’ll be reading Like Father, Like Son?, by Roger T. Muir and Greg D. Boyd in honor of Fathers Day. We’ll be able to get the author to come in and talk about the book. We would like to get as many people as we can involved. The majority of our club is Women and Mothers, we would like to get Fathers and Men involved in the discussion. We’ll be also joining another book club in Stockton, the South Rim Book Club. Book chosen by Ronnalee Hesford.


About the Book:
Co-authored by Roger T. Muir and Greg D. Boyle, this quick read retales the true stories of two young boys who grew up in very different circumstances. One had a dad in the home, the other did not. Both find paths to success, but at what cost, and how can you ensure you're on the right track?
Concerned with the staggering statistics that 85% of all imprisoned youth and 63% of all youth suicides come from children of fatherless homes, this book explores a very serious topic with the greatest of integrity and compassion, combining tough realities with a great blend of humor, hope and inspiration.


***Richard Paul Evans, NY Times #1 best selling author of The Christmas Box stated, “In their book, Like Father, Like Son?, Muir and Boyle examine the impact a good father can have on his son – and the damaging effects his absence can create. As you contemplate the stories and recommendations shared, I believe you will find a sense of healing and renewed potential."***

Book’s website - http://www.fixthefathers.com/

~*~*~ The Meetings for April, May and June will be announced at a later date. We will keep you posted on the updates.~*~*~

Recipe

Margie’s Old-Fashioned Doughnuts


1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 egg yolks
4 1/2 c. flour
Pinch of salt
1 c. milk


Add the sugar to the 2 egg yolks and beat thoroughly; mix in the 2 beaten whole eggs. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk to the sugar and egg mixture. Do not beat too much, just enough to mix the dry ingredients with the liquid. Have the dough rather stiff.


Roll out on a floured board, about 1/4 inch thick. Fry in hot lard. Handle the dough as little as possible. Drain on brown paper and when cold store in a stone crock.


Editor’s Note: Margie is a character in Love, Stargirl. Margie owns a Doughnut Shop in the sleepy town of Phoenixville, PA.




Current Stockton Book Club Members
RonnaLee Hesford - Founder
Jamie West - Co-Founder
Nadine West
Kathleen Memmott
Lela Anderson
Mary Durtschi
Debbie Rusk
Suzanne Thompson
Jim Wilde
Donna Wilde
Don West Jr.
Josie West
Jill Bartholmew
Doralee Speakman
Joyce Grogan


Books We Have Read in the Past Months
2009 -
Sept. - To Kill a Mocking Bird by Lee Harper
Oct. - Peyton Place by Grace Metalicous
Nov. - Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Patterson
Dec. - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
2010-
Jan. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffennegger
Feb. The Importance of Being Eanest by Oscar Wilde
Mar. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Apr. The Kite Runner by Khaled Housseini
May. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Jun. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Jul. Agent Bishop by Mike Peters
Aug. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Sept. Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lighting Thief by Rick Riodan
Oct. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Lerouix
Nov. The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright
Dec. Collection of Christmas Stories by Various Authors
2011-
Jan. Fried Green Tomatoes of the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg.
Feb. Star girl by Jerry Spinelli
Mar. Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Please Join our Group Page and Like our Page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/).

Follow us on Twitter at Stockton book (www.twitter.com) for book club updates and information.

Keep watching our Blog for updates http://www.stocktonbookclubut.blogspot.com/. 

Look for us in Tooele Transcript's Bulletin Board.****

Happy Reading!!!!!


If you have an idea for a book and would like to host a book club meeting or if you have any questions or comments please call Jamie at 435-840-8183 or Ronnalee at 435-843-9675. Email at stocktonbookclubut@yahoo.com.



New York Times Bestsellers List for the Week of March 20th, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html

Good News!!!!

Picture of the posting in Thursday March, 10th's Transcript. I photo-shopped it for the old newspaper look.

Our Book Club is in print!!! The meetings are listed in the Bulletin Board of the Tooele Transcript. The ad will run on Tuesdays and Thurdays until the date of the meeting. So if you forget when the Book Club will be, just look in the Transcript.

We are on the first page of Google Search, just under the Stockton, California's Book Club.

We have reached over a thousand visitors on the blog.

We are so excited for these accomplishments and milestones in our Book Club. Thank you, Everyone! (Our members and Curious Stumblers).

****Update on June's Book Club Meeting****

Thanks to Ronnalee, we'll be having the Author Roger Muir come to speak to us about the his book Like Father, Like Son?.  So, this confirms our book choice for June.  We felt that this would be a good book for June, because it's so close to Fathers Day.  Please visit the http://www.fixthefathers.com/.  It looks like a good and very ensightful.



New York Times Bestsellers List for the Week of March 13, 2011


I received this suggestion from one of our Book Club Members to put a link or a list of The New York Times Bestsellers List for the week starting Monday of every week.   Thank you Lela for the suggestion.

Go to the link - http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html