Fidget to Focus Book Club

Fidget to Focus Book Club ages 8-12

We will be listening to the book in class, while engaging in a variety of fidgeting activities, followed by a class discussion or activity

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

MW 01/13 - 02/10 4:30-5:10 pm PST

Join us for a heartwarming tale of community, uniquely told from the perspective of a tree and the animals that call the tree home. The story teaches about community and acceptance.

Publisher’s description: Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . . Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"―people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experience as a wishtree is more important than ever. Funny, deep, warm, and nuanced, this is Katherine Applegate at her very best―writing from the heart, and from a completely unexpected point of view.

The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L Holm

MW 02/17 - 03/26 4:30-5:20 pm PST

Bell is just like any other 11 year old: school work, chores, the usual. Except he lives on Mars. Join us for an engaging sci fi adventure! The story teaches about collaboration, cooperation, and overcoming old grievances

Publisher’s description: Bell has spent his whole life—all eleven years of it—on Mars. But he's still just a regular kid—he loves cats and any kind of cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't they have contact with anyone on the other Mars colonies? Why are they so isolated? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, Bell and the other children are the only ones who can help. It's up to Bell—a regular kid in a very different world—to uncover the truth and save his family...and possibly unite an entire planet. Mars may be a world far, far away, but in the hands of Jennifer L. Holm, beloved and bestselling author of The Fourteenth Goldfish, it can't help but feel like home.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

MW 04/07 - 05/28 4:30-5:20 pm PST

Join us for the inspiring tale of an immigrant family trying to make it in the US against all odds, and see how their kindness during adversity is their greatest asset. The story teaches about immigration, poverty, and racism. Learners will have a better understanding of those societal issues.

Publisher’s description: Winner of the Asian / Pacific American Award for Children's Literature! Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Pay What You Can Pricing

Available for any class with 3+ learners already enrolled

Because finances should never stand in the way of education

(But I can’t pay my own bills with kindness. I asked.)