[F2F Book Discussions] January 2015: Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool | Moderator: Louize

[Louize]

Hello. 2015 is just around the corner. So, I hope it is not too early to post this thread for the January F2F.

Our book is Navigating Early:

320 pages; 36 Chapters
Historical Fiction, Adventure
Awards:
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year;
Kirkus Reviews - Best Children or Starred Review;
Michael L. Printz Award (2014, Honor);
Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2015)

Jack Baker was only nine when his father went to fight in World War II. Just as the war is winding down, Jack's mother dies and his father returns to collect thirteen-year-old Jack, and deliver him to Morton Hill Academy in Cape Fealty, Maine near the naval base where his father is stationed. Jack is lonely and feels disconnected from his classmates until he meets Early Auden. During fall break the two boys set out for the Appalachian Trail on a quest to find a great black bear.

Jack befriends Early, a unique boy who has an extraordinary ability in math. While it is implied that Early has high functioning autism, the author's note explains that the word "autistic" is not used in the story in order to be historically accurate. The two boys form a friendship and embark upon a journey that is rich with discussion worthy themes: navigating loss, believing the impossible can be true, and moving forward even if you can't see the path that's in front of you.

Reading Plan:
I. Chapters 1-12 = January 1-7
II. Chapters 13-26 = January 8-14
III. Chapters 27-36 = January 15-21
(But, of course you may read according to your will. Just, please, make sure to hide your comments in a spoiler tag if you are reading or commenting ahead of the plan.)
(view spoiler)[Book links here:
epub
mobi
(hide spoiler)]

Activities:
2015 marks the start of our Bona Kid Bibo Best Participant Award. So, we encourage you to participate in both online and offline activities to earn points.

Individual:
(view spoiler)[
The book is about extraordinary friendship. Since it is the 1st month of the new year, we will do something for each other. I've made a google excel document here. The 1st part, you have to fill in yourself. The 2nd part will be filled in by other persons on the list. Write two (2) one-word description for each person. The number of descriptions should be twice the number of persons on the list, no more/no less. Please respect and do not edit someone else's entry. Your descriptions may be naughty, but not nasty. This activity is worth 3 points; additional 3 points for the 1st three (3) persons to fill up. This will officially start on January 1st, @6am. Deadline is January 16, @6pm. (hide spoiler)]


Group:
(view spoiler)[
Because the book is also about an adventure, we will have the Picture Scavengers. If you are interested in earning more points, enlist your name here. More instructions will follow once the groupings are complete. Points will vary per activity. Enlisting will officially start on January 1st, @6am; and deadline is on January 10, @6pm.
(hide spoiler)]

Thank you for joining and Happy New Year!

[Tina]

Commenting for notifications. Heh.

Also, I'm doing some work turnover on the first weeks of January (wohoo!), but I will try to be...uh, competitive. Hehe. But yay for activities! :D

[Kristel]

Just an update, I asked at the Fully Booked branch in Century City Mall and they said that they still don't have any copies of Navigating Early in any of their stores yet, but a shipment will be arriving by January 8. I left them my phone number so they can notify me.

[Louize]

Thank you for the update, Kristel.
Let us hope those are the pb edition na. :)

[Angus]

I went to NBS this afternoon and the book is out of stock in all their branches. Hopefully FB will have sufficient copies on the 8th.

[Monique]

Even Books Kinokuniya in SG is out of stock. :( (view spoiler)[Buddy asked me to get him a copy. The branch I went to said they didn't have any stock left. (hide spoiler)]

[Maria Ella]

Commenting for notifications. (view spoiler)[I promise I will try not to be nasty lol.
(hide spoiler)]
EXCITED! :D

[Ingrid]

Bibo kids!

EDIT: The first activity is quite difficult for me. I mostly have the same descriptions in mind with those who filled in the spaces before I did. Hindi ba pwedeng mag-ulit? :))

[Lynai]

Hi everyone! Commenting for notification purpose also. :)

[Meliza]

Ingrid: Hanap ka na lang ng synonyms, if you have the same descriptions in mind. Haha!

[Louize]

Ingrid: Or, ibang language gamitin mo! :)

[Ingrid]

Using synonyms for now haha

[Maria Ella]

Hi, synonyms hurt my brain. Is it required to put two words? Or is one enough? I guess I will opt to use other language

[Louize]

Maria Ella wrote: "Hi, synonyms hurt my brain. Is it required to put two words? Or is one enough? I guess I will opt to use other language"

Two (2) words po.

[Mawi]

hi I'm new and i would like to join both individual and group activities. i was wondering about the 2nd part of the individual activity, i don't know what to put in there since i'm new and don't know much about you guys :)

[Angus]

Done! I hope to get a copy this week.

[Louize]

Hi, Mawi! Sorry, you could skip the 2nd part of the Individual activity. You are welcome to join the Group activity, though. I suggest that you join the Facebook TFG group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/25639...

[Louize]

Hi, Angus! Miss you!
I'll call Fullybooked again on the 8th. Hope they have the copies na.

[Monique]

Question Mommy L! What if may umulit sa one-word descriptions? :D

[Louize]

Monique wrote: "Question Mommy L! What if may umulit sa one-word descriptions? :D"

Okay lang din naman 'yun. But it pays to be creative, right? :)

[Mawi]

hi! thanks! i'll still fill up the first part and i'll be the oddball with no description from friends hehe ;) will try to join as much activities as i can this year to get to know you :)

[Meliza]

Hi Mawi! Looking forward to meet you soon. :)

[Louize]

Mawi wrote: "hi! thanks! i'll still fill up the first part and i'll be the oddball with no description from friends hehe ;) will try to join as much activities as i can this year to get to know you :)"

Excited to see more of you! Malay mo, before the 16th people may have already fill something under your name. :)

[Tina]

Hi, Mawi! Looking forward to read your comments on the discussion! And hope to see you on discussion day? :)

[Gay]

nakaka-amaze yung spreadsheet :D

[Veronica]

Mayroon akong nakasabay mag fill up ng spreadsheet. Kaaliw, ang tagal niyang mag-isip! Haha

It's like watching people buy at Book Depository.:D

[Monique]

May nakasabay din ako, feeling ko si Benny yun. Hihi.

[Louize]

Reminder: Deadline for the groupings is on January 10.

[Mawi]

hi Louize, Meliza, Tina thanks a lot! Looking forward to meeting all of you, as well! :) Ako yata yung matagal mag-fill up haha :D

[Aaron Vincent]

Two words lang? Bitin ako. Hahaha

[Veronica]

Dear Aaron,

One (1) word description lang daw.

Love always,
Female Gandalf

[Aaron Vincent]

Corrected. :D

hyphenated words are considered one word! (in my universe at least. Haha)

[Monique]

Dear Ronnie:

If you only knew. Hahaha. (Ibulong ko sa yo sa F2F.) Hahaha! Peace, cousin. :D

[Veronica]

What's the word for not following instructions. Puede bang NFI?

Lagot ka sa akin, Aaron! :D

[Aaron Vincent]

That's not even a word. That's an acronym! :P

Cousin: I just realized I was on a (very fragile) glasshouse there. Hahaha

[Louize]

Bakit kaya may blanks?

[Louize]

Hi there! How's the reading so far?
For those waiting for their print copies, I'll be calling Fullybooked again later to confirm the stock's arrival. It's an easy read, I'm sure you'll be able to catch up.

Question #1 = 2pts
(view spoiler)[
By now, you've met our three (3) main characters -The Stranger (Jack), The Strange (Early), and The Stargazer(Pi).

1. What are your first impressions of these characters?
2. Following Early's example, do you have a particular singer or song on a rainy day? Any reason why?
(hide spoiler)]


Note: Will post the event invite later this afternoon. Had problems with the initial venue (long story). Confirming with another one this afternoon.

[Monique]

Question #1

(view spoiler)[
1. First impression of Jack is that he's a very fragile boy (read: a weakling) because of his circumstances. It's very difficult to be displaced at a young age, to have no one or nowhere to identify to. On the other hand, (view spoiler)[not taking into consideration the fact that Mommy L mentioned Early's "condition" on our October F2F last year (hide spoiler)] I thought Early was a loner, an outcast by choice. Finally, I'm a little baffled about the character Pi because I know that he's just a figment of Early's imagination.

2. I don't really listen to any particular song or singer on rainy days, but I like listening to the sound of the rain falling on the roof. (view spoiler)[Now that we're living in an apartment building I kind of miss our house in the province, where I could listen to the rain as is falls on our GI sheets. (hide spoiler)]
(hide spoiler)]

[Ranee]

Unlurking! Hahaha. Poor internet connection makes me a poor net student! And, golly how many synonyms can a person try to make? Can I just invent a word then place it in the urban dictionary for reference?

[Lynai]

Question #1

(view spoiler)[
1. Jack is a lonely kid. I feel sad for him, how he is trying to cope with the loss of his mom, and how he feels distant from his father. On the other hand, I can also see that he is a witty boy. That scene (view spoiler)[ about the boat-rowing is really yar...I mean, funny. :) (hide spoiler)]

Early is an enigma. Is he real? He reads like a ghost aka Casper. Hehe.

I haven't made up my mind about Pi yet. But I like reading about his adventures. (I'm still on Chapter 9).

2. Same with Monique, I don't listen to a particular song on rainy days. In fact, I don't have any particular song for a particular day. (view spoiler)[But I have a particular song for a particular mood, like Up Dhrama Down when I'm feeling emo or My Wedding Playlist when I feel gay and happy. :P (hide spoiler)]
(hide spoiler)]

[Louize]

Ranee wrote: "Unlurking! Hahaha. Poor internet connection makes me a poor net student! And, golly how many synonyms can a person try to make? Can I just invent a word then place it in the urban dictionary for re..."

Whatever works for you! :)

[Mawi]

Question #1

(view spoiler)[
1. Both Jack and Early are lonely by circumstance (by experiencing loss at an early age), though they have different way of coping with loneliness. It’s exciting to see how they’re merging. I’m still a bit mystified with Pi but his story is really interesting.

2. I don’t really listen to a particular song/singer on a rainy day but I do listen to a particular kind of music. Anything mellow and invokes nostalgia. Hah. (hide spoiler)]

yay for first discussion participation! :) please excuse the newbie-ness haha

[Tin]

Question #1:(view spoiler)[
1. What are your first impressions of these characters?

Jack - One of the things that you get about Jack is how lost he is. In the first chapter he talks about how his mom was like sand that clings to your skin and remind you where you've been and where you've come from. And now that she's gone, it's like he has been un-anchored. And he has become very vulnerable.

Early - He is a very unusual kid. I think my initial impression of Early mirrors the way Jack feels about him, ang weird nang batang ito. Haha. But like Jack you can tell that he feels lost too, but he kinda is more self assured that Jack.

Pi - His story is told in a storytelly manner so he doesn't really project his personality, not like Jack and Early. So parang he feels like an adventurer lang. Na medyo mysterious. Ganyan. Haha.

2. Following Early's example, do you have a particular singer or song on a rainy day? Any reason why?

No particular song/singer. Usually I go with my mood and not the weather. (Although the weather affects the mood. But sunny weather doesn't make me feel sunny back, nakakaimbyerna nga kasi mainit. Haha.)But I go for singers with a bit of sadness in their voices. Like bluesy, folksy, soulful, chorusy, haunting types. (hide spoiler)]

[Veronica]

Question #1

(view spoiler)[
1. Jack is a youngster going through some very difficult changes in his life. He’s grieving the loss of his mother and trying to adjust to life with a distant father. What’s more, he’s sent to a military boarding school in Maine, a state surrounded by water which is a far cry from the landlocked Kansas where he used to live. This makes him stick out like a sore thumb with the other students. Despite it all, I like that he is trying to fit in, trying to do his best in a difficult situation.

Like Jack, Early is an outsider. What sets him apart from Jack, though, is that Early doesn’t really care to fit in. He doesn’t mind being a loner. I do find it strange that he has the run of the place and that the school authorities don’t even seem to bother about him. While I like Early’s name, I sometimes get confused reading the paragraphs. Anyway, I think Jack and Early are off to an interesting friendship.

I also think Pi is a figment of Early’s imagination. I’m intrigued by how the number pi animates the story of Pi (like how Early sees waves in a set of numbers). It’s a concept I came across in another book, The Housekeeper and the Professor and was beautifully done. I’d like to see if Vanderpool can do the same in this book.

2. I associate Astrud Gilberto with rainy days because my dad always played her songs when it rained. I don’t actually play her songs now, but when it rains, I just hear her in my head. :)
(hide spoiler)]

[Tina]

Question 1

(view spoiler)[
1. Jack seems a little lost. He misses his mom, and he doesn't know how he stands with his dad. He wants to fit in, but after some time, he stops caring, too. He seemed like a weakling first, but later with the boat rowing and jogging, he didn't seem to that weak. I think he also really brought to life what his mom taught him about being friends with the "strange ones", which brings me to...

Early is odd, but in a charming and curious little way. I like it when he rescues Jack, or when he starts off with his little oddball stuff. I am very curious to know what's the deal with him. :)

Pi reminds me of Pi Patel from Life of Pi, seriously. They're both in a boat. :P But really, he is a figment of Early's imagination, but I want to know how Early thought of him, and how he figures the story from the pi number.

2. I used to love to listen to Norah Roberts when it's raining. I stopped that, because I end up falling asleep. :D There was one habagat day when I just played Jamie Cullum's album, which is also a good rainy day music. There was a time when I would listen to extremely emo/sad love songs when it rains and then I feel even sadder (because I'm not a fan of rain)...then I try to snap out of it by playing happier songs. Heh. :D (hide spoiler)]

[Maverick]

I read the storyline above and I find it interesting. Do you know have updates if this is available here in Metro Manila? How much? Thanks to those who will reply. By the way, this is my first post in this group. :-)

[Louize]

Hi, Maverick. Today is supposedly the arrival as per Fullybooked. Checked with them last night, but it's not yet in their system. The hb edition is P680, pb might range from P350-450 (in reference to Amazon price). Meanwhile, the audiobook is available via the 30-day free trial @ Audible starting today.

[Maverick]

thanks Louise for the info.. :-)

[Louize]

Aaron: You don't need to bottle up all the descriptions you need to say. Write your own spreadsheet?! hehehe :)

Reminder: Group enlisting will end tomorrow. So, if you want to be part of the fun and earn points, enlist soon!

[Biena]

Kwesi made me read a Clare Vanderpool book last year. I liked it. I shall hunt for a copy!

^___^