Effects of steriods- Increase in muscle mass, strength ability, ability to train longer.
Short term effects of steriods-liver tumors, jaundice,fluid retention, and high blood persure.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Gathering Blue
Gathering Blue is a very fast paced book. We recommend it to anyone who read The Giver because it's the companion book. Kira is an orphan who is handicapped. She has a special gift: weaving. Kira uses it to her advantage and earns an important role in the community. Kira works through her struggles with the help of her amazing friends and magical scrap of fabric that gives her preminitions about the future. She endures many long journeys to earn the knowledge she needs to succeed. Your next book choice should be Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry!
Chains follow up
Chains was a great book. Everyday in groups we talked about our quotes. We would disscus them and explain why we chose them. We would also disscus other important things like ahas. We liked self guided book clubs better. We liked it because we all got to choose our own books. Every group was different. When we disscus it, we can see if that book looks interesting, and get others opinions on it.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Dear Ms.Monaco,
I read the book The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I would rate this book four out of ten. It was just really really confusing and I did not understand what was goin on at all times throughout the book. I would recommend this book to people that like mystery books. The whole book is about a lot of people in a hotel that try to figure out a murder case because the winner of it gets one million dollars. My favorite thing about the book is the suprise ending that happens.
My favorite quote from the book is when Turtle Wrextler says to Crow "Alice how about a game of chess?" Ths is a good quote because Turtle Wrexler finds out about the murder and then about Crow and how thta is not her real name. Crow is Alice in real life and she always talked anout how Alice loved chess and Crow did also. No one actully knew who Alice was until a valuble clue gave her away. She had all the same emiotional traits but none physical. That is exactly how Turtle found out because Crow was so emotional all the time and so Turtle put two and two together to figure out that.
The message of this book is even the strangest person can come out on top. Or that anyone can good at something it might be weird but it is possible. That is what Turtle did she didn't act smart but she was. She actully was allowed to listen in on people because Bono thought she would ever b smart enough to do anything.No matter how long or old you can do anything you want. Sometimes when your young things trun out the way you want them to be.
If I could change one thing from this book is unsted of having Turtle confront Mr.Westing at the end have her make him figure out she knows. Mr. Westing is a smart man that knows a lot. He thought he would trick everyone. He loves to play games that was basically how Turtle found out.
The author of this story is an fanstastic writer. She tells you things you dont want to know but end up helping you. The author causes you to think hard and put two and two together. I think this story would have been better if there wasnt so many charcters i believe there was atleast twelve not counting the people who randomly come in during the book.
I read the book The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I would rate this book four out of ten. It was just really really confusing and I did not understand what was goin on at all times throughout the book. I would recommend this book to people that like mystery books. The whole book is about a lot of people in a hotel that try to figure out a murder case because the winner of it gets one million dollars. My favorite thing about the book is the suprise ending that happens.
My favorite quote from the book is when Turtle Wrextler says to Crow "Alice how about a game of chess?" Ths is a good quote because Turtle Wrexler finds out about the murder and then about Crow and how thta is not her real name. Crow is Alice in real life and she always talked anout how Alice loved chess and Crow did also. No one actully knew who Alice was until a valuble clue gave her away. She had all the same emiotional traits but none physical. That is exactly how Turtle found out because Crow was so emotional all the time and so Turtle put two and two together to figure out that.
The message of this book is even the strangest person can come out on top. Or that anyone can good at something it might be weird but it is possible. That is what Turtle did she didn't act smart but she was. She actully was allowed to listen in on people because Bono thought she would ever b smart enough to do anything.No matter how long or old you can do anything you want. Sometimes when your young things trun out the way you want them to be.
If I could change one thing from this book is unsted of having Turtle confront Mr.Westing at the end have her make him figure out she knows. Mr. Westing is a smart man that knows a lot. He thought he would trick everyone. He loves to play games that was basically how Turtle found out.
The author of this story is an fanstastic writer. She tells you things you dont want to know but end up helping you. The author causes you to think hard and put two and two together. I think this story would have been better if there wasnt so many charcters i believe there was atleast twelve not counting the people who randomly come in during the book.
Chains
Madison S, Jaycee D, Emily B
We have recently finished the book Chains. It was a great book. It was about two sisters Isabel and Ruth. Isabel and Ruth are slaves. Their parents are dead, and they are owned by a mean family. Isabel and Ruth are separated and Isabel wants to escape. She just doesn't know how. So the book is about their fight for freedom. We enjoyed reading it, and recomend it. So if your looking for a book pick up Chains.
We have recently finished the book Chains. It was a great book. It was about two sisters Isabel and Ruth. Isabel and Ruth are slaves. Their parents are dead, and they are owned by a mean family. Isabel and Ruth are separated and Isabel wants to escape. She just doesn't know how. So the book is about their fight for freedom. We enjoyed reading it, and recomend it. So if your looking for a book pick up Chains.
Top 8
We have finished the book! We found out who the hacker was. It was one of her best friends. You should never trust someone and tell them everything. Best friends can turn on you so be careful. Also do not talk behind peoples backs because they will find out you talked about them. Read Top 8 to learn more about the book!!!
Gym Candy
We are reading the book Gym Candy by Carl Deuker. It's about a kid named Mick Johnson and he is really good at football. As he grow older he became a high school football star. But he needed help of the steriods so he injects himself with it everytime he work out or has a game. Will other people find out? What will happen to him?
Black book of secrets travis p., ben m., mac d., ty f., michael j.
The black book of secrets was a good book. The author had multiple main characters making it harder to remember all of the characters. But thE book itself was a unique one. Joe zabbidou is a secret pawnbroker, hint hint the secret part. Ludlow another main character had his fortunes turn for the better when he met joe. The conflict in this book was the main story of two men fighting to gain more than wealth.
The Day I Hit A Home Run at Principal Park
Michel "Fuji" Powers stands at the plate in the heavy rain with the count two and two. He is one pitch away from living out his dream and hitting a homerun at Principal Park. Along the way to becoming a local legend, Fuji learns the importance of family, and there is one special girl along the way. This book gives you a taste of all kinds of excitement and adventure with hilarious stories like fishing in spooky Creeper's pond and makes reference to many parts of life in Des Moines like the Art Center and our beloved I-Cubs. This story will fill you with familiarity and keep you on the edge of your seat with its thrilling ending.
Our group has really enjoyed this book because it has a great plot and a great setting. The fact that this book is set in Des Moines lets us connect to the characters that much more. This story has all the elements of a good book for summer reading with sports, romance, adventure, and humor. We hope you can enjoy this book as much as we did.
Our group has really enjoyed this book because it has a great plot and a great setting. The fact that this book is set in Des Moines lets us connect to the characters that much more. This story has all the elements of a good book for summer reading with sports, romance, adventure, and humor. We hope you can enjoy this book as much as we did.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Peak by Roland Smith
We are reading the book Peak by Roland Smith. It is about a 14-year-old boy named Peak Marcello who is on a journey to the top of the world, Mount Everest. His father is the famed climber Joshua Wood and Josh has just now startedto play a role in Peak's life. This book has many interesting characters such as Zopa, a mysterious monk, Sun-jo a young Nepalese boy that is a week older than Peak. Sun-jo is also Zopas grandson. Peak got his fame by climbing a skyscraper in New York. As Peak journeys up the mountain he and Sun-jo face many challenges from treacherous ice walls to dangerous weather. As Peak makes his way up Everest he changes on the inside as well as on the outside becoming aware how important the family he left in New York is to him. In the end Peak decides that all he gains by summitting is ego, while Sun-jo can get enough money to send him and his sisters to school.
Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel
We have been reading Starclimber, by Kenneth Oppel. This is set in a time period when women have no rights to vote, and no one has ever been to outer space. Although this never happened in history, the only mode of air travel are ornithopters and airships. The main character is a 17 year old captain of an aerotug Atlas. When he and his girlfriend Kate de' Vries, who met in another airship called the Aurora, are offered a chance in space, both of them leap at the chance. However, there are about 150 men all trying out for the same spot. For a week, it's survival of the fittest. Kate is going as a high altitude zoologist, so she is going no questions asked. He makes a new friend, Tobias, and two adversaries, Shepherd and Bronfman, two test pilots and both are in the aeroforce. That's all I'm going to say right now to avoid any spoilers. In our book club we have been talking about the plot development. Oppel always has a twist at the end. To help us, we have been drawing what we think some of the machanical components would look like. We were also talking about the relationship between Kate and Matt. It is always there, you might not see it, but it's always there. So that's a quick run down of what we have been discussing.
We have been doing exactly what we have been doing and it works for us. Right now, we have finished the book, so we can't really say much without giving out spoilers. However it is a very good end to the trilogy. The other two books were Airborn and Skybreaker. In each book they get progressively higher. First book, it's the ground. Second book, 20,000 feet. Starclimber, 25,000 miles above the earth. In some of our designs of airships Matt might have, we incorperated the telescope devise from the second book. It took sunlight, air, and water, and makes more water, and hydrium, a very light gas that doesn't burn, and smells like mangoes. That's pretty much it. As I said, it's a great book, and you should read it.
We have been doing exactly what we have been doing and it works for us. Right now, we have finished the book, so we can't really say much without giving out spoilers. However it is a very good end to the trilogy. The other two books were Airborn and Skybreaker. In each book they get progressively higher. First book, it's the ground. Second book, 20,000 feet. Starclimber, 25,000 miles above the earth. In some of our designs of airships Matt might have, we incorperated the telescope devise from the second book. It took sunlight, air, and water, and makes more water, and hydrium, a very light gas that doesn't burn, and smells like mangoes. That's pretty much it. As I said, it's a great book, and you should read it.
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
We've been reading the book Gathering Blue in our book club. A companion book to The Giver, we found it very interesting. Kira, the main character, is a crippled orphan in a society where the weak are left to die. She fears for her future when she is called before the all powerful Guardians, but instead is given an unexpected task- as the greatest threader for generations, she must restore and complete the Singer's Robe, a ceremonial and mysterious garment worn only once a year, which tells the past's stories with fabric and thread. But as Kira learns the way of making the colors and the past, she will begin to question the society she was raised in and the task she was given. Then she meets many people just like her, in that they have lost their parents in mysterious accidents. She meets Thomas The Carver, a boy just about her age, and Jo, a small tyke, a child who is destined to be The Singer. As The Gathering approaches, things grow weirder and Kira begins to question her community even more than before.
No Child's Game
Five kids living in the USA in 2083 sign up to be on a reality TV show. It will take Place in Antarctica, replicating Robert F. Scott's 1922 journey there. In a world run by TV, this is a huge honor. There's a $100,000 prize for the kid who is voted Most Valuable Player. But will any of them survive?
So far, our group is really enjoying this book. It's really suspenseful and has good character development. It's a lot like The Hunger Games because it's futuristic, kids are in danger for a TV show, and life isn't fair. Everyone in our group would reccommend it to almost anyone!
So far, our group is really enjoying this book. It's really suspenseful and has good character development. It's a lot like The Hunger Games because it's futuristic, kids are in danger for a TV show, and life isn't fair. Everyone in our group would reccommend it to almost anyone!
Th1rteen R3asons Why- Jay Asher
Our group is reading Th1rteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It is about a teenager named Hannah Baker who commits suicide. The book tells her 7 tapes - or 13 reasons why she killed herself. The book is from the perspective of Clay Jensen, and also is narrarated by Hannah on her tapes. Clay finds out that if you recieve these tapes then you are one of the thirteen reasons why she killed herself. You are to listen to all of the tapes, then send them off to the next person on the list. This book shows the real reasons why Hannah killed herself. It also showed the second side to all of the rumors being spread: the truth. The ending to this book was split on opinions. Some of us believed it could have had more information, while some of us thought the ending was perfect. The author left you wondering and left Clay's future up to you. If Thirteen Reasons Why was turned into a sequel, we think that the author should switch perspectives of the characters in the book. Thirteen Reasons Why shows cause and effect and how little things can add up to much more important things. We really recommend it and hope more people will realize how much one little action can hurt someone so much.
Cracker, The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
After moving into a new apartment, Willie is forced to give up his best friend, a German Shepard named Cracker. She is given to the military where she becomes a scout dog after much training with her new human, Rick. I personally liked the first thought of this book because I always enjoy dog books and I always enjoy war books as well. Now that I am reading this book I love how the author is descriptive. Not only does she paint the scene in your mind perfectly but she also makes Cracker's thoughts and actions completely realistic. Cracker thinks and acts exactly as you think a dog would. I like how Kadahota wrote a book about a part of war most people don't think about, with dogs involved. I didn't even know there were scout dog platoons in the Vietnam War. Even though there was not a lot of explosions, or heads blown off, it was still exciting. There were still surprises and cliffhangers. Like the anticipation built up when Rick thinks something is wrong about the village they are searching or Cracker has to take a different jeep. Overall this book earns 8 stars out of 10. It has an interesting plot, it is realistic, it is historicly accurate, and it has plenty of thrills.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Skinny dipping at monster lake Brandon Tony Noah Alex Jack
the book we are reading is skinny dipping at monster lake basicly says it all.
Mainly the book is about the boys (kent jordan Daniel Ted and ted's dad) who decide to one night have a camping trip at cedar lake,a lake down the road.What the boys don't know is that the lake is home to a sea monster.The boys think they would have a
normal night decide to go skinny dipping in the lake find a suprise in store for them.Having two big yello eyes staring at them the boys go panicing out of the water.to go tell their parents teds dad is the only one to belive them.
Mainly the book is about the boys (kent jordan Daniel Ted and ted's dad) who decide to one night have a camping trip at cedar lake,a lake down the road.What the boys don't know is that the lake is home to a sea monster.The boys think they would have a
normal night decide to go skinny dipping in the lake find a suprise in store for them.Having two big yello eyes staring at them the boys go panicing out of the water.to go tell their parents teds dad is the only one to belive them.
Gathering blue
We are currently reading gathering blue by Lois lowry. It is the companion book to the giver. We have enjoyed the book so far, and recommend that you read it! Kira is newly an orphan and is handicapped. She faces many challenges along the way and has friends to help her deal with her new lifestyle. When she is given an important task in the community, she must put her special weaving skills to the test. When she discovers a magic scrap of fabric, it just makes her life that much harder to understand! It is a thrilling book with new twists each chapter. We are so excited to see how it all comes together in the third book, the messenger!
Top 8 by Katie finn
We have been reading top 8. Top 8 is about a girl named Maddison who's friendverse profile was hacked. Are group discovered that friendverse was like facebook. Also Maddison blamed many people for hacking her profile and no one she blamed did it. So far we have not found out who hacked her. We are getting close to the end and will blog once we finish the book
Distant waves
This book is a mystery about a real history event that killed many people.It is about the Titanic 5 sisters aboard the Titanic and only 4 come off alive.....but which 4. This book is a thriller, it has suppence,history and of course ROMANCE! If you like to read suspencefull stories this is a good book for you. We have finished the book and were very surprised by the ending. It is a nail biter until the ending. I you have ever seen the movie Titanic that is kindof what this book is like. We liked this book a lot and would reccomend it to any one who likes history and a suspencful love story. Just because this book has LOVE in it doesn't keen that guys can't read it to.
No child's game by Lauren vespa, Caity Borne, Kassidy hays,Katie markey, and Marissa koci
Our group is reading a book called No Child's Game. This book is based in the time period 2083, so there are some things in this book that we have never even thought about. There are five main characters in the story, they are Polly, grace, Robert, billy, and Andrew. They are going to be the next contestants on historical survivor in Antarctica. Keep in mind this society is way more advanced so a lot more people watch tv. They even have school on the tv! Kids are required to watch at least three hours of "teleschool" a day. So these kids are going on a journey that could either lead to death or fame.
Dear John
"Dear John" and with those words caused pain. Have you ever had a broken heart because if so you could relate to this loving couple. John is in the army an travels all over the world. In a way that's good because of their letters but it can also
lead to bad things. He is dating a girl named Savannah and they plan on getting married after he his done in war. But things may change. During war Savannah's and John's relationship grows further appart. Savannah may start to realize that her and John were maybe not ment to be.
lead to bad things. He is dating a girl named Savannah and they plan on getting married after he his done in war. But things may change. During war Savannah's and John's relationship grows further appart. Savannah may start to realize that her and John were maybe not ment to be.
Cracker Group blog Billy t, Grant T, Gunther, Adam H, Cody C
Cracker is a book about a dog and a man, and their adventures in the Vietnam war. Cracker (the dog) is a loving yet territorial German Shepard that is sent off to Vietnam when her owner (willie) can't keep her anymore. Rick Hanski is drafted into the war as a dog handler. He is paired up with Cracker and at first things don't go so well. Cracker and Rick have to go through lots of intensive training and fake scenarios. In one, Cracker finds a booby trap but Rick ignores her. He end up getting caught in it and embarrassed. He learns his lesson though. In his first day in Vietnam, they encounter the villagers who are poor but can also be a sign of danger. After his first day Rick and Cracker have their first mission: to lead a search team. They end up succeeding greatly and are soon respected even though it is his second day. After his first mission Rick and Cody go on a Special Forces mission. (SF for short) They have to break an American out of a Vietnamese prison where he is being held captive. Once they are there there are booby traps left and right. Cracker does a good job but then a warning sign by the Vietnamese is spotted and they are thrust into a heated battle. Gunshots and explosions separate Cracker and Rick. Rick gets shot in the leg and has to go through rehab but will be deported back to America. Meanwhile Cracker is trying to survive in the Vietnam jungles. Cracker is on the run. She sees Vietnamese and they want to kill her. They will pay up to 20000 dollars for a search dogs ear. That is how hated the Americans are in Vietnam. Cracker eventually finds the camp Rick was at but he is gone in the hospital. She travels to Benwa and finds American soldiers. They take her to a kennels and send her back to thr USA. Meanwhile Rick Is almost paranoid. He has to find Cracker. The he gets the phone call of his lice: they've found Cracker and she's coming home. He reunites her and Willie at the airport in the USA. Then he takes her home.
Gym candy: Eric nelson, sam frederes, and sebastien mueller
We are reading the book Gym Candy by Carl Dueker. This book is about a
kid called Mick Johnson who dreams of playing in the NFL. When he
gets to the high school team, his efforts don't seem to be enough. And
of course, he wouldn't settle for JV. So even with rough weight training,
eating healthy, and protein shakes, he doesn't get what he wants. That
is when he hears about D-boll, a steroid. He decides that it would be ok
to take it until the season starts to build up some muscle and weight, but
what he doesn't realize is how hard it will be to stop.
kid called Mick Johnson who dreams of playing in the NFL. When he
gets to the high school team, his efforts don't seem to be enough. And
of course, he wouldn't settle for JV. So even with rough weight training,
eating healthy, and protein shakes, he doesn't get what he wants. That
is when he hears about D-boll, a steroid. He decides that it would be ok
to take it until the season starts to build up some muscle and weight, but
what he doesn't realize is how hard it will be to stop.
Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Uprising has three main charactors, Bella, Yetta and Jane. Bella arrives in New York from Italy and gets a job at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, working long hours under hard conditions. Yetta came from Russia and helps the shirtwaist factory workers rise up in a strike. Jane, a wealthy girl, finds out about the strike and wants to help any way she can. On March 25,1911 a spark catches on to some cloth and the shirtwaist factoy is ingulfed in flames. 2 girls dies, one survives. Who will it be? Read the book and find out who the mysterious Mrs.Livingston is.
This story has a vein of truth. A particularily big vein, as this quote from the authors note points out: "The shirtwaist strike of 1909-10 really happened. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of March 25, 1911, really happened." Haddix did a really good job of describing everything, up to the point where you couldn't tell what was real and what had sprung from the authors imagination. "So I won't tell you which parts didn't really happen." another quote from the authors note that states that we are free to research it ourselves, but what fun would that be? There's a reason Haddix chose not to tell us what was real, and while I don't think I know exactly why she did this, I can guess and my guess is as good as yours. My guess is that she didn't want us to be weighted down with the possibility that we learned about real people who really died and connected with them. She might also wants us to let our imagination soar with facts about stuff, even when we didn't know we were learning.
This story has a vein of truth. A particularily big vein, as this quote from the authors note points out: "The shirtwaist strike of 1909-10 really happened. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of March 25, 1911, really happened." Haddix did a really good job of describing everything, up to the point where you couldn't tell what was real and what had sprung from the authors imagination. "So I won't tell you which parts didn't really happen." another quote from the authors note that states that we are free to research it ourselves, but what fun would that be? There's a reason Haddix chose not to tell us what was real, and while I don't think I know exactly why she did this, I can guess and my guess is as good as yours. My guess is that she didn't want us to be weighted down with the possibility that we learned about real people who really died and connected with them. She might also wants us to let our imagination soar with facts about stuff, even when we didn't know we were learning.
The Black Book Of Secrets--t.Parker, m.jacobson, b. Mardis, m.delsol, t.frankel
This book is very interesting. I like this book a lot because it has a lot of twists. It is a good book. Very suspensful makes you want more
very good characters too. Also the story line is very easy to follow.
The story is interesting and nothing like Any book I have read. I also think the characters are creative. I think the plot is unique. The book can be related to real life and it difficulties.
very good characters too. Also the story line is very easy to follow.
The story is interesting and nothing like Any book I have read. I also think the characters are creative. I think the plot is unique. The book can be related to real life and it difficulties.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
cody c, The Last Apprentice
Cody C.
I have recently read the book called The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney. It is about a character named Tom Ward. He is an apprentice to the Spook and together they hunt creatures like witches. In this book travels back to Priestown to battle his biggest enemy, the Bane. When he is there he realizes that the Bane is not his only enemy and must also battle the Quisitor. He reaches a closer bond with John, the spook, but John always tries to appear insensitive. This is based in a medieval time but with magic, witches, and other fake creatures.
I rated this book a four out of five because I liked it but I didn't feel like i could connect with the characters. Joseph Delaney did an excellent job of thinking out his plot. He also did a great job at writing the book in a spooky sort of way, it made me apprehensive after I was reading. Most of the time I wont finish a spooky book or even pick one up, I almost rated this one badly because it isn't the type of book I usually read. Thanks to Joseph Delaney I am giving them a second chance. This book is just as much adventure as it is mystery and a thriller.
A quote i was interested by in this book was " It was a remedy taught to Alice by a witch. A remedy that worked. The ways of the world were strange. Out of evil good could come, and it wasn't just my hand. Because of Alice and her pact with the bane the spook had been saved." In this quote you can see some character development. Tom can now see that not everyone is as they seem, along with where it says "out of evil good can come" it goes hand and hand with the quote and it took me a minute to think it all through. I think that Tom may have thought about this more and I predict that in the next book he gives up hunting for odd and magical creatures. I personally would be incapable of having a job like that because I can't kill a person, even if they are a witch in cold blood. I think this book had a lot of quotes partially like this but this one stuck out a lot more than any others. The part that caught my eye was Out of evil good can come.
In conclusion I think this book was good but should not be read as a school book because some people will dislike it a lot. If you decide you have some free time I highly recommend reading it.
I have recently read the book called The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane by Joseph Delaney. It is about a character named Tom Ward. He is an apprentice to the Spook and together they hunt creatures like witches. In this book travels back to Priestown to battle his biggest enemy, the Bane. When he is there he realizes that the Bane is not his only enemy and must also battle the Quisitor. He reaches a closer bond with John, the spook, but John always tries to appear insensitive. This is based in a medieval time but with magic, witches, and other fake creatures.
I rated this book a four out of five because I liked it but I didn't feel like i could connect with the characters. Joseph Delaney did an excellent job of thinking out his plot. He also did a great job at writing the book in a spooky sort of way, it made me apprehensive after I was reading. Most of the time I wont finish a spooky book or even pick one up, I almost rated this one badly because it isn't the type of book I usually read. Thanks to Joseph Delaney I am giving them a second chance. This book is just as much adventure as it is mystery and a thriller.
A quote i was interested by in this book was " It was a remedy taught to Alice by a witch. A remedy that worked. The ways of the world were strange. Out of evil good could come, and it wasn't just my hand. Because of Alice and her pact with the bane the spook had been saved." In this quote you can see some character development. Tom can now see that not everyone is as they seem, along with where it says "out of evil good can come" it goes hand and hand with the quote and it took me a minute to think it all through. I think that Tom may have thought about this more and I predict that in the next book he gives up hunting for odd and magical creatures. I personally would be incapable of having a job like that because I can't kill a person, even if they are a witch in cold blood. I think this book had a lot of quotes partially like this but this one stuck out a lot more than any others. The part that caught my eye was Out of evil good can come.
In conclusion I think this book was good but should not be read as a school book because some people will dislike it a lot. If you decide you have some free time I highly recommend reading it.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Trackers
Dear Friends,
I recently finished the book, Trackers by Patrick Carmen. I started reading this book as a free reading book, something to keep my mind busy. Then I liked it so much I had to write my letter essay on it. I rated this book a seven out of ten stars because while it was good and had a very interesting plotline, with lots of twists and surprises, it used a lot of technological words that most people wouldn’t understand. I had to look up many words, which I didn’t like because it takes away from the story if I have to look up a word every two pages. It slowed down as the book reached the end, but because they used the same words or more understandable synonyms. Other than that, it was a very enjoyable book.
Throughout the book, the character development for the main character stopped after about the first seven-ten chapters. It started back up again in only the last couple of chapters. The other characters, important people but not the main character, continued to grow and change throughout the story.. In the beginning, you learn about the main character, Adam, and how he got into computers at a very young age. It also explains how he came to meet his friends, Finn, Lewis, and Emily. You would expect people like Adam, Lewis, and Emily to hang out together because they are all tech-savvy people, but Adam really only met Lewis and Emily because he and Finn ran into each other one day at school. The four of them hung out all the time after that.
One of my favorite quotes from this book is:
“Lazlo wasn’t about to make it that easy. We weren’t going to step right in and run the place. Sure, we’d proved ourselves, but not enough. Not nearly enough.
I don’t understand.
We had to prove ourselves one last time.
A test?
Yeah, a test.”
This quote stood out to me because not only had they tracked these people using the internet and pure intelligence. Now even though they had clearly shown how intellectual they could be and how familiar they are with tracking technologically, they still had to prove themselves worthy to join this group that Lazlo ran, with his first recruit, Zara, to help him, the ISD. The ISD worked to stop Shantorian, an infamous hacker. They needed the help of the Trackers, but they didn’t feel quite comfortable letting them in even though the trackers had the ability to, in essence, shut down the internet, yet they still decided to put them through one more test, push their limits a little bit farther. I was thinking that they were going to crack. I was wrong, and the tests turned out to be one of the best parts.
I loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a very tech-y book. This book’s author, Patrick Carman, is also the writer of the Skeleton Creek, and Trackers is like Skeleton Creek in that they both come with videos posted online that go with the story. This was a great book and I enjoyed it a lot, even with all the confusing words.
Sincerely,
Emilie Hulse
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover
Dear Friends,
I just finished the book Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter. This is the 3rd book of a Science Fiction book in the series, I‘d Tell You I Love You But Then I‘d Have To Kill You. I loved all 3 of these books but especially this one because of the action and suspense. I rated this a 9 out of 10 because Ally Carter doesn’t give you much time to recover from the last “mission”. But I still love her writing because she explains and describes everything (even if that’s a spy’s job to do.) I hope she makes another book because she had a VERY suspenseful cliff hanger at the end.
In this book the Gallager School for Exceptional Girls has to work EXTRA HARD to keep the most precious secret they have. Yes the girls are VERY exceptional there but the twist is that they are spies. Macey McHenry, the most well know girl in America, finds out she is the last descendant of Gilly Gallager, the spy who made this school. Macey’s dad is running for Vice President, but there is a little twist that happens in Boston at one of their campaigns. Lets just say Cammie (The main character) and Macey battle some people that hate the Gallager girls and Macey gets a broken arm and Cammie gets a concussion and at the end of the book Cammie’s Aunt Abby gets shot! (Wonderful school right?) Macey got really mad when she found out her three best friends, Bex, Liz, and Cammie, knew she was Gilly’s great-great-great-grand daughter. Macey ran to the one place she knew she was safe. “’It had better be,’ I said as Bex came to a stop. ‘Mr.Solomon owns it.” She ran to the hottest teacher’s lake house. Mr. Solomon’s house was safe for the time being, but the had to get Macey to DC so she could be with her parents, who don’t know that it is a school for spies.) So four sixteen-year-olds set out across America in the coolest but motherly car in the world. (A minivan with a engine that could go 247 miles per gallon.) You will have to read the series to find out the REALLY REALLY sad/ cliff-hanging ending. (Its really exciting.)
What got me really hooked on this book was the action and suspense of it all. For one, their spies. How many spies do you know? Plus all the futuristic inventions, even though they are in “present day” that they have, its all so cool! Plus Ally Carter leaves you off in the biggest surprise, cliff hanger, I’VE ever read. (You’ll have to read what happens!) Plus every other chapter there is fighting, and there isn’t much blood. Only two or three times was there blood. That’s why I got really hooked on this book.
If I were the author, I personally would have had more romance between Cammie and her “boyfriend” Zach. There was a seen on a train where they had to hide in a bed but he never kissed her like in the last book. I was a little mad! The only kissing was Macey and the first son to-be, Preston! (THAT WAS A TWIST! They hated each other before, or so I thought.) And the surprise kiss at the end from Aunt Abby to Mr. Solomon. (“Someone had to.”) I was hoping for more romance, not just action and revenge and killing. It’s all so hurtful!
I say the theme of this book is that “Someone knows.” Not only because it is repeated across all books, but that you might not think anyone knows what you do, or what happened, but someone knows. It’s like The Giver (Not to that extreme… but….) Someone is always watching, always listing, always hunting for a good “mission”. You might not know it at the time, but if you REALLY want to know something, or get something, you have to work hard for it. Nothing of importance will be handed right over to you. Remember “Someone knows.”
I don’t understand why the people who were supposing going after Macey, are going after Cammie! The whole book he secret service was protecting Macey when the real danger was Cammie, what if she had gotten hurt? (Like Zach or her mom would have let them.) Also how would they know Cammie was going to be in Boston? There are many things I hope she makes another book to clear up some of my questions!
I’d compare Ally Carter to Lois Lowry. Lowry wrote the book The Giver. The reason I compare these to writers is because how they explain and describe everything that’s happening and what’s around the characters. They both have their own way in describing, like how Ally Carter describes the people, while Lois Lowry starts to describe the colors and the room and how Jonas sees red. Even though they have to describe differently, they both do a good job and it’s like a I see a movie when I read these books.
I really liked Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover. I wouldn’t recommend it to guys because its got a love story in it also. I sure hope Ally Carter makes another book to answer my questions and to finish off the story! Remember, Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover. Also, “Someone knows” Watch out, you never know who could be a spy!
Your Friend,
Maddie Griz
I just finished the book Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter. This is the 3rd book of a Science Fiction book in the series, I‘d Tell You I Love You But Then I‘d Have To Kill You. I loved all 3 of these books but especially this one because of the action and suspense. I rated this a 9 out of 10 because Ally Carter doesn’t give you much time to recover from the last “mission”. But I still love her writing because she explains and describes everything (even if that’s a spy’s job to do.) I hope she makes another book because she had a VERY suspenseful cliff hanger at the end.
In this book the Gallager School for Exceptional Girls has to work EXTRA HARD to keep the most precious secret they have. Yes the girls are VERY exceptional there but the twist is that they are spies. Macey McHenry, the most well know girl in America, finds out she is the last descendant of Gilly Gallager, the spy who made this school. Macey’s dad is running for Vice President, but there is a little twist that happens in Boston at one of their campaigns. Lets just say Cammie (The main character) and Macey battle some people that hate the Gallager girls and Macey gets a broken arm and Cammie gets a concussion and at the end of the book Cammie’s Aunt Abby gets shot! (Wonderful school right?) Macey got really mad when she found out her three best friends, Bex, Liz, and Cammie, knew she was Gilly’s great-great-great-grand daughter. Macey ran to the one place she knew she was safe. “’It had better be,’ I said as Bex came to a stop. ‘Mr.Solomon owns it.” She ran to the hottest teacher’s lake house. Mr. Solomon’s house was safe for the time being, but the had to get Macey to DC so she could be with her parents, who don’t know that it is a school for spies.) So four sixteen-year-olds set out across America in the coolest but motherly car in the world. (A minivan with a engine that could go 247 miles per gallon.) You will have to read the series to find out the REALLY REALLY sad/ cliff-hanging ending. (Its really exciting.)
What got me really hooked on this book was the action and suspense of it all. For one, their spies. How many spies do you know? Plus all the futuristic inventions, even though they are in “present day” that they have, its all so cool! Plus Ally Carter leaves you off in the biggest surprise, cliff hanger, I’VE ever read. (You’ll have to read what happens!) Plus every other chapter there is fighting, and there isn’t much blood. Only two or three times was there blood. That’s why I got really hooked on this book.
If I were the author, I personally would have had more romance between Cammie and her “boyfriend” Zach. There was a seen on a train where they had to hide in a bed but he never kissed her like in the last book. I was a little mad! The only kissing was Macey and the first son to-be, Preston! (THAT WAS A TWIST! They hated each other before, or so I thought.) And the surprise kiss at the end from Aunt Abby to Mr. Solomon. (“Someone had to.”) I was hoping for more romance, not just action and revenge and killing. It’s all so hurtful!
I say the theme of this book is that “Someone knows.” Not only because it is repeated across all books, but that you might not think anyone knows what you do, or what happened, but someone knows. It’s like The Giver (Not to that extreme… but….) Someone is always watching, always listing, always hunting for a good “mission”. You might not know it at the time, but if you REALLY want to know something, or get something, you have to work hard for it. Nothing of importance will be handed right over to you. Remember “Someone knows.”
I don’t understand why the people who were supposing going after Macey, are going after Cammie! The whole book he secret service was protecting Macey when the real danger was Cammie, what if she had gotten hurt? (Like Zach or her mom would have let them.) Also how would they know Cammie was going to be in Boston? There are many things I hope she makes another book to clear up some of my questions!
I’d compare Ally Carter to Lois Lowry. Lowry wrote the book The Giver. The reason I compare these to writers is because how they explain and describe everything that’s happening and what’s around the characters. They both have their own way in describing, like how Ally Carter describes the people, while Lois Lowry starts to describe the colors and the room and how Jonas sees red. Even though they have to describe differently, they both do a good job and it’s like a I see a movie when I read these books.
I really liked Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover. I wouldn’t recommend it to guys because its got a love story in it also. I sure hope Ally Carter makes another book to answer my questions and to finish off the story! Remember, Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover. Also, “Someone knows” Watch out, you never know who could be a spy!
Your Friend,
Maddie Griz
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Sight by David Clements-Davies
4-26-10
Dear friends,
I have recently finished reading The Sight by David Clements-Davies. I rated it an 8 out of 10 stars for a couple reasons. I usually don’t enjoy books that are written in the perspective of an animal, but this was only half true. Otherwise this was an amazing book.
I was reluctant to start this book, because it was from the perspective of an animal, in this case a wolf. It also had to do with mystical attributes, which typically brings down the value of the book in my opinion. The first chapter enhanced that opinion. I mainly only read this book for a lack of anything to read. However, the book soon began to lay the setting and the book was starting to take off. This is not a quick read by any means. I read it over a span of several weeks.
The narrative voice came from several beings, but all of them wolves. They came from Larka, Hutser, Morgra, and Kar. Even though there are two opposing forces narrating, it gives little away to the plot and increases the suspense. Although it took a while to get used to, it did enhance the book.
There is a big idea that comes from 517 pages of text, and I think it is stated by the spirit of Larka, which says that love is what shields us from the pain and fear and loss. What shields us from ourselves too. I think that is somewhat self-explanatory, but for the purpose of this letter essay, I think that with love, all evil, pain, and suffering is balanced in the world. Without pain, there is no relief. Without rain, there is no sun. Without sadness is no happiness. With out hate, there is no love.
There is a quote in the book that describes what they call “The Vision”, that will enslave all the Lera (animals) forever. It also includes what we know today. “At first in crouched, its vack furred wih hair like the coat of the wolf. In its paw it held a club and, as the animals watched, it rose on its back legs. Straighter and straighter it stood, and as it did so, it began to change. The fur dropped from its body, and its hiad lifted higher and higher. As it looked around, the nearby Lera ran in terror from its angry gaze. Suddenly Larka knew what they were witnessing as they watched this creature that had been an animal and now stood before them transformed.
“The great secret,” she gasped. “You are Lera too”. Before them was a human. The secret was a vision of the ancient past. Of the dawn and ascent of Man.”
The vision is an image that comes in all nearby animals’ mind. The reason they say that they will be imprisoned by Man forever because the knowledge that they will be wiped out forever soon by Man. Then Man will be wiped out by an ice age. Then there would be nothing on the earth at all. The vision also describes that Man was also an animal, but forgot their instincts, and began creating buildings and destroying the forests.
I gave this book 8 out of 10 stars for just a couple reasons. The author makes up a few to many words to substitute other words. It also has a beefed up cheesy plot. Almost classic bad guy-good guy fight, good guy wins, both die, ending neutral. Otherwise this is a great book. I would only recommend this to people want a challenging book to read that will take a while to finish. Happy Reading!
Sincerely,
Brandon Reitsma
The Maze Of Bones by Rick Riordan
Dear Students,
I read the book 39 Clues Book One The Maze Of Bones By Rick Riordan. It was a great book. I give it a rating of 8.5/10. This book is a series. I think it will eventually have 39 books in the end. All of the books are by different authors, but I don’t like that part, because the author in the other books kind of seem out of tune with the book sometimes.
The genre of this book is science fiction because there is no such thing as the 39 clues. This book is Historical Fiction also because it has characters in the past. It talks a lot about Benjamin Franklin.
The theme of this book is earn it. Don’t have something handed to you. If you want to get something, work for it and earn what you are working for, you will feel a lot better about what you got if you do.
This book is about Amy and Dan, their grandma just died and they discover that they are Cahills. Every historical figure is a Cahill, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, all of them Cahills. There are four branches of Cahills, because there were 4 brothers and sisters, who had a fight and tried to kill each other back in the 1500’s. The branches are Lucian, Tomas, Janus and the Ekaterina.
What passage struck me from this book was “What you now hold is a bank voucher. It shall only be activated if and when you renounce your claim to the challenge. If you choose so, each of you may walk out of this room with one million dollars and never have to think of Grace Cahill and her last wishes again. Or… you may choose a clue-a single clue that will be your only inheritance. No money. No property. Just a clue that might lead you to the most important treasure in the world and make you powerful beyond belief… Or it might kill you. One million dollars or the clue. You have five minutes to decide.” This passage starts the whole thing. It is when we discover the first clue which is:
RESOLUTION:
The fine print to guess,
Seek out Richard S________.
Dan and Amy take the challenge and so do the other 6 teams. Team One Ian and Natalie Kabra, Team Two, The Holts, Team Three, Alistair Oh, Team Four The Starling Triplets, Team Five Irini Spasky, Team Six Jonah Wizard and Broderick Wizard, Team Seven Amy and Dan Cahill.
Read this book. I recommend it for anyone all ages. It is a great book, the first book is the best of them all. You will have no problems of finding a book to read with this series, it already has 8 books, the ninth coming out in May. I give this book a 8.5 out of 10 rating because it is intriguing.
Sincerely, Ty F.
Chains
Dear Friends,
A book I have just finished reading is called Chains. This book is written by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book is historical fiction. I usually do not pick up this sort of book, but I thought I should give it a try. When I was finished with the book I just had to sit back and let it sink in, that is how powerful it was. This genre of book never appealed to me before, but now I am eager to try other books like it.
One thing about the book I really liked was the characters. The author really made them become real in your mind. With just a few sentences she had you in the book, no longer in 2010 but in 1776. She had you inside the character's minds, feeling what they felt. I thought the author did a fantastic job of character development. She also blended in all of the other elements of a story with the characters very well. You could smell the gun powder in the air when there was a battle, and at the same time you were frightened because one of the characters was. The whole book just flowed through you and you were lost in the story. I had a very tough time putting it down.
The theme of this book is slavery. The main character is Isabel, a slave who has just lost her master to old age and is sold to another master in a whole different state. This book portrays her struggles, hardships, and achievements. Slavery in this time was at a high point, you rarely found someone selling a slave, or a slave without work. However some masters were letting their slaves free. This was a detail I found to be interesting, I thought that most slave owners held on to their slaves until they were forced to free them. The thought of masters letting their slaves go free never crossed my mind.
A quote in the book is "Ruth stood their like a carved statue, her finger still held to her lips. I took another breath, slower than the first, and tried not to think on the newly sharpened knives on the kitchen steps." The reason I liked this quote is the thought of going to get the kitchen knives. It made me wonder how many slaves revolted against their masters, and if it was a smart choice. Later on in the book I came back to that thought and decided it was a bad choice because your master could always sell you to an even worse master, or beat you to death. The cruel part of the beating is that it was allowed, in the book it says Isabel's new master once beat their other slave until her arm broke. Her arm never healed right so they sold her like a rag doll.
A connection in the book I made was to the title. It gives you clues as to why the author chooses that title. It is towards the end of the book when Isabel is trying to escape. Isabel says she is not going to let her master chain her, or her soul. That was a moment when all of the pieces fit together perfectly. Another connection was the illustration on the front cover of the book. It shows a girl with her hands up with a ribbon symbolizing chains with the title on them. On one side of her hands is a bird with a british flag, on the other side there is a bird with an american flag. This really connects with the book in so many ways. However you do not realize it until you read the book. I know I interpreted the chains part of the cover, but I did not take another glance at the birds. It connects because in the book the British loyalists are fighting theAmerican patriots, so each of the birds represents a side in the battle.
The battles taking place in the book were quite confusing to me because I did not know what side would be the good and what side was the bad. After I finished the book I looked back by where the author's note is and I found a section where the author answers questions. There it said you should not think of it as a good/bad situation. You have to choose which side on your beliefs and your needs. Many of the slaves in the book joined the battles and their were some on the loyalist's side and some were fighting for the patriots.
This book is really powerful in it's own way and I think anyone would enjoy reading it. I hope whoever has an interest in learning more about history, but does not like non-fiction books will pick up this book. It is a great story, and a source of information. However you do have to pickapart some of the major details in the story.
Sincerely,
Lauren V
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Heat
Heat
04/25/10
Dear Ms. Monaco,
I recently read the book Heat by Mike Lupica. I would rate this book a ten out of ten! I liked the way the author developed Michael as an underdog who was really good at baseball. It helped with all of the different struggles that Michael and his brother had to face. I also liked this book because it was a baseball story and I really enjoy baseball.
This book reminded me of a movie that I saw called "Mickey." "Mickey" is about a kid and his dad who are trying to get away from these IRS agents who are hunting them down. Mickey is also breaking the rules and playing little league when he is 13. It is a lot like Heat because there are many challenges that they must face to stay hidden.
The main character Michael Arroyo is a kind kid who is living a tough life in a tough neighborhood. First off Michael's dad has died and he is trying to keep it a secret. Now Michael and his brother are struggling to keep the apartment they live in and manage keeping their father's death a secret. Michael is a very kind and honest kid. In the beginning of the story Michael takes out a thief by throwing a baseball and knocking him out. Michael then becomes a neighborhood hero.
A quote that Carlos, Michael's brother, kept saying was, "But, you know we have to keep Papi's death a secret." The reason Carlos kept saying that was because Michael needed a constant reminder to keep Papi's death a secret. I think this would be really tough because it would be hard when you just wanted to ask for help, but you couldn't for your own well being. I think that would be a really tough decision.
One of the most striking parts of the book was when Carlos almost got arrested for scalping tickets. He was doing this because he had gotten fired from one of his two jobs and he was really falling behind on bills. He was really desperate and he didn't want to tell Michael. Then Michael saw him getting caught by the cops. That shows how rough Michael's life was.
This was a really good book, and I really enjoyed the read. I am going to recommend this book to other people because I thought it was a really good book.
Sincerely,
Billy Torgerson
Dune Letter-Essay
Dune Letter-Essay
April, 24 2010
Dear Everyone,
I recently read the book Dune by Frank Herbert. It is a book about a teenager named Paul who is the heir to the throne of the Atreides. The emperor ordered the Atreides and all of their kingdom to move to a planet called Arrakis. Arrakis is one giant desert and is the only known planet that contains a valuable spice called Melange. The Harkonnens (the 'bad' people) invaded the kingdom of the Atreides (the 'good' people) and Paul and his mom were forced to flee. The plot is around Paul's battle against the Harkonnens to get his kingdom back using his super-human ability to see the future.
This is a book set in the future but they use many of the same words used in medieval times such as castle. I am sure the castles are made out of something other than stone, probably some kind of high quality metal and the castles are shielded. It is in the future though because they can travel through space to other planets and do other things you would see in a story like Star Wars.
This book is a mix of science fiction and fantasy. It is science fiction because it is in the future using technology such as force fields, traveling through space, laser guns, and advanced machinery. It is fantasy because of unbelievable things like the fact that Paul has superhuman mind reading skills. I think it might be possible to have superhuman mind reading skills in the future but not to the extent they are used in the book. Later on in the book Paul is able to see into the future which is obviously not possible.
The author has a very complex twist on seeing the future. Paul can see the future but it's not like the straight-forward future. If Paul makes different choices then different events will happen in the future, but he can't see the choices that will lead to the events. He only sees the events themselves. If he's in a situation where small changes would lead to a completely different outcome, he can't see past that point in time. I liked the way the author presents this ability of Paul's because at the beginning when Paul is figuring it out, the reader discovers it at the same time with him.
There are some random quotes in the book that I didn't really like. For instance Paul says random things about the future without explanation as to why this is meaningful in the story. At one point it mentions that he and his sister, who is yet to be born, will have a great battle - which never happens. So the reader may remember Paul's random predictions as they read until they get to the last page and realize the prediction had no meaning in the plot.
It makes the story very interesting the way the author just makes up words. For instance he could have just said “2 liters” but he says “2 literjons”. I thought a literjon was some really huge amount of water. As it turns out, water is very scarce and valuable so it is a huge amount. Here's a hint that I didn't know until I was done - If you are reading this book and don't know what he's talking about, there is a Dune dictionary in the back of the book.
Here is a quote from the book:
She compressed ultimate scorn into her voice and manner and said “Well-l-l, now ---how does it feel to be a killer?” Paul stiffened as though he had been struck. He met his mother's cold glare and his face darkened with a rush of blood. Involuntarily he glanced toward the place on the cavern floor where Jamis had lain.
I chose this quote because it shows Paul is realizing what happens when you kill a person. He's starting to learn his role may be greater than he imagined and have more responsibility and consequences. Leading up to this paragraph he was challenged by a man named Jamis. Jamis wanted to test Paul and see if he is the “Maud Dib”, the savior from the legends. Paul had to defend himself and if he was not the Maud Dib, he may have been killed.
I rate this book a 9 out of 10 for many reasons. This book has a very complex plot and I am sure that if I read this book again I will understand even more of the story. This would make it a good book to double or triple read. The environment Frank Herbert creates is easily believable. Much of the technology they talk about could exist many years from now. This book has a new set of ideas different from any other book I've read. What other books have this kind of futuristic sight like Paul's, are set in the future, yet have many medieval themes? This book also has something that will captivate almost anyone - war, politics, religion, futuristic technology, complexity, surprises, good, evil, and people that can't decide whether they're good or evil. I can see why they say this is a classic.
Sincerely,
Logan k
The Uglies.
4/25/2010
Per. 4-5
Dear Friends,
I recently finished reading the book The Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld. I would rate this book a full ten out of ten. I loved this book because it was so easy to relate to Tally Youngblood, the main character, even though her world, and our world are so different. In Tally's world, everyone is 'Ugly' until age sixteen. At sixteen years-old, the Operation will take place. The Operation morphs your features, changing nearly every aspect of how you look. After the Operation, you become a 'Pretty', but only a few know what will really happen during the Operation...
This book reminds me so much of The Giver by Lois Lowry.The government controls so many things in your life, even the things they don't realize are being controlled. In both these books, the main characters, Jonas and Tally, discover something that they have been missing out on their entire lives. This book also reminds me of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It reminds me of Twilght, but only in one way. The way the author combines romance, action, and suspense, so they blend together perfectly. The Giver, Twilight, and The Uglies are all great books.
A quote that really struck me in this book (and another reason why it reminds me of the Giver) was: 'Perhaps the logical conclusion for everyone looking the same, is everyone thinking the same.' This quote really shows how much the government controls the citizens of Uglyville and New Pretty Town. I think their reason for being so controlling over how the citizens think is so they can keep their 'perfect' utopia without anyone revolting against them. If people thought differently, expressed their opinions, and looked different, then their utopia would come crashing down. Another thing about this quote that was interesting was how they make people look similar to make them think the same, but they also use another method to make everyone think the same. Brain lesions. During the Operation, doctors change how uglies think by giving them lesions. In the Giver, the workers know what they are doing people, (e.g. Releasing) but in the Uglies, doctors don't even know they are giving their patients the lesions. This quote mainly shows how much their government wanted to be in control of everything and still keep it a secret.
The futuristic setting in this society makes this book a lot more interesting. Learning about the technology they have in Uglyville and New Pretty Town is sometimes hard to follow, but it's super cool! They have hover boards, bungee jackets, and even hover cars! While I was reading this book, I stopped several times just to think, "What if we had this technology?". Technology/ Sci-fi genres are some of my least favorite to read but i enjoyed this book a lot, so even if it's not your favorite type of book either, try it out!(:
Sincerely,
Caity Borne(:
Per. 4-5
Dear Friends,
I recently finished reading the book The Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld. I would rate this book a full ten out of ten. I loved this book because it was so easy to relate to Tally Youngblood, the main character, even though her world, and our world are so different. In Tally's world, everyone is 'Ugly' until age sixteen. At sixteen years-old, the Operation will take place. The Operation morphs your features, changing nearly every aspect of how you look. After the Operation, you become a 'Pretty', but only a few know what will really happen during the Operation...
This book reminds me so much of The Giver by Lois Lowry.The government controls so many things in your life, even the things they don't realize are being controlled. In both these books, the main characters, Jonas and Tally, discover something that they have been missing out on their entire lives. This book also reminds me of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It reminds me of Twilght, but only in one way. The way the author combines romance, action, and suspense, so they blend together perfectly. The Giver, Twilight, and The Uglies are all great books.
A quote that really struck me in this book (and another reason why it reminds me of the Giver) was: 'Perhaps the logical conclusion for everyone looking the same, is everyone thinking the same.' This quote really shows how much the government controls the citizens of Uglyville and New Pretty Town. I think their reason for being so controlling over how the citizens think is so they can keep their 'perfect' utopia without anyone revolting against them. If people thought differently, expressed their opinions, and looked different, then their utopia would come crashing down. Another thing about this quote that was interesting was how they make people look similar to make them think the same, but they also use another method to make everyone think the same. Brain lesions. During the Operation, doctors change how uglies think by giving them lesions. In the Giver, the workers know what they are doing people, (e.g. Releasing) but in the Uglies, doctors don't even know they are giving their patients the lesions. This quote mainly shows how much their government wanted to be in control of everything and still keep it a secret.
The futuristic setting in this society makes this book a lot more interesting. Learning about the technology they have in Uglyville and New Pretty Town is sometimes hard to follow, but it's super cool! They have hover boards, bungee jackets, and even hover cars! While I was reading this book, I stopped several times just to think, "What if we had this technology?". Technology/ Sci-fi genres are some of my least favorite to read but i enjoyed this book a lot, so even if it's not your favorite type of book either, try it out!(:
Sincerely,
Caity Borne(:
Stumptown Kid
April 26, 2010
Dear Ms. Monaco
I recently finished reading Stumptown Kid by Carol Gorman. I really liked this book and would rate it 10 out of 10. It was so good that I have read it twice.
Some connections I made to this book are the love and passion that Charlie has for baseball. I like baseball just as much as Charlie and play every chance I get, just like him. I also have a best friend that loves to play and we play baseball a lot together. I play for a team like Charlie’s too. We are pretty good and are coach teaches us a lot about the sport. I also had a friend that ruined some games that we played because he would make fun of people and wasn’t taking it serious, it made me really angry when he did it and we aren’t really friends anymore.
The main character in this story is Charlie Nebraska. The setting of this story is Holden, Iowa. Charlie wants to be a great baseball player someday and make his father proud, because his father died in the Korean War, and was a hero there. Charlie is best friends with Will draft during the summer and they both want to play baseball for The Wildcats, a very good team in their area. There is another character named Brad Lobo who makes fun of Charlie at tryouts and ruins his concentration, therefore Charlie did not make the team. Charlie’s best friend, Will does make the team. Charlie then meets Luther Peale after the tryouts and he gives Charlie some pointers on pitching. Luther and Charlie become best friends, and Will leaves Charlie for the Wildcats. Charlie’s mom’s boyfriend does not like Luther because he is prejudice towards African-Americans so Charlie hates him. Luther and Charlie do everything together, so Luther tells Charlie why he came up to Iowa, Luther said “That he came here to find work because he hit a white man in the head with a fastball while he was pitching for the Memphis Mockingbirds, a minor league baseball team, and killed him. So the batters brother, Ruckus Brody, tells Luther that he is going to kill him, so the sheriff tells Luther to leave town because it was good pitch and the batter was drunk so he decided to leave town and ended up in Iowa.” Later in the story Ruckus tries to kill Luther and he ends up in jail. While he’s in jail Charlie’s mom’s boyfriend bails Ruckus out and he tries to kill him again. Luther takes off towards the river and safely escapes, but Ruckus does not he ended up drowning in the river.
The genre of this book is fiction. This was a really good fiction read. I would recommend it to all readers who like sports fiction type books. I would recommend this book because of the suspense, action, and the lesson of the story.
I didn’t like how Carl Dueker ended the story. The ending was not a good cliff hanger and he didn’t even write an epilogue or sequel. The book ends with Luther going home to Tennessee and Charlie staying in Iowa. Carol Gorman should have written an epilogue or a sequel. Either one should have told about their lives after these incidents or if Charlie played high school baseball, college, or professional.
A passage from the book that I liked was at the end “He was quiet for a second. Then he said, I love you, son. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. So I pitched myself into him and held on for a real long time.”
I liked this passage because it shows how much Charlie and Luther loved and cared about each other. It shows that Luther had in a way replaced Charlie’s dad and filled that hole in his life. Also that Charlie really wanted Luther to become his dad and teach him about baseball and do those things that fathers and sons do with each other.
I really liked this book and it will be one of my all time favorites. Except I do think that I should read some books outside these types of genres. I have only read action and sports books. Actually, the only two science fiction books I have read were Hunger Games and The Giver was the first science fiction book I have read, and I really liked the Hunger Games but I thought The Giver was strange, and weird. So I think I will try some other books. I do like Carol Gorman as an author. I have read a lot of her books, and plan to read more of them.
Sincerely,
Michael J.
Dear Ms. Monaco
I recently finished reading Stumptown Kid by Carol Gorman. I really liked this book and would rate it 10 out of 10. It was so good that I have read it twice.
Some connections I made to this book are the love and passion that Charlie has for baseball. I like baseball just as much as Charlie and play every chance I get, just like him. I also have a best friend that loves to play and we play baseball a lot together. I play for a team like Charlie’s too. We are pretty good and are coach teaches us a lot about the sport. I also had a friend that ruined some games that we played because he would make fun of people and wasn’t taking it serious, it made me really angry when he did it and we aren’t really friends anymore.
The main character in this story is Charlie Nebraska. The setting of this story is Holden, Iowa. Charlie wants to be a great baseball player someday and make his father proud, because his father died in the Korean War, and was a hero there. Charlie is best friends with Will draft during the summer and they both want to play baseball for The Wildcats, a very good team in their area. There is another character named Brad Lobo who makes fun of Charlie at tryouts and ruins his concentration, therefore Charlie did not make the team. Charlie’s best friend, Will does make the team. Charlie then meets Luther Peale after the tryouts and he gives Charlie some pointers on pitching. Luther and Charlie become best friends, and Will leaves Charlie for the Wildcats. Charlie’s mom’s boyfriend does not like Luther because he is prejudice towards African-Americans so Charlie hates him. Luther and Charlie do everything together, so Luther tells Charlie why he came up to Iowa, Luther said “That he came here to find work because he hit a white man in the head with a fastball while he was pitching for the Memphis Mockingbirds, a minor league baseball team, and killed him. So the batters brother, Ruckus Brody, tells Luther that he is going to kill him, so the sheriff tells Luther to leave town because it was good pitch and the batter was drunk so he decided to leave town and ended up in Iowa.” Later in the story Ruckus tries to kill Luther and he ends up in jail. While he’s in jail Charlie’s mom’s boyfriend bails Ruckus out and he tries to kill him again. Luther takes off towards the river and safely escapes, but Ruckus does not he ended up drowning in the river.
The genre of this book is fiction. This was a really good fiction read. I would recommend it to all readers who like sports fiction type books. I would recommend this book because of the suspense, action, and the lesson of the story.
I didn’t like how Carl Dueker ended the story. The ending was not a good cliff hanger and he didn’t even write an epilogue or sequel. The book ends with Luther going home to Tennessee and Charlie staying in Iowa. Carol Gorman should have written an epilogue or a sequel. Either one should have told about their lives after these incidents or if Charlie played high school baseball, college, or professional.
A passage from the book that I liked was at the end “He was quiet for a second. Then he said, I love you, son. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. So I pitched myself into him and held on for a real long time.”
I liked this passage because it shows how much Charlie and Luther loved and cared about each other. It shows that Luther had in a way replaced Charlie’s dad and filled that hole in his life. Also that Charlie really wanted Luther to become his dad and teach him about baseball and do those things that fathers and sons do with each other.
I really liked this book and it will be one of my all time favorites. Except I do think that I should read some books outside these types of genres. I have only read action and sports books. Actually, the only two science fiction books I have read were Hunger Games and The Giver was the first science fiction book I have read, and I really liked the Hunger Games but I thought The Giver was strange, and weird. So I think I will try some other books. I do like Carol Gorman as an author. I have read a lot of her books, and plan to read more of them.
Sincerely,
Michael J.
The Stranger Next Door
Dear Ms. Monaco,
The book I recently read was The Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret. The genre of this book is realistic fiction. I read this book because I was looking for a good book and many of my friends had read this story once before. I would rate this book nine out of ten. The reason that I didn’t give ten out of ten is because the story had a lot of loose ends.
The main character of this book is Alex Kendrill and Pete the Cat. Alex is a main character because he was the one who was in the entire story; he was also bullied by people at school. Alex also had a lot of character development throughout this book. Pete is a main character because it seems like he wrote this book from his point of view. Just like Alex, Pete was in present throughout the entire book. He also saved Alex’s life.
The genre of this book is realistic fiction. The reason is that anyone can be bullied at school and be threatened by bullies. Also, anyone could be in Alex and Rocky’s situation as they were new kids at school and were trying to make new friends. Alex and Rocky end up at the end of the story being very good friends.
I wonder why Mr. Woosley, a local builder, would set fires to houses that he built. It never said in the story why he did it, but I think the reason is either he was upset at how builders built the house or he was just mad at something that made him do this. I also wonder why Mr. Woosley would put Alex, all tied up, in the bathtub and then set fire to the house. I think that he did that because Alex saw him set a fire to a different house and Mr. Woosley didn’t want anybody knowing about it. If I was Mr. Woosley, I would have just paid Alex to not say anything.
Here is a passage from The Stranger Next Door: Alex took off home. He was halfway to the grove of trees when a gunshot sounded behind him. Alex hit the ground. He let go of Pete, who ran to the closest tree and climbed it. “Hold it right there”, the man called as he ran toward Alex. “Don’t say anything. Don’t yell for help. I missed you on purpose the first time, but I won’t miss again.” A chill prickled down Alex’s arms. He recognized that voice. Mr. Woosley, the man who had built all the houses in Valley View Estates, was the arsonist!
The reason that I chose this paragraph is that it shows who the arsonist of Valley View Estates was. Alex thought it was Duke and Henry, two of the people that had been bullying Alex and Rocky. Alex had never suspected that it was the home builder who was the arsonist. He had even seen the arsonist get in a car after setting a fire and had tried to read the license plate.
I liked the way the author wrote this book. On the front cover, it said the book was written by Peg Kehret and Pete the Cat. In the book, the story written by Peg Kehret is in normal letters while the parts of the story told by Pete were in italicized letters. It made it easy to know who was telling that particular part of the story. I thought that was a good idea for writing a story with two authors.
All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery story. I thought this was a good book maybe you would too.
Sincerely,
Travis parker
The book I recently read was The Stranger Next Door by Peg Kehret. The genre of this book is realistic fiction. I read this book because I was looking for a good book and many of my friends had read this story once before. I would rate this book nine out of ten. The reason that I didn’t give ten out of ten is because the story had a lot of loose ends.
The main character of this book is Alex Kendrill and Pete the Cat. Alex is a main character because he was the one who was in the entire story; he was also bullied by people at school. Alex also had a lot of character development throughout this book. Pete is a main character because it seems like he wrote this book from his point of view. Just like Alex, Pete was in present throughout the entire book. He also saved Alex’s life.
The genre of this book is realistic fiction. The reason is that anyone can be bullied at school and be threatened by bullies. Also, anyone could be in Alex and Rocky’s situation as they were new kids at school and were trying to make new friends. Alex and Rocky end up at the end of the story being very good friends.
I wonder why Mr. Woosley, a local builder, would set fires to houses that he built. It never said in the story why he did it, but I think the reason is either he was upset at how builders built the house or he was just mad at something that made him do this. I also wonder why Mr. Woosley would put Alex, all tied up, in the bathtub and then set fire to the house. I think that he did that because Alex saw him set a fire to a different house and Mr. Woosley didn’t want anybody knowing about it. If I was Mr. Woosley, I would have just paid Alex to not say anything.
Here is a passage from The Stranger Next Door: Alex took off home. He was halfway to the grove of trees when a gunshot sounded behind him. Alex hit the ground. He let go of Pete, who ran to the closest tree and climbed it. “Hold it right there”, the man called as he ran toward Alex. “Don’t say anything. Don’t yell for help. I missed you on purpose the first time, but I won’t miss again.” A chill prickled down Alex’s arms. He recognized that voice. Mr. Woosley, the man who had built all the houses in Valley View Estates, was the arsonist!
The reason that I chose this paragraph is that it shows who the arsonist of Valley View Estates was. Alex thought it was Duke and Henry, two of the people that had been bullying Alex and Rocky. Alex had never suspected that it was the home builder who was the arsonist. He had even seen the arsonist get in a car after setting a fire and had tried to read the license plate.
I liked the way the author wrote this book. On the front cover, it said the book was written by Peg Kehret and Pete the Cat. In the book, the story written by Peg Kehret is in normal letters while the parts of the story told by Pete were in italicized letters. It made it easy to know who was telling that particular part of the story. I thought that was a good idea for writing a story with two authors.
All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery story. I thought this was a good book maybe you would too.
Sincerely,
Travis parker
The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp
4/24/10
Dear Ms. Monaco,
I recently read “The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp” by Rick Yancey. I give this book 9 out of 10 for because I feel that it puts too much suspense on small things even though it is otherwise great overall.
The genre of this book is confusing because it borders on fantasy and realistic fiction. It is a completely real book in the real world with almost everything in the book possible. However it also has a magic sword that can heal any injury or kill any enemy. I would probably call this realistic fiction even though not everything is realistic.
This book reminded me of “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” because of the way the characters are made to be somewhat humorous. I like how the author did this because it makes the story a lot more interesting to read than if they are like a character rather than a person. This is a big part what makes both of these books entertaining, and a good overall read.
This book is about a large, clumsy, not-so-bright, and awkward boy named Alfred Kropp. He lives with his Uncle Farrell because he never knew his father and his mother died when he was 12. He isn’t in to sports as his uncle wants him to be, and he doesn’t have many hobbies or any friends at school. One day his uncle gets a call from a man offering $1,000,000 for Alfred’s uncle, as the security guard, to steal back a rare antique from Farrell’s boss. As it is an offer that can’t be refused he accepts the offer and drive to the office for work with Alfred to get the sword. The rest of the book is a must read filled with humor, adventure, and unexpected twists.
The main character of the story is not usually the typical kind of person you would expect. I think it was, however, a great idea on the author’s part as the story is infinitely more interesting. It makes you pause and think back every once in awhile to put together “What just happened?’’ After Alfred stumbles through another mess coming out somehow unscathed. If the main character was an average person who always knows exactly what is happening and how he can get out of it alive, then the story would just be another on one of the many shelves of the library.
"I never thought I would save the world or die saving it. I never believed in angels or miracles either, and I sure didn't think of myself as a hero. Nobody would have, including you, if you had known me before I took the world's most powerful weapon and let it fall into the hands of a lunatic. Maybe after you hear my story you won't think I'm much of a hero anyway since most my heroics resulted from my being a screwup." This quote starts the book and I also think it is important. Not only does this quote summarize the entire book, but it also manages to carry the same tone that I for some reason associate with rainy days and gray skies. Alfred always seems to be talking as if he was bruised and beaten. Saying he can't take anymore and he has lost even though he hasn't yet. I think this was an interesting approach by the author but I can't decide whether it has a positive or negative effect on the overall story.
I would say the theme of this book is things always make themselves right in the end and don’t give up hope. I say this because throughout the entire book Alfred just keeps taking blow after blow, emotionally and physically. He has to stay up night after night, he is chased across the country, he is nearly killed time after time but everything is eventually resolved. He couldn’t have ever gotten out alive without hope and his allies.
I can not wait to read the next two books in the trilogy titled "The Seal of Solomon" and "The Thirteenth Skull". I am hoping that these are just as entertaining as the first.
Your Student,
Justin Burt
Riding School Rivals
April 25, 2010
Dear Ms. Monaco,
Horseback riding is an immensely important part of my life. It takes courage, strength, practice, and love to achieve this sport. In the book Riding School Rivals by Susan Saunders that’s exactly what these students have to follow in order to stay on top of their game!
There are 3 main characters in the book Riding School Rivals. The first one is Cassie Sinclair who enjoys learning and helping her friends at Birchwood Stables to become better riders. Not only is she knowledgeable in riding horses she is very capable at jumping two-and-a-half-foot fences flawlessly!
The second main character is a stunning Lipizzaner named Majesty. Majesty is milky white, his legs powerful and short, and his body immense and powerful. But the big desirability is Majesty’s vast brown eyes that shine with intelligence.
The third main character is Hillary Craig who is a newcomer to Birchwood Stables. She is a proficient rider who has ridden horses for 3 years. She’s demanding and arrogant towards people and always has to get her own way even if she gets no for an answer.
I like how the author Susan Saunders added tension to the book. The problem in the book is the fights between Cassie and Hillary. Hillary wants a horse that can win her fist place in every competition they enter. She soon finds out about Majesty and how she could effortlessly earn first place with him. She demands to be able to ride him. The instructor Trisha Prescott thinks Cassie can accomplish more when riding Majesty. When Hillary discovers she is not allowed to ride the horse of her dreams it makes her decide to get revenge! Because of the tension Susan Saunders added, it made me stay on the tip of my toes.
Dear Ms. Monaco,
Horseback riding is an immensely important part of my life. It takes courage, strength, practice, and love to achieve this sport. In the book Riding School Rivals by Susan Saunders that’s exactly what these students have to follow in order to stay on top of their game!
There are 3 main characters in the book Riding School Rivals. The first one is Cassie Sinclair who enjoys learning and helping her friends at Birchwood Stables to become better riders. Not only is she knowledgeable in riding horses she is very capable at jumping two-and-a-half-foot fences flawlessly!
The second main character is a stunning Lipizzaner named Majesty. Majesty is milky white, his legs powerful and short, and his body immense and powerful. But the big desirability is Majesty’s vast brown eyes that shine with intelligence.
The third main character is Hillary Craig who is a newcomer to Birchwood Stables. She is a proficient rider who has ridden horses for 3 years. She’s demanding and arrogant towards people and always has to get her own way even if she gets no for an answer.
I like how the author Susan Saunders added tension to the book. The problem in the book is the fights between Cassie and Hillary. Hillary wants a horse that can win her fist place in every competition they enter. She soon finds out about Majesty and how she could effortlessly earn first place with him. She demands to be able to ride him. The instructor Trisha Prescott thinks Cassie can accomplish more when riding Majesty. When Hillary discovers she is not allowed to ride the horse of her dreams it makes her decide to get revenge! Because of the tension Susan Saunders added, it made me stay on the tip of my toes.
“We’ve leased him for you, Cassie,” her father added.
Cassie couldn’t take in what they were saying for a moment.
“You’ve leased…,” she began, and stopped.
“Majesty is all mine to ride?” she shrieked understanding at last.
“All yours, sweetie,” said her dad.
“I spoke to Trisha Prescott about it on the phone this morning and she’s preparing a contract for us to sign.”
-Page 55
When I read these quotes I vividly remembered the day my parents surprised me about leasing my favorite horse Casey. It has been one of the most extraordinary things that have ever happened to me.
The genre of this book is fiction because it is a made-up story but could happen in real-life to anybody. Most of this book I could relate to because a lot of the story plot has happened to me with friends, horses, and competitions!
I recommend this to anybody at any age level. It is a reasonably easy book to read so if you are the type of person who is constantly trying to test yourself with harder books this book is not for you. Although sometimes it is fun to read straightforward books!
Sincerely,
Cassie couldn’t take in what they were saying for a moment.
“You’ve leased…,” she began, and stopped.
“Majesty is all mine to ride?” she shrieked understanding at last.
“All yours, sweetie,” said her dad.
“I spoke to Trisha Prescott about it on the phone this morning and she’s preparing a contract for us to sign.”
-Page 55
When I read these quotes I vividly remembered the day my parents surprised me about leasing my favorite horse Casey. It has been one of the most extraordinary things that have ever happened to me.
The genre of this book is fiction because it is a made-up story but could happen in real-life to anybody. Most of this book I could relate to because a lot of the story plot has happened to me with friends, horses, and competitions!
I recommend this to anybody at any age level. It is a reasonably easy book to read so if you are the type of person who is constantly trying to test yourself with harder books this book is not for you. Although sometimes it is fun to read straightforward books!
Sincerely,
Kelsey S.
Zach's Lie
Dear students,
I recently read the book Zach's lie written by Roland smith. The book was very interesting and exciting. The book is the genre I enjoy to read. It is fast exciting and has a good story. I did not care for the romance in the story though. There wasn't a lot of romance in the story so I cannot complain a lot. If you are looking for new books that are good and you have not read it I would recommend it.
I rated this one a nine and a half out of ten. I rated it a nine and a half out of ten because it was exciting had a great story and had a little bit of action. I would have rated it a ten but there was a tad of romance in the book which I think in this type of book should just be left out entirely. I liked it so much because I have never read anything that has to do with the witness protection program before. I have seen a couple of movies but no books. If you are not into action and suspense I would not read this book. It does not have a lot of suspense but it has enough to be considered suspenseful.
The main character of the book is named Jack. When they get relocated with the witness protection program he has to change his name to Zack. When he was younger he broke both his legs so he is not in amazing shape so he is bad in P.E. At first in his new school he makes no friends but when he punches one of the school bullies and gives him a black eye he starts to make a few friends. Jack is a great character because he is brave in situations where if he isn't brave he will die. He also is quick thinking when the time calls for it.
I was struck by this passage "We are heading to Elko." I was struck by this passage because it is when the drug dealers find out where the witness protection program has taken them. This was the part in the book where it really started to get interesting. If you read this book I guarantee you will enjoy this passage because it is suspenseful. This passage really got me starting to turn pages because I was anxiously waiting for the part where Alonzo and his gang catch them and see how Jack and his family escape from them.
I liked how the author really kept you turning pages. The author kept me turning pages because I liked and connected to the character which I think it is a great way to really connect with your readers and get them to buy the sequel to this book which is called Jack's run. In some parts it was suspenseful but that is not what kept me turning pages. Being able to connect to the character is really what made me wanting to continue to read it. Also I really liked the story. Jack's dad got caught up with a drug organization and got arrested and the drug dealers broke into their house looking for a diary that the dad had written. They told his family if they said a word about them being there they would kill them. They told and were moved by the witness security program and eventually got found by Alonzo and his gang. They now needed help by the people they met in their new life to save them. That is why this book kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages.
I wish that the book was made a little longer. It would have been a little better if there was more detail in the book I went two or three chapters without knowing what was happening because they did not explain it well enough. I also would have liked a little more action in the story because in the middle of the book I was getting a little bored of this book because it was slow at some parts. Of they made it more action packed and more detailed then the book would be longer and also a little bit better. Not that much better because it is good enough that there isn't much room for improvement.
I was surprised when Sam the custodian sets a trap and catches Alonzo. I was surprised because you do not see many janitors catching drug dealers. There are some clues in the story that say Sam is not just an ordinary custodian and that his line of work before being a custodian is in the intelligence field of work. I thought the part where he catches Alonzo was the best part to the book because it was suspenseful, because you didn't know what his trap was or if ti would work all you knew is that he had something planned.
I would definitely read this book because it is a good all around book. after you read this you should read Jack's run which is even better than this book because it has more action and suspense and it has to do with them getting kidnapped.
From,
Mac D.
I recently read the book Zach's lie written by Roland smith. The book was very interesting and exciting. The book is the genre I enjoy to read. It is fast exciting and has a good story. I did not care for the romance in the story though. There wasn't a lot of romance in the story so I cannot complain a lot. If you are looking for new books that are good and you have not read it I would recommend it.
I rated this one a nine and a half out of ten. I rated it a nine and a half out of ten because it was exciting had a great story and had a little bit of action. I would have rated it a ten but there was a tad of romance in the book which I think in this type of book should just be left out entirely. I liked it so much because I have never read anything that has to do with the witness protection program before. I have seen a couple of movies but no books. If you are not into action and suspense I would not read this book. It does not have a lot of suspense but it has enough to be considered suspenseful.
The main character of the book is named Jack. When they get relocated with the witness protection program he has to change his name to Zack. When he was younger he broke both his legs so he is not in amazing shape so he is bad in P.E. At first in his new school he makes no friends but when he punches one of the school bullies and gives him a black eye he starts to make a few friends. Jack is a great character because he is brave in situations where if he isn't brave he will die. He also is quick thinking when the time calls for it.
I was struck by this passage "We are heading to Elko." I was struck by this passage because it is when the drug dealers find out where the witness protection program has taken them. This was the part in the book where it really started to get interesting. If you read this book I guarantee you will enjoy this passage because it is suspenseful. This passage really got me starting to turn pages because I was anxiously waiting for the part where Alonzo and his gang catch them and see how Jack and his family escape from them.
I liked how the author really kept you turning pages. The author kept me turning pages because I liked and connected to the character which I think it is a great way to really connect with your readers and get them to buy the sequel to this book which is called Jack's run. In some parts it was suspenseful but that is not what kept me turning pages. Being able to connect to the character is really what made me wanting to continue to read it. Also I really liked the story. Jack's dad got caught up with a drug organization and got arrested and the drug dealers broke into their house looking for a diary that the dad had written. They told his family if they said a word about them being there they would kill them. They told and were moved by the witness security program and eventually got found by Alonzo and his gang. They now needed help by the people they met in their new life to save them. That is why this book kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages.
I wish that the book was made a little longer. It would have been a little better if there was more detail in the book I went two or three chapters without knowing what was happening because they did not explain it well enough. I also would have liked a little more action in the story because in the middle of the book I was getting a little bored of this book because it was slow at some parts. Of they made it more action packed and more detailed then the book would be longer and also a little bit better. Not that much better because it is good enough that there isn't much room for improvement.
I was surprised when Sam the custodian sets a trap and catches Alonzo. I was surprised because you do not see many janitors catching drug dealers. There are some clues in the story that say Sam is not just an ordinary custodian and that his line of work before being a custodian is in the intelligence field of work. I thought the part where he catches Alonzo was the best part to the book because it was suspenseful, because you didn't know what his trap was or if ti would work all you knew is that he had something planned.
I would definitely read this book because it is a good all around book. after you read this you should read Jack's run which is even better than this book because it has more action and suspense and it has to do with them getting kidnapped.
From,
Mac D.
The Last Song
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Dear Ms. Monaco,
I recently read the book The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. This is the third book of his that I have read (The Notebook and A Walk to Remember). On a scale of one to ten, I would give this book ten. Nicholas Sparks is my favorite author and he’s excellent at manipulating readers’ emotions. I would classify this book in the realistic fiction genre.
The Last Song was very unique in the way it was told. The story was written from third person limited perspective. The catch is that with each chapter, Sparks switches the character whose thoughts the narrator tells us about. The chapter names are the number followed by the name of the person whose thoughts you are told. There are four characters whose thoughts you can
“see”. These are Ronnie, Will, Steve, and Marcus. Sparks made an interesting choice when he chose to tell some of the story from Marcus’s perspective (well, third-person-limited-Marcus-Narrator-perspective). Marcus was definitely the antagonist throughout the book. He is a creepy, controlling, abusive, sick arsonist. I truly think he deserves to be locked up for fifty years. His perspective showed the main story, with a little bit of subplot that has to do with him. The author retold a lot of stuff that the reader has already found out, but from a unique, twisted perspective. Although I really hate that guy, I think Spark’s decision really enhanced the story as a whole.
One of the subtle things Sparks did throughout the story was really make small, slow changes in Ronnie’s personality. It was one of those things that you didn’t really notice until you look back on the book as a whole. *must throw in the wisdom of my favorite quote* “Day by day, nothing seems to change. But pretty soon everything’s different.” I actually read this on Facebook the other day (thanks Erma!) and it really made me think of Ronnie. In the beginning of the book, she was the stereotypical rebellious teen who wants nothing to do with her parents, but at the same time the author included many small, good-hearted things Ronnie did so it wouldn’t make Ronnie’s change seem so out of no where. You could look back later and say, “I so saw that coming.” By the end of the story, Ronnie had been forced to rethink priorities, and she became a totally different person.
There were many beautiful moments in The Last Song, but I chose this one to lift from the book.
"Sometimes you have to be apart from the people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less. Sometimes it makes you love them more. "
Ronnie’s Dad said this to her. I thought this was a very important moment, because their relationship had a rough start. There is a lot of truth to that statement, and it’s something we all experience as a part of growing up.
Will and Ronnie’s relationship was awesome! They were not each other’s type at all, but they had so much chemistry that it conquered stereotypes. I don’t know if I’ve ever said this, but I want to be a romance novelist when I grow up (for teens, of course), and this relationship is exactly what I would try to create. It was very different from your average summer fling. Although I think it is rare, I believe that this type of relationship does exist for some people. I think that is the real appeal of Nicholas Sparks’ books, is that everyone secretly dreams of that for themselves.
Before I read this book, I also saw the movie at the theatre. Sparks actually wrote the movie before the book. He didn’t make many changes, except for some of the characters in the book were less developed in the movie. I definitely liked the book better, I felt like it was more emotionally gripping. However, I really enjoyed the movie, and I thought Miley Cyrus did an
excellent job portraying Ronnie.
One character that didn’t have a very big role in the movie but was an important part of the book was the priest. He was Steve’s best friend. I liked him because he broke the stereotype of a priest. Priests often seem to be the closest to perfect that people can get, but the priest in this book understands that is not always true. He makes mistakes, he messes around and jokes with people, he sometimes struggles with issues of faith, and he doesn’t act like he knows all the answers—all things that we associate with priests.
This book was incredible and I would highly recommend it as a summer read! It is a bit lengthy (400 pages), but is well worth it. The movie is amazing too, but I would recommend reading the book first. I should warn that this book is not happy-go-lucky all the way through, but it’s not completely tragic. In the grand tradition of Nicholas Sparks, this book is bittersweet and I would suggest it to only those that can handle it.
Sincerely,
Ayla G.
Dear Ms. Monaco,
I recently read the book The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. This is the third book of his that I have read (The Notebook and A Walk to Remember). On a scale of one to ten, I would give this book ten. Nicholas Sparks is my favorite author and he’s excellent at manipulating readers’ emotions. I would classify this book in the realistic fiction genre.
The Last Song was very unique in the way it was told. The story was written from third person limited perspective. The catch is that with each chapter, Sparks switches the character whose thoughts the narrator tells us about. The chapter names are the number followed by the name of the person whose thoughts you are told. There are four characters whose thoughts you can
“see”. These are Ronnie, Will, Steve, and Marcus. Sparks made an interesting choice when he chose to tell some of the story from Marcus’s perspective (well, third-person-limited-Marcus-Narrator-perspective). Marcus was definitely the antagonist throughout the book. He is a creepy, controlling, abusive, sick arsonist. I truly think he deserves to be locked up for fifty years. His perspective showed the main story, with a little bit of subplot that has to do with him. The author retold a lot of stuff that the reader has already found out, but from a unique, twisted perspective. Although I really hate that guy, I think Spark’s decision really enhanced the story as a whole.
One of the subtle things Sparks did throughout the story was really make small, slow changes in Ronnie’s personality. It was one of those things that you didn’t really notice until you look back on the book as a whole. *must throw in the wisdom of my favorite quote* “Day by day, nothing seems to change. But pretty soon everything’s different.” I actually read this on Facebook the other day (thanks Erma!) and it really made me think of Ronnie. In the beginning of the book, she was the stereotypical rebellious teen who wants nothing to do with her parents, but at the same time the author included many small, good-hearted things Ronnie did so it wouldn’t make Ronnie’s change seem so out of no where. You could look back later and say, “I so saw that coming.” By the end of the story, Ronnie had been forced to rethink priorities, and she became a totally different person.
There were many beautiful moments in The Last Song, but I chose this one to lift from the book.
"Sometimes you have to be apart from the people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less. Sometimes it makes you love them more. "
Ronnie’s Dad said this to her. I thought this was a very important moment, because their relationship had a rough start. There is a lot of truth to that statement, and it’s something we all experience as a part of growing up.
Will and Ronnie’s relationship was awesome! They were not each other’s type at all, but they had so much chemistry that it conquered stereotypes. I don’t know if I’ve ever said this, but I want to be a romance novelist when I grow up (for teens, of course), and this relationship is exactly what I would try to create. It was very different from your average summer fling. Although I think it is rare, I believe that this type of relationship does exist for some people. I think that is the real appeal of Nicholas Sparks’ books, is that everyone secretly dreams of that for themselves.
Before I read this book, I also saw the movie at the theatre. Sparks actually wrote the movie before the book. He didn’t make many changes, except for some of the characters in the book were less developed in the movie. I definitely liked the book better, I felt like it was more emotionally gripping. However, I really enjoyed the movie, and I thought Miley Cyrus did an
excellent job portraying Ronnie.
One character that didn’t have a very big role in the movie but was an important part of the book was the priest. He was Steve’s best friend. I liked him because he broke the stereotype of a priest. Priests often seem to be the closest to perfect that people can get, but the priest in this book understands that is not always true. He makes mistakes, he messes around and jokes with people, he sometimes struggles with issues of faith, and he doesn’t act like he knows all the answers—all things that we associate with priests.
This book was incredible and I would highly recommend it as a summer read! It is a bit lengthy (400 pages), but is well worth it. The movie is amazing too, but I would recommend reading the book first. I should warn that this book is not happy-go-lucky all the way through, but it’s not completely tragic. In the grand tradition of Nicholas Sparks, this book is bittersweet and I would suggest it to only those that can handle it.
Sincerely,
Ayla G.
Things Hoped For
Dear Students,
I have recently read the amazing book Things hoped for, written by Andrew Clements. If I had to rate this book, I would rate it 9.5 out of 10. I wouldn’t give it a 10 because it had a few parts where the author could have simplified conversations. Even though some parts could have been condenced, it was still an enjoyable book with many unpredictable things happening to Gwen, the main character.
I liked the way the author made each chapter heading reveal what would happen in the upcoming section of the book. It started to make me pay attention to the chapter headings so I could look out for something relevant in the chapter. He also made many unpredictable events happen at times you never would have guessed! For example, when Robert went to get steaks from downstairs, he ended up finding Gwen’s missing Grandpa in the freezer! Many events like this made me want to keep reading on!
The character development of Gwen in this story really changed. In the beginning, Gwen thought that her life story only involved her and her music with only distractions from her story. Every once in a while, after every event, her opinion of it would slightly change. For example, after she found her Grandpa, she knew her story was swallowed whole and not very much of it left was about her musical career. The time Gwen’s opinion changed the most was after many of the events took place, toward the end of the book. She knows that it will never be ONLY her in her life story, but she still wanted it to be. In this particuliar part in the book, she realizes why she wants her life story to be as plain and simple as a musician-
“It’s because I’ve been imagining that it’s going to be easy. It’s because I think I’ll be able to lose myself in great sweeps of harmony, and the all-knowing, infallible conductor will always lead the way. And me? I imagine myself gliding seamlessly from one movement to the next, with hardly a rustle as I turn the pages of the score. Because I want things to work out the way they do when Bach is in charge. Or Paganini. Or Jane Austen. Or even Yeats. Because I’m desperate for a nice,tidy ending, maybe with a pleasant rhyme or two, or that wonderful last burst of a symphonic harmony that makes me want to shout yes! But it’s not happening that way.”
This part was by far the most important in the whole book. It was the section that showed how much Gwen has learned in her life altering experience! She is finally explaining to herself that, although she does love her music, it is not an alternative world where problems don’t pop up and life is always smooth. Gwen is so desperate for a nice, tidy ending because she is such a perfectionist. All her life she was a perfectionist, always needing everything to be neat and perfect. This is another one of the ways this whole era of events in this story changed her.
I understood why Gwen’s grandpa, Lawrence, put himself in the freezer. During the book, when Gwen’s family was reading Grandpa’s letters to the police, they said he died of natural causes. The police said they found him there with an air tank inside the freezer with him and duct tape on the latch. He could have gotten out of there if he wanted too and he had enough air, so I was pondering why he decided to go into the freezer to die. While waiting at her audition, when Gwen opened her letter, Grandpa had given her his dogtags from the army. On the back it had the bible verse John 15:13 carved into it, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I finally concluded that he died in the freezer so he could possibly hide from Gwen long enough for her to be able to get her auditions for college done without his burden.
The main character really got better perspectives of her Uncle Hank throughout the story. Her opinion of Uncle Hank first started out as him being bitter, cranky, and heartless to his own brother. He would yell and scream because his Lawrence wouldn’t sell the house. But that perspecive changed as Hank finally found out he was dead. Uncle Hank was welling up in tears mourning for his brother. Gwen knew she had only seen him from one point of view, and never knew he was so emotional. There was another time when Gwen knew her perspective of her Uncle had changed, it was after going out to dinner when he appologized. His appoligizing was something Gwen never would have seen her Uncle do if Lawrence hadn’t died. He was a puppy dog deep down but she just couldn’t see from the surface.
Overall, this book was quite a twister. It started out from barely having much going on to being chocked full of so many events! I loved how this book played out, but I couldn’t really tell the theme of this book. I wish some of the events were more suspenseful, it would have made this book even better! Andrew Clements did a fantastic job and kept pulling me toward the end, eager to know what will happen next!
Yours Truly,
Missy
Period 6-7
I have recently read the amazing book Things hoped for, written by Andrew Clements. If I had to rate this book, I would rate it 9.5 out of 10. I wouldn’t give it a 10 because it had a few parts where the author could have simplified conversations. Even though some parts could have been condenced, it was still an enjoyable book with many unpredictable things happening to Gwen, the main character.
I liked the way the author made each chapter heading reveal what would happen in the upcoming section of the book. It started to make me pay attention to the chapter headings so I could look out for something relevant in the chapter. He also made many unpredictable events happen at times you never would have guessed! For example, when Robert went to get steaks from downstairs, he ended up finding Gwen’s missing Grandpa in the freezer! Many events like this made me want to keep reading on!
The character development of Gwen in this story really changed. In the beginning, Gwen thought that her life story only involved her and her music with only distractions from her story. Every once in a while, after every event, her opinion of it would slightly change. For example, after she found her Grandpa, she knew her story was swallowed whole and not very much of it left was about her musical career. The time Gwen’s opinion changed the most was after many of the events took place, toward the end of the book. She knows that it will never be ONLY her in her life story, but she still wanted it to be. In this particuliar part in the book, she realizes why she wants her life story to be as plain and simple as a musician-
“It’s because I’ve been imagining that it’s going to be easy. It’s because I think I’ll be able to lose myself in great sweeps of harmony, and the all-knowing, infallible conductor will always lead the way. And me? I imagine myself gliding seamlessly from one movement to the next, with hardly a rustle as I turn the pages of the score. Because I want things to work out the way they do when Bach is in charge. Or Paganini. Or Jane Austen. Or even Yeats. Because I’m desperate for a nice,tidy ending, maybe with a pleasant rhyme or two, or that wonderful last burst of a symphonic harmony that makes me want to shout yes! But it’s not happening that way.”
This part was by far the most important in the whole book. It was the section that showed how much Gwen has learned in her life altering experience! She is finally explaining to herself that, although she does love her music, it is not an alternative world where problems don’t pop up and life is always smooth. Gwen is so desperate for a nice, tidy ending because she is such a perfectionist. All her life she was a perfectionist, always needing everything to be neat and perfect. This is another one of the ways this whole era of events in this story changed her.
I understood why Gwen’s grandpa, Lawrence, put himself in the freezer. During the book, when Gwen’s family was reading Grandpa’s letters to the police, they said he died of natural causes. The police said they found him there with an air tank inside the freezer with him and duct tape on the latch. He could have gotten out of there if he wanted too and he had enough air, so I was pondering why he decided to go into the freezer to die. While waiting at her audition, when Gwen opened her letter, Grandpa had given her his dogtags from the army. On the back it had the bible verse John 15:13 carved into it, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I finally concluded that he died in the freezer so he could possibly hide from Gwen long enough for her to be able to get her auditions for college done without his burden.
The main character really got better perspectives of her Uncle Hank throughout the story. Her opinion of Uncle Hank first started out as him being bitter, cranky, and heartless to his own brother. He would yell and scream because his Lawrence wouldn’t sell the house. But that perspecive changed as Hank finally found out he was dead. Uncle Hank was welling up in tears mourning for his brother. Gwen knew she had only seen him from one point of view, and never knew he was so emotional. There was another time when Gwen knew her perspective of her Uncle had changed, it was after going out to dinner when he appologized. His appoligizing was something Gwen never would have seen her Uncle do if Lawrence hadn’t died. He was a puppy dog deep down but she just couldn’t see from the surface.
Overall, this book was quite a twister. It started out from barely having much going on to being chocked full of so many events! I loved how this book played out, but I couldn’t really tell the theme of this book. I wish some of the events were more suspenseful, it would have made this book even better! Andrew Clements did a fantastic job and kept pulling me toward the end, eager to know what will happen next!
Yours Truly,
Missy
Period 6-7
Mutinty on the Bounty by Zac Dietrich
Dear readers,
For my sixth letter essay I reread the book Mutiny on the Bounty. This book is by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The book was first written nineteen thirty-two. Although this book was a reread I discovered many new events to add to the meaningfulness of the plot and it also has been about a year and a half since I first read this book.
The first thing I liked about this book was the setting. The setting of this book was in the golden age of sailing when many famous navigators were finding new lands. The reason I like this setting so much is that I have a good amount of background knowledge of how to sail boats and how they are built. Also I find the topic of navigation along with adventuring to undiscovered islands, or for that matter any undiscovered place a very interesting topic. Those are most of the reasons why the setting of this book appealed to me.
The second thing that I liked in this book was the word choice. This is one of the main reasons why this book was a slightly harder read than a lot of other books. Also this book was first written in nineteen thirty-two that was a time when a lot of people had much larger vocabularies than this time period does. Some examples of this language is malicious which means awful or bad natured and lethargy which means laziness or disregard. Mutiny on the Bounty increased my vocabulary quite a lot. In conclusion the word choice of this book definitely added to the challenge of reading this book and made it much more interesting the second time i read it.
The third thing I liked about this book was how the authors described the setting so well it almost felt like you were there. For instance when the main character first steps into his temporary island home he says “the house was a fine one-sixty feet long by twenty wide, with a lofty, newly thatched roof, and, instead of gables, semicircular extensions at each end. Such houses were built only for chiefs.”. That quote and many others like it really helped me to get a mental picture of where the story was set at and added a lot to the events that were taking place during it.
One of the things I thought was interesting about Mutiny on the Bounty was the ending of the story where Roger Byam (the main character) returns to the island paradise if Tahiti after being gone for over five years to find the island almost completely deserted and war torn. I thought this was a very interesting turn of events because usually stories end happily not sad and abrupt. I think the author did this to show what the European colonization of the world really did to the inhabitants of all the far away islands.
I think the morale of this story it that even when something is great or your life is perfect there will always be a price to pay for it or that there is always another side to a great deal. The main example of this is how at first when Roger Byam sails to Tahiti and its neighboring islands life is perfect he can do whatever he wants to and its always warm and sunny. But when the Bounty has to sail back to England there is a mutiny and he sails right back to Tahiti spending the next two years in paradise. But then he is caught as a prisoner he is then acquitted of his crimes and returns to the island paradise of Tahiti to find it war torn and ravaged by diseases. Now usually for the morale to be true there is usually the hard part before the good happens like having to go to college for eight years to become a doctor or working at a job for a very long time so you can get a raise or important position. This could work in the other manner if for instance you buy something online and it ends up being a piece of crap. Those are some of my reasons why I think the morale of the story Mutiny on the Bounty is that there is always another side to a great deal.
Rereading this book proved to be much harder but much more worthwhile considering I now have a larger vocabulary than before reading this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a hard but meaningful read.
Sincerely,
Zac Dietrich
For my sixth letter essay I reread the book Mutiny on the Bounty. This book is by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The book was first written nineteen thirty-two. Although this book was a reread I discovered many new events to add to the meaningfulness of the plot and it also has been about a year and a half since I first read this book.
The first thing I liked about this book was the setting. The setting of this book was in the golden age of sailing when many famous navigators were finding new lands. The reason I like this setting so much is that I have a good amount of background knowledge of how to sail boats and how they are built. Also I find the topic of navigation along with adventuring to undiscovered islands, or for that matter any undiscovered place a very interesting topic. Those are most of the reasons why the setting of this book appealed to me.
The second thing that I liked in this book was the word choice. This is one of the main reasons why this book was a slightly harder read than a lot of other books. Also this book was first written in nineteen thirty-two that was a time when a lot of people had much larger vocabularies than this time period does. Some examples of this language is malicious which means awful or bad natured and lethargy which means laziness or disregard. Mutiny on the Bounty increased my vocabulary quite a lot. In conclusion the word choice of this book definitely added to the challenge of reading this book and made it much more interesting the second time i read it.
The third thing I liked about this book was how the authors described the setting so well it almost felt like you were there. For instance when the main character first steps into his temporary island home he says “the house was a fine one-sixty feet long by twenty wide, with a lofty, newly thatched roof, and, instead of gables, semicircular extensions at each end. Such houses were built only for chiefs.”. That quote and many others like it really helped me to get a mental picture of where the story was set at and added a lot to the events that were taking place during it.
One of the things I thought was interesting about Mutiny on the Bounty was the ending of the story where Roger Byam (the main character) returns to the island paradise if Tahiti after being gone for over five years to find the island almost completely deserted and war torn. I thought this was a very interesting turn of events because usually stories end happily not sad and abrupt. I think the author did this to show what the European colonization of the world really did to the inhabitants of all the far away islands.
I think the morale of this story it that even when something is great or your life is perfect there will always be a price to pay for it or that there is always another side to a great deal. The main example of this is how at first when Roger Byam sails to Tahiti and its neighboring islands life is perfect he can do whatever he wants to and its always warm and sunny. But when the Bounty has to sail back to England there is a mutiny and he sails right back to Tahiti spending the next two years in paradise. But then he is caught as a prisoner he is then acquitted of his crimes and returns to the island paradise of Tahiti to find it war torn and ravaged by diseases. Now usually for the morale to be true there is usually the hard part before the good happens like having to go to college for eight years to become a doctor or working at a job for a very long time so you can get a raise or important position. This could work in the other manner if for instance you buy something online and it ends up being a piece of crap. Those are some of my reasons why I think the morale of the story Mutiny on the Bounty is that there is always another side to a great deal.
Rereading this book proved to be much harder but much more worthwhile considering I now have a larger vocabulary than before reading this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a hard but meaningful read.
Sincerely,
Zac Dietrich
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