Lovely Bones- Winter Break

        I recently started to read, "Lovely Bones" So far I have found it very interesting. It starts off with a girl named, Susie. She explained how she was murdered at the age of 14 in 1973. It tells how she is now in heaven and met a girl named Holly. Holly doesn't really talk much. They also met Franny. Franny is like the mother in heaven. She helps with the problems that Susie was having. Susie wants to go back to earth. Im sure that Holly does too. I didn't read much, but I know this will be a good book.

        I think this book is fiction/realistic fiction. Like people can be murdered at the age of 14, too. Just all the rest of the stuff is fake. Like, Susie, her family, Mr. Harvey, Holly, and Franny. For example, it has problems that a real 'teen' girl would have. Like her first kiss, being with someone her friend said he was 'freak-a-delic' and how he would help her cheat off of him in algebra. I cant wait to read more from this book.

Anne Frank

       So last night, I finished Anne Frank. It was a very good book. At the end of the book, Anne was saying how she had pushed her father more, and more away. She was saying how, her father has been busy keeping up with everyone in the 'Secret Annex' and doesn't have as much time than he did before. She was also explaining how her and Peter talked and said they were a 'couple' Then when Anne told her father, he said it was fine, because Anne believed that, Peter would not hurt her. A few days later, Otto, told Anne that he changed his mind. That he believed that they, Anne and Peter, shouldn't spend as much time together, as they usually do.

       One of the reading strategies that I use, is to read line by line, then if I dont get something, I read the paragraph before. Like how on page, 106 (3rd paragraph), Anne said how Peter comes back from the warehouse. I got a bit confused and when I read the paragraph before, it said how Peter goes down to the warehouse and gets the key and Boche. This strategy came in handy a few times through out the book.

Anne Frank

            For the past 2 weeks I have been reading 'The Diary of Anne Frank' The Diary of Anne Frank is a book of many emotion. Frustration, anger, sadness, happiness, and maybe a little love. We all know the story. A 13 year old girl, who goes into hiding with her family, and 'friends' But do we know the story behind that. The story where Anne, tells us about what it actually feels like to be locked up, for being judged. Almost all of Anne's life, she was adored her dad. He was her hero. But when they get into the 'Secret Annex' they suddenly drift apart. This 'Secret Annex' has made everyone realize what people are like. There is love, loss, and fighting.

           So I am very close to finishing my book. 8 pages actually. I realized that Anne realized that she took her life, before she went into hiding, for granted. The 2 years that they were in the 'Secret Annex' was very hectic. There were people that were, being mean, snotty, uptight, annoying and that was just Mrs. Van Daan. Around pages 150-200, Anne and Peter start to hang out a lot. They spend a lot of time together and Anne's parents think that she shouldn't spend so much time with Peter as much. Ignoring their wishes, Anne and Peter, spend MORE time together and end up kissing. There is a lot more to say but I think that, Anne and Peter kissing, was the climax of the book.

The Diary of Anne Frank

          To be honest, the beginning of the book was a bit boring. It started out pretty slow. I mean Anne did say, at the beginning of the book that it's just a 'normal' school girls diary, but when more conflict arises when moved up to the 'Secret Annex' it started to get more interesting. Like how her and Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan always bicker. Or how her and her father get along so well, and Anne and get mum don't get along very well. I think that as the story went along, Anne grew more mature. At the beginning of the book she mainly talked about the small conflict she had at first, but then she started to talk about politics and what she thinks about, everything that is happening.

         For this paragraph, I decided to do Contrast and Contradictions. I decided to talk about what happened between Mr. Dussel and Anne. Mr. Dussel was acting very strange, then he did when he first came. What had happened is, that Anne asked for the desk, in their room(that they share), longer than she usually has it. Now see, when Mr. Dussel first came to the 'Secret Annex' he was pretty sweet, and cared about others feelings. When Anne had asked for the desk longer, he had given her attitude and said that he has 'grown-up' work to do, and not write in a 'stupid' little diary. At this time, Anne got very frustrated and very enraged. When he said his, her exact thoughts were,"In a minute I'll give him such a smack in the face that he'll fly up to the ceiling together with his lies" Obviously she didn't do that, but with the signpost, Contrast and Contradictions, she wasn't 'thinking' nor acting like she usually does.  

Holocaust; Upstander, or Bystander

                I think that people watched the holocaust happen because they knew that Hitler had a lot of power. They knew that Hitler can harm them, their families, and (maybe even) their friends. This was a hard time for everybody. For the jews, for the upstanders, and even the bystanders. Do you think that the upstanders want to just sit around. They might of known that this wasn't good and maybe didn't want to put anyone they love in harm. I think that some people wants to help, but didn't choose to. I think that the courage upstanders had to stand up against the Nazis and Hitler, was impeccable. When people stood up against Hitler, and the Nazis, it also meant to take a risk. A risk that could risk their life, their families life, and your loved ones lives. It is hard to think that happened to the upstanders that were caught and sent to a concentration camp or just shot, dead, right their and then. I am pretty sure I would have been bystander. I do not have enough courage or bravery to stand up against such powerful forces. Its not like I would help the Nazis either. I would be neutral. I wouldn't go against the Nazis, but I wouldn't stand up for them, or support them. Some people might say they would have helped and be an upstander, but if they really were in that situation, they probably wouldn't have been an upstander. I recently started the book 'The Diary of Anne Frank' In a few of the pages she talked about politics and what she thought of it. I learned a lot from the past few weeks of learning about the holocaust. It taught me a lot too.

Article to Poem

      In the article I read, it said that there shouldn't be sweatshops at all. The writer, of the article, said that he thinks that if there is no sweatshops at all there wouldn't be so many fires, or buildings collapsing. What is the point of having a sweatshop, when people die from fires and buildings falling. I think the writer is right. There shouldn't be sweatshops. Not only because its dangerous, but because most people are forced into working there. That when a sweatshop, in Bangladesh, caught on fire, 3 managers held some people back to keep working. They were then arrested, as well as the owners. 

        In the poem I read, it explained that sweatshops are hard work and that it takes time. The most captivating part was the part that said

              "And the boss goes away for his lunch hour,

                      Dawn begins to break in my mind"

The reason it captivated me so much is because it uses the word dawn. Dawn is very early in the day which makes me believe that she has been working for a long time. This was different because it addressed the situation differently. The article is cold, hard, facts that are true. Poems are more like a possible situation. Its also written differently. I think that this form of writing showed me that there is different way to look at a situation. A poem says more, with the words they use and article says a lot with the facts it uses. 

Maze Runner update

  Oh my gosh. I love this book. I havent finished yet... But its really good. Last time I told you how they made Thomas an offical runner. Ok so, at the meeting they had, the one where Thomas became an official runner, Gally went crazy. Some people even spotted him going into the maze. No one knows if hes even alive anymore. But anyways, Thomas still broke a rule, so Newt put him in jail for a day. So once he got out, it was kind of normal. But then the next morning, Minho woke up Thomas for training.

   In this book, the conflict is man vs. society. Man is obviously Thomas, and all the rest of Glade, and society is the people who put them there. The people that put them there are the same people who made the maze and made the grievers as well. There is a reason they put them there, but no one knows yet. I think its man vs society because since the grievers are made by the people who put them there, and they try and fight off the grievers, it is man vs society

Cursive is So Last Year

     Cursive. A type of writing that most people write beautifully. Its easier too. You don't have to lift your pen from your paper and it builds muscle in your hand. Most people write in pages instead of writing on paper. On one hand, cursive is a talent that most people forget about. Then again, writing by hand, especially cursive, has better thinking skills. Most people think cursive is a way of growing up. Computers have the same font, everyones cursive is original. A lot of people think that technology will take away hand writing in general. 41 states in the US have taken cursive away from learning in school.

     I think that we should keep cursive. Cursive was a big part of my life because of how much I learned it. I learned it in 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 4th grade. We would draw on the dotted lines and then do it ourselves. Then we would practice writing sentences in cursive. Cursive really showed me that technology isn't everything. The funny part is that my mother went to a technology college so she barely ever wrote on paper. Only when I got in trouble and she had to sign a note that was sent home. I think that cursive is a big part of learning and we should keep it in the US.

Maze Runner Update :)

       Wow. This book is amazing. It shows so much detail. As I read on I realized that the book is in 3rd person point of view (limited). 3rd person POV (limited) is when the author uses he, she, her, he, but only tells the main characters thoughts. Most of the time, James Dashner uses italic to express Thomas' thoughts. But the thing is that, the thoughts come at the most random times. It could be a funny thought, or a serious one. It could be thought that he wants to keep to himself so he doesn't get himself in trouble.

       So far Thomas that has been at Glade, he hasn't had the best experiences. He made an enemy, he made a friend, he explored, he almost got killed, and most of all, he (half) lied to the leader, Alby. One day Alby decides to take Thomas on a tour. While on the tour the siren goes off. Alby is confused so he cant really give Thomas answers about what is going on. They go down to the box and find a girl. Then Alby and Minho go into the maze, and dont come back. Right before the maze closes, Thomas runs in. Thomas finds out that Alby is stung and puts hides him in some vines. Him and Minho survive the night and then they have a meeting and Thomas, officially, becomes a runner.

Maze Runner; So far

           I have to say, Maze Runner is really good so far. It goes into amazing details about things, like the look, and even the smell. James Dashner, is a very good writer. (Thats probably why they made a movie, out of the book). So far, Thomas has been in an elevator, or lift, or something, and ended up in this weird place, called Glade.  It has a farm,  and even has a pen with animals in it.

         I would have to describe Thomas, as courageous. He doesn't remember anything, but still keeps his head up. He ended in a place he knows nothing about, with people that he doesn't know. I think that Thomas has a lot of courage to do what he thinks he needs to do. Thomas thinks that not everyone excepts him just yet. When Thomas get to Glade, he thinks of himself as an outsiders.  As he goes on he makes a friend. So far, his only friend, Chuck.

         Thats all I read. :) I'll tell you when I read more!! :D

Lemon Brown

      My first thought I got when I read the first page is, that Greg's Dad is too hard on him. But does it because he cares. I kind of thought that his dad would let him go on with his life, and NOT relate to himself. But then again, by relating to his dad, he has motivation to keep going to do what his dad didn't, and make him proud. In the end, Greg ran away. I don't think that this was the worst solution. But it definitely wasn't the best. Greg could have talked with his dad, instead of running away. The reaction I had when Greg found a 'house'/'apartment' and went inside, because a storm was beginning. I think that the 'house' could be dangerous and that he might get hurt.

   The story really showed me that, some homeless people can be nice, and warm-hearted. Greg was NOT homeless, since he ran away for like, an hour or two. I think that Greg really learned his lesson, when he met Lemon. Lemon, basically, showed him the life of a homeless person. Not a lot of food, dangerous people, and the hardness of letting go, when your homeless, and don't have anyone to help you. By the end of this story, Greg learned his lesson about what he can do to make sure he lives a happy life, and that is to stay happy, and make the people around him happy.

Go Ask Alice Summary and Review

                   Oh my god! This was an amazing book that really got to me. It was heart felt, and sad, and just so amazing. This girl is so deep. She talks about her mistakes, what she could've done better, and what she shouldn't of done. Theres also love, and a lot of forgiveness. I think that this is one of the best book I have read. it really kept me on my toes. And every time I finished reading a few of her 'dates' I kept wanting to read and read and read to find out what happens in the end. It just really keeps you interested.

                This book is about a girl, doesn't say the name, and she's quiet and doesn't really have friends after she moves. Then over summer break she goes to her Grandma and Grandpa's and does something she never thought she would do. She tried drugs. After that one night, things go down from there. She runs away, multiple times, and just gets into trouble. A lot. This girl has such a hard life. She goes through things a girl at her age, 15-16, shouldn't go through. Yet she still smiles, gets through another day, and keeps on living. She has such a hard life, and I am happy to say I read it. I read basically, HER life.

              I highly recommend this book to teens, mostly because it has big words, and drugs involved so I wouldn't think its appropriate to ages 11 and down. Its a very 'forward' topic and has other 'forward' topics that are very hard to talk about. This is a very mature book/diary and should be read by kids/teens who can handle its maturity.

5 STARS :)

The Fault in Our Stars Summary and Review

          The Fault in Our Stars was a hilarious, sad, amazing, yet riveting book. It was really good and very descriptive. The way that John Green, the writer, explained everything so clearly and really made it seem real. I have no idea how he thought to write about 2 cancer kids falling in love, in Indiana. I know I would never of thought of that. He tells how Hazel Grace Lancaster goes to support group and meets Isaac and his best friend Augustus Waters. Gus is funny, charming, and witty. He always has a smile on his face, mostly around Hazel, and makes sure he's happy, even though he has one leg.

          The Fault in Our Stars shows the life of Hazel Grace, in her point of view, and her view of life. At 13 she was diagnosed with Thyroid stage 4. This stage of Thyroid, makes it so she need this little canal to breathe out of. She also carries an oxygen tube so that she can breathe through the tube. Her perspective changes when she meets Augustus Waters. He really takes her breath away. Augustus Waters, has one leg, but uses a prosthetic. As the book goes on Hazel and Gus start to fall in love. They go to Amsterdam, and experience things they never thought they would. When they get back, and they think that things will be better. But it just goes down hill.

I think that, The Fault in Our Stars is a great book, and I highly recommend it to everyone who knows they will like it. Also, don't worry if you've already seen the movie, it will just help you see things more clearly and imagine, the scene better and picture what is happening in you're mind