Splintering

                This six weeks I read Splintering by Eireann Corrigan, copyrighted in 2004, the book is a work of fiction about what happens to a family after a traumatic break in happens. The story begins with a flashback from the youngest sister describing how her and her mother had to barricade the door with bookshelves while on the phone with 911 while her sister tries to shatter the window in hopes that someone will notice and help them. The rest of the story, with exception of other flashbacks which helps you understand what happened to the rest of the family during the attack, talks about the aftermath of what happens to the family through the words of Jeremey, the middle child, and Paulie, the youngest. I think the overall theme of the book is that no matter what happens your family will always be there for you.
               
                The book is told in free verse poem told from first person point of view by brother and sister Jeremy and Paulie.  The intended audience for this story is  for teens who enjoy reading realistic fiction.  The genre of the book is realistic fiction and the author keeps the book really realistic  having the characters deal with normal real teen problems and dealing with sex, drugs, and alcohol. The author also makes the book realistic with having the family dealing with the hardships of what happens with a dysfunctional lifestyle. after a traumatic accident. The author keeps you interested in the book by having the switching point of views because the two characters don't have the same expireances so you understand what both of them go through instead of in a one person narrative book you only get to read for that person. Her  style is very effective for her intended audience because the reader stays interested, especially if the reader enjoys poetry. 

                 Every time I read this book it gives me chills because of how good it is, the book always makes me thankful for my amazing family and how lucky I am. I don't think this book really changes any of my views but I learned that if someone high of PCP ever breaks into my house that I should immediately call 911 and lock myself in a room that they can't get into. 

                I think this book is fantastic and I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys reading about realistic situations, but I wouldn't suggest it to anyone who has a problem with profanity, drug use, and sex because then I don't think they would enjoy the book as much. 

TAYLOR BRICE
12/19/2013

                     Mocking Jay is the final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The genre of this would have to be Sci-Fi with all the futuristic weapons and governments. The copyright date is 2010 and this is another post apocalyptic book where the government has separated America into what used to be 12 districts but to obtain the power the government, better known as the Capital, must have two people from every district fight to the death in an arena. When Katniss is drawn to go to the annual Hunger Games she starts to realize that being drawn is her chance to over throw the government. In this part of the trilogy is when the whole plan of overthrowing comes together as Katniss leads all the districts to fight back.

                   This story is told by first point of view by the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen as it shows her making further steps to make a movement for everyone to overthrow the Capital. The intended audience is teenagers because it has sappy love triangles and violence and death which maybe to adult for some kids. This book is in the Sci-Fi genre as it has futuristic weapons and vehicles in a post apocalyptic time line. This book is good for me because I am all over Sci-Fi/Fantasy books like mice on cheese. I love futuristic warfare or aliens and all that nerdy stuff. The author honestly didn't keep me very interested at all, this story starts to get bland about half way through the book. I wish love wasnt such a major factor in books i thought were action packed...But I do understand how most teenage girls would love this book and I think Suzanne did a great job reaching the intended audience.

                  Mocking Jay had no major effect on me. Like I said previously this story has lost its pizzazz, nothing too exciting anymore, it is very predictable and sappy and I didn't care for anything like that. The only thing this changed was how i truly realized Suzanne Collins is not as great of an author as she is idolized to being. The memory this brought to me was in second grade when I wrote better books than this. And yes I do know I am completely downing this book but I honestly do not think this is a good book. 

                 This book was not a good read for me. I think Suzanne could have at least written some more advanced literature in this but she is clearly incapable of doing this. I do not recommend this for advanced readers or teenage boys, let alone some teenage girls. I sincerely hope Suzanne can redeem herself with another book if she chooses to write anymore books.

Zach Friedlander

12/18/13

RATING:***3/5

All The Pretty Horses

All The Pretty Horses was written by Cormac McCarthy copyright 1992.  This book is a romantic novel about a man who falls deeply in love with a farmer’s daughter.  The book beings with 16-year-old John Grady Cole attending his grandfather’s funeral.  He soon starts his journey to Mexico searching for a new life.  Throughout his journeys, John Grady searches for a new life and his independence takes over as he becomes a hero.

The author uses second person to draw the reader into John Grady’s life.  On his way to a new life in Mexico, John and his best friend and companion, Lacey Rawlins encounter a 13-year-old boy named Jimmy Blevins.  When they arrive at a Ranch John instantly falls in love with the owner’s daughter, Alejandra.  The intended audience of this book is for young adult readers.  This realistic fiction book is not based on a true story.  The author keeps the reader interested by adding suspense and excitement.  The author’s style use old fashioned literature to create a feel and setting of the west and Mexico. 

This book affected me by showing me a love story between mixed cultures.  It does not change any ideas I held before but it does fit in with my own personal world view.  I think that there is nothing bad about different cultures coming together.  All the Pretty Horses didn’t remind me of another book; it is unique to its style but shares a common theme across many books. 

I liked this book and it had a meaningful story behind it.  Parts of the book were written in Spanish helping with the realistic idea of the setting.  I recommend this book for readers who enjoy action and romance as well as the west.

Lila Kirkendall

12/18/2013

RATING: **** 4/5

The Two Towers

I read the Two Towers this six weeks it is a fantasy fiction novel. It was written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was published in 1954, it is the second book of three. The book takes place in a fantasy world known as Middle Earth. In this story you follow two different groups of people there is Frodo and Sam who were on there quest to destroy the One Ring. The other group is Aragon, Legolos, and Gimly and there journey to save there two friends Pippin and Mary who had been captured by Orcs and the Battle of Helms Deep. I think that the them of the Two Towers is the power of friendship. In the adventure all of the characters are reliant on there friends to watch their backs and to come to their aid.

The story is told from a third person point of view. I believe this because throughout the story they don't often use "you" or "I" they were only used in dialog. I  think that the audience of this book is anyone from ages fifteen and up because it has some slightly difficult vocabulary and a complex story line that may be hard for younger audiences to follow. The book kept me interested from the beginning to the end but it did get slow at some points. So if you have a short attention span i do not recommend that you read this novel but if you are determined to enjoy this book you should skip one or two pages of it gets slow.

This Novel is most certainly a fantasy novel because there are elves, orc, dwarves, and other creatures present. The entire book in general is great from the huge battles to the breath taking views that Tolkien writes of are mesmerizing. Although to read any work of Tolkien that relates to Middle Earth you will be required to have a vast imagination and a will to believe in magic. 

Tyler Coover
Mr. Lankford
Rating
  *****    5/5

The Hunger Games

 The Hunger Games

The book I chose was Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a action/adventure book, and was publish in 2008. It is about a country that has 12 districts and they have the hunger games for their entertainment. They choose 2 kids from each district to compete. In the Hunger Games they chose Katniss and Peeta. I think the theme is stand up for yourself. 

This book is told in 3rd person who is focused on Katnisses point of view. When Katniss and Peeta are chosen, they compete in the Hunger Games trying not to get killed. They face many challenges, but finally win. The intended audience is for young adult readers. The genre is action and adventure, because it is action packed and always keeping me on my toes. This book really kept me interested a lot. I was very into the book all the way through it. The author style was very well written. i think others would be very interested in the book. 

It kept me reading all the time. I knew it was a good book, but I really wanted to read it. It was a very good book. I think that the world may come to live like this one day. So this fits in with my world view. It didn't really bring up any memories.

The book was terrific!! I enjoyed this book a lot. It was very well written. I recommend this book a lot. I thought the book was very detailed and descriptive. It would be a good book for you if you like adventures book. 

Ryan Ramsay
12/18/13
Rating: ***** 5/5

Catching Fire

For this six weeks I read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.  It was first copyrighted in 2009.  This book is fiction and is about Katniss Everdeen having to go back into the hunger games.  Katniss won the 74th Hunger Games and this year she will have to go back into the arena to fight in the 75th Hunger Games.  She has to go back into the arena because every 25 years there is a twist on the reaping.  The overall theme of this book is bravery because Katniss has to be brave to get out alive and save her partner Peeta.


The story is told by Katniss in first person.  When Katniss is in the arena her only goal is to keep Peeta, her partner from district 12, alive.  When they are in the arena they become allies with Finnick and Mags.  Mags and Peeta are weak when posinous gas comes and Finnick can't carry both of them so Mags kills herself so Finnick can help Peeta.  The intended audience is kids our ages.  This book is fiction because none of this ever happened and it is not based off a true story.  The author kept me interested because she always kept adding more suspense and it made me want to keep reading.  The author's style is sad but exciting at the same time.  This is somewhat affective to the book because even though there are sad parts you want to keep reading because you know something exciting is going to happen.


This book affected me because it was talking about Katniss' district and how everyone was starving and didn't have any food or anything and this showed me that I need to be grateful for what I have.  It didn't change ideas I already had.  It fits in with my views on the world because I know not everyone has as much as I do.  When I was reading this book I did not think of any other book.  This book was really unique and that is why I liked it.


I really liked how the author always kept unexpected things coming and how the ending was very unpredictable.  I would recommend this book to people who like action or fighting because this book has that.  Also people that like love stories would like this too, because Katniss has a love life in it.


Rachel Nabers
12/18/13
Rating:*****4/5

Callum Harralson- Hunger Games

     This is a book called Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a Action- Adventure novel,  which was first published in 2008. This book is about a country that has a competition that has tributes fight to the death in a game. The general plot of this book is a girl, Katniss, is reaped into the "Hunger Games" and she wins along with a fellow tribute. The theme of this book is to stand up for what is right.

     This story is told through third person, but you are able to here the thoughts of Katniss, as she is the main character. I think the intended audience for this book is teenagers who haven't read or heard of Battle Royale, as it is a copy of it. The genre of this book would have to be action. It starts out slow but eventually when you get to "The Games" it picks up and there is a lot of fighting. At first the author, Suzanne Collins, did not keep my interested, but later into the book I was very interested with the action happening in the competition. The authors style is probably the same style as a 7th grade writer, as there are few uses of good vocabulary. 

     This book affected me by making me agree with Vankford, as this book is a copy of the less popular Battle Royale. After reading, I thought that if it hadn't been a copy of something else, it would be a great read, but it did not live up to these simple standards. This book definitely brings back memories of Battle Royale.

     I will have to negatively criticize this book, as it copies something else, but I would still recommend this book. It is very interesting and action- packed, but still not original.

Callum Harralson

12/18/13

Rating: *** 3/5

 

          The book that I read this six weeks is called Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz.  The first copyright date of this book is in 2011.  This book is a spy book with a lot of action and a little bit of drama.  The general subject matter of this book is about a 15 year old kid named Alex trying to save the world or a big disaster.  Some important information that you I should give you before I continue is that Alex is a spy that mainly works for MI6.  He has gone a lot of missions before this so this won't be new to him and he has a house keeper named Jack. Another important piece of information that you should know is that Scorpia is a terrorist organization made up of rich people and they really do not like Alex. This book is separated into two parts but the second part is the most important so that's what I'll mainly be talking about.  The first part is about Scorpia and how they are going to steal the Elgin marbles and return them to there home country, Greece and how they are going to kill the secretary of state.  The second part in the beginning Alex gets shot at by a sniper then MI6 send him to Cairo where he'll be safe but he just has to spy on this guy named Erik Gunter.  Then in the middle he gets caught by Scorpia and he has to watch he housekeeper die trying to escape.  Then in the end he escapes from Scorpia and stops them from shooting the U.S. secretary and he destroys there whole plan.  The overall theme of this book is enjoy what you have while you have it because it never last forever.

          In the first part of the story a guy from scorpia goes and meets with this other guy from Greece and he tells him that he wants the Elgin marbles returned to Greece there home town.  Then after that Scorpia starts working on there plan to do that which involves killing the U.S. secretary and blaming it on Alex.  In the exposition of the second part Alex almost gets killed by the sniper and for his safety they send him to Cairo but on one condition and that condition is he has to spy on this guy named Erik Gunter.  In the rising action there's a part where while following Erik Gunter onto a floating mall, the mall blows up and starts to sink and then he gets arrested by the CIA and then he tells them most of what has happened to him.  After that he and Jack get captured by Scorpia and they get sent to one of Scorpias remote bases out in the desert.  After a little while of being there Alex has to watch Jack die trying to escape.  The climax of the story is when Alex escapes from Scorpia and stops the sniper from shooting U.S. secretary.  The falling action is when Alex and a few other special operation forces take down the scorpia fort and they kill a executive board member of Scorpia.  The resolution of the strory is that all of \Scorpias plan to bring the Elgin marbles back to Greece failed.  Also since Alexs housekeeper died he has no one else to live with so his girlfriend's parents in America come and Adopt him.  The intended audience for this book are for people who like a lot of action some drama.  The general genre of this book is fantasy fiction and adventure.  The author kept me interested in this book because it had a lot of details while making it really suspenseful at the same time.  The authors style is having a lot of action in his books and I think his style is really effective for his audience. 
          The book affected me because I used to think spying would be really fun but after reading this and seeing what could happen to you I don't want to be a spy anymore.  I did not change any ideas I held with it.  This book brought up memories of the other books I have read of the Alex Rider series and other books Anthony Horowitz has wrote.  Also it brings up memories up the I'm Number Four series also.
          I really loved all the detail he put into this book and how he made the book very suspenseful.  I recommend this book to people who like books that are violent and really suspenseful.

Andrew Butler
  12/18/13
Rating **** 4/5

Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies

         I have recently read Lord of the Flies by William Golding that was copyrighted in 1954 and is a fictional book. The book is about some boys that were in a plane crash on an island and how they tried to create a civilized society without any adults. In the book there was also a lot of fights about control and leadership. The overall theme of the book was civilized kids put into a uncivilized situation with no rules.

         This story was told in 3^rd person and the narrator talks in a detailed fashion. At the beginning the kids had to elect a leader and they had to choose between Ralph and Jack. Ralph one but appointed Jack as head of the choir boys that mainly were the hunters. The intended audience is any one who likes the outdoors or is interested how kids will react without rules. The books general field is an allegory; the book fits into an allegory because it revels a hidden message. The author keeps me interested in this book because the narrator talks in great detail so I feel like I’m there. The author’s style was calm and descriptive then I changed to dramatic and high on enthusiasm, it was good for the intended audience.

         This book affected me because I like to sometimes think about what I would do if I were alone on an island and the book gave me some cool dreams about that. The book changed my idea of what I would do first if I was stranded on an island and that would now be make a high elevation fire. It fits in with my view of life that adventure is good for you. This book reminded me of a book I read when I was in the forth grade called hatchet.

         I would like to praise the author for making the book a huge adventure that was told so you can see what multiple people were doing. I would recommend this book any one who likes adventure.

Zac Schulwolf

12/17/13

RATING: **** 4/5

Flipped

                 Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen, copyright in 2001, is a fictional love story about a boy and a girl who never like each other at the same time. Juli Baker instantly falls for Bryce Loski, and continues to for over half a decade, but the thing is, all Bryce wants to do is avoid her. Then things change, and right when she's over him, Bryce finally sees how special Juli is. The overall theme of this novel is unrequited love.

                         Flipped is told in a very interesting way.  The characters are talking about their own experience for what is happening in the story. Every time an event takes place, one chapter is about Bryce's thoughts on it, and the next other chapter is about Juli's. The point of view is first person for both characters. To summarize, Juli was in love with Bryce from the first time they met as second graders, and he just saw her as annoying. Later on, someone made hurtful comments on Juli's handicapped uncle, and when Bryce was not the man who stood up for them, Juli's love for  Bryce just vanished. Then the tables turned, and Bryce was so caught up with someone madly in love with him that when she stopped, he almost longed for that feeling again. This is intended for middle or high schoolers, but could be read by almost anyone. This is a juvenile nonfiction book about love that is expressed over and over. The way the author kept switching back and forth from different perspectives kept it very interesting.

                            This book had an affect on me because it was not a basic story, it had a twist. It kept me intrigued, and it was very influential when Juli stopped liking someone she had liked for years because he could not stand up for others. This changed the way I see the world because I can understand now why family and friends and respecting family and friends is very important. This did not remind me of anything I've read in the past, but this definitely makes me want to read more of the genre, and more by this author.

                                  In my opinion, this is an enjoyable and easy read type of book. I almost want to read it again. I especially loved the way the chapters are set up, it gives real feeling to how both characters experience the situation. I would recommend this book to other middle schoolers and people who like romance and comedy.

Zoe Jaye

12.17.13

RATING: ***** 5/5

Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception

                Artemis Fowl the Opal Deception by Erin Colfer is the 3rd book in the Artemis Fowl series.  It was first copyrighted in 2005 and is a fictional book about an arch-nemisis of the LEP (as well as Artemis), Opal Koboi has awoken from a coma.  In this book it's up to Artemis to save the LEP from direct contact to the human world, as Opal has threatened to introduce fairies to humans where in theory there would be a war, and Opal could take advantage of both sides to then become the ultimate dictator.  The main theme of this book is always be aware of your actions, for they can and will come back around at you. 

                       The author writes in the 3rd person while he shows the internal and external struggles between characters and finds ways for you to have personal connections with the characters to help you stay interested. A year earlier after Artemis helped capture Opal and secure her in LEP custody, the LEP thought Artemis to be a threat and decided to erase all memories of fairies from Artemis's memories.  Captain Holly Short and Commander Root are the only ones that Opal is alive because she has tricked them into entering a building that has turned off all communications to the other LEP officers.  Opal kills Commander Root and Holly is forced to leave the fairy world and sets off to find Artemis. She manages to jog his memory and together, they walk their way through Opal's obstacle courses while the fate of both worlds are in their hands.  I would say that this book is open for all ages, but kids from age 10-18 might find this series a bit more intriguing.  This book's genre is fiction, but then again could be realistic fiction because there could be a fairy world but no one would know about it because of the fairies' camouflage technology.  The book is structured on the fairies being able to shield themselves from humans, and have their own ways of getting around so that the humans won't be able to see them.  Which makes sense if you think about it in real life.  The author keeps me interested with this book by constantly coming up with little conflicts that all tie into the one big conflict, or in other words the main part of the book which in this case is Opal's diabolical plan for world domination.  The author's style is like I said before constantly intriguing the reader with little conflicts that are connected with the main conflict, he also has a sense of humor which is always nice when you come along reading a book.  This style of writing is often very effective with teens reading these types of books.

                  This book affects me by me being more aware of how I treat people.  In the book this goes both ways.  Artemis and the LEP ruined Opal's life in a way, so she wants revenge on them.  But at the same time Opal is humiliating Artemis, Holly and Foaly so that drives them to further imprison Opal.  This book has helped me change my attitude towards really thinking about what you say before you say them because even if you think that that particular person isn't going to matter if you diss them or insult them, but in actuality they're going to come right around and get you.  It makes me think how many times something similar to what happened in this book happens in real life and how people just need to realize think before you speak, or to remember the golden rule and if you do that how much of a difference you can make.  Reading this book of course reminded me of the other books in the Artemis Fowl series but other than that I don't think that there is really that much of a connection between other books I've read and this one.

                     In this book Erin Colfer really keeps turning the pages because of his talent to always set up an insane cliff hanger to where you just can't wait to find out what happens.  I think that is an important quality of authors to have because people aren't going to read your books if they have no reason to carry on or their interest level is zero.  I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good storyline, adventure, and a few jokes along the way. 

Daniel McCorquodale

12/17/13

5/5 *****

Paintings From the Cave: Three Novellas

        For this six weeks I read Paintings From the Cave: Three Novellas by Gary Paulsen, published in 2011. It is a realistic fiction book that deals with three troubled kids, and how they use dogs and art to get them through their lives. Within the book, the novella I found the most interesting was the last one, 'Erik's Rules.' In 'Erik's Rules,' a boy named Jamie and his older brother run away from their home after their grandpa (who they had been living with) gets very sick and is put in a nursing home. They live without a home for about two years, and the story is about how they survive and find a new, real home. The overall theme of this novella suggests how the love for dogs and art make life more tolerable.
         This novella is told from a first person point of view, Jamie, who is living with his older brother, Erik. They move around from place to place, living somewhere or with someone different almost every month, with no permanent home. One day when Jamie goes to a nearby dog park to sketch the dogs there, a man named Greg comes up to him and asks him to draw pictures of the dogs at the humane society where he works. Jamie reluctantly agrees and goes the next day. Greg becomes Jamie's friend, and lots of great things happen once he starts drawing for the humane society. Jamie gets paid for his drawings, Greg finds an apartment that they can live in, Jamie enters an art competition, and adopts a loving old dog that he names Annie Oakley.
        The intended audience for this book is teens and older children. The general genre is realistic fiction, and it relates to my life, because I like dogs and art. I have two dogs of my own, which were also adopted from the humane society, and in my spare time I enjoy doodling in a journal. Gary Paulsen keeps the reader intrigued by making the lives of the children harsh. The lifestyles add another level of suspense and action. The author's style includes melancholy characters that become joyful when they're with a dog, or doing something they love. This writing style is definitely effective for the intended audience.
        This book affected me, because I never really realized that when you don't have much, the love of something is very important. It also changed my idea of how dogs feel about people. It made me think that dogs love more eternally than humans do. This reflects my personal views on the world, because I knew that dogs loved humans, but now I know that their love is deeper and stronger than any love that humans could ever achieve. This book brought up memories of The Call of the Wild, because they both reveal the affections people have for dogs.
        Paintings From the Cave was a very appealing book. It really gave a clear understanding of talents and loves and how they affect children. I didn't think that I would like it at first, but once I read the entire thing, I saw the true meaning of it.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes art and dogs, and who is interested in the lives of the troubled children.

Madden Wilson

12/17/13

**** 4/5 stars   

Catching Fire

Catching Fire book blog

     This six weeks i read the book Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins this is apart of the hunger games series.  This fictional book was first copyrighted in 2009.  Catching Fire takes place in a world called Panem (formally the United States of America.)  Every year to punish the citizens and remind them that they have complete power over them the Capitol which is the head city of all Panem selects one boy and one girl tribute from the districts.  These Tributes are forced to fight to the death against the other tributes at the expense of the entire Panem.  Last year Peeta and Katniss wear the two tributes from district 12 and also the victors of the 74th hunger games.  But Katniss and Peeta are not in the clear yet, every twenty five years there is something called the quarter quell and this is when there is a special twist to the games.  This year the winning tributes from previous years have to return and fight to the death once more.  Katniss and Peeta are thrown out into the arena once again to fight to the death.  

     The story is told from the point of view of Katniss Everdeen, the main character.  And the author is on the side of the people of Panem who do not like the capitols harsh punishment.  I think that the intended audience is teenagers and young adults who like a lot of action and excitement.  Catching fire is a fiction book because there is not really a land called Panem where the government makes people fight tot the death.  Suzanne Collins keeps you interested in the book by filling it to the brim with excitement and plot twist that keep you turning the pages and wanting more.  I think that this style of action packed writing works well with the intended audience of teenagers because it keeps their minds always busy so they do not doze off.  

     The book made me feel bad for the people of Panem which makes me feel bad for countries that do not have a fair government like the United States.  This book reminds me of Mary Lu's book Legend because the governments in the two books are very similar because they have secrets that they hide from the public and they are very unfair.  

     I think that this book is really good because it is really interesting and it is a good sequel to Suzanne Collins first book the hunger games.  I think this book is really good because it is action packed and never leaves you bored.  I would defiantly recommend this book to someone who likes fiction and lots of excitement. 

Nick Brocato

12/17/13

Rating **** 4/5 

Spud by jon van de ruit

This six weeks, I read a book called Spud. The author of this book is Jon van De Ruit. This book was first published in 2005. The genre of this book would be realistic fiction. In this book, the main character John Milton or "spud" lives in Durban  South Africa. It is 1990 and Nelson Mandela has just been released. It is Spud's first year at a High School Just for boys.  His parents, to make everything just a little better, are some what crazy. His dad is a paranoid lunatic afraid of getting his money and merchandise stolen and his mother is crazy over protective. His grandmother on the other hand is completely senile. During the story, she begins to lose her memory of everything and goes crazy. During Spud's first week at the all boys dorm, he begins to realize that along with his family, his new room mates are crazy as well. Eventually, he gets used to his new surroundings, and learns how to adapt to his new friends. With room mates Gecko, Rambo, Rain Man, Mad Dog, Boggo, Simon, Fatty and Spud, all come together to form the "Crazy Eight". Throughout the book, the Crazy Eight go on crazy adventures breaking the rules, playing rugby, acting and occasionally reading.

This book is told in the first person point of view. The author writes the story as if Spud is writing in a journal. He keeps track of the different dates and times that certain events happened. Eventually, when spud goes on break, the author lists off the most exciting events that happened to Spud and his room mates. Throughout the book, the author follows the crazy eight through their adventures and daily life. The intended audience would definitely be for an older audience for eighth graders or seventh graders. I think this because there is some inappropriate things in the book. The genre of the book would be realistic fiction and/or historical fiction. I said this because  the author includes some things about the release of Nelson Mandela. Spud's parents talk about Mandela a majority of times. The rest of the book would fit into realistic fiction. This is because some things in the book obviously did not actually happen.  The author kept me interested by having the crazy eight endure in new crazy adventures like night swimming and food fights.

This book affected my view on boarding schools and especially all boys schools. This book did change my idea on people going to boarding schools. It showed me that even though you are away from your parents, you can still have fun at school.  This book did not bring up any past memories of other books I have read.

I  especially like the writing style of the author. I found it interesting how he used more of a journal format than an actual book. I think that he could have put a little more dialogue throughout the story. A lot of the story was descriptive. This however, did not change my view on the story. I would give the story three out of five stars. I think this because the author could have been a little less descriptive, and pay more attention to the dialogue.

John Jones

12/17/13

3/5 stars

 

Perks of being a wallflower

    The book I choose this last six weeks was The Perks of Being A Wallflower. The author of this book is Stephen Chbosky and the first copyright date of the book was in February 1999. I think the type of book is a teen drama, but it actually is a young adult literature fiction novel. The plot of the book is a 15 year old who is a freshman in highschool who has a mental illness. Charlie the freshman has fallen in love with a senior named Sam who is one of his only friends (other the Patrick her stepbrother). Patrick and Sam two seniors take Charlie in while he griefs over the loss of his best friend Michael. Charlie then gets to experience a whole new life with his English teacher Ben and his few friends beside him. I think the overall them of the book is maybe friendship or really knowing who you are.
    The Perks of Being A Wallflower is told through Charlie a fifteen year old freshman who had gone through a tragedy of loosing his favorite Anut. Charlie explains his freshman year through letters he wrights to an anonymous person. I think the intended audience of this book is for teens or young adults (even though my mother read it). The author kept me interested in this book just by the way he made Charlie speak. The way Charlie spoke was soft and sweet and with every word he said was honest and lovely.
    I think the book effected me on how detailed and emotional it was. I didn't really relate to it in any certain way. I might have been to young to have something in common with this book because it had lots to do with advanced relationships. No of my ideas changed throughout the book. My personal view of the world is based on school and this book fits in with that because it at a high school with kids only one to five years older then me going through their own problems. To be honest I haven't really read any other books then ones I'm forced to read in class and even then I read like one or two chapters of the book before I "forget" to read it. So no, no memories have been remembered though this book.
    I praise the qualities of this book because it's well written and it's the only book I've ever read the whole thing and actually liked it. My recommendation on this book would for others to read it because it's so great. Why it's so great is that it's a well thought out story of a young guy with real world problems.

Jordan Avra
10/16/13
***** 5/5
 

Game Changers

 Game Changers is a novel by Mike Lupica. It is was published in February of 2013. It is about middle school basketball and focuses on the ups and downs of a typical season. The book is meant for 8th graders, but a sixth grader could easily understand it.

  The author wrote the book in a first person point of view, using Ben Mcbain to tell the story. Ben, a 12 year old, is the main character of the story. He is somewhat short, but has a fierce drive to succeed.  The book focuses mainly on Ben and his team's season, which is a roller coaster ride. The middle school crowd is Lupica's intended audience, judging from the simple sentence structures and lack of subtlety. This book is a sports novel. The book fits in to this genre because it is all about the sport of basketball and the struggle to prevail. Lupica kept me interested by writing a book I could relate to because I play basketball, and because I am short, just like Ben. This was an important connection I could make, otherwise, I would have just turned the book back into the library. Unfortunately  Lupica writes in a monotonic style. He uses the same phrases and metaphors over and over again, at times driving the reader nuts. This style is not effective, but the plot is so interesting, and cancels out the repetitive language.

 Game Changers did hardly affected me at all, it was just another book that I completed. Since the book is about basketball, it didn't really change my world view, as basketball is not very important. But it did teach me how to be a better sportsman than I already am. The book definitely brought up memories of other books I have read. I have read most if not all of Mike Lupica, and the storyline is the exact same as all the other books he has written. He always writes about a boy who plays a sport, and has the odds stacked against him. The boy always has a best friend that is an athletic girl, and a loyal teammate who he usually hurts in some way, until he apologizes.

 This book is not overly spectacular, but is somewhat enjoyable. It is not the best sports book I have read, nor is it the worst. It was simply mediocre. I would recommend this book to someone who loves basketball, as someone who doesn't might not enjoy the book.

Jacob Chapman 12/16/13

Final Rating: 3/5 ***

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a historical fiction novel set in colonial New England in 1687. The protagonist, Kit, is a sixteen-year-old girl who moves from her beloved home in tropical Barbados to live with her aunt and her family in the seemingly dreary colony of Connecticut. Kit’s free-spirited and headstrong personality begins to stir up trouble in the strict Puritan society, especially when she befriends the local old widow accused of being a witch. When she stands up for her beliefs through tough times and situations, she begins to find a place in the world and discovers who she truly loves. The theme of this book is to always follow your heart, no matter what society says, because in the end you will always be happier.

            This story is told in third person through the eyes of Kathrine Tyler, or Kit. Trouble begins when Kit’s strong will and heart clash with the world of the Puritans, but eventually it brings her happiness and love. I think the intended audience is teens and young adults because the main characters and conflicts involve issues many teens go through. The genre is historical fiction because although the story is set in a real time in history with a few characters that actually lived, the plot line and most of the characters were made up. The author kept me interested throughout the novel by writing through the newcomer Kit’s eyes so I experienced the confusion and dreariness of the Puritan society. She also added many plot twists and events that kept my attention. The author’s style is sophisticated and informative yet intriguing and well-written. I think it is effective because it hooks the reader and provides an air of mystery.

            This book was very interesting to me because I have been learning about Puritans in the American colonies in U.S. history class. It also showed me how following your heart will always lead to good things in the end. At first Kit believes that she should marry a man because his wealth will ensure that she doesn’t work like a slave, but soon comes to find that “there is no escape unless love is present”. The Witch of Blackbird Pond reminded me of a book I once read called Felicity, in which a young girl’s dreams go against colonial American society’s beliefs.

            The Witch of Blackbird Pond was very well written with lots of emotion and had a captivating plot line with an important moral message. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an inspiring and romantic story.

                                              Emily Fonken

                                                 12/15/13

                                           RATING: ***** 5/5