Hex Hall

 Hex Hall

 Daisy F.

    "Hex Hall" by Rachel Hawkins was an outstanding!!! Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put the book down. What makes this book amazing is all the twists in the book. You believe it will end in one way but it will in a completely different way. You soon then feel a way towards the characters towards the book.
    The part everyone loves to know is what was the book about. In general, the book s about a 16 year old girl who has to transfer to a different school. When I mean different I mean completely different! That school is called Hecate Hall but they call it Hex Hall for short She is transferred to Hecate Hall which is filled with faeries, werewolves, witches, warlocks, shape shifters. Although there is a vampire at her school, whom she becomes friends with. She has been sent there because of a spell mishap. There she learns a few things along the way meanwhile she is at that school. 
    "Hex Hall" has a few main characters. The most important character would most definitely be a 16 year old girl named Sophie. She is also know as Sophia, either one goes. Then you have her friend named Jenna. Jenna is a vampire and there are not many of her kind in the school. You also have the coven of witches. In that coven there are three girls names Elodie, Anna, and Chaston. You also have Ms. Casnof who is the director/ principle of the school. Ms. Casnof is also a witch. Lastly, you have Archer. Archer is a warlock (male witch) and has an interesting part towards the end. You do also have some other characters along the way but they will be revealed throughout the book.
    "Hex Hall" is a fast read and I would really recommend it to anyone who likes to read. This is one of those book that will make you picture and image of what is happening throughout the book. I love the book and i believe that the author is going to make a series out of this book and I would most definitely read it. Do read this book it is amazing. Please comment if you have read the book or don't comment at all, either one is good!

Night

By Elie Wiesel

Review by Edan

            

            I have read many books in my life about the holocaust and have learned more than the average person about the subject. My grandfather is a holocaust survivor, and although I never got to meet him, I have learned his story. Most people do not have a clear understanding of the holocaust and we are losing the actual people who survived it. The only way to keep the information going around, and people seeing what happened to those who suffered is to publish books about them. Night is a story about an individual child who tells his story of survival in the holocaust. This book is an amazing and informative book which shows the hardships from the beginning.

            Elie is a young 13 year old boy who spent his childhood in the small town of Sighet in Transylvania. He is taken, along with his family, to concentration camp where he loses everything. The story catches everything a child would have gone through. All the catastrophic events that occurred to him vary from family, to labor, health, etc. This captures Elie’s story of the holocaust and has a true ending. Nothing was hidden about the holocaust in the book, such as the gruesome descriptions of the crematory, the screaming and smell of the camp.

            It is impossible to know the complete feeling that the Jews went through during the holocaust, and only those who have gone through the event can understand it. This book gives a clear explanation and has the many facts that occurred during the holocaust, whether it happened to him, or someone in his unit. No one can enjoy a book about on this topic, but I admit the book was interesting to read and made you feel like you were there. The book is descriptive, informative, and is meaningful. The book is an amazing capture of the story of a child through the holocaust and I highly recommend reading this book. 

The Book of Spells: A Private Prequel

Book Review of The Book of Spells: A Private Prequel

By: Ron

New York Times Bestselling author Kate Brian keeps you on the edge of your seat as she writes The Book of Spells: A Private Prequel. The book is a thrilling mystery novel of a girl who suddenly learns she has supernatural powers. The book follows Eliza and her friends through their lives at the Billings School for girls, an institution meant to prepare girls for the life they have ahead of themselves. Instead of another typically dull year, Eliza and her ten friends discover that magic is not just in fairy tales. With surprise endings, twists, and turns you will not want to put this book down, I certainly did not.

Eliza is a relatable character. Most of us know what it is like to be pressured by our parents. Imagine having so much pressure that you are forced to go to a school you hate and follow in your sister's footsteps.  This book also shows that ten completely different girls can get along. From rich families to girls who are athletic, it relates to real life and that sometimes we are put in situations that are not pleasant but we have to make the best of them. I enjoyed reading this book because it is relatable, but it is also unpredictable. The author shows us how history repeats itself in a tempting way that leaves you in awe. This book will keep you wanting more as well as waiting to find out how magic can take an unexpected toll on these character's lives. 

CA Read-a-Thon: Alina

Being a girl is … TOUGH

Especially when you’re me,
I’m Alina and my life is really tough.
It starts from boyfriends,
Friends, family & a whole lot more
I love my friends, but they piss me off sometimes …
They lie to my other friends, gossiping
And growing up is the worst.

The magazine I read talked about all the things about girls …
I felt really connected.
Because it talked about giving up on yourself,
And other things …
So be proud of who you are
Like I am.
Life is too short to hate it.
- Alina <3

The Curse of King Tut

This book The Curse of King Tut is, as the title says, about the supposed curse of King Tut. There are many deaths supposedly caused by the curse. All the deaths were of people who had something to do with the tomb. The first death attributed to the curse was that of George Herbert, Lord of Carnarvon. He started studying Egyptology while recovering from a nearly fatal car accident. He wanted to find a great tomb but was a poor archaeologist so he started financing the digs of Howard Carter. For five years Carter found nothing but a few ancient jars with Tut's name. Carter was convinced that Tut had been buried in the Valley of Kings after the discovery. Lord Carnarvon however was discouraged and told Carter he might stop financing the dig. Carter convinced him to finance it for one more season. Finally, on November 3, 1922 Howard found a tomb near that of Ramses IV. Layout of King Tut's Tomb http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/king-tut-tomb-1.gif Two weeks after sent a telegram to Lord Carnarvon in England he arrived. On November 24 Carter's workers cleared the debris from the entrance . Carter eventually saw the name Tutankhamen imprinted on the plastered doorway. The tomb was found nearly intact. They opened the tomb and entered the antechamber and found hundreds of ancient treasures. It took nearly 10 years to get all the treasures out because they needed careful handeling and care. Lord Carnarvon in Egypt http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Carnarvon.jpg Right after the opening of the tomb Lord Carnarvon went to Cairo to meet with the head of Egypt's Antiquities Service. On the way there he was bitten by a mosquito. The bite got infected and he fell ill with a high fever. He died on April 15, 1923. Other people who's deaths were attributed to the curse were those of George Jay Gould who took a tour of Tut's tomb. Another strange death was that of the Antiquites Service head, Mohammed Ibraham who died after getting hit by a car. Another notable death was that of Richard Bethell's father. Richard was Lord Carnarvon's secretary. His father committed suicide and while he was being taken to a crematorium his hearse struck and killed an 8 year old boy. For many years people have been looking for explanations for these deaths. Some suggest Egyptian magic. A notable explanation is that the Egyptians placed poisons in the tomb. The poison could have infected the items inside. That can explain the deaths of people who handled the artifacts but never even went to Egypt. These poisons could have been anything from quicksilver to arsenic. But many still believe it was the Pharaohs' curse. King Tut's Burial Mask http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/tutankhamun-golden-mask.jpg

Girl In a Cage

Ms. Bennett
6th Grade English
Room 14

"Girl In a Cage" by Jane Yolen is about the young daughter of Robert
Bruce, heir to the throne of Scotland, during the English reign of
King Edward the "Longshanks". Anyone who has seen the movie
"Braveheart" knows about the trouble between Scotland and England
during the early 1300's. The story picks up after Wallace's death and
is seen through the eyes of Robert's daughter, Marjorie, who is
growing up a princess to a country constantly under the threat of
invasion by the English. Told in flashbacks after she is taken
hostage and locked in a cage by by King Edward as bait for her
powerful father, she reveals to herself and to the people who come to
know her what it truly means to be a princess.

I loved this book not only because the characters were beautifully
written but because the historical reality of Marjorie's situation was
truly chilling. Jane Yolen kept me in suspense, wondering whether she
would be rescued or murdered by her father's greatest enemy.

Treasure Island

Dominic English period 2 One of the most interesting books that I have had the pleasure to read is Treasure Island by Robert Louise Stevenson. I was given this book to read by a seventh grade English teacher as an assignment. At first I was not excited that I had to read this book because the English dialect was difficult to understand. But once I started reading it I was lured by the conflict between characters and excitement throughout the story. I selected this book for this book review because it is an interesting and fun read that I would recommend to other students in middle school. The story is very detailed and it described in detail each characters identity. The two main characters in Treasure Island are Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver. The story goes deep into the relationship between these two characters describing a very complex love-hate relationship. In the story Long John befriends young Jim Hawkins all along plotting to betray his companion to get what he is looking for. In the story Long John Silver is a courageous man with one leg and a parrot on one shoulder, but he is a pirate none the less willing to do or say anything for his own survival, who had previously served on the notorious Captain Flints Ship. On the other hand, Jim Hawkins is a young boy troubled by the recent death of his father. Jim is also courageous and wiling to do whatever it takes for whatever is right in his mind. Long John and Jim are brought together by one thing their desire for treasure but in this search for treasure is a complicated relationship between the two that will draw any reader to the book. "He was plainly blind, for he tapped before him with a stick, and wore a great green shade over his eyes and nose; and he was hunched, as if with age or weakness, and wore a huge old tattered sea cloak with a hood, that made him appear positively deformed. I never saw in my life a more dreadful-looking figure" (Ch. III, pp. 28-29). This quote is a descriptive of Pew the blind beggar from Jim's perspective. I feel that it is importance because it shows the level of descriptiveness used throughout the book. Also this descriptiveness is what would draw most readers to this book, because it allows the reader to have a deep understanding of each character and scenario as if you knew them or were in the scene yourself. My rating systems has one apple as being the lowest rated reading material and meaning you should not read the book. Two apples means that it is an okay rated book and you might be interested in reading it. Three apples means that the book is a must read book for everyone. I chose apples as my rating system because Jim Hawkins is in the apple barrel hiding when he discovers that Long John Silver and his crew of pirates are going to try to take over the ship they are traveling on. Treasure Island is definitely a three apple. I recommend this book to everyone. It was interesting, fun to read, and it captures the reader and as the reader I wanted to read more. The plot and the conflict between characters captured me. In addition, I feel that this book allows you to understand the physical traits of the character and as much as their emotional traits. I really felt that I was inside each character. I feel that anyone who reads this book can draw these characters on paper because of the high level of detail. Reading this book was like being in the story yourself. It captured my imagination and I think it will capture any reader's imagination. I recommend this book to all audiences as it is a classic must read for everyone. The only warning I have is that the dialect is different but don't shy away from it because it helps the reader get into character, and it makes the storyline more interesting and fun to read.

Treasure Island

Dominic

English Period 2

Treasure Island 

One of the most interesting books that I have had the pleasure to read is Treasure Island by Robert Louise Stevenson.  I was given this book to read by a seventh grade English teacher as an assignment.  At first I was not excited that I had to read this book because the English dialect was difficult to understand.  But once I started reading it I was lured by the conflict between characters and excitement throughout the story.  I selected this book for this book review because it is an interesting and fun read that I would recommend to other students in=2 0middle school.  The story is very detailed and it described in detail each characters identity.

The two main characters in Treasure Island are Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver.  The story goes deep into the relationship between these two characters describing a very complex love-hate relationship.  In the story Long John befriends young Jim Hawkins all along plotting to betray his companion to get wh at he is looking for.  In the story Long John Silver is a courageous man with one leg and a parrot on one shoulder, but he is a pirate none the less willing to do or say anything for his own survival, who had previously served on the notorious Captain Flints Ship.  On the other hand, Jim Hawkins is a young boy troubled by the recent death of his father.  Jim is also courageous and wiling to do whatever it takes for whatever is right in his mind.  Long John and Jim are brought together by one thing their desire for treasure but in this search for treasure is a complicated relationship between the two that will draw any reader to the book.

"He was plainly blind, for he tapped before him with a stick, and wore a great green shade over his eyes and nose; and he was hunched, as if with age or weakness, and wore a huge old tattered sea cloak with a hood, that  made him appear positively deformed. I never saw in my life a more dreadful-looking figure" (Ch. III, pp.  28-29).  This quote is a descriptive of Pew the blind beggar from Jim's perspective.  I feel that it is importance because it shows the level of descriptiveness used throughout t he book. Also this descriptiveness is what would draw most readers to this book, because it allows the reader to have a deep understanding of each character and scenario as if you knew them or were in the scene yourself. 

My rating systems has one apple as being the lowest rated reading material and meaning you should not read the book.  Two apples means that it is an okay rated book and you might be interested in reading it.  Three apples means that the book is a must read book for everyone. 

 

20         -  Must Read

            -  Okay to Read

                -  Do not Read

 

I chose apples as my rating system because Jim Hawkins is in the apple barrel hiding when he discovers that Long John Silver and his crew of pirates are going to try to take over the ship they are traveling on.  Treasure Island is definitely a three apple. 

I recommend this book to everyone.  It was interesting, fun to read, and it captures the reader and as the reader I wanted to read more.  The plot and the conflict between characters captured me.  In addition, I feel that this book allows you to understand the physical traits of the character and as much as their emotional traits.  I really felt that I was inside each character.  I feel that anyone who reads this book can draw these characters on paper because of the high level of detail.  Reading this book was like being in the story yourself.  It captured my imagination and I think it will capture any reader's imagination. 

I recommend this book to all audiences as it is a classic must read for everyone.  The only warning I have is that the dialect is different but don't shy away from it because it helps the reader get into character, and it makes the storyline more interesting and fun to read.    

IT

Servellon, Alan
English, Period 2
September 13, 2009
 
"It"

The title of the book that I read a while ago is "It"
by Stephan King. I selected the book, because Stephan King
delivers horror books which I love. The reason I picked this
book from others, because once you read the first eight pages
you can't stop reading. And its about a monster.

The characters of the book are Bill Denbrough, which is
the older brother of George Denbrough. George Denbrough was
six years old, and his brother bill gave him a paper boat to
ride, so, he did. Later, a clown pops out which is named "
Pennywise the Dancing clown." he offers his boatback if he
reaches for, so, he did and something happens you should read.
Bill and his friends start getting weird flashbacks from the
past.

My favorite quote is " GET OUT!!!" Bill stands up to
some bullies with his friends. I fell the reason I picked this
because he was brave. At the beginning he was a wimp,but he was
brave which was awsome. Also the bullies bother them a lot,so I
thought that's why its important.

I would rate this book from 1 to 10. I would give it an
8, because it had those boring moments. Also, the book had a
lot of suspense sometimes. I would recommend it for you if you
don't get scared often. This book is good, but its scary, look
who's writing it Stephan King the horror guy. So, you should be
over 11 to read this if you want.

The reason I recommend this book is, because it has
some suspense. The book is horror which does have blood. Also,
it takes the kids into flashbacks from their past which you
could see what happens. In the story they change characters. I
recommend this book, because its by Stephan King.

EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me

The Capture

 

The Capture

 

I chose to do my book review on The Capture by Kathryn Lasky.  It is the first book in one of my most favorite series, The Guardians of Ga'Hoole. I chose this book because I read it in fourth grade and from that moment on, I was hooked. I loved every second of it and am currently reading the 10^th book in the series. I also decided to choose this book because I have many friends who enjoyed reading it as well. Even my little brother asks me to read it to him.  It is a very entrancing fantasy book with plenty of action and mystery

            The book's setting takes place in the far future after many species have died out, including the humans. Owls are now the most advanced animals on the planet. The story centers around a young Barn Owl named Soren. He lives with his mother, father, older brother, little sister, and nest maid snake in a fir tree hollow. Soren had just hatched three weeks ago and doesn't know much about the world around him. He overhears his parents talking about how owl eggs and hatchlings are going missing more and more often. Then, one night, Soren suddenly falls from his nest onto the dark, damp forest floor below. He is sure that this is the end as he will most likely be eaten by a raccoon, when out of nowhere, a huge Great Horned Owl snatches him up and flies away. They fly far away to a dry rocky desert with huge mazes of canyons. Soren is taken down into these canyons to a place called St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls (St. Aggie's for short). There are many other kidnapped owlets there and Soren quickly makes friends with a little Elf Owl named Gylfie. She soon tells Soren the horrifying truth that the workers of St. Aggie's are slowly erasing the minds of the owlets. Will these two young owls be able to escape before they become slaves to the evil that is St. Aggie's?

"This was the most horrid despicable, thing he had ever witnessed. A coldness that had began in his gizzard seemed to creep through Soren from his new tail feathers up to his wing tips and down to his talons. He realized that he would rather see this little owl dead than alive in St. Aggie's. They had to get out. He and Gylfie had to get out. They must learn to fly." This quote describes Soren's feelings after he sees a stolen owl egg hatch at St. Aggies. The little defenseless owlet is pulled from its shell and thrown into a pile. Then it is given a number instead of a name. After that it is just another one of the thousands of owlets at St. Aggies. No mother, no father, no love. Just a number in a sea of slaves. I think this quote is important in the story because this moment in particular really opens up Soren's eyes to what St. Aggies really is. He sees that it is a ruthless organization that manipulates and controls innocent owlets. There are no feelings and no mercy. Soren realizes he and Gylfie have to do all they can to escape and warn the rest of the world.

I  Give The Capture five out of five owl feathers. It is an amazing book that I truly loved. It had great description and it always kept me focused. I never got bored of it. It wasn't too short or too long. Overall this is, and always will be, one of my most favorite books. I chose to use owl feathers as my rating system because this book is all about owls and flight. One of the main struggles is when Soren and Gylfie are learning to fly. They must wait for all of their flight feathers to grow in.

 

 

 

 

 

I would recommend this book for many reasons. One is that this book has a very unique story and setting. So if you are tired of the vampire scene this might be a good refresher. Another reason is that the series has 15 books so there is plenty too read. And finally I would recommend this book because it is just great overall. It has a very magical feel to it and takes you into another world. It has action, adventure, fantasy, and mystery. It is a real page-turner and leaves off with suspenseful cliffhangers. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to explore other worlds. My only warning is that there is some violence. I absolutely loved this book and I hope, if you read it, you will love it too.

 

The Clique

                                                                                                          Stephanie

                                                                                                          English, Per 6

                                                                                                          September 16, 2009

 

The Clique

 

 I read the book The Clique by Lisi Harrison. I chose this book when someone I knew recommended the book. They told a short story about the book and thought it sounded interesting. I went ahead in reading the book.

 

This book is about a 12- year old girl named Claire Lyons. Her father's friend, William Block, is very rich and lives in a mansion in Westchester, New York with his wife and daughter. They let Claire and her family live in their guesthouse until they bye a house. The daughter of Mr. Block, Massie Block, is the most popular girl in OCD, the all girls' school she attends. She has a popular, alpha clique of 3 other girls: Alicia Rivera, Dylan Marvel, and Kristen Gregory. She is the best and exclusive to the people she hangs out with but is forced to hang out with Claire, a simply nobody with no friends. Claire just wants to fit in but thinks Massie is just being mean so she tries to give Massie a taste of her own medicine.

 

There is a quote in this book that is important to the theme that I would like to share. "Claire noticed the girls in the pictures… 'I can't wait to meet everybody.' (Claire). Massie lifted her eyes like if she was peeking over a pair of sunglasses. 'Our friends and I have our own thing going and you'll probably feel weird if you try and join in.' (Massie)" I chose this quote because this quote shows that Massie would not accept Claire. These words are the words that show when Massie started being mean and ignoring Claire.

 

The rating system in this book will be shown with 5 rings:JJJJJ. J= boring, JJ= somewhat interesting, JJJ= interesting, JJJJ= take it some places with me, and JJJJJ= lost in the book. I give the book 5 rings. I chose rings because the girls in The Clique are very fashionable and wear a lot of jewelry.

 

The Clique is a very interesting book to read. It is really interesting because it gives you a look into the lives of 5 interesting girls. This book shows you not only the perspective one girl, but also the perspective of all of the girls. It explains every detail of the story, from their thoughts to the clothes they wear. I recommend this book to girls of 11 years and older. There might be some speech that you might find rude in this book.

30 days of night

 

Kooklanfar, Cameron

Period 1, English

September 14, 2009

 BOOK REVIEW

 

       

    The book I chose for this project is called 30 days of night. The book is also based on my favorite movie. The author of the book is Tim Lebbon. I chose this book because of my fascination with vampires and how they create chaos.  I decided to get this because of the intriguing cover and I saw the movie before so I wanted too see if the book was even better.

 

The main characters name is Eben Olsen. The story takes place in a little town called barrow Alaska which is the northernmost town in the USA. Every year in December till January the sun goes away and it leaves the town for 30 days of night. All communication is cut off for hundreds of miles and the closest airport is shut down for that period of time.  A group of vampires found this town and have a whole feast on everyone. Almost everyone died. These vampires are different than most. There teeth aren't fangs, but in fact shark like. There eyes are pitch black and they have speed and strength. They also are very vicious and don't give mercy. They kill anyone in there way. So basically for 30 days… the vampires will never stop until the sun comes up.

 

My favorite quote was by a prisoner in barrows prison. He was half human half vampire. The vampires sent him to spy first.  He way lying down in the cell and he said "board the windows, lock the doors, try to hide… their coming…" Eben then said "they?.. Who are they..." and then the lights in the cell switch off. 

 

My rating system is 1 through 10. 1 is super poor and 10 is amazing. I rated this book an 8 and a half out of the system.  It had some strange parts such as a polar bear wandering into town and then the vampires kill it. But otherwise than that the book was superb.

 

I would recommend this book to twelve year olds and up. This book is a little scary and is very intense. It does have many bad words and has some graphic sayings. And graphic pictures. But I say this book is very good and many scary movie lovers would enjoy this very much.

 

---

Lauren found her dream laptop. Find the PC that's right for you.

Confessions of a Closet Catholic

Zdislava

Period 4, English

September 15, 2009

 

 

 

Confessions of a closet catholic is about a girl who decides she wants to give up on being Jewish and become Catholic. Like her friend Maria or Mac. The title may sound interesting and was what cot my eye. Confession of a Closet Catholic, she is called a closet catholic because she is not allowed to practice another religion so she practices in the closet. But the book is not just about her practicing a new religion, there is more.

One quote in the novel really touched me. "I wish I was something that I just can't be". As I read this quote I thought of all the times I wan'ted to be or wanted to have something that I just couldn't have. I was reading this book non stop but when I heard that I stopped reading and just thought. I think everyone feels the same way. "I wish I was something that I just can't be". At this moment in the book the girl's mother finds out that she is a practicing catholic. The main character starts explaining everything to her mom and she starts sobbing. It was her breaking point.

If I could make a rating system I would make it using stars. No stars being an awful book. One star being a non interesting book such as a math book. Two stars would be an alright book but not recommendable. Four stars would be a good book. And finally five stars would be an amazing book. I definitely will give this book five stars.

                   I definitely recommend this book to anyone who does not feel like they have the right religion. Or people that like books that are heart felt. Fool of meaning and make you feel every emotion. Happiness, Sadness…. There is one warning, you will be surprised.

A Child Called "It"

Annie Period 6 9/15/09     The title of the book I read is, A Child Called "It".  The author of this book is Dave Pelzer. Dave Pelzer is also the main character in the book. I actually selected this book because I took advice from a friend. I came up to my friend and asked her about a list of books that included children that were troubled while growing up. The first few words that came out of her mouth were the title of this book. I knew that I had to read at least the first chapter of the book to figure if I was interested in what it had to say. After reading the first chapter, I knew that it was the right book for me. This book was really inspiring and made me realize how lucky I am to have the life I have.  The main characters in this book are Dave Pelzer and his mother. This is a brutal story of a young boy who got abused every moment of his young childhood. Dave Pelzer was only a child when his alcoholic mother abused him. She made him do shocking things like forcing him to burn himself on the stove or things like barely feeding him. When she did feed him, she gave him frozen foods. Dave Pelzer spent every waking moment obeying his mother's ridiculous and mind-blowing demands. On top of all that she timed Dave on his chores. One day in particular, the family finished their dinner and Dave's mother called him up from the dirty and filthy basement he lived in so he can clean up after them. Dave's mom told him that he had 20 minutes to clean the entire bathroom. She told him that if he was one second late, she would kill him. After saying that, she got the knife and stabbed Dave with it. He was bleeding and all his mother did was put a towel over it. Dave's mother also stopped calling Dave his son; instead he was known as "the boy". Dave also had to do things like eat his own waste. One time, she made him clean the bathroom tub but she also placed a bucket filled with a mixture of Clorox and ammonia right next to him and locked the door. He used to torture and at times felt like he was about to cough up his intestines. This is why this is called one of the worst child abuse cases in U.S. history. Dave Pelzer, a child in need in desperate times, always prayed to the lord and tried to make the best out of the worst situations. He mentioned a quote in the book which reads: "I am the king". I think that this is a very empowering statement. He was not treated like a king at all but his positive attitude towards things made him the winner in his mind and in all of our minds as well. I think that having the courage to share his story itself is phenomenal but  to have the courage to survive this life was mind-throbbing. I can't feel the exact same pain that he has felt and I don't think that anyone else can either, but I feel so bad that no one was there when he needed someone to talk to or get advice from. I loved this book.  This is a New York Times Bestseller and I think that it deserves many awards of recognition. For my symbol I chose two hands reaching for each other. I think that this symbol represents courage and it also represents one child's courage to survive.   I gave this book  4 out of 4 stars because I think it is absolutely brilliant. It shows that people can express their emotions in so many different ways. Even though Dave went through all that, he now share's his story with the world and inspires people everywhere.     I would really recommend this book to a lot of people. I would specifically recommend this book to children ages 11 and up. The reason for this is because the book gives full detail of torture and abuse. I think that it would be inappropriate for young children to hear about them. I would recommend this book because children can see how lucky they are to live their everyday lives and feel thankful for what they have. I also think that this book shows that if people share their stories they can always relate to each other one way or the other. I truly think that people should know that the text or information in this book is really brutal and it's hard to get out of your head. I loved this book and I think you will like it too. This is not only a story of abuse, it is a story of one child's courage to survive.

James and the Giant Peach

Winston
English, Period 6
September 12, 2009
 

 Last summer I read a book called James and the Giant Peach by Roald
Dahl. I picked this book after reading The BFG also written by Roald
Dahl. I also went on to read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I
happened to like Roald Dahl's stories so much that I began reading all
the famous books that he had written during his career. The one that
happened to stand out to me was obviously James and the Giant Peach.
The main reason why I picked this book was because I enjoyed many
thrills and adventures that young James had encountered throughout the
book. I also enjoyed reading about the controversy that James's
friends, the centipede and the earthworm happened to share such as the
many arguments and the constant bickering. Personally, I really liked
how Roald Dahl expressed his humor and gore throughout this book.  

 The story of James and the Giant Peach began when an old man gives
poor little James a bag of green crystals and detailed instructions. He
tells James that many fortunes will await him if he performs the magic
spell correctly. At the moment, James was desperate for fortunes after
having to live with his smell, snot nosed aunts for nearly 3 long
years. As he's running back towards the house he accidently spills the
bag of magic crystals as he watches his fortunes sink away into the
soil. Just so happens that in a matter of seconds a peach magical
ly
appears on top of the peach tree that never happened to grow any
peaches. Moments later, the peach magically expands to the size of an
entire house. The following evening while James is outside cleaning the
lawn, he decides to explore the mega – sized peach. He happens to
locate an entrance on the south side of the peach. Once he enters, he
encounters the many creatures that just so happens to be mega – sized
insects. He meets many characters such as Centipede; who is a arrogant
jerk. He also meets Mrs. Spider and Ladybug who are absolutely kind and
loving. There is also Grasshopper who is very courteous and is a famous
musician. Last but not least, there's Earthworm who is stern and
controversial. James is welcomed and is soon is considered part of the
family. The next morning the peach is cut loose and James is off on an
adventure along with his new friends. From there, they encounter many
treacherous obstacles yet run by many amazing adventures. As you read
this book you will enter a story that includes courage, bravery, doubt,
curiosity and enthusiasm. You will also read about the many challenges
that the group face. One of the greatest obstacles that they face is
escaping a massive shark attack while stranded in the middle of the
ocean. It was a moment of risk, cooperation and teamwork. It was the
moment in the story where James and his friends had to remove all their
0Acontroversy to step up to the plate, to work together and to design a
well coordinated plan to save their lives. That was one of the many
challenges that stood out in the book.

 There was a point in the book where James mentioned that his life
finally had some purpose and meant something. He stated, '' I have
finally walked out the dark and shallowness in my once forgotten
life.'' This quote was the most important to me because I believed that
it was the turning point in young, adolescent James Henry Trotter's
life. I finally looked at his life in another perspective and in a
bright way. He finally realized that he had started a brand new life
away from his harsh, abusive aunts and now with his loving and free
spirited friends. It was also was a major turning point in the story
because James started being happy and began to think about living with
his friends forever. This idea enlightened him to the very ideas of
surviving the long dangerous journey and how to avoid disaster. I
believe that if James had been down in the gutters at the moment of
disaster he would of panicked and led his friends to the dark path of
demise. His new attitude toward life completely changed the way he
thought, acted and made decisions.

 According to my opinion I would rate James and the Giant Peach 5
peaches. I would use 5 peaches as being the best book and 1 peach=2
0for
being the worst. I used the peach rating system simply because the
peach was the main theme for the book. I would give 5 peaches because
it got my adrenaline pumping from the beginning of the book and I
believe it was such an intriguing novel. I absolutely loved it.  

 I would recommend this book to children 8-13 years old becomes of its
age appropriate reading level. I would also recommend this book because
it provides children with imagination and a hint of unexpected magic.
Last but not least, I thought the book was a thriller and lures
children's curiosity. My only warning is that there was strong dialogue
throughout the book inappropriate for younger children without parental
supervision and guidance.

-----Original Message-----
From: happywinston@aol.com
To: blaircarroll.millikanreads@blogger.com
Sent: Sat, Sep 12, 2009 11:22 pm
Subject: Book Review Blog - By Winston Liang

Dear Mrs. Carroll,

Please find attached my book review blog. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Winston Liang

English, Period 6

Mrs. J Huff