The Giver

Anthony

English, Period 2

September 15, 2009

 

 

The book that I chose to write a review on was The Giver.  The Giver is written by Lois Lowry, also the author of Gossamer. I read this book because it was a mandatory book to read in Ms. Bedrossian's class (my seventh grade English teacher). I didn't choose to read this book, but after I read it, I loved it. I loved it so much that I read most of Lowry's books.
            The Giver is about a young boy named Jonas who lives in a futuristic community where everything is very well organized and planned. There's a curfew that everyone needs to follow. If you have a "special dream", the elders give you a pill so that you're normal like everyone else. The parents are arranged together and their children come from donors at the hospital. When kids arrive at a certain age, they go through a ceremony to receive what jobs they will be perform for the rest of your life. If adults get to old, the elders tell everyone that they will be leaving the community (because it is surrounded by a gate) but in reality, the doctors are injecting them with a poison to rid of them. So  Jonas gets the job as a receiver, a person who goes to the Giver (an old, wise man that was a receiver, but now gives memories) to receive memories from the past ages. As Jonas receives more and more memories, he decides to leave the community because of some disturbing memories that show what truly happens in the community. He leaves with his little brother, Gabriel.

            "6. Except for illness or injury unrelated to your training, do not apply for any medication. (9.32)". This was a rule in the community. I chose this quote because it shows how strict the rules were. Even the most organized and safest community had its downfalls. The whole community and no feelings towards each other. You could be an elder and still get injected with poison to be "released". So if you were dying of some disease, no medication would be given to you because it doesn't have to do with your training as the job you're getting.

            If I was to rate this book I would give it    . I chose these icons (happy face mask covering a sad face, if you can't see the image) because in the book, everyone needed to act a certain way. If they didn't "go with the flow", pills were given to them to straighten their attitude. I thought that the citizens were secretly crestfallen at the fact that they needed to be treated for their own behavior. That's why I chose icons of a glad mask that was covering up the real identity of the people, depressed.

            In my opinion, this book was the most mind-blowing book I have ever read. I saw the world in a new perspective and I started to enjoy reading. If you read this book, I guarantee that you will be hooked on it and want to read more books in this genre. You should read The Giver because it's a book that will open your eyes to the joy of reading. Secondly, this book is very unique because it doesn't happen in the present, but in a possible future for us. Finally, this book is very interesting and detailed that you could get a picture in your mind about the scene that you're reading. I would recommend this book for seventh grade and up, but for the ones who want a challenge. This book makes you think. Lower grades won't comprehend the concepts being told and how to look at the point of views.

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From: Tony Arenas <tonyarenas@rocketmail.com>
To: blaircarroll.millikanreads@blogger.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 11:21:43 PM
Subject: Ms. Huff Blog Assignment

this is my blog project for ms. huff's class

The People of Sparks

The book I read is called The People of Sparks by Jeanne Durau. The reason I choose to readThe People of Sparks was because of the cover. It is really pretty and symbolic. I then found out it was the second book in a series of four. I then bought the first book to read, so I could start from the beginning of the series. 

My book is about two characters, Lina and Doon, who have just lead their people out of a closed off, underground city, and into the world. Upon entering the world, they nothing about, society has gone backwards to a more primitive time because of a war. Lina and Doon comes upon a village that agrees to help them but, soon after, conflict arises. Now Doon and Lina have to stop the threat of a war, between the people of Ember and the people of Sparks, lead by the influences of a boy named Tick.

"Fine" said Maddy......"If you ask me, making friends is a better defense then making enemies."I felt that this saying is significant because it's telling you that what is the point of making enemies when it's just going to hurt you in the end. The reason Maddy said this was because a man named Caspar stated that he believed in approaching a stranger like a enemy to protect himself. Maddy felt that making more enemies then friends, was a stupid way to carry out life.

Out of 17 seeds I give this book a rating of 15 seeds. The reason I give it a rating of 15 seeds is because I loved the story line, and thought the characters were realistic. Even so, I felt a little disappointed with one resolution dealing with treasure. I felt it could have been better and didn't live up to it's full potential. The reason I used seeds as my rating system is because on the cover, it is a picture of a sprout. I felt that the seed and sprout represented the starting of a civilization, which is exactly what this book is representing. 

Out of :

     ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 17 seeds

this book deserved:

     ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 15 seeds

I recommend this book for anti-war people. It deals with war (not the war specifically) but the effects

afterwards. I believe this book is recommend for people of all ages. Though, I believe that the older you

the more you'll get out of it. It is also people who like adventure for it has its owe share of it. Lastly I feel

that this is a book about civilizations and tolerance of other people. It shows you just how foolish a fight

over an egg might be, and how it all starts with a push and ends with a mess.

By,

Hopi

The Hunger Games

The hunger games is about kids that are 12 through 18 and are poor.Every year if you are poor your name can be choosen from a raffle.if your name is picked you have to go and fight ntill your death.If you lose you are dead and when you win you and your family would be very wealthy.

The main character is a girl her name is Katniss she is 16 years old and she is a hunter.she hunts in woods and things just to feed her sister.prim and her mom.One quote from the book is "I pull on a thick fleecy nightgown and go to bed.Another quote from the book is I give in to fatique will be an invasion to death.It's no good.One,tw,three hours pass and my eyelids are to heavy and i fall asleep.

The Hunger Games is a fun everybody should read this book.


Tyus,Batiste
MS.Bennet
English,Per.3

The Hunger Games

The book is written by Suzanne Collins. The name of the book is The Hunger Games. It is mostly about a girl named Katniss that had taken her sisters place in the games. The book describes what Katniss has to go through before the games start especially the opening ceremonies. The open ceromonies are for the tributes to represent their district. Two kids are chosen from each disrict it is also supposed to be a girl and a boy. The two kids have to be between ages 12 and 18. But are chosen randomly by the govenment. Did i mention that once the games start everything is shown on the T.V. becauseit is a live T.V. show. And in order yo win each player has to kill each other.

"I need to get down , to get going , but for a moment i lie there , digesting what ive heard. Not only is Peeta with the the Careers, hes helping them find me. The simpleminded girl who has to be taken seriously because of her 11. Because she can use a bow and arrow. Which Peeta knows better than anyone." This is a quote directly from the book that says the main problem of the book.

The book was really good. I liked it because it is iinteresting on what Katniss is seeing in the game. It is really brave to see bodies laying on the ground before being picked up. I would recommend the book to readers that enjoy reading action and a little romance every now and then. But action is mostly involved.

Karen S.
Ms.Bennett
Period 3

Hunger Games

I chose The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins because the plot sounded really fascinating. My teacher at Millikan Middle School, Ms. Bennett suggested it and I really liked it.

The Hunger Games takes place in a country called Panem, which used to be North America. In Panem there is the Capital and surrounding it are twelve districts. The people of the Capital are cruel and sadistic. They created something called The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games is a game where a boy and a girl from each district who are called tributes, are called to an arena to fight to the death. The last person alive and his district are awarded great wealth. The tributes are aged twelve to eighteen. When you turn 12 your name is entered in a sort of a lottery, and every year your name gets entered again until you turn 18, this is how the tributes are chosen.

The main character's name is Katniss and she is the girl tribute of district twelve. Katniss is 16 and she's a hunter, she hunts in the woods just outside of the district to feed her sister, Prim, and her mother. Here is a quote from the book, "I pull on a thick, fleecy nightgown and climb into bed. It takes about five seconds to realize I'll never fall asleep. And I need sleep desperately because in the arena every moment I give in to fatigue will be an invitation to death. It's no good. One hour, two, three pass, and my eyelids refuse to get heavy. I can't stop trying to imagine exactly what terrain I'll be thrown into. Desert? Swamp? A frigid wasteland? Above all I'm hoping trees, which may afford me some means of concealment and food and shelter" Katniss, page 141. Throughout the book in her struggle for survival Katniss must find or fight for food, supplies and weapons so she will be better prepared to win in the end. From the starting line, the Tributes race for the Cornucopia where they will find many supplies. Many of the Tributes die the first day in this struggle for supplies. In the arena Katniss has to fight a Tribute from district 9 over a backpack full of supplies. This book is about Katniss trying to survive in the Games.

The Hunger Games is an amazing book. I like this book because it shows how far a person will go to survive. I highly recommend it.

Alex B

Ms. Bennett

Period 1

The Hunger Games

The book I read was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The reason I chose this book because the book sounded interesting. It sounded like a action packed book. The book is mostly about a boy named Katniss that offered to participate in The Hunger Games that to stay alive you have to kill other people. Two kids from different 12 districts are randomly picked to enter The Hunger Games.

"I volunteer as tribute". Katniss volunteers to become a tribute. It wasn't a good idea because she could have gotten killed. If she didn't volunteer she wouldn't of found about Peeta. Or maybe, just like the book said that she must have been jealous of Prim.

The Hunger Games was a very good book because a lot of action. I am so glad I read this book. My favorite thing about the book is the monster that fought Rue. If you like excitement or action read the book. This book should be your first choice on booklist.

Jason S

Ms. Bennett

Period 3

http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

http://www.hungergamestrilogy.com/

www.buzzfeed.com/ries/the-hunger-games-6y - 87k

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games - 44k

libraryqueue.blogspot.com/2008/12/hunger-games.html - 177k

Among The Hidden

I read the book Among The Hidden by margaret Haddix. I chose Among The hidden because it was my second choice on the last book report .Also, when I read the description it seemed interesting.

My book is about a time when the government enforced couples to have only two children. Parents who were found to have more than two kids would have to give the third child to the government where they would be killed. Luke Garner was the third and youngest child. Luke had two brothers. Unlike his brothers, Luke has never been to school or even outside. He lived in the attic of their home like a prisoner. Luke was a "shadow child." Luke had to hide every day, all day and all night. All Luke was able to do each day is read.

One day when everyone had left, he saw a face in a house across the way. After a few days, Luke sneaks over to the house and opens the screen where he meets Jen, another shadow child. Startled at being seen herself, Jen knocks him over and asks who he is and where he lives. They soon become friends and confidants, due to the fact they both live the same type of life. Luke sneaks over periodically where he learns abot a chat room of hundreds of other shadow childred. Jen then tells him about a rally that all the shadow kids that she knows where they are planning to protest. Until the day before the rally they don't talkt. Luke is terrified of the reprecussions to him and his family if he attends the protest and in the end he doesn't go. He knows he would be killed.

After the rally Luke goes to Jens house and Jens dad threatens to kill luke. Then the population police knocks on the door. Jens dad then throws Luke into the closet. When the poplation police get in the house they don't start looking they talk to Jens dad because he is part of the population police. Luke gets to the back of the closet there is no door like Jens father said but as the population police open the door Luke hides underneath a blanket. The police don't look hard so they don't find Luke. After the poplation police leave Luke gets ot of the closet and waits a little bit because the population police will check Lukes house.

P,Tayler
english,per.3
book report

UGLIES

I read the book UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld. I chose this book because I saw that this book was different from any other book I have read. Also because in the cover of the book UGLIES it said that it was one of ''New York Times Bestsellers. What this book is mostly about is a teenager named Tally. Tally is about to turn sixteen. And everyone said that you had to stay ugly until the age sixteen. At the age sixteen surgeons will give you an operation on your face to make you a pretty, and go live at the city of ''New Pretty Town.'' But her best friend Shay doesn't want to turn pretty. Will Tally ever turn pretty? Or will she stay ugly for life?

''I'm not afraid of looking the way I do, Tally.''(UGLIES PG.84) The major problem in this book is that Tally's best friend Shay doesn't want to turn pretty. But Tally does want to turn pretty to see all her other friends that turned pretty. If Tally has the operation she might never see her friend Shay again.

I liked the book. The book UGLIES was very special to me. I couldn't stop reading the book! I have never read a book just like this one. I recommend this book to all teenage girls. I recommend this book to teenage girls because if I liked it and all my other friends liked it that could mean that a lot of other teenage girls would love this book. This was one of the best books I have ever read.

MICHELLE A.

MS.BENNETT

PERIOD 3

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The Hunger Games

I chose the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, because the plot of the book sounded very interesting to me. This book is about a country called Panem , which is what is left of North America after a war. Panem is broken up into 12 districts. You follow the journey of a 16 year old girl named Katniss living in district 12 (a mostly poor district). She has struggles to support her mother and 12 year old sister Prim, after her father dies. She has to hunt (which is illegal) to support her family. When the annual reaping comes along that's when she really has to fight for her life. Children from the ages of 12 to 18 are entered into a drawing that will determine which boy and girl compete in The Hunger Games. In The Hunger Games the 24 kids chosen, fight in a battle against each other, last one standing keeps their life and gets more food for their district. Prim gets chosen in the drawing, but Katniss steps up as a loving sister to take her place. Katniss then goes on a journey where there is survival, romance, and many other hardships.
A quote that shows Katniss's major conflict is: "Every sense I have goes into overdrive as the need to survive takes over." (The Hunger Games ,pg.175). Katniss has to put all her effort into surviving. Any sudden motion can bring death. Her mind has to be alert at all times. She also has to provide herself with food and water. There is major stress put on her, knowing she could die at any moment. She has to be ready to move if she spots an enemy. Katniss is in the wild all on her own, and as more and more people die, it makes it harder to hide. The girl has to plan every move with care. She wants to make it back home to her sister and mother, so winning the games is very important.
I loved The Hunger Games because it was so exciting. The book was very surprising and it was hard for me to put it down. It combined action with a bit of romance. You fall in love with the book in the first chapter. It doesn't take long for the action to start. I wold recommend this book to anyone who loves an action packed page turner. If you like exciting books that are fiction you will love The Hunger Games.

Nya W.
Ms. Bennett
Period 1

the hunger games

The book I read was the huger games' chose the hunger games because I read the review on the paper to choose the book and this book stood out the most to me. The hunger games are about a girl named katiniss and a boy named peeta. To katniss and peeta have to go into an arena and try to hunt for food, water and find shelter on their own. They have to kill people from the other districts in order to win. Well katniss and peeta get split up. Katniss ends up finding a girl named rue and they became friends. Katniss asked rue to be her allay and the split up. A few days later katniss hears a yell, it was rue. As soon as she heard the frightening noise she went to find her, just in case she brought a bow and arrow and a knife. When she found rue she saw a boy killing her. So katniss grabbed her bow ready and shoots him in the neck, and his died. Katniss took rue out of the net and a spear in her stomach. Then rue had asked katniss to sing to her until she died. While katniss was singing she dies and she buried rue with flowers. When katniss goes back to where her shelter is she finds peeta. When she saw him he was covered in bruises and cuts. Then she took him and changed him into new clothes and cleaned him up. Then she saw that peeta had a fever, she gave him some medicine then his fever went down, but it's not all better.

The conflict of the story is when katniss finds that peeta is dying. Katniss does everything she can to save his life and in time what she had done helps him. Peeta ends up fine and in the end the quote is "you're not going to die." I told him firmly

I did like the book because at times it Is super scary. Imagine how terrifying it is to die very painfully. Also how nerve wracking it is with all these questions stuck in my head "will katniss die or win?" "It peeta going to be okay?" I would recommend this book to people who like books with life taking riscks, People who like scary stories

Jessica S.

Per. 3 English

January 12, 2009

Pretties

i chose this book because i was reading uglies and i want to read the rest of the series. The book is mainly about a girl named tally living the life of a pretty. She climbes buildings rides hoverboards and finds love. This is the type of book that has every thing in it. Romance, action, suprise, and so much more! "David?" she said softly. While tally is in the pretty world David is not with her. David is a old friend of Tally's back in the smoke. Tally is surprised to see David because they haven't seen each other for a little over a year. When she gets there and hears his voice she automatically knows it is him. I loved the book a lot! In the first few chapters it is a little boring. Once you get to part 2 it starts to get really exciting. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to be off there seat when reading. I would also recommend this book to people who like a little bit of everything.This book was wonderful but sometimes it is hard to understand what they are talking about.

Mia

Mrs.Bennett

Period 3

http://www.scottwesterfeld.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/scott_westerfeld http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-westerfeld-scott.asp http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13957.scott_westerfeld http://www.sffworld.com/interview/203p0.html

Among the Impostors

I read this amazing book that's called Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix
It is the second book of the shadow children series. The book is about a boy named Luke
Garner. In this time period, parents can only have two children. If they have a thrid child
there only punishment is death.And Luke is an illegal thrid child. So in this story Luke
garner gets a fake I.D and is sent to Hendricks school for boys. While he is there he meets
a friend but he's not sure if he could trust him to tell him.....

The quote that made a major confilct to Luke Garner in the story was," 'Offering a
challendge' Luke said aloud, and then he stepped out from behind the tree."(Among the
Imposters,pg.86).This is an important quote because If Luke wouldn't have come out of the
tree he would have not meet his friend. And almost all of the story is about his friend and
Luke.
Like I said this is an amazing book, but only if you read the first book!(If your
wondering what the first book it is Among The Hidden.) If your into a story with a lot of
suspense this is the right book for you.I recommend this book because you will really like
how it is well written and you can completely understand it. Even 4th graders can read this
and understand it. Read this book! And don't miss reading Among the Betrayed!

Stacy P.
Ms.Bennett
Period 3

The Giver-Edden Brown

The Giver

By: Edden Brown

This book is called The Giver by Lois Lowry. The reason I chose this book was because when I read it I thought it was set up in a very interesting way. Every time I started to read this book I couldn't set it down one bit. I found it interesting to read about how people can live in such a completely different life and so separated form the rest of the world.

The Giver is about a boy named Jonas who is told about the secrets of a different life then the one that he actually lives in. Right when he heard this it started to change his thoughts and everything else about him. He then starts to get frustrated because of all the memories that were available to him then the rest of the community itself. The giver of these memories helps Jonas escape from his community, taking the memories with him, and hoping that all of the memories will leave his mind and be lead into everyone else's mind in his community.

The quote that I chose represents this world and how everything in this world whether its humans or animals means something. The author mentions this quote "How could someone not fit in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made." It made me question that if this world was so perfect there is not a chance that anybody couldn't be perfect even if they tried.

This book was a very inspirational book making you want to read more until it's finished. From a total of 5 bicycles I would give it a 5. The reason I chose to have bicycles as my picture for the rating system is because in the book he took a bicycle toescape from his community. One bicycle would be for just the book itself, one would be for wanting the readers to read more of the book, one would be because it has a good philosophy on life, and the last two would be because it was very interesting to read about someone in an opposite kind of life.

In conclusion, I would recommend this book for my brother, sister or any teenagers because it explains a lot about the existence of our world. I wouldn't highly recommend this book for children in Elementary because there might be points in the book where they won't understand, but if you like to read then this is a quite inspirational book.

The Hunger Games- Caroline Jones

Jones, Caroline

English Period 4

November 14th, 2008

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was a book I was recommended to by the author Stephenie Meyer, who writes the best-selling Twilight series. No, unfortunately, she did not recommend this book to me in person, but rather, she posted her recommendation on her website for everyone to see. After reading the summary, I realized that I had read a series like this before; A series by Koushun Takami called Battle Royale, though The Hunger Games features a post-apocalyptic world rather than a twisted military one which appealed to me more. With the recommendation and the compare-contrast list I had made in my mind, I promptly added the book to my cart on Amazon and proceeded to checkout.

The story's main character is a girl named Katniss Everdeen. She is stuck in the poorest section of the poorest district of the grand nation called Panem, which is on the continent North America, where The United States of America once stood. A while ago, when Panem used to have 13 districts, the 13th one decided to revolt against the government, which is located in the Capitol city of… Capitol. No joke. The Capitol obliterated the 13th district, and as a reminder to the rest of the districts that the Capitol is always in control, they set up a tournament that two teens, a boy and girl, from each district participate in: The Hunger Games. Basically, the 24 teens are placed in a battleground where they must fight to the death. Winning means that you're set for life, with riches beyond anyone's imagination. If you lose, well, you won't be leaving the battleground, because you'll be dead. The contestants are chosen by a lottery system, and when Katniss's sister's name is chosen, she volunteers to take her place. Katniss must overcome her sometimes denseness towards her long-time friend, Gale, and her partner in The Hunger Games, Peeta to survive this ordeal. Not only that, but she has 23 other contestants to be rid of , including Peeta, who she is just discovering her feelings for, in order to make it out of the games alive. With her not-always sober coach from District 12, Haymitch, helping her, her hunting instincts, swiftness with a bow and arrow, Katniss might just be able to win this thing. If her whole love triangle thing doesn't blow up in her face or if the contestants who have been bred for the games since their birth, the careers, don't lop off her head first.

Only I keep wishing I could thing of a way to… to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games." Peeta said this to Katniss right before the games started. In the games, after Katniss's dear friend dies and she avenges her death by killing her killer, she is extremely upset. She wants to do more to avenge her friend, but she isn't sure what. Then, while staring blankly at her friend's dead body, she remembers Peeta's words. His words shape her actions for the rest of the games. Surviving the Games is still a priority, but it comes second to defying the Capitol. This, she feels, would be a proper way to avenge her friend's death, and make her feel content if she were to die during the Games.

I would give this book four out of five arrows. The reason why I chose arrows as the rating system is because if Katniss did not have her bow and arrow to use in the Games, she would not have survived. It has been a key element throughout the entire story; From page 1 to 374. There wouldn't have been a Katniss by page 100 without these multi-use items. I'm giving this book a 4 arrow rating because of the lack of descriptive language. I loved the story and plotline and characters, but the lack of rich describing words was really one of the things I was disappointed about. The author almost seemed lazy by not describing the character's feelings about killing or describing their surroundings or thoughts in any detail whatsoever.

I would really recommend this book to anybody, however, the age group that would most likely enjoy this book the most would be children and teens from ages 10-16. I believe that people should read this book because, first of all, I think that the nation of Panem is intriguing. Who would have thought that when our country fell, a dictatorship like Panem would rise up in it's place? Secondly, all of the twists and turns and the down right unpredictability of it all really makes it hard to put down. I would tell myself 'Ok Caroline, just one more chapter and then you need to finish up your homework' and I would end up reading ten more and have to go to bed quite late in order to get all my homework finished. Also, Katniss's love triangle predicament adds a nice little twist to the story. It's a situation that any teenage girl would want to be in, really, two older boys both attracted to you. And you get to chose between them. This situation is actually one that Katniss is not fond of, as it raises complications throughout the story, but adds a delightful element to the novel nonetheless. Lastly, Katniss's adventure doesn't end with this book. No way. It's going to turn into a trilogy. For me, I like to read a series where only the first book has come out when I start reading it. That way instead of immediately jumping to the second book, I can digest the first one and think about all of the possible events that might happen in book two.