The Giver 11/25-11/29

Pages: 0-163
Prompt: Discuss why you like or dislike what you are reading
                                   
                                            Spoiler Alert 
                             
                               Introduction of The Giver
            The Giver talks about a community that is has no war or pain. The community is very strict and everything is under control. A boy named Jonas lives with his family unit and his 8-year later 9 year old sister Lily. Jonas has a perfect life because he does his volunteer hours, he doesn't tell lies, and his family is as perfect as can be. Jonas is about to be a Twelve and being Twelve is the most important part of your life. Jonas is about to receive his assignment in the Ceremony of Twelves but they suddenly skipped his number. The Chief Elder says that skipping Jonas number was not an accident because Jonas will be the next Receiver of Memories. In order to be a successful Receiver Jonas will need to be trained by the Giver. The Giver holds the true pain and happiness of the world and throughout the story he begins to have stronger feelings towards Jonas.


                          Why do I like This Book?

           The first time I started to read this book I thought it wasn't going to be adventurous and exciting. After I read chapter 12 I realized that this book holds a grand adventure because of the memories of the Giver. I enjoy this book because it has a lot of explicit details and the book got even more better in chapters 17, 18, 19, 20. The reason that these chapters were amazing was because they revealed the true of many mysteries of the book. When Jonas first received his assignment the council of Elders mentioned that there was a failure with the previous receiver ten years ago. Another reason I like this book is because it doesn't tell you right away the truth of some of the mysteries . You would have to read the end to find out the truth of some of these mysteries. When you read more and more chapters it makes the book more suspenseful.


                      Why I like This Book  Continued.....

          The first reason I like this book is because it showed me how to be more thankful with my family. In one memories Jonas sees a happy family sitting in a table laughing and joking with each other. The feel thankful because I have a happy family and actually I get  to spent time with them every day. I think you people should be more thankful of their family because kids like Jonas doesn't have the  privilege to have love in his family. Another reason I like this book because in the chapters I just read the revealed the truth of one of the mysteries. I found out that the previous receiver was a girl named Rosemary. The Giver transported the most painful memories to Rosemary but she couldn't bare these memories. Rosemary left the Giver and she told the Council of Elders that she wanted to be released. I found out that released means that they kill whoever is released. In the 20th chapter it was revealed that Rosemary was the Giver's daughter.

I put this picture because happiness and memories play a big part in The Giver. Jonas wants to share his memories out loud with the people in his community. Jonas wants to change the community by releasing the memory of happiness and love. Jonas is determined to go to Elsewhere so he can change the world.

This week I will comment on Gustavo, Amelia, Steven's Blogs.
                                       

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 11/18-11/22

Pages: 0-172
Prompt Miscellaneous: Do any of the characters feelings change as you've read
             
                        Introduction to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
     This book tells about the story of a 14-year old Native American named Junior although his real name is Arnold. Junior and his family are suffering poverty mostly because Junior's dad spends the money in wine. Junior is born with a problem in his skull and his skull is very delicate which means that he can't play football. Junior has a best friend named Rowdy who is the toughest and most angry kid in the school. Rowdy father abuses and that is the reason that Rowdy behaves almost like a bully. Rowdy's mom is very supportive while his dad is also loving but he has a bad addiction to wine. Junior also has a sister named Mary but in the middle of the story Mary runs away with her boyfriend to Montana. Junior feels like he's not getting his full potential in his all Native American school so he decides to go to an All American School. They start to be racist to Junior because he's Native American. I don't know why but this book was banned in many schools around the United States.


              Emotions Behavior/Change in Behavior

   Throughout the book many of the main and supporting characters feelings change. Arnold a.k.a Junior changes a lot since the beginning of the book. At first Arnold was a very quiet guy who really didn't get into fights too much. Later in the book when Arnold goes to his new school his anger builds up and he punches the school bully. Arnold was very shy around girls and he didn't talk to girls too much. In his new school Arnold falls in love with a girl named Penelope and as a matter of fact he invites her to the school dance. Arnold was a very happy until the middle of the book when he begins to hate himself and changing from to happy to angry. Another character that changes dramatically is Arnold's best friend Rowdy. Rowdy and Arnold used to hang out all the time by going to the school fair and other activities. After Rowdy learns that Arnold is moving to a new school he goes up to Arnold and punches him in the face.


            Change in Feelings and Behavior Continued....

   Rowdy stops talking to Arnold throughout the book although Arnold forgives Rowdy for punching him. Rowdy so far hasn't forgiven Arnold but he doesn't hate Arnold. Last character that changed a lot was the bully Roger that Arnold fought in his new school. Roger actually feels proud that Arnold punched him in the face and he even makes Arnold popular. After the school dance Roger even invites Arnold to breakfast in Denny's. Roger pays for everything that Arnold and Penelope ordered which was a total of $40 dollars. Roger even supports Arnold during their basketball games but Roger doesn't know about Arnold's poverty problem. In basketball practice Roger lets Arnold beat him so that  Arnold is able to be in the team.Throughout the book Roger is proven to be a good friend by paying his dinner and driving Arnold home.

I put a picture of Denny's because this is the location where Arnold gets his first date and where he realizes that Roger is a true friend. Arnold finally has the chance to talk to Penelope about himself. Roger volunteers to pay for Arnold and Penelope's bill and he drives Arnold home. His dad was suppose to pick him up but he didn't have enough money for gas.

This week I will comment on Jenna, Gabe, Marisa B. blogs. 
     

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie 11/11-11/15

Pages: 0-273 (end)
Prompt: Summarize what you just read
                                                                   Spoiler Alert 
           
                  Introduction to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie/Ending
    
    Since I finished this book I give it a five out five stars. It has an excellent plot and you can vividly understand the story. I recommend it for people who are trying to find a realistic fiction book. This book was a lot better than It's Kind of a Funny Story.  You might be saying that I read fast but to tell you the truth over the four day weekend it gave me chance to read 70 pages a day. I really didn't have anything to do. Drums,Girls, and Dangerous Pie has to do with a thirteen year old boy named Steven who has to with his brother's illness. Steven is a typical ordinary kid and he has a crush on a girl named Renne and he plays in the All-City Jazz band. Actually Steven Alper is very lucky because he's the first seventh grader to join the All-City jazz band. He has very hard working, supportive, and kind parents which always try to embarrass him. Steven also has a five year old brother named Jeffrey which constantly annoys Steven. Later in the book Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia and it turns Steven's world upside down. The family starts to have financial problems, and Steven is starting to fail his classes because he has to much to worry about. Steven doesn't really see his mom too much because she has to go with Jeffrey every week to Philadelphia. Jeffrey's specialist is in Philadelphia and later in the book Steven's dad starts to ignore him.

                Summarizing the Story
    If you're wondering dangerous pie is a blend of coffee grounds, raw eggs, smashed shells, coke, uncooked bacon, and three racing cars. Jeffrey mixes these together and calls it his special "dangerous pie". It kind of makes Steven angry because he stirs the items together with his special sticks which were signed by a famous drummer. Steven one day makes oatmeal for his brother Jeffrey and he puts Jeffrey on the top stool in the kitchen. Suddenly Jeffrey falls from the stool and his mom immediately drives him to the hospital. Later that day the family learns that Jeffrey has been diagnosed with leukemia. Steven's best friend is Annette which she has a secret crush on Steven. In the beginning of the book Annette hates Renne Albert because Steven starts to pay more attention to Renne Albert. Since Steven has been missing class because of his all city band rehearsal he starts to fail his most important subjects reading and math. Jeffrey has had to go to the doctor numerous  times and the hospital bills have been causing the family financial problems.
                             
                           End and Summary of Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
     
        Later in the story Annette falls down the stairs and is unable to play her piano solo in the upcoming concert. Mrs. Gulley the school counselor has been guiding Steven throughout the story by telling him to change things he his able to change. Steven's mom suddenly gets sick which means that Steven and has dad have to drive Jeffrey to Philadelphia. In the hospital Steven meets a girl named Samantha which has and even worse case of leukemia. They became very good friends and Steven gives Samantha one of his drum sticks. In the next band rehearsal Annette comes up with a plan to make the concert a fundraiser and all of the money will go to Steven's family. It's the day of the concert and everyone is cheering to Steven. Suddenly Jeffrey gets very sick in the middle of the concert and has to go immediately to the hospital. Steven decides to go with his family to the hospital. In the hospital while the doctors are doing some tests on Jeffrey, Steven decides to go visit Samantha. When Samantha isn't there he goes up to ask the nurse where Samantha went. The nurse tells Steven that Samantha passed away early in the morning. Before dying Samantha leaves Steven a letter and inside the letter are the drumsticks that he gave to her. Samantha tells Steven in the letter to always remember her when he's using those drumsticks. The story ends with Steven graduating 8th Grade and Annette becoming his girlfriend.

These drumsticks play an important role in the story. Jeffrey uses these drumsticks to mix up his "dangerous pie". These drumsticks helped Steven make it to the All-City Jazz band and he has a pair of drumsticks signed by a famous drummer. When Samantha dies she includes the drumsticks that Steven gave her the day they met inside the letter. Steven mentions that the drumsticks he gave to Samantha will always be his most special pair of sticks.
 

This week I will comment on Stanley, Isabelle R., Julia S. 

   

It's Kind of a Funny Story 11/4-11/8

Pages: 279- 444 (end)
Prompt Test Readiness: Define what is needed to make a good setting
                                      Spoiler Alert 

                          Ending of It's Kind of a Funny Story
     This weekend I finished the book It's Kind of a Funny Story and overall I really didn't like the book too much. I would give this book a 3 out 5 stars, but at the very end they kind of give a moral or lesson.
The first thing that happened was that Aaron called Craig in the hospital and apologized for all of the mean things he said the other day. Aaron mentions that he broke up with his girlfriend Nia after finding out that she took drugs. The reason Nia took drugs was because of her depression and mental illness and she actually took the same pills that Craig took. Nia visits the hospital and is planning to date Craig but Craig rejects her offer. Throughout the book Craig mentions how much he loves Nia but in the hospital he started dating Noelle. At the end of the book Craig spends his last hour in the hospital watching Blade II with his new hospital friends. Craig is released from the hospital and tells the reader to live, live, and live.



                      Defining the Perfect Setting

      The one thing that I did like about this book was the setting. Craig gives us specific details by telling us that he lives in lower Manhattan and each type of food they give in the hospital. He evens tells us if he lives in the upper or lower part of Manhattan. Craig liked Noelle so much that he gives us some background information about her and even specific details about her eyes. He mentions that she has beautiful green eyes that looks like fresh cut grass. He cuts look like the wrinkly face of an elderly person. The Noelle description has nothing to do with the setting but I just wanted to point how she looks in the book. Anyway the hospital in which Craig is staying seems similar to MacNeal Hospital because of the food. Craig mentions that it's huge hospital that has about 4 to 5 floors and that's exactly how many floors MacNeal has. Since Craig is staying in the part of the hospital that has the people with mental illness I picture a huge nurse's station, food carts, and a public telephone.


                 Recipe for a Perfect Setting/Hospital Setting

     The last few details that Craig mentions about the hospital is that the cafeteria is a huge place lined up with dozens of tables. Since I've been to a hospital cafeteria  they usually have tables of four and other tables that are reserved for other patients. Craig mentions that his table has four seats and that the height of the chair is like 5 ft. I think that some things that make a perfect setting is when the writer tells reader the height of a chair or table. The writer uses the five sense every time the main character goes to a new location or setting. The writer describes each color with feeling such as the buss was so yellow that it looked like one of Zeus lighting bolts. The writer doesn't  just say the old man was very old because a good writer says the old man was old that his wrinkles were growing wrinkles. The writer for example mentions the size of a brick from a building and the texture the brick has. That is what I think makes a perfect setting.

This picture represents the ending of It's Kind of a Funny Story. At the end of the book Craig tells the reader to live, live and be happy for yourself. Throughout the book he was worried about school, future job, and the future. The hospital changed him by making him enjoy life more instead of sitting at home studying. Overall he went from boring to excitement.

       I will comment on Gabe, Steven , Nadrian this week for my blog.