Seth Novitch
The Maze Runner
James Dashner
just right
Sci-Fi
54
1. In the book The Maze Runner by James Dashner I states out with a boy named Thomas who is in a giant sell room. He can't remember anything about his life except for his name and he tries to scream for help from someone. Eventually someone opens a door above him and is pulled up. He finds to be rescued by a group of kids and teens. They do not look very pleased with his arrival and he walks away . wall hes walking he meets a boy named Chuck. Chuck is very happy all the time and they become friends. Then Thomas does a little to much exploring and finds himself in a lot of places hes not so post to be in and sees some weird stuff. Then Thomas actually thinks about escaping through these massive rock doors, but Chuck warned him not to so he didn't.
2. I think the book is pretty good right now and will be later on as well. The best is the fact that the author is really good at explaining things, but that isn't always good. So when he is talking about a new character and there personality its pretty helpful. And when he is talking about when Thomas sees something weird it has a little to much detail for me. Overall I think he is a really good author and I think this book has a unique story type.
3. The theme of the book is friendship so far I think for a couple of reasons. Like how Thomas is in this new place for the first time and no one will really help him until he meets Chuck. Chuck is really nice to him from the begging from getting him some food to telling him some edvice. Thats what friends do for each other and that is why I think so far in the book the theme is friendship.
4. My favorite character in this book so far is Chuck because he is a very good person for a couple of reasons. He is always very happy and sees the bright side of things when everything is very confusing and hard. Also because he is a good friend to Thomas because he teaches him the ropes and is nice to him unlike anyone else.
5. My least favorite character is Thomas because he is the kind of person who is stubborn all the time. He is always not really listening to Chucks advice and is getting into trouble because of that. He actually would have gotten himself killed if it hadn't been for Chuck and how he told enough not to try to escape.
6. I think that Thomas will eventually try to escape with Chuck and they will try to survive in the maze together. They will leave when know one knows and be living off of each other by helping the other one survive and save each other at times when they need it. I also think that they will meet some other people and that they might lose some people at some points in the book.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Hatchet
Hank Reinhart
Hatchet
Gary Paulson
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
63
1. I have just finished chapter 6 in the book Hatchet by Gary Paulson. The book starts out with Brian in a plane. His parents just divorced and it's playing a big role in how he acts and thinks. Anyway he is going to northern Canada to visit his dad for the summer. But as he's flying along the pilot has a heart attack and goes unconcious. Brian tries to wake him up but the pilot dies. Now Brian is flying a plane for hours off course and is trying to find a landing. Later his fuel runs out and he plummets down towards a lake. He suvives the crash but is in the middle of nowhere. As he finds a shelter which is a cave, he looks at the supplies he has. He has some misalanious items and $20. But he finds something useful which is a hatchet his mother gave him. Brian soon finds food and water to survive. But the next thing on his list is to find out how to make a fire.
2. I think the author did a great job writing this book. One thing I havn't seen in writing before is that Brian keeps repeating these words in his head. Some are The Secret. Another is Divorce. So far all these words have to do with Brian's parents divorce so it is pretty interesting. Also I like how the book is based on surviving in the wilderness. I like the plot and I think it's very exciting to see what happens to the character.
3. The theme of this book is man vs wildnerness. It is pretty obvious because Brian is trying to survive in the wild. The wild is effecing how he thinks becuase instead of focusing on the divorce, his attention is on surviving. Also he is becoming more couragous because he needs to take risks in the wild.
4. My favorite charcter is Brian. I like Brian in many ways. One is that he is overcoming his sadness from the divorce. This is making the book better, and keeping him on track for his goal: to survive. Also Brian is optimistic. When he got his head straight after the crash, he was always looking on the bright side of thgings like what do I have, or Holw long it will take the rescue team to find me. So far Brian has been a great character but I think he will get better.
5. Although I haven't been introduced to a lot of characters my least favorite character would be the pilot. I don't like him becaue he was out of shape which gave him a heart attack. Now Brian is stuck in the wilderness becuase of him. Also Brian is afraid of drinking the lake water because the pilots body is in there.
6. I predict help will not come to save Brian. He flew the plane hundreds of miles off course so it would be hard to find him. Also I think Brian will adapt more to the enviroment and feel better. I also think he will find that the hatchet is very useful fo survival.
Hatchet
Gary Paulson
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
63
1. I have just finished chapter 6 in the book Hatchet by Gary Paulson. The book starts out with Brian in a plane. His parents just divorced and it's playing a big role in how he acts and thinks. Anyway he is going to northern Canada to visit his dad for the summer. But as he's flying along the pilot has a heart attack and goes unconcious. Brian tries to wake him up but the pilot dies. Now Brian is flying a plane for hours off course and is trying to find a landing. Later his fuel runs out and he plummets down towards a lake. He suvives the crash but is in the middle of nowhere. As he finds a shelter which is a cave, he looks at the supplies he has. He has some misalanious items and $20. But he finds something useful which is a hatchet his mother gave him. Brian soon finds food and water to survive. But the next thing on his list is to find out how to make a fire.
2. I think the author did a great job writing this book. One thing I havn't seen in writing before is that Brian keeps repeating these words in his head. Some are The Secret. Another is Divorce. So far all these words have to do with Brian's parents divorce so it is pretty interesting. Also I like how the book is based on surviving in the wilderness. I like the plot and I think it's very exciting to see what happens to the character.
3. The theme of this book is man vs wildnerness. It is pretty obvious because Brian is trying to survive in the wild. The wild is effecing how he thinks becuase instead of focusing on the divorce, his attention is on surviving. Also he is becoming more couragous because he needs to take risks in the wild.
4. My favorite charcter is Brian. I like Brian in many ways. One is that he is overcoming his sadness from the divorce. This is making the book better, and keeping him on track for his goal: to survive. Also Brian is optimistic. When he got his head straight after the crash, he was always looking on the bright side of thgings like what do I have, or Holw long it will take the rescue team to find me. So far Brian has been a great character but I think he will get better.
5. Although I haven't been introduced to a lot of characters my least favorite character would be the pilot. I don't like him becaue he was out of shape which gave him a heart attack. Now Brian is stuck in the wilderness becuase of him. Also Brian is afraid of drinking the lake water because the pilots body is in there.
6. I predict help will not come to save Brian. He flew the plane hundreds of miles off course so it would be hard to find him. Also I think Brian will adapt more to the enviroment and feel better. I also think he will find that the hatchet is very useful fo survival.
Louie Parizeau
Louie Parizeau
The Shining
Stephen King
Horror
Just Right
26
The Shining
Stephen King
Horror
Just Right
26
- Right now in The Shining, the Torrance's are struggling with money. Jack Torrance, the father goes to an interview for a job to take care of the Overlook Hotel over the winter. He gets a tour of the hotel so he will know how to take care of it over the long winter. While Jack is at his interview, his son, Danny, is waiting for him to come home in the driveway. During this part of the book, Danny is thinking about how his father was once abusive to him and an alcoholic. Once, Jack broken Danny's arm when he was drunk. Danny has special powers that can warn him about events that might happen, so he keeps having nightmares about a monster named REDRUM coming and hurting him. His mother, Wendy, feels very worried for Danny because he is always alone and doesn't play with his friends. Also, Wendy has been thinking about getting a divorce with Jack because of his alcohol and abuse problems, but she has not come to do it yet.
- So far, I really like The Shining because the plot is very interesting. I always want to keep reading to find out if Danny's dreams of REDRUM are true and actually going to happen. Also, I like all the characters because they are all unique in their own way. Stephen King also makes his writing very erie and mysterious, which I think makes the book better because it is hard to make a book actually scary, like he does.
- One theme in The Shining is alcoholism. Jack was very addicted to alcohol which made him do bad things, like break Danny's arm. I think that alcohol really affect his relationship between him and Wendy, and is one of the main reasons why she wants a divorce. Throughout the book I think that alcohol will make it harder and harder for Jack to control himself, especially at the Overlook.
- My favorite character is Danny because he is a very interesting and nice character. He is always nice because he forgives his Dad for breaking his arm, and he will always do what his parents say. He is never mean to them either and always worries that something bad will happen to one of them. I think that he is also interesting how he keeps having these flashbacks about what might happen in the future, it is like a psychic ability.
- My least favorite character is Jack because he seems very down and sad, and he also has a bad past that somewhat shows in his present character. I think that the reason he is always sad is because he is struggling with money and he is always having to resist alcohol. He never makes and jokes or smiles, he is just always serious. I think that because he once was a bad alcoholic, and once broke Danny's arm, it slightly shows in him now, and I think it will get worse as time goes on.
- I think that once they start living at the Overlook, Jacks alcohol problems will get worse and he will finally give in and start drinking again. I predict that he will be the REDRUM the Danny dreams about, and he might hurt Danny or Wendy at the hotel when he is drunk.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Madison Moore
To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Racism
Just Right
1) I just finished chapter 14 and a lot is going on in this book right now. Aunt Alexandra has come to live with Scout and Jem since Atticus is in Washington D.C. Aunt Alexandra doesn't like Cal's relationship with Scout and Jem, she feels it is too casual, so she has a talk with Atticus about "firing" Cal. Atticus doesn't want to fire Cal because Cal is not just a servant, she has become apart of the family. Also Dil has run away from his family in this chapter. Dil feels like his parents don't really love him or even notice the fact that he is there. Scout was thrilled to see him and so was Jem, but because of Jem's new him, he decided to do the more mature thing and tell Atticus. Scout was infuriated with this and she felt he was breaking their friendship code.
2) I kind of like this book. I think it is little slow at some parts and at points hard to follow, but I still like it. I don't think this is a book I normally would read, but it's good for a change. The only thing that makes me not really like this book is the oint of view it is wrtten in. Since I know all of the book is leading up to whem Jem hurt his arm it confuses me at time because I don't see why they would write about sstuff prior to that since it has been two years.
3) There are a ton of themes in this book. One major theme in this book is sacrife. I feel like this a a huge theme because atticus is risking a lot on taking the Tom Robinson case. This is a maor theme because Atticuz is risking his reputation as a respected lawyer, and his social life on a day to day bases, but most of all his kid's social life and their safety.
4) My favorite character is Calpernia. I love her because Cal lives two lives. She knows how to act infront of different people and she is educated better than others. I like how she didn't let the fact that she was black and that people thought less of her set her back. Cal seems like a nive and caring person, she cared for her children and raised them well and now she is caring forJem and Scout and raising them well.
5) My least favorite character is Aunt Alexandra. I really don't like her because she thinks of herslef as better than others and she is raiding her kids and gramdkids to think the same. She talks as if she owns the place no matter where she is. Also I don't like how she treats her own family. She is horrible to Scout and she doesn't have a good reason to be mean to her.
6) I think something is going to happen between Cal and Aunt Alexandra. Aunt Alexandra doesn't like Cal, therefore I think she is going to try and get rid of her since Atticus won't.
To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Racism
Just Right
1) I just finished chapter 14 and a lot is going on in this book right now. Aunt Alexandra has come to live with Scout and Jem since Atticus is in Washington D.C. Aunt Alexandra doesn't like Cal's relationship with Scout and Jem, she feels it is too casual, so she has a talk with Atticus about "firing" Cal. Atticus doesn't want to fire Cal because Cal is not just a servant, she has become apart of the family. Also Dil has run away from his family in this chapter. Dil feels like his parents don't really love him or even notice the fact that he is there. Scout was thrilled to see him and so was Jem, but because of Jem's new him, he decided to do the more mature thing and tell Atticus. Scout was infuriated with this and she felt he was breaking their friendship code.
2) I kind of like this book. I think it is little slow at some parts and at points hard to follow, but I still like it. I don't think this is a book I normally would read, but it's good for a change. The only thing that makes me not really like this book is the oint of view it is wrtten in. Since I know all of the book is leading up to whem Jem hurt his arm it confuses me at time because I don't see why they would write about sstuff prior to that since it has been two years.
3) There are a ton of themes in this book. One major theme in this book is sacrife. I feel like this a a huge theme because atticus is risking a lot on taking the Tom Robinson case. This is a maor theme because Atticuz is risking his reputation as a respected lawyer, and his social life on a day to day bases, but most of all his kid's social life and their safety.
4) My favorite character is Calpernia. I love her because Cal lives two lives. She knows how to act infront of different people and she is educated better than others. I like how she didn't let the fact that she was black and that people thought less of her set her back. Cal seems like a nive and caring person, she cared for her children and raised them well and now she is caring forJem and Scout and raising them well.
5) My least favorite character is Aunt Alexandra. I really don't like her because she thinks of herslef as better than others and she is raiding her kids and gramdkids to think the same. She talks as if she owns the place no matter where she is. Also I don't like how she treats her own family. She is horrible to Scout and she doesn't have a good reason to be mean to her.
6) I think something is going to happen between Cal and Aunt Alexandra. Aunt Alexandra doesn't like Cal, therefore I think she is going to try and get rid of her since Atticus won't.
Emma Hanmer
Emma Hanmer
The Tail Of Emily Windsnap
Liz Kessler
Fantasy
Just right
Just Finished
1. For my independent reading, I just finished reading The Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler. Emily Windsnap, the main character, is a mermaid. She has just rescued her father from the king's underwater jail. He was in jail because He and Emily's mom, a human, married. Mermaids and humans were not allowed to marry, so king Neptune threw her dad in jail. After her long journey with her best friend Shona, they freed her father. The ending of the book starts with the Windsnap's trial. The king has agreed to give their family a trial to decide their fate. The Windsnap's use their love for each other and respect for the creatures of the ocean to win him over so they can stay together. The family was relocated from Shipwreck cove, their previous dwelling, to a secret island where other families like them live. They have a boat for her mom to live on, and an underwater house for her and her dad. They finally get to live together in peace.
2. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was action packed and exciting right from the beginning to the end. I really love this author and other books that she has written. I have read the book Phillipa Fisher's fairy godsister, which is another book by Liz Kessler. I notice that she enjoys writing novels about fantastical things like mermaids and fairies. The author made this book interesting by giving her a goal, which was to save her father. It gave the book a sense of love and family which was really great t o read about.
3. A common theme in this book is courage. I see this theme a lot in the characters. Emily will do anything to save her dad. She and Shona go on a long and dangerous journey to rescue him. Emily almost gets attacked by hammerhead sharks on the way. She would risk her own life for him. I think that it is really incredible that a girl so young could endure and go through so much. I also see courage in Shona. Shona has gone through a lot with her family, and she is still willing to help Emily with hers. The way she thinks about everyone else besides herself is such a strong quality in her.
4. My favorite character in this book is Shona. Shona is bubbly and bright. She knows the ocean like it's the back of her hand. I like how she cares about Emily and finding her dad, and how she is with Emily every step of the way. When Emily and Shona first met, she told Emily about the secret sunken boat that helped her find her father. Shona never thought about herself, but only of the well-being of her best friend. That shows what a true friend really is, and I deeply respect her for that. I wish Emily had thanked her more for all of her help!
5. My least favorite character is the King. although he gets better at the end when he lets them live together, he didn't start out that way. He didn't realize what true love was. Event though Emily's parents fell in love, he mindlessly separated them which ruined their relationship and love for each other just because he thinks it's "not right". I don't think that it was his decision to make. If the parents thought it wouldn't work they would have split. He was also very cruel and sent spies around to "check on" Emily and her mother while her father was in jail.
6. I really loved the ending. I think it was amazing that the Windsnap's finally got to be a family. The island that they get to live at is so incredible! There are huge waterfalls and caves that border the beach. I couldn't imagine not seeing my father for my whole life. I could tell that Shona and Emily would find him because the author hinted that the Windsnaps were a special case and that there situation would end up Ok. I didn't expect this ending to happen. It originally thought that Emily and Shona would never find her father and Emily might move in with Shona. I'm very happy that this was the real ending, because everything turned out all right.
Hannah Keavany
The Fault in our stars
John Green
realistic fiction
Just Right
144
Hazel finds out she gets to go on the trip to amsterdam and gets all excited. The adult that brings them is Hazels mother because she knows how to work Hazels oxygen tank. So its the day they leave and they the three of them get in the car. Its about 40 minutes before the plane leaves for Amsterdam and Augustas says he is going to get food. Augustas has been gone for 30 minutes and Hazels starts to wonder where he is. Then she hears the flight atendent say all people who will need time to get on the plane please bored. Hazel is thinking where could he be and then she turns. She sees Augustas limping his way toward the plane as fast as he can and they get on the plane in time.
I really like this book a lot right now. I think that this author is really pulling me into this book. It just keeps getting better and better. I really like how Hazel has a friend she can talk to. It seems that Augustas is a very nice person. When i start reading i just cant stop because i want to know what happens in amsterdam like if Hazel gets to meet her favorite author.
my favorite character would have to be Hazels mother because she lets her dauhghter go on a flight far away. Her mother will even go with her so that she can go because if she didnet have someone with her that knew how to use her oxygen tank nothing good would come from it. I like Hazels mom also because she is always there to support Hazel and she is always there for her and
I think a theme for this book is adventure because Hazel is trying somthing new by going on a plane to amsterdam. She is going to find her favorite author who is very far away from her home. This is an advernture because yu never know what will come of it. This will be a new experience for Hazel and Augustas.
I really do not have a least favorite characters because all of them have proven that they are all so very nice and sweet that no one could not like them.
I predict that Augustas will get sick on the plane and i also think that Hazel will not like the plane either. I dont think that Augustas has ever gone on a plane before. Another prediction i have is that the author they both really like is going to not be where he says he was and Hazel will get very disaponited.
The Fault in our stars
John Green
realistic fiction
Just Right
144
Hazel finds out she gets to go on the trip to amsterdam and gets all excited. The adult that brings them is Hazels mother because she knows how to work Hazels oxygen tank. So its the day they leave and they the three of them get in the car. Its about 40 minutes before the plane leaves for Amsterdam and Augustas says he is going to get food. Augustas has been gone for 30 minutes and Hazels starts to wonder where he is. Then she hears the flight atendent say all people who will need time to get on the plane please bored. Hazel is thinking where could he be and then she turns. She sees Augustas limping his way toward the plane as fast as he can and they get on the plane in time.
I really like this book a lot right now. I think that this author is really pulling me into this book. It just keeps getting better and better. I really like how Hazel has a friend she can talk to. It seems that Augustas is a very nice person. When i start reading i just cant stop because i want to know what happens in amsterdam like if Hazel gets to meet her favorite author.
my favorite character would have to be Hazels mother because she lets her dauhghter go on a flight far away. Her mother will even go with her so that she can go because if she didnet have someone with her that knew how to use her oxygen tank nothing good would come from it. I like Hazels mom also because she is always there to support Hazel and she is always there for her and
Sean Dougherty
Sean Dougherty
The Son of Neptune
Rick Riordan
Fantasy/Mythology
Just Right
Pg 37
1. Currently, I am reading The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan. I started this book earlier this year but dropped it due to longevity, but now I feel that I have time to read it from the beginning. There's a prior book in this series, The Lost Hero, and this is the second of three books in this thrilling series. I'm at the beginning of this book and right now, Percy, like Jason, had a memory wipe. He doesn't know anything about his childhood, parents, or friends. The book stats where Percy is being chased by two gorgons, sisters of Medusa. Percy still remembers his name and the fact that he is half god, half human: a demigod. He is able to kill a gorgon, then run away, but the gorgons regenerate and catch up to him pretty quickly. He gets to steep hill, a dead end. He knows there is a tunnel under the hill, but how will he get there. The gorgons are disguised in the human world as workers at the Bargain Mart, and one was carrying a tray with poisoned cheese samples. Percy is able to kill the gorgons one last time, take the tray and uses it as a sled. He gets down the hill and finds the tunnel. There is an old woman there, apparently a Goddess: Juno. She asks that Percy carries her through the tunnel, he excepts. The two guards at the tunnel are able to hold the gorgons off long enough for them all to reach their destination, Rome. Even though they were in the United States at the time, somehow mythology led them to ancient Rome. I can't wait to keep reading.
2. I really have enjoyed this book so far. Even though I am only at the beginning, I find these kinds of books interesting and exciting. I've read many other Riordan books, and have felt the same way. They are very well written and always provide a good handful of mythology that can come in handy in Latin class. I immensely like how the author can mix the characters in mythology with real people living normal, or sort of normal lives. Things like that can just make a book so much better. As in The Maze Runner, I like how the main character starts with no memory. This gives the reader, as well as the character, new ground to build on. Building it from the ground in other words. I feel Rick Riordan does a great job at this.
3. The theme of this book is probably finding yourself. Of coarse, Percy starts out with almost no memory and his goal is to get that back, but it's more than that. He needs to figure out what he means to everybody and the world. He has to except the fact that he's not like other teenagers, he is demigod. He fights monsters and goes to a hero camp instead of school. That's exactly why I chose this theme. I may be early in the book, but I know Percy, he truly is a hero. Same story with all the other demigods, they need to look inside themselves and find out what they mean to the world of mythology. You may think of them as just soldiers, but they are individuals with different talents and parents. Again, the entire plot is for Jason to get his memory back and continue the life he was living before he woke up.
4. Because I have only read so few pages, my favorite character is Percy. He shows he is a hero through his courage and leadership. When he was being chased by the gorgons knowing that he couldn't kill them, he didn't give up. Even when the odds were on top of him, he kept fighting, and eventually he found a way to escape. Also, he is flat out a good person. He didn't know that the old lady was a Goddess before he carried her, still he did the favor and did what's right. He seems like the best character in this book to me so far.
5. My least favorite character in this book is Reyna, the camp of Rome's leader. She was the first one to formally greed Percy when he got to the camp. This greeting was very weak and pathetic. Percy had just had his life at risk as well as the two guards and Juno. She's stiff and very high strung considering the brief time she was described in the book. Despite the responsibilities of being camp leader, she's a teenager, she deserves to have fun every once and a while. I feel like she won't play a big part in the rest of the plot, but right now, she's pretty important to Percy's position.
6. Considering the fact that I've read other Rick Riordan books and know how and where his climax kicks in. He writes hero stories, and heroes almost always win. However, his heroes are teenagers and think differently. I other words, they can't really seal the deal. I now Percy will hardly win, but the story won't be over. There's always this loophole that leads the story into the rest of the series. The gorgons said that their leader was Gaea, and I think that Gaea will almost awake, but due to the strong courage of Percy and his friends, they will keep her asleep. But she's not done, the prophesy says that seven sons of Olympus will unite to defeat Gaea. I believe that this won't happen until the next book.
The Son of Neptune
Rick Riordan
Fantasy/Mythology
Just Right
Pg 37
1. Currently, I am reading The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan. I started this book earlier this year but dropped it due to longevity, but now I feel that I have time to read it from the beginning. There's a prior book in this series, The Lost Hero, and this is the second of three books in this thrilling series. I'm at the beginning of this book and right now, Percy, like Jason, had a memory wipe. He doesn't know anything about his childhood, parents, or friends. The book stats where Percy is being chased by two gorgons, sisters of Medusa. Percy still remembers his name and the fact that he is half god, half human: a demigod. He is able to kill a gorgon, then run away, but the gorgons regenerate and catch up to him pretty quickly. He gets to steep hill, a dead end. He knows there is a tunnel under the hill, but how will he get there. The gorgons are disguised in the human world as workers at the Bargain Mart, and one was carrying a tray with poisoned cheese samples. Percy is able to kill the gorgons one last time, take the tray and uses it as a sled. He gets down the hill and finds the tunnel. There is an old woman there, apparently a Goddess: Juno. She asks that Percy carries her through the tunnel, he excepts. The two guards at the tunnel are able to hold the gorgons off long enough for them all to reach their destination, Rome. Even though they were in the United States at the time, somehow mythology led them to ancient Rome. I can't wait to keep reading.
2. I really have enjoyed this book so far. Even though I am only at the beginning, I find these kinds of books interesting and exciting. I've read many other Riordan books, and have felt the same way. They are very well written and always provide a good handful of mythology that can come in handy in Latin class. I immensely like how the author can mix the characters in mythology with real people living normal, or sort of normal lives. Things like that can just make a book so much better. As in The Maze Runner, I like how the main character starts with no memory. This gives the reader, as well as the character, new ground to build on. Building it from the ground in other words. I feel Rick Riordan does a great job at this.
3. The theme of this book is probably finding yourself. Of coarse, Percy starts out with almost no memory and his goal is to get that back, but it's more than that. He needs to figure out what he means to everybody and the world. He has to except the fact that he's not like other teenagers, he is demigod. He fights monsters and goes to a hero camp instead of school. That's exactly why I chose this theme. I may be early in the book, but I know Percy, he truly is a hero. Same story with all the other demigods, they need to look inside themselves and find out what they mean to the world of mythology. You may think of them as just soldiers, but they are individuals with different talents and parents. Again, the entire plot is for Jason to get his memory back and continue the life he was living before he woke up.
4. Because I have only read so few pages, my favorite character is Percy. He shows he is a hero through his courage and leadership. When he was being chased by the gorgons knowing that he couldn't kill them, he didn't give up. Even when the odds were on top of him, he kept fighting, and eventually he found a way to escape. Also, he is flat out a good person. He didn't know that the old lady was a Goddess before he carried her, still he did the favor and did what's right. He seems like the best character in this book to me so far.
5. My least favorite character in this book is Reyna, the camp of Rome's leader. She was the first one to formally greed Percy when he got to the camp. This greeting was very weak and pathetic. Percy had just had his life at risk as well as the two guards and Juno. She's stiff and very high strung considering the brief time she was described in the book. Despite the responsibilities of being camp leader, she's a teenager, she deserves to have fun every once and a while. I feel like she won't play a big part in the rest of the plot, but right now, she's pretty important to Percy's position.
6. Considering the fact that I've read other Rick Riordan books and know how and where his climax kicks in. He writes hero stories, and heroes almost always win. However, his heroes are teenagers and think differently. I other words, they can't really seal the deal. I now Percy will hardly win, but the story won't be over. There's always this loophole that leads the story into the rest of the series. The gorgons said that their leader was Gaea, and I think that Gaea will almost awake, but due to the strong courage of Percy and his friends, they will keep her asleep. But she's not done, the prophesy says that seven sons of Olympus will unite to defeat Gaea. I believe that this won't happen until the next book.
Alex Dombrowski
Alex Dombrowski
Series
of Unfortunate Events: #3 The Wide Window
Lemony Snicket
Fantasy
Holiday
57
1. The
three orphans Violet, Klaus and Sunny meet their new guardian after the
unfortunate death of their Uncle Monty. Aunt Josephine is a rather odd woman.
Her husband died in Lake Lachrymose where he was eaten by a type of leech that
lives in the lake. Because of this, Aunt Josephine has many fears about the lake,
which is ironic because she lives on a cliff side looking over it. In addition,
she is scared of many of her household possessions like her telephone and the
radiator. The orphans settle in to the house quickly and find their aunt is
fascinated with grammar; she has a large library full of books on grammar. The
Baudelaires hear about a hurricane that will occur on the lake, so Aunt
Josephine and the three children go shopping for supplies. While they are
shopping, they meet Captain Sham. He tells them he is the owner of a boat
rental company. Violet and Klaus quickly realize that this man is Count Olaf in
disguise. They cannot prove that this is Olaf because he has a wooden leg
covering the ankle where his tattoo of an eye is. In the middle of the night,
there is a large crash. The children rush down to the library where they find
their Aunt’s suicide note. The note says their new guardian will be Cpt. Sham.
Klaus is very suspicious of the not because it has a lot of grammatical errors
in it. He knows that his aunt loved grammar and wouldn’t have made these
errors.
2.
I am really enjoying the book, even
though I am only half done with it. Snicket creates the most interesting
characters in the books. This keeps each book exciting because every new
guardian is very unique. Also, he defines words that you may not know so you
don’t have to look anything up or be confused. The book has many exciting
twists. For example, I didn’t expect aunt Josephine to kill herself, I thought
Olaf would have done it or made it obvious. Snicket also does a very job
keeping Count Olaf different. In every book, he pretends to be a different
person.
3.
I think the major theme is desire to
escape. I think it is this because the orphans are always trying to get away
from a bad place or person. In every book, so far Olaf has tormented them and
made them want to get away from him. Usually the places they go don’t have the
best conditions: by that I mean their guardian is mean or insane, or their
guardian is killed making them want to get away from the place. In this book
they want to get away from Olaf because he is disguised as Captain Sham. Olaf always continues to try to steal their great
fortune and that is why the three want to get away from him. Desire to escape
is a prominent theme in this book and I expect it to continue throughout the
series.
4.
My favorite character is Klaus. He is a
very smart boy who loves to read. Since he reads so much, he is extremely
intelligent. He usually can get himself and his siblings out of sticky
situations because he always knows what to do. Also, he cares for his sisters,
He is always looking out for them and teaching them things. In The Wide Window he figures out it
couldn’t have been Aunt Josephine who wrote the letter because they were
grammatical errors. Only he could have figured that out because he knows grammar
so well from reading. These attributes make him my favorite character.
5.
My least favorite character is Count
Olaf. He is a greedy man who is always trying to steal the Baudelaire’s
fortune. After he met them in the first book, he has always been scheming to
steal their money. He will do anything to get their money from trying to marry
the eldest girl to killing their real guardian. In this book, I think he killed
their aunt because there were grammatical errors in her suicide note. Also,
Olaf always tries to pretend to be someone else so the orphans won’t realize
it’s him. Unfortunately for him it never works. Olaf is evil to the Baudelaires
it is impossible to like him.
6. My
predictions for what are to come next are that the three will confront Captain
Sham about being Olaf. To prove that he is Olaf they have to get his wooden leg
off to unveil the tattoo. To do so I think they will get him stuck in the lake
so he will have to take it off. I also think they may call Mr. Poe back to help
them prove that’s its Olaf just like in The
Reptile Room. If none of these events occur, it would surprise me a lot.
Turner Garland
Turner Garland
The Scorch Trials
James Dashner
Science Fiction
Just Right
Just Finished
1. I have recently finished The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. This is the second book in the series and I really loved it. The ending was filled with emotion and it was very unpredictable. After taken from his own group (group A), Thomas is dragged all the up the face of a mountain by group B. Thomas and his group were given two weeks to reach a safe haven over the mountains. They were forced to travel across the most burned out section of the entire world which is called the Scorch. The Flare, a deadly disease, has taken over most of the world and cranks now run all the towns and cities. Thomas and his friends travelled through a large city filled with these crazy, diseased people trying to make it to the mountains on the other side of the scorch. At the base of the mountain is where they met up with Group B. Thomas's best friend Teresa is there and Thomas is so happy to see her. When Teresa, beats him and puts him in a bag, then drags him up the side of a mountains, Thomas is beyond confused. What he thought was his best friend/girlfriend ended up seeming to hate him. Thomas was dragged all the way up to where the girls had camped and he was tied to a tree there. The girls said that Wicked had instructed to them to kill him, and especially Teresa was fond of the idea. Thomas pleaded that he shouldn't be killed, and finally he convinced the girls that Wicked telling them to kill him was just a test. They let him go but Teresa was not happy and stormed off. With the debate solved the group of girls and Thomas headed off towards the safe haven. After a while of hiking Thomas, who was at the back of the group hears someone calling his name from the forest, it was Teresa. Not really thinking Thomas follows her into the woods. Thomas followed Teresa through the woods and eventually she came to a stop. Then, when Thomas thought that he had been betrayed enough, Teresa tells him that Aris is right behind him with a knife, and will kill him if he try's to get away. The two force Thomas into a small cave. Thomas makes an attempt to escape once and manages to get a good shot of Aris in the Stomach, but it is not enough. Eventually Teresa and Aris get Thomas into a small room and shut the door on him. Thomas gets knocked out by some sort of gas and when he wakes up and calls for help Teresa and Aris are right there. Teresa cry's that she had to and that she is so sorry but wicked had told her, she and Aris had to capture him. Thomas eventually believes them but he still doesn't have complete trust in the two. From the high vantage point that they are on (the high mountain) they can see the other groups. After an extremely long hike down the mountain and into the valley, Thomas, Teresa, and Aris meet up with the two groups and explain that everyone is okay and that they are all on the same team. They realize that they had stopped next to a small flag in the ground that said safe haven. Suddenly the ground starts shaking and soon there are massive creatures with odd bulb growths on them surrounding the two groups. They fight and fight and the creatures are finally all dead and along with them, a few of the members from the groups. Having battled and risked their lives the teenagers are ready to get out of the awful place. Tired and exhausted Thomas sees a huge space ship like vehicle approaching them and soon it lands on the ground. The groups run toward the ship and board it and they are told that they are all safe.
2. Just like the first book in the series, The Maze Runners, I loved this book. I don't think it was quite as good as The Maze Runners but I still really, really liked it. Just like the first book Dashner made every single chapter a cliff hanger and it made it basically impossible to put down. This book was full of action and a lot of the book was a mystery. The Gladers never really knew what they were doing or why they were doing it. I like they way that Dashner starts out his books by having the characters know nothing to by the end of the story knowing a lot. The characters were especially interesting in this book. The only way that the group could have made it across the scorch was to work together. They needed to work together or they would all end up dying. This made the book very interesting to read. Throughout the entire book new characters were introduced and this caused tensions to rise. To deal with other characters Thomas and his friends had to be especially strong to survive and get through encounters with possibly dangerous people. The theme of betrayal also made the book very interesting and fun to read. While reading this book, I think I got angrier than I ever had before at the characters for betraying Thomas. All of these factors add up to create one of my favorite books of all time.
3. Like I mentioned before Betrayal is a key theme throughout this book. This theme shows Through the characters in the all parts of the book. One example of Betrayal is when Jorge and Brenda decide to travel with Thomas and his friends to go to the safe haven. They are part of a large group and agreeing to go with Thomas is betraying their own group. Jorge and Brenda's Group is smart though and they realize what they are trying to do. They blow up the building hoping that it kills them. Another example of betrayal is when Teresa and Aris trick Thomas and put him in the chamber. Teresa had been Thomas's best friend from the Maze and know she hurt him and threatened to kill him. Aris also was a friend of Thomas, and when he and Teresa beat him and throw Thomas in the chamber, Thomas is only felt betrayed. The theme of betrayal made the book a lot more exciting and made it even harder to put down.
4. My favorite character from The Maze Runners was Thomas, and he still is my favorite. I think that he is a really great character and he is definitely one of the reasons I love this book so much. He is funny, romantic, strong, and also can be very caring. I like how even with all that is going on around him he still is romantic and also humorous. He always makes sarcastic comments or jokes that lighten everything up. Thomas is in probably one of the worst situations that you could be in but he still try's to make it fun and enjoyable. Thomas is a natural leader and I really like that quality of him. He leads the group even though Minho is the true leader. Without a character like Thomas this book would certainly no be as strong.
5. My least favorite character is Teresa. At the beginning of the story and also in The Maze Runners Teresa was one of my favorite characters, but after what she did to Thomas, I really stopped liking her. I don't understand how she could be one of Thomas's best friends and then turn on him like that. When she and group B were taking Thomas from his friends she was very, very brutal and beat him without reason. I know that she says that she had to do it and that Wicked had told her and Aris to get Thomas in the chamber, but she did not have to be so cruel about it. Before she was one of my favorite characters, but after she betrayed Thomas, I don't think I or Thomas will be able to forgive her.
6. I thought that the ending of this book was fairly predictable, but it was still good. There is a third book in the series so I didn't think that anything would happen to Thomas or his close friends. I wish that something more substantial had happened at the end though. It was exciting but predictable. I didn't like how easy it seemed at the end. After fighting the weird creatures only a couple of the group members died and none were close to Thomas. At the end of The Maze Runners chuck dies which is a huge shock, and also half of the Gladers die fighting the Grievers. I still really liked this book but it would have been even better it had had a stronger ending.
The Scorch Trials
James Dashner
Science Fiction
Just Right
Just Finished
1. I have recently finished The Scorch Trials by James Dashner. This is the second book in the series and I really loved it. The ending was filled with emotion and it was very unpredictable. After taken from his own group (group A), Thomas is dragged all the up the face of a mountain by group B. Thomas and his group were given two weeks to reach a safe haven over the mountains. They were forced to travel across the most burned out section of the entire world which is called the Scorch. The Flare, a deadly disease, has taken over most of the world and cranks now run all the towns and cities. Thomas and his friends travelled through a large city filled with these crazy, diseased people trying to make it to the mountains on the other side of the scorch. At the base of the mountain is where they met up with Group B. Thomas's best friend Teresa is there and Thomas is so happy to see her. When Teresa, beats him and puts him in a bag, then drags him up the side of a mountains, Thomas is beyond confused. What he thought was his best friend/girlfriend ended up seeming to hate him. Thomas was dragged all the way up to where the girls had camped and he was tied to a tree there. The girls said that Wicked had instructed to them to kill him, and especially Teresa was fond of the idea. Thomas pleaded that he shouldn't be killed, and finally he convinced the girls that Wicked telling them to kill him was just a test. They let him go but Teresa was not happy and stormed off. With the debate solved the group of girls and Thomas headed off towards the safe haven. After a while of hiking Thomas, who was at the back of the group hears someone calling his name from the forest, it was Teresa. Not really thinking Thomas follows her into the woods. Thomas followed Teresa through the woods and eventually she came to a stop. Then, when Thomas thought that he had been betrayed enough, Teresa tells him that Aris is right behind him with a knife, and will kill him if he try's to get away. The two force Thomas into a small cave. Thomas makes an attempt to escape once and manages to get a good shot of Aris in the Stomach, but it is not enough. Eventually Teresa and Aris get Thomas into a small room and shut the door on him. Thomas gets knocked out by some sort of gas and when he wakes up and calls for help Teresa and Aris are right there. Teresa cry's that she had to and that she is so sorry but wicked had told her, she and Aris had to capture him. Thomas eventually believes them but he still doesn't have complete trust in the two. From the high vantage point that they are on (the high mountain) they can see the other groups. After an extremely long hike down the mountain and into the valley, Thomas, Teresa, and Aris meet up with the two groups and explain that everyone is okay and that they are all on the same team. They realize that they had stopped next to a small flag in the ground that said safe haven. Suddenly the ground starts shaking and soon there are massive creatures with odd bulb growths on them surrounding the two groups. They fight and fight and the creatures are finally all dead and along with them, a few of the members from the groups. Having battled and risked their lives the teenagers are ready to get out of the awful place. Tired and exhausted Thomas sees a huge space ship like vehicle approaching them and soon it lands on the ground. The groups run toward the ship and board it and they are told that they are all safe.
2. Just like the first book in the series, The Maze Runners, I loved this book. I don't think it was quite as good as The Maze Runners but I still really, really liked it. Just like the first book Dashner made every single chapter a cliff hanger and it made it basically impossible to put down. This book was full of action and a lot of the book was a mystery. The Gladers never really knew what they were doing or why they were doing it. I like they way that Dashner starts out his books by having the characters know nothing to by the end of the story knowing a lot. The characters were especially interesting in this book. The only way that the group could have made it across the scorch was to work together. They needed to work together or they would all end up dying. This made the book very interesting to read. Throughout the entire book new characters were introduced and this caused tensions to rise. To deal with other characters Thomas and his friends had to be especially strong to survive and get through encounters with possibly dangerous people. The theme of betrayal also made the book very interesting and fun to read. While reading this book, I think I got angrier than I ever had before at the characters for betraying Thomas. All of these factors add up to create one of my favorite books of all time.
3. Like I mentioned before Betrayal is a key theme throughout this book. This theme shows Through the characters in the all parts of the book. One example of Betrayal is when Jorge and Brenda decide to travel with Thomas and his friends to go to the safe haven. They are part of a large group and agreeing to go with Thomas is betraying their own group. Jorge and Brenda's Group is smart though and they realize what they are trying to do. They blow up the building hoping that it kills them. Another example of betrayal is when Teresa and Aris trick Thomas and put him in the chamber. Teresa had been Thomas's best friend from the Maze and know she hurt him and threatened to kill him. Aris also was a friend of Thomas, and when he and Teresa beat him and throw Thomas in the chamber, Thomas is only felt betrayed. The theme of betrayal made the book a lot more exciting and made it even harder to put down.
4. My favorite character from The Maze Runners was Thomas, and he still is my favorite. I think that he is a really great character and he is definitely one of the reasons I love this book so much. He is funny, romantic, strong, and also can be very caring. I like how even with all that is going on around him he still is romantic and also humorous. He always makes sarcastic comments or jokes that lighten everything up. Thomas is in probably one of the worst situations that you could be in but he still try's to make it fun and enjoyable. Thomas is a natural leader and I really like that quality of him. He leads the group even though Minho is the true leader. Without a character like Thomas this book would certainly no be as strong.
5. My least favorite character is Teresa. At the beginning of the story and also in The Maze Runners Teresa was one of my favorite characters, but after what she did to Thomas, I really stopped liking her. I don't understand how she could be one of Thomas's best friends and then turn on him like that. When she and group B were taking Thomas from his friends she was very, very brutal and beat him without reason. I know that she says that she had to do it and that Wicked had told her and Aris to get Thomas in the chamber, but she did not have to be so cruel about it. Before she was one of my favorite characters, but after she betrayed Thomas, I don't think I or Thomas will be able to forgive her.
6. I thought that the ending of this book was fairly predictable, but it was still good. There is a third book in the series so I didn't think that anything would happen to Thomas or his close friends. I wish that something more substantial had happened at the end though. It was exciting but predictable. I didn't like how easy it seemed at the end. After fighting the weird creatures only a couple of the group members died and none were close to Thomas. At the end of The Maze Runners chuck dies which is a huge shock, and also half of the Gladers die fighting the Grievers. I still really liked this book but it would have been even better it had had a stronger ending.
Oliver Morton
Oliver Morton
Ark Angel
Anthony Horowitz
Action/ Adventure
Just right
1. In the book Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz, Alex who is the main character has just escaped the building he was being held captive at. In this scene Alex has just gotten out of the room he's locked in and all of a sudden he realizes there is a fire in this building. He must escape quickly! He runs around the floor trying to find an exit. He finds the stairs and runs down them. He is breathing in heavy smoke and doesn't know if he will be able to make it out in time. He gets to the bottom and through all the smoke he sees the light! Alex runs out to escape but is met face to face with a henchman of the bad organization Force Three and cannot escape. He will die if he goes any farther outside or up the building. Alex must live and the best shot he has is going up so he runs up to the top of the building. Once on the roof he sees buildings around him but knows he will die trying to jump to one of the roofs of those buildings. Meanwhile the fire department and police are arriving and see Alex. Two firemen start running to the roof of the building closest to Alex. Between the two buildings there is a sign with wire attached between the buildings. Alex having tightrope walked when he was younger, tightrope walks across and just as the wire snaps he jumps and lives.
Ark Angel
Anthony Horowitz
Action/ Adventure
Just right
1. In the book Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz, Alex who is the main character has just escaped the building he was being held captive at. In this scene Alex has just gotten out of the room he's locked in and all of a sudden he realizes there is a fire in this building. He must escape quickly! He runs around the floor trying to find an exit. He finds the stairs and runs down them. He is breathing in heavy smoke and doesn't know if he will be able to make it out in time. He gets to the bottom and through all the smoke he sees the light! Alex runs out to escape but is met face to face with a henchman of the bad organization Force Three and cannot escape. He will die if he goes any farther outside or up the building. Alex must live and the best shot he has is going up so he runs up to the top of the building. Once on the roof he sees buildings around him but knows he will die trying to jump to one of the roofs of those buildings. Meanwhile the fire department and police are arriving and see Alex. Two firemen start running to the roof of the building closest to Alex. Between the two buildings there is a sign with wire attached between the buildings. Alex having tightrope walked when he was younger, tightrope walks across and just as the wire snaps he jumps and lives.
2. The detail in the book is just like the
detail in all of the other books I have read by Horowitz. Very crazy books that
need a lot of detail to make sense overall seem to be the only books that
Horowitz writes. These books are amazing action books that make you never want
to put the book down.
3. I think the theme in this book is man vs
nature. I think this because the evil organization that Alex is fighting is
fighting for nature against the human race. They want all of the humans to
treat the earth well and want to destroy the humans if they do anything to hurt
the earth. These people are very crazy and would do anything for the earth. The
weird thing is not many people know about this organization which makes them
even more dangerous.
4. My favorite character in this book and so far in this series is
Alex. There are so many things that make him interesting because from a child
his uncle had trained him to be a spy. Alex also is very good at being undercover. He always makes the book cool because he knows how to get out of a bad situation. I also think that it is cool that he is so young and is also a spy. I wish I could be a spy.
5. My least favorite character is Kaspar. Kaspar is the leader of Force Three the bad organization. Kaspar is also a eco-terroist but is willing to kill for the world. It is very bad that he tries to kill Alex. I don't like that he takes joy in taking peoples lives. He also has a tattoo of the world around his head. I think that he is weird.
6. My prediction for the book is that Ark Angel is going to be something more than just a title. I think it may be something that could hurt the earth and thats why Kaspar and his men try to kidnap the owner of Ark Angel's son. I think that a big battle will begin and Alex will have to end up saving the world once again.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Scott Hackney
Scott Hackney
The Mark Of Athena
Rick Riordan
Fantasy
Just Right
31
1. I have just started this book so I am not that
far into it. I am at the point were the Greeks from Camp Half Blood have just
landed in their massive warship, the Argo II in the Roman camp called New Rome.
After they landed the Romans didn't trust the Greeks so the two groups talked
and agreed that they would let the Greeks in the Roman camp. While they were
eating the two groups talked about the prophecy that would send seven demigods
to the Underworld and stop Gaea from rising again and destroying the world.
After they ate, Annabeth (the leader of the Greek group) and the leader of
Roman group (Reyna) took a walk around New Rome discussing the prophecy and
what they are going to do about it and who they are going to send to go to the
Underworld. While they were discussing this something blew up in the city and
they both go running back, which is were I left off.
2. I am really enjoying this book, even though I
have only just started the book it is still really good. One of the things that
make this book so good is the detail. The author makes it so that you are never
bored. He does this by putting a lot of action into the book. Though he doesn't
put too much in that it seems unreal. Another thing that the author does to
make the book so good is how he makes it seem believable, even though it is a
fantasy with mythical creatures in it. He does this by putting detail into the
book to explain the surroundings. He also uses real life places so you can
imagine where the book is taking place. Lastly the author makes the characters
really interesting. If he didn't explain the characters as well as he does the
book wouldn't be as good as it is.
3. I think a major theme in this book is Good vs.
Evil. The whole book is based of the good guys trying to stop the bad guys. One
example of this is the prophecy; it states that seven demigods will have to
stop Gaea from rising and destroying the world. Another example that shows the
theme of Good vs. Evil is the fact that the mythical creatures are trying to
kill the demigods. The demigods are defending themselves from these mythical
creatures. The only safe place for them is their camps, either Camp Half Blood
or New Rome.
4. My favorite character in the book is Annabeth.
She is always helping others and always knows what to do in any situation. She
is also very smart, she can pretty much always figure out a problem. Many
people know her for her ability to lead a group and solve any problem. During
the beginning of the book she is the leader and everyone around her knows that
she is more than capable to get the group out of any tricky situation. I also
think because of her ability to lead others she is well respected. Another
example of Annabeth being well respected is the fact that no one refuses to
follow her orders no matter how bad the situation gets.
5. I think my least favorite character is Octavian.
He is introduced in the beginning when the Greeks were meeting the Romans. He
is a hot head who thinks he should be the leader but no one else thinks he
should be the leader. He is always trying to get others in trouble for doing
things that he did. Also he doesn't trust the Greeks when he hasn't given them
a chance to prove that they are not trying to hurt the Romans. Lastly he is
trying to make himself the leader by making other people look bad.
6. I think that when Annabeth and Reyna get back to
where they heard the explosion they will see the Greeks and the Romans
fighting. One reason why I think that is, the Greeks and the Romans don't have
a good relationship. Most of the time when they encounter each other it turns
into a fight. In the book it says that the Civil War was fought between the
Greeks and the Romans. Also When Annabeth and Reyna were running back they
heard people shouting and it seemed that many people were angry.
Cloe Grace
Cloe Grace
The Maze Runner
James Dashner
Fantasy/ Dystopian fiction
29%
Just Right
1. So far in this book they have just gotten a girl from the elevator instead of a boy and she got a note saying that she is the last one ever coming through it. Later Ben is banished for trying to kill Thomas. Coincidentally, they find a dead griever the next morning. They have never seen a dead griever before. Now Thomas is trying each "job" to see which one he likes best. He keeps on telling Alby that he wants to be a maze runner and feels destined to be one. Alby keeps on telling Thomas that it will take a long time.
2. So far this book has been pretty good. At the beginning it's a little confusing and I wished they explained some of the vocab a little more because I still don't know what some words mean. Since I was expecting it to be amazing, I'm kind of disappointed so far even though this is just the beginning. I also like how this book gives you so many different emotions and opinions about people. When Ben was being banished I felt bad for him even though him being banished was for the best. I wonder if Dashner was trying to make me feel bad for him because he made Ben sound innocent. Finally I liked how Dashner gives only the littlest information for it to make a little sense but still gives you space to imagine what you think it would look like.
3. I think a theme in this book is quest for discovery. One of the biggest quests is the search for the the end of the maze. Another quest in this book is Thomas looking for answers about himself and the Glades. There's almost always a quest for discovery in every part of this book. Thomas looking for the right job is another quest for discovery. Finally, I like how there's always quest for discovery in the book and I bet there will be more to come.
4. My favorite character is Thomas because he's so mysterious but feels like he's going to do something heroic at the same time. He has this presence that makes you think he's going to solve the maze or something. You feel like you know him but you really don't. I like how Dashner wrote the book in his perspective.
5. My least favorite character is probably Chuck because he's new to the Glades to but he doesn't bother to know who he is or what some things in the Glades are. He also just goes with the flow which can be good and bad and can get boring. I'm glad he's not the main character because the book would get boring if he was. I also don't like him because he follows Thomas around instead of following his own paths. Even if I do feel kind of bad for him in parts he is my least favorite character.
6. I predict that the girl will wake up and somehow be related to Thomas and I think she will become a runner and so will Thomas. I think that they will be really good runners and find the end of the maze. I also think that Thomas has been in the Glade before and he figured the maze out before so he was sent back there again. I think he will remember how he found the end and bring everyone out of it. Or I also think that they will find a way out of the Glade without going through the maze. I also think that Ben killed the griever and found his way out of the maze.
The Maze Runner
James Dashner
Fantasy/ Dystopian fiction
29%
Just Right
1. So far in this book they have just gotten a girl from the elevator instead of a boy and she got a note saying that she is the last one ever coming through it. Later Ben is banished for trying to kill Thomas. Coincidentally, they find a dead griever the next morning. They have never seen a dead griever before. Now Thomas is trying each "job" to see which one he likes best. He keeps on telling Alby that he wants to be a maze runner and feels destined to be one. Alby keeps on telling Thomas that it will take a long time.
2. So far this book has been pretty good. At the beginning it's a little confusing and I wished they explained some of the vocab a little more because I still don't know what some words mean. Since I was expecting it to be amazing, I'm kind of disappointed so far even though this is just the beginning. I also like how this book gives you so many different emotions and opinions about people. When Ben was being banished I felt bad for him even though him being banished was for the best. I wonder if Dashner was trying to make me feel bad for him because he made Ben sound innocent. Finally I liked how Dashner gives only the littlest information for it to make a little sense but still gives you space to imagine what you think it would look like.
3. I think a theme in this book is quest for discovery. One of the biggest quests is the search for the the end of the maze. Another quest in this book is Thomas looking for answers about himself and the Glades. There's almost always a quest for discovery in every part of this book. Thomas looking for the right job is another quest for discovery. Finally, I like how there's always quest for discovery in the book and I bet there will be more to come.
4. My favorite character is Thomas because he's so mysterious but feels like he's going to do something heroic at the same time. He has this presence that makes you think he's going to solve the maze or something. You feel like you know him but you really don't. I like how Dashner wrote the book in his perspective.
5. My least favorite character is probably Chuck because he's new to the Glades to but he doesn't bother to know who he is or what some things in the Glades are. He also just goes with the flow which can be good and bad and can get boring. I'm glad he's not the main character because the book would get boring if he was. I also don't like him because he follows Thomas around instead of following his own paths. Even if I do feel kind of bad for him in parts he is my least favorite character.
6. I predict that the girl will wake up and somehow be related to Thomas and I think she will become a runner and so will Thomas. I think that they will be really good runners and find the end of the maze. I also think that Thomas has been in the Glade before and he figured the maze out before so he was sent back there again. I think he will remember how he found the end and bring everyone out of it. Or I also think that they will find a way out of the Glade without going through the maze. I also think that Ben killed the griever and found his way out of the maze.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Caroline Bennett
Caroline Bennett
Breaking Pointe
Miriam Wenger-Landis
Just Right
p. 174
1) Right now in Breaking Pointe by Miriam Wenger-Landis things are going very well in Anna's dance career. My prediction from my last blog post was correct. I thought that William was going to make Anna her new favorite and he did. At the party for William and his dancers, William took Anna around to all of the professional ballet company owners and told them she was his new prodigy. Anna was given a huge role in the next performance. This is very rare for someone as young and inexperienced as Anna is in ballet. Anna has less time now to spend with her boyfriend, Ethan. Her parents are also visiting her which I think might be stressful for Anna.
2) I am really enjoying this book so far. It is the sequel to Girl in Motion, I really liked that book so I had high expectations for Breaking Pointe. Miriam Wenger-Landis was in a professional ballet company so she used her past experiences in the book which I think makes it better. Since she experienced going through a ballet theater, she knows what is realistic and unrealistic and can write a book about ballet that is believable. Since it's about ballet there can't be a lot of action or be very fast paced. However there is a lot of drama which I really like. Many of the characters are mean to each other and even try to destroy each others ballet careers. I feel this makes the plot more exciting. The characters have a lot of depth to them, they even seem like people you could meet in real life. I think the author really improved her book by making the characters seem real. I will definitely read more books by this author since I really like this one and its prequel.
3) One of the themes that stood out to me in the book so far is Power of Tradition. I think it stood out even more in the recent chapters because it is becoming more and more about the way you look in order to get parts. Ballet is a very traditional sport and ballerinas are expected to look a certain way. One way is through the execution of the elements they are required to preform. But the way that stood out to me was in the way they look. Ballerinas are expected to fit a certain body type. They must be very thin in order to work professionally. Companies sometimes put pressure on their dancers to fit the body type they are looking for. If ballet was a new idea and someone was telling people they must look a certain way and give them unhealthy ways to look that way, people would probably protest. It is because ballet is a tradition that no one pushes to change it. Its is the power of tradition that has kept ballet alive for so long. Anna, the narrator, expresses this theme a lot with how she talks about others weight.
4) Anna is my favorite character. She is a very sweet and kind to everyone around her. I really like that about her. She is a very talented dancer and is able to push through extreme pain which I think is very admirable. I think she is able to handle herself in high pressured situations, I really like that. She works very hard for everything that has come her way, dance wise. I also think Anna is becoming less about dance and more into having a personal life. This makes her more relatable and it makes the book better.
5) My least favorite character is William. He hasn't actually done anything wrong yet but I feel like he might. He is being very kind to Anna. At first I thought this was great but now I think he might want something in return. I feel like he's going to make Anna give him something for giving her all of these good parts.
6) I think next in the book William is going to continue to give Anna good parts, for a little while longer. Then I think he will make her do something for hime in order to keep getting good parts. I also think that Ethan and Anna will continue to go out and she will put him as a higher priority than dance. I also wonder if Anna might quit dance or switch companies just because I think it would be an interesting twist.
1) Right now in Breaking Pointe by Miriam Wenger-Landis things are going very well in Anna's dance career. My prediction from my last blog post was correct. I thought that William was going to make Anna her new favorite and he did. At the party for William and his dancers, William took Anna around to all of the professional ballet company owners and told them she was his new prodigy. Anna was given a huge role in the next performance. This is very rare for someone as young and inexperienced as Anna is in ballet. Anna has less time now to spend with her boyfriend, Ethan. Her parents are also visiting her which I think might be stressful for Anna.
2) I am really enjoying this book so far. It is the sequel to Girl in Motion, I really liked that book so I had high expectations for Breaking Pointe. Miriam Wenger-Landis was in a professional ballet company so she used her past experiences in the book which I think makes it better. Since she experienced going through a ballet theater, she knows what is realistic and unrealistic and can write a book about ballet that is believable. Since it's about ballet there can't be a lot of action or be very fast paced. However there is a lot of drama which I really like. Many of the characters are mean to each other and even try to destroy each others ballet careers. I feel this makes the plot more exciting. The characters have a lot of depth to them, they even seem like people you could meet in real life. I think the author really improved her book by making the characters seem real. I will definitely read more books by this author since I really like this one and its prequel.
3) One of the themes that stood out to me in the book so far is Power of Tradition. I think it stood out even more in the recent chapters because it is becoming more and more about the way you look in order to get parts. Ballet is a very traditional sport and ballerinas are expected to look a certain way. One way is through the execution of the elements they are required to preform. But the way that stood out to me was in the way they look. Ballerinas are expected to fit a certain body type. They must be very thin in order to work professionally. Companies sometimes put pressure on their dancers to fit the body type they are looking for. If ballet was a new idea and someone was telling people they must look a certain way and give them unhealthy ways to look that way, people would probably protest. It is because ballet is a tradition that no one pushes to change it. Its is the power of tradition that has kept ballet alive for so long. Anna, the narrator, expresses this theme a lot with how she talks about others weight.
4) Anna is my favorite character. She is a very sweet and kind to everyone around her. I really like that about her. She is a very talented dancer and is able to push through extreme pain which I think is very admirable. I think she is able to handle herself in high pressured situations, I really like that. She works very hard for everything that has come her way, dance wise. I also think Anna is becoming less about dance and more into having a personal life. This makes her more relatable and it makes the book better.
5) My least favorite character is William. He hasn't actually done anything wrong yet but I feel like he might. He is being very kind to Anna. At first I thought this was great but now I think he might want something in return. I feel like he's going to make Anna give him something for giving her all of these good parts.
6) I think next in the book William is going to continue to give Anna good parts, for a little while longer. Then I think he will make her do something for hime in order to keep getting good parts. I also think that Ethan and Anna will continue to go out and she will put him as a higher priority than dance. I also wonder if Anna might quit dance or switch companies just because I think it would be an interesting twist.
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