Ark Angel-Connections

I have been reading Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz and I really like it. I am about 70 pages into it but it's a fast-pace book so many things have happened in those 70 pages. So far in the book, I have already noticed several connections in the book. I feel that there are connections in the book that relate to both myself and the real world.
Connection to myself
I felt a connection in this book between Alex Rider, the main character, and myself. Well, first of all, Alex is always thinking on his feet. When he has problems, he always creates out-of-the-box solutions. I feel that this "creative thinking" that Alex Rider has is also a part of my own skill set. When Alex is tightly locked in a room on the seventh floor of a burning building, he doesn't waste any time in escaping. The first thing he does is he studies the room. After studying the room he concludes that since the building is a very old building the frame must be rather weak. So, he starts walking around the room trying to find a weak spot in either the walls or the ceilings. After a while(under the pressure of smoke filling the room quickly), Alex finds that there is a soft spot in the ceiling. Coughing from the smoke, Alex reaches his hand and punches a hole in the ceiling. He then cupped his hands, grabbed on the ceiling, and brought himself up. He was above the room. He crawled several feet then slammed his foot down to the other side of the room. He then maneuvered himself out of the burning building just in time. It's both Alex's creativity and never give up attitude that allowed him to survive. I think that I show the creativity and attitude that Alex shows whenever I play sports. If something doesn't go my way(and it's almost impossible for EVERYTHING to go your way), I can always battle through it and end up in the win column.
Connection to the real world
Apart from the personal connections I share with Ark Angel, I think there is a real world connection demonstrated in the book. In the book, there is a "terrorist" group called Force Three. They get their name from the fact that the Earth is the third planet from the sun. This "terrorist" group has strange intentions however. Force Three has very radical and extreme thinking. Their goal is to stop polluting and preserve Earth's natural beauty. However, they will do anything to achieve their goal. They kill rich businessmen who make their money from oil drilling, they kidnap children and ask the parents for money in order for safe return, and they will terminate anyone that gets in their way. They are "ECO-freaks". Their leader, Kaspar, even has the entire world tattooed on his head and face. So, even though Force Three has good intentions, they seem to ignore their values whenever they're killing and kidnapping people. I think that Force Three connects with some terrorist groups throughout history. Their intentions are often,"Make the human race a better one," or "make the world a stronger place." Which in their own minds sound good. However, the way they plan to do so is usually extreme, violent, and puzzling when considering what their goal is. So, Force Three, like some terrorist groups have very contradicting goals and ways to achieve those goals.

   

Half Brother (redo) (comparison)

This week I started reading Half Brother by Kennneth Oppel. So far it looks like an appealing story. It's about Ben Tomlin who is 13 years old. Hes like basically every teenager. He likes reading popular mechanics. In the first couple chapters, Ben explains how he is moving to the other side of Canada  His parents are behavioral scientists. His mom is on a trip currently bringing back a baby chimp for her research. 
In reading the first few chapters, I had already connected to  the main character, Ben Tomlin. We relate in a lot of ways. He is in to Technology, his mom works a lot, and  he doesn't like change.
First Ben is moving to Canada  He doesn't want to leave his friends and doesn't want to go to a new place because he likes where he is. That's exactly how I felt when I moved to Buffalo. I didn't want to leave my friends and have to adjust to a new place.
Ben's mom brings home a chimp,Zan, who ends up taking all the attention of the parents. Ben, not liking change, does not like Zan.  I connect with Ben because we both have a similar mind set and hate change.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks (redo)

        I recently began the read the novel A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. I am just at the beginning of the novel, but I can already connect it to another story I have read called The Notebook, also written by Nicholas Sparks. The two novels both share similar themes.
       The main theme both novels share is that love can overcome anything. In A Walk to Remember, Jamie and Landon are two very different people. Landon a bad boy, who cannot stay out of trouble, while Jamie is very religious and smart, with a bible always in hand. Landon was very confident into taking Jamie to the homecoming dance and getting to know her. As well as reading A Walk to Remember, I have also seen the movie. I know that Jamie eventually gets diagnosed with leukemia, but Landon does all he can to keep their love alive.
        A Walk to Remember shares a connection to The Notebook, because they both share the same genre as romance and still the theme that love can overcome anything. Ally and Noah stayed in love with years of  not seeing each other. They made distance work into their relationship. No matter how many setbacks the two faced, their love always brought them back together.
       Both stories share a similar theme. No matter how many obstacles each couple faced, they still loved each other.
      I am really enjoying A Walk to Remember so far. The book started off slow, but the plot eventually got more and more interesting. I am hoping the book i
s just as good as the movie. I recommend this novel to those interested in romance and drama. So far, I rate this book an 8/10.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson (re-do)

This week I started reading the book Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. I haven't gotten very far in the story yet but so far I am really enjoying it.  It challenges me as a reader but at the same time is a great and beautiful book.
The novel follows two boys who share the same name-Will Grayson.  The first Will Grayson is describes as trying to live a life without being noticed.  This is difficult, however, considering the fact that his best friend is Tiny Cooper. Tiny Cooper is described as "the world's largest person who is really, really gay." Therefore, Tiny makes it very hard for Will to fit it with the other kids at the school.  Will wishes to fit in.  Will doesn't want to be known as the kid who doesn't have any friends.  I don't want to be known as that person either.  When I first came to Williamsville East I was afraid I wouldn't make any friends.  Since I was coming from a different school than everyone else, I was scared that I wouldn't fit in.  Like Will, I too have always wanted to fit in--we all do.  Nobody wants to be alone. Will Will ever fit in or will Tiny stand in the way of that?  Will Tiny and Will continue to be friends?
The other Will  Grayson goes through his life without anything good to hold onto besides an online friendship with someone named Issac.  Will feels as if he can trust Issac with anything.  Issac is Will's only close friend.  There is only one problem however, Issac lives in Ohio and Will lives in Chicago.  Like Will, I too have a friend that lives far away.  She was one of my closest friends but sadly, she moved away.  I felt like I could trust her with anything. Will and Issac have never actually met however.  Will is intent on meeting Issac and will do whatever it takes to see him.  Will Issac and Will meet?  Will Issac be who Will expects him to be?  You'll have to read Will Grayson, Will Grayson to find out!
I am really enjoying this book so far.  John Green and David Levithan are amazing writers and I love their books.  Will Grayson, Will Grayson is one of my favorite books by them so far and i'm excited to see what else this book has in store.  I definitely recommend this book to students who like to be challenged as readers. 

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I just finished reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It was one of the best books I have ever read. I rate it a 10 out of 10. The author, Stephenie Meyer, wrote this book that sets the mood of the book. I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and romance. This book is not just a book for teenagers, it can also be a book an adult would read. Throughout the whole book, i questioned whether or not Edward would tell Bella his secret. I wondered what her reaction would be and how the circumstances would change if she knew. Does Edward tell Bella his secret? The book and the movie are alike in more ways than one. The book and the movie give off a mood. The mood is somewhat dark and cold. I prefer reading the book rather than watching the movie.

Half Brother

This week I started reading Half Brother by Kennneth Oppel. So far it looks like an appealing story. It's about Ben Tomlin whoi is 13 years old. Hes like basically every teenager. He llikes reading popular mechanics. In thwe first couple chapters, Ben explains how he is moving to the other side of canada. His parents are behavioral scientists. His mom is on a trip curently bringing back a baby chimp for her research.
This book is pretty good so far and I'm looking forward to reading more.

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

                     I have recently started reading Stephen King's novel The Dead Zone. King's book is about a kid named Johnny Smith who can predict how people are going to die. Unfortunately, so far, Johnny has only done this once, and he can't predict who is going to die or when he or she is going to die; therefore, Johnny does not know the very crucial details of these deadly situations. This feeling of unknowingness is very common in most people in reality too. This similarity connects King's book to the real world.
                     There are many everyday situations that contain feelings of unknowingness. No can know everything that will happen to them and their environment. Whether it be if you will die or if it will rain, everyone has experienced this feeling. I experience this feeling whenever I take tests. This feeling of unknowingness mixes with nervous feelings and a small amount of fear. I become nervous because I don't know if I have prepared enough for the test I am taking. The fear involved in this situation includes me fearing a failing grade and the consequences that will come with it. I used this example to show how little things involve feelings of unknowingness. This is very different from Johnny in King's novel. Johnny's feelings of unknowingness can cause big consequences. In the story, Johnny gets hit by an older boy playing hockey while he was skating backwards. He landed hard and started saying "The explosion, the acid", when he was unconscious. About a month later, Chuck Spier, a man who was at the ice rink with Johnny, had to jump start his farm truck. When he tried, the battery of his truck exploded, spraying him with corrosive battery acid. He lost sight in one of his eyes. This situation was more serious than the situation that I experienced.
                    It is very important that people do not become consumed by feelings of unknowingness. Sometimes, I become consumed when I take tests. This is bad because it causes unneccessary stress and makes the effects of unknowingness worse. If I am really stressed, my test grade will suffer. This applies to life too. If someone becomes very stressed out because of their feelings of unknowingness, they can emotionally and physically harm themselves. In worst cases, this surplus of stress can lead to drug use and even suicide. Hopefully, people will not let the unknown harm them.
                  All in all, I find this book to be very interesting. I like how Stephen King uses unknowingness in a serious and shocking way. I especially like the predicting how people are going to die concept. I think it adds a creepy feeling to the book. So far I would give this book four stars. I would recommend it to anyone who likes scary events and suspense.

                      

Scorpia connection

In the book Scorpia the main character is a teenager much like Katniss from the book The Hunger Games. The are both teenagers who were dragged into a situation. Neither of them wanted anything to do with what they were dragged into. In Scorpia the main character Alex rider had his uncle/ guardian murdered and after that he was pulled into the intelligence agency that his uncle was previously. He was chosen by them and had no choice whether to join them or not. Katniss from the book The Hunger Games was pulled into the hunger games because her sister was picked. She had to volunteer because she didn't want her little sister to risk her life.
They were both obviously dragged into their situation and didn't have a choice whether to go or not. The were both young. Many would even consider them as children. They were forced to risk their lives and both were nearly killed. They are both connected in a very similar way. The main difference in the two is the reason why they were forced and the time period. The Hunger Games takes place in the future while Scorpia takes place in present day. Alex Rider was forced to work with these people and they sent him on missions as part of the M16. Katniss was part of the hunger games which is a battle to the death. Obviously these two general ideas are very well connected. The idea that they were both forced to do things that they really didn't want to do.

The Last Song

The Last Song is a love story. The rebellious 17 year old Ronnie has been living with her younger brother and her mom after her parents got divorced. Her father moved to North Caroline three years prior. Ronnie and her younger brother Jonah go to spend the summer in North Carolina. Ronnie is defiant and miserable while being there. She refuses to try and enjoy her surroundings. Soon she meets a boy that will change her life forever. She slowly but surely starts to fall in love with him. Will he continue to be the rock she needs, or will she slowly fall apart in a completely different way than before?

Flush

  Last week I started to read Flush. Flush by Carl Hiaasen is a good book because it keeps you wondering what will happen next. I'm really enjoying this book.
Noah and Abby have had to grow up faster than they should have. There father is in prison for sinking a boat. He sunk the boat because the owner of the house dumps the waste into the lake, in which children play in. Noah's father won't let his mother pay his way out of jail. He believes that his lawyer will get him out. Noah and Abby's parents haven't been getting along lately. Abby herd her mother ask the lawyer about a divorse. This made her worrie. Noah and Abby's father has been in jail before which cause problems in the family.
        This book is a lot like the book To kill a Mockingbird. They are alike in the fact that both Noah, Scout and Jem had to grow up faster than they should have. Noah had to deal with his father being in prison. Since his father is in prison he has kids mean to him at school and he is judged. Jem and Scout have the same problem in that they both are called rude things at school because of what their father is doing.
      Im not that far into the book so I cannot make any perso nal connections. Noah and his family sound really interesting becasue of all they have been through. This book just keeps getting better and better. I recommend it for everyone. I wonder what will happen with Noah and Abby's dad? Will the parents get a divorse?

I give this book a 10/10.

The Enduring Flame Trilogy Connections

In the past few weeks, I began the Enduring Flame trilogy with book one, The Phoenix Unchained. This series takes place 1,000 years after the events in the Obsidian Trilogy. Someone is trying to bring the Demons back into the world, which is causing problems everywhere. At the same time, a boy in Armethalieh, Tiercel Rolfort, discovers that he has magical abilities that haven't been heard of since the last war. He discovers this when he accidentally sets his house on fire while trying to see if he could cast a spell in an old book he found. He and his best friend, Harrier Gillain, embark on a short journey to Sentarshadeen in search of a Wildmage in hope that a Wildmage can help them. But their short journey ends up being a long one that takes them to other cities with no success, until they finally decide to seek out the Elves (who haven't been heard of in centuries) for help, and many twists and turns commence in the rest of the series. The second book is The Phoenix Endangered, and the third book is called The Phoenix Transformed. I am currently about an eighth of the way through The Phoenix Transformed.

Throughout the Enduring Flame trilogy, Tiercel and Gillain are uncertain about their roles in this new adventure. They constantly question whether they will succeed or whether they will even survive. They face a huge threat, and both have a great responsibility. One of the biggest ideas in the series is self-confidence; the characters go through hard challenges but have to learn to go on through all their trials. I think we can all connect with this. Each of us goes through challenges, big and small. But we have to continue, or they will defeat us. Tiercel, Rolfort, and other characters have yet to conquer these problems. But I think that through perseverance, by the end of the book they will have gained the confidence needed to overcome their foes, both physical and mental.

The Enduring Flame is a great series. It is even better than the Obsidian Trilogy; it is much more fast-paced, with many more twists in the story. I highly recommend it for fans of the Obsidian Trilogy. However, since it takes place after the Obsidian Trilogy, it should only be read after reading the first series.

I rate this series 9/10 so far.

Mockingjay (finished)

This week I finished off Mockingjay the third and final book of The Hunger Games Trilogy. I thought it was a spectacular finish with a good way to wrap up the series. Katniss knows she must kill President Snow. But its practically a suicide mission. Katniss, Boggs, Peeta and Gale go to the heart of the Capitol but during battle they lose many. Boggs goes down but not before telling her what she has to do. As they get closer, Katniss is badly wounded but the worst part is Prim has been killed in the ensuing battle. On the good side is the rebels finally take control of the capitol and imprison President Snow. As Katniss visits President Snow and prepares his execution, he tells her that it was President Coin to blame for Prim's death. Katniss is about to Kill Snow with her famous bow but then decides to shoot Coin instead. President Snow dies shorty after from choking to death. The rebellion is finally over, Katniss is sent back to district 12 along with Haymitch and later Peeta. Katniss and Peeta soon fall in love (again) and eventually have kids.

The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki

Im about 130 pages into this book and its really weird. The main character Timothy is having trouble sleeping because he is having nightmares. The nightmares are about his brother that has been hurt recently in war. His problems only get worse when he is assigned to be partners with a girl named Abigail. Abigail is having similar problems. Abigail's past has not been fully revealed yet. Her grandmother was related to a writer of a scary book and when the book is brought up the grandmother gets scared. Abigail so far is being tempted by two girls to come with them while she is sleeping. I think they are trying to kill her because its some sort of richual thing and they're coming after her because of her grandmother.

This kind of reminded me of the movies Nightmare On Elm Street with Freddy Krueger because Freddy went around killing people in their dreams. People in the movie killed Freddy and he came back to life. I think this is similar to what is happening in the book. The writter related to Abigail might have wrote the book based on the two girls haunting Abigail. So now who ever is related to or comes into contact with Abigail's grandmother, something will happen to them.

Someday Dancer comparison (redo)

       Casey Quinn is just an ordinary girl with a big dream. She comes from a poor family in South Carolina. Casey lives with her mother and grandma in a small house. Casey dreams of becoming a ballerina. No matter what obstacle comes Casey's way, she always sticks to her dream of becoming a dancer. Casey never gives up on anything that she believes in.
       Someday Dancer is similar to the book You Have Seven Messages. Both of the main characters in these two books have a similar way of achieving their goal. Luna and Casey both stick with their goal, and they don't give up no matter how challenging it can be.
       In the book Someday Dancer, there are times when Casey wants to give up her dream of becoming a ballerina. For example, when Casey's grandmother dies. When this happened, Casey felt that she had no reason to keep on dancing. When ever she danced she thought of her grandma and got sad. Also, when Casey didn't get accepted into the ballet school she wanted to quit dancing there too, but the instructor ended up showing her a new style of dance that she enjoys much more! Finally, Casey has no guidance in New York City. She is all alone. She has no mother figure to look up to and help her with hard decisions.
       In the book You Have Seven Messages, Luna finds her moms phone with seven unread voice messages. One by one she listens to a message and tries to figure out her mothers death piece by piece. Luna gets very discouraged during this adventure on trying to figure out her mothers death. Like Casey, no one but Luna knows about the phone. Because of this, Luna is on her own with trying to figure out her mom's death. No matter what bumps come in the road, Luna never gave up.
       As you can see, these two novels are extremely different but they have some similarities. The characters have a goal that they want to achieve, and they won't let anything stop it them from following through with their goal.

Safe Haven, By: Nicholas Sparks

                   I have just started reading the book Safe Haven, By; Nicholas Sparks. Even thought I am not that far into the book I am really enjoying it!
                   Katie is a sweet girl. She works at a restaurant in a small town. Katie does not have a lot of money. She lives in a small house in the middle of the forest. The Realtor told her she had no neighbors, but one day a lady named Jo was looking into her house. Jo said the she has never had any neighbors and wanted to see who was living in the house. If the Realtor said Katie had no neighbors then who is Jo? Is she really her neighbor?  There is only a local shop near Katie where she can buy food. There's a guy who works there and his name is Alex. He had two kids and there names are Josh and Kristen. Katie is starting to become friends with Alex and she goes to the store almost everyday. One day Katie was at there shop and all of a sudden she turns to the monitor and sees that Josh is drowning in the lake. Alex runs out to try and save him.
              This book is a great book that relates the book The Last Song. This book is about a girl, Ronnie, who's parents are divorced. Her, and her brother are living at the beach for the summer. While they are at the beach Ronnie meets a guy that she never thought she would fall in love with. The guy's name is Will. Soon they will fall in love and it will change Ronnie's life.
           These books are similar because they are written by the same author. These books are both romance books. They both fall in love with people who they never thought they would fall in love with. It also changed  both of their lives.
           Will Josh survive? Will Alex be to late? I rate this book a 10/10. I would recommend this book to teenage girls who likes romance books.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

          This week I started reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer. I'm not very far into the book, but I can already connect this book to another book I have read. This book has a few similarities and differences to the book Twilight.
          The Host is about a girl that gets taken away and her body is used as a host. It is an alien type book. This girl has to try to stop these aliens from taking over every human body. When you are used as a host, you don't know it. Your whole mind changes. Twilight is about a vampire and a girl falling in love. This book is more vampires. This vampire tries so hard to make sure that the girl he loves stays safe. When there are very thirsty vampires roaming the world, it is very hard to stay away from them.  You need to be protected if you want to live. The books are somewhat different.
          These two books are also similar in certain ways. They are written by the same author so they relate in some ways. Both of these books are types of sci-fi books, meaning that they contain non-realistic characters. They both have a romantic plot line and a violent, live or die plot line. One more way they are similar is the way Stephenie Meyer describes the details of things. It is very descriptive and it is like you are actually there. I really like Stephenie Meyer as an author and how she is very fluent with her writing.
          I chose this connection because both the books are written by the same author. There is nothing better then connecting to books together by the same person. It shows a person what the author is capable of and if she only writes the same genre. I think Stephenie Myer is really into writing about sci-fi. It is very important for an author to have connections in the books that he/she has written. I really enjoyed reading these two books. I think The Host is one of the best books I have read. This book is a bit challenging, but I recommend it to people who enjoy sci-fi. I rate this book a 10/10.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

This week I started reading the book Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. I haven't gotten very far in the story yet but so far I am really enjoying it.  It challenges me as a reader but at the same time is a great and beautiful book.
The novel follows two boys who share the same name-Will Grayson.  The first Will Grayson is describes as trying to live a life without being noticed.  This is difficult, however, considering the fact that his best friend is Tiny Cooper. Tiny Cooper is described as "the world's largest person who is really, really gay." Therefore, Tiny makes it very hard for Will to fit it with the other kids at the school.  Will wishes to fit in.  He wants to be normal, but having a friend like Tiny stops Will from doing so.  Will Will ever fit in?  Will Tiny and Will continue to be friends?
The other Will  Grayson goes through his life without anything good to hold onto besides an online friendship with someone named Issac.  Will feels as if he can trust Issac with anything.  Issac is Will's only close friend.  There is only one problem however.  Issac lives in Ohio and Will lives in Chicago.  Therefore, Will and Issac have never actually met.  Will is intent on meeting Issac however and will do whatever it takes to see him.  Will Issac and Will meet?  Will Issac be who Will expects him to be?  You'll have to read Will Grayson, Will Grayson to find out!
I am really enjoying this book so far.  John Green and David Levithan are amazing writers and I love their books.  Will Grayson, Will Grayson is one of my favorite books by them so far and i'm excited to see what else this book has in store.  I definitely recommend this book to students who like to be challenged as readers.
I rate this book a 9/10

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

          I recently started reading A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. Trouble maker and "bad boy" Landon Carter has been causing some trouble at his high school lately. Once the principal is informed, he is forced to run for class president as sort of a punishment. Landon isn't too thrilled. Running for class president means he must be involved with the school a lot and attend all school events.
         Homecoming had arrived and Landon is forced to attend. He surprisingly does not mind going, except there's one problem. He does not have a date. He recently broke up with his girlfriend too. Landon goes through his yearbook scoping out all of the girls from his grade. He asks many, but none are available. He then comes across a girl named Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of Hegbert Sullivan, who is a church minister.  Jamie is very religious and always has a bible in hand. Landon had to get Hegbert's approval of taking Jamie first. Fortunately Hegbert said yes, and Landon was thankful to have a date to the dance. At the end of the night Landon admitted that Jamie was the best date possible. The two had an amazing time together.
        At first I felt this book was moving slowly, but the plot kept getting more interesting. I really am enjoying the novel so far. I chose to read it since this is one of my favorite movies. I am hoping it plays out like the movie. I rate this book an 8/10 so far.

Saturday Night Dirt By Will Weaver is about a large car race at Headwaters Speedway with a very large storm on it's way. As the races start, a large dust cloud is forming above the race track, up until the rain comes through. A few cars flipped over in tough races and the crowd kept growing in size and getting excited towards the races. This book is a short, quick read and I suggest it to anyone who likes to read the books that make you not want to stop reading books because they are interesting.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower By: Stephen Chbosky

    I am going to be comparing the idea of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and the world we live in today. I believe that the over all message of what I have read so far, really relates to our world today.
   This book's main character is a freshman in high school. Obviously I can relate to this because I am a freshman. But, it's not just me that this book relates to. Many situations in this book relate to what happens in the real world today.
  Charlie, the main character, has to face an extreme tragedy. His best friend, Michael, has just died. The worst part is, that he did it to himself. Nobody knows why he did it, not even Charlie. This relates to our world in many ways. Many young children are taking there lives due to bullying or harassment. Even though I do not know that that is exactly what happened to Michael, I am going to assume that. Many children are getting bullied everyday, 24/7, and they just reach a breaking point sometime. There have been multiple stories in the news about young children that get bullied and take their own lives.
   This book also relates to everyday life because, now that Michael is gone, Charlie has to start high school alone. Many kids start off high school not knowing anyone. Those "new kids" are shy most of the time, due to that fact that they don't have any friends. But, many of those "new kids" start to make new friends very quickly. Just like Charlie meets Patrick and Sam. They both take Charlie under their wings and show him what high school is truly like. Once a new person to a school meets new people and they begin to become friends, that person will begin to show who they truly are, Just like Charlie.
   I am still not done with this book, but I love it. I love the overall message that this book conveys. I rate this book a 10/10 so far.

We Are Soldiers Still (Comaprison)

               I'm currently reading the book We Are Soldiers Still. It is somewhat boring, but good. I am 158 pages in and it is very emotional with the soldiers' view on the war. 30 years after they fought in the war in Vietnam, Lieutenant General Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway  return to Vietnam  to research the area for their first book We Were Soldiers Once... And Young. They returned to Ia Drang to put their ghosts to rest. We Are Soldiers Still  is about their journey through Vietnam and finding their old enemies to make amends.
               A connection to the book is when I saw a show on the Discovery channel about World War 2 veterans going back to Normandy 60 years after D-Day to see what had changed since then. The beach changed from a red sea, tank stoppers, giant foxholes, and screaming to a beautiful blue ocean, nice smooth sand, and a calm and quiet atmosphere. The German bunkers were still on the hill watching over the beach. In the book I'm reading, they go back to Ia Drang and see beautiful forests, fields of flowers, and all other types of foliage. They heard lots of birds, monkeys, and other tropical life. Thirty years before, all they saw were muzzle flashes in the dense jungle that was on fire from napalm, foxholes from bombs and missiles, green tracer rounds coming at them and red going back. The only sounds they could hear were explosions, cracking of rifles, and screams.
                When the men were fighting in Vietnam, all they saw was how the war was changing the landscape. When they went back to Ia Drang, they saw how nature was restored to its natural look and went over the disfigured land. The book was very similar to the show because both groups of American veterans go back to a place that was foreign and ravaged by war and when they returned they saw that it was very beautiful.

Week of March 18th-- Focus on Connections

This week I picked up Matthew Quick's novel The Silver Linings Playbook. I started it Sunday morning and I simply couldn't put it down! Im about 100 pages into it.

Pat Peoples is the main character, and he has had some kind of a breakdown which has lead to him being in the "bad place" (mental institution) for at least 2 years. He had a wife, Nikki, whom he wants back in his life, but they are still on "apart time." Pat's mother has taken full responsibility for him and has checked him out of the mental institution so he can live with her and his father.

At this point, the author has largely left me in the dark as to what caused Pat's breakdown and where the heck Nikki is. What did Pat do to her that was so bad? Is it even possible she is dead? There are times Pat experiences uncontrollable rage, incidentally, this rage is often sparked by the cool jazz of Kenny G-- yep, the soprano saxophonist himself. Now I know you are reading this thinking: Okay, my English teacher has finally lost it. She is connecting to a character who is clearly insane. Well, kinda. Pat, like me (and like I believe all of us) struggles with keeping his emotions in balance. Now that he is no longer living in the "bad place", he wants to focus on being a good person, on being kind. In fact, Pat now has Tiffany (could she be a love interest for him?) following him around mainly because he was kind to her when he first met her, rather than giving in to himself when he wanted to tell her to simply go away and leave him alone-- he's married. He knows in his past that he lost people, especially his wife, because he was selfish and didn't care about others. He knows his anger stemmed from not talking about his emotions. He is so afraid to make these mistakes again, because he believes that because he was not kind, he was put into the "bad place". In Pat's world, he is sane. He looks for the "silver lining" in things-- the happy ending.

Like Pat, I think we all look to the clouds for the silver linings. We all want the happy endings, and perhaps the best way to ensure them is to be kind, considerate. To listen. When I read more about Pat, he makes me realize how important it is to find more coping skills-- to find the time to work through anger, or to keep my temper in check by humming (which disarms people-- you do the opposite of what they think you are going to do and that buys you some time to calm yourself down). Like everyone, I've made plenty of mistakes in life, some of which I wish I could 'do over'. If I can remember Pat and all of the ways he works to find his silver linings, then maybe I can stop myself before I hit the point where I need a 'do over'.

I really like Pat, and I think I will continue to look for ways I can connect to him as I finish the book. This is a difficult book to make connections to, since it seems like I am on a "need to know" basis regarding many of Pat's past details, and the author has decided I don't need to know yet. I'll keep you informed.

Week of March 18th-- Focus on Connections

This week your entry will focus on CONNECTIONS.

You may make connections between YOURSELF and A CHARACTER.
 
Sometimes novels are reflections of the world in which we live. You may make connections between an IDEA OR THEME explored in your novel and the same IDEA OR THEME AS IT WORKS IN THE WORLD WE LIVE.

You may make connections between YOUR NOVEL and ANOTHER NOVEL YOU HAVE READ either for class or on your own. Remember, connections can also be things that contrast, or a very different, between novels. So they may have some element that is the same, but also something that is very very different that stands out to you.

Your entry will:

• Give background on whatever it is you will be connecting to (character, idea, theme, etc)
• Lead into your connection and why you chose this connection to write about
• Clearly explain the connection you have chosen-- what is it, how does it work, why is it important.

Letter to Author

 

Dear Richard Paul Evans,
First of all, Hi. It kind-of dissapointed me that your website said you would read this but wouldn't respond. I thought it would be cool if I got a response. Anway, I love your Michael Vey series. My friend told me about  your book so I decided to read it. I could not put it down because it just kept me captivated with evrypage turn! I don't even know how you can write these amazing books in such short amounts of times. Your book is so orignal and not like your basic super power story. The way you take the ideas of their powers is just mindblowing. Your books gave me something to look foward too in the upcoming years. I really hope these books get made into a movie. They're just to good to not be made into movies. I really hope the upcoming books are just as amazing or better!

 Sincerely,
A deticated Fan,
Alex Robertson

Dear Carl Dueker

Dear Carl Dueker,
                           
                             I am writing to tell you that your book Gym Candy has had a great impact on my life. Mick Johnson's, the main charactar, struggles have had related to some of the things that occur in my life. Also, your book has given me great life lessons that I will use throughout my life.
                            One lesson I learned from your book was that cheating will not get you anywhere in life. cheated by taking XTR, a type of steroid, in order to gain a physical advantage on his opponents on the football field. I too am a football player, but I would never do drugs to better myself. Football is about having fun, not winning. Obviously, Mick lost sight in this. Also, Mick did more than throw his football career down the drain by doing steroids. He sent his life on a downward spiral. First, he was losing games, now he's losing his life. This is why I will NEVER do drugs. All they do is gradually ruin your life, one step at a time. And when you try to stop, you can't. They keep sucking you back in. Mick experienced this at the very end of your book. I thought that momentand Mick's time at the rehabilitation center showed how dangerous and addictive drugs can be. Thanks to you and your book, I will always be drug free.
                              The other lesson I learned from reading your book was that friends are crucial to life. Mick's best friend, Drew, tried to help him with his crisis. He supported Mick's skills before he started using steroids and tried to steer him in the right direction. Unfortunately, Drew failed in doing that. On the other hand, Drew saved Mick's life. He brought him to the hospital after he tried to kill himself. Without Drew, Mick would have died. This lesson really touched me. It showed me that friends are one of the most important things in life. They will have your back and pick you up when you're down. It is so important that you hold on to those friends. Mick did not do this. As a result, he became addicted to steroids and tried to kill himself. I now realize that my friends are and will be some of the most helpful and influential people in my life. I need to choose them wisely and hold on to them.
                            I can not thank you enough for writing this book. The lessons you have put in it will benefit me for my entire life. Your book has showed me the wrongness of cheating and the importance of friendship. For these morals, I thank you. Keep up the great work. I look forward to your next book.
Thank you,
Thomas E.

Rick Riordan Letter to Author

Dear Mr. Riordan,

    You are my favorite author. Your books are most definitely my favorites by a long shot, in particular the Percy Jackson book, especially the original series (Percy Jackson and the Olympians). I discovered them a few years ago and they immediately became my favorites. I love how you make every tiny moment interesting, and even if there's nothing really interesting to put in some places, you manage to cram tidbits of humor into every nook and cranny. Reading your books, I enjoy not only the sole aspect of reading a good story, I also get a good laugh. You put a lot of mythology into them; I learn a lot about stories varying from the smaller stories and myths to the gods themselves. Normally, I can never read books more than once, even ones that I like. But your books are so funny and action-packed and contain so much information that they are the only ones that I can actually reread over and over again. I really like how you bring all the points to Percy's (or, in the cases of later series, all the heroes') perspective, and you make the characters come to life. It's easy to feel as if I really know the characters and that they're real. I could go on and on about how much I love your books. Thanks so much for the great reading experience!

Sincerely,

Derek J.

The Hunger Games (Letter to author)

             
       Dear Suzanne Collins
        Hi my name is Natalie. I am a freshman in high school. I really enjoyed the entire Hunger Games  series. I could not put it down.
      The Hunger Games taught me that one person can make a big difference. In the beginning  of the book Katniss didn't think she could do a lot. But at the end she realized that she is stronger than she really is. Her bravery for volunteering  for the games shows that she is not shellfish.
      I love this book so much. It was so in depth. The thing i loved most about this book was it kept you wanting to know what happened. Even though its fiction it is still really relate able to real life. Thank you for writing this book it was really good.
              Natalie

The Five People You Meet In Heavan (Dear Author)

Dear Mitch Albom,


        My name is Ryan and I read your book The Five People You Meet In Heaven  in 7th grade and i thought it was extremely interesting. Some parts I didn't get but as a 7th grader at the time i understand why. I'm going to read your book again now as a freshman because I understand the sophistication of your book and I believe ill understand the concept more clearly now. The things i didn't understand is in the end of the book i feel like you made it out like Eddie was a remorseful person when i don't think he could of saved Tala even if he recognized that she was in that hut. It just made me sad to see a kind, big-hearted person like Eddie so be filled with sorrow because of something he had no control over. I did enjoy where he washed her of her burns with the stone and it was a very emotional scene i could picture in my head. Through out the book each person he met had a meaning. I understand the blue man represented that no life is a waste. He said "The only time that we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone" and i thought that was very true but what was the meaning when he met his wife? He got to dance with her one more time, and I felt the emotion. Was it trying to connect the similarity between the time he got back from war and saw her for the first time in a very long time to the time they meet in heaven? This book showed me when Eddie’s wife passed away, he lost the only person that he ever really loved. And when she left him, he lost the impact of that love in his life. What he did not realize was that she never left him. While she was watching him from heaven, she left him with the memories of their life together, and in this way their love never ended. It took death for Eddie to realize this, and after reading the book i get it know. Its clear to me what youre telling us. In life, we have two major types of people that you should remeber, people who are a huge impact of your life and help creat memories that will be remebered forever, and those people who you are a huge impact in thier life, and help shape their life and memories. But everyone knows a third kind of person. The people who fit into both of those categorys. Those people, are family. Family that could be related or not, but the point is that even when things pass and go and friends fade, the memories are the result of that and its worth every step of the way.

Amanda Project

Dear Amanda Valentino, 
                   
                      Your book, The Amanda Project, really  made me want to read more. Hi, my name is Julia and I'm a freshman in high school.  In this novel, three kids who thought they would never talk to each other or have a big connection with one another, do. Even though they are different, they still are able to work together and put some clues together. I liked what you did with this book. Also, I learned one big lesson in life from this novel. 

                      
             In the beginning the three kids did not know what was going on until they saw the clues that where hidden in their locker and on their principle's  car. I thought that it was very creative how you started off the book that way.  They put aside there differences and become good acquaintances.                                                                                                

                     When Amanda went to Endeavor High, she chose three people— Callie, Hal, and Nia —to guide her through the year. Amanda did not tell them three about one another she wanted it to be kept a secret. Amanda disappears and no one can find her. Her friends have to work together to put the clues she left behind into one big puzzle. Right there is the biggest life lesson in this book; only tell a small amount of people your problems, but don't tell to much.                                                                                                     

             I really liked the plot of the story, it really kept me hooked on. I couldn't even put it down and I wanted to just keep on reading. I liked that the story kept me interested. I'm not a great reader and it's always hard for me to find good books that I like, so finding this book was really great. 

                     
            I will be sure to tell others about your book, it really kept me reading. The mystery in the book just keeps getting better and better. The book draws the reader in so they just cant put the book down. Thanks for writing this great novel. 

Night (Letter to author)

Dear Elie Wiesel,

I am a 9th grader and I read your book last year with my english class. I felt I had a great connection with you just from reading your book. It made it enjoyable to read because I could kind of relate to your story about your experience in the Holocaust.
        I am Jewish also. My great grandparents were survivors in the Holocaust just like you are. Its hard to think that my loved ones had to go through such hard times like you had too. I can't imagine losing my family and being all alone. That shows some true courage. I can't imagine how hard it was to just see all of the people dying around you. You must have been really scared. I don't know if I would have been able to survive myself.
       I am so thankful for people like you who survived the Holocaust. If it wasn't for you guys, I don't know if the Jewish religion would still be around today. Because of the Holocaust it makes me love my religion more than I already do. Whenever I go to temple, no matter how boring it can be sometimes, I always stay positive because I know that there could be non survivors wishing they could go to temple one last time.
         I just want to say thank you for sharing your story with the world. It must have been really hard to recite the hardships you and the other Jews faced during this horrible time. It was such an honor to read your book.
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                      Sincerely,
                                                                                                      Sydney S.

Perfect Chemistry (Dear author)

Dear Simone Elkeles,

     My name is Alyssa, and I am a freshman in high school. I recently read your novel Perfect Chemistry, and really enjoyed it. Throughout my enjoyment of the book, I learned many helpful life lessons as well.
     The biggest and most important lesson I learned was to never judge someone by their appearance. At first Brittany wanted nothing to do with her gang member lab partner Alex, but once she got to know him, her life was changed. The novel taught me to never judge anyone until you really get to know them. At some parts of the book, Brittany was looked down upon for being seen with Alex, but that was only because others did not actually get to know him.
     I really liked the plot of the story, it really kept me reading. At some points I couldn't even put it down. I liked that the story kept me interested, while I was learning some life lessons as well. I can relate to parts of the book too. Some of my best friends came to my school as new students. I knew nothing about them, but once I got to know them I soon realized we shared so much in common. It is never right to judge someone. It's even worse if you do not know the person. That is the main idea Perfect Chemistry taught me.
    I will be sure to recommend your book to others, it really kept me reading.

Night by Elie Wiesel (Letter to Author)

Dear Mr. Elie Wiesel, 

          Hi, my name is Kaitlin and I'm in the ninth grade. Last year, I read your book Night with my English class. I was really excited to go to class each day so we could read the book. It was so interesting to here the story of someone who lived through the Holocaust. Hearing what happened as we read was so heartbreaking.

          You were so young when al this happened. Being able to live through all of this means that you are a very strong person. I mean having every single one of your family members die is hard as it is. You were all alone. Watching other people around you get beaten and die for no reason was probably hard too. I'm sorry for what happened to your family.

           I have always wondered why the whole Holocaust happened. It doesn't make sense. Capturing all the Jewish people and bringing them to the Auschwitz concentration camp is just so cruel. The camp was surrounded by barbed wire and under twenty-four hour watch so there was absolutely no way of escaping. People tried anyway though because they figured they were going to die anyways so why not try to survive. They ended up dead. That is why I admire you because you thought positive and knew that you would get out so you didn't try to escape. You went through each day strong and holding yourself together.

          I love this book so much. It was so amazing to learn things I would have never known. I love hearing about things like your experience. I have always wanted to hear about what it was like to live through the titanic. It is still amazing to me how you survived through all that. What made you decide to write this book and share your moving story with everyone?

 

Thank you for your time,

Kaitlin

          



every soul a star By: Wendy Mass

            Dear Wendy Mass,

            Your book, every soul a star, really inspired me. The message that comes across with this book is really the reason why I loved reading it so much. In the novel, three kids who thought they would never encounter one another, do. And even though they are different, they still are able to be good friends.

            How they met one another was through an amazing thing that was going to occur.  At the Moon shadow campground, an eclipse was going to occur. Many people are flocking to the campground to see this amazing eclipse. There are three children in this book that are able to put aside their differences and become friends.

            Ally lives at the Moon Shadow campgrounds and her family members and her are the caretakers of the campground. She lives a very isolated life. She has no cellphone, very little television signals and is homeschooled as well. And now her family is planning on moving to a city and allowing Ally to go to a public school for the first time.  Bree, a very popular teen with dreams of becoming prom queen and being on the cover of Seventeen Magazine, is the complete opposite from Ally. Bree’s family decides to take the place of Ally’s family and become the new caretakers of the campground. Bree could be less than thrilled about this because now she will have the same life that Ally does, very isolated from everyone. Then there is Jack, a very shy boy who enjoys staying in his tree house to read comic books and draw pictures. Jack had just failed his science class and is forced to either attend summer school or go to Moon Shadow and watch the eclipse with his teacher. So, he chooses to go to the campground to watch the eclipse, but this is hard for Jack because he is very shy.

            Through multiple events, the children meet each other. Even though they are very different, they are still able to become friends. And that is exactly what this book has taught me. To not judge a person by what you see, you have to really get to know them before you can judge them. Even though all of these teens were nothing close to similar, they are able to bond in a way that almost makes them inseparable.  This book has also taught me to always take chances. For example, If Jack didn’t chose to go to the camp he would have never been able to open up and find great new friends.

             Thank you for writing this amazing book. I think that many teens will get the message that you got across with this book, and really apply it into their everyday lives.

            

            Sincerely,

            Samantha Mendelsohn