Abdell St. Paul
Variant
Robinson Wells
Science Fiction
Just Right
#89

1. I'm reading Variant by Robinson Wells and I'm on page 89. During my book Benson is welcomed to his new school. He learns that this school this school has 3 gangs that are irresponsible and have the free will to do what ever they want because there are no teachers who are watching you. Benson learns that the school has 4 rules that you must obey, if you don't there would be consequences. If you disobey the teachers or try to be funny your punishment would be no lunch for the whole day. Benson wants to escape Maxwell Academy so he asks all the students if they know a way to escape the school or if someone tried to escape, none of the students answered but some said if you try and escape there are 3 other boundaries with cameras.
2. I feel like this book is like a survivor book since Benson has to survive a school full of 3 gangs with no teachers and rules allowed. I like how the author started the rising action at the beginning of the book. I also feel that the author put a lot of detail into the setting of the book describing how the school looked like and what everything else around the school looked like. I liked how the author told the story in a 1st person perspective. I liked how the author described each character in the book in a lot of detail. I like how the author told the conflict right at the start of the book. I liked how the plot moved quickly during the book. I liked how the author kept me thinking why the school needed the children for if they didn't have tests and teachers who are watching them.I liked how there was no romance in the book. I disliked that throughout the book after every chapter Benson talks about how he is going to escape. I disliked that there wasn't that much action in this book. This is a new author that I read but I read similar books like The Hunger Games.
3. The theme of this book so far in this book is the desire to escape because Benson is trying to escape a private school that has 3 rules that you can't break, the school has 3 gangs, the school has no teachers who watches the students, and the punishments of this school is no lunch. I noticed the theme in the second chapter of the book when Benson was asking everyone in the school if any has tried to escape. This theme appears in both the plot and the characters because the plot is about Benson figuring out a way to escape and Benson asks students from his school if they know a way out the weird private school. Benson also wants to escape the school because he is stuck between the 3 gangs.
4. My favorite character is Benson because he is the new kid at his new school. He is brave. He doesn't make stupid decisions when being brave. He is curious about things that are going around in his school. He is the class clown in his school.  He tries hard not to be punished because he won't be able to eat. I liked how Benson was puzzling out and mapping the walls around the school to figure out how to escape. I also liked Benson because he is heroic, he attempted to get students out of the school.
5. My least favorite character is Iceman because every announcements he makes are always bad. He speaks in a evil voice. He gives punishments to the wrong students. He isn't a leader. He never smiles when talking to students. He didn't answer Benson's question on why his name was Iceman. He gives the students sloppy lunch food. If you break his four rules you won't be able to eat lunch. He doesn't care for others.
6. I predict that Benson is going to find out that the reason there are no teachers and students is that he is in a different planet with robot students and there is a way to escape Maxwell Academy. I also predicted that Benson would escape the Academy but he'll get caught and get in a lot of trouble. I predict that when Benson escapes the Academy. The things that happened in the book that made me think this is Benson asking the students questions about escaping the academy but none of the students responds. The author is guiding me to this prediction because the plot of the book so far is Benson figuring out a way to escape Maxwell Academy.

No@h's blog post

Noah Lawrence
The Maze Runner
James Dashner
Adventure
Holiday
60


1.Thomas, a 16 year old boy, wakes up in a dark elevator. When the doors open, a herd of male teens stand around him calling him names like Greenbean and Shank because he is the new kid. Thomas was in a place called The Glade. The Glade is a weird place where boys live in a castle-like structure surrounded by mazes. The doors to the castle close every night because Grievers come out. Grievers are nasty animals that sting people and their victims go through a painful process of recovery. Once a month, The Glade gets a delivery from their elevator containing a new kid. Every week supplies come, but The Glade can pretty much support itself with the exception of the deliveries. Some examples of supplies are wood, food, and medicine.  When Thomas arrives, he is assigned a "tour guide" who shows him around The Glade.  Soon enough, they become best friends.  One day, the alarms sounded which means the elevator is coming. This is weird because it wasn't supposed arrive at that time. In the elevator there was a girl and a boy. This is the first time a girl has come to The Glade and there have been two people arriving in the elevator. The girl was laying down limply. They pulled her and the boy out and discovered the girl was in a coma, but the boy was fine. In the girl's hand there was a note that said "She's the last one ever". Later, Thomas dreamt about being a runner. Runners run the mazes looking for ways out and they track their findings too so they can explore new places every day. During a more extensive tour the next day, Thomas somehow found The Glade and that girl somewhat familiar but he doesn't know why. He thought that his memory had been wiped out all he could remember was his first name. Now he was having glimpses of the past. Could this be good or bad no one knows.


2. This book has started out really slow and there was no real action until page 56 when the girl showed up in the elevator. This book seems really easy so far. This book gives you no incentive to keep reading and it is very easy to put down even in the middle of the chapter. There are many things that you know as the reader, but the characters do not know, which makes the story less exciting. The perspective is different and the author may do something cool with it but so far it's a bust. I feel like the author didn't put much thought into his writing and it could be better if he did. I wish the author was more creative and put something outrageous in the text to frighten or hook the reader.  At this point, the book is just boring. This book makes you think about the future which really makes you think and I like that. Lastly this book has no figurative writing or interesting words. This book has good points and bad points. I will have to read this book to figure out if there are more good points or bad points to make a final judgement but right now there are more bad points.


3. The theme in this book is the will to survive. Will to survive includes taking risks and Thomas is not afraid to do that. A lot has been thrown at Thomas during his first couple days in The Glade. He saw someone who had been attacked by a Griever, he saw a Griever.  Also the elevator incident with the girl must have scared him and his new enemy Gally is a jerk. Thomas just won't give up. If I was in this situation, I think I would have a mental breakdown. This must be very hard on him but it doesn't show in his actions. Thomas wants to be a runner and that takes a great deal of skill and bravery. This shows that Thomas has a will to survive. If this ever happened to me I hope I would find the strength to push through.


4. My favorite character is Chuck, who is Thomas' tour guide/mentor and friend. I like Chuck because he is funny and a good person overall. Chuck is one of the youngest boys in The Glade. An example of his sense of humor was when he was tapping on the bathroom window while Gally was inside and Gally got really mad. It was funny! Chuck takes care of Thomas in a way and he helps Thomas. I hope someone would do this for me in a new situation. Chuck is full of humor and kindness. Sometimes the older kids make fun of him and he doesn't even care what they say and he barely even listens to them. This is a great trait to have, only care about what you think of yourself. I know I don't have that trait, but I wish I did. I think Chuck will soon become Thomas' follower and his voice of wisdom. I think Chuck will do the right thing even if Thomas doesn't. Chuck will always be there for Thomas and encourage him to make good choices. There is an example of this when Chuck tells Thomas not to go upstairs but Thomas does anyhow. Chuck doesn't follow him and Thomas sees someone recovering from a Griever sting. Thomas was scarred for life. Chuck is a nice kid and he will sacrifice himself for Thomas.


5. My least favorite character is Gally. He is really mean to most people. People only hangout with him to become his friend so he doesn't beat them up. Gally wants others to get in trouble and is just bad.  Fortunately, every once in a while there is a glimmer of goodness inside of him. If it comes down to it, I think Gally would sacrifice himself for Thomas. Gally calls Thomas names and threatens him. I wonder what is making him do this. Gally said that Tom seems familiar to him and if this is bad or good, only time can tell. What really annoys me about Gally is that his "victims" haven't done anything to deserve this. Also it is ok to not like someone but you don't have to be mean to them for that reason unless they are doing something really bad to you which is not the case. I don't know when, but Gally will do something kind to help Thomas. I feel like it will happen at the end.Once Gally tricked Thomas into going someplace he wasn't supposed to and Thomas got in trouble for it. At one point in the book Gally makes it sound like he is going to beat him up but then gives him another chance. Gally is mostly evil but in certain situations he is able to help others.


6. I predict that Thomas will become a runner.  He is going to find his way out of the maze and then everyone will be ready to escape, but there is a big fire that forces them to leave in the middle of the night. Then Gally will then sacrifice himself to a Griever to save Thomas. Thomas will almost be at the end of the maze but someone assassinates Chuck so someone else can take the position of control. This action stops the group from traveling out of the maze instead of it being a minor inconvenience. While Thomas is distracted I think Grievers will attack the girl, who has become his wife. Their children are alright though. Thomas will carry his wife and children through the maze but half of the group gets lost and dies. Thomas and his children survive and Thomas' wife bleeds out so Thomas then commits suicide. The new civilization is run by Thomas' children. This will happen because Thomas is smart, Gally has a little bit of good on the inside, and everything else is just destine. Thomas will most likely do this because he is a leader and he wants to be a runner. This prediction is based on facts and is very likely.

Sophie V.

Sophie Van Riet
Someone Like You
Sarah Dessen
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
66

1.  I just recently started the book, Someone Like You.  I am finding it very enjoyable. It starts off with a teenage girl named Halley in a summer sleep away camp her mom forced her to go to. Her mom is a  well known therapist who is very particular about what she wants her daughter to do. Halley shared everything with her mom, but recently they had been slowly drifting apart from one another.  Her father manages a local radio station and he is always finding the humor in things and is sort of like the peacemaker in the family. While into her first week of camp, Halley gets a call from her outgoing best friend Scarlett. Scarlett and her have been best friends since they were really young. Scarlett lives in the house across the street from Halley's, with her mother Marion. Marion is not a very good parent. Ever since she was little, Scarlett had to take care of things for her mother and be the parent in the house. When Scarlett tells Halley that her boyfriend Michael Sherwood died, Halley knows she needs to come home from camp and be there for Scarlett. Michael was a popular, loved guys who was head over heels for Scarlett. So this news is extremely devastating to the girls.  Soon after Halley gets back, she and Scarlett go to Michael's funeral where she is introduced to Macon. She didn't really know Macon all that well, just that he was Michael's best friend, so he is very mysterious to her. Once summer is over, Scarlett and Halley begin school where Halley gets to know Macon more through P.E. and starts to like  him, although she doesn't admit it to Scarlett, being best friends Scarlett can already tell.

2. Although I am not very far into it, I really like this book. The writing is so vivid and descriptive, it is easy to imagine everything that is going on. Also it gets to the point of things, which I like. Usually beginnings of the story are very boring and hard to figure out, but Dessen does a great job captivating you and puling you in to read more. I really hope the story continues to be this intriguing. The thing that 'm hoping to come is a twist in the story that would be very hard to predict. So far, things have played out like you'd expect, with minor shocking events but nothing really that makes you completely speechless. I really love the characters in this novel. They all have their own personalities but are very relate able. I can feel like these situations are so believable and easy for you to envision. I hope this book doesn't get boring, because unless there is something that is the climax to these events leading up to it, the book could easily go downhill.

3.  The theme for this book is hard to pick out, but I'd have to say it would be staying strong. The characters here are put through a lot, but they have to keep on going through life the best that they can. A lot of events have tested their strength.  This book really depicts how hard things can get when the going gets tough. Scarlett has to stay strong when her boyfriend dies, and Halley has to then stay strong for her. Scarlett also has to be the strong one in her family since her mom isn't exactly fit to be a parent. She also has to take in all the reminders of Michael, without always expressing her pain. The novel also makes you realize whats important and what you have to hold on to or be strong enough to let go. I think this theme isn't used in a lot of books, so it's refreshing to see it here.


4.  My favorite character is Scarlett. She is always there for Halley and helps her to have more confidence. She accepts everyone and doesn't judge. When Macon needs help, she doesn't make it awkward at all and invites him into her house where she takes care of him. I also love how she treats Halley so nicely and is never overly dramatic about fights that they have.She is also very outgoing which I think is a great trait to have. Her character is never dull, and even under harsh conditions she still manages to make everything be okay. I hope she and Halley stay good friends, because if they don't for some reason, that might change my opinion of her depending on what happens. I love how she has experienced so much, yet is still naive and easily amused.

5. My least favorite character is Scarlett's mom, Marion. Marion is just not always there for Scarlett and puts the pressure on her instead of dealing with her problems.  Even when Scarlett was in elementary school, she was responsible for taking care of her mom. I don't get how someone could do that to a child. I also don't think that Marion makes good choices. She has been an alcoholic in the past, leaving Scarlett to clean up her messes. Maybe if Marion was in the story more often, I would grow to like her. Scarlett doesn't seem to mind that her mom does this that much, but it bothers me quite a bit. Marion is not a responsible parent.

6. The book seems like it's headed in a great direction.  There is a lot of little hints that make you able to predict what might happen next. I think that Macon and Halley are going to start dating, because it is always showing how close they are. Macon is always teasing Halley and flirting with her, and you obviously know that she likes him back. There is a lot of foreshadowing of this so it's easy to infer that this is going to happen in the near future. Also, I predict that Scarlett is pregnant with Michael's child. There is a lot of foreshadowing of this as well. She has been complaining about stomach pains and has been getting nauseous, all signs of pregnancy. This would be a great twist to the story.

Trey Davis

Trey Davis
The Sea Of Monsters
Rick Riordan
Fantasy
Just right
Pg.53

 1                                 Right now in my book called The Sea Of Monsters ,and right now Percy Jackson just fought a battle against two colchis bulls on top of the Half Blood Hill. He got hurt with his ankle and maybe broke it or fractured it ,but it got healed by Olympian nectar that heals instantly on your body. Then they went on the campus and found Chiron who is a half human and half horse that was packing his stuff ,because he was ready to leave since he was fired because of all the bad things happening at the camp. He was blamed because he didn't do anything to stop because he could not help it. The worst part was that the tree that made the camp safe for non mortals was dying because someone was going poison it and they also blamed him about that as well. Chiron said that the venom was something he has never seen and must of came from a monster deep in the pits of Tartarus which is a place in the underworld.

2                               I like it alot because it is already telling me about some strange things and already has some adventure in it. It did not take long before action came along which I really like about this book at this present time. I like how they are new main characters ,but we still no about Grover who is not really in as a main character but we know what is happening to him in this book which he is in trouble right now against a monster but we aren't sure right now. I like how they are new creatures in this book right now for example, they are cyclopes and colchis bulls so far in this book that I am excited about.

3                            The theme that I would choose is a great journey ,because he is probably going to go find Kronos and try to confront him which is very far away from where he is now and try to get a cure for the tree. I think it is in the plot because it is not a characteristics for a person in any type of book.That is what I think my theme would be in this book so far.

4                      My favorite character is probably now Tyson who was not in my old book. He is because he is really strong and can be quite funny because he is so big and he gets sad and cries if a person picks on him which the reason why he does it is because he is only a kid cyclops and hasn't grown up yet for anything that he can do.I also like him because he is resistant to fire and that is pretty cool for a kid.

5                       My least favorite character is Kronos because the god can be really annoying because he doesn't give up on trying to rule the world and is in a million pieces from the other gods. He doesn't even have a body ,just a lot of pieces of him that kind of creeps me out about that when I picture that in my head.

6                      My prediction would be that Percy,Annabeth ,and Tyson would go to Kronos, find Grover there in a need of help, save him, defeat Kronos,and find the cure for the tree to save the camp for letting bad monsters come into the camp and destroy everything at the place where is the only safe place for half bloods to live and train there.

Robby Black
Sunrise Over Fallujah
Walter Dean Myers
Historical Fiction
Just Right
34

1.  I am currently reading Sunrise Over Fallujah, by Walter Dean Myers, I am on page 34 and am really enjoying the book so far. Right now Perry (as Marla likes to call him Biddy because of his last name which is Robbin) and his civil affairs squad is gearing up to go into Iraq territories with the 3rd infantry. Captain Coles if making sure all the men have their gear and are not missing anything and also to make sure the men know exactly what there in for. One of the medics got an ear full from the Captain because he was missing some equipment. All the battalions have got their Humvee groups and have assigned every one their positions in the vehicle. Now all the wait for is the green light to go in because this battalions main goal is to establish a good relationship with the Iraqi citizens.

2. So far in Sunrise Over Fallujah I think the book has had so much detail and it allows you to understand what the characters are going through allot better than other books. Walter Dean Myers is great with detail as he was in Fallen Angles. I don't like in this book is how many characters there are and there is allot of names to remember and they all have nick names which makes it even more difficult to keep track of all the characters. Other than that I think he does a great job with detail and makes it easy to understand exactly how the characters are felling and what there going through.

3.  The theme of my book is probably chaos and order. I would choose this them because in some points there is lots of chaos and everyone is yelling at each other and all hectic. In other points in this book there is order were they are getting there mission briefing and those type of things, but this theme has not been portered allot because I am not to far into the book. I expect there to be many more themes than just chaos and order because every good author can interpret more than one theme into a book.

4  My favorite character so far in this book is probably pewee and his nick name is birdy because his last name is robin. Birdy is my favorite character because he always perseveres and never backs down from any fight. He is also my favorite character because he always knows the right thing to say and he is always looking to help others.

5. There is not a character yet that sticks out as my least favorite character but after 30 pages I don't really like Danforth because he doesnt really stand up and help the team to acomplish a goal he kinda just sits back and does something every now and then. I hope as the book progresses that Danforth becomes more of a team player and really takes a roll in the Civil Affairs battalion.

6. What I expect later on in the book is for them to go into Iraqi territory and for the Civil Affairs battalion to get their hands dirty. I also think the CA(Civil Affairs) will be ambushed sometime latter in the story. I don't expect all the battalion members to walk away ok I expect some casualties and some wounds that are suffered in the battalion. I also think that one of the other battalions will be completely wiped out like the 3rd infantry battalion. In the end I think the CA battalion will accomplish their goal and get a healthy relationship with the Iraqi people. I hope none of this actually happens because I would like to be surprised in the book were say the General gets killed or something and there is no one to take control of the Civil Affairs battalion.

Jamie Wright

Jamie Wright

Mark of Athena

Rick Riordan

Fantasy/Greek mythology

Just right

96

1. I am currently reading Mark of Athena, by Rick Riordan. I am at the part when Percy, Jason, Annabeth, Piper, Leo, Hazel, and Frank are on the Argo II in Salt Lake City, Utah. Leo has started a war between  the Greek and Roman god's children (Demigods). Leo claims that he was "controlled"   or  manipulated by something else. Annabeth and the other demigod's don't know who to trust. This book is about 7 demigods (4 Greek and 3 Roman)  that have to prevent a giant war and rescue the goddess Hera. Even though these demigods come from two different worlds, they have to unite to defeat the evil titan Gaea, save Hera, and the whole world. In this book the chapters are not individual parts of the story.  The characters go through certain events and the author switches to different characters every chapter. For example, chapters one and four represent Annabeth while chapters five and six represent Leo. Leo has just "accidentally" fired on the Roman camp starting a huge battle. The demigods have to flee  and barely make it out alive. The seven kids go on a magical and dangerous quest to save Hera and stop Gaea. If they fail on this quest, then life as they know it will crumble  and  the world will be destroyed. Gaea is really the only bad character that has been mentioned so far in the book. She is supposed to be the Titan of earth and she has just arisen from a very deep sleep. Although dazed from her sleep, she is already very powerful. Gaea's plan was to send all of the evil witches, warlocks, monsters, and warriors from the underworld back to earth and reek havoc upon it. So far all is going according to plan. It will be up to the seven demigods to turn things around and defeat the evil titan before she completely wakes up and becomes even more powerful. I expect to learn even more about Gaea and her plans as I get further into the book.

2. This book does a great job of going into  detail and in describing things. In the first few pages of the book the author was describing the Roman camp  and some of the main characters. He makes it seem as though the reader is looking at that character at that very moment. He paints a picture of that character in my head. Rick Riordan just keeps adding interesting twists to the book. An example is when the goddess Nemesis meets Leo and Hazel on the island for the first time. Another is when Leo loses control and fires at the Roman camp by "accident". I have read many other books by this author and he has not disappointed me yet. He brings his characters to life.

3. I believe that the  main theme of this book is bravery.  One example of this is when all the characters risk their lives to fight against one of the most powerful and dangerous titans of all. Another example would be when Leo had the bravery to yell and be fresh with a goddess that could turn him into a frog or strike him dead in one second. Lastly, Leo was brave enough to call Narcissus ugly and lame in front of his group of adoring fans. There are probably many themes in this book, but the one that occurs the most is bravery.

4. My favorite character is Leo. He is my favorite  because he is funny, powerful, and is great with tools. Leo was funny when he acted like a big shot to get the nymphs attention and allow Hazel to get the Bronze sheet away from Narcissus.  All demigods, including Leo, get a special power from their parents. Examples of this are: Percy, son of Poseidon, can control the seas. Jason, son of Jupiter has the power of summoning lightning. Piper, daughter of Aphrodite has the ability to control others with her voice. Leo, in my opinion, has one of the coolest powers of all... he can summon and control fire without being hurt. He is the son of Hephaestus. The last reason why Leo is my favorite character is because he is great with tools. Leo can make almost anything with a limited amount of  supplies. When one considers all his abilities, others will realize that Leo is their favorite character too.

5. My least favorite character is Gaea. She is my least favorite because she is evil, creepy, and manipulative. An example of this is when she is happy with killing/capturing and torturing many of the main character's friends or family. Gaea is creepy because she is talking, walking and still very powerful even though  she is still asleep. It is pretty scary to imagine what she'd be like when she is completely awake and even more powerful. Lastly Gaea is manipultative. She has taken these 7 kids and is using them to get what she wants. She controlled Leo's mind and made him fire on the Roman camp. Gaea has all the qualities of a very evil character.

6.  Based upon what I have read so far, I predict that Leo and Hazel are going to escape Narcissus and his legion of girls. Next I think that the demigods are going to fix the Argo II and fly away. I think they could run into other gods/goddesses or other mortals from the past as they go along in their quest. I feel this way since they have already met Narcissus and the Doors of Death are still open. Even more people could possibly escape. Finally, I think that the demigods will run into Nemesis again and Leo will take her offer and sacrifice something for her help. I think this way because he was thinking about taking her offer in the first place. Those are my thoughts on where the author could be taking  us later on in the book.    

Julia Medoff

Julia Medoff
The Chocolate War
Robert Cormier
Realistic Fiction
Challenge
240

1. So far, my book has been very interesting. It has had many different twists and turns throughout the way, however at some points it is hard to follow. Currently The Vigils rule the school. The Vigils are the top notch group of boys at Trinity and everybody looks up to them. Well known by all of the boys at the school is Archie Costello, the Assigner for The Vigils. Currently, the school has just finished up their yearly chocolate sales which requires all boys at Trinity to sell at least fifty boxes of chocolates during the time allotted. Jerry Renault, a freshman at Trinity, gets an assignment by The Vigils requiring him not to sell the chocolates for ten days. Everyday in class when Brother Leon, a school teacher, would ask the class how many boxes they had sold, he was to say, "no". After the ten days, the assignment was to end, but Renault decided to be stubborn and continue the assignment, which was not allowed. He thought that The Vigils were nothing special and he was planning on showing them that he is not someone that will take orders. With that said, Jerry Renault decided to keep his revolt going and on the eleventh day his response in class was still, "no". Archie Costello, who refused to be disobeyed or embarrassed, made a plan to get back at him. Knowing that all students would listen to him, Archie formed a raffle that would give away Jerry's chocolates forcing him to sell them. His first step to proceeding with his plan was to give a student named Emile Janza a call, and inform him about his plan. After the chocolate sales end, Archie would lead all the students to the athletic field, where Janza and Renault would get into a fist fight. With Archie's pure genius manipulation, Renault couldn not resist the opportunity for revenge. The Vigils had made Jerry's life a struggle after he disobeyed them, and nobody at school would even look him in the eye. Before, Renault had a bad encounter with Janza, and he figured that this was the perfect time to stand up to Janza. I am currently at the beginning of the fight, and have not yet found out what the outcome will be, but I predict there will not be a positive outcome.

2. So far this book has been very unpredictable. At first, I found the book to be a bit confusing and hard to keep up with. So many new characters were all being introduced to the plot and it was difficult to focus on the main parts of the story. I really enjoy the plot of the book because it is somewhat relatable in the sense that it focuses on the story of a young teenager going through high school, yet there are also situations that I am not entirely familiar with. This book happens to have many characters, some that are in almost every chapter, and others that reoccur every so often. For example, at the beginning of the story Archie was talking to a boy named Obie, who is apart of The Vigils, and I did not get a full grasp on the role of his character until later into the book when he came up again. There are many themes that go with this book, which makes it special because there are varying lessons throughout the story. The author pulls you in on one chapter, then will not focus back on that scene for a while, which keeps the reader waiting to find out the solution and that makes it  very captivating. The author surprises you in every scene with his unique plot lines and cliffhangers. So far, the book has been a wonderful read and I am very excited to find out what happens.

3.  The theme that I have noticed so far in my book is the danger of conformity which relates to social pressures, and fitting in. I notice this theme constantly throughout the characters. For example, The Vigils try to push Jerry to to do as they say, but he strong enough to resist the pressure. When he revolts against The Vigils, the school slowly starts to turn on him. He faces peer pressure to obey the rules and has the opportunity to fit in, but refuses. The Vigils give Jerry another chance to conform, but he stays strong and reists. Renault was the first person to not follow the rules of Archie Costello, but what he did not realize is that Archie has the power to turn everyone against him and that is exactly what he did. Renault found himself alone, with no one to talk to except for "The Goober'. Despite the feelings of rejection, Renault fights to be his own person.

 4. My favorite character is "The Goober" because, so far throughout the book, he has not been involved in any controversy with his peers, and is a true friend who looks out for others. Although Goober is shy, he is smart. He knows which situations to get himself involved in and which ones to avoid. He is good friends with Jerry Renault, and is constantly looking out for him, especially when Jerry gets himself into arguments. For example, Goober looked out for Jerry while he refused to sell the chocolates.  He is self-conscious in a way that makes him sincere and truthful. He is different and, although his worst nightmare is to stand out, he does so and is always kind. Goober is an athlete and is trying out for the football team with Renault, but when more important issues come his way, he is willing to give up his chance of being a part of the all star team at Trinity. Overall, Goober strikes me as a true friend who may be unsure of himself at times, but knows which way is right in any situation.

5. My least favorite character is Archie Costello. He gives me the impression of being a know it all manipulator. Since he is the Assigner for The Vigils it is required that all people must obey him, and he takes his power very seriously. When Renault revolts against his assignment, Archie immediately seeks revenge. He refuses to allow anyone to embarrass him. It was such a shock to the school when Renault, a freshman, disobeyed Archie and his reputation suffered. Archie sent Janza after Jerry, formed the fight/raffle, and turned the whole school against him. He is extremely competitive and will not lose. It is assumed that all people will obey him and when Renault took a stand, Archie sought revenge. Overall, Archie does not give me the impression of a sincere boy who looks out for his friends, like Goober.  Instead, he appears to be a user who is motivated by his own interests.

6. My prediction is that the fight will proceed and Janza will overpower Renault. It is clear that Janza is better liked throughout the school and he is physically stronger so he is the clear contender. Earlier in the book, Janza approached Renault and beat him up.  While Renault tried to resist and fight back, his body strength was no match for Janza. Since Janza had already previously beaten Jerry in a fight, I can easily base my prediction. Throughout the story, the author has provided me with with details that make me think that Renault really has no chance against Janza. If the fight scene goes on, I am sure that Renault will throw some punches but I predict Janza will prevail. If this is, in fact, the outcome of the fight, Renault will continue as the under dog.

Chris Shanahan

Christopher Shanahan
How Angel Peterson Got His Name
Gary Paulson
Fiction
Just Right


     I just finished my book.  It was a great book and it had lots of cool stories.  One Story that was really   good was called the Miracle of Flight.  It was about a boy named Emil and his Friends.  Emil who also was daredevil kinda like Angel Peterson bought a big sheet type thing.  He wanted to see if he could hang glide.  At first he had to go to the store and buy the sheet for eleven dollars.  That was a lot of money back then.  Once they were in a field big enough to get off the ground they decided they need another person.  If they only had one person holding it on take off it probably would have dislocated there arms.  So they put Wayne on so he could weigh it down a little.  When they were on the ground a gust of wind hit the kite and the kite flew up.  After about four seconds Wayne let go but Emil stayed on.  Emil kept his hands on it and he started to get the hang of it so he started steering it.  He was steering for about seven minutes then he saw a massive hay bail so he dropped off and landed on the side of it.  It was not firm anyways and he landed right into the pig pen.  Emil broke the fence and landed in pig poop.  Mrs. Carlson came out and made the boys fix the fence they broke.  The boys were all exited that Emil just did that.  Mrs. Carlson went inside and made the boys sandwiches and got them milk.  The boys said thank you and sorry.  They said Emil smelled like poop for the next month.  Even though he took many showers.

2.  This book was so good because it could say something and then it would back it up with detail.  It had so much detail in every part but in some parts it had to much detail.  It gave detail about anything it said.  Also it was kind of confusing because it switches story's every chapter.  There are many main characters in this book but there are there is only one that is always talking and that is Emil. The theme of this book is helping me progress because in the beginning there was many themes.  But then After a little while this one stood out more than the other ones.

3.  I think the theme to this book is fear of failure.  I think that is the theme because Emil wants to do this stunt but he doesn't want to fail.  If he fails his friends would probably laugh and he would be very mad himself.  I noticed this theme when he was about to take off he looked at his friends a little uneasily and then the wind just took him.  He did not want to fail his friends you could see.  This theme only applies to the character because there is not really a plot to this book.  You could see it show up in the character a lot.

4.  My favorite character is Emil because he is very courageous and does things most people could never do.  Back then most people never heard of hand gliding.  So when Emil did it, it was a pretty big deal because Emil was a kid..  Emil had to find a lot of inner strength to do that.  He also was gliding for about seven minutes.  You would have to be very strong to do that.  Emil barely prepared for this he just told himself a million times I can do it.

5.  My least favorite character is Allen because he was cheering Emil on.  I don't think anyone would cheer on Emil to go fly one hundred feet in the air and be going very fast.  At any moment Emil could have been very high and let go and died.  Allen wanted Emil to do this.  I would think its cool if I were Emil's Friend but I would have been smart and told him not to do this.  In the future Emil could have fallen of and died.  How would Allen feel then?  I would guess he would feel horrible.  That is why my least favorite character is Allen

6.  As I was reading I thought the last story was going to be the best.  But my favorite one was the first story How Angel Peterson Got His Name.  So I was wrong in my prediction and I thought in one story there was going to be one about jumping off a building with a parachute or something.  I think that would have been my favorite story.

Winnie McCabe

Winnie McCabe

Water for Elephants

Sara Gruen

Historical Fiction

Challenge

129

1)    Right now in Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, the Benzini Circus has just gotten an elephant named Rosie. Rosie is fifty-six years old and barely has any training. Al thinks that Marlena should ride the elephant in the show. Jacob Janowski is a ninety-three year old man living in a nursing home. The novel switches between the past and the present. When Jacob is in his twenties, both of his parents are killed in a car accident. After their death, he is left alone with absolutely nothing. He jumps into a train and meets some guys from the Benzini Circus. They hire him to complete basic tasks and care for the animals of the circus. He is later offered a veterinary job with the circus because Marlena’s horse is very sick. Jacob soon secretly falls in love with Marlena, a married woman in the circus. Uncle Al, the ring leader, always complained that the circus didn’t have any elephants. What’s a circus without an elephant? Well, Uncle Al has nothing more to complain about as the Benzini Circus welcomes Rosie the elephant.

2)    I really like this book so far. I am amazed at Gruen’s ability to switch between the past and present. She makes everything easy to understand, which is a great quality. This novel starts off quickly and holds its speed throughout. I was hooked when Jacob’s parents died in the second chapter. Introducing a major conflict in just the second chapter is a great way to get readers interested. I love the suspense in this book too. I read a chapter about Jacob’s past and I am eager to read more. Then I am distracted by a totally different conflict in the present, which I am also intrigued by. I can’t wait to read more about Rosie!

3)    One theme I have noticed in this novel is isolation. I saw this theme when Jacob was completely alone after his parents were killed. He had no one close to him that he could rely on. After getting on the train he was constantly made fun of. I’m sure he felt very solitary at times when he first started with the circus. Jacob is also isolated in the nursing home too. His children left him there and only call him once a week. In addition, he has lost his wife. Jacob doesn’t get along with the people in the nursing home either. I feel like Jacob is isolated throughout his whole life. He has no one that he can truly trust. Maybe isolation is the reason why he thinks about his past so much.

4)    My favorite character is definitely Jacob. There is something about him that makes him really likeable. The way he is represented through the narration makes him seem very sophisticated. Jacob is easy to relate to because he is naïve in his twenties. Jacob just appears to be a warm person, which I like. I am sympathetic for him because he has gone through a lot over the years. From the circus to the nursing home he has many tough times. My favorite thing about Jacob is the way he tends the animals. Jacob is so gentle and compassionate towards them. I love how he can go from a terrible tragedy to a kindhearted vet in such a short amount of time.

5)    My least favorite character is August. To me it seems like he could be bipolar. August is almost two different people depending on the moment. When he is in a good mood, he is sweet and charming. It is the total opposite when he is in a bad mood though. August is an outright cruel person. He beats Marlena, his wife, and the animals of the circus. He has no excuse to be such a terrible person to his loving wife and the animals. No one should ever abuse anything, it is just wrong. His behavior is unacceptable in any condition. I don’t that he deserves to have Marlena as his wife. I hope that people will see right through his games.

6)    I predict that something is going to go wrong with Rosie. She is not well trained and understands only Polish. There is no way for Rosie to communicate well with the members of the circus. I also think that Rosie is going to harm August because she pointed her trunk towards him and sprayed him. Gruen already shows a bad relationship between these two characters. If August beats Rosie, she is destined to hurt him in some way. An elephant could break him in just seconds! He should watch out because there is already some cold blood between them. If August beats Rosie he will just put himself in more danger.

Megan Moruzzi

Megan Moruzzi
Sticks
Joan Bauer
realistic fiction
Just Right
p. 77


1. I am currently reading Sticks by Joan Bauer. It is about a boy named Mickey who loves to play pool. He lives above his family owned pool hall. He wants nothing more then to beat Buck Pender in the Nine-Ball Championship. He would have his dad coach him if only he was still alive. He died when Mickey was only a couple months old from Cancer. Instead he is trying to convince his mom to get Joe Alvarez, his dads best friend. Mickey wants Joe as a coach because his dad taught Joe how to play pool and Mickeys dad won tons of metals. I can tell that Mickey really misses his dad and wishes that he could only remember him. I can also tell he wishes that he was as good at pool as his dad was. The only reason that Mickey's mom doesn't want Joe to be Mickeys coach is that he made a promise to Mickeys dad that he would check in on his family if he died. After he died Joe moved away, never called never wrote and never dropped in, he broke the promise. And then one day he just decides to show up almost 13 years later. She doesn't want Mickey to get his hopes up just to get disappointed.


2. So far it has been really hard to connect with the book. I feel like I can connect to the characters but not the plot. It must be really hard to learn to play pool without his dad being there to teach him. I have read another book by this author Close to Famous. I don't really see a connection between these two books. Its not that I don't like this book its just that I feel like maybe I just haven't got that far into the book. I liked the other book I read because there was a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter that made me want to keep reading. I do think that the plot is interesting just a little hard to to follow. I like the fact the Joe is acting like a father figure that makes me have a Little respect for him. I also like how involved poppy is in there life. I do see some connections between the two books. For example Mickey's mom makes him cook her breakfast every Saturday so that he learns to be a good cook because she feels all men should know how to cook.

3. I feel the theme in Sticks is fear of failure because Mickey has a huge fear that he is going to loose to Buck Pender in the pool championship. I think that he wants to prove to everyone that he is just as good at pool as his dad was. I think that he also wants to prove to his peers and himself that it doesn't matter how old you are as long as you have determination. I also think that it is really important for Mickey to believe in himself because I can tell that the everybody has a high standards for him and he also has a high standard for himself. I can tell this because he always gets really upset with himself when he doesn't do something to his standards. I also see this theme because Mickeys mom has fear that Joe will fail her son just like he did to her family.

4. My favorite character in this book is Arlen. Arlen is Mickeys best friend. I like him as a character because he is so encouraging to Mickey and always pushes him to do his best. I also think that he is really funny because he always is forgetting his book bag and other school materials and his mom and dad hate and when he does. Arlen really wants a tree house and so his parents say that if he remembers his book bag for the whole week they will work on his tree house with him for a hour on Saturday he uses different things to help him remember that actually help him. When he sees wood he immediately thinks of his tree house then his book bag and then rushes off to go find it where he left it. He also has a pet pig named Mangler who I also think is very funny. Arlen is very good at math. he uses math to help Mickey play pool better by the angles and 90% shots. I find it interesting that Arlen and Mickey are best friends because they seem so different, Mickey loves pool and Arlen loves math and his pig.

5. My least favorite character is Buck Pender. I don't like him because he is really mean to Mickey and Arlen and he thinks that he is so much better than them. he is also a huge bully he is always calling them names and putting them down. He's behavior makes me want him to loose and want Mickey to win. Mickey wants Buck to go to Military school. the thing that confuses me is if he goes to there school or not because there other friend Francene is always describing what he is doing in school as if they don't got to the same school. Buck also has a professional coach to help him with the Championship.

6. My predication for Sticks is that something will happen with Joe and Ruthie (Mickeys mom) and they will become friends again. I think this because Joe seems to be really persistent. I also think that Mickey will win the pool championship. I think that he will learn to play pool better. I also think that him and Arlen will win all the jelly beans at the mall. I think this because they were really accurate with their calculations and the math that they executed. I think that Ruthie will graduate school and get a teaching job. She seems to work really hard and shows that she's good with kids since she is such a good mother.

Sam Hennessey
Brisingr
Christopher Paolini
Fantasy
Challenge
124


1) Right now in the book Eragon and Saphira are separated on different missions of their own. In the beginning of the book Eragon, Saphira and Roran are planing to rescue Roran's girlfriend Katrina. She was captured by bird like creatures called Ra'azak. They live in a dark cave. Eragon and Saphira charge in and there is no one there. They walked around for a while and then they start to hear a clicking noise. Then two huge leathery dragonlike creatures jump out and start to attack Saphira. Saphira kills them off with ease. Then two beattle like creatures with beaks come out and Roran hammers one and the other retreats into the darkness. Then Eragon finds the cells where the prisoners are held. He finds Katrina and then Roran, Katrina and Saphira leave. But Eragon stays behind to hunt the last Ra'azak.

2) So far this has been a great book. The suspense the author uses really excites me. I was really feeling like I was in the cave with Eragon. I can picture the landscapes in my head when he describes them with great detail. In the dark cave they kept hearing noises.  I wanted to keep reading to figure out what the noises were.  In parts of this book it can be slow.  Then when you reach the parts with the action it starts to get exciting and you can't put it down.

3) I think the theme of this book is revenge. Eragon and Roran are seeking revenge because the Ra'azak killed Eragon and Roran's father. Also the Ra'azak are working for the Empire and have terrorized many cities including Eragon's home Carvahall. Also the Ra'azak captured Roran's girlfriend, Katrina. So Roran and Eragon are now seeking revenge on the Ra'azak for what they have done to them.

4) My favorite character in the book is Eragon.  He is my favorite character because he is doing everything in his power to help everyone he can. He is helping his brother to rescue Katrina and seek revenge on the Ra'azak for killing their father. Also he could have left when they saved Katrina but he decided to stay and seek his long lost revenge on the last Ra'azak. Eragon does not just take the simplest way out he always strives to be greater and achieve his goals. In the first book, he promised he would kill both of the Ra'azak for killing his father and he is not going to stop for anything to seek his revenge.

5) My least favorite character would definitely be the Ra'azak because these two creatures are inhumane and murderous. I don't like these characters because they have no sympathy for others and will do whatever it takes to kill their target upon the orders of evil king Galbatorix. They pursue their target and kill it and they destroy anything in their wake.

6) I predict that the next thing that will happen in this book is Eragon will hunt down and kill the last Ra'azak and then find his dragon. Then I think they will travel to the Vardon and prepare for a war against the Empire. I think Murtagh will be at the battle with his dragon Thorn.  I think Eragon and Murtagh will meet again.  The battle will rage and I can not forsee the outcome.

Hannah Lee

Hannah Lee
Envy
Anna Godbersen
Historical Fiction
Challenge
319

1. Right now in my book, the characters have all come back from Florida after a very eventful trip. While in Florida, much drama ensued, including Henry claiming he would divorce Penelope, but then shortly later breaking his promise to Diana that they had never shared a bed. When Diana spots them looking much like a couple on a balcony, she feels betrayed. She is especially upset because she just got over him, until he got her hopes up again by claiming he would leave Penelope, to be with her. Meanwhile, Carolina left the trip early when she recieves a telegram that Longhorn, her friend and sole confident died while she was away. She is just about to go to the reading of Mr. Longhorn's will when I stopped reading. Also, while in Florida, Elizabeth has been acting sick the whole trip, and while she visits Pelelope one time, Penelope plants in her head that she is pregnant. When she tells her mom of her speculations, her mom insists that she get married, as to avoid scandal for the whole family. Still heartbroken over the loss of her late husband Will, she visits her friend and preferred fiancee, Teddy Cutting. Unfortunately for her, Teddy just left for the military. Heartbroken and confused, the chapter ended with Elizabeth thinking about her choices for the future.

2. As the book continues, I am liking it more and more. It's getting more and more interesting and it keeps getting even more scandelous. As new secrets are being uncovered, and new plans are being made to increase their status in society, the book gets more fun to read. Each chapter is faster to read, since the plot is more interesting as the book goes on. At first, I wasn't loving the book, since I didn't really remember what happened in the previous books, but now I'm really enjoying it. Everything that has happened in the series so far is coming back to me, and I am finding it harder to put the book down. I almost don't want to reach the end though, because I know the book will end in a cliffhanger, and I will want to know what happens so bad until I get the fourth and last book in the series, Splendor.

3. Another theme that I have noticed in the book so far is greed. Penelope is the best example of greed in this story. She really wants it all, the money, the guy, and the high place in society. Her greed causes her to do really hurtful things though, including blackmailing her husband, Henry so he will marry her, and blackmailing Elizabeth with the information that she was in love with an employee of the family, a scandal that Elizabeth's mother would do anything to keep from the public. Another extremely greedy person is Carolina. She comes from a poor family, and was a former servant of the Holland family. Despite her poor roots, and her new spotlight in society, she still wants the money and the power. Even after her friend and one of her sources of income dies, she isn't worried for the most part about his death, but rather the fact that she won't get any of the money that he used to give to her. Instead of appreciating all he gave her while he was alive, she is only concerned for her future and how she will get money next. Other characters such as Henry's father also display greed, but those two characters are the biggest example of the theme I chose.

4. My favorite character has changed since the last time I posted. My favorite character used to be Diana, but since then I've grown to like her sister, Elizabeth more. Elizabeth has just been dealt a bad hand. Her husband is dead, she's forced to live a lie, and she may or may not be carrying her late husband's child, a child that the world can never know was his. To make matters worse, the person that could have possibly been the one to make her life better, Teddy Cutting has just gone off to war, right when she needed him most. She doesn't really have anyone to turn to, except for her sister, but even Diana is a little distracted by heartbreak at the moment. She'll have to marry someone soon, according to her mother, and a loveless marriage is not what she needs right now. I feel the most sympathy towards Elizabeth, after all she has been put through, and she's a genuinely nice person. The only thing I don't like about her, is that she seems weak. Although she has gone through a lot, she also has done nothing to help her family since she's been back. She was also a little selfish for running away from her family when they needed her most, but I can understand why she did it.

5. My least favorite character has also changed since I posted last. My least favorite character used to be   Carolina, but it is now Penelope. Although I still dislike Carolina, my hatred for Penelope is greater. The thing that makes her the worst in my mind is the fact that she doesn't appreciate anything she has. Her family is wealthy and she is beautiful, and yet she still wants more. Instead of finding a guy that would love her just as much as she loves him, she insists on having Henry as a husband, which really ends up making both of them miserable. She's cunning and devious, and uses those powers to her advantage. Whenever she can, she'll use a secret against someone as to boost her own image. Everything about her rubs me the wrong way, and the fact that her style sense is less elegant, and more scandalous, makes her seem so much less classy than she would think it does.

6. I think a lot is going to happen in the last part of the book. I think that Diana will find a way to embarrass herself while she is with Penelope's brother, who is making a game out of trying to seduce her. I think that Penelope will use whatever she does against her as another piece of added insurance so that Henry doesn't leave her. I think that Henry will end up leaving her though, but Diana will not be able to forgive him for breaking her heart so many times. My guess is that Carolina will also be left a lot of money in Longhorn's will, but something will happen and she will spend it foolishly and will be back to square one and broke again. I think that Teddy will either die at war, or come back earlier than he was expecting, and Elizabeth might write him to come back, so she can marry him. I hope he comes back so Elizabeth can at least marry someone she has some feelings for.

Blog Week #2!!!!!

It's that time again - blog time!!!!  You have from Mon. Dec. 17th until Saturday, December 22nd at midnight to post your second blog.  I strongly suggest that you review your green assessment sheet from your first blog to see what you need to improve upon this week.  We will have a mini-lesson in class on Tuesday about Theme which I think will be helpful for a number of you.  Please see me if I can offer any help.  Happy Blogging! :) Ms. D

Robby Black

Robby Black
Fallen Angles
Walter Dean Myers
Historical Fiction
Just Right
Just Finished 309

1.        I have just finished Fallen Angles by, Walter Dean Myers. This book starts out with all the main charecters meating each other in the airport and then they go to vietnam to start their journy in the vietnam war. All throughout this book it tells you about the fights they get into and the mistakes they make out on the feild. You run into many new characters as the story progresses but they ussually end up dieng because the vietnam war was such a terrible war were many people died and I think the author portreyd that well.

2.          I think Walter Myers does a great job of including detail. He says all the lines any body would say also he makes you fell like you are in the charecters shoes. The charecters themselfs have their own very uniqe way of doing things, but also in this book they have a very strong word choice. Also he does a great job of setting the scene. I like how every know and then he will include the actual letter the soldiers send home to thier family and freinds. They also show the story from many diffent points of views.

3.          The theme of my book is courage because the soldiers never back down from anything and they always keep moving forward and never turn back. This was one of the worst wars with great amounts of death and these men knew that but they still wanted to honor thier country and fight for thier freinds and family. These soldiers see thier freinds die right infront of them like when Pewee was running through the mind feilds with Jenkins because the were getting shot at and as they were runnnig through Jenkins ran over a mine and was killed on the spot. This shows their courage to know that they could of been the one to run over one of those mines and loose thier life. Throughout  the book these men and women show courage by not letting anything else bother them and they stick to their duty.

4.        My favorite character is probably Pewee because he demonstrates the theme courage very well. I am reading which is a follow up to Fallen Angles and Pewee is in this book as well and I just like how he never stops doing his job he started it in Vietnam and continued it into other wars with no fear and he understands that at any second his life could come to a halt. He also looked out for his other troops to make sure they would be ok and he put his life infront of thiers.

5.        Lobdel was my least favorite character because he always potreyd negative fellings and thoughts through out the book. He also was very mean to other characters and was not to responable I thought. Lobdel was not to smart on the feild and was very insicure and always had to have someone watching out for him. All these characteristics of Lobdel made him my least favorite character.

6.      In the end of my book not much happens. It is just the men getting setteld after the war and reflecting on what happend in the war. They all are very depresed about the men and freinds they lost that they knew in the fight. Then it mentioned the sequeal alittle bit wich is them in the war at fallujah.
  

Trey Davis

Trey Davis
The Lightning Thief
Rick Riordan
Just Right
197

   1                     I am currently reading The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan. In my book, Percy Jackson just woke up from a bad dream about his mother being grabbed and telling Percy to go. Then Percy Jackson got up and saw a poodle named Gladiolia and was going to redeem the wanted sign for two hundred dollars and they are using the money to get on the Amtrack train. Percy Jackson has been on the train for two whole days but he is still nervous about it because the bus that he was on yesterday had furies on it and tried to fight him.

    2                    I feel that this is the most interesting book that I have read ever. It is also a book that is just right for me to read because the words are easy ,but not too easy for me. I am pretty close to finishing this book that I am reading. I am very anxiousm to see the ending and who stole the lightning bolt that Zeus owns. It is intersting how Percy did not get hurt from the monsters before the fury that was pretending to be a teacher named Ms. Dodds. This book is one of a kind because it imagines something that we just don't think about alot except for the series of couse it has. The author makes the work very adventurous that makes you want to fight medusa or something.

3               I believe that the story of the book is teamwork  because it is almost impossible to survive out on Earth by yourself against the creatures. The theme appears when monster come around and you are out numbered by alot. The theme appears in the characters  responce to something and might need help or not. They pretty much need each other for example, Without Grover finding the dog and realizing that the dog was missing and can have a reward of 200 dollars if they brought the dog back.

4              Percy Jackson is my favorite person because he is brave and he does have problems such as dyslexia and can have anger problems in some of the scenes. He also can be very stubborn and does get kicked out of schools during the beginning part of the book. He got kicked out by fights, weird things happening and he gets blamed for the stuff he did not sometimes do.

5            My least favorite character is Gabe. He is because he is very annoying and I do not know why Percy's mom kicks him out when she doesn't even really like him at all. Some of his friends even call him smelly Gabe,and he hits Percy's mom just because he doesn't get his way. He is a big cry baby if you ask me and I believe that he is scared of Percy.

6           I predict that Hades would not have the lightning bolt and that some one in Half Blood Hill has it and that he is going to be stuck there and have to use something to escape. I am predicting by all the hints that is there in the enire book. All three have already thought that he might not have or not. Riordan put a littl bit of context clues metioning about if Hades has it or not. This is my prediction about this book.         

                        

Nicolas Marc Newman's Amazing Blog Post

Nick Newman
Never Fall Down
Patricia McCormick
Historical Fiction
Just Right
30

1. Currently I am reading Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick. Right now something huge in the book is about to happen. Arn's small village in Cambodia is about to be bombed by the US to get rid of the Khmer Rouge. Little does Arn know that the Americans are coming for that reason, not just for fun. So the Khmer Rouge gather everyone from the village and migrated to a work camp. Arn must face separation from his family and friends, especially being away from the girl that he loves, who happens to be his neighbor. He must get used to no seeing her every day. No more watching her from a tree outside. At least Arn has his older brother. His mother, youger sister, and aunt must work in an all women group. If Arn follows all the Khmer Rouges' guidlines he will live. That is all that is going on right now.

2. So far this book is very good. The author gives a lot of detail about what is happening. I like that in books. But the book is very sad. How the Khmer Rouge take people to work camps, they are supposed to be helping the village, not enslaving them! I do like this book. I think that the reason that this is HF is really pulling me in this book. I mean that this really happened!? I would have been scared for my life if I knew that I would be enslaved by brutal soldiers armed with large firearms and such and that my village would be bombed by the US! My opinion of this book varies. Sometimes I can laugh at the book and think this book is really good, but sometimes when someone dies like in the Killing Fields I would say that this book is pretty sad.

3. The theme that I have noticed so far is teamwork. The reason that I have noticed this theme more than anything is because all the men and all the women must learn to work together with their work groups to overcome fear and pain. So no one dies. So no one cries. So no one feels as much pain as torture. They don't deserve that. They work for freedom. They work for their families care. They can stand it, but not for long. No one deserves to be treated this way by some soldiers. And I mean no one. Teamwork. A great objective to achieve. They must all work together to be set free. But even if they do work as hard as they can, they can be brought to killing fields and die without reason, without any chance to live. Before they were moved to a work camp, they were still poor. Arn had to work by gambling and selling ice cream with his brother. The Khmer Rouge are unfair and cruel. They slashed the tires of a rich mans Mercedes because that man wouldn't give the soldier a bike. They don't have a say! Even if they do try to talk back they die. The soldiers are the masters and the people the slaves. The people need love and care. They will definetely NOT get love and care from the Khmer Rouge. As I said in the first question, the Khmer Rouge are supposed to be helping these poor people. They fight the war for them and won. But then, just because the US are going to bomb their village, the Khmer Rouge didn't think about having them move to a new, easy going village. No. They move them to a village where the villagers work all day. Some even work all night! Their freedom is taken away without any say from the villagers. Even kids must work. Some die because they do not know that they aren't allowed to take a break or something. They don't get a warning. The Khmer Rouge just come and bring them to their death.

4. My favorite character is Arn. Even though he is only 12 years old, he can deal with working at a labor camp. He shows strength through hard times. I mean he earns his own money by playing games with kids and adults. He is easy going and happy all the time. Even when the Khmer Rouge came to the village, Arn played soccer with a guard. Arn doesn't care about all the things that are going on in his life. He takes charge of situations and knows how to handle things. The Khmer Rouge are brutes though. If Arn gets too reckless he could get put down. Eventually though, he must deal with being a soldier. More than half of the Khmer Rouge are already teenagers. The older Khmer Rouge gather them and tell them they are soldiers. They get no say in that. Women and girls even make up some of the population of the Khmer Rouge. I really want to know how Arn takes it being a soldier. I wonder if he will be as happy and easy going then. Or maybe he will still make his own choices. Maybe he will still take charge. Will he survive as a young soldier? Maybe, maybe not. But I know that he will always be that one young person who knows what he can do. That is why he is my favorite character.

5. My least favorite character is one of the Khmer Rouge woman. She is a cruel and mean soldier who thinks she can't be touched because she is a woman. No. Now she is a soldier. She is treated like every other soldier. She is the Khmer Rouge soldier who slashed the tire of the rich mans Mercedes because the bike was not given to her. The Khmer Rouge woman also pushed around the girl that Arn loves with all his heart. This soldier is a soldier who stole from every single last person in the whole village. The way she did was when the villagers were getting their work clothers which were just black pajamas. When the people stripped she would go around and search the pockets of everyones' clothes and take whatever was in the pockets. So if (this didn't actually happen)she found the car keys to the Mercedes that the rich man, she could do whatever with it. She has no limits, she cannot be stopped from being so brutal to everyone. That is why she is my least favorite character.

6. My prediction for what happens next is that Arn finally becomes a soldier. I really can't predict how he will take that in though. Also something bad might happen to one of his family members or the girl that he loves so much. I hope not though. Arn would be devastated if anyone that he has so close to his heart is taken out of his life and murdered without chance. I don't want to go on and on again about how I feel about the villagers having no say as soon as the Khmer Rouge enter (more like invade)the village. So all I will say is that I hope something good happens to the people of the work camp. Atleast one thing good that overcomes the camp. That is all that I hope. The last thing that I predict is that Arn might get hurt because he was still being a little reckless. Those are my predictions for what will happen next in the book Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick.