Prompt

Did you enjoy the ending of your book? Why or why not? Describe an alternate ending and why it would or wouldn't be as good a choice as the ending the author chose.

This post is due by Friday, 5/20, at 3:15 p.m.

Seniors: Book Trailer due 5/18
Juniors: Book Trailer due 5/25

NO LATE POSTS ARE ACCEPTED FOR CREDIT.

I strongly encourage you to respond to questions asked in comments to your initial posts. Use the blog as a venue for discussion.

Monday, May 23, 2011

The Summer I Turned Pretty
JennyHan
End.
I liked the ending a lot, but it was really sad. I would've had the ending differently, but then it probably wouldn't have been so good. The author like, wrote it a if the mom was still alive but then flashed back into reality and really, she had died. I wish that the boys would have kept in touch with her since they were all going away, but that's how it goes when you grow up. You drift apart.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Unbroken
Laura Hillenbrand
Pg. 368

I haven't finished my book yet. I am a few pages away, and I don't think it could end much differently. It is nonfiction, so it happened. So I wouldn't change it at all. I thought the story of the book was great and you can't change its ending. I predict that in the end Louie will figure his life out and have children and just turn into a regular person. It would be cool if it reflected on the other characters that he went to war with and their lives and families, but I doubt that will happen. I want to see Louie start to get into track again. He was good at it and it made me think in the beginning of the book that he would go back to the Olympics again, but that probably won't happen either.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Caleb Bailey
Page - Done
Satchel

I enjoyed the ending of the book actually. It kind of just cut off after he gave his speech after he was retired. I think it kind of left you thinking as to what was going to happen after that. I think that it could have gone into where he went after he retired, maybe back to his home. I don't think that my alternate ending would be any better. The author had the best idea that I could think of.

Denton's Blog

Friday Night Lights
Buzz Bissinger
End

The end of my book is very sad, almost tragic in the eyes of a true sports fan. I did not enjoy the ending Odessa-Permian loses the final game. When you read the book it's like you are along for the ride. You are there through the journey of the blood, sweat, and tears. It starts with the dreadful two-days, fighting through the losses, and sticking together as a team. To go through all of that and come up short of the goal really hits one hard. I know when I watched the movie I cried the first time I saw it. That is the only movie I have ever cried in. I have never cried reading a book, however.
Pretty Little Liars
Sara Shepard
Done
The way this book ended was very angering. It is a series of book so the author left it hanging at the end so it could pick up in the second book. They think that they have found the body of the girls' missing friend which is obviously a huge deal. If they have found Alli's body then that means that she is not "A". But how can she not be "A". She was the only one who knew all the secrets that "A". So the girls are extremely confused and so are the readers because that means that there is someone else out there that knows their secrets. Every time we think we know who it is something proves that wrong. But since there are like eight books in the series I don't think I am going to find out for a while who "A" is.

burning up

pg to the end

no i did not really enjoy it was was an ok ay ending but i think it would have been better if the grandparents accually did set the fire and were keeping it a secert from theier grand kids it would have been a major twist because they were so nice and would not want to hurt a fly. i would have been better cause you would not have thought it was the grandoarents who burnt down their black nieghbors house.

A Sporting Chance

The ending of this book was okay. It gave a summary about all the different weapons he's hunted with and his experiences with them and what he's learned about different cultures hunting techniques. I dont think for this book that there could be an alternate ending that would be any better.

Quarter 4 last bog


Harvest
Tess Gerritsen
End of Book

The end of this book was really good. It brought it all together and finally made sense of the conspiracy that was going on in the hospital. Plus, the main character lived instead if getting killed like I originally thought. In an alternate ending the doctors would get away with killing more people for organ harvests. They would kill off the rest of the Russian children on the boat then proceed to kill Abby. They would have to do away with all those who even suspected them of wrongfully killing others for their organs. However, this would not be a very fulfilling ending. I like the endings that leave you with a happy feeling knowing that everything turned out okay in the end. It definitely wouldn't be as good as the author's ending since it wouldn't resolve anything. It would just end the book without a conclusion.

The Quad

I thought the ending of my book happened really fast. There was a really big climax with a lot of anticipation, then it ended and resolved the solution within one chapter. I enjoyed how it ended, but it was just to soon and left to many questions unanswered. I also thought the killer was completely random and would've made more sense if Stone would have been the killer. I understand why the author chose the girl to be the school shooter, but it just left to many questions unanswered for me.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Nineteen Minutes
Jodie Picoult
Almost done.

I have not quite reached the end of my book, so I am going to make a couple possible predictions that I think may occur. I believe that Josie will start understanding Peter and why he did what he did. Because they were really close when they were younger, and Josie's boyfriend was killed, Josie and Peter might start to have a strong relationship. On the other hand, I can see Peter spending a majority of his life behind bars because of the horrible act he committed. I hope that the author chooses a more happy ending and not a sad and depressing one. I have read a few books this year that end in a bad way, so I'm hoping that this one will be interesting. I have heard Jodie Picoult has some serious twists to her endings so I am very curious as to what will happen.
House Rules
Jodi Picoult
End of Book

I did enjoy the ending of my book. Jacob and Theo were both found innocent and they were not pressed with charges. Jess was the one whole fell and killed herself, so it was nice that no one got sent to jail and had to suffer major consequences. If I had to choose an alternate ending I would have it be that Jacob was the one who really did kill Jess in the first place, however I do not think this would be a very good ending just because throughout the whole book Jacob is saying how he did not kill her and everyone can tell when he is not telling the truth. The whole book is basically set in a court scene trying to prove that Jacob is not guilty. So, if he really was guilty in the end, it would seem to me that the whole book would have been a whole waste to read. I liked how the author had Jess killing herself because when reading it I would have never suspected that she was the one who actually killed herself and Jacob or Theo did not commit the crime.
Speak
By: Laurie Halse Anderson
finished

The ending of my book was very good, because the main character, Melinda, finally got the confidence to speak her mind and forget about the past. Throughout the whole book Melinda goes through high school feeling scared and not being able to talk, because of a horrible incident that happened over the summer. Finally in the end, her voice breaks through and she is allowed to talk to people about what happened and eventually let go of the horrible incident. It is a good ending, because it shows a character that would be very easy to relate to and makes her into an inspiration for the readers. I can't really think of another way to end this book. The author did a great job of bringing the plot all the way around and completing it very nicely.
Fallan Stark
Runaway
Wendelin van Draan
finished

I liked the end of my book, because she finally found a home and I was really hoping that she would. I wouldn't be able to come up with a better ending. If I were to, however, it would be that she is with a long lost aunt that she barely knew. The aunt turns out to be super nice and the exact opposite of her mom, who is incredibly irresponsible. She lives with her aunt who would happen to have a really nice house and she loved to cook and had a number of dogs. That way Holly could have everything she never did and she would have it good. She would catch up on the school she missed and then eventually become a vet.

Quarter 4, Blog 6

Kyle Weber
Drive
Larry Bird

I liked the ending of my book, because he summarized the rest of his career. He told about his life after basketball, and how it still included the game that made him who he is today. He told the readers how basketball was his influence and he also gave advice to people who want to follow in his footsteps, and try to be like him. You cannot really change the ending of his book, because you can't change his personal life. If someone had that power, I'm sure they could make one heck of an alternate ending. They could make it more evntful, but then it wouldn't be his life.

Nellie Wilson. Mrs.Sheffield. Period 7.

I read Danielle Steel's book Secrets. I loved the ending of my book. The alternate ending would have been: Jane and Zack would get married on the beach in Bel-Air, because Jane is already pregnant. I would also have everyone there for the wedding and then have them sent to France where the baby was conceived for their honeymoon. I would have Sabrina and Bill get married in Bel-Air too, since they love each other too and they get along so well on the set. I would have Sabrina get pregnant while on their honeymoon in New York, where the show Manhattan was first shot at. Then, last but not least I would have Mel and Gabby be engaged but they would not be ready to get married yet. They would take a trip to Greece to celebrate getting a new second season of Manhattan. Also, the show had over ten season, with everybody getting married and having kids and living apart but close to each other, probably in Bel-Air.

Quarter 4, So ready to quit blogging.

The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy
I did not enjoy the end of my book, throughout the whole book it was very dry and hard to pick up and read for a long time. At the end, Tony pretty much just ends his speech about being a better leader... but i do not think it needed to be made into a two hundred page book. Don't get me wrong, the points he made in the book were very good, but I will never pick up a book like that again because of how dry/boring it was. An alternative ending for the book could be the Colts achieving two season goals by having both an undefeated season and winning the super bowl, but because the book was historically accurate that could not happen. In my eyes the ending of the book was not too horrible, because he brought all his points into a final topic that i will not give away.
Anthony Horowitz
Scorpia
end of book

The end of this book makes it seem like there won't be another one, but I know there is so the ending isn't quite as dramatic as it could be. After being debriefed, Alex is about to head home. He steps out onto Liverpool street and it suddenly starts tilting. Alex has been shot. The book ends with Alex slipping out of consciousness on the ground in front of MI6's headquarters. This was a good dramatic ending for this book. It makes sense because he has now betrayed SCORPIA, a terrorist group, so now they want him dead. If I were to write a different ending, I would probably have Alex go home and talk to Jack, his housekeeper. I want him to explain everything to her. He never talks about his missions to anyone and I would like to hear his perspective of it since the book is written in 3rd person.

CHAD!

Safe At Home
Mike Lupica
End

I like the ending of my book because they of course win in the end like any good sporting book. Nick Crandall, the main character, becomes the hero at the end of the book and no one expected him to be the hero which makes it a great story. It ends like any normal sporting book so I guess it is good. I would change maybe how they win. It could have been made to where it would be a weird way to win, but it is concluded like any normal sporting book ends. So other than that I think it is a good ending.

Tyler Allison Last Blog

Do Not Pass Go
Kirkpatrick Hill

My book started with the main characters dad going to jail. Deet is the main character and he is in elementary school. Before his dad went to jail there family had money problems, but when his dad went to jail it got worse. The story starts out sad but ends with Deet finding new, good things out about his dad. Deet grows as a character and becomes a man in the book. If i were to change the ending of the book, i would make deets dad get out of jail and there money problems go away. This made the book sad for me and i was looking more for a happy book. Overall i liked the book and it was a pretty decent read.

ps. This day sucks.

-Tyler
The Nazi Officer's Wife
Edith Hahn Beer
pg. 49
I finished my book a while ago so I'll describe how I think my new book will end. This book is a true story about a Jewish girl who is married to a Nazi officer. I don't think he knows she is Jewish at first, but is fine with it when she tells him. Since this is a true story obviously she survives the Holocaust, so that would be a happy ending. I think the idea about hiding for your life and being sent to a concentration would be terrifying. However, since she survives I think it is kind of a happy ending. An alternative ending would be if she had died in a camp. There wouldn't be a book, but if someone else wrote it, the ending would be sad. Throughout the book the tone is sad and depressing with all the killing, so I need some kind of a happy ending for the book to be good.

The Life Before Her Eyes

The Life Before Her Eyes
Laura Kasischke
pg 273 (End)

I wouldn't necessarily say that I disliked the ending of this book, but it did confuse me. Throughout the book, the perspective was alternately placed on two sides of the same person; 17 year old Diana and 40 year old Diana. As the book details middle aged Diana's perfect life that is rapidly falling apart, flashbacks to teenage Diana's violent past give insight as to why she acts completely different as an adult. In the last chapter, the older Diana accompanies her daughter to the zoo, where a series of bizarre events lead up to an escaped wolf attacking her, at which point she surrenders herself to it and dies. The book then jumps back to where it started, with younger Diana in a bathroom a school, being forced to choose between living or sacrificing herself to a school shooter. The next couple of pages reveal the decision that she makes, and show that her future life had actually flashed before her eyes. I honestly had to reread the end a few times before I understood what happened, and overall I was pleased with it and thought that it made sense. I had thought that the book would end with 40 year old Diana killing herself from the guilt that she still obviously felt over the shooting, but I don't think this would have been an appropriate or intelligent ending for this book. The actual ending makes you think about your own life and choices, and the character killing herself wouldn't have really left the book with an important message at all.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Going Bovine
Libba Bray
end
I really hated the end of this book. It had kind of been hinting at what was going to happen in the end but i didn't seriously expect the author to end it so horribly. In the end we realize that all of Cameron's adventures were just side effects of him losing his mind because of the mad cow disease. This was a stupid ending because then you realize that he died the same lonely unhappy loner that he was in the beginning. He never really met or hung out with any of the people that he considered his closest friends and he never truly was happy with his family again. The only plus side was that in the end he got to be with the girl he loved because she was an angel but it was just really disappointing that all of the adventures were fake. I would have liked the ending way better if the author would have made the adventures he was having be real life and have the scenes of him in the hospital as side effects of him growing crazy. That way he would have grown as a brother/son, friend, and all around human being.
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood
end

I was not really all that happy with the ending of my book. Dystopian novels tend to have terrible endings and this one was no different. The entire book felt like it was just describing the world Offred lives in. Things only really start happening towards the end. It seems like the actual story was only just getting started when the book ended. It also ended kind of on a cliffhanger. We never really know if the van was Mayday or the Guardians. We also never really know if she made it to Canada or beyond. The epilogue kind of implies that she might have, but we can't be sure. I wish she would've written a sequel or something to tell us what happened to her.
Need
Carrie Jones
Done with book
The way this book ended was with the main character, Zara, finding out her biological father was the king of the pixies that have been terrorizing her. She went to go "settle the score" with him at his mansion/house in the woods, but was kept a prisoner there. Her mother then came and gave herself up so that Zara could leave. To rescue her, Zara came up with a plan to keep the fairies captive in their own domain. Pixies have a serious aversion to iron-it can kill them if it gets inside a wound. So she devised a plan to surround the house they stayed in with iron. It worked, and now all they have to do is figure out what to do with all the pixies stuck in a mansion in the woods.
I liked the way this book ended. It wasn't overly depressing and it had some closure (not complete since there is a sequel). It also left me wondering what is going to happen in the next book. Another way it could have ended was with the plan Zara came up with failing, and the pixies breaking through the iron barrier, instead of being trapped behind it. But that wouldn't be as good, since that would have meant that the bad guys won. And no one wants that-except the bad guys themselves.

Aloysous

Spy High
A.J. Butcher
done
I am pretty happy with the end of my book. It was a pretty normal ending. The team kills the bad guy and Jake and Ben work together to save the world. But normal is getting boring. If I could change the ending of my book, i would make allow the bad guy to win and people start dying. That would be a unnormal ending and a surprise to the reader. I get very bored with normal endings, so if I could make it the ending sad and then set up a sequel, its a win win. I think more authors should change the ending of their books because they are starting to get unoriginal.
Breathing Underwater
Alex Flinn
End
I was not very satisfied with the ending of the book. It really just jumped right to a conclusion. Before hand, he was fighting with his dad and his best friends. In the next chapter Caitlin was at a different school, Tom wanted to be best friends as if nothing happened, and his dad bought him a new car. I think an alternate ending could have been something more serious between NIck and Caitlin. Something on the lines of her dropping the restraining order and they get back together. Another ending could have been where Nick finally abused the restraining order enough, that Caitlin called the cops and Nick got taken to jail. The authors ending really just jumped right to conclusion. An alternate ending would have made the book better with a twist no one really saw was coming.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Yours Truly, Skye O'Shea

by Megan Shull
END!
the ending of my book is great but its the typical ending of any great story. happy ending. Skye gets everything she wants including the boy and made it on the hockey team. it probably would've ended up being a horrible book if it ended like, unhappily. if she didn't get the boy then oh well, but hockey was the big thing. that would have crushed her to pieces, only because I know how it feels to not get something you work really extremely hard for.
I Am Number Four
Pittacus Lore
Finished

I think the book ended okay. It was good that Number Four (aka John)and the others made it out safe in the end of the battle. However, at the very end, John has to move away and leave Sarah behind so the Mogadorians don't know where they are. I think leaving Sarah behind, is very sad because they both love each other very much. John does say he will come back for her someday and she says that he will always be waiting back to him. The ending of the book is sad in that way. I would change the ending by Sarah moving with John. This would make the ending very happy. Both Sarah and John would be happy, but that would put Sarah always in danger, which I don't know if John would do that to her or not. If Sarah did go with John, their love story would continue and Pittacus Lore could make an additional book about Number Four.
Fear No Evil
Robin Caroll
Finished
I really enjoyed the ending because it was a very happy tale ending full of love and bliss. As soon as Jade gets out of her eye surgery, Lincoln ends up asking for her hand in marriage and tells her that he can not promise all good times. However, he says that he knows he will put God at the head of their home and marriage. Through this, he knows their love will be everlasting! The ending proved symbolically that through God all things are possible. If I had to give another ending, I would have had Jade end up going critically blind through the surgery. This way I would have tied in God's miracles by extending the book and continuing to tell how Jade used her difficult obstacle to continue to follow God and praise Him. However, it would not wrap up the book in the same mood as Caroll did in her ending, and I think it would drag it on. Plus, I love the happy ending!
Worth
A. Lafaye
Finished


I thought that the ending of my book was very good. It ended with Nathan and John becoming more like brothers instead of more like fighters. John got to stay as long as he wanted, as long as he helped out on the farm still. I dont think the book would be as good if it ended with John leaving the farm because it wouldnt show how the two grow on each other and become close.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Quarter 4, Blog 5?

Kyle Weber
Drive
Larry Bird

My book is an autobiography of Larry Bird. He tells of his life throughout his playing days in the game of basketball. He is a truly remarkable character. His father committed suicide and he still had the courage and determination to continue his life. He overcame the odds in college, coming from an extremely needy family in Indiana, the basketball capital of the world. He attended Indiana University for one yer, before taking one year off and then attended Indiana State University. When everyone said that he couldn't do it, whatever it was, he did it. He showed all the skeptics that he had what it took.

Friday, May 6, 2011

So sick of blogging

The Mentor Leader
By Tony Dungy
P. 117
For my blog, i'd like to share a little bit about my book, but not so much about the plot. The book is extremely dry, but makes some very good points about becoming a better leader. So far, I would give it 2 out of 5 stars because of how boring it is. Because of the Author's experiences, the book doesn't have a whole lot of action to it. If I could recommend it to anyone, I would recommend it to those in their high 20's and early 30's that are looking at becoming a captain or even a coach of a team. While it is very dry, it does include a lot of information about the main topic. If I could give the author some advice on how to make the book better, I would have him put more action into it to keep the readers hooked. It's a very easy book to read a chapter, then put down for a few days at a time to keep away from the boringness.

Tyler Allison --- May 6th

Do Not Pass Go
Kirkpatrick Hill

Wow! A free blog! ok, so I am going to talk about the main character, comparing him to me. The main character is Deet. He is a loaner. I do not see how he gets along with his life. All he does is go to school everyday and then go home, spend hours on his homework, then do it all over again the next day. I would hate to be like this. Deet has friends at school but he never hangs out with them outside of school. My favorite thing to do in my life is do stupid stuff with my friends and laugh a ton. I think that Deet would be a way happier person if he hung out with people outside of school and didnt shelter himself to much. This would make the book happier and more enjoyable to read. When i read the book it makes me sad to see his life style. I wish there was a way that i could change it.
-Tyler

Unbroken
by Laura Hillenbrand
Pg. 365

This is a great book to read for many people. If you like war, sports, and life in general, you would probably like this book. It takes place in America, at the Olympics, in POW camps, all during World War II. I enjoy hearing about war stories, and this is a inspirational story of a guy who survives a plane crash and Japanese POW camps. It also appeals to people who like sports because the main character is a star track athlete and sets records for running the mile. He goes to the Olympics and shares his experiences in the book. I think it is a great book and has a great storyline. It is inspirational and always has a lot of stories to keep you entertained. Even if you don't like war or sports, I believe you would still like this book. It is very interesting and cool to hear about what the main character went through.
The Supernaturalist
Eoin Colfer
pg. 106
The setting of this book is in the future in a place called Satellite City. Earth is slowly being broken down from all the chemicals in the atmosphere and in the ground. Satellite City is supposed to be the perfect city, but is far from it. There are so many chemicals in the atmosphere that sunrises and sunsets no longer exist like we know them. When the sun rises or sets, the chemicals in the air turn different colors. The ozone layer is almost completely gone, so no one ever goes outside with just a t-shirt and shorts anymore-the sun's rays are too harmful. There are no plants, no trees, no grass-just metal and roads. Eoin Colfer was very creative when he created this setting-it seems like Earth really could get to this condition. He practically created a whole new world. For example, graveyards aren't graveyards anymore-everyone is cremated and put in a building with automated shelves that move to ground level when a family member comes to see them. Guns are rarely ever used. Instead they use rods with different capsules you can shoot out of them. They have ones that are made of cellophane and, upon impact, will start expanding and encasing the victim so they can't move. This setting is very unique and I enjoy reading about it in this book.
Fallan Stark
Dark Angel
David Klass
pg 89

The conflict in my book is that Jeff's brother was in jail for 5 years and they are letting him out. He was supposed to be in jail for life, but they are letting him out. Jeff is really scared and he told his girlfriend about his brother's homecoming and she won't talk to him. It is a conflict for him because he is scared and is trying to talk to Beth, his girlfriend.
I thought that this book would have something to do with supernatural powers, but so far nothing has happened like it. My inference is that the brother is the dark angel because it talked about how his grandmother says that every baby is an angel. Then it goes to talk about how he turns evil, by getting into fights and murdering a guy. It could turn into that or it could turn into Jeff becoming an angel, similar to Fallen, a movie about a half angel who's powers show when he turns 18.

A Sporting Chance

This book takes place all around the world. The guy that wrote it travles around trying out all these different weapons used by tribal people around the world.

burning up

setting
it takes place in a same maryland town by a beach the main setting is around town because the main character is asking questions about the barn burning down across the street from her grandparents.
conflict
there is a bombfire held every year on the beach the main character went around asking the older people what started the fire but they just totally pushed her away and ignored her. so she is at a conflict because no one around the time of the barn burning down want to talk to her.
Hush Hush
Becca Fitzpatrick
p.67
The major conflict in this book so far is that Patch, a new kid at school is really annoying this girl named Nora. He knows how to get under her skin and he has only known her for about a month. He has described her as intelligent, attractive, and vulnerable; his characteristics in a partner. They have to sit next to each other in class and Nora has tried to get different seats, but he won't change them. She's stuck with him for the rest of the year. Nora was driving home and she drove through an intersection and this guy ran out in front of her and then he got back up and punched through her window and tried to grab her. She thought it was Patch, but as the time passes she seems to be forgetting what had happened. When she shows her friend to her car, nothing is wrong with the car. A bigger conflict arises between Patch and Nora, because she doesn't know if it was him or not and if he has been stalking her. Nora thinks that they aren't compatible, but he thinks they are. I think that Nora will eventually like him and something will come up and it will break their trust.
Perfect
Sara Shepard
pg.120
The main theme of this book has become, that really the most knowledge they have is that they know nothing. The four girls trying to find out who murdered their best friend are very confused. Every time they seem to have a lead it is demolished. Also an anonymous person known as A keeps haunting them. A knows secrets about them that no one else but their best friend Ali knew. However it cannot be her. She is dead; they found her body! As the book keeps going they realize that everything they thought they knew has changed. Everyone they thought they could trust has changed as well. Really what Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily want now is the truth. And as A seems to find out new stuff about their lives that even Ali didn't know they get worried. Also how does A seem to know more about them than they even knew themselves?

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Nineteen Minutes
Jodie Picoult
pg. 90

I have really enjoyed this book so far and I would recommend it to many people. I like to read about teenagers and what they experience during life, relating it to my own life. A teenage girl Josie attends Sterling High School and is just an average everyday kind of girl. I can relate to her which makes the book more enjoyable to read. A teenage boy in her grade brings a gun to school and kills many people. Josie's boyfriend died and she was devasted, as I would be as well. I'm really into this book and the author makes it seem so life-like and real, which is what I like. The setting is very similar to what most teenage kids go through on a day-to-day basis. Most of it takes place at school, home, or sometimes her mom's work. This is probably one of my favorite books I have read so far, I just wish I could find more time to sit down and enjoy it!
Lord of the Flies
William Golding
Pg. 58

This is the second time I've read this book, and I still don't really get why this book is a classic. It's not that I don't like this book, it's just that I don't really get why teachers love it so much. I get that it's supposed to represent society or something like that, but I think it moves a little too slow. For some reason I just can't visualize anything in this book. It describes the island that it's set on and the characters in pretty good detail, but I still can't really see it. It kind of makes the book boring. I also really don't like any of the characters except for Piggy and Simon. Ralph annoys me and Jack is a little psychopath. I think I might like it more if it were updated. It's from 1954, and kids were a lot different then. I think it would be funny if it were set in this day and age, because kids are a little more helpless now, what with all the new technology we have.
Going Bovine
Author?(Can't remember)

This book is pretty weird. Throughout the entire book Cameron is on this crazy little trip where he meets a garden gnome with a norse god trapped it in and he meets a famous band and gets into some serious trouble. The setting is crazy, it moves so quick its hard to keep track of. They start off in Texas and work their way through New Orleans, some little hick town, a utopia formed by a group that tries to keep everyone happy all the time, Daytona beach, and finally ends up in disney world. At the end though you find out all this crap is just Cameron going crazy and his brain rotting away because of the mad cow disease. I'm not sure how i feel about this book now but i do kind of like Cameron the main character and how throughout the story he begins to gain acceptance of death.

House Rules. Jodi Piccoult. Done.

Why I believe this book is great is the author points out what life is like for a child with a disability and that family. Before, I read this book I honestly had a lot of negative thoughts about children like Jacob, he suffered from AS. Now, that I have read this book, I can't say or think any negative thoughts, due how much he struggled to be normal like: going to high school with his younger brother. His younger brother would disown or just laugh at Jacob's face. Another incident was when Jacob gets a tutor to help him keep calm and not freak out about the smallest things. Jacob was obsessed with crime scencs and this made him smarter than the own detectives.

Brandon's Post

John Feinstein

Cover-Up

End

Ya know, im gonna be honest with you this book was not the best by far, it was slow going, not fun to read (No books are fun to read), and ending was aweful. The first setting of the book started at the football field. Not a very good place to start off a book. The second setting of the book was in the weight room, that ones not as bad as the football feild but then again not the greatest. The characters in this book were all addicted to steriods they all couldnt get there minds off of the fact that they loved steriods. They got addicted and then started slipping in school and their parents didnt know why and then the parents did get involved and they had to force them off of them. They all got into a huge fight because the kids didnt understand why the drug was so bad but by the end of the book they did. So yeah.
Satchel
Larry Tye
P. 212
The main character in the book Satchel is obviously the great African-American Satchel Paige. There aren't a lot of other characters in the book which is kind of weird. It briefly describes some of his teammates that he has met along the way it isn't very in depth. Also you are introduced to his mother who he looks up to very much. The very beginning of the story starts out when he plays for the the Kansas City Monarchs and reflects back to earlier in his life. The setting starts in Mobile, Alabama where he was born and raised. From then the setting moves to wherever he went to play baseball, in foreign countries. The conflict is very clear, where he is colored and wants to play in the MLB which is primarily white. I like this book because it's about baseball which is obviously the best sport ever, in my eyes.

Chad!

Safe At Home
Mike Lupica
End of book

The setting of my book is simply amazing, It's a baseball field. There is nothing better then a good baseball field. It is like another home for me. I love to read this book because it is all about baseball. It is also about high school baseball, which is the best baseball to watch. The character in this book is in a tough spot too, which makes him an even better person to read about. He loves baseball as much as I do and wants to play it year around. He always talks about it, and is all he cares about, which is very similar to me. I love baseball and I believe as much as Nick Crandall does, that baseball is America's past time and the best sport in the world.
The Suicide Collectors
David Oppegaard

Lately I have been getting into books about murders and killings and when I read the back of this book it really caught my attention! The Suicide Collectors isn't like many other books. It's set in Florida where all the people are dead, all the houses are empty, and people are slowly killing themselves. Every where around the world more and more people are commiting suicide. The doctors and experts that are still alive are calling it a pandemic. They haven't gotten to a theme yet but it seems like the theme is going to be original. The author makes these characters unique. The main character doesn't resemble any other characters I've ever read about. Neither does the conflict of The Collectors. I'm really interested in how David Oppegaard came up with the entire plot line of these book, because it's nothing like what I've read before!

Jack and Jill James Patterson

I have read many different books by James Patterson and I would have to say the Alex Cross Series is my favorite. I am a big fan of murder book and that is what the Cross series is. James Patterson always has characters that are either very forward or very complex that is why he is my favorite author. My favorite character in this book is alex because he hasn't done anything that is questionable and he is all around a good guy that is trying to rid Washington DC of evil. If i had to pick my favorite villain I would choose Jack because he seems to be a very evil person and he is probably the most complex character. One time you think he is in love with Jill and he is just trying to get rid of all the corrupt people in Washington then the nest he's thinking of ways to get rid of Jill and what he'll do when their deal is over. So I don't know how his character will end but he is very complex.
Scorpia
Anthony Horowitz
pg 198

The underlying theme of this book, and the series so far, is definitely Alex's search for answers about his past. He hasn't known the truth about his parents until SCORPIA showed him the video of his father's death, where he was assassinated by MI6. Before this book, Alex had been working with MI6, under the assumption that his parents had been killed in a plane crash. The truth is out now, but Alex still doesn't have all the answers he needs. Apparently, his father had gotten pretty close with Julia Rothman, a senior operative in SCORPIA who has now employed Alex. So far he has learned that both his father and uncle were spies, but his mother supposedly was not. Her death is still claimed to be caused by a plane crash on her way to Paris. Curious. Alex is constantly hearing about how great his father was now and how good he is expected to be. He doesn't quite know whether to follow in his father's footsteps yet or not, but he doesn't have much choice now. SCORPIA has pulled him in and is giving him the one thing he craves the most, information about his past, so I'm guessing the more he does for them, the more information they will give him in return.
Heaven is for Real
by: Todd Burpo
finished

This book is an amazing true story about this four year old boy, Colton, who has been to heaven and back. After a terrifying disease took over his body and brought him on the verge to death, Colton has a miracle recovery. A few weeks later Colton starts talking about heaven and how he sat on Jesus lap. He talked about heaven and all of the pretty rainbow colors there were and also about meeting his great grandpa that died even before he was born. This book was so cool to read and to hear about all the things this kid saw. It is amazing to think about heaven in this way and to get a description of it from a kids point of view. The author wrote this book very well, and made the images come to life in my head. It is a very good book, that I would highly recommend.

Breaking Dawn- The End

There were many conflicts in Breaking Dawn. And they were very well written and described. After Bella had gotten pregnant the baby was killing her until they thought that it was hungry for blood. So Bella had gotten better because she was drinking blood. And another conflict that was in the book was the war about Reenesme because she was a baby vampires and and baby vampires have to die. Well the Volturi realize that she is part human and part vampire and that she has special powers just like her parents. So the Vouturi lets Reenesme live . And then they all live happily ever after.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I'll Walk Alone
Mary Higgins Clark
pg. 225
The conflict in this book is that Zan's son Matthew was kidnapped 2 years ago and was never found. Now someone came forward with pictures showing Zan kidnapping her own son. Zan seems to be pretty convincing that she wouldn't kidnap her own son, and that the pictures are doctored. One character brought up the possibility that if the photos are real Zan has a split personality and one personality stole Matthew. However, I don't think this is true because it was already brought up and if she has a split personality , it wouldn't be suspenseful. Also the author goes into the mind of the real kidnapper. By using dramatic irony the readers know that someone else stole Matthew, but the characters don't know this. I have know idea who it could be. I think it would be someone the author introduced, but I don't think it will be one of the main suspects. Mary Higgins Clark is good at revealing everything until the end and will surprise the reader.
Fear No Evil
Robin Caroll
p. 103
One theme in my book at this point is that even though people portray being hard headed and show no feeling to the average person, they still have hearts and emotions. Ethan is a middle aged man who is a chief of the police department. However, he is very strict and expects his officers to never let their emotions get in the middle of their job. With this being said, he becomes hypocritical because he goes to a scene where his father is the victim, and he begins to act through emotion rather than logic. This not only gets him injured but also his father. I relate this action to a lot of fathers or men in general in the real world. No man likes to cry in front of others because it makes him "less manly". I disagree with this statement, but it is the normal societal view. Ethan portrays a average real world male.
I Am Number Four
Pittacus Lore
pg. 142

There are several conflicts that happen in my book, but they are all tied together. They are all related to the fact that Mark bullies anyone who just talks to Sarah. Mark just likes to pick on anyone who associates with Sarah because he still considers himself her girlfriend even though she has made it perfectly clear that they are no longer together. Most of the conflicts are external and are between Mark and John. John is the new kid at school and of course he talks to Sarah. As soon as he walks into class, Mark trips him. At another time, Mark steals John's phone. These are just a few of the conflicts that happen between the two. An internal conflict that happens, but doesn't have to do with Mark is John vs himself. John has to battle with himself because he has powers that no one else has. He is special and one out of nine people. He tries to work with himself to deal with the problems he has with his special gift.
House Rules
Jodi Picoult
Pg. 370

There are always multiple conflicts in a book, some major and some minor. I major conflict in my book is an internal conflict where Jacob is battling Asperger's syndrome. Jacob has a tough time expressing himself well to others and like many kids with Asperger's syndromem Jacob has a special focus on one subject. The subject he focus' on the most would be forensic analysis. By that it means he is always showing up on crime scenes and telling the police what they should do, and for most of the time, he is right. Jacob is now being taken to court because he is being covicted of murdering Jess, his lady who help him with his Asperger's syndrome. While Jacob went to court he was battling with himself to stay under control and to not loose his temper while he was in the courtroom. People believe he is guilty because he cannot look someone in the eye, he gets tics and twithces, and flat affect. All of these things lead the police to think that he is guilty. Jacob cannot control any of this, it is just what he is born with. He is trying so hard to make his mom and the police to realize that he is innocent and did not commit the murder. He has to get through all of his struggles with having the syndrome in order for them to actually get to believe him that he was not the one who murdered Jess. An external conflict he is having is with his mom. His mom believes that maybe her son did commit the muder because he was the one last seen with Jess and he even set up the crime scene and moved Jess. His mom thinks well, why did he do that? It is just part of Jacob's nature he wants the police to figure out who murdered her by setting up a crime scene other than the one that really did happen. When the police found out that he moved the body, they were furious with Jacob as well. Jacob also has a conflict with his brother Theo. Even though Jacob is older, Theo is the one who has to take care of Jacob. Theo always argues and sometimes even makes fun of Jacob. Overall, there are lots of conflicts in this book involving Jacob and I am hoping they will all be resovled in the end.
The Hostage
Theodore Taylor
End

In this blog I'm going to focus on the main Character Jamie Tidd and his internal conflict with him self about whether to let Tyrannas the whale go or to sell him for over $100,000. He is so confused about what to do because he wants to do the right thing and let Tyrannas go but the huge amount of money is so tempting he is unsure what to do. He turns to his friend Angie for help. She tells him that he has to make the right choice on his own because $100,000 would dramatically change his life forever.

Aloysius

Spy High
A.J. Butcher
page 1-44

The characters of my book are all teenage kids in high school but they do not go to a normal high school, they go to a high school for spies and go on secret missions. The main character is the leader of a team of students named the bond team. His name is Ben. He is a natural leader and fight with an outcast named Jake for control over the team. They do not get along and argue while on missions. They have already ruined many of them because of their hate toward each other. When they go on missions they are split into groups of 2. Ben usually leads his team to victory while Jake and his partner are captured or get stuck in a situation. This leads to more hate from Jake to Ben. ? I think that this will be the underlying theme of the book. I hope they fix this problem.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows
by J.K. Rowling
pg. 1 - 137
5-4-11
The main character in this book is a boy named Harry Potter. Harry is a wizard that has turned 17 years old and can now use magic without getting into trouble by the wizarding government. The wizarding government, however, has been taken over by an evil wizard named Voldemort who has risen back into power after being earlier defeated by Harry. Now Harry must leave his wizarding school Hogwarts and set out to destroy Lord Voldemort once and for all. He will bring with him his two best friends Ron and Hermione to help him get rid of the dark lord and save the rest of the wizarding world from evil.

Blog 4th Quarter

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Stieg Larsson
page 170
So far I haven't been completely interested in this book. The plot is very interesting, but it gives too many details that I really don't need to know about. For example in one chapter it goes through the process of Mikael Blomkvist moving into his new home. It told who he was living near and where he put his few belongings. It was good to imagine the setting, but there were so many details of exactly what he did that it left nothing to the imagination. Even though I'm not impressed with how the events/settings are explained so far, I really enjoy how the author gives details about the characters. It was easy to imagine the main female character Lisbeth Salander. The author gave examples of all her tattoos like 'the loop around the biceps of her left arm', her build, and her facial features. In the case of explaining characters I would rather have more detail, while I would rather have less detail with the explanation of settings.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Breathing Underwater
Alex Flinn
Pg. 175
Well, I suppose I will blog about the characters. Caitlin, Nicks Exboy, was treated wrong by Nick, and they went to court. She had put a restraining oreder on him, trying to keep him away. Nick still has the urge to call her just to hear her voice. Caitlin does a real good job at avoiding Nick, and that makes her a real strong character. Saint, which is Caitlins new boy, alwyas goes up to Nick and brags about Caitlins body and tries to get in his head. It is a typical guy thing to make each other jealous about girls, but I really think Saint should back off, especially with what has gone on among them. Nick does abuse the restaining order by trying to talk to Caitlin, but it mkaes him happy to even here her voice. Nick has anger problems, which got him into trouble, but when Saint gets in his face, he holds that anger in, and does not let the trigger fly. I would have to say Caitlin is my faborite character, even though the story is told from Nick's view. Nick would be my second favorite, then Saint would be my least.

Alyssa's Blog

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime.
Mark Haddon
Page: Done

When Mrs. Sheffield had first described this book to me, I was thinking something completely different than what I read. This was one of those books where it drags you into the story. You can feel what they feel, and see what they see. Ahh, the discriptions in it were amazing. This book made me wonder what it would be like to work with children or people with Autism. Would it really be like they are scared constantly? Or would it be like they were in their own world? In the story Christopher considers himself a math genius. He is extremely skilled with numbers. He has a way of making the numbers like a story, I guess you would say. He can take a problem and make a story out of it and find out whats wrong or right about the story. That is pretty cool to me. But I definately encourage other people to read this story.