I would like for you to comment on your favorite book (or books) of the year. The book can be from the summer reading list, the college bound reading list, or from some old book you just happened to pick up. Address the following questions in paragraph form:
1. Book Title. Author's First & Last Name.
2. How did you choose this book? (I recommended it; a friend recommended it; it looked cool; Mrs. Hinger recommended it; it came from one of the class lists; etc.)
3. What type of book is this according to genre? Choose as many as applicable.
4. A brief summary of the book.
5. Why did you choose this book?
6. Why would you recommend this book? Why is this your favorite? What made this book so special? Why would we want to read it?
Again, write your blog correctly, okay? Thanks! :)
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Hitlers Canary by Sandi Toksviq and Darkness over Denmark by Ellen Levine are books about the rescue of the Danish Jews to Sweden. i first started to read this book when i was in the library and noticed its front cover (its bright Yellow so it was impossible to pass over) and just started reading it! Hitlers Canary, is a historical fiction book about a young boy and his friend that get inspired by his older brother, to do resistance work agianst the German occupation of Denmark. After a year of small resistance the real test is thrust before them when the Germans order a round up of all Danish Jews. This book describes an eye witness acount (though fictional) abouthow the Danish people, as one, rose up and rescued there jews (over 3000 people). this book is a very moveing and insperational book that will encourage you to rise up and do something. I would recommend this book to any young adult who wants to read a funny yet suspensful novel about something that really happened. I was so inspired by this book that i followed up on it with a non fiction book about the rescue of the Danish jews called Darkness Over Denmark.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak was the Holocaust book I read this year. I read it because a couple of my friends had read it earlier and said it was awesome, I needed another book to read for summer reading, and the cover looked cool. It’s a fiction book, but with some historical facts. So, in this book, the narrator is death (cool, right?) and he follows a girl named Liesel, he tells her story, from when her brother died, to when they kept an illegal Jew in their basement, when she feel in love with her best friend, and finally, the tragic end (which you know is coming since death is following you everywhere.)
I absolutely loved this book. It was written just amazingly and really told a good story, plus it was one of only 2 books that have ever made me cry (kind of lame, but it’s true.)
I would recommend this book to eighth graders because anyone younger wouldn’t really understand it or capture all the emotion, and anyone older would probably think it was lame and probably have better things to read.
-Samantha
For me, i have a lot of books that i like, but there is this one in particular that i read over summer break that i will always remeber and that is A Break With Charity By Anne Rinaldi. I started reading this book becuase it was on the summer reading list for Ms. Mccneeley so i thought that i would give it a try. The has many genres, starting with the most evident, historical fiction, then going to fantasy and science fiction becuase the book is about the Salem witch trials.
The book starts in Salem, Massachusets in the 1700's. It is about a young girl who expirences the Salem witch trails from in inside and outside view. Her parents, who were considered the richest people in salem had to flee becuase they were accused by the girls who claimed to be witches. The main thing about this story is that, a group of girls claimed to be witches and accused innocent people of casting this upon them. The story goes through all the trials and events that actually happened in this event so that we can understand them!
This book will lead you through twist after twist and drop after drop! if you like historical fiction just little bit, you must read this!
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer was one of my all time favorite books of this school year. The book came highly recommended by all my teachers and all my friends and if all those different types of people can gain some enjoyment out of it than it must be good. So I strolled into the library and picked it up. This story is about an asteroid that hits the moon spinning it out of orbit thus affecting the Earth's enviornment by causing natural diasters and raging climate. The story is told from the point of view of Miranda, your average teenage girl who tries her hardest to cling to normality even the midst of doom and confusion. This book glides through a variety of genres from fiction, to science fiction, to maybe even action or drama. I would recommend this novel to anyone because it has a universal theme that all people should know. Even in the face of destruction a person can use the powers of love and resourcefulness to make it through. This book is also one of my favorites because of its diary format something that I enjoy. You will want to read this novel because of its twists, turns, cliff-hangers, and intense drama and if you don't you will most certainly be missing out. Therefore if you ever need a book to read choose this one because you most certainly won't regret it.
We Bought a Zoo, By Benjamin Mee. It doesn't sound that interesting, but for me, it was. I found it at Borders and I took a quick look at it. " This looks cute," I thought, and bought it. The genre was a memoir, so I was skeptical about it, but once I started reading it, I loved it!
Thinking back now, the real reason that I bought the book was because of the cover.It had cool typing and a cute tiger on the bottom right corner. If it had looked different, I wouldn't have even glanced at it!
To everyone who likes animal stories, this is a great book! It didn't really change how I thought about the world, but it put it in more clarity to me. Also, it was better then any fiction book out there, because it was REAL. There was funny moments, sad moments, and scary times like when a big cat got loose! You become attached to the story.
Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is one of the best books I have EVER read. I chose to read it after I read The Great Gatsby because I wanted other books by Scott Fitzgerald. This book is the tale of an American couple in the 1920’s and how they lose their sanity and stability because of trying to support their friends emotionally and financially. This book can be classified as realistic fiction because it tells a story that could have possibly happened back in the 1920’s. I enjoyed this book thoroughly because of the descriptions that Fitzgerald gave in the book. The characters came alive and I could not let the book go. This book would be good for someone who is trying to get familiar with Fitzgerald’s writing and who is curious about how life was back in the 1920’s. F. Scott Fitzgerald does a great job of portraying life in America in the 1920’s but it is not boring. This book is intense and will not keep you bored.
My all time favorite book of this year was The Da Vinci Code. I was not recommended this book by anyone instead I heard about it on TV, I was watching a commercial of the movie and thought that I should read the book. The Da Vinci Code is about Robert Langdon, professor at Harvard, who has to solve the murder of Jacques Saunière. When he gets to the crime scene he sees a cipher near his body. Jacques Saunière’s granddaughter, Sophie Neveu and Robert have to uncover many more ciphers and they discover the secret hidden in the works of Leonard Da Vinci. The book can be many classified in many genres. It can be thriller, mystery, fiction, and it even has some action.
I chose this book because everything Dan Brown said about the pictures of Leonard Da Vinci I believed to be true. I also like it because there were so many riddles that I thought were cool when they were uncovered.
I would recommend this book to people who like puzzles and mystery, there is also some action for people who like that too.
Denisse Saucedo
Hey everyone! Well, despite the fact that I have been busy pretty much 24/7 this school year, I have had a chance to read many books this school year. But there is one book that I read this year that pretty much is my eighth grade favorite. And that book was Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane. I actually have a story behind why I chose to read this book. So, my mom actually tried to get me to read this book all school year, but I kept saying no because most of the time I don't enjoy my mom's book recommendations. But when we had to do our abstracts, I didn't want to go all the way out to Borders and buy a book, so I just decided to read this book, and I ended up loving it. Anyway, so this book is an autobiography about a Black African growing up during segregation in South Africa. So we all know that segregation in the United States was bad right? Well compared to South Africa, segregation life for a Black here was a walk in the park! Yeah, segregation in South Africa was THAT bad. Anyway, this autobiography on a black who lived through this horrible segregation and also through the genocide. Proof that all of this really did exist! This book was depressing at parts, but the ending was happy. I won’t spoil the ending for you. You’ll just have to read the book and find out. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who like autobiographies and non fictions, as well as blood, guts and gore ('Cause there is a fair amount of it in this book). I loved this book because this book made me think. It made me think about how lucky I am to live in a time where I can go to school and be friends with people of any race and ethnicity. But people living back in segregation couldn't.
p.s-MY ITALICS STILL WON'T WORK!!!! SORRY!!!!!
The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy was my all time favorite book this year.It was my favorite because it had many unexpected surprises and mysteries.I chose this book because Ms.McNeely talked about it in class a lot.The more she talked about it,the more I wanted to read it.Finally after a lot of talking about this book,I borrowed a copy and read it.The book was about four cadets:Will McLean,Tadd St. Croix,Dante "Pig" Pignetti and Mark Santoro.All of which who became blood brothers.The four of them encountered the hazing and torture of a proud military institute.This military institute was located in Charleston,South Carolina and was based on The Citadel. In this institute, all of the cadets experienced violence, betrayal, and friendship.All of this leads them to manhood in the end. All of them but one makes it. This book takes place in four parts. The first part talks about the beginning of Will‘s senior year and the plebe system. The second part is a flashback of Will’s freshman year.The third part focuses on the conflict between Will and the plebe system. The fourth part talks about the battle Will had against the mysterious Ten.Through out this whole book there are small conflicts.One of them involves Will falling in love with a pregnant girl.I will recommend this book to anyone that likes a book that is filled with endless surprises.The ending especially, will hit you in the face. Once you start reading it,you wont put it down.This book can be classified as more than one genre.It can be a drama,fiction,a mystery,and (defiantly)a thriller.
~Angie Jimenez
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is my favorite book. My brother told me it was a good book, so I decided to read it. This book is realistic fiction. It's about boy, Holden Caulfield, who hates "phony" things. Throughout the book, he points out all the phony things in life. You really get to know and like Holden.
It's a book with an amazing message that will help you in life. The symbolism in this book is pretty awesome as well. I would tell you to read this because it's a journey everyone should go through. It's a touching story, though at first it may not seem so. Holden keeps the story exciting because he is funny. This is a book everyone should read.
The Legend of Holly Claus by Brittney Ryan is a book about the famous Santa Claus having his own little daughter. This book was given to me by my Aunt Jennifer when i was a little girl for Christmas and I've treasured it ever since. The genre is certainly fiction, a fairytale, but this fairytale can bring any adults child out. This story is about when a boy sends a letter to Santa saying that he wishes that Santa can have anything he wants. Santa wishes for a little girl but the evil soul Herrikhan curses the girl to have a heart made of ice, and if it warms up, she dies. Holly, the girl, then has an adventure trying to rid of the curse, meeting friends and love along the way. The reason that i picked this book is because i have read it more than twice, which is rare for me. I read it every Christmas and the thrill that i feel reading it never changes. It's a book that i will never stop reading over and over again. I would recommend this book b/c i would love for people to feel the same thing i do when i read it: Child-like. It's sad how most people when they grow up forgot what it's like when they were younger. This book helped me realize that when we are older, we see things more complicated. When we were younger, we didn't care, we didn't judge. That's why this book is so important to me.
One of my all time favorite books is Parallel Journeys by Eleanor Ayer. I chose this book because I needed a short, easy book to read. The book is about the holocaust/WW2 time period and is non-fiction. The main characters are Helen and Alfons. Helen was a Jew that moved to Holland and Alfons was a "Hitler Youth". Throughout the book, each character describes the events that took place at the same time, in the same town. For example, while Alfons is burning a synagogue, Helen is packing her bags to go into hiding. I would recommend this book it compares and contrasts the two life styles, it was interesting and I learned A LOT! I liked it because it isn't your typical holocaust book (not a lot of facts). I can't explain why it was so different, but it's a wonderful book. This book would be great for anyone-even people that don't like to read.
My favorite book this year was called The Singer by Calvin Miller. It represents what happens in the new testament in the bible. Although, I am a christian, this book taught me more about my religon than I had ever known. There are three books in the trilogy but this is by far the best one. It is a old book and pretty hard to find but if you can find it it's extremely good. It is not only my favorite book of the year, but also of all time. My mom is the one that recommended this book to me. I am glad she did. I give a huge congrats to Calvin Miller. Thank You!
This year the best book I have read was Reality Gap by Stephen Wallace and I is a science- fiction book. This book is not like the other books I have read this year; it has a more of an adult feel. I love this book because it will help me in my future because my long term goal is to become a talk show host, but as a regular job is to become a child psychologist. This book travels thought the teen mind, basically given the teens a voice to share why they do the things they do. So that book will help me understand the teens mind some more. If you are interested in psychology this would be a book you can not put down.
Another book I have read that was really good was Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals. This book was on the College Bond book list. Warriors Don’t Cry is a biography about Melba Pattillo Beals, when she was chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High her worlds did a complete 360. She went through all kinds of raciest stuff an adult should not even go through. If you like reading about the whole Civil Rights era you would live this book. I definitely did.
My favorite book this year was probably The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is also my favortie book ever. I was given this book by Mrs. Hinger.(ALWAYS go to her if you need a good book!)In retrospect, I realize that I was slightly skeptical about it; I think it was the title that first made me hesitate.
But this book is wonderful! It is realistic fiction because much of the plot could actually occur. It is complex, but I would say it primarily, though sometimes subtly, about an unhappily married woman named Daisy Buchanan who is loved most ardently by a man named Gatsby.Her husband is having an affair, and her cousin (the main character) is slowly discovering their different secrets. There is unrequited as well as requited love in this book.
I chose it because the descriptions are so painstakingly vivid the reader becomes a part of the book. The descriptions are why it is so special. I also think because of the intense details, the characters are more realistic and much more appealing, and that is why it is my favorite. For boys and for girls, this book is AMAZING!
~Dory MacMillan
The Sea-Wolf by Jack London was THE BEST BOOK I have read this year.
I got it because I needed a book for my abstract, (Jack London was one of the authors) and it came in a collection of 15 short stories and 4 books by him.
I would consider it historical fiction and romance (there is quite a bit of that in the end).
It is about a gentleman, Humphrey Van Weyden, who is wrecked and is saved by a sealing-schooner. He is pressed into service and eventually becomes mate (second in command).
Again, I almost chose it by accident because I was looking for Call of the Wild.
It is a great book, and the conversations in it make you think about humanity in a different way. It is a Jack-of-all-trades of a book. There is something for everyone. READ IT! YOU WON'T BE DISSAPPOINTED!!
The Other Boleyn Girl By Phillipa Gregory. I chose this book because we were studying the Elizabethan Era and my mother recommended it. This book was historical fiction because it was based on Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII. It was not a biography. This book was about the life of King Henry VIII and three of his six wives. It is told from the view of Mary Boleyn, one of the kings mistresses and goes through everything from King Henry divorcing Queen Katherine and then marrying Anne Boleyn, only to accuse her of whichcraft later. I choose this book as my favorite because it was very rich in detail and I enjoyed the style in which the author wrote. I would recommend this book because it has good information that was helpful during the Elizabethan Era project, even though it was not completely accurate.
My favorite book I read this year was 1st to Die by James Patterson. I came across this book when I was at YWCO and noticed they added an exchanging book section. I decided to take this novel home with me, because there was an entire series and it was one of New York Time's best selling author.
I'm pretty sure Women's Murder Club (the television show) was based off this book series. The characters in the book all share the same name as the characters in the show, and the general plot is the same thing. Basically, this book is about the Women's Murder Club trying to catch a serial killer who's killing newlyweds. It's sick and disturbing in a suspenseful way and has a very twisted ending.
This was probably the first time I've ever read a "mystery" type book, since I'm usually not into that genre.
Patterson gets straight to the point and doesn't go off into paragraphs of description. It keeps the reader motivated to read more. I stayed up past midnight to finish this book on a school night. It's really disturbing in some parts, but interesting at the same time. I guess that's why I really liked this book, because most authors don't write sick stuff like this.
I just finished reading the book North, by Donna Jo Napoli . This book is about a 12-13 year old boy named Alvin, who wants to follow his hero’s footsteps. His hero being Matthew Henson, one of the men to arrive at the North Pole. This book involves race as well, because Alvin and Matthew Henson are both black, and on Black History Month, he decided to write a report on Henson. Alvin’s mom is very protective, so he decided to run away from home, with little money, train tickets, and some food. On the train to Washington D.C. he meets a girl who feeds him and supports him until Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. There he stowaways on a train to the Baffin Islands. He is rescued from a near death experience from hypothermia, and frost bites from an arctic intuit. The he escape to Elsmere Island to the North Pole. Remember Alvin has no experience in the North, so he has no experience with polar bears, wolves, and ECT... This is an exciting book, and I recommend it to everyone. I first chose this book, because the cover caught my eye. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure stories. This book is by far my favorite book.
Ansuman Mishra
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing by Maya Angelou is a fantastic book. I stumbled upon this book in the eighth grade. sinc my mother loves poetry she had this book and I happened to find it. This book is a biography on Maya Angelou. The book starts off with her childhood and starts to get intresing and also depressing at the age of eight. At the age of eight Maya grandmother's boyfriend had raped her(she lived with her grandmother). This story countiues through the book as Angelou conquer povery and her tragic even. I choose this book because it seemed intresing. I would recommend this book to any who loves success.
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer was probably the only book I read this year that I enjoyed. I don’t like reading but when my friends starting suggesting this book too me telling me it was a really good book I wouldn’t listen. My friends continued to beg but I continued to put it off until I had no other book to read. Well I guess I found no book to read because I ended up reading it and it was, really good. This book is without question fiction. The book is about an asteroid hitting the moon, and when it does it has a bigger impact than what scientist thought it would have. Well the impact the asteroid gave made the moon move a lot closer to earth. After the moon gets closer to earth the world is never the same. I chose this book because I had no other book to read and almost all my friends recommended it to me. I would recommend this book because it is an easy read and you can get a lot of reading logs done after you’re finished with it. This is my favorite book because the book actually made sense and I enjoyed it. This book was recommended by so many people and what everyone said to me I’m just repeating in a way because they were right, and that’s how it is special. If you want an easy , interesting, and long book then this is the one for you.
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo is my favorite book of the year. I chose this book because it looked cool and when i got into it it was very exciting. This would be considered fiction. the book is about this kid named Charlie Bone that found out that he can look into a picture and it feels like he is actually in the picture and talk to the people in it and know about them and things like that. Once he finds out about his powers he has to go to this special school with other people that have powers like him. i would recommend this book to people that like adventure stories and to people that like Harry Potter because this is similar to Harry Potter but just not as long. The fact that the book was exciting and kept my attention made the book special.
Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettros is by far one of my favorite books. I chose this book because i needed a book to read. I went to Borders and saw the cool cover the book had and bought it. As I read my book i fell deeply in love with it and has now found a place in my favorite books.
This book is about a 14 year old guy named Donnie. He narrates the story. He talks about his dying, anorexic sister and his fighting parents. He lives a hard life without any friends but at the end everything changes.
I would recommend this book to people who like to read books about kids having problems or just kids this age. For example, if you enjoyed the book Perfect you would like this book. I think that is why this book was my favorite because I enjoy books about kids my age and that tell about their life.
-Kyara
I have read so many AMAZING books this year. My two favorites were Hamlet by William Shakespeare and A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson.
A Countess Below Stairs is more of a romantic story. It is about a Russian Countess, Anna, who escapes the Russian Revolution. All her jewels were stolen. As a result, she had to work for an engaged English man. During that time she was separated from her family. I'm going to stop there because I don't want to give to much away. ENJOY!
DON'T shy away from Hamlet because it's Shakespeare!!! In the spring you will be reading A Midsummer Night's Dream. If you want to wait until after you've been forced to read Shakespeare that's fine.(Do yourself a favor and actually READ A Midsummer Night's Dream!)Hamlet is a great book. It has a little bit of romance for the girls, but also it has, violence, treachery, death, and action for all the guys out there. To read, or not to read? That is the question. Answer: READ IT!!!
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is now my favorite book of all time. It was recommended to me by William Kissane, my Mom, and my Dad. The book is fiction but I think it could fall under historic fiction because it is about farmhands and their lives on the farm. The book mainly revolves around two characters, George and Lennie. The story does not have a very developed plot (if it has one at all), but it is very interesting. George is pretty much an average guy who has taken up the job of looking after Lennie. Lennie is a mentally challenged man who loves rodents, especially mice. His problem is that whenever he wants to hold them, he forgets his own strength and kills them. I think it’s very symbolic that what he loves is what he destroys. I mainly chose this book because it was a quick read and looked interesting (good book for filling up your reading list). I would recommend this book because it is one of the most well written and emotional books that I have ever read. It’s one of my favorites mainly because Lennie is my favorite character of all time because of his innocence and naiveté. I recommend this book so that you can possibly feel the same emotions I felt when I read it. (Italics didn't work)
Go tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin is a very good book. I choose this book off of the college bound reading list because it sounded interesting. This book is historical-fiction. The book is about an African American teenager named John and his family. They live in Harlem in the 1930s where John’s father preaches. John’s family goes to his father’s church to pray for his brother after he is injured by a gang of white kids. It is at that point the author tells the story of his aunt, father, and mothers life stories. Each of their stories is about dealing with hardships as an African American in the rural south and how they ended up in New York. I choose the book because I like to read historical-fiction books, and it sounded interesting. I would recommend this book because it’s very well written, and moves the story forward differently than most books. This is my favorite book I’ve read this year because it provides you with information on the subject of the book without getting too realistic. If you’re in to this genre, this is a book you shouldn’t miss.
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My favorite books would absolutely be The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien! I came across these books by the well known movies. I was absolutely fascinated with the movies and loved them! Also, my mom had the books and said they were great. I also know that books tend to be better than the movies, so I was curious about the differences that would be discovered. The Lord of the Rings is a science-fiction and fantasy novel. This book is fantastic, so it would probably take a while to sum it up, but here goes the short version, which you must understand will be very hard for me to do.
The Lord of the Rings is about a company of people including: Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrin Took (all Hobbits), Aragorn, Boromir (they are the race of men), Legolas the Elf, Gimli the dwarf, and Gandalf the wizard. These characters seek to destroy an evil ring which was made, in secrecy, to allow one great and evil power to rule all others. Their journey is perilous, but it is also met with great friendship and many important themes.
I would absolutely recommend this book to ANYONE! It’s for all age groups both male and female. I say it’s for any age, because it has so many levels and complexities to it that one age group would understand one part more than another. This does not mean that the old will like or understand it more than those younger, though. I think it is great how I can discuss it with people twice my age and my six year old cousin who has his dad reading it to him. It has a lot of great action for the guys (no this was not meant to offend women-I enjoy it too; I just know most guys like stuff like that). It has romance too, and unbelievable friendships. It is a book that every time you open it, you find adventure, and there is never a dull or unimportant part.
I love The Lord of the Rings just because of all those things. Also, I love how Tolkien describes everything so clearly; when I read it, I never having trouble getting a visual image of it in my mind. Also, you get to know what each character is going through, and Tolkien rights it so you can understand all the characters and experience what they are thinking and why. I really love it, because it is fun to just get away for a while and imagine and be in a different world. It is special to me, because of the several themes in it and because of the places and I get to go and experience it every time I’m reading.
-Tallie Cline
Life as We Knew it by Susan B. Pfeffer is the best book I have read this year. This book was one of the books I chose to read as one of my two summer reading books. It was getting close to the end of the summer and I had no idea what to read. I randomly decided to read this one because it was short and it was on the list we got in 7th grade. It turned out to be a really great book!
Life as We Knew it is very fictional. The events in the story are kind of crazy and un likely. It is about a girl named Miranda who is living a normal teenage life until one day a large meteor hits the moon and knocks it closer to earth. Tsunamis and earthquakes begin to rip across the world and everyday after becomes a fight to survive for her. With no food or supplies left to buy it only makes Miranda’s life more challenging.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an interesting book that is easy to read. When I started reading this book I was hooked really fast and it became very hard to put down. This story will keep you at the edge of your seat and once you connect with the characters you will constantly stress out over what’s happening to them which makes it fun to read!
-Alex Dominicali
The book I chose for my favorite book is called Forged By Fire by Sharon M. Draper. The reason why I ended up reading this book is that I have always loved Sharon M. Draper’s books. I have read almost all of the books she has made. This book is definitely realistic fiction, because some of the events that take place can really happen in real life. In this book you learn how the main character, Gerald, learns to cope with the fact that his aunt dies. He then is forced to live with his mother again. But this time his mother is married to an abusive man named Jordan. Jordan has a secret that makes Gerald miserable. As the time goes on Gerald becomes closer to his stepsister Angel, as he tries to protect her fun Jordan and his abusive ways. The reason why I chose this book is because I wanted to share one of my favorite books by my favorite author, to the class. I would recommend this book to people, because some body could be going through some of the same things as Angel and Gerald. This is my favorite, is because this book caught my attention on the first page. It is hard for me to get into a book, so if any author can do that, then any book they write will be my favorite. This book is special; because the book can help others understand the different situations people are in. I believe people would like this book, if they prefer the books that are kind of sad.
Miracle on 49th street by Mike Lupica is a heart warming story about 12 year old Molly Parker and her struggles of convincing basketball sensation Josh Cameron that she is his daughter. It is true that Josh’s college sweetheart, Jen Parker, had Molly and Josh was the father. Not only did Molly not find this out until her mother died but Josh didn’t even know he was going to have a kid until Molly told him. You can understand why Josh would not believe Molly at first since he has it all. He has a World Championship with the Boston Celtics, an MVP award, and millions of fans. Having a 12 year old coming into your life out of nowhere saying she’s your daughter is a surprise and you may not believe her at first but, as the reader, you would think he would eventually believe her. I’ll let you read the book to find out.
I got into this book because Mike Lupica is my favorite author and I’ve read almost all of his books. This is what made me pick this book up.
I love this book because it is about sports and I would recommend this book to anyone who shares my love for books about sports or wants a story that will play with you heart (making you sad, mad, angry at times and loving a certain character at other times). This is also a good book for anyone who is a fan of fiction books.
Jack Elliott-Gower
I had a book that I read this year that really stood out to me against the others. It was Marley & Me by Josh Grogan. I had been planning to read this book for a long time and never got around to it until the movie came into the theater. So I borrowed it from my aunt to read so I could compare the book and the movie.
This book is a non-fiction memoir that describes the life of Jenny and Josh Grogan and the life they lived with Marley, the world’s worst dog. This book had so many different emotions and stories to go with it I laughed, cried, and smiled as Grogan described each tale of Marley with the most detail and emotion possible. This book touched me so much and was such a wonderful read I couldn't put it down at times. Marley & Me could be for anyone, pet lovers, family, young adults, adults. It will make you appreciate so much more in life and it will stay in your head days after you have even finished reading it.
-Emily Giglio
The Life Murder of Bindy MacKenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty.
Bindy MacKenzie is the smart kid no one really knows much about, until the world starts falling apart around her. First she is assigned to a class group, in which she knows no one, and then she fails. Never ever has she failed, but why now? Maybe the strange kid Finnegan A. Blonde has something to do with it.
This was one of my favorite books throughout the whole year. I chose it because it looked good and was by the same author as The Year of the Secret Assignments, which I loved. I really enjoyed this book because it was different than any book I’ve ever read; there was suspense, love, drama, secrets and comedy.
I would recommend this book to people who are going through a stressful year and school and just needs to read about someone else’s ruined life. It falls under fiction, but anyone young and old will enjoy this turn on a typical high school year.
I have two books!
The second book, (I posted earlier), is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt.
All I can say is: great book.
This is a bizarre and unique book recommended to me by Ms. McNeeley herself. I read it because it was set in Savannah--partially in the Bonaventure Cemetery, which is where my grandmother was recently buried.
This book is unbelievable! It's made of two parts, and the second is much more focused than the first. The first part is mostly a kismet of stories about all the Savannahians--those that are proud, those that are selfless, (not that they are mutually exclusive), and everything in between. The second part of the book underscores the personalities that are first read about in part one. It also has quite a shocking plot itself-- a murder leading to trial.
I did not know until I finished the book, but it was NON FICTION. I guess it would be classified as historical non-fiction, as it is about a murder trial that really did happen in Savannah in the late twentieth century. It is written about such peculiar people--and the narrator himself is pretty quirky-- and so I was shocked that it was non-fiction. But it's not boring or monotonous. It's a book you can't put down, and you feel as if you're in the story as well. So, I would recommend anyone that loves a detailed, blunt story to pick it up and read it. Just go along for the ride!
This was a crazy hard assignment. For those crazy, bibliophiles like me, choosing ONE book that is my favorite, that I read this year was like climbing Mount Everest. However, I have finally reached a conclusion. I will do two! *smiles mischievously* The first book is what is going to fall under the category of most touching, and the award goes to... (drum roll please!) In My Hands by Irene Gut Odpyke. I chose this book because it was a Holocaust/WWII book and Ms. McNeeley recommended it as an interesting true story from the time. This book is a nonfiction biography, with some fabricated dialogue but the true story was there. For those of you who weren’t here or weren’t paying attention during the Holocaust unit, this is about a good Polish Catholic girl who is working as a nurse when Germany and the USSR invade Poland. She runs away and joins the rebel Polish army, then when she is out on a supply run, gets discovered by Soviet officers. She is raped and later taken to a hospital, which she runs away from, and becomes a waitress at a bar for Nazi officials. After a while she becomes a housekeeper for a Nazi Major and hid six Jews in his basement. I chose this book because the story of what this woman witnessed and what she did to save the people she saw being oppressed was something that changed the way I looked at things and I found it a very touching story, and one that I will remember from this year. I would recommend it for those same reasons. It is an uplifting Holocaust story that doesn’t end with death, but triumph and a “happily every after” for our heroine, no mater how much she faced throught the story.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville is a book about a sailor who's captain has sworn to himself and the crew that he will destroy a great white sperm whale that terrorizes the sea. I first saw this book in my elementary school's library, and thought that it looked interesting. Moby Dick is an epic adventure story narrated by Ishmael, a junior member of the Pequod's crew,recounting the events of the voyage after he has acquired more experience and studied the whale extensively. Ahab dedicates his ship and crew to destroying Moby Dick, a white sperm whale, because he sees this whale as the living embodiment of all that is evil and malignant in the universe. By ignoring the physical dangers that this quest entails, setting himself against other men, and presuming to understand and fight evil on a cosmic scale, Ahab arrogantly defies the limitations imposed upon human beings. This book has always been my favorite, because of the action and adventure. I would reccomend his book to anyone who likes a good adventure book with nail biting drama that will keep you hanging on the edge of your seat.
One of my favourite books I read this year was In My Hands by Irene Gut Odpyke. I chose the book because Ms. McNeeley had recommended it, we were talking about the Holocaust, and lots of people had enjoyed it.
The book describes Irene's [the author] life during the years of WWII. Although she is a Polish Jew, she has the characteristics of a "German" so she passes as German. This story was very interesting, and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in reading Holocaust books, and anyone who needs an interesting book to read. This book is probably a mix of historical-non-fiction, biography, and auto biography. I know that when I hear the words "biography" and "autobiography" I cringe and think of boring books, but this is SO not one of those!!
I think the book I read this year that inspired and saddened me the most was Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer. This book, which was recommended to me by Mr.Tuttle, is the nonfiction account of the life of Christopher McCandless, a college student who abandoned his privileged suburban life to travel across the U.S. for several years. Throughout the book, you explore McCandless' travels and relive his many adventures, which finally lead him to Alaska, where he died at the age of 24. I chose this book as my favorite for the school year because McCandless is a hero to all those who wish to lead a non-material life. Any one that enjoys nature or one day wishes to see the world would no doubt be extremely touched by this amazing true story.
My favorite book this year was And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. It was one of my summer reading books that Ms. McNeeley recommended. The genre of this book is definitely fiction and mystery. The story is about ten people that have never met before being stuck in an island called Indian Island. When the first person from the group is mysteriously murdered they begin to suspect one another, and each one of them die after the other; the ending is completely unexpected. First, I chose this book out of the list because I really wanted to experience a mystery book. Second, because it's by Agatha Christie, who is a very famous mystery author. So if I wanted to a book like this, I assumed hers would be the best. I mainly recommend this book because of the AMAZING ending that blew me away. Actually in the beginning I wasn't so excited about the book because it looked complicated to understand and follow, but when I got into it I couldn't stop reading.
-Vitoria Kuzolitz
My favorite book I read this school year was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I chose this book because my dad said it was a great book and it was on our college bound reading list. The genre of this book is a non-fiction mystery. It occurs in Alabama in the early 1900's when segregation and racism were an everyday aspect in the south. The two main parts of the story is that the two main characters, Scout and Jem, have an interest in a mysterious neighbor who never leaves the house and is supposedly an evil figure. The other part is that their father is defending a black man for a case where he was accused of assaulting a white girl. The fear of the neighbor and that something will happen to Scout and Jem's father is evident throughout the course of the story.
I chose this book because I had to read three books over the summer and enough people liked it that i believed it would be interesting. I would recommend this book because I typically don't enjoy reading, but I found this book amusing and never got bored. It is my favorite because it is probably the only book that I can say I completely enjoyed this school year. Everybody should read this book because it is a book so many people have read and so people will around you will probably discusss.
I have read many books this past school year but I would have to say the book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon is my favorite. This book is told by autistic Christopher Boone, who knows all the countries in the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. His story starts off when he finds his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, dead in the yard, impaled with a garden fork. While investigating the cause of Wellington’s death, Christopher goes on an adventure in which he finds out the truth about a happening even bigger than Wellington’s death. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a remarkable book with a great ending (and beginning... and middle!). I would recommend this book to anyone 12 years old and older. I say that because anyone younger than 12 would have some trouble understanding some parts. This book is [somewhat] realistic fiction (it could happen, but not very likely), so I would also recommend it to anyone who especially likes books of that genre. I chose this book because I missed my bus and ended up having to go to PSP until my mom picked me up. While sitting in Ms. Wells’ class with nothing to do I just grabbed a book that looked good off the shelf and started reading. Luckily, I chose this one.
Hey, here’s the first little bit of the book. Makes you want to read the whole thing, huh?
(it's in the next blog)
I have recently finished this book recommended by Ms. McNeeley at the beginning of the year. I have no idea why I have waited so long to read this AMAZING book. Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy is now consider one of my favorite book yet. It is about four cadets who end up being blood brothers. . They all attend a military institute in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s also about the struggles they have to get through during there college years. The violence, secrets, and many surprises at the end will keep you guessing and wanting more. This book is a fiction and mystery. I chose this book because so many people have talked about it and I just wanted to read it for myself. I also chose this book because the setting is set in Charleston, South Carolina and my family and I go there often for the beach. I recommend this book because it could appeal to both boys and girls. It’s my favorite book because it kept me guessing what the secret behind every action. This book is so special because it’s AMAZING! The reason you must read this book because everything will hit you in the face because of the surprises.
This year I read so many great books it was really difficult to narrow it down to just one, so I ended up choosing at random (others on the list include The Bell Jar, Life As We Knew It, The Book Thief, and Ashes of Roses). The book that got chosen is I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle, I read this book because of multiple friend recommendations. This realistic fiction book starts off at the high school graduation of Denis Cooverman, who has decided to declare his love for Beth Cooper, she just happens to be one of the school's most popular students. The story continues with the crazy adventures of Denis' graduation night illustrated on the front cover. Along with his best friend, Rich, Denis manages to experience things he would have never thought possible, all because of Beth Coooper, who is turning out to be very different than he had originally thought.
I would recommend this book and call it my favorite because it was interesting, funny, and a whole other slew of positive adjectives. I think it was pretty special because it was very different than the other things I had read this year, in a good way, obviously. I needed a change from all of the other books being read that all seemed to have such identical plots. People should want to read it because you can tell just from the cover that this book is good and will be fun to read.
-Hannah Dunn-Grandpre`
p.s. My computer is morally opposed to italics.
Hmmmmm... Loving to read, I kind of had trouble picking a book so I went with The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray. I chose these books by randomly picking up A Great and Terrible Beauty when I was at the library. I finished it so fast that I bought the other two books, Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing.
These books are definitely fiction, because they have so much fantasy, but also they are historical and suspenseful, so I guess I would call it historical fiction/mystery?
Basically, Gemma Doyle is a Victorian girl sent to a finishing school in England after her mother's murder. There, she and the two most popular girls and the least popular girl discover that they hold the key to entering the Realms, a magical land once inhibited by a league of women called the Order. The girls discover that an Order outcast called Circe is attempting to steal the power of the Realms, and that Circe's story, as well as those of other Realm-creatures, is tied to their own dark secrets.
I chose these books because I really like historical fiction and fantasy, and these were a perfect blend.
Like I said before, these are not my absolute favorite books, but I like them a lot because of their perfect genre mix. I would recommend them because they have appealing elements to all styles, and because they definitely are eye catchers. Even though it's insanely cliched, you really will never put the books down. Hello, MURDER?!
--Maddi :)
The best book I read this year is And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I chose this book for no particular reason. It was on my book shelf, so I picked it up and decided to read it. I had heard that it was very good, so I was pretty sure that it wouldn’t be boring. Plus, I love mysteries. This novel would be classified under mystery fiction. It is about ten people on an island who were invited to work for a mysterious “Mr. Owens.” Upon arrival, they are all accused of murder, and one man dies by drinking poisoned whiskey. After this, every person on the island becomes suspicious of one another. In the following days, the people are killed off one by one. Each murder corresponds to a nursery rhyme that is mounted in all of the rooms in the house in which they are staying. As the story progresses, the murders seem more impossible. Eventually, everyone on the island is dead. At the very end of the book, the true murderer is revealed, and everything fits together. I chose this book as my favorite book because the mystery was so difficult to figure out. I never would have guessed who the actual murder was, so it made me want to read more and more. It’s a perfect murder. I would recommend this book because it’s so interesting to try to figure out what is happening. As the mystery unfolds, you become more curious about whom the criminal is. The ending will not disappoint you, either. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery would like to read this book. It’s full of surprises and easy to read.
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones is my favorite book of this year. It is about a teenage girl, Ruby, whose mother dies and she is forced to leave her small home on the East coast and move to the house of her movie star father in California. I decided to read this book because I am really into the teenage based books and it also is poetry. I got it from Samantha and will definitely have a hard time giving it back. This book not only sounds interesting but actually tuned out to never bore me, which makes it my favorite .I really think most girls would enjoy this book because it shows what and what not to do in hard situations. I would recommend this realistic fiction book as a quick read, that will make you think what you would do if you were in her shoes.
My favorite book that I have read this year would have to be To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. This book was on the college bound reading list, and I heard from almost everyone who read it that it was a great book. I agree with them. The genre of this book must be realistic fiction. It is about a girl who has been raised by a family of boys, so she inherits many of their traits. This book was based in the late 1800’s when it was generally not acceptable for girls to act like boys, so she faces a lot of criticism and hardship for being different. I chose this book for the blog because I enjoyed reading it so much that I read it twice, and I remember this book more than any other book that I have read this year. I recommend this book to anyone because Lee uses many styles so that anyone can be interested in the book some of the time. Everyone should read this book because it teaches the reader to be themselves and to not be influenced by anyone else’s opinions about you. This book is special because it teaches a great lesson.
Friedrich by Hans Peter Richer is my favorite book of the school year. This book is about a little boy named Friedrich. Friedrich had this best friend who was not Jewish,and his family tried to hide Friedrich's family during the Holocaust. Late his mom was killed in her home by some Nazi soldiers. his dad was later deported into a camp. one day during a bombing raid Friedrich tried to run into a trailer thing with a lot of other. While Friedrich was trying to get in the shelter he was kicked out and supposedly he died. I chose this book because you recommended to me that it was a good book. This book is Historical Fiction. I would recommend this book because it was so good.
The Lord of the Rings may have been good movies but the movies are nothing compared to the books by author J.R.R Tolkein. The books follow the basic plot of the movies but elaborate in many areas. There are some scenes in the books that are not included in the movies which add to their excellence. Another plus to these books is the better, more intense, battle scenes! Anyway they're a great series of books so read 'em. If you liked the movies you'll love the books.
Of Mice and Men... greatest book ever! (as well as maybe the saddest book ever too). This book, by John Steinbeck, is amazing. It will have you laughing and crying. Lenny is the most innocent, loveable character I have ever read about. This book is soo great. It is by far the best book I have read this year. It is VERY SAD so just be warned.
-William
I read many books this year that I can consider my favorite, so I will just pick one. Paranoid Park , written by Blake Nelson, was a great book. It was recommended to me by Mrs. Hinger. If there was one thing I learned this year, it was that Mrs. Hinger rocks at choosing books just for me. (I can relate and they are interesting.)
This book would be under Realistic Fiction. It is about a 14-year-old kid who lives in Oregon. He is a normal teenager who loves skating with his friends. There is a park in his town known as "Paranoid" Park where all the older, bad kids hangout. One day, against his friends' advice, he decides to check out Paranoid Park...alone. He ends up getting in some trouble. He, accidently, kills a security guard. (I'll leave it at that. "Accidently.") The rest of the book is what happens from there...
Again, I chose this book because Hinger recommended it. Also, it was about skating and I just got into skating in seventh grade so I wanted to read this book.
I would recommend it to any teenager who is interested in skating. But anyone can read it. It's a great book. I especially liked it because I could really relate to the main character.
(Wow, that was a little long.)
--> Peace, Loran Posey
Hiroshima by John Hersey was the book I chose for my favorite book. I read it because I needed to read a book for my Abstract and it was the only one I could find at the library. I think that Hiroshima's genre would be Non-fiction because John Hersey went to Hiroshima and got these stories from actual survivors. Hiroshima is about six people's experience, in 1945, during the first atomic bomb ever, which happend to land on Hiroshima. The book switches between people troughout the chapter. I chose this book because it has a strong meaning about humanity and the world itself. I also liked the way that Hersey organized his book. He somehow fit everyone's story perfectly together, while still having it make sense. I would reccomend this book because it has a strong meaning to it and I think that it is interesting.
My favorite book I choose is called The Realms of the Gods whose author is Tamora Pierce. I choose this book in the library because to me it seemed cool to be to read about gods and wars. The genre(s) involved in this book are fiction, narrative. This book is about a girl who basically becomes a god later in the book living with her dead mother and father in the "Divine Realm" where only gods inhabit. I choose this book because as mentioned above it seemed cool. I would recommend this book to fellow readers that war are fascinated in mythic things like gods and like battle of them. It's my favorite because its gods and battle which is awesome.
One of the best books that I have ever read has to be Sold by Patricia McCormick. I started to read this book because it was reccomended by a friend who had it reccomended by a teacher. This book would fit into many catagories such as fiction and realistic fiction so there are many things that we all could relate to.
This book is about a young girl living in Nepal, who is sold into prostitution by her step-father. As she lives her life in the "happiness house" she meets new people and learns all about the Americans. This book is both sad and appauling and I would reccomend it to mature teens who can really understand the meaning of prostitution.
- Rachel Morgan
I chose the book The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci as my favorite book of the year. I normally don’t read mystery books but my friend highly recommended this book as a great read. It is about a young boy, Chris who is considered an outcast by many of his classmates and is constantly bullied. One day Chris mysteriously disappears from his small town with most fearing he is dead. The story is both exciting and suspenseful and will shock you. I recommend this book for anyone interested in a surprising ending.
My favorite book this year was The Lightning Thief This book was reccomended to me by one of my friends and got me to read it,which I'm glad I did. This is could be historical fiction, because it is centered around greek mythology. Or, it could be looked at as plain fiction. This book is about a 13 year boy named Percy Jackson, and how his life changes when he finds out he is a demi- god, or half blood. He is sent to a camp for only half bloods. It seems as if everything is going all right, until someone steals Zeus's lightning bolt, and he is accused of doing it. So the story is about Percy and his friends trying to escape from the wrath of the gods, and try to prove himself innocent.
I chose this book because since the mythology section in 7th grade I had alaways been interested in the topic. So when I saw this book, I thoguht it would be fun to compare it to what I know. I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys action, mystery, and greek mythology would love this book.
My other favorite book of this year was Hamlet by William Shakespeare. I chose this book because I had really enjoyed Shakespeare in the past and this one came highly recommended by Dory so I figured that it would be worth a read. This book is technically drama, but it is fiction and I guess a cross between fantasy and realistic fiction because the ghost in the beginning belongs to the fantasy genre, but the rest of the story, with it’s bloodbaths and family feud belongs to a very realistic story. Hamlet is a young Prince of Denmark, whose father has died and his uncle married his mother and took the throne. One night his father’s ghost visits him and tells him to take revenge on his uncle because Hamlet’s father was murdered by how son brother. Hamlet is, of course outraged and devises a series of schemes and plots with lots of blood and gore ending in a climactic fight and about five deaths. I chose this book because it was classic and a fascinating story about love and murder and revenge, and it is considered Shakespeare’s ultimate work, as well as one of his three great tragedies, and I was held in awe for the days it took me to read this powerful and sad novel. I would recommend this book because it has something for everyone, it has romance, it has fights, blood and feuds, it is intelligent and there are lots of plots, and after you get past all the flowery language, which will not be hard for those people who have read Shakespeare before, it is a story that we all recognize in one of it’s purest, harshest forms. It was captivating and well worth a read.
-aite
Ms McNeeley -- I'm loving your blog! The kids' reviews are so candid and descriptive. I've read a number of the books they've reviewed and want to read all the others I haven't read yet.
Good work, teacher and students!
Your blog followed mine and I'm into books BIG TIME.
Thanks!
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