Quarter 4 Choice Book Report

Part One:

           I read Someone like You by Sarah Dessen. The main character is Halley Cooke. She was named after her grandmother who was named after Halley’s Comet. Halley is a junior. She has long brown hair and a small nose. She is very quiet and shy. Her best friend is Scarlett Thomas who is brave and outgoing. They have been friends since they were very little. They live across the street from each other.

          Halley is very helpful. She is at a summer camp when Scarlett calls her. Her boyfriend Michael Sherwood died in a motorcycle accident. Scarlett is devastated and wants Halley to come home. She comes home and Scarlett really needs her. Scarlett is usually the person who takes charge and is always there for Halley. Now it is Halley’s turn. Scarlett finds out she is pregnant with Michael’s baby. Marion who is Scarlett’s mom wants her to have an abortion. She decides that she wants to keep the baby with Halley’s help. Halley promises to help with everything. Marion suggests adoption instead. After all, it’s going to be very difficult to raise a baby while still in high school. Scarlett is firm on her decision to raise the baby herself with a lot of help from Halley. They go to birthing classes together and Halley even throws her a baby shower. Halley helps get the baby’s room ready for when it comes too. In the end Scarlett has a girl named Grace Halley Thomas.

          Halley is also very supportive. Scarlett first wanted to have an abortion and Halley supported her with that decision. Then Scarlet decided that it was wrong so she wanted to keep the baby instead. Halley supports her with all of her decisions she makes. Halley supported Scarlett when Michael died and she helped Scarlett write a letter to Michael’s mother saying that Scarlett is carrying his baby. When Michael died, they sat on Scarlett’s front steps while Scarlett leaned on Halley’s shoulder and cried and cried. Halley will always support her with every decision she makes, even if she thinks it is the wrong one.

          Halley is also forgiving. Halley and her mother had always been very close. Her mom knew all the boys she liked and the girls she hated. They were inseparable. Then when Halley starts dating a “bad boy” named Macon everything changes. Her mother disapproves of Halley dating Macon. Her mom says she will get into to drinking and drugs. Her mom wants them to break up. Halley keeps sneaking out at night to go out with Macon. One time when they were out Macon is speeding past a red light and collides with another car. Macon doesn’t get hurt, but Halley does. Her mom finds out that Macon was the one driving and is furious with Halley. Halley breaks up with Macon.  Halley and her mom have a huge fight. Halley says that her mom is always making decisions for her and that she will never learn. Her mom realizes that Halley is right; she needs to learn from her mistakes. Halley forgives her mom for everything and they start over with their relationship.

           Those are just some of the reasons why I think that Halley is helpful, supportive and forgiving.

Part Two:

          I LOVED Someone like You! It was an amazing book! I would recommend it to any teenage girl who likes drama. It was an easy book to relate to. It’s about to best friends and the troubles they go through together. The two girls who are just trying to get through high school and find out who they are. The plot is also very easy to understand. It flows very nicely. Someone like You describes things very well. From prom night to the first day of school you feel like you are right there with them. This book is also written in first person. I like this form because then you can find out what the main character is thinking.

          My favorite part of the book is when Scarlett goes into labor with the baby. The author Sarah Dessen describes it beautifully. I can just imagine a bunch of high school kids who had just come from prom sitting in a hospital waiting room. There were also some guys dressed up in medieval costumes and a group of boy scouts. It was funny, scary, happy and sad all at the same time. The ending is very cool when Scarlett decides to name the little girl Grace Halley Thomas after her best friend Halley. I thought that was very sweet.

          I would strongly recommend this to any girl. Boys probably wouldn’t like it because they talk about feelings and drama. The main character is Halley. Her problems are dealing with her best friend whose boyfriend died and she is now carrying his baby, her mom who is too over protective, and trying to find out who she is as a person. You laugh when she laughs and are sad when she is sad. It is a very touching story about trusting and helping your friends. Halley’s and Scarlett’s friendship is amazing. They are practically sisters.

          Halley is going through a time in her life where she is not sure who she is. Scarlett helps her through that and also lets her make some decisions on her own. That is the only way you will ever learn. Halley does make some mistakes in the book, but then she realizes what she did was wrong. There are many lessons to be learned in Someone like You. That is why I think if you are a teenage girl you should DEFINITELY read this book.

Quarter 3: Choice Book Report

Part One:
    I read The Lying Game By: Sara Shepard. The main character’s name is Emma Paxton. She is eighteen years old. Emma is thin, has blue eyes, slightly upturned nose, round face, and brown hair. Emma is a foster child. She doesn’t have a lot of money so she wears whatever she can find at thrift stores.
    I think that one characteristic of Emma is that she is very determined. One reason is that she wants to find a family that will accept her. She is an orphan and will soon be turning eighteen. So now she can look by herself for a family that will take her in. She has been in and out of foster homes her whole life, and now she wants to change that and find a permanent home. Another reason is that Emma is determined to find her long lost twin sister’s killer.  One day Emma sees a video on YouTube of a girl being strangled by her necklace. The girl looks exactly like Emma. So Emma does some searching and finds out that the girl in the video is Sutton Mercer. Sutton is also adopted, but is living with a good family. Emma tries to contact her. For a few days nothing happens. Then Sutton replies. They agree to meet at a state park. Sutton never makes it. Emma finds out she is dead! She decides the only way to find her killer is to take Sutton’s place and act like everything is normal.
    Emma is also hopeful. She was an orphan when she was very young. She has always been hopeful of finding a permanent foster home. That hasn’t happened yet, but Emma knows that there is a family out there somewhere that wants her. Another reason that she is hopeful is that she wants to find her sister, Sutton. Emma lived with her mom when she was little. One day she was sleeping over at a friend’s house and her mom never picked her up. The next day she was living at a foster home. So when she found her twin sister she immediately wanted to find her. When Sutton didn’t show up, Emma knew that something was wrong. Now she is hopeful that she will find her Sutton’s killer.
    Emma is very resourceful. She has had to provide for herself since she was little. She knows how to spend her money and find where all of the deals are. Whenever she would go to a new foster home they always said we will give you no money. You will only get fed, have roof over your head, and get schooling. If you want anything else you have to go and get a job, and so she did. One time Emma went to the thrift store and found a pair of big sunglasses. She thought they were cute so she bought them. It turns out that the sunglasses were actually Prada sunglasses.
    Those are just some of the reasons why I think that Emma is determined, hopeful, and resourceful.



Part Two:
    The point of view in The Lying Game is third person AND first person. The first person point of view is not Emma’s, it is Sutton’s. When Sutton died she became a "ghost' and is following Emma around while she is trying to figure out who the killer is. Sutton can’t interact with anyone. Sometimes she has flashbacks. You find out some fuzzy details about how she died. Since you see the details then you form an idea in your head of who you think the killer is. The whole story is mostly in third person, but every once in awhile you will see that there is an “I”. When you see the “I” it means that Sutton is now talking, not Emma.
    I think that if the whole story would have been in first person, you wouldn’t have found out what Sutton was thinking.  Even though she is a “ghost” it is still important to hear her thoughts. If it wasn’t in third and first person then you wouldn’t have been able to make a good prediction. The author wants you to make predictions so that you are still interested in the story. You would get to know what Emma was thinking if it was in first person, but it is more important to hear Sutton’s thoughts.
    One part that was really intriguing was when it was in first person. Sutton was reliving what happened when she was kidnapped before she was killed. She was describing everything perfectly. Her and her friends were at a hot spring spa. They were not allowed there. Sutton’s sister Laurel was wearing a heart locket necklace, just like Sutton’s. Sutton got mad her for always copying her so she went over and yanked the necklace off and threw it into the woods. Laurel went off crying into the woods. Sutton ran after her. All of the sudden the woods got quiet and all Sutton could hear was someone breathing. Then it went black. So after hearing that you are wondering who could it be? If it was from Emma’s point of view and she was reading it somewhere you wouldn’t have been as into it as you were from Sutton’s view.
     I think that if The Lying Game would have been written in first person, the book wouldn’t have been the same. That is why I think the book was written perfectly in first person and third person.
   

Choice Book Report - Quarter 2

Part One:

I read the book Something like Fate By: Susane Colasanti. The main character’s name is Lani. Lani has long brown hair and likes to wear dresses, but she is not a girly girl. She is a junior. She is a Taurus which means that she loves nature, seeks comfort, connects with the Earth, into serenity, stubborn, passionate, and nurturing.

 One characteristic of Lani is that she connects with the Earth and is very into “being green”. She is the president of Our World. Our World is her school’s environmental club. A senior is supposed to be president but the club voted and Lani got to be the new president instead. One day Lani makes posters to show bottles, cans, and trash. A guy walks up named Jason to dump his tray for lunch. He throws all of his trash into the bin marked trash. Lani yells at him telling him that he should look at the signs. She tells him that he has to dig in the garbage and separate all of his trash into the correct bins. He decides to do as he is told. Lani thanks him for separating his trash.

Another characteristic of Lani is that she is very hopeful. Lani’s best friend Erin is dating Jason. The minute that Lani and Jason meet Lani feel like she has a connection with Jason. Lani knows that Jason is off limits though so she tries to keep her feelings back. Lani and Jason talk to each other and find out that they both like each other. Neither of them wants to tell Erin. Then, Erin goes to a camp for the summer and Jason breaks up with her by letter. Lani and Jason start dating without telling Erin. Erin is writing to Lani and is devastated, she doesn’t know what she did wrong. Erin says that Jason wrote her saying “it was me not you”. In the end Erin forgives Lani and Jason. Lani never gave up on her feelings for Jason and they ended up together.

My last characteristic of Lani is that she is very determined. Lani doesn’t know how to swim and was too scared to because of her car accident. Lani was in a car accident with Erin and Erin’s mom. Erin’s mom drove off the road into a pond and their car started to sink. Erin helped Lani escape. They just sat in the back of the car keeping their heads above water and eventually someone called 911. Lani said that she would never swim again. Eventually she decided to try swimming lessons. After a few lessons Lani wanted to quit, but she didn’t. Jason also helped her get over her fear of going into the water by walking with her until she was floating and watching her carefully.

That is why I think that Lani is into “being green”, hopeful, and determined.

Part Two:

          There were a few conflicts in the book, but one stood out the most.

          Erin is in love with a guy one week and the next week it is someone brand new. Erin tells Lani that she is “in love” with this guy named Jason. She says that they were partners for a lab experiment and he was “totally flirting” with her. The next week Erin and Jason are dating. Lani is a little surprised since she just found out that Erin liked him. Erin decides that she wants Lani to meet Jason so they meet at a pizza place. The second that Lani meets Jason she has an instant connection with him. She feels that fate has brought them together. Jason and Lani talk the whole night and Erin doesn’t suspect a thing. Lani’s friend Blake keeps teasing her about Jason. Lani can’t decide if she likes him or not. Finally Lani admits that she has feelings for Jason and decides that she is going to tell him. Lani tries to hide her feelings because Jason is off limits and there is no way that she would ever be able to date him. One day Jason pulls Lani into an empty classroom and tells her that he has a very big crush on her. Lani says that she does too. Now, Lani has a choice to make. She either has to tell Erin the truth or she has to hide her feelings. Eventually she will have to tell Erin. Lani decides to keep her feelings to herself and not tell Erin until it is necessary.

           If I were Lani, I would have probably done the exact same thing. I think that Erin doesn’t need to know. If Erin would’ve found out I think that she would have been devastated. She probably would have broken up with him and then she wouldn’t have talked to Lani. Erin would say why don’t you go out with him now that he is single, it didn’t stop you when he was dating somebody. She would also say that you stole my boyfriend. Erin would probably turn the whole school against Lani. She did that in the book. Erin would find out eventually, and she did in the book too. I wouldn’t want to hurt my best friend like that. I think that telling her is worse than keeping your feelings to yourself in my opinion.

           That is why I would have done the exact same thing as Lani in the conflict that she was in.

Choice Book Report - Quarter 1

We are SO Crashing your Bar Mitzvah!!

          I read the book: We are SO crashing your Bar Mitzvah!! By: Fiona Rosenbloom. The main character is Stacy Freidman. Stacy is thirteen years old and is in eighth grade. She has long curly brown hair. Stacy’s parents have just recently split and her dad is living with his new girlfriend named Delilah. Stacy lives with her mom who is still upset about the divorce and hasn’t completely moved on yet. She is hanging out with this guy named Alan but she is not sure if she likes him enough to be in a real relationship with him. Stacy and her brother Arthur are okay with it though. Stacy is still kind of upset about her parents split.

Stacy and her best friend Lydia are going to go to “First Night”. First Night is the night before school starts and all of the junior high kids meet at the lake in the sculpture garden of PepsiCo. Lydia and Stacy spend all day trying to find the perfect outfit. They try on all sorts of stuff: Converse high-tops, black footless leggings, a jean skirt, a green studded belt, a short kilt with a big safety pin, and they straighten their hair stick straight. They were told to wear this by a girl they met at camp named Lalia. She knows what is “in style”. Stacy is trying to be someone else. When they get back from camp her other friend Kelly has now befriended the mean girls in school called the Chicas.

At the First Night a guy comes named Eben. He is Kym’s cousin (Kym is the leader of the Chicas). Eben is inviting people to his Bar Mitzvah. Everybody in the school gets invited except for Lydia and Stacy. So they decide to crash his Bar Mitzvah. The Chicas and Kelly aren’t wearing what Lydia and Stacy are wearing instead they are wearing flowy tops, gauchos, and flats. So after the First Night Stacy and Lydia go to the mall and buy all new clothes to fit in. They want to be part of the Chicas.

Stacy is very insecure about herself and her ultimate goal is to become popular. She starts to tell lies about herself and how cool she is to impress the Chicas. Everything soon back fires and Kelly, Lydia, the Chicas, and the whole entire school don’t even want to be seen with her. Stacy has a moment of reconciliation and she realizes that she needs to be herself. She apologizes to everyone and then they all become friends again.

          I think that one of the themes for this book is stay true to yourself. You shouldn't care about what other people think. Stacy and Lydia follow with what is “in” in fashion and the clothes are definitely not their personality. They are just trying to fit in as best they can. They change their whole look, how they talk, and how they act just to become popular! One example is that after the First Night Stacy and Lydia realize that the Chicas are not wearing the same type of clothes they are wearing. They go and buy a whole new wardrobe just to fit in. Another example is when Stacy and Lydia arrive at the First Night they are riding their bikes. The next day they find out that no one is riding their bikes anymore so they have their moms drop them off.

Another theme is to not lie because it will come around back to you. No one likes a liar. Just be yourself and people will like you for who you are. Stacy and Lydia lie about how they are so cool now and how they know famous people when they really don't. As a result no one talks to them for a week. It took a lot to gain everyone's trust back.

 A third theme is to not betray your friends even if you get into a fight. Kelly and Stacy were best friends before summer, but after Kelly ditched Stacy and Lydia to be with the Chicas. Stacy and Lydia spy on Kelly and the Chicas one day and they over hear Kelly saying that Stacy and Lydia are stupid and that they are weird. Then everyone laughs. Kym made Kelly say those things otherwise she wouldn’t be able to be friends with the Chicas anymore.

My last theme is you have to learn to deal with change. Stacy does not want everything in her life to keep changing. She wants her family back with her Mom and Dad still married. She also wants her friends back the way they were with Lydia and Kelly as her best friends. Stacy soon realizes that things in life are always going to be changing and you have to learn to live with the changes. Sometimes the changes in your life turn out to be amazing things.  These are just some of the many themes for We are SO Crashing your Bar Mitzvah!!

Memoir 2

One cold winter day my dad said that he wanted to go look at dogs. My brother Logan went with him. They went to a trailer park and the place was loaded security cameras. The man said they had the cameras because a few days earlier someone had shot one of the man’s dogs! Logan and my dad went inside the trailer home and there were big dogs and puppies running around everywhere. There was dog poop and food scattered all around the floor. My dad thought he had stepped in some! The man said that Logan could pick out what ever dog he wanted. Logan picked the only one that was not running around. She was a chocolate lab puppy and had ocean blue eyes. My dad and brother left as fast as they could. My mom and I were at home thinking of names for a chocolate lab. We had decided on Coco or Tori. I called my dad and Logan picked up. I asked, “So have you decided on a name yet?”

            He said, “Yeah, I want to name her Chloe.” At least that is what I thought he said.

He really said, “ Yeah, I want to name it Cody.”

            I replied, “Ok,” and hung up the phone. My mom asked what he said.

            I responded, “ Her name is Chloe.”

           

            A few minutes later Dad and Logan came home. Logan yelled happily, “This is Cody!”

            “What!?!?” was all I said.

            “I said, this is Cody!” he yelled even louder.

            “I thought her name was Chloe. You do know that it is a girl right?”

            “Oh. I didn’t know that!”

            Our family decided on calling her Chloe but my mom still wanted to name her Coco. Chloe is a very energetic dog now. She is 2 years old and is still all puppy. Every once in awhile we will find a shoe that belongs to the neighbors. She is an amazing dog and my best friend.

           

           

Memoir

It was Earth Day and I was 8 years old. It was a wonderful Saturday and my family and I had been playing outside all day. We had been playing on the swing set and then we would play football while my mom sat on the side lines and watched us.

                Later that day I had been down stairs watching some TV and I came up to get a drink of water. I saw that my mom and dad were petting Molly and they were just sitting there. I thought that that was weird and then I went back down stairs. A little bit later I was hungry so I went to get a snack. My mom and dad were still sitting there by Molly. So I called up my brother Logan and we went outside. My mom and dad were crying. Then they told us that we were going to have to put Molly to sleep. I knew what that meant and I started to cry. Logan didn’t understand so my mom explained it to him. He started to cry too. We sat there and began to pet Molly. Then my dad got the truck. He had to lift Molly into the truck because she couldn’t walk. My dad took her collar off and gave it to me and then we all had to say good bye to Molly. The truck rolled out of the drive way and we all started to bawl. My mom asked if Logan wanted any Macaroni and Cheese (that was his favorite food at the time) and he said yes, so we all went into the house to try to enjoy the rest of this beautiful Earth day.

                My dog Molly was 13 years old when she died. I loved her to death and so did my whole family. Molly was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. She was a gift from my mom to my dad on his birthday before they were married. One time I was dressing up in a big poufy dress and plastic sandals and I thought that maybe Molly would want to dress up too. I went and got sunglasses, my plastic sandals, a hat, a necklace, and a purse. I put everything on her and I took a picture. My dad couldn’t believe that she hadn’t moved or walked away. My dad always said how amazing she was at hunting. She was my protector. Molly was the perfect dog.

                 

Introduction

Heyy!!:)

My name is Hannah. I enjoy running, hanging out with friends, going to my cabin, and painting my nails!! I LOVE dogs and HATE cats. I have one brother who is 11 and I am the oldest!! In my free time I like to do sports. I love Softball, Cross Country, Track, and I sorta like golf. I enjoy watching Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, and Soccer. I love the college Villanova. I love Sunny days and I hate rainy days. That's all about me!!:) BYE!!