Gone

 

Gone published in 2008 is a supernatural, horror, and science fiction book. The author Michel Grant made a series of six books this one being the first. The plot is, anyone the age 15 or older will disappear in Perdido Beach. Not only that but a giant energy field surrounds the town preventing anyone from getting in or out.

The book is told by the narrator in third person view. It follows the life of Sam Temple, the main protagonist plus a few other during the FAYZ or Fallout Ally Youth Zone, were all under 15 are trapped and try survive while finding a way to not disappear. This book is intended for teenagers as it has violence. This book got me very interesting because it has action, some horror also some suspense.

 

This book did not affect me but it did change some ideas that I had about the book. It does not fit in with anything of my personal view of the world at all. Since this book is fiction and it in involves people having supernatural power this does not bring up any memories.

 

There is not much I can criticize about this book only that some of the paragraphs or chapters were the narrator switches characters are some times a bit short. I really liked this book even though I have had it for moths and I was to lazy to read it I would recommend it to anyone.

 

Cristian Lopez
11/9/2013
RATING: 4.5/5

This is What I Did:

             "This is What i did:" by Ann Dee Ellis was copyrighted in 2007 This is a sad, moving realistic fiction story. Taking place in the present time. The main character, Logan, has been through something tragic. He hardly speaks, yet so much comes out of him. So many thoughts and feeling that aren't really there;yet seem to be. To try and help him get through it his parents decide his 2 brothers mom and dad are moving. They move to a street. That street is judge. Not too far away, but hopefully far away enough to forget, Though Logan in't too sure if forgetting is just the thing to do. This book has made me really think; You really don't know people as well as you think you know them, they can have stories that could be heartbreaking, they could be bullied, you never know what's right beneath the surface. The message i got from this book is to not listen to the rumors about someone and to not use other's opinions' as your own and to stand up for what you know is right.

           The way this story is told is interesting. It starts off in the present but has one flashback to lead up to the present, with flashbacks in between that. Although it may seem rather difficult to follow, the story is easy to follow along to. The author wants us to know how it felt from his point of view. A kid who has been through so much, and still has to face other obstacles life throws. A kid who won't tell his father because he's afraid of hurting his dad's feelings. I like that this story is in 1st person because i feel that's one of the main points of this story. To understand how someone can be thinking in situations like this. There are many instances with these situations happening so often now a days because of society. One person will say something rude to another and it can turn into something awful.The author kept me interested by having the flashbacks. I think my making it more of a memory, rather than it happening currently, it could end a part on a cliff hanger and come back to it later. The intended audience is young-adults and it can really send a message to them. Too many kids judge other ones only by rumors and things they hear from other people. Young-adults can really learn to open their eyes and realize that they don't know what could be happening to the people around them.

              This book really spoke to me; I always had the idea that you never know whats going on in another persons head or in their life, but this book really enforced that idea. I feel the world will judge people so quick, they hardly have time to really look. People are so afraid to be themselves because they know they will be judged for it. Bullying is a big deal and some may not realize it's right in front of them. And for he ones that do realize it, usually won't do anything about it. This book reminds me of a book i read "One of Those Hideous Book Where the Mother Dies" because the authors used short sentences and i feel like that reinforced the feel of them being sad and depressed.

               I love the format of this book and it really kept it interesting and exiting. The sentences tend to be short and to the point and for me i love books like that, they include detail and thought that are intentionally left out, but you know they are there, hidden between the words. His book sends a great message. The ending is when the pieces are finally coming together and will literally leave you gasping.

Sydney Dunda 
November 7, 2013
***** 5/5

What the Moon Saw - Laura Resau

    This six weeks for my outside reading project I was fortunate to have chosen a wonderful book called What the Moon Saw, by Laura Resau. The book was published in 2006, and Is a realistic fiction. The book is based in the little village of Yacuyoo, Mexico. On a girl named Clara Luna, Clear moon, she is sent to Mexico for a summer to live with her grandparents. It's her first time in Mexico and Clara is in for a huge lifestyle change. The theme in my point of view is not judge things before you even try them because you might end up liking them. For example, Clara convinced herself that she would hate Yucuyoo, Mexico before she even tried to go there. When she actually went she ended up liking Mexico and enjoyed. Another theme is not to judge people for their appearance because Abuelita found this prisoner that she ended up learning a lot about.

    The story is told in first person which means the author used words like I, me and you can hear all of Clara's thoughts. The book would mostly try to attract teens. Mostly because is based on a teenager that's going through a lot of lifestyle changes in her life. In the book Resau uses lot of details to attract the readers. For example when she explained Abuelitas life it felt like you were re-living her whole life again.

    I think out of all the biggest thing that affected me was the theme because it's really important not to judge anyone or anything. It changed a little bit of the way I think because now i feel that if I'm trying or seeing something or the first time I shouldn't judge it even if it's weird looking. The memories that came shooting right out of my head when I was realizing the theme was when I was little and I had to go to Mexico but I didn't want to because if t seemed scary and weird.

    Overall not going to lie this was a pretty good book. Details were spot on. Although at some spots I did kind of want to give up on the book because it got boring and weird. I would recommend this book to teens or even adults because it really does have some interesting Mexican lifestyle/traditional parts in the book. 

Gabriela Reyna
11/7/13
Rating: 4.5/5

Among The Barons

Among The Barons

 

The book I read was Among The Barons by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This book was first copyrighted in 2003. This book is a Fiction/Science Fiction book based on a futuristic world that does not allow third children. This book is about a 12 year old named Luke Garner, who is a third child. Luke just finished summer vacation at Hendricks School For Boys. He is using a fake I.D.,  under the name of Lee Grant, to stay alive. Lee's brother, Smits Grant, comes to visit. Smits is a spoiled rich kid, a baron, who gets everything he wants and Luke has to deal with it. Smits is known as a liar and decides not to turn in Luke because he is nice to him. This is futuristic, adventurist, Science Fiction thriller about a possible tragic future that has enemy's at each turn.

The author uses the first person point of view to bring out Luke's' feelings. The plot is to escape a web of lies that Luke's' fake I.D. has created. The intended audience is fifth to eighth graders. The books genre is Science Fiction ( Sci-Fi); It is possible, in the near future, due to over population, that this could happen like it has happened in Japan. The author kept the book interesting by adding a lot of suspense and several twists. The authors' style is Young Adults and this book kept the audience interested in the characters and plot.

The book made me wonder if all barons, rich people, have the attitude that they are better than people who are less fortunate. The book helped me see that bodyguards piss people off. It changed my idea that bodyguards can annoy people more than they help. This book brought up Among The Betrayed.

This book was so awesome, if you like suspenseful, futuristic, Sci-Fi books, then you should read it!!!

Tyler Sudderth
11/6/13
Rating: ***** 5/5

The Magician's Nephew - C. S. Lewis

   The Magician's Nephew, by C. S. Lewis, is a fantasy book published in 1955. It's based around magic, and going into the world of Narnia and discovering it's mysteries. The story begins with Digory and Polly becoming friends and discovering Digory's Uncle Andrew's study by accident. Uncle Andrew makes Polly disappear into the world of Narnia while Digory wants to go save her. Their lives change as they enter a world of magic. I think the themes are Courage and Friendship because its about two friends who enter a world they don't know, Narnia.


   The story is told in a third person omniscient perspective, the narrator is not a part of the story but addresses the reader as "you" many times in the story. The plot revolves around magic of Narnia. I think the intended audience is for young and old alike. The books genre is fantasy, as I said before, it uses the idea of Narnia and magic in the book. The author keeps me interested by keeping it action packed! The author style is sometimes talking to you in the book, helping you understand it as it goes along and it is effective for it's intended audience to help them understand it more.


  The book didn't affect me that much, or change many of my ideas. It fit in with my personal world view because I have a crazy Uncle as well that might send me to the world of Narnia. I don't read many books so It brought up 0 memories of other authors or books.


   I did like this book because I like the concept of magic and Narnia. I recommend reading this book if you like these topics or want to try something new, maybe you'll read the other six books as well!



Allen Hoebag
11/7/13
Rating: **** 4/5

Peak

   

PEAK

     This 6 weeks I decided to read the book called Peak. The author of Peak is Roland Smith. The copyright date of the book is 2007. The type of book Peak is, is fiction. The book is set in modern times, in China most of the time and for a short period of time the book is set in New York City. This book is about a fourteen year old boy named Peak, who lives with his mom and two sisters. Peak is a boy who loves to climb but since he lives in the Big Apple he climbs skyscrapers due to the lack of no mountains. Peak was then caught for climbing skyscrapers and his only choices were to end up in jail or go with his dad who he hadn't seen in forever, Peak chose his dad which soon lead to greater things. I think the overall theme of my book is to never give up on your dreams even how hard they might seem.
   
         The point of view in the book Peak, is first person. I think that the intended audience is people who are adventuress and like fiction novels. The type of book Peak is, is adventure and I think that it is adventure because the book is all about climbing mountains and exploring. The author kept me really into the book because of the amount of activity that was going on always kept me on the edge of my seat on what would happen next. In my prospective I feel that the authors style is more modern so people that are under the age of 16 will understand it better.
   
         By reading this book I am encouraged to go out and try new things, because of Peak climbing Mt. Everest and the stories he has to go with it, makes me want to go out and create my own story. I think this book could relate to my life in the real world by me trying new things in different places, such as Peak did when he had to move away with his dad and Peak tried to perform a task he had never done. I have not read any other books like this one so I could not relate it to any other books I have read.
 
   
     I really like the way the author described things in this book because it really helped paint a picture in my mind. I do think that the book could have moved along a little faster and not have talked about the same thing for 10 pages. I think a lot of people would like this book and I would recommend it to most of my friends, who love to try new things and be adventuress.

Summer Shield
11-6-13
****4 stars

Wonder

For this six weeks I decided to read "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio. I actually really liked this book. Wonder is about a ten year old boy, August, who was born with a face disorder. He gets bullied at his school and doesn't have very many friends except Christopher, who lives far away from him, and Summer, who always sits with him at lunch. People are afraid to touch him and always stare, point, and laugh whenever they see him. He is often sad because everyone is scared of him, but he starts to get used to it over a short period of time. He comes to find that people who he considered friends are actually fake, and he is treated differently than everyone else mainly because of his face.

In this book there are eight different points of view. The first part is August, second is Via, August's sister, third is Summer, fourth is Jack, his aquantence, and the fifth is Justin, Olivia, August's friends brother, and the next three are August again. I loved how the author layed this out, it gave me an idea of how the other characters feel about him, which made the story more interesting. This book is very inspiring and makes me feel more self-confident and thankful for my life, but it also upsets me that there are people in the world who would be so rude and judgemental just based on how someone looks. It encourages me  to want to be friends with people like Åugust, to help people feel less alone and be their friend as if they are a normal person.