I'm still reading "Things Not Seen," by Andrew Clements. Bobby is still struggling with his own invisibility problem, but more have come. His parents got in a car crash, and he is fending for himself alone. Being afraid and not being able to actually get help is hard. Fortunately he has found a way to disguise himself in clothes to go out, or just go out naked - not being able to be seen. He is over coming challenges on his own now. By making a new friend and being courageous in a time of crisis.
At the library Bobby found Alicia a new friend, that is actually someone who can see see him. Metaphorically. Alicia is actually blind, and even though Bobby could have lied to her about being real, he didn't. He was brave enough to tell her the truth about him. Which I think is the most courageous part of the story so far. If it was me, I'd tell the truth too because I wouldn't know when she would find out. But after some speculation from Alicia it turned out she finally made Bobby smile for the first time in a long time.
It would be hard to for me to live on my own, and if I was in Bobby's place, I'd really need a friend like her. To cheer me up, and not judge. It must be hard for Alicia too, because she still doesn't fully know if he is just pulling one big joke on her. And the parents already are putting extra trust in Bobby, because he does have the upper hand.
All and all, I really want to see a stronger relationship form between Bobby and Alicia. And for the parents to come home and realize that if Bobby took care of himself in this condition alone, and was fine - they should trust him more. Because even though you can't see him he's not actually gone.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
I have recently started, "Things Not Seen," by Andrew Clements. About Bobby, a boy raised from a philological dad, and literature expert mom. One day he wakes up, and all of the sudden he's invisible. And for once he needs to use his parents knowledge to help him figure out what's wrong with him.Though he wants to get back to normal, he also has issues with his mother and father. He needs to overcome the challenge of working with his mom and dad to help himself.
To Bobby, his mom is the professor, and he can never slack off. He doesn't really agree with his father either. His father relates everything to science, and doesn't really give Bobby many opportunities to prove himself to his father. The incident does bring Bobby and his dad together when they can talk about what might be happening to Bobby. I think during the time when Booby is invisible, him and his parents will get closer together.
All in all, I think Bobby needs to understand his parents better. But Bobby's parents have to have more trust in him. he has the power now, and i think his parents might be way more protective them they have to be with him. Obviously Bobby doesn't want to hurt his parents, so why would he?
To Bobby, his mom is the professor, and he can never slack off. He doesn't really agree with his father either. His father relates everything to science, and doesn't really give Bobby many opportunities to prove himself to his father. The incident does bring Bobby and his dad together when they can talk about what might be happening to Bobby. I think during the time when Booby is invisible, him and his parents will get closer together.
All in all, I think Bobby needs to understand his parents better. But Bobby's parents have to have more trust in him. he has the power now, and i think his parents might be way more protective them they have to be with him. Obviously Bobby doesn't want to hurt his parents, so why would he?
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart
SPOILERS
Over the summer I read "The Boyfriend List," by E. Lockhart. It's about a 15 year old girl named Ruby who has severely struggles with boy problems. But not only that, but she gets very serious panic attacks, and has to start seeing a therapist, Dr. Z. And that's when Ruby is told to make a list of boys that she has ever been more than friends with. She always tries to stay true to herself, but ends up getting confused most of the time. The list ended up to be 15 boys. Throughout the story you see Ruby's struggle with her friends, almost always about some boy, and of course, Ruby's struggle with herself.
Ruby tried to keep a handle on her life, but it always seemed harder for her. When ever there would be a rumor, like Ruby and Noel, or someone else, Ruby would have to rethink her plan of action. And she would always have a panic attack when someone went wrong in her life - which was a lot. That's why she needed the therapist in the first place. She realized panic attacks were all made in your head, and Ruby got to talk out anything she needed to with Dr. Z. Through the boyfriends like Jackson, to her flings like Cabbie. But I always had trouble seeing what Ruby would do next, she would always reference her house boat. Saying if she ever needed to, she could just float away. She liked to keep her opinions to herself, but it seemed like not until the worse possible moment she would let them slip.
In the begging of the book, the reader gets the impression that Ruby and her friends loyalty to each other will always stay constant. But I don't think the author ever intended to write the book that way. Ruby and her friends try to stick with each other through all the boy problems. But it get complicated when one of Ruby's friends start to date Ruby's ex, that she really like. And it gets even worse when someone gets a hold of the list and makes copies and puts them all over the school.The list was also up for interpretations, it was just a list of boys with numbers. Rankings? Soon Ruby got the wrong impression from everyone at her school of being a home wrecker, and lost her friends. I felt really sympathetic for Ruby then, because as the reader, I had seen her grow through out the book. And seeing her being crushed so easy after all this time, it was hard not to feel many things.
I really loved this book, even though the ending did disappoint me. I hoped for a big ending, at least a happy one. When all of her friends left her, it just seemed to end. I think the author made the end like this so the reader could really interpret for themselves what would happen next.
Over the summer I read "The Boyfriend List," by E. Lockhart. It's about a 15 year old girl named Ruby who has severely struggles with boy problems. But not only that, but she gets very serious panic attacks, and has to start seeing a therapist, Dr. Z. And that's when Ruby is told to make a list of boys that she has ever been more than friends with. She always tries to stay true to herself, but ends up getting confused most of the time. The list ended up to be 15 boys. Throughout the story you see Ruby's struggle with her friends, almost always about some boy, and of course, Ruby's struggle with herself.
Ruby tried to keep a handle on her life, but it always seemed harder for her. When ever there would be a rumor, like Ruby and Noel, or someone else, Ruby would have to rethink her plan of action. And she would always have a panic attack when someone went wrong in her life - which was a lot. That's why she needed the therapist in the first place. She realized panic attacks were all made in your head, and Ruby got to talk out anything she needed to with Dr. Z. Through the boyfriends like Jackson, to her flings like Cabbie. But I always had trouble seeing what Ruby would do next, she would always reference her house boat. Saying if she ever needed to, she could just float away. She liked to keep her opinions to herself, but it seemed like not until the worse possible moment she would let them slip.
In the begging of the book, the reader gets the impression that Ruby and her friends loyalty to each other will always stay constant. But I don't think the author ever intended to write the book that way. Ruby and her friends try to stick with each other through all the boy problems. But it get complicated when one of Ruby's friends start to date Ruby's ex, that she really like. And it gets even worse when someone gets a hold of the list and makes copies and puts them all over the school.The list was also up for interpretations, it was just a list of boys with numbers. Rankings? Soon Ruby got the wrong impression from everyone at her school of being a home wrecker, and lost her friends. I felt really sympathetic for Ruby then, because as the reader, I had seen her grow through out the book. And seeing her being crushed so easy after all this time, it was hard not to feel many things.
I really loved this book, even though the ending did disappoint me. I hoped for a big ending, at least a happy one. When all of her friends left her, it just seemed to end. I think the author made the end like this so the reader could really interpret for themselves what would happen next.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
We Want You to Know: Kids Talk about Bullying
For my non - fiction book of the month, I have currently been reading, "We Want You to Know: Kids Talk about Bullying", by Deborah Ellis. I have been reading this book for my picture book project, during December. One of the things I liked about this book was that each chapter had a different bullying tactics like "Not being Good Enough"and other excuses that bullies might use. I think this book was really important because it showed real life experiences, and showed examples of all kinds of bullying.
This book was mostly made out of first - hand bullying experiences. The author Deborah Ellis let everyone tell their story from ages 9 - 18. I really liked using this book for my project because I think it was really nice to find a book made out non fiction stories. Instead of a book of possible bullying scenarios and reasons why people might or could bully. Because these people were brave enough to tell their stories, and talk about how hard it was for someone to be hurting them. One girl, Emily, who had a cyber bullying experience was someone I based my picture book off. She was being bullied because someone had started a page that everyone wrote on about why the didn't like her. Though I added that in my story, my version is completely different. But she talked about her sisters experience with cyber bullying, and I liked how many of the kids who wrote in the book talked had their siblings bullying experience in the book too.
This book didn't only have real experiences from different kind of bullying, but in the beginning of each chapter (and new type of bullying/ stories) they explain the topic. Any thing from "Looking Different", and then stories of girls and boys being excluding form cliques and school because of how they my look and act. Most of the kids in the book were being bullied for reasons beyond them. It showed a lot about how many victims are innocent. There was stories about cyber bullying and several about kids with mental disorders being left out of many school activities or cliques be cause of how they looked and acted.
I really admire those people who were brave enough to go talk to an author to actually get their stories publish. To show everyone the real effects of bullying, and cyber bullying. The many examples of bullying, but definitely to show the true stories and real experiences of many.
This book was mostly made out of first - hand bullying experiences. The author Deborah Ellis let everyone tell their story from ages 9 - 18. I really liked using this book for my project because I think it was really nice to find a book made out non fiction stories. Instead of a book of possible bullying scenarios and reasons why people might or could bully. Because these people were brave enough to tell their stories, and talk about how hard it was for someone to be hurting them. One girl, Emily, who had a cyber bullying experience was someone I based my picture book off. She was being bullied because someone had started a page that everyone wrote on about why the didn't like her. Though I added that in my story, my version is completely different. But she talked about her sisters experience with cyber bullying, and I liked how many of the kids who wrote in the book talked had their siblings bullying experience in the book too.
This book didn't only have real experiences from different kind of bullying, but in the beginning of each chapter (and new type of bullying/ stories) they explain the topic. Any thing from "Looking Different", and then stories of girls and boys being excluding form cliques and school because of how they my look and act. Most of the kids in the book were being bullied for reasons beyond them. It showed a lot about how many victims are innocent. There was stories about cyber bullying and several about kids with mental disorders being left out of many school activities or cliques be cause of how they looked and acted.
I really admire those people who were brave enough to go talk to an author to actually get their stories publish. To show everyone the real effects of bullying, and cyber bullying. The many examples of bullying, but definitely to show the true stories and real experiences of many.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Kids' Risk of Whooping Cough Rises After Final Shot
For my fist non - fiction blog post I'm wrtining about the whooping cough and the dangers with the vaccine. This article is called "Kids' Risk of Whooping Cough Rises After Final Shot," by Rachael Rettner. Due to a new study, whooping cough has actually been increasing after the final shoot. Due to research I think recent coughing vaccines should be changed to be stronger.
This might be a crazy thought, but many of children getting this vaccine have had no recovery and little protection from this deadly virus. In fact in 2010 there was 9,000 cases of whooping cough and 10 deaths! Not very friendly numbers. But another study says that children from ages 7 to 10 have less immunity to they whooping cough. But I don't think that movie up or down the age is the answer. Even though the thought of changing the age for different shots is a possibility in scientists minds, I don't understand why. They will always be draw backs and positive ideas in a plan, but I think there will be more draw backs in this one. I think that less parents will get the whooping cough shot if they have a younger child, many children don't get unnecessary shots, and even though there are statistics saying this is necessary, many won't agree.
Whooping cough have effected many people, but the vaccine has barely effected many. Researchers agree moving up the booster shot probably will mean less children will get the shot. Scientist find that during out breaks, kids who didn't get the vaccine get effected just as much as the kid who did. All in all, I think moving around the vaccine age or testing new age groups are not the answer. While just finding a stronger was to target the whooping cough, is.
This might be a crazy thought, but many of children getting this vaccine have had no recovery and little protection from this deadly virus. In fact in 2010 there was 9,000 cases of whooping cough and 10 deaths! Not very friendly numbers. But another study says that children from ages 7 to 10 have less immunity to they whooping cough. But I don't think that movie up or down the age is the answer. Even though the thought of changing the age for different shots is a possibility in scientists minds, I don't understand why. They will always be draw backs and positive ideas in a plan, but I think there will be more draw backs in this one. I think that less parents will get the whooping cough shot if they have a younger child, many children don't get unnecessary shots, and even though there are statistics saying this is necessary, many won't agree.
Whooping cough have effected many people, but the vaccine has barely effected many. Researchers agree moving up the booster shot probably will mean less children will get the shot. Scientist find that during out breaks, kids who didn't get the vaccine get effected just as much as the kid who did. All in all, I think moving around the vaccine age or testing new age groups are not the answer. While just finding a stronger was to target the whooping cough, is.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Winkie by Clifford Chase
I have just started reading the book, "Winkie" by Clifford Chase. It's about a little toy bear that has been in one boys family for a very long time, but now that the boy Clifford has grown up, he doesn't know where the bear is. You also find out in the beginning of the book, that Winkie can walk and talk just like a regular person, but usually chooses not to. Right now the bear has been put into jail custody because he is accused of committed all theses horrible crimes like murder, and is considered a terrorist. There is many flash backs in chapters because Winkie has a hard time member memories. He can remember his childhood, but doesn't stand why everyone is accusing him of crimes. Winkie deserves justice because he didn't do anything wrong and has been understanding.
Winkie was taken in to custody and lost all of his rights, but even in jail and shot at, he survived and never fought back to hurt anyone. But all Winkie can remember is Ruth, the first girl who had him. Ruth passed him down to all her children, and finally Cliff got it, her youngest son. Winkie was tormented by the jailers who watched him, they called him names, and kept his mail away from him. Even the one from Cliff. He is being accused of so many crimes, and he doesn't even know how he got mixed up in this mess.
I know if I was him I'd be very angry and try to talk it out with the judge, but Winkie is smart and knows that a talking teddy bear might scare them, and his words can be used against him. I think maybe if he had a better laywer or if he had someone powerful that could help him, he might be able to get justice. In all fairness, as the reader, and just starting the book, I don't know if he did actually commit those crimes.
I think this is a really nice book that has a good moral of sticking with family. I like how there is a lot of flash backs to Winkie's time with his family. The author is showing the past to the present, and filling in the reader with the memory gaps, just as Winkie is remembering them too.
Winkie was taken in to custody and lost all of his rights, but even in jail and shot at, he survived and never fought back to hurt anyone. But all Winkie can remember is Ruth, the first girl who had him. Ruth passed him down to all her children, and finally Cliff got it, her youngest son. Winkie was tormented by the jailers who watched him, they called him names, and kept his mail away from him. Even the one from Cliff. He is being accused of so many crimes, and he doesn't even know how he got mixed up in this mess.
I know if I was him I'd be very angry and try to talk it out with the judge, but Winkie is smart and knows that a talking teddy bear might scare them, and his words can be used against him. I think maybe if he had a better laywer or if he had someone powerful that could help him, he might be able to get justice. In all fairness, as the reader, and just starting the book, I don't know if he did actually commit those crimes.
I think this is a really nice book that has a good moral of sticking with family. I like how there is a lot of flash backs to Winkie's time with his family. The author is showing the past to the present, and filling in the reader with the memory gaps, just as Winkie is remembering them too.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Al Capone Sines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko 2
I recently finished "Al Capone Sines My Shoes," by Gennifer Choldenko. I have already written a blog post on this book, but now I've finished it, and this blog post I'm going to be writing about Moose's new struggles with justice. How this text makes me about justice in the world. I think this is a good question to write about because Moose and his family live on the prison island - Alcatraz. Everyone who goes to prison has to have a trial, and the court and jury have to judge you on your innocence. A fair trial have to have justice in it, and Moose's life and the people around him see to relate to justice because Moose and Piper are kidnapped, even though they didn't do anything to deserve it, and Natalie is hated by one of the guards at the island - Darby Trixle, for no reason.
When Moose and Piper are taken, it's foggy on the island, and all the guards are at the Wardens party. So it's the perfect time to escape. Justice was served when Natalie who was also taken, realized there was no guns, and that the kids could get rescued by the guards without anyone being seriously hurt. So there is justice because the prisoner are taken back to their cells, and Moose was only a little hurt. On the other hand, the kids were taken in the first place because no one was paying attention to them or the criminals. Since they didn't do anything wrong, there would have also been justice if they were never kidnapped in the first place. But since they were rescued, there was justice in the end.
Natalie is always being messed with by guard Trixle.That is completely unjust because he only dislikes her because she's autistic, and he has an autistic brother that he put in an asylum. He thinks that Moose and his family should do the same with her too, which is what he told Moose. He would tell the Warden about everything Natalie did as if she is a bad person. I think justice is served when Natalie figures out that the convicts that kidnapped them, didn't have any "arms" and she also told the officers where the kids were located in the fog. That's when Darby realized that Natalie was actually really smart, and wasn't just someone who got in the way, and was unwanted. So I think justice was served in the end for Natalie too.
All in all, I think everyone got what they truly deserved, whether it was being put back in jail where you belong, or being realized you true potential by others.
When Moose and Piper are taken, it's foggy on the island, and all the guards are at the Wardens party. So it's the perfect time to escape. Justice was served when Natalie who was also taken, realized there was no guns, and that the kids could get rescued by the guards without anyone being seriously hurt. So there is justice because the prisoner are taken back to their cells, and Moose was only a little hurt. On the other hand, the kids were taken in the first place because no one was paying attention to them or the criminals. Since they didn't do anything wrong, there would have also been justice if they were never kidnapped in the first place. But since they were rescued, there was justice in the end.
Natalie is always being messed with by guard Trixle.That is completely unjust because he only dislikes her because she's autistic, and he has an autistic brother that he put in an asylum. He thinks that Moose and his family should do the same with her too, which is what he told Moose. He would tell the Warden about everything Natalie did as if she is a bad person. I think justice is served when Natalie figures out that the convicts that kidnapped them, didn't have any "arms" and she also told the officers where the kids were located in the fog. That's when Darby realized that Natalie was actually really smart, and wasn't just someone who got in the way, and was unwanted. So I think justice was served in the end for Natalie too.
All in all, I think everyone got what they truly deserved, whether it was being put back in jail where you belong, or being realized you true potential by others.
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