Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright

Portia Blake and her brother Foster are going to see their cousin Julian, who lives in the countryside. They usually go with their parents, but this time they go alone. Julian and Portia love to explore in nature. One day they find some abandoned houses. Is this a ghost town or what?

My favourite character is Portia because she is so adventurous and easy to make friends with and she has this personality that is totally cool. For example, when Julian and Portia wanted to form a club, they needed some more people to join. Portia wanted to find a girl to come to the club. She saw the girl next door and asked her to join. The girl did and they became best friends.

I liked this book because it was not scary, just peaceful. It is a historical novel.

You will like this book if you like stories about long ago and if you don’t mind that there’s no really big mystery.

Reviewed by Emma

Poetry Month 2012

Poems in my pocket
I carry around with me
a surprise to share

April was poetry month and did we ever celebrate!  We listened to a poem over the announcements (almost) every day AND we had a Poem in my Pocket contest.

I would like to congratulate our student poet who won the draw: Calista from div. 17F.

I would also like to congratulate Noor, from div. 16, who won a prize for being the most prolific poet: Noor submitted more than 50 poems!!!

Just because April is over, don’t stop writing, reading, and talking about poetry.  Make poetry part of your life every day all year!

Noor’s Prize

Calista’s Prize

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Sammy’s review:

The book Monster is about a 16 year-old boy named Steve Harmon, a young talented African American actor, who lives in Harlem, New York. He is forced into a situation which puts him on trial for murder. He is accused of being involved in a robbery which led to the death of the owner of a drugstore. He is suspected of acting as a lookout for James King, the other suspect accused in this case, and there is evidence to prove his innocence. Since he was suspected of being involved in a robbery which led to the death of a store owner, he is being charged with felony murder, this way result in a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.

No one really knows if Steve killed the owner of the drugstore. Steve himself is beginning to become confused about his fate and whether he took any part in the stickup. For example, once in the book, Steve claims he just was in there to grab some mints, but in another section, he says he was only a lookout and didn’t even touch Mr. Nesbitt.

As in all books, most people have a favourite character. In the book Monster, Steve Harmon seemed to jump out at me as a very well-rounded person and even from the first hundred pages, I was shocked that he was in this position. In other words, I think Steve should have never been on trial in the first place.

I liked reading this book because it not only showed how one’s life can turn bad in a matter of hours, but it showed how one normal kid, against all odds, fought through to claim his rights. I disliked this book because, at times, the author repeated a phrase or idea to the point where it was slightly boring. I also found the fact that it is written like a script hard to comprehend. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate this book a six.

Monster is an interesting and exciting book for people who enjoy genres of crime, law, mystery, and drama, or other Walter Dean Myers novels.

Annelise’s review:

Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is a realistic story about 16 year old Steve Harmon. The story is based on Steve being accused of being involved in a murder that could potentially put him in jail. Throughout the book Steve gets judged because he is a young black man. This story showed me his perspective of being a young black man on trial. This dreadful experience makes him feel like he is in a movie, so he writes a movie script. This my favourite element of the book. With the book in a movie format, it changes your perspective of his case, his life, and his feeling because it made me feel like I was in the movie and getting hurt by racism like Steve.

I like this book a lot because it made me realize how much discrimination went on when this true story took place. For example when Steve says “ I’ve never seen my father cry before. I hated his face. What did I do? Anybody can walk in a drugstore and look around” he got accused of felony murder because he is black. It also made me feel what pain and emotions Steve felt. You will like this book if you are curious about what really happens in jail and if you like a slow but emotional book.

Dawn’s review:

Monster is about a boy named Steve Harmon. He struggled with prejudice, specifically racism. In court it was a struggle. Steve Harmon’s lawyer, Miss O’Brien, was telling Steve that he had a slim chance to be acquitted. She told him how the court goes through things like this very often and she says they start to prejudge based on their ethnicity. She says that being a 16 year old black boy, to the court, is all the evidence that they need to prove him guilty. He was sent to jail accused of murder. He supposedly robbed a drug store with some kids in his neighbourhood. Steve writes in his journal and expresses what he feels. He also writes all that is happening as a movie script because he does not know what else to do and it keeps him sane.

I would give Monster two and a half stars out of five. It was very repetitive in places. The hearings in the court were boring when one person would talk and talk for a very long time. It made me want to skip their speeches. The better parts were when Steve would write in his journal. He would write what he was feeling and what he wrote was not boring at all. He would, in a way, pour his heart out. There was so much suffering, pain, and fear. You could really tell who he was when he wrote in his journal rather than when he was in court, hardly saying anything, feeling intimidated.

My favourite character was Steve Harmon. Even though lots of people around him were not that great he tried to stay true to himself and stay who he is. In part of the book Steve tries to get to know his lawyer, Miss O’Brien. He wants to convince her that he is not guilty and show her how he really is. He asks simple questions like “what are you doing this weekend?” Steve is very resourceful . He makes a play in his notebook while he is in JAIL! Steve is also insecure. He is letting someone call him monster and he also says it’s true. Steve is very scared and misses his family very much while he is in court and I think that he is not trying to win the case for himself but for his family. “ I raised my hand anyway and waved to him. I also wanted to tell Jerry that I loved him. I also wanted to tell him that my heart was not rejoicing and i was not singing praises.” When his mom visits, “I told her yes and tried to smile with her. Her eyes were smiling but her voice cracked. In a way I think she was mourning over me as if I were dead.” He just wanted to get “away from this place.”

If you like books that take weird turns and do things you don’t think will happen or that are very sad, realistic books then you would enjoy this book. If you enjoy a VERY light read than this is not your book! If you like every little thing to be detailed (in court) then read this.

Castaways of The Flying Dutchman by Brian Jaque

Auryn’s review:

Castaways of The Flying Dutchman is a great book. It is an adventure-fantasy story but is a refreshing change from the typical dragon-slaying and spell-casting entries in the genre. The story is set between 1620 and 1896, in various places. The story focuses on its two protagonists: a boy named Ben and his dog, Ned. Wait, you’re thinking, how can those two live for more than 200 years? Well, at one point in the book, the crew of The Flying Dutchman is cursed. Ben and Ned were the only innocent ones aboard the ship, so the same angel that cursed the crew grants Ben and Ned immortality. They then use this newfound immortality to help people and places in need.

My favourite character in this book is the dog, Ned. By the end of this story, you will probably be wishing you had the black labrador dog as your own pet. He is intelligent, humorous, kindhearted and he can communicate telepathically with his owner. What more could you ask for in a dog? (Superpowers, maybe?)

I liked this book because it was humorous, action-packed and very detailed. I would definitely recommend it. If you like the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, or the Redwall series which is also by Brian Jacques. You will love Castaways of The Flying Dutchman.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Talia’s review:

Artemis Fowl is an electrifying and astounding book written an accomplished writer, Eoin Colfer.  If you like adventure, mythical creatures, twisting plots and intriguing schemes that keep you going all the way until the end, Artemis Fowl is for you.

Artemis Fowl is about a young mastermind who tries to restore his family wealth by abducting a fairy.  However, abducting a fairy comes with a price.  Artemis has to cope with the problems that arise.

My favourite part was always how the characters would react to each scenario.  For example, when the commander, Root, discovered that one of his officers had been captured, he decided that HE would go into combat, which surprised all of the staff.

I liked Artemis Fowl because the author would constantly make the funny and amazing characters throw in new elements and twists.  My favourite “new element” was the demand for gold. I did not see it coming and it set up the story for the ending.

My favourite character is Holly Short.  She was very unpredictable and you could never tell what she was planning or what she was going to do next.  She was pinned to a bed and yet by only consistently banging it against the floor she managed to escape.  Holly is very exciting and described very well.

A book about an amusing, electrifying and interesting adventure only deserves one name, Artemis Fowl.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Ocean’s review:

Stargirl is a book about an abnormal girl who struggles to fit in and, about a boy’s choice between love and popularity.

My favourite character is Stargirl because she is abnormal, funny and kind. She sings “Happy Birthday” to people in the lunchroom, keeps flowers on her desk, believes in enchanted places talks to her rat and drops spare change on the ground so she can see the little kids faces when they find the money on the ground.

I really liked this book because it has some things I can relate to like having everyone against her. Also, it shows how fast people can change when they want to fit in.

You will like this book if you like books about life, change, hardship and being yourself no matter what. If you liked this book try another by Jerry Spinelli called Crash.

Peggy’s review:

Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli, is a novel of Stargirl’s life in Mica High and her relationship with Leo who is also a student at Mica High. Stargirl is a new student who was home schooled, before she went to Mica High. This novel talks about the events that happen caused by Stargirl cheer leading for other schools. She gave changes to Mica High students how she is dressed and her attitude. My favourite part is when Stargirl and Leo start dating and the things that happened between them for example the silent treatment given by most of the school. My favourite character is Leo because I think that he always judges people fairly.

Finnegan’s review:

Stargirl is a story that tells of how you see yourself and how others see you. The story takes place in Mica, Arizona. It explains how Leo Borlock (The protagonist) falls in love with Stargirl and has to choose between being with Stargirl and getting ignored by the students in Mica High, or leaving her and being popular.

Stargirl is a very descriptive book. I guess it’s the way that Jerry writes his books. He always makes his sentences very descriptive. He makes a paragraph when he could make a sentence. My favourite part about this book is how in depth the sentences get. They’re all like little poems. At one point in the story Leo talks about how the school is like these types of frogs who sleep underground. He says that before Stargirl came, no one could hear them. They were still sleeping, but then when Stargirl did come, they all woke up, and they were heard by everyone.

I liked the book because it shows how one person can make such a huge difference and always be so kind to people yet still be hated or disliked by almost everyone you know. Stargirl never thought of herself, she spent all her time giving presents to other people. She didn’t care if people didn’t like her, she cared if they were happy. Every time it was someone’s birthday, she would come up to that person with her ukelele and start singing “Happy Birthday.” She always cheers for both teams, she doesn’t care who wins. At one point in the story, there’s a basketball game, one of the other teams players sprains his ankle, so Stargirl runs forward and helps take him to the hospital. While the rest of the students in Mica High actually boo at him. This just goes to show how she is so kind to everyone, yet people hate her for being that way. I think you would like this book if you liked the book Hoot, because they both tell stories with similar aspects: bullying, friendship, and being yourself and high school.

Literature Circles

Ms. Edwards’ class just finished their literature circles and would like to share some of their thoughts about their books.  More than one student read each book, so you will find only one post per book, but sometimes more than one review per post.

Pandora Gets Jealous by Carolyn Hennesy

Pandora is a personage in Greek myth who has an unfortunate reputation: mainly of being responsible for releasing plagues of evils into the world.  This is the story of how it (could of) happened, and how she set out to fix it.  Luckily, she has the help of her two best friends.  The first evil Pandy must find and capture is Jealousy – can’t be too hard, right?

I liked this book because I like retellings of myths and fairy tales, especially when the telling equalizes unfair gender roles or tells the story form a new perspective.  I like Pandora because she is learning to deal with the fact that she is no ordinary girl (imagine if your father was famous for sealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans!) but she has a sense of humour about it all.  Pandora Gets Jealous is the first in a series – each book is about how she finds and captures a different evil plague.  You will like this book if you like novels set in ancient Greece or if you like stories about a group of friends who use their wits to outsmart (some of) the adults around them.

On a ce roman aussi en francais!

The Last Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

The Last Apprentice is a thrilling and exciting book with old European myths and legends. Twelve year old Tom Ward starts his training as a Spooks apprentice and starts out a bit ahead of himself he gets distracted by a girl named Alice and gets stirred in a fight with a malevolent witch that is ruthless and merciless and will stop at nothing to destroy Tom and his master Gregory.
This book is perfect for teens interested in creatures in myths.

Reviewed by Nakoda

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, is the first book in a great trilogy. This book is about sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen who takes her sister’s place in the hunger games. The games, held in Panem (a future nation), are a fight to the death on live television between twenty four teenage tributes. The winner gets money, food and a home which is much needed by Katniss and many of the other tributes. Will Katniss survive and bring riches to her family or will she never see her family again?

I especially liked how the story was full of surprising twists and always kept me guessing what would happen next. You will like this book if you like suspenseful, action packed adventures. This book is most appropriate for kids aged eleven and up.

Reviewed by Donovan