This book was a sad one. I know that the author did its best to show all the hardships for the people of the Dust Bowl, but it still I think she went This book was a sad one. I know that the author did its best to show all the hardships for the people of the Dust Bowl, but it still I think she went to far with her morbidness. I believe that she could've added more happy and interesting things like what the children did for fun when they weren't working or something like that. Other than that I think that this could be a great learning tool for school, but watch out; its a depressing book....more
The idea of making a collaboration of different authors short stories into one is a genius idea. Besides a way to advertise different authors, each stThe idea of making a collaboration of different authors short stories into one is a genius idea. Besides a way to advertise different authors, each story is a different kind of writing/style than the other one. I am not going to go in detail about any of them so I don't spoil it, but it gave me a chance to skip around the book a little; finding authors I hate and authors I love. I suggest this to anyone who is looking for a new author to follow. ...more
**spoiler alert** The name Lyddie in this book boasted words like Work, Family, and Determination. Lyddie wanted to get enough money to pay off the de**spoiler alert** The name Lyddie in this book boasted words like Work, Family, and Determination. Lyddie wanted to get enough money to pay off the debts on the farm. This is all I needed to know in the first chapter in order to see that this would be a long dragging book. It was interesting stuff, reading about how women where treated in the factories, just interesting enough that I didn't just call it quits in the middle of the book. I didn't like the ending because it seemed as if Lyddie had absolutely nobody as a friend because they had all found their families. I felt sorry for her. I didn't understand why she did not get together with Luke BEFORE she went to college either. It really was a bland book with little potential value and moral. Unless you really like the factory time period, I don't think that you will find this book very engrossing. ...more
This book was ok, and it has been a while since I read a mystery. I liked the way the author looped all the events into one giant "coincidence" (or waThis book was ok, and it has been a while since I read a mystery. I liked the way the author looped all the events into one giant "coincidence" (or was it a coincidence) in the ending. I didn't like how the author warned me at the beginning about how "events that might seem to be fit into the story perfectly isn't always true." I later realized that this ruined my potential belief that events where related to anything, sort of scaring me off of trying to figure the mystery out myself. Anyway, it still was a fun novel that showed that maybe things related to other things are not a coincidence but a revelation to how the world works....more
My mom kept pestering me to read this. As much as I didn't want to, I realized that I was bound to pick this book up anyway at some point. It actuallyMy mom kept pestering me to read this. As much as I didn't want to, I realized that I was bound to pick this book up anyway at some point. It actually wasn't that bad. It was an interesting plot. There where many questions that were left unanswered, like what was the cities city? Why couldn't they see colors. What I liked most is that it let my imagination flow. I could draw my own conclusions. It definitely doesn't have a good cover. If I had to decide between a colorful graphic novel or a picture of a old hairy man, I would chose the graphic novel. After getting into the book and not "Judging a book by it's cover" it really was a good read. I suggest this to anyone who is looking more something new....more
Try and picture yourself in a cold ditch. You are taking on a 24-hour bomb shelling that is so relentless you can't even sleep. You have friends arounTry and picture yourself in a cold ditch. You are taking on a 24-hour bomb shelling that is so relentless you can't even sleep. You have friends around you, but they are so wary and tired that conversation is rare. "Fighting for your Country" they call it. You remember how ignorant you where when you joined, thinking you would be actually taking part in a war. What a joke. You have been in this trench for months, and the only thing your fighting is boring. And you realize, as the sleek rain stings your cheek, that this truly is a living nightmare.
This is what thousands of Americans had felt during World War 1. This book showed the true horrors about the War and had real quotes from people who experienced the real thing. I suggest this to anyone who wants to learn about American history. ...more
**spoiler alert** I thought that this book wouldn't be half as good as the City of Ember, but I was wrong. It had some great parts that explain how to**spoiler alert** I thought that this book wouldn't be half as good as the City of Ember, but I was wrong. It had some great parts that explain how to end a war, and how a war is started. I do believe that Lina is very ignorant and naive. I think this because I was angry that she jumped into the cart with Maddy and Casper, thinking if she could get to the city she would see at once that it would be the new home of the Emberties. It was very touching though when Lina put ran to go help the people of Spark put out the fire, and one by one the others joined to help. The overall book was wonderful and it has a lot to say about how war starts and the way to end it peacefully. ...more
This book wasn't as good as I expected it to be. The story had a okay plot, but it was sort of a drag at times. The main character, Bruno, was surprisThis book wasn't as good as I expected it to be. The story had a okay plot, but it was sort of a drag at times. The main character, Bruno, was surprisingly ignorant about what was happening with all the Jewish people, living in Germany and all. His ignorance made me want to go into the book and practically strangle him. It is a good way of looking at the holocaust in the eyes of a child, and it is cute to see him mispronounce some of the words, but other than that it is rather bland. I suggest you read it anyway as it is good to have some insight on it....more
This book is extravagant. The whole idea of the city of Ember and the story behind it is genius. It was the perfect recipe because it didn't ramble onThis book is extravagant. The whole idea of the city of Ember and the story behind it is genius. It was the perfect recipe because it didn't ramble on and on with description, but it gave enough details to give a clear picture in my mind. It was interesting to see the consultation between the two main characters as they try to figure out of how to decode the city of Ember's greatest secret. I would suggest this to people who are going for a exciting novel that will keep you turning the page....more
I have never been big on fantasy. Yet I still read it. I rented the video of the original Peter Pan from my library and watched it to make sure I remI have never been big on fantasy. Yet I still read it. I rented the video of the original Peter Pan from my library and watched it to make sure I remembered the beloved story. The book is before Never Land was created. It was interesting to see how the pirate captain lost his hand, and how Peter can fly whenever he wanted. It also showed how Tinker Bell was created, which I am not going to tell you because I don't want to ruin it for you. The book really never let me down on long boring parts like I thought it would because of its thickness. I think you should get familiar with the Peter Pan story before you read this. It was a great book overall, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series....more
Steve Jobs. When we hear this famous name, our mind triggers many pictures at once. I used to see images like the apple logo, iPad, iPhone, etc. AfterSteve Jobs. When we hear this famous name, our mind triggers many pictures at once. I used to see images like the apple logo, iPad, iPhone, etc. After reading this book, I look at Jobs in a different perspective. I see him as a normal, plain person with a short temper. He really isn't different than anyone else. In fact, he is as normal as one can get in today's society. As you read this you may think: No, he was a genius, he changed the world. Yes he did. And that makes him the most normal person in the world. I believe that Steve Jobs was trying to tell us something. In his 'Think Different' ad campaign he quoted, "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." I think that in this quote, he was trying to say that the ones that are usually called misfits and rebels are the ones who improve our every day life. He believes that the ones that are looked down upon are the ones that excel. Steve was one of them. If Steve was never born we wouldn't have most of the stuff that we have today. In fact, Steve wasn't always considered a genius. he was a die-hard trouble maker that had no respect for his teachers. It was because Jobs was so smart that all the stuff that they where learning in school was boring and to easy to him. He had grown a love for building things out of stuff from a junk yard. He met up with another person, Woz, and they made history by typing the first message into a computer and have it show up on a screen. Why am I telling you all this? I want to spread what Steve had said. I want to show the world that no matter how normal you are, or how different you are from the rest of everybody, you can change the world. I believe we are like a bomb filled with potential and creativity, and there is that match in yourself that is ready to be lit and blow the whole world's mind.
This book had an interesting format in which it juxtapose a person's life story and childhood to another persons present life in his childhood. The boThis book had an interesting format in which it juxtapose a person's life story and childhood to another persons present life in his childhood. The book periodically switched back and forth between the persons life. It showed how adequately fun the modern child's life was compared to the other child's (on the left of the cover) life was. It showed me how much we take for granted, while people around us struggle to survive every day. It may be an easy and quick read, but it is filled with different perspectives that are very interesting. I recommend this to anyone....more
This book was one of those books that was made especially for kids that are just starting to read. I could tell by the colors of the book, fluorescentThis book was one of those books that was made especially for kids that are just starting to read. I could tell by the colors of the book, fluorescent orange with a dark blue spine, showing you that it is trying to grab the reader's attention from all the other books and say, "READ ME". There usually isn't anything wrong with this, as the every-day intellectual knows how hard it is to get noticed in the literature world, but this one was very misleading. I thought it would be you having to choose what one seemed the best to YOU, not based on rationality, being a Choose Your Own Adventure. But it seemed every choice that wasn't safe gave you a semi-gruesome ending. For example, your facing a raging storm and your mast is about to break and if you don't get there in time the ship will break. You are given a chance to either strap in your safety harness first, then get to fixing the mast, or forget about your safety and try to fix the mast. Guess which one was the correct one? It was the safety-first answer. All of them where like this, making the book not interesting at all. My point? If you see a blue binded book with a neon orange cover, don't fall into the trap that I fell into no matter what....more
Let me tell you something. If I wasn't forced to write so many essay's about this stupid book, then I might have enjoyed it more. Maybe if we didn't hLet me tell you something. If I wasn't forced to write so many essay's about this stupid book, then I might have enjoyed it more. Maybe if we didn't have to analyze every sentence discussing every little detail until I accidentally tear one of the papers out because we had to flip back so many times, I probably might have enjoyed it more. This could have been a great book, and it's a shame that the new common core thinks we are "Learning" from writing useless paragraphs on how Ha's experience relates to the title. Don't let something like school ruin what could have been a great novel. ...more
Free Fire Zone had an interesting plot. It was neat to see Rudi, the main character, first start out as a nobody. And then have the war affect the wayFree Fire Zone had an interesting plot. It was neat to see Rudi, the main character, first start out as a nobody. And then have the war affect the way he looks at life, making him stronger physically and mentally. He had supportive friends that helped him through the realization of being drafted to the army. I think that this book showed that something that you once were afraid of can actually turn out to be something you actually like. I think the reason the author wrote the book was to show that the best way to survive is to look out for all your pals, by being up in the sky or underground or on the front lines. Maybe the author wanted me to realize how powerful a friendship can be. Or maybe he wanted to show me that once you find the one thing that you excel at, you can be invincible. ...more
I think that this was the a great book. Except for one thing. In the beginning, it was basically what happened in the second book in the first 4 chaptI think that this was the a great book. Except for one thing. In the beginning, it was basically what happened in the second book in the first 4 chapters. This annoyed me greatly. Their was no "different point of view" to the characters in the first 4 chapters. I also didn't really understand the title, as it had nothing to do with the book, but I guess he ran out of cool catching names for his books. Besides the beginning, the first book (this one) was not at all subsequent to the second book. I think it was a good idea to have each character take a different role in the army, not have all of them in the same division. Evidently, the book was pretty action packed in a way that made it so that it had minimum grotesque parts but at the same time showing how hard it is on soldiers. I suggest this to anyone over 13+....more
This book was in a pack of five. I picked this one up first because of the awesome sniper graphic. I didn't expect it to be that good, coming from schThis book was in a pack of five. I picked this one up first because of the awesome sniper graphic. I didn't expect it to be that good, coming from scholastic and all, but it actually was quite ok. I wish it had more fighting going on, because it was more of a drama than anything. I can't imagine what it would be like to have go-army parents that expect their children to join as soon as they can. I believe I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself knowing I will be shipped off to a foreign country into unknown territory. When I really think about it, I ask myself: Why do we fight? why did we send 536,100 soldiers into a country to fight a war that wasn't ours? I believe we did this because of our patriotic hearts in America that we strive to help others. I hope that by reading the other books, I can learn more about the abundant Vietnam War....more
I think that this book portrayed a modernized view of what has been happening since the start of time. People have been trying to convert people to thI think that this book portrayed a modernized view of what has been happening since the start of time. People have been trying to convert people to their religion. I sometimes ponder whether radical Christians really follow the bible themselves. They go through lengthy protests of shouting and bickering, but do they really ultimately follow Jesus themselves? I think that we, humans, are always unknowingly trying to cling to something like Jesus to feel that we are not going to wither away, not going to end up in a fairy-tale dream land because of our good deeds. We all want to be rewarded. Read this book. ...more
This book was like no other book. I finished this in a matter of two days hoping to be able to finish it in order to watch the new movie. I listened tThis book was like no other book. I finished this in a matter of two days hoping to be able to finish it in order to watch the new movie. I listened to the audio tape. This shows the truth of the military's supreme power and how they get people to do their bidding. I was given a whole showing on how easy it is to manipulate people into getting anyone what you want them to believe, and also it proves that age doesn't matter. Ender's Game is like the perfect recipe with the precise amount of ingredients to make a tasty writing piece....more
This book made me very sad and I personally skipped a page because of the depressing theme. I normally can handle any book, but this one pushed me oveThis book made me very sad and I personally skipped a page because of the depressing theme. I normally can handle any book, but this one pushed me over the line. I won't tell you what happens, because that would be spoiling the book for someone if there going to read it. But keep in mind that this is a very morbid book. ...more
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