Reading response: Bridge to terabithia

I am reading the book Bridge to Terabithia. I saw the movie a while ago, and liked it,  and i was interested in reading the book, because I had never had a chance before. I'm not very far in the book yet. I've just really read about Jess' family, and how he loves to run.

Jess gets up early every morning to run. He runs because he loves it. I think it's really great how much he cares about it. It seems to be the one thing he has. Their is nothing in it for him, except the happiness. He doesn't do it for money, fame, or anything else. Even if he isn't able to continue this hobby as he gets older, i think its good that he's taking advantage of the fact that he has spare time. And instead of being lazy, or doing stuff we would do these days like watch tv and use a computer/phone. It seems that Jess shares a special connection with running. He runs for hours on end. Again, for what? Just because it's what he wants. He doesn't let anything or anyone get in the way of it. Even though his family, especially his sister, always complains how dirty/sweaty he is afterwards, he doesn't let that affect him and his opinions. He stays strong on his beliefs no matter who supports him and what anyone says.

I think everybody could work on this trait a little. Everybody lets people bring them down. And everybody gets insecure because of what people think and say and feel. And these feelings get in the way of our happiness. They make us think twice about whether we should be doing the stuff we love to please ourselves, or if we should hold back to please others.

The courage to be yourself: Non fiction

The book The Courage to be Yourself is about real life teenagers. They tell their stories very honestly. Sometimes they're kind of mean, but i think that's what really gets the idea across. The stories are so real and interesting to read. They are all relatable in some way. They are also very believable. While reading them you can clearly see that it's the kid speaking, and their point of view. Plus it's not all edited  and stuff, it's straight from the kid.

One passage that I didn't like very much was called Gay on the Block, By Jeremiah Spears. It's about a guy who came out at an early age, and was judged for it by the kids on his block. I thought it was actually pretty good until I read the part about how the guys didn't bother him anymore, because he stayed clear of the street he lived on mostly. I just feel like he left a big issue unresolved. It just kind of seemed like he was taking the easy way out instead of working through what he was struggling with. And then when he said "I just need to satisfy myself", I don't really agree with that. I just feel like people always say that, but it's not really even true. You can't get through life on your own, and never be concerned about what people think of you. For example, your boss. You can't only be pleasing yourself with the work you do, you have to work to meet your bosses requirements.

Later on though, I started to like this passage. I started to see how maybe Jeremiah staying clear of the boys on his old block was his way of dealing with it. Maybe he went to therapy or wrote in a journal to get through the problems he experienced as a child. He just needed to move on, and focus on the more important things and people in life, instead of worrying about people who were un accepting and mean to him. Also, him only worrying about satisfying himself in this situation was probably best. It isn't worth it to compromise yourself for people who aren't worth it. Plus, he was honest. What happened happened. And he told the story truthfully, probably knowing that some people would dislike it and disagree with it.

The big overall lesson I learned is that what happens happens. You can dislike it and disagree, but you can't change it. And it's best if you dislike the truth, then like a lie. Life isn't perfect. And if you're telling a truthful story, it won't be either.

Becoming Naomi Leon

I just finished reading the book becoming Naomi Leon, by Pam munoz Ryan. I liked it a lot. It was fun and interesting to read. And it was very different from most books i've ever read. It's about a girl named Naomi Leon who struggles with a lot of things, like speaking up for example. But she's pretty much always made the best of living with her Gram and brother, Owen. Then her mom, Skyla, who has a drinking problem, and a new boyfriend, has revisited after leaving her kids with her ex husband's (the dad) mom for seven years. And after she kisses up for a while she reveals the real reason she's here; to take naomi, just naomi, to live with her. Naomi decides that she wants to meet her dad before going to court against her mom, and she is glad to have met him when she goes home and faces her future. Once naomi wins the argument in front of the judge, her mom leaves. Leaving Naomi almost thankful for the things she taught her.

I think this book is really about how some little things matter. But some really don't. It didn't matter when Skyla bought Naomi a bunch of clothes, Naomi still wanted to live in her home, not with Skyla. It didn't matter that Skyla was her real mom. She would never be her real family. certain things don't make an imprint on us. I think it's mostly because of the past and sacrifice.  It didn't matter that Skyla was her mom, because she wasn't there for Naomi like Gram and Owen always were. And it didn't matter that Naomi got a bunch of clothes, because it didn't really coast her mom anything.

I think it's pretty much the same for the good little things. It only matters where it comes from in you, and what you really sacrifice for it. It mattered when Skyla bought Owen a bike. Because She always treated Owen second best, and now her got the first best for once. Also, when she says Clyde (her boyfriend), spent good money on it, i think she really means she had to work for him to do buy it. It also mattered when Skyla knocked over Naomi's favorite soap carving. Because That's something that mattered to Naomi, but didn't matter to her mom, which it should've. It's not the fact that Skyla broke it, it's the fact that she didn't care, and never cared about it in the first place.

People often say the best things are little. But i thing that most little things that matter actually aren't all that little. It's more like the specific act may be simple, fast, or little, but the gesture is big. Like the bike was just a little present. But it wasn't to Owen. Because it meant his mom did care. It meant more that his mom loved him than that he had a bike. Because i think that all that disapproval Skyla gave Owen was actually directed towards herself, for leaving him when he was struggling so much and needed her. I think its the little things that go so much deeper. And they're special because it only matters like that for you, no one else in the world.

Non-fiction blogpost

I read the article, "Drought Leaves Cracks in Way of Life" By John Eligon. I see how droughts are serious.People cancel their whole vacations just because of a drought. People lose their crops and homes. And even their food.

THE SHAPE OF WATER

The book "The Shape of Water" by Allen Spollen, is mainly abut a girl that has to deal with a loss of her mother. Her mom dies and she is left to deal with a lot of emotions she doesn't know how to handle
On top of that her dad is getting remarried to a women who has a son. And she has many encounters with way different people as she struggled to figure out her feelings. And then there is another crisis in her life that she then has to deal with. I think that having the 'random' encounters is a way of saying that anything can  happen when ever and where ever. I think that the author was more directed at the idea of loss and healing. But i really noticed the more 'small' things she but in there.

Allen showed what i got of her writing mostly through big gestures. Such as death, and abandonment. I think that's what makes the ideas noticeable but the little things make it different. You meet so many people that have been through so much. And the ones who you get to know, even just a little bit, leave an impact on you. The happy ones show you that you can feel better. you can heal and if you want to and if you try you can be happy. The sad ones show that they've been through so much and either you don't want your life to be like that, you want to be the one who makes it out stronger. Or that their are people who have been through worse than you. There will always be people who have less than you and worse situations, and you should be thankful for what you have. I think that all of this, meeting people, is part of the realization of the healing process. That's the first step, you feel sorry for yourself, then you experience and start to realize, then you work with the people who care about you to get through the tough times.

There's always that one thing that sets you off. It's different for everyone, and when it happens to you, it feels like the end of the world, whether it is or not. And seeing different people and seeing different situations helps you put things into perspective. To see what others go through help you see that it'll be okay, it will help you make it okay. It helps you see how different the situation can be, but how the same the pain can be.

People say it's the little things that count. But that's not true, they all count. the little things may help more, and the big things may help more, that what really makes it count. And people never seem to see the little things though. They're waiting for a big giant sign to some along to change everything, when a little thing all along could've helped, and it just need a little work put into it. The girl in this story waits a little to late to realize this, and that helps me realize that i shouldn't wait, just from a small story from a girl i don't even know.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE TEENAGE SOUL: Reading Response

I'm not really that far into "chicken soup for the teenage soul: the real deal" by Jack Canfield, Mark Hasen and Deborah Reber, but i can already say that it's different. It has many different voices, perspectives, story lines, etc. I think that there are a lot of different ideas from the actual text about friendship. But I think one of the most important one's is the format.

Having the book be like a newspaper almost is like a friendship. you can easily skip ahead in this book and completely understand. But, you could be missing out on some of the best stories and lessons that will really matter to you. Plus, you have to read some bad to know when a good one comes along. The same way in a friendship. You could easily skip ahead all the bad parts in a friendship and still be happy, but in the end, you won't have put any effort and niether would the other person, and that person won't really have touched you in your heart (vise versa). You have to work on something for it to be real and matter.

The structure also shows how complex a person can be. They're going to have some parts that you don't like and some that you love. It's not really possible to like every little thing about your friend. If you can see and realize the parts you don't like about your friend, but still love them and care, you're really a true friend.

But i think it goes even further than that. In life, all the bad moments are what really make you who you are. They help you realize for yourself whats good and bad and what you like. If you skip all those parts, how would you even have an opinion on something? Like I said before, without any bad you don't even know whats good. This book has really showed me how much one little step along the way can make a big impact on the person you are today.

WASTED-Reading Response

The book wasted by Marya Hornbacher is a memoir about the struggles of a teenage girl/young adult. Many kids struggle with the problems that Marya has (drugs, not eating, sex at a young age, etc.), or more create these issues in their lives. But, the only reason it ever gets too far is because the people who you need aren't there fully or at all. Marya had friends and family left and right there to help her with ANYTHING. But, the only people she really needed were her parents.

I believe her parents truly wanted to help her and wanted the best for her. But, that wasn't good enough. She needed her parents to reach out and grab her and never let go, no matte how many times she pushed them away. When instead, they had too many of their own problems to fully focus on Marya. Marya's mother had always had her own eating problems and fear of commitment with her dad, so she used Marya (with no intention to hurt her) to stabilize herself. And her Dad was always afraid that Marya's mom would leave him, so he often left for a period of time, then came back only to cling on to Marya. Her parents stacked their problems on her, depended on her way too much, and used her for their own good. Parents make mistakes, but when they realize it they need to fix it. I think that Marya's parents thought it was too late, even though if that person is still that person it is never too late. But then they put her in therapy and later the hospital. When all she needed was support from her parents and to talk to them and for them to understand.


Lora was a girl Marya roomed with in boarding school. But more importantly shew as a girl who risked everything to help Marya. She literally risked her whole friendship. And it did, unfortunately, end. Because like i said before, it didn't matter who tried to help Marya she never got what she needed. Because to her nothing would matter or help unless it was her mom and dad.

One of the lessons in this book is that when someone you love is hurting you need to drop everything fort them and do anything for them to get better from what ever in dragging them down. And if they need someone else who is not giving them the attention, you still need to drop everything and try to get their attention.

AM I BLUE?

                                                                   AM I BLUE?
                                             Bruce Coville

In the short story, "Am I Blue?" a boy named Vince is struggling with his identity. He is bullied by a group of kids who call him gay, and one of those kids is actually gay. But when a fairy godfather comes to the rescue, at first Vince is struggling with the idea that he might be gay and that he is hanging out with someone who is gay, but by the end he learns to accept that he needs to be himself.
I think that this story is really about how you always need to work on accepting yourself and accepting others. If you can't admit what you really feel, just to yourself even, and to the people you care about, you are never going to really be happy. Hiding in shame to be you is not okay, because you is okay, so being you is what you need to be.

In the story, Vince is not sure if he is gay and he is embarrassed. He asked hid fairy godfather, "Does this mean I'm gay?" I think that is a perfect example of what not to do. Who you are is not up to anyone, but you. No one else can tell you who you are and aren't, because its your choice. also, he says, "it won't really do me much good to be walking with a guy like you." I think that is incredibly rude and wrong. You shouldn't care what people think about you and your friends, just be happy also it is very wrong to put others down when they want trying to be themselves. But, i do get how he feels, sometimes being seen with someone you actually don't mind,puts the image down that you are trying to project. Though that wouldn't even be a problem if you are just yourself.

Vincent does change though. He Starts to realize it's actually okay to be different if that's who you are.You may be bullied now, but in the long run you will be much happier with yourself. you will truly be able to be happy no matter what anyone else thinks or says. When he says, "For the girl of my dreams...or even my price charming." i feel very proud of the fact that he is able to say that. I think the best gift in life is being happy and loved, and both of those can only happen if you love who you are and don't care what everyone else does.

                The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

In the story "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh", the main character, Joby, a 14 year old boy, ran away from home and has entered the war to become the drummer boy.  At first, Joby is really nervous and uncertain about going through with the fight, But when the general hears him crying, he goes to help Joby realize how important he really is and that he needs to stay strong.

In the passage, it says, "Nothing was as it once was", this makes me think how much things really change. Your environment, lifestyle, and people change. Also, how much things change people and other things. This war will change families, friends, and even the earth itself. there will always be memories of what it was once, but it will never be the same no matter what. No solider will ever be the same,  and no family of the solider will either. Joby is just a kid and his whole life depends on the next few days pretty much. And even before the war Joby has so much fear and regret, what happens when all this is done and all he has is nightmares of these few days left, with nothing to even look forward to, won't that be worse?

The general helps Joby move on from his feelings of fear and doubt and get to a better place. I think this relates to the part of the story that says, "the soldiers can only give as good as they get". If Joby can get to a good place emotionally, then he can give a good beat and lead a good war.

Also, when the general says, "I even did some last night" (referring to the fact that he cried), i think he means that crying helps you move on. it helps you get closure on your bad feelings and thoughts, and let go to move forward with your life. Joby needs to let go of his fears and move on to a happier time, and there will be one.  He also has to physically move on  with his life and get out and do what his country is depending on him for. 

The General helps him gain strength in his heart to go with the war, and Joby will be able to pass that around his family and friends to help them in their time of need as well. 

Summer Reading Response- Ice

The book Ice by Sarah Beth Drust, was very good, in my opinion. It was a story about a girl who lives in Antarctica, and goes on a journey to save her husband, a journey that everyone says she can't do. But, it's a fairy tale, so it's a little different than other typical love stories. Her husband is part polar bear, and her mom was captured by trolls, the same trolls that her husband is later captured by. This book was very fun to read because it was so unique, it had so much great detail and imagination.
In this whole book, i never knew what was going to happen next.

In the beginning of the book the protagonist, Cassie, rushed into something that she had no clue about. Her husband also knew her mom, and he made a deal that if he could get the trolls to free her, then Cassie would have to marry him, which she agreed to, and for a while she was very unhappy. I think that she should of really thought it through, and decided what would be best for everyone, not everyone but her. But, then again, i understand why she agreed so quickly. It's her mom, and all she ever really wanted was to have her back.

Towards the middle of the book, Cassie decided that she was going to go on a very dangerous journey to save her husband from being a slave for the trolls forever. i thought this was very brave of her, she is willing to risk her life for someone she really cares about, no matter what happened. and it is especially brave of her to disobey everyone else's thoughts and opinions, and go on this journey, with no help. But, she wasn't only risking her life, she was also risking her baby's. Just before her husband got captured she got pregnant, and this was certainly not a time for her to be traveling across Antarctica, with little gear and no help. She was pregnant, whether she liked it or not, and she has to think of what will benefit her baby during that time, and all she was thinking about was her own happiness. Even if she was doing this to save someone, it really only was because she was unhappy about being without them.

This book really made me think about how much you can change in such little time. Cassie went from hating it with her husband to risking her life for him. she went from wanting to meet her mother, to wanting to change her. she went from hating her baby to loving her. But even after all of these changes,
she was still the same person, she still had the same type of opinions, emotions, wants, and needs. To me this shows that no matter how much you change or try to change, you will really always be the same person inside, it's just who you are.

finished book list

Ice by Sara Beth Drust