Sunday, July 22, 2007

Summer Reading


Tell us the title and the author of what you read this summer for your FHS Summer Reading and Post a Review that includes the genre, the page length, the reading level (easy, average, hard), a brief summary,a quote from the book that reflects a theme or issue. what you got out of the story and if you enjoyed it or not and why. Be sure to include your first name, your last initial, your English teacher's name and your grade. See the Model Review & let your English teacher know you posted!

10 comments:

Lucas said...

"The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter"
This was a fairly good book IMO. I would say it is a medium difficulty to read but it goes by. It starts out fairly well and builds up some very interesting ideas. It has a major theme which is fresh and intriguing and that's what I really got out of the book. My main criticism is that I felt like the mental climax was about 2/3 of the way through. I could predict the rest of the book and I didn't feel like I gained anything from the last third. I might just have missed something though. Still this book is worth reading.

Lucas Van Meter
Grade 12
Ms. Childs

Lucas said...

"Persepolis 1 and 2"
I read these about a year ago but I still remember them fairly well. They are great. The story they tell is amazing and the format of a graphic novel is stupendous. The pictures add so much to it. They also go by fairy quickly, if you were wondering ;P. I strongly recommend these books even if your not reading them for school. I wouldn't call them fun exactly but you will enjoy them.

Lucas Van Meter
Grade 12
Ms. Childs

2theblackhole said...

"the bell jar"
To put it simply this book had some ups and downs. the captivating descriptions an elegant language was not only enjoyable, but also it was a learning experience. reading this book made me see areas that i could improve on my own writing. yet at the same time some the descriptions were so intense, so vivid, that they became unbearable to read. her depression and what she was experiencing hit me so hard that sometimes i set the book down to take a breather. the level of reading is fairly easy but if your looking for a warm and loving tale about a girl, this is not your book.

Kai Hayashi
Grade 12
Ms. Childs

Lucas said...

"The Bell Jar"
I will second Kai in saying that this is a well written book. It has that quality that allows you to keep reading for hours on end. It also has some of the best metaphors I have ever seen. My main problem with it was the message and how I did not connect with it at all. The story is of the bad case scenario and the only inspiration I got was, "at least I'm not that bad". Maybe many do live in lives of quite desperation and can feel for the girl but it just frustrates me. I want stories of successful rebellion and fighting back. So I don't think I would not recommend this book although if you do read it it's not a waste of time.

Unknown said...

"When The Legends Die"
I quite enjoyed this book. As for difficulty of reading, it is an average length book at about a medium difficulty. It is about an Indian boy named Thomas Black Bull whose parents die early in the book. Thomas must deal with people who want to put him on a reservation and eventually becomes a bronc rider. There was a good variety of characters. The ending to me really went well with the book. I would definitely recommend this book.

Alexander Karp
Grade 10
Ms. Childs

Anonymous said...

"Reviving Ophelia"
This is a must-read for all parents and adolescents, especially parents with teenage kids or younger (they will be teens eventually). It is an easy read and is highly relatable. The focus is on adolescent girls, so guys, idk how much you could relate but it is, none the less, interesting. The first few chapters are somewhat hard to comprehend but once you get past the first 30 pages or so, it gets better. This book takes you into the lives of several girls who struggle with different issues and what their therapy sessions were like. I loved it.

Lea Flego
Grade 12
Ms. Childs

Alexie said...

"Reviving Ophelia"
I really liked everything about this book. I could really relate to it and it helped my better understand my self, hopefully it will help me better relate to my furture daughters. The book is short storys about many different girls in differnt situations. It deals with hard desisions that adolesent girls must make. Also it talks about; bad home situations, school, eating disorders and rape.
I would advise every adolesent girl and her parents read this book. It honestly is the best book that I have yet to read in my life and may be the best I ever read.

Alexie S.
Grade 10
Ms.Childs

SJ said...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last of the series of Harry Potter books written by J.K. Rowling. It's a fantasy book filled with such wonder and amazement that in the end, filled me with incredible happiness that I felt like I could accomplish anything and make the world a better place. Equipped with the feeling of life-loving high, I was ready for school. Or so I thought up until it was a week before school would start.
The "Deathly Hallows" has 759 pages with words at an average level that strung together into something great. Although sometimes, I'll admit, the book wasn't so exciting and the climaxed seemed to have pasted already, but those who are even somewhat fond of the Harry Potter chronicles would keep reading, wondering what will be of Harry's much talked about fate. The book was quite moving and will brighten up anyone's imagination, even if they are a critic. I absolutely adored the magical feeling I got, of course that's to be expected from a book about wizards.
A theme that occurs in this, and so many other books, is determination. Harry has to fight for his life and for every other person on the face of the earth. Lord Voldemort is getting closer and closer to his goal of controlling both the wizarding world and the world of the muggles (non-magical people). Harry's only left with clues from the deceased Head Master of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore, on how to take Voldemort down for it's only Harry who can kill him (but you'd know that from the previous books). He struggles to understand the clues, but also with trying to stay alive. Death Eaters are after him for Voldemort and he faces difficulties and issues with his two best friends Ron and Hermione, making his quest even harder. After hearing a story from a friend's father, who ends up calling in some Death Eaters, something clicked in Harry's mind and he comes up with a theory. His friends disagree and from then it's even harder to get to his virtually impossible goal. If I were to say anymore, that would give away everything if it hasn't already, so as recommended by me to EVERYONE, go read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is you haven't already.

Jennie H.
Grade 10
Ms. Childs

Unknown said...

"Ender's Game"
This book, and the other books in the series for that matter (because there are a lot of them), are some of my favorite books that I have read. Difficulty-wise they aren't that hard, or long (approx. 250 - 450 pages each). The book is about a young child, Ender Wiggin, who was the third-born of the family in a time when having a third children was illegal except when the family was asked to. Ender turns out to be a very smart and strategical person as he goes through something called Battle School which prepares young prospects for high-ranking militial positions. The story flows very nicely, but the ending was sort of unexpected. Overall, this is a very good book, and I would definitely recommend it.

Alexander Karp
Grade 10
Ms. Childs

Unknown said...

"Ender's Shadow"
Another of the books in the Ender's series. This one however, is not part of the original series, but a side series. If you've already met Bean from Ender's Game, then you'll know whom I'm talking of. If not, well then you'll just have to read the first book and find out. This book is about his adventures, and is in parallel time to what is happening in Ender's Game. The book clears up a lot of fuzzy things that happened in the first book as well. Difficulty wise, same as the first book, not too hard. This book is definitely worth reading if you've already read the first book.

Alexander Karp
Grade 10
Ms. Childs