40 Book Challenge 1/26/15

Zebra Forest

by Adina Rishe Gewirtz 

Prompt: List the personality characteristics of the main characters (feelings, interests, behaviors, etc.)

Pages: FINISHED BOOK

WARNING! THERE IS SPOILERS IN SOME PARTS

     In Zebra Forest the main characters are Annie, Rew, and Andrew Snow. The point of view in the book is from Annie's perspective. She loves to read books to her little brother Rew and she mostly loves to hang out in the Zebra Forest and just relax. In the story Annie is kept hostage from her dad, at first her feelings are "Who does this man think he is? What a horrible person." Then throughout the book her feelings change because of how her dad changes also into a nicer and caring man. She starts actually liking that he is here with them, even if she is kept hostage. When she is sent to go get food she must not speak to anyone that she and her family is being kept hostage, unlike Rew who would tell the police right away Annie doesn't want her dad to get caught. She doesn't "snitch" at all on her dad when their counselor comes to check on them and when she goes to get groceries, she is more of the modest type when it came to these parts in the story.

     Another main character is Rew (Andrew Snow III), he is the younger brother of Annie. He loves pirate stories, playing chess, and like Annie loves to hang out in the Zebra Forest. Throughout the story he has many feelings. When they are kept hostage he hates the man, even though it is their father. He despises him for keeping his own children and mother hostage. He tries to get out of the house, one time he gave Annie a letter to put in the mail to send to the police, but Annie didn't mail it. He also ran out of the house when the door was open, he just ran for his life but then came back because Grandma got hurt from running to get him in the storm. In the story he also was very upset with Annie because she didn't want to mail the letter, so he ripped their favorite book to pieces and didn't talk to her for a while. He was very stubborn throughout the story.

     Another main character is Andrew Snow, he is the father of Rew and Annie. The first couple of days he was really rude and kinda aggressive while he was keeping them hostage. At first he would like yank them by the shirt and push them when they would get near the door. Later in the book he started to get kinder by letting Annie go out to get them better food and cleaning supplies. He started to make them three meals a day that provided all the main food groups. Towards the end of the book he started to actually love his children, so he went back to the prison to fill his time so then he could come back with his children.

I commented on Jared, Justin, and Mia's Blog.

40 Book Challenge 1/20/15

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

Prompt:
-Describe the most important event. Give some reasons why you think it is the most important event.
-Describe the setting – when and where what you are reading takes place.
Pages: 0-158

     The most important event in Zebra Forest is when a man comes to their door step and keeps Annie, Rew, and grandma hostage. This is the most important event because this is when everything starts to happen, and they figure out who this man is. This man's name is Andrew Snow. He is the father of Annie and Rew, and the son of Grandma.

     This is really important because in the book it states that grandma told Annie and Rew that their father (Andrew Snow) was "killed in a fight with an angry man" (6). Grandma was a really good liar, and this was the biggest lie yet. Andrew was actually the "angry man" and he actually killed someone and was sent to jail. He then came to the doorstep of a house with no other houses near it and kept his own children and mother hostage. He did that because he escaped the prison, and their house was near the prison. This is really important event, thats what I think since they actually found out their father wasn't dead.

      The setting of Zebra Forest is the house that is located outside of the city and it is surrounded by large trees that are black and white that resemble a zebra. There are no other houses for miles they take the bus to go to the city. The only thing near their house was the prison were Andrew escaped from. The story takes place mostly in the small house, where they are kept hostage.

I commented on Siari, Devin, Diana, and Lillian's blog.

40 Book Challenge 1/12/15

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Prompt:
-Are the characters realistic (do they seem like they could be real people)? Why or why not?
-How did the reading make you feel? Why?
Pages: 158-FINISHED BOOK

     The characters in The Maze Runner are very realistic to me in many ways. One main reason on why I think they are really realistic characters is they all have emotions and thoughts they convey in every chapter, page, sentence, word. They have emotions that's how authors build likable and the ones you don't really like. It is a very important element in a story.

      In this story Thomas' emotions and thoughts are everywhere (not literally). This builds his personality and choices he makes. Another character that showed great emotions and thoughts was Chuck. His thoughts towards Thomas saved Thomas' life, sadly he couldn't save himself... Chuck was Thomas' best friend, and since Thomas' actions really showed Chuck they were really good friends. Thomas, showed his emotions a lot when Chuck died. Thomas promised Chuck that he would return Chuck to his parents, and Chuck then felt very big of him and scarified himself.

     This reading made me feel very gloomy. When Chuck died I literally felt like crying too. Gally killed him, instead of killing Thomas. Thomas held Chuck as he was dying, Thomas was crying. It was a very emotional part in the story, you get attached to the characters. Everyone was sad, but they had to leave right away, Thomas didn't want to leave Chuck there...dead...

     The story did make me happy at one point. When they finally escaped the Maze. I really didn't think they would of made it out. They all made it out, until Gally followed them and tried to kill Thomas, but killed Chuck instead. Also, when they had people join them to live, it took a lot of effort and was very exciting.

Life Refection 01/09/15

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

     The last time I did something for the first time I took care of my cousins dog over Winter Break. Over Winter Break my cousin, Alex, and his family went to New Mexico this year to visit their dad's side of the family because their grandpa was getting very sick and old. I felt really bad, so what I did was I told their family that I would take care of their dog, Toby. Since I also had a dog I thought it would be pretty easy, but I was very wrong. Since this the first time I took care of their dog I didn't know how Toby would behave. 

     What I do for my dog everyday is whatever time I wake up (it could be at 8 am or 12 pm) I would feed my dog and take him outside to use the bathroom, but since it was very cold outside I would just let him use the bathroom on the mats we got for him. When they were well used I would pick them up and throw new ones for him to use. Then I did that again at 3 pm.Before I went to bed I would give him a treat and that's what I did for my dog.

     My cousin's dog was a whole different story... My dog did the usual routine, but Toby was out of control. If I didn't wake up at exactly 8:30 and feed Toby he wouldn't eat. Then when I would take him outside he would scratch on the door the whole time until I let him in, he never did his business. That was only the morning problem...

     As the day went by Toby would pee whenever he was excited, and he was always excited, he would never calm down like my dog (probably because my dog is older than Toby). We would always have to keep an eye on him. He would throw up a lot too, and we didn't know why. He gets really crazy and hyper a lot and he never sits still.

     Toby would always bother my dog, Husky, and Husky hated him. Toby would take Husky's toys and Husky would be like "Whatever" and slowly walked away. Toby would also eat Husky's food but Husky didn't seem to care at all. The worst thing was Toby followed Husky everywhere. Husky would be sitting down and Toby would be right by his nose just how Husky was sitting down, Husky growled and growled but Toby didn't move at all, one time Husky actually jumped towards Toby. Sometimes it would look like Toby was Husky's Mirror and he wouldn't get out of his face. Husky just really hated Toby.

     I don't know how my cousin's family could handle Toby, but I did it. At the end when they came back from New Mexico I was glad to see them, and kinda glad to see Toby leave! After all of that I got $40!

40 Book Challenge 12/15/14

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Prompt:
-Describe the setting – when and where what you are reading takes place

-Which character do you like best? Why?  Which character do you like least? Why?

Pages: 40-158

     The book The Maze Runner, takes place in a maze. They are in the middle of the maze and trying to escape it. The middle part in which they are in is the size of several football fields surrounded by big walls of stone. It is called the Glade. On the north east side is the Gardens, the gardens consist of the crops are grown and the water is pumped, it never rains in the Glade. Then there is the Homestead on the north west side, that is were the boys sleep. Behind the Homestead is the Slammer, it is a place like a jail. Then on the south east side is the Bloodhouse, there is where the livestock is raised and slaughtered. Finally, on the south west side is the Deadheads where there is a thick forest with a graveyard. In the center of the Glade is a metal elevator and the Gladers call it "The Box."Supplies and newbies come through there.

    The character I like best is Minho.I really like him because he is a Runner. The Runners are the only Gladers that are allowed in the Maze, they are really cool to me. He is really fast and noble to Thomas. In the book it states, "... he stayed strong while I turned into a panty-wearin' chicken... I nominate this shank to replace me as Keeper of the Runners." That shows that he has courage to give Thomas his job because what Thomas showed on that night with Minho. Minho respected people, like Thomas.


    My least favorite character is Gally. He is basically the bully of the Glade. He is just jealous of Thomas and the leaders. He is very stubborn and just hates anyone who is better than him. In the book he says, "I think it was all an act. How could he have done what he did out there after just a few days? I ain't buying it. I think he's a spy from the Creators." Basically Gally is just blaming him just because he doesn't like Thomas, he wants him in the slammer for a month. I really do not like Gally, he is one of the Keepers, but he is a negative and horrible one.

40 Book Challenge 12/08/14

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Prompt:Who are the characters? Describe who they are, what they look like and how they are connected.

Pages: 0-40

     Some characters in The Maze Runner are Thomas, Gally, and Newt. Thomas is the main character, and is the newbie in this suspicious location called the Glade. All he knows about him is his name, just like every other boy in the Glade. Thomas is about 16 years old, and in the story he is described as the protagonist of the story. He is not to tall or to short, has dark brown hair and is muscular. Thomas is brave, loyal, and clever. Thomas' good friend is Chuck, his enemy is Gally. When he arrives to the Glade he notices that he remembers something about the Glade...


   Another character is Gally. He is known as the nemesis of Thomas, as they liked to call him that in the book. He is connected to Thomas because Gally states, "I know you, I saw you in the Changing and I'm gonna figure out who you are..." Gally actually bullies him on the day Thomas arrives, not knowing what to do. The physical appearance of Gally is he is a black-haired guy who was about fifteen and tall and a bit skinny. He also had a small nose, that resembles a deformed potato. He thinks he is the leader of the Glade, even though he is just the guy that picks on the newbie.

     Another character is Newt, he is the second in command in the Glade (after Alby). Very sarcastically and very direct he becomes Thomas' friend and spends time explaining the way the Glade and Maze work. His physical appearance is he is very tall and muscular boy with long blonde hair. He is an overall average joe, he is a nice guy.

40 Book Challenge 12/01/14

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Prompt: 

-Write a summary on the book.

-List the personality/characteristics of the main character (feelings, interests, behaviors, etc.)

Pages: FINISHED BOOK

*WARNING SPOILER IN PARAGRAPH 3*

     The main character, Brian Robeson was on his way to visit his dad, but the the pilot had a heart attack while flying the plane! The pilot died, and the plane collided into the Canadian forest and Brian was all ALONE. He was there in the forest with a Windbreaker and a Hatchet nothing else. One thing that was killing him was the divorce between his mom and dad, it was the Secret, he was filled with anguish because of what happened between his parents. He must find a way to survive alone, he does not know how much time he has...

    Brian at first tends to be very, babyish and weak and scared. The way he reacted at first with landing. His behavior was "I'm done, I'm going to die."Very negative based on what had happened, he didn't think of later, what to do to live and survive. He would just give up and lie on the ground crying. I know I'm kind of sounding harsh but he was just doing nothing to help himself. It states in the book, "He was there lying in the soft, moist sand being eaten alive by mosquitoes. He then fi
nally cried himself to sleep."

     Like every character in a book Brian developed. Towards the end of the book he developed a mind that helped him live in this harsh environment by himself. He also had background information on the forest and how to survive. In the book it kept going back to how before all this happened he would watch nature shoes and read books about nature. It's good to have some background knowledge. He stayed positive. When you stay positive, positive things will come to you. He then found eggs to eat, he got lots of fish, and he then got rescued just by surviving and staying positive. All you need to survive is to be positive and knowledge, oh and a hatchet!

I commented on Siaris, Lillian, and Mia's Blog.