Blog Post on Independent Reading Book

"Between the Lines" by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Vanleer

The book “Between the Lines” by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Vanleer is about a girl who spends a lot of time reading books and studying in the library. Her name is Delilah, and she finds an unusual book in her school library. The book is so unusual it’s magical, the characters are real and live inside the book. They play the story when someone reads it, but when the book is closed, they live and talk, like they are real, and as if the story doesn’t exist. Delilah is the only  person who has noticed the characters in the book, and she connects with the main character in the fairytale she is reading, Oliver.

The Social Action Reading Inquiry Question number 1: What really difficult/ complex things are happening in the text? “Social Action Lens.” There is a social hierarchy, or stereotypes. Delilah is considered a “nerd” in her school. Only because she spends all her time in the library, at home, or with her only friend Jules who is a “punk” which is only one up on the pyramid from a nerd. In the high school Delilah goes to, you have to have a lot of friends, or know the right people to be up near the top. She isn’t considered popular by the other girls who are popular. And if they give you that label, you are not worth much there. These stereotypes are more complex, and go even deeper in the book, and in real life.

Within this label, the girls also think, Delilah won’t find love in high school, or ever. Which isn’t true. She connects with Oliver. It may not be love right away, but they have a special connect. And Delilah, proves that even if you are given a label, it doesn’t what they say, it doesn’t mean you are that, or you are going to become what they say. In addition, in the book there are more complex things happening. There is the idea of a book inside a book, and there are three different perspectives. There is Delilah, Oliver, and then every few chapters there is a chapter on Oliver’s story, from third person.

In conclusion, labels, stereotypes, and social hierarchy, are happening in this book. And just because, people say you fall in to this group/ stereotype, doesn’t mean you are what they say or think you are. It is a big problem in real life too, not just in the book. Clearly, you don’t need to be apart of the hierarchy, and you definitely don’t need to listen to what other people say about you, or think of you. You just need to find someone special who understands you and connects with you, like Delilah with Oliver.

Blog Post on Independent Reading Book

"Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" by Maria Semple

The book Where’d You Go Bernadette? is about a family, Bee, her mother, and her father. They are a close family with special traditions. They are honest, and loyal to each other. Bee is incredibly smart, and receives a perfect report card. Her family is struggling with a health finical bill, that they receive because Bernadette, Bee’s mother, ran over another parent’s foot, after picking up Bee at school. There is a lot we don’t know about Bernadette. The book takes place in her perspective most of the time, and her emailing back and fourth with people, heeling her out with her personal or financial problems. The book has a interesting way of starting, it starts with Bee’s report card.

I think the author started the book this way, to suck you right in. Instead of giving background information, it started right away with the conflict. Bee had a flawless report card, and suggest that for her good grades, they go on a family trip to Antarctica. This suggested along with a few other things, cause Bernadette to panic about the trip. She doesn’t like traveling much, but wants Bee to be happy, so she throws herself into preparations. There are money problems too, it costs a lot to go to Antarctica, because you have to travel by boat, and Bernadette doesn’t like to travel. Bernadette throws her self into preparations to distract her self from the fact that she is living a life she didn’t want. For example, the blurb stated an important fact about the Bernadette, “Bernadette throws herself into preparations for the trip. Worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Bernadette is on a brink of a melt down.” Bernadette is struggling with many things, that all get revealed through the beginning with the report card.

Another conflict that gets released with Bee’s pristine report card is her going to a private school. The private school her mother attended. “Dear Bee, After a careful review of an outstanding group of Early Decision applicants, it is our great pleasure to offer you admission to Choate Rosemary,” the letter Bruce Jessup, the dean of admissions at Choate wrote to Bee. Bee is thrilled to get this letter. But the problem, is the letter that her parents receive. “Dear Mr. and Mrs. Branch, Congratulations on Bee’s  acceptance to Choate Rosemary. As you know better than anyone, Bee is an extraordinary young women… This year, Choate Rosemary will accept one in ten applicants…Boarding tuition is $47,260. To guarantee Bee’s place, please submit the enrollment contract and deposits by January 3rd… Sincerely, Hillary Loundes,” director of studies at Choate. All these problems are building up to Bernadette’s break down, and are all caused by Bee’s perfect report card introduced on the first page of the book.

In this book the author doesn’t include much of the father or Bee’s perspective. I think she does that on purpose to create a little mystery between the honest family. They don’t really know what happened to cause Bernadette’s meltdown. In addition, when it is the mother, Bernadette’s perspective, there is usually the equal amount of the daughters, since most authors like to include that mother daughter connection. Clearly, the author started with the report card on purpose, to start off the conflict right away.

Argument Essay on YA Books

 Should Access to YA Fiction Be Limited in Anyway?

 Reading is a very important part of a child's education and growing up and maturing, but are the things written in books a bad influence? The discussion about YA books is a common topic between parents, schools, teachers, and students. YA fiction has become more dark and gruesome in the past forty years. Children shouldn’t have access to these unrelenting books unless there is are age ratings put on these stories. The age ratings would be there to let parents, teachers, and students how ghastly the contents are.

For the past forty years YA books have been written out to be more gloomy and dark by authors compared to other YA authors in the past. For example, Meghan Cox Gurdon [Darkness Too Visible] stated, “the real Judy Blume won millions of readers with the darling novels- such as 1970’s Are you There God it's Me, Margaret which deals with female puberty, 1971’s Then Again, Maybe I Won’t, which addresses puberty from a boys perspective, and 1975’s Forever, in which teenagers lose their virginity in scene of earnest practicality.” To readers and people of Blume’s generation, they might think it’s grotesque, from their time, but now there is more access to bad things and in this generation, the YA books take it to the next level. “By contrast, the latest novel by “this generation’s Judy Blume,” otherwise known as Lauren Myracle, takes place in a small southern town in the aftermath of an assault on a gay teenager...The protagonist of Shine, a 16 year-old girl and one a close friend of the victim, is herself yet to recover from a sexual assault in 8th grade.” Clearly a great deal of change has happened in 40 years, and it shows in YA books. Not all readers (of any age) aspire to read these kinds of things. That is why age ratings should be there, it would give you, parents and schools a forewarning, telling you it is targeted at 17 year-olds, and if you aren’t 17 and it might be too advanced-- then don’t read it!

With all the appalling things happening to teens in YA fiction, there should be age ratings on books to target a certain age. “In it’s latest iteration, the debates [on age ratings for YA fiction] is being played out across the pond in the U.K., where bestselling children's authors GP Taylor’s proposal to establish an age rating system for YA literature,” Husna Haq [Should young adult books have age ratings] stated. Another place this proposal (of age ratings) is being supported, in Washington D.C. “In an effort to keep the most grueling material out of the hands of young readers, Ms. Stoddard and her colleagues at Politics & Prose, an independent Washington D.C. bookstore, created a special “PG-15” nook for older teens.” This way certain teens know if they can grasp and handle “age 15” content from this special nook in the store. Clearly, other places in the world should be doing this for other teens, because it can be effective for many people, and help resolve problems between parents, and teachers, and kids about what they read, especially since the content has been changing over the last forty years.

Although it is useful for young readers to learn about other teens lives, kids should have the privilege to read anything, should they want too. Just because they read these things in books, doesn’t mean they are going to want to do the same things. “Reading about homicide doesn’t turn a man into a murderer, reading about cheating on an exam won’t make a kid break the honor code,” Gurdon stated [in the article “Has young adult fiction become too dark,” by Mary Elizabeth Williams.] Also, sooner or later “Teenagers [are going to] look at the internet, they look at the news, the look at pornography on the internet, they look at violent movies on the internet,” Haq stated. So why bother shielding your kids from the horrendous content of these books, because sooner or later they are going to find out grosser things from the internet. Just because they read a bad thing that happens to a character in a book doesn’t mean the book is a bad influence. Lastly, even if (and when) they read these things, it doesn’t turn them into a bad person, or make want them to do the same things, clearly it may not be a have a bad affect on them after all.

The access to YA books should be limited to kids unless there are age ratings. These books have changed a lot in the past 40 years. Do you want your 11 year-old to be reading about crystal meth and oral sex? As parents you may not want them reading that, and some kids don’t either. Therefore, there should be age ratings to warn readers if its too advanced or too immature. People in others places think age ratings are a good idea or a “PG15” are is useful for all readers and their families. In conclusion, age ratings should wanted to be used more because of all the revolting things that young adults do in YA fiction, and they could be helpful for all parents, teachers, authors, and readers all over the world.

Blog Post on Independent Reading Book

"Counting  by 7s," by Holly Goldberg Sloan

The book Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan is about an abnormal girl, Willow Chance, who has a series of events that snowball into bigger things, and gets put in positions she doesn’t want to be. Her mother was very sick and never had a chance to tell her, and then both her parents died in a car crash on the way to a doctors appointment. Her parents never got to see Willow ever again. Before the accident Willow and her family were considered the “weirdos” on the block. Willow was the odd ball in school, it is because people didn’t know her. She loved to garden. She was really good at gardening,she had a good eye for things in the garden that needs fixing. Willow had a beautiful garden, she grew everything you could think of. Willow is a special girl even if she is a “weirdo” she has special qualities, and quirky things she does, and I think one of those things is an important symbol to the book and to Willow.

The number 7 is important to Willow, not just because it is in the title of the book, it is also a symbol. Willow was adopted and to her life with her family the number 7 is important. For example, her “mother tried for 7 years to get pregnant,” before they adopted Willow. On the 7th of July (7/7) they drove to the hospital to pick up Willow. In addition, they drove 257 [2+5=7, as Willow likes to think of it.] The day they drove home with Willow her mother cried until exit 17B [Willow tries to look for something that might be sentimental with the number 7.] The number 7 for Willow seems to be her lucky number, and has emotional value to her and her families history.

For Willow the number 7 is a thing she can think about to calm herself. For example, when she can’t sleep she counts by 7. “When I can’t sleep I list the multiples of 7’s as high as I can go until I fall asleep, 7,14,21,28 so on and so forth.” If she ever wants to forget something she counts by 7s. When she is worried or she wants to feel alone, she counts by 7s.

When Willows parents die she “stopped counting by 7s.” I think this is because the number 7 was a number that was nostalgic to her family, but when her parents die it is just her. And it is hard for her to continue using a number so important to her family if they are no longer together. In addition I think Willow was in a lot of shock. She was an only child with two parents who were devoted to her, Willow brighten up their lives up a lot. It is an important symbol to Willow and her family it shows how faithful she her family was together.

I think Willow misses them, which is why she stops counting by 7s. She doesn’t want to bring the sadness up to the surface, even though if it will always be there. The symbol being in the title makes it all the more important to the plot and the characters. Everybody should find a thing that helps them feel calm and at peace like Willow.

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis

 "Has young adult fiction become too dark?" by Mary Elizabeth Williams

In “Has young adult fiction become too dark” by Mary Elizabeth Williams is trying to convey the message that YA literature has too much sex and violence, and that kids need to be protected from this. With all the advanced content, it is causing the young readers to grow up too fast, and making them speed through life. For example, the books “Go Ask Alice” and “I Am the Cheese” are “unfavorably contrast bestselling author (and darling of the ALA’s challenged book list) Lauren Myracle, and her themes of homophobia, booze and crystal meth to the glory era of Judy Blume." Those books are examples of of what types of content children should be shield from. In addition Williams also, makes a connection with her as a parent and how hard it is to find a book for both her teenage kids. “YA section of your local bookstore can be pretty damn grim place, rife with everything from angst vampires to sex to bullying,” Williams stated. Clearly Williams wants to protect her kids, and wants other adults to feel the same way about YA fiction.

Williams goal is to convince parents to screen kids from reading the gruesome things happening in YA books, in order to yield them wanting to try all the horrible things at too young an age. For example, she said she takes her kids the library every week, and stated, “I’ve yet to refuse them anything. Frankly, as a parent I’ve always been a much bigger hardass about their exposure to Disney princess-to-sassymouthed teen juggernaut than anything involving abuse or a dystopian future.” She speaks as a parent, to other parents by stating, “ It’s our job as parents to protect our kids, even as they slowly move out into the worlds and further away from our dictates.” She is against what Gurdon has to say on the topic of YA books. She agrees that they have become more dark, but Williams thinks some content should be kept from them so they don’t go through life too fast. Williams doesn’t include a very important person’s point of view.  In other words, Williams believes in preserving children as long as they can, and preventing them from these books, may help preserve their long lasting childhood. Williams doesn’t include the young readers who actually read these horrible, dark books. This weakens her opinion, though it helps appeal to parents and try to persuade them.

I agree with Williams, though I am not a parent, and I think we should be allowed to read these books. If a child thinks they are ready to read this, they should. If they think the content is too rough for them too read, then they shouldn’t read it. As a young reader, I can decide for myself if a book’s content is too ugly and gross. But through a parent’s point of view, I think they would strongly agree with Williams, and try to shield their kids from these books.

Blog Post on YA Book

"The Geography of You and Me," by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me, by Jennifer E. Smith, is young adult classic love story. Lucy and Owen meet each other on the night of a New York City black out. They enjoy the time they have spend together. But, when the power returns to the city, they realize their time together is no longer there. Lucy is moving to Europe with her parents, and Own heads out west with his dad in search for college. Even though they are apart they find ways to stay connected, and I think they are important symbols, and help move the story along. 

One important symbol is the stars in the sky, because they symbolize the first night they spend together on the roof during the blackout. For example, “Like, Orion's belt?” Owen asked Lucy. Lucy knows a lot about the constellations, so Owen was asking her about all the ones they could see. On the roof together they have a picnic and they stargaze for hours. Another example, when they have to part ways, Lucy goes to the roof before she leaves. Up there on the roof at night, “high above the buildings. The stars, every single one of them, had disappeared. Just like their time together.” I think the stars is an important symbol between Owen and Lucy’s relationship. 

Another symbol I think is important are postcards. The postcards help keep Lucy and Owen connected while they are thousands of miles apart. For example, on their first night, with the blackout Lucy shows Owen her apartment she grew up in. One thing Owen notices are the postcards on her refrigerator, from her parents. When they go to different parts of the world they decide to send each other postcards as a little “remember me, inside joke.” But neither of them knew the other was going to send one. For example, “The River Thames woven through it like a gray ribbon, and there written at the top were: Wish You Were Here.” She thinks of Owen and sends it to him. “Inside a crowded shop, Owen sees an enormous rack rack of postcards with the words: Wish You Were Here.” He thinks of Lucy and sends it to her. This symbol is important  to help keep the two people connected and way to keep the reader connected to the book. 

I think both of these symbols are important because they help the reader stay connected to the characters more. In addition it helps the reader keep up with the character’s complicated relationship. I also think the symbols don’t just move the story along but they symbolize Lucy and Owen’s relationship. For example, the stars are far apart just like they are, yet you can see them anywhere no matter where you are. And the postcards help them stay closer together.

My Synthesis Page For my YA Book

Argument Essay

"Is China a Threat to the U.S.?" The New York Times Upfront

China's economy and population is growing faster than the U.S. Many people think that China might be a threat to the U.S., because they are gaining power with their economic growth, could they? But this may not be the case. China's quick growth in economics, may be larger than the U.S., but isn't a threat. 

The U.S. and China's economy are very different. We excel in different categories in economy. For example, The World Fact Book 2013 (C.I.A.) states, for population China has 1.4 billion people, and the U.S. is 313 million people. Active Military Personnel, China has 2.3, and the U.S. is 1.5 million. While Chine has 13 million  GDP (or gross domestic products) the U.S. makes 17 trillion. The U.S. has 13,683 military and China only has 2,788. The economies are run the same way with people working, working minimum wage, but the numbers are different with different things, and they might not be good or bad things. 

Seemingly people think China's a threat. But really we have nothing to be afraid of. "The goal of China's leaders is to raise its per capita GDP- currently it's just $9,100 to the level of the a middle income European country by 2049," J. Stapleton Roy, U.S. Ambassador to China (1991-95). The theory that they would gain power is soon is not very likely. If China were to try and strike because they think they have more power over any other country, would be unlikely. The 14 states that it boarders have nuclear power. "The U.S. will remain a super power country for a long time to come," Roy said.  If anything does happen with China against to U.S., the U.S. has more allies in the world than other county, so we are safe. 

On the other hand, many people do think China is a big threat to the U.S. The rise of China's economy and population can be considered a threat to the U.S. and many other countries over land and power. For example, Patrick J. Buchanan, Former White House Senior Staffer and Presidential Candidate said, "China's long term goal, is to drive the U.S. power out of the western Pacific." Essentially, the U.S. has helped Beijing's economic growth so much. "For the past 25 years, U.S. companies have been moving manufacturing and jobs to China," Buchanan said. The U.S. buys more from China than China buys from the U.S. Thats when China thinks they have more power over others. 

Could China's growing economy be a threat to the U.S.? No I do no think they are a threat. Many people think they are because they are "power hungry." I wouldn't say either country is a threat to each other. And China isn't a threat to the U.S. Even though China's economy is growing fast, it's so far not been a threat to the U.S. and isn't going to be a threat is the U.S. or any other county. 

Reading Response for Faithful Elephants

"Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War," By Yukio Tsuchiya Response

It’s hard to let go of something you love, is an important life message Yukio Tsuchiya is trying to convey in the short story “Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People and War.”  

Faithful Elephants is a story about three elephants, John, Tonky, and Wanly in the Ueno Zoo in Japan. The story takes place at the time of World War II. “Bombs were dropped on Tokyo everyday and night, like falling rain.” They had killed all the animals slowly because the thought if a bomb dropped on the zoo it was a dangerous threat to the people of Japan. Having bombs drop on the zoo, would mean cages would break and there would be poisonous animals running around Tokyo. Day by day they killed the animals until just the three elephants were left. They killed John by starving him and it was over fast. But Tonky and Wanly were also starved but the zoo keeper loved them very much. And for him it was hard to see them starving to death. So he gave in and fed them. But eventually they died just like John. The war caused the animals to die, when they shouldn’t have. 

This message: It’s hard to let go of something you love, is really shown in the story about animals. The part of the message that says: its hard to let go, relates to the story because at first when the zoo keeper sees the elephants suffering he gives them food because he doesn’t want them to die. He gives them food when he wasn’t supposed to because he loves them too much. “‘Oh, Tonky! Oh, Wanly!…. Eat your food! Please drink. Drink your water!’” He loves them too much to lose them. It is really hard to let go, and the zoo keeper had to learn that the hard way with Tonky and Wanly. 

Everyone misses them because they loved them. They care a lot about the animals that died in World War II, because there is a sacred place for the animals. People go there to remember the animals in a safe peaceful place. And the story helps convey the message really well, the zoo keeper has a lot of difficulty letting go. But, in the end he does, and he misses them but he is ok in the end, because they have a secure place where they can be remembered. 

Summer Reading Response

“It’s not Summer Without You” By Jenny Han

“It’s not Summer Without You,” by Jenny Han, part of the ‘Summer Series’ is about two families whose mothers’ are best friends. They grew up together during summer, in Cousins, one of the families house’s, Susannah’s. Susannah, has two boys Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. Isabel (a.k.a. Belly) Conklin is the main character. Her mother is Laurel Conklin and she has an older brother Steven. In the “Summer I turned Pretty” which is the first book, she confesses her feelings about Conrad who is the same age a Steven, when Jeremiah who is a year older than Belly. Susannah’s boys have both been in love with Belly, and they are scared to admit their feelings for her. And Belly feels the same way for both of them.  And Susannah told Belly, “she was destine to be with one her boys.” But in “It’s not Summer Without You,” an event happens that changes all of their lives. Susannah passes away from cancer. Both families are devastated, and their lives will never be the same, and that also goes for Belly’s love life too. 

Both families have been like one for a long time. Now that one of the members is gone, it hurts them all and changes their lives. Belly and her mom were especially close, including her own sons. But Belly has a hard time dealing with it. When summer comes around, they don’t want to go back to the summer house. It was their place when they were all together, and without Susannah there it feels weird for them to go back. In the winter Belly runs away to the house to see it. And once she gets there she doesn’t want to leave, because there she feels closest to Susannah. Towards the end the book, Susannah’s husband wants to sell the house. But all the kids go there together and try to save the house for Susannah. In the end they save the house. Belly has been putting of her feelings for both of them when Susannah passes away. She needs to be there for the boys in a way a sister would be rather than a girlfriend. Jeremiah especially since he was always a mommy’s boy, and Conrad was more of a try to be tough and cool guy, when he really did care about all of them. Even if he didn’t always show it. 

Reading this, made me think about losing someone close to me would feel like. If I lost my mom or dad, sister, anyone close like family, it would change my life forever, especially if I were really close to them. People die, and people have to deal with it in their own way. My way to deal with it would be a lot like Belly’s. For a while Belly was in denial that it happened. All of them were. It’s a huge shock when you hear the news. Going to school or work and moving on is hard. At first it feels like you can’t go on, but eventually you have to. Moving on doesn’t mean you forget  about them. There will always be a special place for them in your heart. I think Belly’s way of dealing with Susannah passing away if how many people deal with death at one point in grieving. “It’s not Summer Without You,” is a great Y.A. about love lives and dealing with loss.