Thanks for Nothing

I just finished a book called Thanks for Nothing, by Laura Dower. This book made me feel that it is very hard to have two things that you want to do and you can't make a decision between two of them. This is just like when my mom said that I can only buy one thing from the store, when I really wanted two things, it was so hard to decide which one I was going to buy, so I just chose one randomly, and that worked out pretty well. That connection made me understand more of how it felt being stuck between two decisions you both wanted to take.

Madison, the main character of the book got very paranoid because her grandma can't come for Thanksgiving because she had a hip problem, and her dad just had a divorce with Madison's mom. Madison was really sad until she volunteered at the Far Hills Clinic, were she helped different kind of animals. She then had to decide between, spending Thanksgiving with her mom, or her dad and Stephanie, her dad's girlfriend. Madison wanted to spend Thanksgiving with her dad and Stephanie, but she didn't want to make her mom sad, but after her dad said that he was going to spend Thanksgiving in Texas with Stephanie's family, and wanted Madison to join them, Madison chose to stay with her mom. Madison thought that Thanksgiving with her mom will be really boring, but after all it turned out well, and Madison didn't regret her choice.

The problem of the story is that Madison doesn't know who to spend Thanksgiving with, it was either with her dad and Stephanie, or her mom. She wants to spend Thanksgiving with her dad and Stephanie, but she didn't want to make her mom unhappy, but then she found out that her dad was going to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with Stephanie's family, so she decided to spend Thanksgiving with her mom, and that worked out really well. If I could change the book, I will make Madison's dad come back to the family, so that they can have a happy Thanksgiving together again. I think the author is trying to tell us that, everything has a good side and a bad side, so we should all look at the good side and forget about the bad.

Sign of the Beaver

Matt was left alone by himself, in the little cabin, he was very lonely after his dad left to take his family to the forest, his dad said it was going take 6 weeks, he was sad and lonely met a Indian boy named Attean. Matt made a deal with Attean's grandfather, that Attean will bring food for Matt, and Matt will teach Attean how to read. After a little while of teaching, Attean started to take Matt hunting. In the middle of the book, Attean and his grandfather invited Matt to have a feast in the Indian Village. When winter was about to come, Attean asked Matt to become his brother and live together with the Indian's, but Matt said that he was going to stay to wait for his family. This story happened in the middle to late 1700's. This book is talking about meeting of two different cultures, and how friendship work.

The Whipping Boy

Prince Brat and his whipping boy Jemmy ran away from the castle together, and went in to the forest. While running away, they got kidnapped by Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy. This story happened about in two weeks time. The last part of the book is when Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy comes to the sewer, to catch Jemmy and Prince Brat. Jemmy and Prince Brat worked together opening the cage full of rats, and the rats went casing after Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy. People can change, like Jemmy and Prince Brat, from two enemies to two good friends.

Chinese Cinderella

I just finished a book called Chinese Cinderella written by Adeline Yen Mah. This book is a non-fiction book, it is mainly talking about a herself, when she was young, and her miserable childhood, not even her family cared about her, because after her mom gave birth to Adeline, her mom died, so now the whole family is blaming on Adeline. Every time when my mom gets mad at me, or tell me what I did wrong, I always think she is so mean even though I know that she is correcting me and telling me what is right to do, and I always think how nice other parents are, but now I realize that it will feel terrible not having a parent telling you what you did wrong, and tell you what is right, now I feel that my mom is getting less angry at me, because now I don't do such things that make her mad, and now I don't really think she is mean anymore. I think this book is really good because I can make lots of connections to my life, and it tells you how harsh and miserable life is without parents, and no one that loves you.

Adeline is an intelligent girl and she studies very hard and never gives up, she didn't change during the story, even though she was so unwanted and being treated so badly by her stepmother, father, brothers and sisters, she still tried to be nice to them, she was always the top student in class, but no one was ever proud of her except for Aunt Baba. Aunt Baba is loving and caring, and she was Adeline's mother's best friend, she was told to take care of Adeline. Aunt Baba always helped to comfort Adeline when she was sad, and loved her very much. Aunt Baba moved away when Adeline got sent to Shanghai to go to school, and she didn't see Adeline for a long time, but they always wrote letters to each other. Adeline's brother's were always teasing and being mean to her, but sometimes they pretend to be nice, and they will play a prank on her, that is the worst part, because so of those pranks are really weird.

Since this is a non-fiction book, it is a true story, so I can't change it, but I think the ending should be more interesting, and something that will surprise and attract the readers, so then they will think her books are really good and by more of her books. I think the author is trying to tell us, since we have parents that love us so much we should appreciate it, and we should be thankful for what we have.

Buried Alive!

I have just completed the book Buried Alive by Jacqueline Wilson. I borrowed this book because the title is very interesting and fascinating. This book is a just right book for me because the book isn't that thick, and the words are not too small. This book reminded me of when I saw a bully at the beach in Hawaii, and how bad he had treated a helpless little boy.

This book is about Biscuits going on a vacation with Tim's family and they meet two bullies at the beach, and the bullies always follow them around, tease and make fun of them. Tim and Biscuits gave the bully a nickname called Prickle-Head. Tim did not change in the book nor did Biscuits. I think the bully's partner changed a lot at the ending.He started to be really nice to Tim and Biscuits.

Biscuits caused a "sandslide" and Prickle-Head got buried in it. Tim saved Prickle-Head's life by doing the Artificial Respiration to him. Everyone was very proud of Tim. Even though Tim saved Prickle-Head's life, Tim never changed his feelings about the reckless bully.

Book Bytes October 2009

Here is my book talk video.