Should I Stay?

If I Stay

by Gayle Forman

5

5

5

5

5

One of the best I have read
You would like this book if you like Suspense

Review:

I thought that this book was really good. The author developed the story really well, with flashbacks into her past, and until the end we couldn't be sure wether she would decide to leave this world or stay here. Most interesting was how she could see everything that was going on, even though she was in a coma. It was almost like she was a ghost except she wasn't dead. That was really cool. They went to Portland and Seattle in the book, and that would have been an amazing experience (because I want to live in Seattle). I recommend this book to people who like realistic fiction about cancer or tragedies. I also recommend it to people who like not knowing how the book will end. The character that I really liked and could relate to was Mia's best friend, Kim because she was an amazing friend and always supported Mia and because she liked photography. I think the author choose this title because Mia was speculating whether to go or to stay, and what would happen. Since she didn't really know what would happen is she choose to move on, she mostly thought about what life would be like without some of the people that she loved. I do like the cover that is just Mia's face, but I like the one that is flashes of different moments of her life even better. It if kind of like the flashes that the author gives in the book. Tough questions: "How can I stay without mom, or dad, or Teddy? Yet, how can I go?" Realization: "Teddy's gone."

The Magic of HP

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)

by J.K. Rowling

Fantasy

5

5

5

5

5

This book was awesome
You would like this book if you like Magic

Review: (By the way, this review will be on all 7 books, not just the first one.) I thought that the series was amazing. The author used incredible details and descriptions, and she definitely developed the characters well. I think that this story will live on for generations to come. My favorite parts were the ones where Harry, Ron and Hermione were living a normal life at Hogwarts, not off being heroes. Also, "Harry Potter" is one of the biggest fandoms in the world, with clothes, blankets, stickers, jewelry and more coming out "Harry Potter themed". There are also many pages on social media sites and quizzes like " Which house are you in?". It was very interesting to enter that world after I read the books. To be in this world of magic would have been amazing, and I still wish that it would be possible today. Alas, it is not. I recommend this series to everybody in the world, young or old, and may the magic never leave you. The character that I can relate most with is Hermione. She is very smart, does well in school and always has her work done on time. She is always using her wits to pull Ron and Harry out of sticky situations. If there was magic in this world, I would be like that too. I thnk the author chose these title because each one has the name of the main character, Harry Potter and the event that happens to him and his friends in the book. They are good titles. There are many different covers for the books, but they all have something in common: magic. Whether it's Harry flying on a broom or a phoenix, it's something you most likely wouldn't see in real life. The covers are all fabulous. Read these books if you like magic, monsters and friendships. Go Hogwarts! Go Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor(and Hufflepuff)! 

"How do I kill him?"

The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

One of the best I have read

You would like this book if you like Stories about Friendships

Review: This book was one of the best that I have ever read. It is very sad, but amazing through the sadness. The relationship that Hazel and Gus share in this book is really deep and it is amazing that they have a bond like that. What was most interesting is how Gus worries whenever something happens to Hazel, even though he might not be in perfect condition himself, and she does the same for him, even thought she has lung cancer and is still sick. How they care about each other is amazing. In the book, near the end, Hazel and Gus travel to Amsterdam. I would really love to travel to Amsterdam, and the detailed descriptions of some of the places/ things (like the Anne Frank house) made me want to go the even more. I'm not really sure if I can relate to any of the characters too much, because both Hazel and Gus have cancer, and Isaac is blind. But I can relate to both Hazel and Gus because they care for each other and other people deeply even thought their sickness is in the way. I have noticed (through books and life) how people/ characters who were in the hospital for a long time or suffered from a disease have a different way of thinking. They think deeper than some people do. I think that even though I haven't really been through a life-changing event, I can see the world that way too ( some people are just born that way!). Like one of the quotes from the book "Some infinities are bigger then other infinities.", some people have the ability to reach deeper. I would recommend the book to anyone who is okay with books not having happy endings. This book is really good. I think my friend Chloe would also like it because it talks about the Anne Frank house and Amsterdam and me and her have talked about going to Europe. The title of this book is "The Fault In Our Stars" and at the part when Augustus dies, Hazel is thinking about the universe and how the stars did not go well for Hazel and Gus, and so the book is called that. Also, earlier, Gus says "You gave me forever within a number of limited days. And I'm grateful for that." You can tell that the book will not have a "happy ending". And that's when Hazel (and me) realize that " You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, but you do have some say in who hurts you." ( sad, right? But also true...) There are two covers for this book. One depicts Hazel and Gus laying face to face in the grass, which I like but it makes you think that the end will be happy, while it's not. The other just has the title and author's name in black letter's in white cloud-like shapes with a blue background and quotes from the book. I like both covers, but the second one, a little more.

A tough question I found in this book is when Hazel says "I'm a grenade and at some point I'm going to blow and I would like to minimize the casualties, okay?" to Gus, and she's trying to distance herself from him even though he loves her and she loves him.

Wonder

For those of you who have been waiting for English publications, here they are. And there will be more coming. This is the rubric that we use for our school project (kind of like last year, except for that each one is separate, not by chapters.) I hope that you will enjoy this format.

Wonder

by R. J. Palacio

One of the best I have read

You would like this book if you like Stories about Friendships

Review: This book reminds us that it's not what's on the outside that matters, it's what's on the inside. Most interesting was how, in the school that August (Auggie) went to, there were some people that seemed to remember that. They didn't care what Auggie looked like, even thought he was born with a born defect, and they realized that it wasn't his fault and he just couldn't change it. And then there were some people who seemed to think that it was Auggie's fault that he looked like this. And that was sad. I would have liked to visit this school because if I would have gone to their school, I would have supported August. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially people going to a new school or people who are made fun of for what they look like. I liked and related with the character Summer because she was smart and nice and she sat and talked with August although the principal hadn't asked her to. She was just one of those people who have a heart made of gold (not saying I'm like that, I just admire that...). I think the author choose this title because August isn't like other people (especially at his school(except for Summer)). The author also says that the title was inspired by Natalie Merchant's song, Wonder. I like the cover because it just shows us that it's about a boy with birth defects. Also, the background color is pretty. 
Words of the wiser: "When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind."

School Blog 4

Chapter 4 Reflection 

Woodsong

Gary Paulsen

In chapter 4, Gary told about how he ran into a bear into his yarf and then threw a stick at it. We were to say if we think that Gary handled the situation well or  not.

I have mixed thoughts on how well Gary Paulsen handled the bear situation. On one hand, he shouldn't've thrown the stick at Scarface in the first place. After that, there really wasn't much he could do, so I guess he handled it well after that. He did the right thing, when he sat there, not movingm wating for the bear to make his choice. If he tried to wriggle free, or move at all, I think that the bear would think of that as an attempt to threaten him, and decide to kill Paulsen. So, there Gary did the right thing. Personally, (but this could be different for some people depending on their personal experience) I also believe that Gary made the right choice when he didn't shoot the bear. I could add my own thoughts here, but Paulsen describes it perfecectly when he says "Kill it for what? For not killing me?" He should be thankful to the bear, because it didn't kill him. Gray also says it when he says "I am no more and no less than any animal in the woods." I think that that's true. Not just for him, but for all of us. Thinking back to our last post, we are animals, after all.
Then we also had to point out five examples of imagery, one for each of the senses, from the chapter.
Imagery:
Touch: "I took the riffle from the gun rack."  Makes me think of cold metal and anger.
Taste:"I put their frozen meat blocks the edges to soften, then fed them warm meet." That makes me think of warm meet.
Feel: "I nearly froze." It makes me feel cold.
Smell:"The wolves could smell her fear."
Sight: "A cow in the field was a marvel and had to be investigated." It makes me think of cows and fields.
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School Blog 3

Woodsong

Gary Paulsen

Althought at school we are done with Woodsong, and going on to a different book (later), I will keep posting the school blog segment. Here is chapter 3.
Animal intelligence has always been an interesting topic for us humans. We don’t want to accept the fact that other creatures may be gaining smarts. Humans want to be the only ones capable of wise thoughts. The only ones capable of solving puzzles, and being smart. But people are accepting that animals are smart too. In the video that we saw, the crows were dropping walnuts on the street, and at first, they were dropping them in the middle, so the cars were driving by all the time. But then the birds realised that cars didn’t drive by crosswalks at all times, so they started dropping the nuts there. That prooves that animals and birds can learn. In chapter 3, Columbia, one of Gary Paulsen’s sled dogs, also shows us that animals can think, can have plans, can show humor. Columbia pushed her bone just outside of another dog’s reach, and  laughed as he tried, but couldn’t, reach the meat. That taught the animal intelligence lesson to Gary. Who or what will teach it to us?
Good question right? See you next time. And just a reminder: you are visiting bookworm.yasinovskyy.info.

School Blog 2

Woodsong Chapter 2 Reflection

Gary Paulsen

Chapter 2 of Woodsong. I will be posting these rather often, since at school we're doing a chapter a day. I won't be going that often, but, you get the idea.

Gary Paulsen started introducing Storm before the paragraph where he started describing him. He started introducing Storm with little hints. Little hints at who Storm was and little hints at what was going to happen. Easing us into what was going to happen. Letting us foreshadow and think about was was about to come. I think that that's part of why Paulsen is such a good author. That and the fact that he knows from experience what he's writing about. So, back to the description of Storm. Gary started out by saying that Storm was a classic sled dog. He then described her appearance, and her attitude, her actions. And after describing Storm to us, after giving us a mental image in our heads, Paulsen goes on to say that  Storm pulls. Of course, they all pull. It's a huge part of their existence, it's just who they are. But Storm always pulls, he does not slack off, as most of the other dogs do sometimes. Which makes him an honest dog. He always pulls. The image in our heads, of a beautiful, hard-working, loyal sled dog is what Gary wants. he wants us to love Storm, before something bad happens to him.

Theme: Overcoming challenges and learning new things. First, overcoming challenges. What challenges did Gary face in chapter two of Woodsong? Well, there was Storms bleeding. But Storm's bleeding leads us to a different, bigger challenge: the fear of the unknown. Learning new things goes right along with that. Gary learned the hard way about what he was suppose to feed the dogs. He is afraid when Storm starts bleeding, because he doesn't really know what to do. So, overall, I would say that the theme of this chapter is overcoming new thing.