Middle School the Worst Years of my Life 1/26/15

Blog for: January 26, 2015

Writing Prompt: What does this book remind you of?

          The book I am reading is called Middle School the Worst Years of my Life. This book is about a young boy named Rafe who is having some troubles with Middle School. He has made up his mind that he is going to try to break a bunch of rules by the end of the school year. If he does it without getting caught then he gains points. Him and his 'friend' Leo are the ones that made up this crazy idea. The reason I put friend in quotes is because Leo is an imaginary person made up by Rafe. In other words Leo is Rafe's imaginary friend.

          This book reminds me of the book I Funny which is also about a boy struggling with school. The main reason he struggles is because he is handicapped. In other words he is in a wheelchair. He also has to live with the school bully and his family. The only reason this is so is because his parents have died. Believe it or not this kid sort of likes being bullied because it makes him feel like a normal kid. Another reason is because he doesn't like being treated as someone who is handicapped.

          Another thing this reminds me of is the book/movie series Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This is also about a boy who is having a not so good time in/with school. This kid (Gregory) also has to deal with his annoying older brother who thinks he is the coolest person ever. Along with that Gregory has a best friend that can be quite embarrassing. Over protecting parents, an embarrassing younger brother, and a bit of a lying problem isn't helping him either.

Commented on: Mia C., Jared A., Devin R.

Middle School the Worst Years of My Life 1/19/15

Blog for week of January 19, 2014

Pages read: 1-98

Writing Prompt: Do you like what you're reading? Why or why not?

          My book, Middle School the Worst Years of My Life, is about a young boy in middle school and his not so good life. He works through his problems with his imaginary friend Leo. This book is like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Words and then some pictures here and there to help give the reader a visual aid. In my opinion I think this is a good book. I have enjoyed it quite a lot so far. The only reason I have not finished this book yet is because it is not challenging therefore I read other books during the school year. I hope to finish this book soon so I can focus on there things.

          Even though this book has some pictures (that have no color) I really enjoy this book. Before the school year really got started I was reading this book quite often. I was really enjoying it. Once the school year did start I realized that other book should be read in place of this one. Since that was so, I had to put this book aside and continue it another day. I have yet to complete that goal.

          I enjoy this book because it is funny and provides much entertainment. I would definitely recommend this book to other people. Friends, family, strangers, anyone who is looking for something interesting to read. Although, to be perfectly honest, I think adults would find this book simple and easy. It is a children's book after all. Even though they might think this I still think that some would find joy in reading it. Over all I believe this is a great book that I really love, and should be read by many.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 1/12/2015

Blog for week of January 12, 4014

Writing Prompt: Is what you are reading believable? Why or why not?
Pages Read: 60 - 174

          The book I am reading, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is about the zombie apocalypse starting again. As I read this book it always crosses my mind wether or not this could actually happen, wether or not this stuff is believable. The thought of this kind of scares me. Along with the book I also watch the TV show "The Walking Dead". Watching this show makes me more nervous. I think and think but I always say that this is impossible. If only I knew what causes a zombie apocalypse. Then I might feel a little better.

          Maybe sometime in the future some kind of dangerous chemical will spill and make the dead raise form their graves. This is a possibly that just might happen. This makes the reader think that what is going on in this story is believable. The problem is, the TV shows, movies, or books never tell you how it all started until the end. So until the end people don't know wether something like this can happen. Some people do believe that stuff like this is believable because there are many different ways that something terrible can happen and the world can turn into the zombie apocalypse. Some of me thinks all of this stuff is believable.

          Another part of me thinks that all of this is not believable. Like, the zombie apocalypse couldn't really happen! There will not come a time where flesh eating monsters roam the earth looking for their next meal. There is just no way...right? I feel that a world such as "The Walking Dead" doesn't and wont ever exist. Yet some of me thinks that it does. I would say that I am in the middle of believing in this stuff and not believing it.

The first time I... 1/5/15

Blog for week of January 5, 2014

Writing Prompt: When was the last time you did something new for the first time?

          About four weeks ago I learned to to play "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals on the guitar. "House of the Rising Sun" was a song that I had been obsessed with at that time. I am not as obsessed with it now but I defiantly still love it. It was the end of my guitar lesson and I had brought it up to my guitar teacher that I was starting to like that song. When I told him he asked if I wanted to learn how to pay it. I was thinking that we were going to wait until our next lesson. My mom hadn't arrived to pick me up yet so he quickly wrote down the chords and taught me how to play them correctly so they matched the song.

          When I told my guitar teacher that I knew and liked the song he was a little shocked. The reason he was this way is because he thought that I would consider that song "one of my mom's slow jams" or an "old people song". He thought this because this is what I call all of my mom's music. I call it that because I believe that all her music is slow and boring. Most of it anyway. Even though he was a bit surprised he was happy to help me learn and pay it like a pro!

          I am glad that I now know how to play a song that I enjoy. Of course this isn't the first song I've learned to play, but it is one of the few songs I actually have fun and enjoy playing. Being a person who has played guitar for almost four years I feel like it would be silly not to learn a song that I enjoy so much. Believe it or not that song is actually not that hard to play...for me anyway.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 12/15/14

Blog reflection for December 15, 2014

Writing Prompt: Draw a picture for what you read

          The last time I read my book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, they were talking about a new mystery man called 'The Master' and how he was teaching the girl in the dojo. The dojo was a dojo a long time ago. Then Mrs. Bennet somehow convinced Mr. Bennet to change his dojo into a greenhouse for Mrs. Bennet. Now that the "dreadfuls" have come back, Mr. Bennet is teaching his 5 daughters different things they need to survive in the upcoming days. Since this is happening Mr. Bennet is slowly changing the 'greenhouse' back into his dojo. I don't mean he works on it everyday and makes changes and adds things. I mean he finds his weapons, such as the nunchucks and the sword, and sometimes moves a few pots or plants that are in the way of something. I don't think Mrs. Bennet will mind much anyway. At least that's what Mr. Bennet thought. Or should I say knew.

          What I drew was a picture of a greenhouse. Since the greenhouse or 'dojo' is mentioned a lot and that's where I last left off. The picture also includes a few plants such as, vines and pots with flowers. There is also five visible mats on the ground where the Bennet girls go to practice their skills. In front of the 5 mats is one mat that is placed where Mr. Bennet stands when they are in the dojo.

Pride and Prodigious and Zombies - 2 12/8/14

Blog for week of, December 8, 2014

Writing Prompt: Summarize what you just read.

Pages Read: 30-60

          When I started this book it began at a funeral for a man named Mr. Ford. During the funeral Mr. Ford raised out of his coffin. This meant he was a zombie. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their children were the only people that stayed. Mr. Bennet seemed unfazed by the events that were happening. The reason he was not running away like everyone else was because a thing like this happened before and it was called Dawn of the Dreadfuls (there is a whole series of Dawn of the Dreadfuls books) and this 'zombie' was called a dreadful. Sometimes they refer to them as an unmentionable. After that Mr. Bennet then told one Mary (one of his 5 daughters) to go to the shed that was in the back of the church, and get he biggest pair shears she could handle. Though Mary was getting the tool Mr. Bennet really wanted the second eldest child, Elizabeth, to kill it. In the end Mr. Bennet was the one to do the job because neither Elizabeth nor Mary could force themselves to do it.

          Once that was over the family started walking home as Mrs. Bennet was talking away. Complaining about how the dreadfuls were back and how her daughters needed to get married before it was to late and a whole bunch of other things. I can tell that Mrs. Bennet is going to be doing that throughout the whole book. Or at least until she meets her end...however that may happen. Once the family get home Mr. Bennet takes his daughters in to what he calls his dojo. He trains them by teaching them different things that are going to help them when the dreadfuls start raising from the ground and attack the world. Since they are 'proper young ladies' they are not so good with swords ad nunchucks. This causes them to have many scrapes and bruises. Having these scrapes and bruises gives Mrs. Bennet another thing to complain about. As it says in the book, "Their parents were fire married to ice, and the strain always showed.".

        At the part I am currently reading at, Lord Lumpley has come over to talk with Mr. Bennet about the dreadful incident they had witnessed the day before. Lord Lumpley fancies Jane and Jane feels the same way. Well that's what I believe from what I have read. The two younger sisters, Kitty and Lydia, also liked Lord Lumpley. Once Mr. Bennet and Lord Lumpley finished their conversation they both came into the room with the 5 girls and Mrs. Bennet. Mary brought up  the dreadfuls and Mrs. Bennet immediately said that topic was not appropriate. Then Lord Lumpley said that was the reason came here in the first place, to talk about the dreadfuls. After they talked for a while Mr. Bennet came up with a polite way to tell Lord Lumpley to leave. He sad, ""I do not wish to be rude, Sir, bit I feel it my duty to point out the time. Soon enough, the roads of Hertfordshire might not be safe even in the daytime. At nigh, I fear, you already risk disaster.". Lord Lumpley then proposes that he stay for the night just in case of any danger. In the ned he ends up leaving and goes back to his house.

The next chapter begins with Lord Lumpley waking up and getting ready to do the 'work' he needs to do for the situation that they were dealing with. It explains how he is getting ready to go one some sort of hunt. He has his sockman, drawersman, and trussmen help him get dressed. A wile after he sends a letter saying, "Hunt today-- 3 o'clock--come!" to all of the 'important men' the men show up. Reverend Mr. Cummings was also there and he had a little chat with Lord Lumpley that had to do with the dreadfuls. When the hunting party gets ready to head out Mr Bennet, Elizabeth, and Jane come up to Lord Lumpley's house riding beautiful horses. Mr. Bennet say the girls are there to join the hunting party and Lord Lumpley and Mr. Cummings are shocked. Once everyone was outside and ready Lord Lumpley announced what they were going to hunt and it wasn't foxes. They were on a hunt for dreadfuls.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- 12/1/14

Blog for week of - December 1, 2014

Writing Prompt: Why did you choose this to read? Give at least 3 reasons.

Pages Read: 1-30

          The book I am reading is called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. This book is about zombies, as you can probably guess form the title. Corpses raise from the dead and attack the living. Whenever I think about this book it always reminds me of my favorite TV show "The Walking Dead". This book has a setting of a long time ago. This setting causes the word choice in this book to be very confusing. I often get stuck on a word because I don't know the meaning. However this does not stop me from reading and enjoying this book.

          The number one meaning for me choosing this book to read would probably be because my mom suggested it. As I have said before I enjoy the show "The Walking Dead" so another book about zombies sounded interesting. I have seen this book many times on a book shelf located at my house, The cover of this book creeped me out at first. I would literally just stare at the book and think abut what it could be about. After staring at it many times it didn't really creep me out as much. It might sound weird but I actually find it amusing when people say "That's a creepy picture". I kind of smile to myself and say "I know" in my head.

          Another reason for me choosing this book is because I thought it was interesting. As I said before the cover creeped me out a bit. Not only did it creep me out but it also interesting me. I thought the book would be creepy and I didn't know weather or not I wanted to read. I also knew that I wanted to read it. That might sound weird or confusing but I don't really know how to explain it. I am not much of a reader s I had no plans to actually read this book.

          For quite some time I have wanted to read a horror book. This book seemed to fit in that genre so I thought "What the heck". Though the book can be confusing at times I am glad that I have chosen to read it. This books provides a a joyful experience while giving me a challenge. I hope that I will continue to find this book interesting until the end and I hope to read the other Dawn of the Dreadfuls series (which is where this book is coming from)