Book Groups!

This term we have been doing book groups! Last year we did book groups so it wasn't a new experience, although I knew I would have fun! I enjoyed the in depth discussions I had with my group and it was a bonus to be able to have food at our meetings. The book I chose was Tangerine! It was about a boy by the name of Paul Fisher and after moving to a new home in Tangerine County, Florida, he discovers more and more unusual things about Tangerine. He asks himself "where does a sinkhole swallow a school? Where does a fire burn underground? Where does lightning strike at the same time everyday?" Paul doesn't understand anything and doesn't know that this is only the beginning. Things are about to get a lot weirder!

My group consisted of Paolo, Renzo, Astin, James, Matthew and I. I thought our group worked well together, as everyone contributed thoughtfully to each discussion. It was a a fun few weeks and for me book groups wasn't about eating food, it was about co-operating with others and I think my group did that very well!

Hansel and Gretel

When I was younger I read a variety of children's books. A book that I really enjoyed and read most days was Hansel & Gretel! The book was the story of two young children, Hansel and Gretel. Their dad was a woodcutter with very less money and their stepmother treated them very badly. With less food in the house, their stepmother got greedy and thought of a plan to get rid of the two children. Their horrid stepmother had them lost in the woods. Sad and lost, the two children came across a gingerbread house. They ate off the walls and found that everything was covered in chocolate! Suddenly, a creepy old lady swung open the door. Although the old lady seemed nice, all of the chocolate and candy was to trick the innocent children. She locked Hansel in a cage and forced Gretel to do the housework. The witch planned to eat Hansel when he got fat and keep Gretel as a servant. The day had come for the old lady to eat Hansel and the oven was heating up. But, Gretel played a smart trick and in no time the old lady was stuffed in the burning oven. They filled a large basket with the witch's food and money. They returned home, to see their father weeping and found out their stepmother was no longer alive. "Look father, we'll never be poor again," Hansel yelled out! The End!

I didn't just love this book for it's story, but also the wonderful lesson it taught me. The stepmother was always needy of food and sacrificed the children for her well being. In the end good will prevail and all selfish and evil will not be rewarded! Hansel and Gretel was a wonderful book and Brothers Grimm did a great job writing it!

Divergent: The Book Review!

Divergent was definitely one of my favorite books and had me jumping out of my my seat. It started off with the author explaining and describing the lifestyle of Beatrice, a 16 year old girl, in a world of pure control. In the world there are five factions: Erudite the intelligent, Abnegation the selfless, Candor the honest, Amity the peaceful and finally Dauntless the brave. Before Choosing Day, in which each sixteen year old will decide what faction they wish to live and devote their lives to, is a test where you will be told which faction you will fit in most with. But for Beatrice the test is inconclusive, meaning Beatrice has three factions she fits into. This is called Divergent. She must not tell anyone about her dangerous secret or else she could risk death. She must choose her own fate and overcome challenges with no limits.

Divergent drew me into Beatrice's world. There were moments when she was weak and hesitant and times when she would put herself into danger for another's life. I think Veronica Roth(author) put a lot of thought into the description of the characters and gave me a vivid picture of the story line. I recommend this book to anyone who loves action, romance and adventure. This book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and biting your nails in excitement!

    I RATE IT