Dragonwings

A book of courage, perseverance, friendship, and the importance of family, describes Dragonwings precisely. Dragonwings, written by Laurence Yep, is an outstanding book full of an amazing chain of events. This story is about a boy named Moon Shadow, who is from China, is brought to America by his father and his friends. Moon Shadow hasn't seen his father since he was born and has so much to learn bout him. They both stay in America for 7 more years which leads to many events that tell a superb story. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a story that touches your heart.

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo, is a story about friendship and caring for others. This story has 201 pages filled about Peter,the main character,trying to find his sister Adele. Peter runs into characters, such as a policeman, crippled lady, beggar, and a magician that all help him find his sister and even an elephant helps along the way. This is a sweet book that many people would enjoy reading and has many generous characters.

Neighbors Quickie Blog

Neighbors, The destruction of the Jewish community in Jedwabne Poland, by Jan T. gross is an extremely powerful book. This story has 173 pages (without pictures and glossary) filled with information about the war, murder, and after the war for Jews. Neighbors has an important "moral" to teach, it wasn't the Poles or Germans that killed Jews it was their neighbors. Which means their friends or neighbors could have spoken and said this is wrong but instead they remained silent. This is a sad and heartbreaking story to read but it is about what really happened to Jews.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years

I Have Lived A Thousand Years, by Livia Bitton-Jackson, is a 216 page story filled with hardships and torture. This all happens to Elli Friedman and her family. Ell and the rest of her family are taken to the Ghetto after being forced out of her home. This is a big change for Elli since she is only 13. Elli and her mother are separated from her dad and brother once they are taken to a labor camp. They go on for days without food or water and receive beatings everyday. Elli's life completely changes after she sees a little girl get shot in the head and an old woman get whipped 25 times. No matter how frail they are they fight and work as hard just as if they were healthy so they can survive. Elli, the main character, is an extremely strong girl.

Throughout the whole story Elli is surprisingly a strong girl. Once her father is taken away from her she knows she has to be a strong girl and not give up. She knows her mother is extremely frail and doesn't want anyone to hurt her she even risks her life by hitting and SS guard just so they wont kill her mom. Lastly, when her brother is about to die she has hope that he will survive and will do anything for him even get shot. This book is recommended to anyone who is mature enough to realize the tortures of the Holocaust.

A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’engle has 230 pages filled with complete excitement! This story is about a girl named Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace Murry, and their new friend, Calvin O’Keefe. All of these children always seem out of the ordinary. They all run into three different characters, Mrs. Which, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Whatsit. They go onto a mission to find their dad in a lost world named Camazot. They run into so much danger that Meg almost loses her brother! In this story Meg Murry has many different characteristics as the book goes along.

Meg Murry is a girl filled with mixed emotions. In the beginning of the story she is a dorky sort of shy girl. Once she goes to the world Camazot she becomes so much braver and stronger. Since she takes an important role as a big sister she never realized how important that is. She then feels she has to take care of her family and especially her little brother. Although, Meg can at times make dumb decisions and be a bit of a klutz. Meg’s different feelings make this story even better.

Riding the Flume

Riding the Flume by Patricia Curtis Pfitsch is a 222 page book filled with so much adventure, love, and trusting yourself. This story is about a young girl Frances who just lost her sister, Carrie, in a landslide. Frances found out that Carrie has her own tree, the oldest in the world,but the lumber company wants to cut it down! Do you think Frances will have enough time to save her sisters tree? Read it to find out!

Boy of the Painted Cave

Boy of the Painted Cave by Justin Denzel, with 158 pages filled with excitement, adventure, and friendship, has many great main characters. Those main characters are Tao, Ram, Graybeard, and the evil leader Volt. A major problem in this great story is that Tao wants to be a cave painter but it is against his clan's rules. With the help of Graybeard and much perseverance he becomes a great cave painter. Ram helps Volt change his thinking about wolf dogs. Although there is another conflict that affects the story as well.

Another major conflict in Boy of the Painted Cave is that Tao is against his clan because he breaks many taboos. Tao goes to the Slough to get food, which he believes is plentiful, but the clan is against it because of the "evil spirits." He also draws in a cave because it makes him feel happy and lively though the clan very much dislikes that. After he enters the Slough he meets a very friendly wolf dog which he names Ram. First of all, owning a wolf dog is against the clan rules and second of all he hunts with Ram which of course is against the clan "law." Tao knows all these things are taboo but he does them anyway.