A hard thing that's happening in the book Hate List by: Jennifer Brown, Is that the story revolves around a school shooting done by a student.
Another thing that's happening in the book is crime. Which is a real topic that is brought into our everyday lives, because people commit crimes all the time, just like the main character of the book Nick Levil committed a particulary bad crime.Which was killing his classmates over silly reasons, and then taking his own life.
Another problem in the book is verbal abuse. Valerie, Nick Levil's ex-girlfriend.Is verbally abuesed by her father on pages 319-323, when he comes to pick her up from a party because she was drunk. He yells at her on the side of the road and uses profanity. It got so bad that an eye witness, driving on the road offered to call for help for Valerie, because the situation had gotten really bad.
This book makes me think about things that are happening in the world because of the school shooting that takes place in the book, It reminds of the incident in Sandy Hook Elementary School. Because so many innocent lives were taken away, because of a crazy person who had their own problems and wanted to not only end their life, but take other people out with them.
I see similarities in both incidents, because they were both done by young people, and they both took place in schools and they also both ended up committing suicide. I think that, the people who killed all those innocent people are filled with hatred, and it's just a bad choice to choose. Someone's young life, shouldn't be taken away, espicially if they are innocent.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
How does this book make you think about Justice in the world?
The book Hate List makes me think about justice in the world because the book is about a school shooting, that is done by a student.
This book makes me think, are school shootings something that people should have payed more attention to in that time(the book takes place in 2008). For example getting kids counseling so they can discuss their problems.Because the kid who committed the crime Nick Levil, did it because he wrote a list of people who he didn't like and people who were mean to him and then he one day came to school with a gun and shot everyone including himself, and he accidently shot his girlfriend.
" 'You've been on the list for a long time,' he said... 'What list?' Christy Bruter asked and then looked down just slightly and her eyes grew big. She started to laugh, and so did Willa, and I started to pull up onto my tiptoes to see what they were laughing at and thats when I heard the noise." (82)
In the authors note of the book it says " I love books that make me think . Maybe not come to any huge conclusions or anything, but just make me...think. I hope hate list sparks a lil thinkin' here and there."
That quote made me think, that the Author Jennifer Brown, wanted us readers to think about Justice in the world and whats fair, and what isn't, and if certain topics should be taken more seriously than others.
This book makes me think, are school shootings something that people should have payed more attention to in that time(the book takes place in 2008). For example getting kids counseling so they can discuss their problems.Because the kid who committed the crime Nick Levil, did it because he wrote a list of people who he didn't like and people who were mean to him and then he one day came to school with a gun and shot everyone including himself, and he accidently shot his girlfriend.
" 'You've been on the list for a long time,' he said... 'What list?' Christy Bruter asked and then looked down just slightly and her eyes grew big. She started to laugh, and so did Willa, and I started to pull up onto my tiptoes to see what they were laughing at and thats when I heard the noise." (82)
In the authors note of the book it says " I love books that make me think . Maybe not come to any huge conclusions or anything, but just make me...think. I hope hate list sparks a lil thinkin' here and there."
That quote made me think, that the Author Jennifer Brown, wanted us readers to think about Justice in the world and whats fair, and what isn't, and if certain topics should be taken more seriously than others.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Monday Muses
Something I recently did was, audition for vocal in laguardia high school. The night before, I was kind of unsure if I should go or not, because 1. I was at my grandma's house all the way in Jamaica Queens. And the audition was at 8am in the morning. 2. I was going up against 3,900 students who probably have been singing for years, and have had vocal training, and there is only 200 spots. So there wasn't really a chance of me getting in.
But I decided that I would go anyway.
We woke up super early and drove to the train station and ended up arriving in manhattan at around 7:25am, which is super early for a sunday, if it was a normal weekend I would still be sleeping. The line moved quickly,they seated all the students in the auditiorium, then they brought all the people auditioning for vocal into another room.
We had to fill out a paper about our experience with singing and what not. And then we waited online for an audition. I didn't audition until like eleven o' clock. It was the most scary thing, because the judges showed like no emotion. They were nice, but you just didn't know how you did. Im happy that I auditioned, even though I probably won't get in. Because it was fun, now that I look back on it two weeks later, and even if I don't get in it was a experience i'll never forget.
Auditioning for Laguardia taught me to not give up, and to keep trying even when you don't think you will make it. Because you never know what the outcome will be.
But I decided that I would go anyway.
We woke up super early and drove to the train station and ended up arriving in manhattan at around 7:25am, which is super early for a sunday, if it was a normal weekend I would still be sleeping. The line moved quickly,they seated all the students in the auditiorium, then they brought all the people auditioning for vocal into another room.
We had to fill out a paper about our experience with singing and what not. And then we waited online for an audition. I didn't audition until like eleven o' clock. It was the most scary thing, because the judges showed like no emotion. They were nice, but you just didn't know how you did. Im happy that I auditioned, even though I probably won't get in. Because it was fun, now that I look back on it two weeks later, and even if I don't get in it was a experience i'll never forget.
Auditioning for Laguardia taught me to not give up, and to keep trying even when you don't think you will make it. Because you never know what the outcome will be.
Arguement Essay 2nd draft
The book "Crank" by ELlen Hopkins, has been challenged for many reasons, such as drug use and profanity. I think that the book shouldn't be banned from kids. Because the content in the book, can teach kids about the negative affects of acting crazy as a teenager and doing drugs. In the authors note it says "This book is dedicated to my family and all families who's lives have been affected by the monster. While this is a work of fiction, it is loosely based on a true story. My daughters. The monster did touch her life and , and the lives of her family. My family, it is hard to watch someone you love fall so deeply under the spell of substance that turns him or her into a stranger. Someone you don't even want to know"
Parents and Teachers might want tis book banned, because of drug use and inapropiate language used throughout the book. For example on page 90, it describes what its like taking drugs "You want to cry, powdered demons bite,through cartilage and sinuses, take dead aim at your brain, jump inside, want to scream" But in the authors note of the book it says, that Ellen Hopkins wrote this book to help people and families who have children who do drugs, so they would be able to see their perspective of how drugs made them feel . This book can also help parents show their children that doing drugs is a really bad path to go down, because things don't end well for the main character . She ends up loosing a lot of respect from not only her family, but from herself. And also having a baby at age seventeen.
This book can also teach kids about peer pressure, for example the main character Kristina started doing drugs because of a boy she liked, who later became her boyfriend. Just by her trying drugs one time it caused a lot of bad things to happen to her. One of them being addiction, now that she got addicted to drugs it slowly but surely ruined her life. She started drinking, smoking, she just got very confused with her life. She had an alter-ego named Bree, who would do all the things she wouldn't dare do as Kristina. She ended up drug dealing, and having a baby. All of this happened over the course of one year and she was only seventeen.
I think that parents should know what their kids are reading, and if they don't approve of their children reading a certain book than they shouldn't be able to read it. I don't think that it should be banned from middle schools though, because it can teach kids at a young age, what happens to your life when you go down the wrong path. In the preview of the next book "Fallout", in a chapter called "We hear" written from Kristina's sons point of view it says "We hear that life was good before she met the monster, but those page-flips went down before our collective cognition.Kristina wrote that chapter of her history before we were even whisperers in her womb. The monster shaped our lives, without ours even touching it. Read on if you dare. This memoir isn't pretty"
I think that its okay for parents to tell their children "No you can't read this book, your not mature enough yet" But I don't think that this book should be banned from middle school library's because it can broaden the minds of kids at a young age, and teach them that falling for peer pressure and doing drugs is the wrong path to go down, because it can one day ruined their lives.
Parents and Teachers might want tis book banned, because of drug use and inapropiate language used throughout the book. For example on page 90, it describes what its like taking drugs "You want to cry, powdered demons bite,through cartilage and sinuses, take dead aim at your brain, jump inside, want to scream" But in the authors note of the book it says, that Ellen Hopkins wrote this book to help people and families who have children who do drugs, so they would be able to see their perspective of how drugs made them feel . This book can also help parents show their children that doing drugs is a really bad path to go down, because things don't end well for the main character . She ends up loosing a lot of respect from not only her family, but from herself. And also having a baby at age seventeen.
This book can also teach kids about peer pressure, for example the main character Kristina started doing drugs because of a boy she liked, who later became her boyfriend. Just by her trying drugs one time it caused a lot of bad things to happen to her. One of them being addiction, now that she got addicted to drugs it slowly but surely ruined her life. She started drinking, smoking, she just got very confused with her life. She had an alter-ego named Bree, who would do all the things she wouldn't dare do as Kristina. She ended up drug dealing, and having a baby. All of this happened over the course of one year and she was only seventeen.
I think that parents should know what their kids are reading, and if they don't approve of their children reading a certain book than they shouldn't be able to read it. I don't think that it should be banned from middle schools though, because it can teach kids at a young age, what happens to your life when you go down the wrong path. In the preview of the next book "Fallout", in a chapter called "We hear" written from Kristina's sons point of view it says "We hear that life was good before she met the monster, but those page-flips went down before our collective cognition.Kristina wrote that chapter of her history before we were even whisperers in her womb. The monster shaped our lives, without ours even touching it. Read on if you dare. This memoir isn't pretty"
I think that its okay for parents to tell their children "No you can't read this book, your not mature enough yet" But I don't think that this book should be banned from middle school library's because it can broaden the minds of kids at a young age, and teach them that falling for peer pressure and doing drugs is the wrong path to go down, because it can one day ruined their lives.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Arguement Essay Draft: Crank by Ellen Hopkins
The book "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins, Has been challenged for many reasons such as drug use and profanity. I think that book shouldn't be banned from kids. Because the content in the book can teach kids, about the negative affects of acting crazy as a teenager and doing drugs. In the authors note it says " This book is dedicated to my family, and all familes who's lives have been affected by the monster. While this is a work of fiction, it is loosely based on a very true story. My daughters. The monster did touch her life , and the lives of her family. My family, it is hard to watch someone you love fall so deeply under the spell of substance that turns him or her into a stranger. Someone you don't even want to know"
Parents and Teachers might want this book banned, because of drug use and inapropiate language used through out the book. For example on page 90 it describes what it's like taking drugs "You want to cry, powdered demons bite,through cartilage and sinuses, take dead aim at your brain, jump inside, want to scream" But in the Authors note of the book it says, that Ellen Hopkins wrote this book to help people and families who have children that do drugs,so they would be able to see their perspective of how drugs make them feel. This book can also help parents to show their children how doing drugs can be a very bad path to go down, because things don't end well for the main character. She ends up loosing a lot of respect from her family, from herself and also having a baby at age seventeen.
This book can also teach kids about Peer pressure, for example the main character Kristina started doing drugs because of her boyfriend, just by her trying drugs one time it caused a lot of bad things to happen in her life.One of them being addiction, now that she got addicted to drugs it slowly but surely ruined her life. She started drinking, smoking, she just got very confuesed with her life. She had an alter-ego named Bree, who would do all the things she wouldn't dare do as Kristina. She ended up drug dealing,and having a baby. All of this happened over the course of one year, and she was only seventeen.
I think that parents should know what there kids are reading, and if they don't approve of their kids reading a book like this than they shouldn't be able to read it, I don't think that it should be banned from middle schools though, because it can teach kids at a young age, what happens to your life when you go down the wrong path.
Parents and Teachers might want this book banned, because of drug use and inapropiate language used through out the book. For example on page 90 it describes what it's like taking drugs "You want to cry, powdered demons bite,through cartilage and sinuses, take dead aim at your brain, jump inside, want to scream" But in the Authors note of the book it says, that Ellen Hopkins wrote this book to help people and families who have children that do drugs,so they would be able to see their perspective of how drugs make them feel. This book can also help parents to show their children how doing drugs can be a very bad path to go down, because things don't end well for the main character. She ends up loosing a lot of respect from her family, from herself and also having a baby at age seventeen.
This book can also teach kids about Peer pressure, for example the main character Kristina started doing drugs because of her boyfriend, just by her trying drugs one time it caused a lot of bad things to happen in her life.One of them being addiction, now that she got addicted to drugs it slowly but surely ruined her life. She started drinking, smoking, she just got very confuesed with her life. She had an alter-ego named Bree, who would do all the things she wouldn't dare do as Kristina. She ended up drug dealing,and having a baby. All of this happened over the course of one year, and she was only seventeen.
I think that parents should know what there kids are reading, and if they don't approve of their kids reading a book like this than they shouldn't be able to read it, I don't think that it should be banned from middle schools though, because it can teach kids at a young age, what happens to your life when you go down the wrong path.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Final Blog Post Monday Muses: Childhood Memories
Back in the 5th grade the majority of kids were freaking out because everyone was SO anxious to find out what middle school they got into. I really wanted to go to 51, and so did my best friend Angela.
On May 23rd 2011, we found out that was the day we were getting our acceptance letters. Time went on and before we knew the guidance counselor came in our room with our middle school acceptance letters. BUT. We weren't allowed to open them until after-school when our parents came to pick us up. Most kids just took their letters to the bathroom and openend their letters there.But I waited..because I wanted to open my letter with my best friend who was in the other class. So our teachers escorted us to the school yard where our parents came to pick us up. I didn't see my mom, (of course this was the day she decided to show up twenty years late) I ran over to Angela, and asked her "What school did you get into??!!" she responded jumping up and down '' MS.51!!'' I was so happy for her even though I didn't open my letter yet, because I knew how bad she wanted to go to this school. "OH MY GOD" I said jumping up and down. "Wait let me see your letter." Angela said. "Why...?" I asked puzzled as she took the letter out of my hand. "Because.." she said"This paper is really see-through so I can just put your envelope up to the light and tell you what school you got into.'' "okay." I responded nervously. "YOU GOT INTO 51!'' she said jumping up and down "YAY!" I said happily.
Ever since the day when we got our acceptance letters, we talked about how excited we were to get in. All summer long we talked about ms.51, we were excited but so nervous at the same time. What if we don't make friends? What if were not in the same class? What will the kids and teachers be like? We wondered...
Before we knew it, summer was over..And the first day of middle school was here.
Sadly Angela and I were not in the same class. I had the majority of people who went to ps.261 (my old school) in my class, and she had nobody. But the first day of 6th grade was fun and worth all the excitement. It was fun walking around at lunch, taking the bus home without my parents. Coming to 51 was a whole new sense of freedom.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Theme in Hate List
The theme in the book Hate list is violence because the book is about a school shooting.
Valerie's boyfriend, Nick Levil was a drifting student who behaved strangely in the the last few months of his life. He'd been spending time with someone who wasn't a very good person. One day he brought in the "Hate List" (a list he and Valerie made, that consisted of all the names of those who we're mean or who they didn't like) and a gun and shot many of whom were on the list, Valerie, and himself. Nick was going through a phycological breakdown along with a mental spasm of some type.
Another theme in the book is hatred and bullying. Nick and Valerie were always seen as the "weird kids" in school. So they started writing down names of the kids that were bothering them. One of the names included one of the popular girls Jenna who was so mean to Valerie. But Valerie never thought it would go this far. She never thought that one day her boyfriend would come to school and shoot almost everybody. Right when Nick was about to shoot Jenna, Valerie jumped in front of the bullet and took a shot to her leg and saved her life. I think this shows that people can change, although Valerie hated Jenna, she still wouldn't want to see her die.
Nick ended up dying and, most people ending up blaming Valerie for Nicks mistakes. And her life was spent in guilt. Her parents ended up getting divorced,her brother left the house,and she and her mom had to go to therapy to sort out there problems.Valerie kept having vivid flashbacks and dreams of the violent shooting.
I found this book interesting to track the theme because there were so many themes from bullying,to hatred,to violence,family tension, and suicide.
Valerie's boyfriend, Nick Levil was a drifting student who behaved strangely in the the last few months of his life. He'd been spending time with someone who wasn't a very good person. One day he brought in the "Hate List" (a list he and Valerie made, that consisted of all the names of those who we're mean or who they didn't like) and a gun and shot many of whom were on the list, Valerie, and himself. Nick was going through a phycological breakdown along with a mental spasm of some type.
Another theme in the book is hatred and bullying. Nick and Valerie were always seen as the "weird kids" in school. So they started writing down names of the kids that were bothering them. One of the names included one of the popular girls Jenna who was so mean to Valerie. But Valerie never thought it would go this far. She never thought that one day her boyfriend would come to school and shoot almost everybody. Right when Nick was about to shoot Jenna, Valerie jumped in front of the bullet and took a shot to her leg and saved her life. I think this shows that people can change, although Valerie hated Jenna, she still wouldn't want to see her die.
Nick ended up dying and, most people ending up blaming Valerie for Nicks mistakes. And her life was spent in guilt. Her parents ended up getting divorced,her brother left the house,and she and her mom had to go to therapy to sort out there problems.Valerie kept having vivid flashbacks and dreams of the violent shooting.
I found this book interesting to track the theme because there were so many themes from bullying,to hatred,to violence,family tension, and suicide.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
"Sometimes It Happens" By Lauren Barnholdt.: Character Change
Its amazing how one summer can change you.It seemed like on the Last day of 11th grade Hannah, Ava, Noah and Sebastian were all good friends. But so many things got in the way of that over the summer.The book flips back and forth between the first day of school, and the summer.Very briefly at the beginning of the book one chapter is titled "The last Night of Junior Year"
On the last day of school Hannah and her boyfriend seem to be having a good relationship up until they go to Jenna Lammachia's house party that night. Hannah was supposed to meet her boyfriend at the pool, but when she got there she found her boyfriend cheating on her with a sophmore who happens to be the same girl who hits her car on the first day of senior year.Hannah runs off crying, Ava and her boyfriend Noah go to comfort her.And Ava convinces her not to leave the party because if she did everyone would know why she left. So Hannah gets revenge and cheats on Sebastian with Jonah Moncuso.
Two days after the party Hannah is very depressed. So Ava Decides to take her out to Starbucks. But little did Hannah know, Ava was gonna tell her she was going away to Maine for the Summer, to be a camp counselor. This is when Hannah needed her the most. On Page 44 it says "Ava and I decided we'd rather spend the summer hanging out by the pool, so we didn't look for summer jobs.Ava's philosphy was that we'd have to get jobs next summer before we went to college, and probably every summer after that so it was our last chance at freedom."
After Ava had left for Maine.Hannah had just spent the first week of Summer lying in bed being depressed about her life.She had no boyfriend, no bestfriend to be with her. She was just alone. One day her washing machine broke down so she had to go to the community laundrymat.Thats where she bumped into Ava's boyfriend Noah. Thats when he tells her Ava wanted him to look out for her over the summer.Thats the start of how thier friendship began to grow. Hannah got a job at the same place noah worked, they hung out everyday got starbucks together,Went to concerts, and on Roadtrips.
But on the first day of school things started to fall apart because Ava and Noah had got farther apart. And Sebastian wanted to be with Hannah, but hannah doesnt really know who she wanted to be with.
On the last day of school Hannah and her boyfriend seem to be having a good relationship up until they go to Jenna Lammachia's house party that night. Hannah was supposed to meet her boyfriend at the pool, but when she got there she found her boyfriend cheating on her with a sophmore who happens to be the same girl who hits her car on the first day of senior year.Hannah runs off crying, Ava and her boyfriend Noah go to comfort her.And Ava convinces her not to leave the party because if she did everyone would know why she left. So Hannah gets revenge and cheats on Sebastian with Jonah Moncuso.
Two days after the party Hannah is very depressed. So Ava Decides to take her out to Starbucks. But little did Hannah know, Ava was gonna tell her she was going away to Maine for the Summer, to be a camp counselor. This is when Hannah needed her the most. On Page 44 it says "Ava and I decided we'd rather spend the summer hanging out by the pool, so we didn't look for summer jobs.Ava's philosphy was that we'd have to get jobs next summer before we went to college, and probably every summer after that so it was our last chance at freedom."
After Ava had left for Maine.Hannah had just spent the first week of Summer lying in bed being depressed about her life.She had no boyfriend, no bestfriend to be with her. She was just alone. One day her washing machine broke down so she had to go to the community laundrymat.Thats where she bumped into Ava's boyfriend Noah. Thats when he tells her Ava wanted him to look out for her over the summer.Thats the start of how thier friendship began to grow. Hannah got a job at the same place noah worked, they hung out everyday got starbucks together,Went to concerts, and on Roadtrips.
But on the first day of school things started to fall apart because Ava and Noah had got farther apart. And Sebastian wanted to be with Hannah, but hannah doesnt really know who she wanted to be with.
Friday, September 13, 2013
The Future Of Us,By:Jay Asher and Carloyn Mackler (Summer Reading Response)
" The Future of Us"By Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, is a book about how two teenagers in the year 1996 named Josh and Emma,who were once best friends for many years until Josh confesses his love for Emma in November. This is what drove their close relationship apart. Until Josh's family receives an AOL CD in the mail and makes Josh go over to Emma's house so she will be able to install it on her brand new computer that her dad bought her. But. There is something that they don't know about this particular AOL CD. When they log on they are automatically signed into their facebook accounts. Facebook hasn't even been invented yet, and they are looking at their lives in 2011. Fifteen years into the future.
In this book the characters learn that every reaction causes a chain reaction.Because once Emma got a glimpse of her future, she tried to change things about her life in 1996. For example when she first logged onto her Facebook account she found out that she was married to someone who didn't work, or pay any bills, and he was just using her for her money and she never got to spend any of it. But it seemed that every thing that she did now, drastically effected her future. Sometimes she would check her Facebook page and it would seem as if she is living a happy life, and at other times she wouldn't seem happy with her life at all in the future. Emma spent most of her time trying to perfect her life as a thirty-one year old woman.
Meanwhile Josh, finds out that he ends up marrying the most popular and richest girl in the school. He spends most of his time trying to build a friendship with Sydney his future wife. They spent most of their time running errands together for the student council. Thats when they really got to bond and their relationship got stronger. Each day when Josh would get closer to Sydney his life would get better in the future. Josh was a very talented artist, and in his future he ends up working for an Architecture Company.
In this book I felt that Josh and Emma's Futures are very different from each other. Because Josh has a great life in all of his dreams are coming true and he is married to the girl of his dreams. And Emma's life just seems as if she is lost.
There's also bad that comes along with getting a glimpse into your future. Because Emma and Josh find out things they shouldn't know about their friends. For example Emma's Best friend Kellan has a daughter who is fourteen going on fifteen in the year 2011, which mean that Kellan had to be pregnant in 1996. Which is not good because they are still juniors in high school, and Kellan had plans of wanting to become a doctor. Which she will probably have to put on hold because of her daughter.
I enjoyed this book because, for many reasons but one of them is because I think that it would be cool to get a glimpse of my life in the next fifteen years and i've always thought about what that would be like to see myself in the future. I also enjoyed this book because I've always believed that every reaction causes a chain reaction, I thought that it was interesting to see the effects of that play out in this book.
In this book the characters learn that every reaction causes a chain reaction.Because once Emma got a glimpse of her future, she tried to change things about her life in 1996. For example when she first logged onto her Facebook account she found out that she was married to someone who didn't work, or pay any bills, and he was just using her for her money and she never got to spend any of it. But it seemed that every thing that she did now, drastically effected her future. Sometimes she would check her Facebook page and it would seem as if she is living a happy life, and at other times she wouldn't seem happy with her life at all in the future. Emma spent most of her time trying to perfect her life as a thirty-one year old woman.
Meanwhile Josh, finds out that he ends up marrying the most popular and richest girl in the school. He spends most of his time trying to build a friendship with Sydney his future wife. They spent most of their time running errands together for the student council. Thats when they really got to bond and their relationship got stronger. Each day when Josh would get closer to Sydney his life would get better in the future. Josh was a very talented artist, and in his future he ends up working for an Architecture Company.
In this book I felt that Josh and Emma's Futures are very different from each other. Because Josh has a great life in all of his dreams are coming true and he is married to the girl of his dreams. And Emma's life just seems as if she is lost.
There's also bad that comes along with getting a glimpse into your future. Because Emma and Josh find out things they shouldn't know about their friends. For example Emma's Best friend Kellan has a daughter who is fourteen going on fifteen in the year 2011, which mean that Kellan had to be pregnant in 1996. Which is not good because they are still juniors in high school, and Kellan had plans of wanting to become a doctor. Which she will probably have to put on hold because of her daughter.
I enjoyed this book because, for many reasons but one of them is because I think that it would be cool to get a glimpse of my life in the next fifteen years and i've always thought about what that would be like to see myself in the future. I also enjoyed this book because I've always believed that every reaction causes a chain reaction, I thought that it was interesting to see the effects of that play out in this book.
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