Conor

5/5 stars The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (Summer Reading)

Hundreds of years in the future North America has been destroyed and separated into 13 districts and every year two young adults, one boy, one girl, from every district are selected randomly and placed into an arena, miles in diameter, to fight to the death for merely entertainment. The Hunger Games is a young-adult science fiction written by Suzanne Collins, based on a sixteen-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen. Katniss has been the unlucky girl selected to represent her district in the Hunger Games, and she knows she has almost not chance up against some of the other selected few, or tributes. There can only be one winner in the Hunger Games, and the one winner receives food and wealth for themselves and their district where food is scarce and money is almost unheard of. All of the fighting and dying is broadcasted live to every TV in Panem.

The plot of this story starts when Katniss and her sister, Prim, are living in district 12 with their mother and no father. Katniss hunts all of the food for the family and also trades her kills for other necessary items. When the her sister Prim, being only 12 years old, is selected to fight in the Hungers Games Katniss offers to take her spot. This book is very interesting and tells an amazing story of action, suspense, and some romance, too. I could never guess what would happen next in the arena. This book kept me reading and I ended up finishing it in only three sittings. The plot flowed smoothly, and was believable. Also, the book had an interesting ending that made we want to get up and buy the next book.

The Hunger Games takes place hundreds of years in the future where Panem, or the name for what is left of North America, has been separated into 13 districts but only 12 remain, the 13th destroyed by the Capitol city after the people revolted. The Capitol city is a wealthy, high-tech part of Panem where the people are well fed and spoiled. The annual bloodbath is for their entertainment. The book also takes place in the arena, where the Hunger Games are held, located somewhere in Panem. This arena is also set with traps so if one tribute has a long spike of inactivity, they can be lured to other tributes so they can kill each other, to keep it interesting for The Capitol’s residents. An example of a trap maybe a controlled forest fire, or flood. This setting makes the story exciting because the arena has real environments like forest and desert, but everything in the arena can be controlled. Hovering cameras are always watching the contestants to broadcast on live TV.

Conor

The problem in this book is that there is 23 other tributes trying to kill Katniss to win wealth and food for their district, and she must survive. Katniss must face challenges such as finding food, and water that is safe to drink, staying healthy, and debating giving her life for another’s. I think the author accomplished what she set out to do, and also the Hunger Games is being made into a movie now. I think the author also created very believable characters that connected with the reader very well. I found myself rooting for Katniss while I was reading the book. Also, characters in the story developed, for example there is a boy tribute from district 12. In the Hunger Games there usually only one winner but during the duration of this Hunger Games there is an announcement that two tributes from one district can win together. Katniss and Peeta eventually find each other and team up. Katniss begins to fall in love with Peeta.

I think this book was written very well and I always wanted to keep reading more. A lot of the book was suspenseful, too, and at the end of each chapter you wanted to read on. I think the dialogue in this book doesn’t seem forced and is believable. It is also interesting. I think I will read the next Hunger Games in the series sometime. I would recommend this book to anyone, boy or girl, of any age because it doesn’t focus on just girl things or just boy things and I think it would be interesting for anyone to read.

About the Author Suzanne Collins started out her career scripting children’s TV shows in 1991, for channels such as nickelodeon. After she met a children’s author named James Proimos, she was inspired to start writing children’s and young adult books, too. Between 2003 and 2007 she wrote five books. She released the first Hunger Games in 2008 and the second in 2009. They have been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 60 weeks in a row. Another one of Suzanne Collins’s series of books is the Underland Chronicles. She has also been nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award.

The Wave, Todd Srasser(Summer Reading) 4/5 stars

Ben’s students didn’t understand how the German people could watch millions of innocent people get tortured and eventually slaughtered by the Nazi’s and not fight back until Ben, and average history teacher, creates an experiment making him a powerful leader within a California high school. The Wave is a young adults novel based on a true story written by Todd Strasser. This book shows how being of a part of something bigger than just you can almost be infectious, and can cause people to do horrible things, like the Nazis in World War II. It also shows that people are afraid to fight back against a large, organized group. The result of this experiment is an extremely important life lesson Ben’s students will never forget.

The Wave is the name of the experiment Ben created. The Wave has a salute, a symbol, and even a motto, “Strength Through Discipline, Strength Through Community, and Strength Through Action.” I think this book is extremely unbelievable, so the fact that it is based on a true story makes the whole story incredible. If The Wave was not based on a true story I don’t think I would’ve like the book as much as I did. I think the story flows well, so the plot doesn’t seem forced at all. It was an easy read, and my mind didn’t wander much when I was reading it. Also, the book had a good ending, and near the end of the book I wondered what was going to happen next a lot of the time. At that point the book got very interesting, and I wanted to keep reading.

The problem in this book is that The Wave is out of control and must be stopped. Parents are outraged over it, students that don’t wish to take place in The Wave are viewed as bad people, and a boy was even hurt over the out of control classroom experiment called The Wave. Gordon High is divided, and friendships are broken over something that seems so stupid, but is very powerful. This book taught me that being part of a group could be more powerful than it seems. It also showed me why the Germans were afraid to fight back against the Nazis. The author did accomplish what he set out to do.

Conor

This story takes place in Palo Alto, California at Gordon High School in 1969. The setting doesn’t play a huge role in this book other than that it takes place in an average high school. The fact that Gordon High is like any other high school is important to the readers understanding of The Wave, and what it was.

I think all the characters fit the plot well. The main characters are Laurie Sanders, a good looking, straight A senior, David Collins, a player on Gordon High’s failure football team, and also Laurie’s boyfriend, and Ben Ross who is Laurie and David’s history teacher. When the wave is first introduced to Laurie and David they are interested and excited about it, but as it develops more and more Laurie sees it for what it actually is. David feelings don’t change as Laurie’s did until David pushes Laurie to the ground over an argument about The Wave. From then on, David and Laurie are set on ending The Wave. I think the characters develop well throughout the whole story, and all the characters interact well. They are believable.

About The Author Todd Strasser was born May 5, 1950 in New York City, New York. He is the author of over 130 young-adults, or middle grade novels some written under different names such as Morton Rhue, or T.S. Rue. Strasser studied literature and worked as a journalist. He also had his own fortune cookie company called “Dr. Wing Tip Shoo.” He has two children and enjoys playing tennis and surfing.



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This is a link to buy The Wave Conor

Parallel Journeys

 How could two young Germans of the same age, living within sixty miles of each other, lives vary so drastically? Parallel Journeys was written by Eleanor Ayer, an accomplished author who has written multiple other stories of the atrocities of World War II. This book is a historical non-fiction story, describing the involvement of Germany’s teens in the rise to power of the Nazis and also the horrific conditions put in to place at European extermination camps. It features the vast differences in Alfons’s and Helen’s life, Alfons being a fanatic Hitler Youth leader, and Helen being a jew living in the anti-semitic country of Germany. I would give this book five stars due to its powerful message and honesty.

This story starts with Alfons, a typical German youth, excited and believing in Hitler and his charismatic leadership skills. And then there is Helen, a young jew living in a middle class German family. Ten years from this point, Alfons hold the fate of over 4,000 men and boys at the age of 17, and Helen will be on the brink of death, fighting disease, hunger, and termination at a Polish death camp. I think this was a memorable plot because it really allows you to recognize the huge differences in two Germans lives, and how so many people’s journeys altered. It shows what humanity really can accomplish (In a negative way), and how something so evil took place in a sophisticated country, with a stable economy and formal government, much like the United States. This book was very easy to read because of the fact that all these events actually occurred! This tells an incredible story.

At the time, Hitler seemed like a harmless leader that would lead Germany to “rule the world,” but by 1940 some realized he wasn’t so harmless. This book takes place from 1934 to 1945, or the rise and fall of Hitler. He began to rise in political and social status in 1934. Having being a respected leader in World War I, many already knew the name Adolf Hitler, bur by 1936 he was the most powerful man in Germany. The setting makes the story very exhilarating, because this where everything went down. Hitler’s rise to power, the “deportation of all Jews across Germany”, and almost every other European country, and much of the battles of World War II, also. The setting is probably one of the most important parts of this entire story.

In all, around 50 million men and women were killed in the atrocious undertakings of this war. The problem in this story is the war itself. Jews were being horribly mistreated, millions of lives were being lost, and families and loved ones were being separated from each other, all thanks to Hitler’s maniacal and power-hungry leadership. This needed to be stopped, and wasn’t in time. This was the problem. This book showed me a lot about the Hitler Youth, which I did not even know existed before I read this. The Hitler Youth was the recruiting of all German boys, ten and up, to serve the Fatherland, or Germany. Through this program, eight million children were brainwashed into believing what the Nazis were doing was right, and that Germans were the superior race.

I think most people would enjoy reading this book, probably twelve years old and up, because it really is an incredibly interesting topic. It kept me interested while reading, and I think would do the same for many people. It is so unbelievable that young children could be such fanatic Nazis, and would highly recommend this book.

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Buy the book- http://www.amazon.com/Parallel-Journeys-Eleanor-H-Ayer/dp/0689832362

  **The Outsiders**   “He was sitting next to me, one elbow on his knee, and staring straight ahead. He was a strange greenish-white, and his eyes were huger than I’ve ever seen them before. I killed him, he said slowly. I killed that boy.” The Outsiders is a young-adult fiction, written by S.E. Hinton. This novel follows the story of 14 year old Ponyboy, the youngest of three brothers, living on the poor side of town. This book drew me in, and I could not stop reading it. I would give it five stars because it was very suspenseful and I could never predict what was going to happen next. The book was sad, but still very thrilling.

The plot of this story starts when Ponyboy is walking home from the movies by himself, despite his brothers advice. He gets attacked by a group of guys, the Socialists, or Socs, who beat him up, and would not have stopped, until he is rescued by his companions, and “gang” members. The Socs are the spoiled kids, who live on the rich side of town. This book tells a great story whether it’s murdering your attacker, or becoming heroes saving kids inside a burning building. Although some of the story does seem a bit forced, the plot is laid out very well, which makes this story very memorable.

This story has multiple unrelated problems, which challenge Ponyboy a great deal. First off, Ponyboy questions whether if his oldest brother, Darry, even loves him, or if he has ever been proud of him. Darry never really shows affection toward Ponyboy. Secondly, when Darry hits Ponyboy, he runs away with Johnny, a close friend of his. They are out late, and get dropped by a drunken group of Socs. When they cross the line, Johnny stabs and kills one of the boys to save his and his friend’s life. Lastly, Johnny gets severely injured rescuing children inside a burning church building, and is in critical condition. This book taught me about the endless struggle between the rich and poor kids, which is portrayed in many other books and movie. The author did a great job, and accomplished what she set out to do.

The characters in The Outsiders are the most interesting of any other story I have ever read. Ponyboy, Sodapop, Darry, Johnny, and Dally are the base of this story, because without them the book would be nothing. The way the characters were represented in this book made them seem very easy to relate to. Ponyboy definitely developed throughout the story. He figures out at the end of the story that Darry really does love him, and the reason why he yells and is so strict is just because he wants to keep him safe. Darry also seems to have a deeper understanding of Ponyboy by the end. Dally on the other hand does not develop, but I think that is the point. He is supposed to be the “same old Dally.” Although there were some lesser characters like Two Bit and Steve, the main characters made the story in my opinion.

Overall, this was an interesting read, and could not be put down until you knew the end. I enjoyed the writing style greatly, and it just felt very real. The book as a whole is quite memorable. This book deserves five stars. I would recommend this to anyone above the age of ten, not because of complex language, but because of the intensity of the story. Any adult would surely enjoy this story, and I would highly recommend it.   []    <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">**Night** <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “In front of us, those flames. In the air, the smell of burning flesh. It must have been around midnight. We had arrived. In Birkenau.” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Night// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a historical non-fiction, almost auto-biography, written by Elie Wiesel, describing his experience in multiple Nazi concentration, labor, and death camps throughout the height of the second World War. The story starts out in a small, rural town in Transylvania, surrounding the author’s unsuspecting Jewish family of four. What could happen in their peaceful town of Sighet? Elie Wiesel’s graphic description of the events which took place during his imprisonment in a mid 40’s labor camp, only add to the fact that every single part of the story is true. With that in mind, the story was somewhat slow to develop, and it was not the most attention grabbing plot, so overall, I would rate <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Night,// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a three out of five.

After the German S.S. invades their town, everyone who abides in this innocent place are forced to live in a Jewish ghetto, until their imminent deportation to an awaiting death camp. Nobody can believe what is happening when they are told to drop everything and get on a train to foreign land, and an unidentified destination. I think the style of this book is quite appealing and unique, but also very different and unlike anything I have read before. For example, the name of the main character is not revealed until the end of the book. I did not like how the chapters ended, though, because the end of a chapter should make you want to crave more of the story, but this book did not provide that. Throughout out the whole of story, there were enough surprises and shocks to keep the reader interested, and the dialogue between characters was invaluable to the plot, because it gave a realistic feel of what it was like in a concentration camp. I think Elie Wiesel accomplished what he set out to do.

All of Sighet is eventually liquidated, and sent to Auschwitz in a train car, stuffed with hundreds of Jewish Europeans. Upon their arrival, the family is split up mother and daughter to right, father and son to the left. Elie and the woman of his family are never reunited. He was the only survivor. The problem and conflict in this story is basically just death itself. It takes all of Elie and his father’s will to survive and not give in to death. The hopeless goal of escaping from camp does not even pass through their minds, because they have witnessed many before them running for the fence. The inmates only hope is waiting for the camp to be liberated by ally forces, the Russians and the Americans. This book taught me a great deal about the experiences of being locked in a camp, and also the mindset of many of the prisoners. There is no hope. Elie and his father stayed alive for three years until his fathers death, only months before their liberation.

I did end up enjoying this book, but it was definitely not my favorite I’ve ever read. It was very informative, but not as interesting as I would like. I would recommend this story to an older age group, because I don’t think thirteen or fourteen year olds would enjoy as much as adults would. Overall, this book was definitely worth it to read, so as I said before, I would give it three out of five stars. <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> http://www.amazon.com/Night-Elie-Wiesel/dp/0553272535 <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">