Gannon


 * Review**

**The Wave**

**By Todd Strasser**

The Wave was written by Todd Strasser. This book's genre is more of a adventure type to me because is its about a kid trying to save his school from a teacher brainwashing his classmates. There is not a lot of action so I wouldn't call it action. The theme of this book is to listen to your friends and don't always be the leader because you can lead some of your friends into a trap. My favorite quote of the whole book is “Strength Through Discipline, Strength through Community, Strength through Action!”

I think The Wave has a very good story personally, because most adventure books like The Wave are too cheesey or poorly written. The plot is believable, I could see this happening in real life. In the beginning of the book it was hard to concentrate because the book doesn't kick off until it's near the end.

The story takes place in Alto, California, in a high school. The setting doesn't help the story in a positive and exciting way, and I think the setting is boring because schools are over used in books. The setting helps me understand the characters more than other stories, because im a kid in school.

The main problem in The Wave is a teacher not knowing that a rally called The Wave will brainwash the kids to act the total opposite of their true personalities. The book taught me to think for my self and not to always follow the leader because the leader could lead you in trouble. The author accomplished what he was trying to tell the readers.

I connected to the characters because I can be a leader and a follower and I can relate to the main character. Only three charterers mostly changed throughout the story and they were Ben, David, and Laurie. Ben changed by becoming brain washed and acting like a jerk. David changed by becoming the leader and the hero, and Laurie changed by becoming less shy than she had been. I mostly connect with Ben because my personality can change every day. Most of the surprises happen in the end and that's when I was very interested and couldn't put the book down. None of the chapters ended with cliffhanger, but if they did, it would have made the book two times better. Most of the dialog is believable for the characters and it is well written.

Stars:

 __**Book Review of Lord of the Flies**__ **By Gannon Rawding**

[|**Lord of the Flies**]

The book I read for this trimester was Lord of the Flies by William Goldling. Personally, I think this might have been the best book I ever read in my life. The book has many moral lessons that can help people, and I can say it has definitely helped me. The quote that grabbed me is “I can't move with all these creeper things!” After I read the first chapter, I was glued to the book; reading chapter after chapter. My mind didn't wander at all when I was reading this book. I was very focused and interested the whole time.

I think the book told a very interesting story about how kids from a british military academy crash on a deserted island. The kids had to find food, water, shelter, and stay sane. They break apart into two different tribes and have different opinions on how to survive on the island. These are all problems that we face in real life. For example, the two tribes are like Republicans and Democrats, they have different ways to solve the same problems. The author definitely accomplishes making the story relate to the world we live in today. Although, I don't think some of the dialog is believable because they use a lot of adult language in it and I cant see kids speaking like that.

The setting does play a important role to the characters. I think this because an island can change how someone acts and how they feel physically. The kids definitely change as the story progresses. I compared the characters and how they acted from the beginning to the end and there a lot of changes in them. There where a lot of surprises and changes in this book. I thought the cliffhangers in this book made me want to keep reading. Overall, this book had a great story and I would definitely recommend this book to kids my age because of it's many great moral lessons.

 The Outsiders



The book that I read for the second trimester is The Outsiders by S.E. Hilton. The genre of this book is a action book because in The Outsiders there is allot of fight scenes with knifes. One of my all time quotes is “ Need a haircut greaser?” during a fight scene when the main character gets surrounded by Socs.

The plot is amazing its best story I have ever read, it tells a really good story. The plot is really believable because there is allot of gangs and gang fights in city's or small towns like in the story. When I was reading this book my eyes where locked on the book and every time I had to go some where I was reading The Outsiders and we where always late because I couldn't put the book down. My mind did not wounder at all as I was reading the book I actual forgot about every thing when I was reading this book.

The setting takes place in a small town and the setting doesn't really make the story worse or better. The setting is a part of the characters because they have been there there whole life and its kind of a part of them and they really care about the town.

The problem in the story is that there are two gangs in the town and they both want each other out and there is always fighting on the street, or any where else. The book taught me to be my self and even if people yell or bully you just get back up. The author did accomplish what he wanted to do and even more.

The characters didn't really connect with me but they do connect with each other allot, every greaser is like a brother. The characters develop allot in different ways like aggression. I can’t relate to any of the characters.

The surprises did keep my interested allot more then I was. There was only one cliffhanger in the book and it was the best cliffhanger I have ever read. The dialog is really believable because there gangs and the talk slang and incorrect gramer.

 Book Review By Gannon 

The book I read for the last trimester is Daniels Story by Carol Matas. This book has so much suspense in it every time when I read the next page its almost scarier and Scarier. One of my favorite quotes was “Even a new country needs music, and the Jews need a country of their own.” The plot is also amazing this book is probably the best, most enjoyable book I have ever read. It is completely believable and its not forced at all. There where no distractions as I was reading, when I was my eyes where right on the book.

The story takes place in multiple spots. He goes to Auschwitz, then to a killing camp and he goes to a couple other camps before that. The book really showed me has cruel people can be and what it was like to be a Jew in that time and it really made me sick. The author really did send out what he was supposed to say.

The characters in the book where also really cool and awesome. They connected to me and I think together too. The characters really developed too in the story especially Daniel. I think I connect to Daniel the most also, because he never gave up and always fought back. The story always kept me interested not one time I wasn't interested. None of the chapters ended with cliffhangers, and the dialog was believable.