The Glass Castle
Plot Summary:
The Glass Castle is a memoir by Jeannette Walls, she recounts her dysfunctional family life as they were nomadic and had no stable home. Although dangerous she highlights the vibrant upbringing she had experienced, the freedom and self-determination. She emphasizes her father's attempts toward recovery and her mother's negligence.Despite their negligence and what one could call abuse, she powered through and did everything in her ability to excel in life and leave the broken pieces of her crazy life behind. From being left along to cook their own meals, to not eating for days, not showering for weeks, moving states and homes every few months to being burnt by fire, Jeannette recalls all her greatest and saddest times in her life. Her resilience and motivation along with hope for a better future models her teen years. A very powerful and inspiring book.What did you think about the book?:
I absolutely loved the book! Jeannette Walls was very descriptive and kept you entertained. Her stories gradually progressed and she expressed her feelings and thoughts about her irresponsible and crazy parents! I enjoyed reading the book because of how she went into detail about every crazy event they experienced and the support her and her siblings were for each other when their parents were busy avoiding real tasks such as taking care of family.
Heroes
Plot Summary:
Two best friends, Stanley and Frank, are in distress. One moment, they are on a ship which is sailing fine. Before they know it, the ship is being bombed upon, risking their lives. Stanley and Frank work together, and manage to survive. People die, people are mad,... they never expected this. This was the Pearl Harbor attack, led by the Japanese. Stanley is of Japnese-American heritage. Because of the attack, people are disgusted to even look at Stanley and his family. Is this fair? No way! But, even after some misunderstandings, Frank and Stanley remain to be best friends. This book emphasizes a fictional volume of the fatal attack which caused the U.S.A to join World War ll. Read this book if you like historical fiction stories!What did you think about the book?:
This book is amazing! It doesn't only teach you about history, but it shows you an example of true friendship! I loved that Alan Gratz includes techniques to lure in the reader to read this book. This is definitely a must-read for people who like friendships and history. Have fun reading!
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Plot Summary:
Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life," is a nonfiction book that guides readers towards becoming a better writer and improving their life along the way. Lamott delves into several different styles, techniques, and strategies on how to be a better and more effective writer.What did you think about the book?:
This book taught me why I should write regardless of the outcome of the work. I think that this is a beautiful book on living in the present, being honest, brave, yet vulnerable and to keep on keeping on. This book gives people the courage to move forward on their writing part and I definitely recommend it to all ages.
Salt to the Sea
Plot Summary:
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys is an intense historical fiction novel set during the final months of World War II. It focuses on the harrowing events leading up to the largest maritime disaster in history. The story follows four young refugees; Joana, a Lithuanian nurse; Florian, a Prussian art restoration apprentice; Emilia, a Polish girl with a dark secret; and Alfred, a German sailor stationed on the Wilhelm Gustloff. Each character is fleeing their personal horrors as they seek passage on the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German ship evacuating civilians and wounded soldiers ahead of the advancing Soviet army. As the narrative unfolds through alternating perspectives, the characters' journeys intersect, revealing their complex motivations, fears, and hopes. Sepetys masterfully portrays the harsh realities of war, the struggle for survival, and the power of human connection in the face of adversity. The novel not only sheds light on a forgotten chapter of history but also shows the resilience and compassion of those caught in the crossfire of conflict. Through its vivid storytelling, Salt to the Sea offers a moving and unforgettable portrayal of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring human spirit.What did you think about the book?:
Salt to the Sea is a beautifully written book that captures the horrors and hopes of World War II. The story offers a wide variety of experiences and mysteries. The way Ruta Sepetys uses the language and the different perspectives to develop the story is powerful and makes the book emotionally rich. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
Going places
Plot Summary:
The story revolves around the protagonist Hudson Wheeler who is a senior in high school. He lives with his mother and his father passed away during a war in Iraq. He convinces his mother to get him homeschooled with a condition of taking two classes at school. He is an aspiring entrepreneur as he has two businesses - one is dog walking and other is distress dial to help elderly people. He meets Gus and Alana in his Physical education class and finds out that Alana lives near his house. Through his business of distress call he meets Fritzy who is happy go lucky girl. It starts a complex relationship web between Hudson, Alana, Bryce, and Fritzy. While helping one of his distress dial client who happens to be a WWII veteran, he finds a new meaning of life and embarks on a journey which teaches him a new perspective. He grows up from a little teenager to a man who is definitely going places.What did you think about the book?:
It is a very emotional story which shows the journey of protagonist who was told he would “go places” in fifth grade to a high school senior who doesn’t want to attend school. All the characters were integrated beautifully into the story. It includes every major aspect of life, like trip down the memory lane, new friendships, falling in love for the first time, and taking a road less travelled to a bright future.
The Cousins
Plot Summary:
Young adult mystery author Karen M. McManus's "The Cousins" tells the tale of three cousins, Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story, who are hardly connected and have never met their wealthy grandmother Mildred Story. They get an unexpected offer to spend the summer at her island resort out of the blue. The cousins decide to set off in spite of their parents' strained relationship with their grandma in the hopes of learning the truth about the family conflict. As soon as they get to the island, they learn that their grandmother is hiding something, and the dark past of the Story family starts to come to light. They uncover long-kept mysteries regarding their parents and the real motivations for their grandmother's behavior.What did you think about the book?:
Overall, I thought that this was a great book and a great read full of mysteries, surprises, and jaw dropping plot twists. I liked the concept of having 3 different perspectives from the 3 cousins. My favorite part was when the cousins started getting along after their initial rocky start.
Who Was Julia Child
Plot Summary:
This book is about Julia Child. She was born on August 15,1912 in Pasadena, California. When she was a kid she used ride her bike and liked to prank people ,she had 2 siblings, John and Dorothy. Julia liked to play sports like Softball and basketball, when she was a kid she was always the tallest in her class (she will grow up to be 6' 2").At the age of 15 she went to the Katherine Branson School. Julia was having a hard time in many of her classes, but French was the only class that she would not have a hard time in. In plays she would often play the roles for men, because of her height .In 1930, Julia graduated, she was very popular, Julia was even awarded the school cup by Ms. Katherine Branson herself. When Julia graduated the Katherine Branson School after she went to Smith Collage, there was a point that she would get Cs and worried about failing out of collage. Since her family is wealthy one of her advisors said "She will not need a job", and her advisor was right. Then, Julia got a job in New York City, her job was to set up photography shoots, write press releases, and to do odd jobs. In the spring, she quit her job and went back home to California. Julia's mother had become sick with kidney disease, Caro had died at only the age of 60 (I found that very sad :( ).On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The US was now at war, Julia wanted to do something to help. Julia applied to both the Army and the Navy, but she was rejected because they she was too tall! but then she joined the OSS, she became a spy. In 1944, She boarded the SS Mariposa, a journey that would take more than a month at sea! The year was 1944, and Julia was about to meet someone that would change her life! Some of Julia's friends introduced , Paul Child, to her, He was also working for the OSS. At first she was not impressed, she wrote in her diary, "I thought, not at all nice looking", he had almost no hair, was ten years older, and about 5 inches shorter than Julia. And Paul was not interested in Julia, either. Paul thought she was too young to be his girlfriend, (Sorry, I am going to finish it now very quick because it might take the hole summer to finish). Then she learned how to cook, got married to Paul, wrote a cook and started her show.What did you think about the book?:
I think this book was very inspiring, I recommend this book to others.
Finally Heard
Plot Summary:
Lina Gao, a Chinese girl who is in 5th grade, is the main character of the book "Finally Heard". Her family creates videos of their mom's company to boost up their sales. Soon, they become instant hits. But, they also face some difficulties in the internet society. With their phones, Lina's classmates write mean things about other people in their group chats. Everyone becomes super addicted to their phones! Lina and her friends named Carla, and Finn, work together to make videos for companies that request for their help. Lina experiences "puberty", a major change in her life. She feels ashamed about her external looks. Together, Lina, her classmates, and her teachers work together to stop bullying. Lina looks for ways to spread social kindness and awareness of cyper-bullying. The main theme of this book is, that when you get older and more mature, there are more opportunities awaiting you.What did you think about the book?:
This book does a good job of describing the dangers of over-usage of electronic devices. "Finally Heard" includes a variety of different genres combined into one. I loved reading this book because it captivated me into reading more. I even stayed up until 11 PM to finish all the pages that I could. The main character, Lina, experiences certain changes in her body. She doesn't want to be "different". Lina wants to remain her own self. But, as the book goes on, she realizes that no-one can stop changes; they just happened. My favorite part of this book was when Lina, Finn, and Carla started getting requests from adults to make videos for their companies. I liked this part because this is when their friendships become stronger and they get business-savvy! My least favorite part was when Jessica, the meanie, sent a picture of the mean things Lina wrote in their chat, to the Principal! This was a sad moment because she hid the mean words that they were saying about others. This is a great sequel to "Finally Seen". Overall, I would say that Kelly Yang did a great job combining emotions to write this great novel.
The Catcher in the Rye
Plot Summary:
Holden Caulfield’s journey through 1950’s New York. Holden is a 15 year old boy expelled from his private school Pency who takes a journey back home to New York. He has to wait three days for his expulsion letter to arrive to his parents before going home so as to not have to break the news to his parents himself, he spends this time in New York exploring the city and catching up with old friends. The story proceeds from him preparing to leave Pencey and follows through his journey back to his home city and his exploits in New York before he returns home.What did you think about the book?:
My favorite part of the book was when Holden got home and talked to his sister. That moment represented an important part of his life as his character developed from being an introverted, stuck up boy to a vulnerable and expressive boy. It was the first time he had ever genuinely spoken to someone politely and honestly instead of in a disrespectful manner.
Things hoped for