Outside Reading Book Review

Lizzy Hollering

10/5/09

Block C

Eclipse Book Review
I read the book Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer this term; it is the third installment of the Twilight series. In this is the story about a girl named Bella who moved to Forks, Washington to live with her Father. It was here she met Edward Cullen and fell in love with him, even knowing he was a vampire. In this book her friend Jacob refuses to talk to her because of her Edward. Jacob is a werewolf, and there is a bad relationship between them and the vampires. Also people in Seattle have been disappearing more than ever before, which may be the work of another vampire. This book managed to keep me hooked, and wondering what would happen next throughout the story. Stephanie Meyers writing style is very unique. Though most of the story is told through Bella’s point of view, occasionally she will switch characters. An example of this is when at one chapter it will be told from Bella’s point of view, and the next section may be told by Jacob’s point of view. It makes the story interesting to see different events through different characters views. It also gives the reader more of an insight into the particular character’s personality. Meyer is also very descriptive when describing a scene or a person. With her descriptions it’s almost as if you can picture the scene perfectly in your head. It never leaves you wondering what a place looks like, or what a character looks like. Her writing always manages to keep the reader informed. “Meyer knows what her fans want: thrills, chills, and a lot of romance, and she delivers on all counts” –School Library Journal My personal connection with this quote is that the story line reminds me of one about normal teenage life. Vampires and Werewolves could represent two cliques or groups of people with different traits. People like Bella could represent the kids who are in the middle, and neutral between all the groups. Also, people like Victoria may represent the bullies in school. That was the personal connection I made with this story.

Music on the Road

In the world today value is defined by how much items of value one has. People are judged and looked at by the things they own. Things like houses, cars, and the latest technology are seen as desiriable in the world we live in today. But what about the things that are valuable to a particular person? Are these things not important? Things like the joy of a friend or a relative, or a moment or place that brings you happiness. Which one is more valuable? The thing you hold close to your heart that you cannot put a price on, and or irreplaceable, or the things that are seen as valuable today?

The alarm begins to blare music loudly from the side table next to my bed, reading 3:00 am. Once I wake up, I’m as happy as I can possibly be. I’ve been waiting, anticipating this day for the entire year. I get dressed in a flash, and rush to get ready. My suitcase is flung down the stairs where my mother is waiting for me. We then pack everything up in the car, squeezing it in to make it fit. It is then time to leave, we settle in for the 9-hour trip down to Virginia to visit my aunt uncle and cousins

The trip is usually unbearably long. I am normally anxious and jittery about getting there. Thinking about all the good times I have had down there almost makes the trip feel longer. We only make one or two stops; the drive would take almost all day if we did any different. I drift in and out of sleep as the trip goes on, trying to keep myself occupied. We pass different states one by one, after a while it becomes somewhat monotonous. The car passes by baseball fields, tall buildings, shipyards, and goes over long bridges, but none of them catch my attention. My mind is only focused on reaching their house.And then finally, after what seems like forever, we’re turning.
Pulling into the driveway of the house we’ve been traveling to reach. I’m practically about to explode from excitment. I’ve been waiting for what seems like ages! I rush to grab the suitcases from the trunk and sprint into the house, throwing the bags to the side in an un-cared for pile. My cousins and me immediately start to laugh and talk, there is no nervousness amongst one another. It’s always like this when we see each other again, just comfortable. Throughout the time we spend together we do many things. We run around in the river, splashing each other, and trying desperately to catch the creatures the live in the water. We visit amusement parks and go to shops. We also sometimes go to the beach, or hang out and play videogames to pass the time. We have such a fun time that time just seems to fly. And before I even realize it we have to leave again, it’s almost depressing, the thought of not seeing them for another year. But at the same time I am excited and already thinking of the fun we’ll have the next year.

It’s my birthday, I wake up excited and feeling refreshed. I sprint down the stairs to see a box sitting on the kitchen table. Wondering what it is, I open it, not really bothering to check whom it’s from or if it’s even mine. When I see the small apple emblem on the box, my heartbeat begins to pick up. Could it be? Ripping the rest of the paper off, and tossing it to the floor, all I can to is stare. It’s exactly what I wanted! I didn’t even believe that I was going to receive one! It’s even in the color I wanted. I immediately rip my new green apple iPod from its case, being careful not to damage it.I plug it into the computer quickly.
My finger spins around the controls of my IPod in a fluid motion, scrolling through the list of songs that looks as if it could go on forever. I pick the perfect song I want to listen to, everything being in my control. My original IPod only held up to around 100 songs. So I constantaly had to switch around the music order. But this iPod, this wonderful new piece of technology, can hold around 1,000 songs. I’ll never have to keep switching my songs in and out! I can hold all of my favorite different genres and lengths of songs. I can just keep putting more and more on, and if I ever get tired of those songs, I can simply replace them with newer ones. It’s very important to me, and is always with me, I wouldn’t know what to do if I ever lost it.

Although my iPod, my item worth value, and my cousins who are valuable to me, I believe that I cherish my cousins more. This is because if I lost my IPod it could be replaced, but family members are quite literally irreplaceable. My iPod helps me to relax, and keeps me entertained with its many different songs. It’s different from a radio it’s personalized completely to my liking. Where my cousins are dear to me and we have such great memories with each other so much that we have almost have what is an unbreakable bond. My IPod I have available to me everyday, were it's not the same with family members. Both things that are worth value and things that are valuable to a particular person can both be precious and dear, and its hard to chose one or another at times.

The New Kid

The Absoulutley True Diary of a Part Time Indian- Arnold/Junior Spirit
A Child Called 'It'- David

The New Kid

It was a pretty average day in Reardon high school. This would be Arnold’s sophomore year in high school, the year after he had transferred to the significantly different school and had his adventure. He tapped his chewed-on pencil idly against the desk, the day seeming to drag on and never-ending. While the teacher was drawling on about something that he found not quite important, the kid in the seat next to him leaned over, whispering not so softly.

“Psst. Hey, Arnold.” Arnold turned his head to face him,.

“What?” The kid looked back to the front of the class to see if the teacher had caught on that they weren’t paying attention, before turning to Arnold.

“Everyone’s saying that there’s a new kid coming here today. No one’s seen him yet, have you?” Arnold hadn’t heard of a new kid until now.

“I didn’t even know there was a new kid, so nope”

“Oh” The kid said, disappointed, sitting back up in his seat to doodle while the teacher continued his rant, never faltering. When, just then there was a knock at the door, and the principle walked in, a small boy following behind him, dressed in clothes that looked as if they were hand-me-downs. All the kids shifted, sitting up out of curiosity to see.

“Excuse me for interrupting your class” the principal started, “but I would like to introduce you all to your new classmate David, he just moved here from California. So, I hope you’ll all help out in showing him to his classes and explaining the schedule to him.” With that, the principal patted the boy on the back, and the teacher pointed him to his seat. He only nodded and moved to get to his desk. All the other kids stayed quiet and just watched him. Arnold went back to tapping on his desk while thinking, the teacher resuming his lecture. When the lunch bell rang, all the children in the room, quickly shoved out the door, Arnold took his time getting out so he wouldn’t be trapped in the chaos. The new kid, or David, was his name had been the first to get up and shuffle out the door.

When Arnold made his way to the lunchroom, he stopped in the hall where he saw two huge guys that were laughing, and shoving David around. He didn’t look like he was making any attempt to fight back. Arnold sighed, shaking his head, naturally feeling bad for his new classmate, and walked up to him and in-between the two boys, shoving him in the arm saying:

“Hey c’mon David, you’re so slow. I don’t want to be the last in the line” The boy, seeming to catch onto his hint, nodded. Arnold then brushed by the two guys, who were giving each other a strange look, David following him down the hallway.

They grabbed their lunches, sitting at a table with Arnold’s friend, Gordy.

“Hey who’s that?” Gordy said, gesturing to the boy now sitting next to Arnold. “Oh, this is the new kid” he said.

“I’m David…nice to meet you.” Gordy then nodded, going back to reading his book that laid on the table.

“So, David” Arnold said, shoving a forkful of food in his mouth before continuing. “Why are you coming to Reardon now?”

“Um,” the boy said, trying to figure out what to say. “I moved here with my foster parents…” He said this, redirecting his attention to play with the food on his plate.

“Oh” Arnold said, seeing that the boy didn’t want to talk about it, he changed the subject,“So, are you going to play any sports?”

“I don’t know yet, I’ll see about joining a winter sport. Do you play any?”

“Yea, I’m on the basketball team here, you should try out” The boy nodded, smiling some.

“So, if you need any help with the schedule or the classes just come see me alright?" David nodded.

“All right, thanks” The rest of lunch was filled with conversation about all the normal things. Arnold showed him around the school once lunch period was over. David was happy then, he had made a real friend, and on the first day of school too. He had a feeling this new life would be better than he had expected.