All American Girl- Meg Cabot

My new independant reading book, is called All American Girl, by Meg Cabot. my cousin recommended this book to me. I already knew that I would love this book, becasue Meg Cabot is one of my most favorite authors. I read her novel , Teen Idol, and I loved it. The way Meg Cabot writes,allows her readers to be placed in the position of the main protagonist, which is always a girl. So, when my cousin told me about this book, I thought it would be a great book for my independant reading project. Hopefully, I will like it, and just by reading the back, it sounds interesting. It is about a young teenage girl in high school, her obsessions and her worries being a high school student. I know that relating to her, would be very easy for me, since I am also a high school girl. Overall, I hope to enjoy reading this book, and will post more updates. :)

The image above, represents what I believe the Four Sisters, live in. They lived through rough times, during war and went through many struggles. I found this image, and it quickly reminded me of this book. I could imagine the four sisters, and their mom residing in this houes. Also, their neighbors would reside in the house behind this one. Even though this house above seems small, it could represent the Four Sisters' house because in the time period when they lived, there were no large houses, and if there were, it would belong to the rich. The four sisters were not that rich, so this house is probably a good example of the type of house they lievd in during that time.

Four Sisters

Four Sisters

Four Sisters

All alike

Yet, all different

Four Sisters

Living Together

Fighting each other

Four Sisters

Loving everyone

Hating their features

Four Sisters

Living their life with different problem

Finding solutions ones day at a time

Four Sisters

Their relationship never broken,

Their hearts always filled with love, for these are wonderful

Four Sisters

^ I wrote this poem, because I wanted to express the relationship that the four sisters share, in a nice and sweet way. By writing in a poem format, I believe that this can be done. It summarizes the relationship and makes the reader think.^

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

After finishing Prep, I decided that it was time to read a classic novel. Usually I never read classics, because I find them very boring and fiction just seems more interesting to me. I chose to read a classic because my friend recommended Little Women by Louisa Mal Alcott to me. Upon looking at the cover, it seemed boring but I decided- Hey, why judge a book by its cover?! After completing 100 pages, i came to a conclusion, that this book, even thought its a classic, was not bad. In the beginning, it starts off with 4 sisters- Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. They are all complaining about this years' Christmas not being a jolly one, for they know that they won't recieve presents. All of them however decide to put their money together and buy something for their mother, Marmee. All of the sisters, are different and comlplain about different things. Jo isnt very social and doesn't like going to parties, and Amy always grieves over her flat nose. Jo however becomes close friends with her neighbor, Laurie who often feels lonely. The story continues on about the different personality that each sister possesses. I really enjoy this book so far and hope that it continues to keep my attention.

Ending of Prep

I have just completed the novel Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld. Overall, I really enjoyed the book because it was relatable. Since I am in High School, and so is Lee Fiora, the main protagonist, relating to her situations and issues was very easy. Basically, in the book Lee attends a new school and struggles to fit in. At first she is a loner, but by the time she becomes a senior, she has made a place for herself. Going through rough relationships, some of which include her friendships with other girls, and complicated one with teachers, Lee is well associated with the people of her school. However, Lee's behavior starts to change, just like any other teenager going through high school, but her's lead to a bad turn. Apart from that, her relation ship with her parents become distant, and struggled. In the end, this book was very well written and is a great story for adolescents. I would recommend this book to mostly a teenage girl rather than a guy because I think since the main characater is a girl, it would be easier for a girl to relate to. However, I also think that a teenage guy would like this book as well. So in conclusion, Prep, was a great bookthat was very relatable and well written.

Hey Everyone!

^ This picture to me, represents the Hotel that Jing Mei and her family members are staying in^

Hey everyone, its Jing Mei

Eventhough, that I am an American, as soon as I landed in China, I started to become "Chinese". I felt very different, and my senses started to change. My mother was right, it was in my blood, to become Chinese, and now that I'm in China, I've never felt it more. As my father and I stood, we heard a lady screaming. I thought that she was trying to sell us something, but it turned out that she was Aiyi, my great aunt. She was so happy to see us, and we were also delighted, especially my father. We all went to a Hotel, which surprisingly was very elegant, and more than expected. I thought we were in the wrong place, becasue what I asked for, was something cheap. However, we were already booked in. Workers in neat uniforms, restaurants and arcades all around- it seemed unreal. If you guys could have been here with me, you also would be stunned. I am still recovering from the shock i got upon entering this hotel. I hope Aiyi doesn't think that I am a spoiled American that cant survive without elegant surroundings. Even in San Francisco, I have never been to a place so rich and wonderful. Our room, dont even get me started. It is located on the eighteenth floor, and its very luxiourious. The fridge is filled with treats, and there is a colored t.v. All I am worrying about however, is the expense that this will cost in the end. So far, my trip is going wonderul, and I hope it coninues to be this way. All that I am worried about now, is meeting my two twin sisters. Well, that's all for now. Talk to you guys soon!

Love,

Jing - Mei Woo

(Jing Mei has just arrived in China, and is writing from the Hotel)

Ault High School

^Ault High School^ (according to me)

Lee attends Ault High School, through a scholarship that she earned. She lives in a dorm with two other girls. There are many students attending Ault and all of them wear a required uniform. I imagine that Ault High School would look like the image above. This is because when I first heard of " Ault High School", I immediately imagined an old fashioned, or historical looking high school. I also taught of the school as a place where all the rich students go, or the ones with wealthy families. Thirdly, I imagined the school of being the "Harvard" of all high schools, because the name "Ault" sounds like it has a great meaning. So, the image above represents what I think Ault High School looks like, based on its description in the novel.

Lee Fiora

^ This picture is not an actual picture of Lee Fiora, but she seems like a girl that can represent her ^

Lee Fiora

Name: Lee Fiora

Birth Place: South Bend, Indiana

Age: 14

Occupation: Currently studying at Ault School in Massachuset

Hobbies: Observing and learning the ways of other teenagers at her school, dealing with her room mates, trying not to stand out, but to blend in with the rest at her school.

Thoughts: Lee constantly thinks about how to become accepted in her school, and be liked by everyone. She tries to be kind and polite to all, and becomes fascinated and intimidated by her classmates.

Dressing: Lee wears a uniform which is required by her school

Goal: Basically, not to be stuck with the loners in her school but to be someone recognized, or blended in with the rest. (not so sure)

Hates: The fact that she is new to the Ault School (she got accepted through a scholarship) and that she is becoming a loner at her school.

Intimidated by: So far, in this novel Lee seems to be most intimidated by Cross, a guy that helped her when she fainted.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, so far is a very interesting novel that makes me want to keep on reading. I decided to choose this book, as my second independent reading novel, because I saw many other students reading the same one and they all enjoyed it. It was recommended to me by one of my friends. She said that I would love this book, because the main protagonist was easy to relate to. I just finished reading the first 100 pages, and my friend was absolutely right. The main protagonist, Lee was very relatable and from the authors description of her, I was easily placed in Lee's shoes. One interesting fact I found out about the author, Curtis Sittenfeld, was that at age sixteen, she won the Seventeen fiction writing contest in 1992!That was really amazing and admirable. I hope that I can continue to enjoy this novel and post more updates about this book.

Symbolism

Symbolism is used by many authors, as a way to represent a certain object or thing. For example, in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, she used a swan in the beginning parable, as an object of symbolism. The swan represented all of the hopes and dreams that she had for the future. On page 313 in my book, when Ruth went to visit Mr. Salmon, Mrs. Salmon and Lindsey, were gathering daffodils to take home. I think that these daffodils represented happiness and hope, since the Salmons' wanted to take it home. In this book, there are many chaotic events that leave the Salmon family shattered, some of which include: Susie's death, the leaving of Mrs. Salmon, and the heart attack that Mr. Salmon experienced. So, when I read that the Salmon's were gathering the daffodils to take home, I believe that they were a symbol for happiness, and the hopes of restoring their family.

Father & Son Argument

^This image was chosen to depict a scene occurring between Buckley, and Mr. Salmon on page 256, chapter 18.^

Buckley was making over the garden that his mother once cared for, and decided that he needed stakes for his tomato plants. He went down to the basement and brought up a box of old, worn things. Inside was a pile of Susie’s clothes. Upon realizing that his daughters clothes were in the box, Mr. Salmon quietly took it out of the box and clutched it close in his arms. Buckley, then asked why he couldn't use the clothes to make the stakes, and his father stood there in shock. Buckley then started yelling at his dad about not getting over Susie's death and the arguing continued. At the end of their loud conversations, Mr. Salmon fell to his knees, because he had a heart attack.

So, this picture was chosen to represent the arguing that was going on between Mr. Salmon and Buckley because it shows a father and son yelling at each other.

Susie Salmon Was My Sister

Lindsey Salmon, is Susie Salmon's sister. At the news of Susie's death, the Salmon family was shattered. All of Susie's friends and family couldn't believe what had happened. It seemed as if all hope was lost. The poem below was written by me, in the position of Lindsey Salmon. If I were in Lindsey's place, I would have read this poem at Susie's funeral as a tribute to her.

Susie Salmon was my sister,
A best friend and a loved one.

Her smile could light up a room,
Her eyes forever glistened.

She had soft shiny hair,
And was always there for me.

One day her life was taken away and ruined the lives of those she loved,
Someone who can feel no other emotion but hate brutally hurt my sister and shattered my family.

That happy smile will never be seen again,
Those bright eyes will never glisten.

Her wavy hair will no longer blow in the breeze,
Now, who will be there for me?

She will be greatly missed and never forgotten,
For Susie Salmon, was my wonderful and loving sister.

Susie Salmon- Will Always Be Missed

I just read 100 pages of the book, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. So far the book is really interesting and it makes me want to continue reading. What keeps my interest, is the protagonist, Susie Salmon. All of the events that she goes through are really life changing, so reading about them makes you imagine about what would happen to you if you were in her position.
Susie Salmon was an avergae 14 year old teenage girl, that unfortunately got brutally raped, murdered and butchered. Now, she resides in Heaven watching over all of the commotion going on, on Earth. She views her grieving parents, police trying to solve the murder, and her murderer trying to cover up his tracks.
I think Susie's actions before she died were very careless and that was why she was vulnerable. When she was going home, Mr Harvey (murderer) invited her into a hole in a cornfield and Susie actually went. What made it worse was that she took her coat off, sat down and drank a coke when he told her to. I don't those actions were smart ones because after that, she had no place to go and Mr. Harvey then raped her. If I were Susie I would've told Mr. Harvey that I had to go home immediately. This way, I wouldn't be open to attack.
This is a sample of one of my favorite quotes from the book:

" A father's suspicion...Is as powerful as a mother's intuition"- Ryana Singh

This quote was spoken by Ruana Singh, Ray Singh's(Susie's boyfriend) mother .
I liked this quote because Mr. Salmon suspected Mr. Harvey to be the murderer because of his weird behavior when Susie's name was said. No one had really suspected him but now all that Mr. Salmon thinks about is proving Mr. Harvey guilty. Ruana Singh was the first person that started to agree with him.
Overall, this weeks reading was very intersting and I am hoping to read about clues that will prove that Mr. Harvey is guilty and the Salmon's can now be able to live more peacefully truthfully knowing, that thier daughter is in Heaven.

The Lovely Bones

For my independant reading, I chose to read the book called The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I became interested in this book because i read the summary of the plot of this book on google.com. Out of reading this book, i hope to get surprised and i hope that the events will keep me interested. Aftre researching about Alice Sebold, I found out something about her, that is quite intersting. She wrote The Lovely Bones as a memoir of the time she was brutally raped, beaten, and attacked when she was just 18 yrs. old. This book has 328 pages so it will take me about three weeks to complete reading it. Overall, I hope to find The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold as interesting as it seems.
-Parvita