"The Future of Us"

I am currently reading "The Future of Us" by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler and I have got to say I really love this book. It is written from the perspectives of two different people who are family friends and the time is 1996. It was before ipods, iphones and all of the current electronics we use today. When Emma gets her new computer and makes an email something, a website, appears. It shows photos a website called "Facebook" which puzzles her with all of the pictures of her but when things don't add up she discover it could be her future!

I have always liked the idea of finding out your future. When I think of finding your future I think of women in turbans reading your hand to see the "life lines" or a man saying how famous and successful you will be when you grow older, not finding it out on a website that doesn't exist yet. I really like the way the authors mixes in the current electronics of today with electronics back then. For example Emma one of the two protagonists reads on "Facebook" that her ipad is broken...she wonders what and ipad is and I really think thats a bit funny because today everyone knows what an ipad is. I think the authors did a really good job on the details on all of the details of "Facebook" and I can relate was because the first time I got a Facebook I was so confused and had no idea how to use it.

Overall, I really like this book and hopefully then ending will be as good as the beginning. So far the plot is very interesting and I hope to read more.

Tuck Everlasting

I have almost finished the book "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt and I would say it was a good read. The author definitely put a lot of thought, feeling, and imagination into the book. This book is mainly in the genre of being immortal and having an eternal life. But is it something good that will change the main characters life forever or something that she can never erase?

The main character young Winnie Foster one day discovers a spring on her family's property whose water grants immortality. Members of the near-by neighbors the Tuck Family, having drunk from the spring, tell Winnie their experiences of watching life go by and never growing older. But is this a good thing? Once you have made yourself immortal, you can never go back. You have to watch the people around you move on with their lives leaving you to suffer behind, but is it suffering? You never grow old, you never die. Is being immortal a blessing or a curse?

This book always leaves me wanting to read more and wanting me to wonder more about the Tuck family. Does Winnie know what she's doing? Or could she make the worst decision of her life? Winnie's decision put me on the edge of my seat.

"It's Kind of A Funny Story" post #2

This is my second week on the book "It's Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. So far I really like this book. It has proven to be a real life story, and not one of those crummy cliche books that gets boring quickly. This book doesn't.

The main character craig is still going through tough times with everyone. His friends, his family, and the people around him  who are also in the same situation he is in. I think Craig doesn't understand how much stress he puts on the people around him. I can relate to this because sometimes I think I dont realize how much the people around me do for me.

Craig needs to understand that his parents do a lot. They are the ones who have to put up with his unfortunate way of stress. They have been there for him the whole time. His friends don't exactly know why he was depressed in the first place. Craig never exactly showed any of his stress to them so when they found out Craig was in a mental hospital they were crude and dissaproving of him, making him feel bad and laughing. Maybe they weren't even his real friends.

Overall I think Craig needs to understand that he needs to step up for himself and fight back against the stress because thats the only was he is going to get anywhere in life. You can't let anyone boss you around! Not even yourself.

It's Kind of A Funny Story

 I am currently reading the book "It's Kind of A Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini. This book is clever, witty and funny and those are definitely the words used to describe this book! The main character Craig  is surrounded by the world of school, tough friends, girls and map making. Craig is determined to succeed in life but is under to much stress. The question is though, is Craig working himself to death?

Craig nearly starves himself and stays up all night. One day the stress gets to him and try's to commit suicide. This got him no where. Craig's suicidal episode gets him right into a mental hospital where he meets kids that may be a little weird, but grow to be his friends. He meets a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her face with scissors and a self elected president. These might not be the friends of his dreams but he is finally able to confront the sources of his stress/ his anxiety. I really think this book is a whole different type of genre and is one-hundred percent original! This book has really grown on me and I can really connect with the feeling of being stressed and letting it out to people who are stressed about the same things.

In conclusion I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is feeling stressed because it is definitely a book you can relate to and is classic and funny!

Zachary Beaver

I am currently reading the book When Zachary Beaver came to town by Kimberley Willis Holt. I had to take a break of reading for a couple days when I went on my trip but now I'm back! Relationships in this book are slowly falling apart as drastic changes happen to the characters.

As I am coming towards the end of the book I realize that Toby and Cal never exactly strengthen their relationship with Zachary. They never became close and one of the questions I have would be: Does Zachary ever have any friends? In the future or the past...

When *SPOILER* Cal's brother Wayne passes away and Toby ditches the funeral to take a walk, their friendship immediately vanishes. I agree with Cal! You can't just ditch your best friends brothers funeral, especially if Toby felt like the only one of cared for Wayne! Toby admired Wayne and always wished he had had a big brother, and a friend. But now it seems that friend is gone.

In conclusion, these friendships have slowly gone downhill, or just didn't move at all. Either way it put in a new perspective of the story for me to look at. Overall a great read!

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

I am currently reading the book "When Zachary Beaver Came to Town" by Kimberly Willis Holt. This is already a great book. Lots is already going on. For one Zachary Beaver dubbed fattest kid in the world comes to town. The whole town of Antler Texas is craning their necks to see him. But is he just a side show attraction or a real human being like everyone else.

When Toby and Cal go to visit Zachary Beaver, Cal Toby's best friend just wants to know everything about what he eats. Toby slowly keeps shrugging off the questions as if he were Zachary Beaver. He doesn't care about any of the food questions. He wants to get to know Zachary. But does Zachary want to know him? When Toby goes to see him, Zachary just keeps ignoring and ignoring all of his questions. He says lots of people have asked him questions but Toby is the first that actually wants to know more about Zachary. Zachary is locked up like an animal in a glass container keeping him away from the public. Nobody takes him seriously. I think that their relationship will get stronger throughout the book and I am excited to read more.

In conclusion people shouldn't be locked up the way Zachary is and I think Toby is one of the only people who really knows that. Does the size of a person affect their personality? Does this book relate to other people? I'm sure I will find out.

The Evolution of Calpurina Tate

The Evolution by Calpurina Tate by Jaqueline Kelly, has so far been a great read. I think it is very detailed and I really like the setting and I think it is one of the main focuses of the story. It takes place in 1889 in a town in Texas. There aren't a lot of ways to stay cool in the summer so Calpurina or "Callie" for short discovers the wild life and the world around her. With the help of her grandfather she is becoming a naturalist and studying the insects and small town rodents in her town. She is the only girl out of seven children which makes her one of the most unique.

In the beginning of the book, Callie and her grandfather weren't close. They would stay on opposite sides of the house and did not really bond like most grandfathers would. A little bit later when Callie needs to find a book that a girl shouldn't be looking at, about wildlife she asks her grandfather for help. it just so happens that he has the book and then they start their adventure. They go into the woods together and search for interesting species, go camping on the lawn and capture a bat, and talk a lot about their feelings of being a naturalist. I think this is where their relationship gets stronger.

Their are also a lot of thoughts about growing up and becoming a civilized woman that her mother has always wanted her to be. Callie doesn't think this is important. She doesn't like the idea of having to wear layers and layers of petticoats and a corset underneath. Two layers of tights and thick boots and frankly I don't like that idea either! Who would?

In conclusion this book is getting really interesting and will hopefully have a great ending and I will learn more about Calpurina Tate and her grandfather!