Babe the Gallant Pig
Author: Dick King-Smith
Summary: A piglet cared for by a collie befriends a herd of sheep and wants to become a shepherd pig.
Personal thoughts about the book: An adorable, well-written book! Like Wilbur in Charlotte's Web, Babe longs to be known as somebody other than just a common pig. He shows that by just using common courtesy, he can get what he wants the sheep to do.
Character I liked best: Babe
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9
-jessi
Monday, January 30, 2017
Friday, January 27, 2017
#12
Epilepsy
Author: Kristina Routh
Summary: Description of a medical condition called epilepsy and what it can be like to live with.
Personal thoughts about the book: Living with epilepsy since I was 10 years old, reading this book totally hit home for me. I've been on numerous medications that didn't work and am currently taking 2 that work somewhat. I was bullied in high school for having seizures by a guy I had a crush on. Other people thought that I just planned to frighten the daylights out of them! Not only was that hurtful, but it was also a real pain in the ass having to be suspended for the remainder of the school day each time I had a seizure and having to get re-admitted back into school the very next day! Even now as an adult, despite the fact that I have made friends online who understand my condition (either they or their family members have it), I still tend to feel like an outcast in real life. I can't drive to places I want to go and almost always have panic attacks over possibly dying of having a seizure. I go to bed paranoid and I wake up paranoid.
To sum it all up in three words: Epilepsy sucks!!!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Note: Feel free to check out my blog about epilepsy at http://purplepower1.blogspot.com
Author: Kristina Routh
Summary: Description of a medical condition called epilepsy and what it can be like to live with.
Personal thoughts about the book: Living with epilepsy since I was 10 years old, reading this book totally hit home for me. I've been on numerous medications that didn't work and am currently taking 2 that work somewhat. I was bullied in high school for having seizures by a guy I had a crush on. Other people thought that I just planned to frighten the daylights out of them! Not only was that hurtful, but it was also a real pain in the ass having to be suspended for the remainder of the school day each time I had a seizure and having to get re-admitted back into school the very next day! Even now as an adult, despite the fact that I have made friends online who understand my condition (either they or their family members have it), I still tend to feel like an outcast in real life. I can't drive to places I want to go and almost always have panic attacks over possibly dying of having a seizure. I go to bed paranoid and I wake up paranoid.
To sum it all up in three words: Epilepsy sucks!!!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Note: Feel free to check out my blog about epilepsy at http://purplepower1.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 26, 2017
#11
Australia
Author: Ann Heinrichs
Summary: A description of what life is like in Australia from its history, to its unique wildlife, to how the people live and of course, the slang words and trends used.
Personal thoughts: I have an online friend who lives in Australia named Rebekah and I thought a lot about her when I read this book. Sometimes she teases me about only being interested in the wildlife of the country such as koalas and kangaroos. She's only half correct about that, actually. :) But seriously, there really is so much more to the country than just the animals. I've learned about different cultures living there such as the Aboriginal tribes, Australia day in January, sports, beaches, and even the fact that their seasons are different than ours. For example, when it's winter in America, it's summer over there. Very well-written book that I would recommend for all ages.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Author: Ann Heinrichs
Summary: A description of what life is like in Australia from its history, to its unique wildlife, to how the people live and of course, the slang words and trends used.
Personal thoughts: I have an online friend who lives in Australia named Rebekah and I thought a lot about her when I read this book. Sometimes she teases me about only being interested in the wildlife of the country such as koalas and kangaroos. She's only half correct about that, actually. :) But seriously, there really is so much more to the country than just the animals. I've learned about different cultures living there such as the Aboriginal tribes, Australia day in January, sports, beaches, and even the fact that their seasons are different than ours. For example, when it's winter in America, it's summer over there. Very well-written book that I would recommend for all ages.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
#10
Lord of Misrule: The autobiography of Christopher Lee
Author: Christopher Lee
Summary: The life story of actor, veteran, and singer Sir Christopher Lee
Personal thoughts about the book: Very candid and full of wit! Although the book is quite long and Christopher did use lots of words that I had never once heard or even knew how to pronounce, I still very much enjoyed reading about his amazing life. Sadly, Christopher died in June of 2015. He was 93 years old. I actually still find it hard to believe that he's gone.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10 definitely! :)
-jessi
Author: Christopher Lee
Summary: The life story of actor, veteran, and singer Sir Christopher Lee
Personal thoughts about the book: Very candid and full of wit! Although the book is quite long and Christopher did use lots of words that I had never once heard or even knew how to pronounce, I still very much enjoyed reading about his amazing life. Sadly, Christopher died in June of 2015. He was 93 years old. I actually still find it hard to believe that he's gone.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10 definitely! :)
-jessi
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
#9
I Have a Sister - My Sister is Deaf
Author: Jeanne Whitehouse Peterson
Summary: A girl describes things that her deaf sister experiences in everyday life.
Personal thoughts: Having a certificate in sign language and hoping someday to be a teacher for deaf children, I very much loved how the author described what it's like having a deaf family member and what she and her mother needed to accommodate for her sister.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Author: Jeanne Whitehouse Peterson
Summary: A girl describes things that her deaf sister experiences in everyday life.
Personal thoughts: Having a certificate in sign language and hoping someday to be a teacher for deaf children, I very much loved how the author described what it's like having a deaf family member and what she and her mother needed to accommodate for her sister.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
#8
Finding a Common Language: Children Living With Deafness
Author: Thomas Bergman
Summary: The book revolves around the schedule of a deaf 6-year-old Swedish girl attending a nursery school.
Personal thoughts about the book: The little girl Lina was a perfect example that anybody who's deaf can do anything they want, except hear. She created something out of wood all by herself, made her own cookies, learned from her brother to ride a bike, and even thought about going into the theatre when she grew up! Wow!
Don't ever underestimate a child who's deaf!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9
-jessi
Author: Thomas Bergman
Summary: The book revolves around the schedule of a deaf 6-year-old Swedish girl attending a nursery school.
Personal thoughts about the book: The little girl Lina was a perfect example that anybody who's deaf can do anything they want, except hear. She created something out of wood all by herself, made her own cookies, learned from her brother to ride a bike, and even thought about going into the theatre when she grew up! Wow!
Don't ever underestimate a child who's deaf!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9
-jessi
Sunday, January 22, 2017
#7
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Author: Lewis Carroll
Summary: After falling through a hole while chasing a white rabbit, a young girl meets the strangest characters and sees the strangest things in a place called Wonderland.
Personal thoughts about the book: The moral of the story is that there's really no such thing as "normal." In this book, every character was unique in its own way...including Alice. When you really think about it, the same goes for everyone in real life. If we were all the same, life would be quite boring.
Character I liked best: To be honest, there were no favorites. I liked all of them!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Author: Lewis Carroll
Summary: After falling through a hole while chasing a white rabbit, a young girl meets the strangest characters and sees the strangest things in a place called Wonderland.
Personal thoughts about the book: The moral of the story is that there's really no such thing as "normal." In this book, every character was unique in its own way...including Alice. When you really think about it, the same goes for everyone in real life. If we were all the same, life would be quite boring.
Character I liked best: To be honest, there were no favorites. I liked all of them!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
#6
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Author: Roald Dahl
Summary: 5 children win a golden ticket from a chocolate bar to visit the enchanting chocolate factory of eccentric candy maker Willy Wonka. 4 of the kids are terribly spoiled and rude while one is poverty-stricken and malnourished, but with very good manners.
Personal thoughts about the book: The moral of the story is that if you have good manners and don't act selfish, good things are bound to come your way sooner or later. Take the little boy Charlie for instance. He and his family were poverty-stricken and terribly malnourished, but he was always willing to share and didn't misbehave in the factory like the other children did. While the other children left the factory with nothing special, Charlie got something special, which if I told you what exactly, would spoil everything.
Character I liked best: Charlie. Although he loved chocolate very much, he only got to taste it once a year, and he tried so hard not to let it bother him whenever he saw other kids eating it rudely in front of him.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Author: Roald Dahl
Summary: 5 children win a golden ticket from a chocolate bar to visit the enchanting chocolate factory of eccentric candy maker Willy Wonka. 4 of the kids are terribly spoiled and rude while one is poverty-stricken and malnourished, but with very good manners.
Personal thoughts about the book: The moral of the story is that if you have good manners and don't act selfish, good things are bound to come your way sooner or later. Take the little boy Charlie for instance. He and his family were poverty-stricken and terribly malnourished, but he was always willing to share and didn't misbehave in the factory like the other children did. While the other children left the factory with nothing special, Charlie got something special, which if I told you what exactly, would spoil everything.
Character I liked best: Charlie. Although he loved chocolate very much, he only got to taste it once a year, and he tried so hard not to let it bother him whenever he saw other kids eating it rudely in front of him.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
#5
Frankenstein
Author: Mary Shelley
Summary: A scientist creates a man from dead body parts and gives him life...which ends up having disastrous results!
Personal thoughts about the book: While reading Frankenstein, I thought a lot about the movie in which Boris Karloff (one of my favorite actors) played the part of the Monster. I very much felt sorry for the Monster because for one thing, he didn't ask to be created the way he was. Secondly, he didn't deserve to be scorned and beaten by the villagers based on how he looked. He wanted a true friend, but never got it, not even from his creator. This was such a shocking and very sad book.
Character I liked best: The Monster, obviously!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9
-jessi
Author: Mary Shelley
Summary: A scientist creates a man from dead body parts and gives him life...which ends up having disastrous results!
Personal thoughts about the book: While reading Frankenstein, I thought a lot about the movie in which Boris Karloff (one of my favorite actors) played the part of the Monster. I very much felt sorry for the Monster because for one thing, he didn't ask to be created the way he was. Secondly, he didn't deserve to be scorned and beaten by the villagers based on how he looked. He wanted a true friend, but never got it, not even from his creator. This was such a shocking and very sad book.
Character I liked best: The Monster, obviously!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9
-jessi
Sunday, January 15, 2017
#4
Matilda
Author: Roald Dahl
Summary: A precocious child with mind powers deals with idiot parents and a sadistic headmistress of a school in Britain all the while befriending her kind teacher.
Personal thoughts about the book: I felt so sorry for Matilda having to deal with neglectful and verbally abusive parents. And when she starts school, having to meet a sadistic headmistress doesn't make things any better. But one thing's for sure, Matilda did prove that you don't really have to get angry to get even with people who wrong you.
Character I liked best: Matilda, of course. :)
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Author: Roald Dahl
Summary: A precocious child with mind powers deals with idiot parents and a sadistic headmistress of a school in Britain all the while befriending her kind teacher.
Personal thoughts about the book: I felt so sorry for Matilda having to deal with neglectful and verbally abusive parents. And when she starts school, having to meet a sadistic headmistress doesn't make things any better. But one thing's for sure, Matilda did prove that you don't really have to get angry to get even with people who wrong you.
Character I liked best: Matilda, of course. :)
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Friday, January 13, 2017
#3
Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Author: William Anderson
Summary: A short biography about the life of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, who was notorious for writing the Little House series of books.
Personal thoughts about the book: I learned based on reading this and a few of Laura's Little House books that not only was pioneer life very difficult and quite tragic, but also to be grateful for what I have in life. Back then, people had practically nothing and built their own houses and sewed their own clothes. Laura was an amazing, accomplished woman in her time and so was her daughter Rose Wilder Lane.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
Note: I do have plans to read 2 of Laura's Little House books as part of my challenge this year.
-jessi
Author: William Anderson
Summary: A short biography about the life of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, who was notorious for writing the Little House series of books.
Personal thoughts about the book: I learned based on reading this and a few of Laura's Little House books that not only was pioneer life very difficult and quite tragic, but also to be grateful for what I have in life. Back then, people had practically nothing and built their own houses and sewed their own clothes. Laura was an amazing, accomplished woman in her time and so was her daughter Rose Wilder Lane.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
Note: I do have plans to read 2 of Laura's Little House books as part of my challenge this year.
-jessi
Thursday, January 12, 2017
#2
Charlotte's Web
Author: E.B. White
Summary: A barnyard spider named Charlotte befriends and saves the life of a pig named Wilbur.
Personal thoughts about the book: I remember in grade school, one of the teachers read this book to me and my classmates. I absolutely enjoyed it then and I enjoyed it as an adult. I was sad when I got to the part where Charlotte died and most of her children deserted Wilbur. But the happiness that came out of it was that three of her children stayed behind and instantly bonded with Wilbur, just as their mother had done so with him.
Character I liked best: I liked both Charlotte and Wilbur the best. They both proved what true friendship really meant and weren't ashamed to just be themselves. No matter how big, small, or seeming insignificant, they mattered to somebody in the world!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Author: E.B. White
Summary: A barnyard spider named Charlotte befriends and saves the life of a pig named Wilbur.
Personal thoughts about the book: I remember in grade school, one of the teachers read this book to me and my classmates. I absolutely enjoyed it then and I enjoyed it as an adult. I was sad when I got to the part where Charlotte died and most of her children deserted Wilbur. But the happiness that came out of it was that three of her children stayed behind and instantly bonded with Wilbur, just as their mother had done so with him.
Character I liked best: I liked both Charlotte and Wilbur the best. They both proved what true friendship really meant and weren't ashamed to just be themselves. No matter how big, small, or seeming insignificant, they mattered to somebody in the world!
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10
-jessi
Thursday, January 5, 2017
#1
Covenant With the Vampire
Author: Jeanne Kalogridis
Summary: Diaries of 3 family members related to Dracula. They are of a young man, his very pregnant wife, and physically disabled sister.
Personal thoughts about the book: Fear, tragedy, madness, an incestuous love affair, and violence involved dealing with vampires are all described in their entirety. So I'm definitely not kidding when I say this book is not for the faint of heart!
Character I liked best: I liked Arkady and his wife Mary. They describe their fears and sadness with such strong feeling that made me feel a lot of sympathy for them.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10 definitely! :)
-jessi
Author: Jeanne Kalogridis
Summary: Diaries of 3 family members related to Dracula. They are of a young man, his very pregnant wife, and physically disabled sister.
Personal thoughts about the book: Fear, tragedy, madness, an incestuous love affair, and violence involved dealing with vampires are all described in their entirety. So I'm definitely not kidding when I say this book is not for the faint of heart!
Character I liked best: I liked Arkady and his wife Mary. They describe their fears and sadness with such strong feeling that made me feel a lot of sympathy for them.
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10 definitely! :)
-jessi
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