As active readers, students at Blackburn participate in an independent reading activity where they create a book review for a book they enjoyed that will entice future readers. They created a hook summary that does not reveal too much information about the book but keeps future readers interested in wanting to read the book. They also gave a personal reflection on how they related to Main Characters and the situations those characters faced in the story by comparing it to their lives.
The Lost Boy: A Foster Child’s Search for the Love of a Family
By Dave Pelzer
Review by Deborah Cook
·Dave Pelzer has written three books. The first one is A Child Called It. The second one is The Lost Boy. And the third one is A Man Named Dave. All of them are great books. I recently read The Lost Boy. I encourage anyone that likes nonfiction books to read this book. This book is based on a true story about a child that was abused almost all his life, physically and emotionally. All he ever wants is to be a normal kid and have friends and people that care for him. This book made me look at many things very differently. One, it opened my eyes to my life isn’t that bad. Secondly, it actually reflected on my life as a child getting abused and feeling like it was me against everyone and everything. It also made me feel like I’m not the only one in the world that goes through things that are tough. This book showed me that there are people that have been in the same position as me and, further, it showed me that I’m not the only one that sometimes feels like giving up. It actually made me feel that my life was good and I didn’t have the worst life in the world as I always thought. Now I know that there are people in the world that would love to have my life. I also know that there are people out here that don’t have things that I have, such as shelter, clothes, or food. I’m encouraging people who think their lives are bad to READ IT!!!!
Game
By Walter Dean Meyers
Review by Joe Jackson
This story is about a young man named Drew. He is a good basketball player and he lives in the hood. Drew had the goal of getting himself out the hood. The only way he knew how was through his basketball ability. He started working out and playing for his school team. When they made it to the play-offs he was failing one of his classes and was in danger of being ineligible. His friend and family came to the rescue by helping him with his studies. The fans wanted to win the play offs as much as the players. During the last game, college Scouts made an appearance. Drew knew nothing about it and had a fantastic game. After the game the Scouts congratulated him and ask if he would like to play college ball. I like this book because is showed that anyone can successfully make it out the hood if they put their mind to it. Drew ended up being one of the best basketball players in the city. He went on to play college ball and not only got his education paid for but he was given a car. I think that anyone who reads this book will like it because it is a story of a young man getting out of the hood and doing something with his life. It will provide a source of inspiration to “escape” the hood to!
Bang!
By Sharon Flake
Review by Justin Middleton
Bang is a book about a 13 year old Teenage Boy named Mann. He lost his little brother named Jason, in a shooting on his porch. So he was just hanging out with his friend named Keelee who also lost a loved one, his cousin MooMoo. Mann and his friend Keelee cope with their losses, and suffer problems with their families. After Mann’s Father abandons Keelee and Mann out in the woods to find their way home. They run into trouble with strangers in nearby country neighborhoods. Mann keeps hearing the gunshot sound in his memories every time he hears a gun. It reminds him of his brother. Bang is a good book. I like the book because portrays realistic events. He was out on his own, and he struggles as a young boy to make the right decisions.
In the Name of God
By Paula Joulin
Review by Abdiaziz Hashi
Nadia is an excellent student, daughter, and sister living in Damascus, Syria. She has to follow the laws of Islam but she’s conflicted by the world around her and how she fits in to it. She’s conflicted about her westernized cousins, the internal struggles of her country, and the war raging in Iraq. Nadia has to choose to be a suicide bomber or disgrace her family in the eyes of her religious cult. This book meant a lot to me because I am a Muslim and I know what it feels like to be in conflict about the world. The book applied to me because it was about struggling in the new world-- the Western World.
As active readers, students at Blackburn participate in an independent reading activity where they create a book review for a book they enjoyed that will entice future readers. They created a hook summary that does not reveal too much information about the book but keeps future readers interested in wanting to read the book. They also gave a personal reflection on how they related to Main Characters and the situations those characters faced in the story by comparing it to their lives.
The Lost Boy: A Foster Child’s Search for the Love of a Family
By Dave Pelzer
Review by Deborah Cook
·Dave Pelzer has written three books. The first one is A Child Called It. The second one is The Lost Boy. And the third one is A Man Named Dave. All of them are great books. I recently read The Lost Boy. I encourage anyone that likes nonfiction books to read this book. This book is based on a true story about a child that was abused almost all his life, physically and emotionally. All he ever wants is to be a normal kid and have friends and people that care for him. This book made me look at many things very differently. One, it opened my eyes to my life isn’t that bad. Secondly, it actually reflected on my life as a child getting abused and feeling like it was me against everyone and everything. It also made me feel like I’m not the only one in the world that goes through things that are tough. This book showed me that there are people that have been in the same position as me and, further, it showed me that I’m not the only one that sometimes feels like giving up. It actually made me feel that my life was good and I didn’t have the worst life in the world as I always thought. Now I know that there are people in the world that would love to have my life. I also know that there are people out here that don’t have things that I have, such as shelter, clothes, or food. I’m encouraging people who think their lives are bad to READ IT!!!!
Game
By Walter Dean Meyers
Review by Joe Jackson
This story is about a young man named Drew. He is a good basketball player and he lives in the hood. Drew had the goal of getting himself out the hood. The only way he knew how was through his basketball ability. He started working out and playing for his school team. When they made it to the play-offs he was failing one of his classes and was in danger of being ineligible. His friend and family came to the rescue by helping him with his studies. The fans wanted to win the play offs as much as the players. During the last game, college Scouts made an appearance. Drew knew nothing about it and had a fantastic game. After the game the Scouts congratulated him and ask if he would like to play college ball. I like this book because is showed that anyone can successfully make it out the hood if they put their mind to it. Drew ended up being one of the best basketball players in the city. He went on to play college ball and not only got his education paid for but he was given a car. I think that anyone who reads this book will like it because it is a story of a young man getting out of the hood and doing something with his life. It will provide a source of inspiration to “escape” the hood to!
Bang!
By Sharon Flake
Review by Justin Middleton
Bang is a book about a 13 year old Teenage Boy named Mann. He lost his little brother named Jason, in a shooting on his porch. So he was just hanging out with his friend named Keelee who also lost a loved one, his cousin MooMoo. Mann and his friend Keelee cope with their losses, and suffer problems with their families. After Mann’s Father abandons Keelee and Mann out in the woods to find their way home. They run into trouble with strangers in nearby country neighborhoods. Mann keeps hearing the gunshot sound in his memories every time he hears a gun. It reminds him of his brother. Bang is a good book. I like the book because portrays realistic events. He was out on his own, and he struggles as a young boy to make the right decisions.
In the Name of God
By Paula Joulin
Review by Abdiaziz Hashi
Nadia is an excellent student, daughter, and sister living in Damascus, Syria. She has to follow the laws of Islam but she’s conflicted by the world around her and how she fits in to it. She’s conflicted about her westernized cousins, the internal struggles of her country, and the war raging in Iraq. Nadia has to choose to be a suicide bomber or disgrace her family in the eyes of her religious cult. This book meant a lot to me because I am a Muslim and I know what it feels like to be in conflict about the world. The book applied to me because it was about struggling in the new world-- the Western World.