Character Letters December 4, 2008

Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
Dear Book Club,
I have currently just read “breaking dawn” It is the fourth book in its series of four, and was 754 pages long. “breaking dawn” is about a girl named Bella. She has finally made her decision and has chosen her true love Edward Cullen who is a vampire over Jacob Black who is a werewolf in the last book she was unsure of who she would end up with in her future but after knowing she could not live with out Edward her heart made the choice for her. She is now making the biggest decision of her life but is unsure when an unexpected visitor happens to arrive.
Bella Swan is one of the main characters in my book. She is average height and very pale compared to the average human she has big brown eyes and long wavy brown hair. Bella is very clumsy and tends to accidentally put her self in danger quiet a bit. For example on page 48 “Don’t let me fall dad, I whispered. Charlie pulled my hand through his arm and then grasped it tightly. One step at a time I kept having to tell myself.” This quote is when she is walking down the stairs with her dad and is trying her best not to fall because she knows how accident prone she is. Bella is also very overly dramatic for example on page 3 “No one is staring at you. No one is staring at you. I promised myself. No one is staring at you. But, because I couldn’t lie convincingly enough to myself, I had to check.” This is when she is in her new car and is overly convinced that every one is staring at her when really they are not. These traits that Bella have are very important to the story for if she was not clumsy then Edward would not be able to protect her which is a main part of the story. And if she was not overly dramatic Edward would win every argument and would take her as not being average and that would have caused him much less interest in her emotionally. I like Bella because she is very brave and seems to make the best of whatever situation she is in. The only thing I dislike about this character is that she tends not to think before she acts.
In conclusion, Bella is a main part of the story and adds enjoyment to it. I loved this book very much and would encourage you to read it if you like mythical creatures, romance, and action. It is a wonderful story and I hope that you would enjoy it as much as I have.

Kori Gibson



Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Dear Book Club,
Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a book where Pi, an East-Indian teenager is trapped on a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a 450 pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Martel exposes Indian life and Pi’s struggles to survive on a floating zoo where the predators eat the prey, eventually leaving the boy alone with the tiger.
Pi is a dark-skinned, black haired Indian boy whose stomach is almost as thin as the book. He is also very knowledgeable when it comes to animals and their behavior, which saves him from becoming Richard Parker’s dinner.When Pi is on the lifeboat he gets very imaginative or delirious. These two things are what carries the story.
One time Pi imagined that the tiger was talking to him; he envisioned Richard Parker’s thoughts and believed the tiger was just now revealing the fact that he could speak. Later, when another survivor in a raft bumped into him, Pi couldn’t tell whether he was imagining it or not, even though he heard and felt the stranger clearly.
Pi’s intellect about animals is shown as he trains the tiger to fear him by blowing a very loud whistle every time Richard Parker walks into Pi’s territory on the raft. When he is by himself on a floating island made of algae, he notices that all the animals go up into the trees when it gets dark although there is no predator or reason for this. He is hesitant to put his foot on the ground, and his knowledge saves him from the carnivorous acid which the algae produces in the dark.
Pi’s imagination kept his mind busy and gave him hope, which kept him alive. His knowledge about animals saved his life several times, so both aspects are very important to the essence of the book. I like Pi’s hopefulness and if I were in a situation like his, I would love to have him with me though I wouldn’t benefit from his delerium because he would be very hard to be around and trusting him would be difficult.
As I mentioned, Pi’s knowledge of animals did save him numerous times. Without it, he would definitely have perished. The book is made far more interesting by the author giving Pi such a vivid imagination that even hallucinations seem to be real. Martel developed Pi’s character by revealing what was going on in his mind and how that prompts his survival. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to all.

Cheers,
Cody



New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Dear Book Club,
I have currently finished reading New Moon by Stephanie Meyer. It is the second book in the series and is 563 pages long. It is about a girl named Bella Swan who is dating a vampire, Edward Cullen. During her 18th birthday at the Cullen’s house everything goes wrong. One of Edward’s brothers, Jasper, attacks Bella when he smells the scent of the blood from her paper cut. Edward defends her and pushes her out of the way. After the party, Bella begins to notice that Edward has been acting very distant towards her. One evening after school Edward tells Bella that his family is leaving Forks and will not be returning. He tells her that he is no good for her and that she should live her life like he never existed. After he leaves, Bella’s world begins to fall apart and she doesn’t know what to live for anymore. Even though she is heartbroken, she tries to act normal for her father, Charlie. He notices the difference in the way she acts and suggests that she visit an old family friend, Jacob Black. Jacob and Bella become good friends and he begins to help take her mind off of Edward.
Jacob Black is one of the main characters in New Moon. He has long black hair, dark russet skin, brown eyes and is over 6ft tall. Jacob is very laid back and his idea of a good time is hanging out in his garage fixing up old motorcycles and working on his car. He is also very loyal because no matter what Bella does, even when it hurts him, he is always there for her. His character traits are important to the story because without Jacob and the way he acts, the story would have had a different outcome. I like the fact that Jacob is funny because when Bella is upset about Edward leaving, Jacob is able to make her laugh and be happy again like the way she was before Edward broke her heart.

Jourdan Tappenier


The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
Dear Book Club,
I am reading a book called "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells. This book is about a time traveller who makes a time machine. The main character accidently travels to the future and meets the little four foot tall creatures that inhabit the earth. These creatures are relatively harmless and are actually quite friendly.
The main character's name has not been mentioned yet. Later in the book the time machine gets stolen by these furry white creatures with red eyes. The main character does not know the white creatures have the time machine. After the time machine is stolen he is lost trying to find the time machine in this new world and has no idea where to find it. He soon finds out that the white creatures only come out at night and are not friendly.

Brandon White

Plot Letters November 20, 2008

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Dear Book Club,
I have currently finished reading Twilight. It is 498 pages long and the author is Stephanie Meyer. Twilight is about a seventeen year old girl named Bella Swan who moves to live with her dad in a small rainy town called Forks. It is much different than her previous home in Sunny Phoenix. During her first week of high school she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Cullen family, especially the youngest brother, Edward. She soon realizes that he is not like most boys. In fact he is nothing like them because he is a vampire. Ignoring her natural instincts to be afraid, she finds herself actually falling in love with him. It is hard at first because Edward is so tempted by the smell of her blood but as time goes on he gets used it. Luckily Edward does not drink human blood and is considered a vegetarian in the vampire world. One evening while Bella is watching the Cullen’s play a family baseball game, Edwards’s sister Alice warns them that a group of vampires is coming to ask if they can join them in a quick game. They decide that the best thing to do would to pretend that Bella is a vampire like the rest of them. One of the vampires named James that is the non-vegetarian, smells Bella’s scent and is immediately drawn to it. The Cullen’s know that James is a tracker and will do whatever he can to attack Bella. They decide to hide her in her old town; While James is on the hunt for her.
The protagonists of Twilight are Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Bella has pale skin, big brown eyes and long reddish-brown hair, while Edward has distinct features, Such as his Topaz eyes and white as snow skin. The Antagonist is James who is the tracker vampire. The setting takes place in the rainy town of Forks, Washington. The Rising Action is Bella finding out that Edward is a vampire and falling in love with him. The Climax is when Bella is with the Cullen’s at the baseball game and meets James who is drawn to her human smell and decides to hunt her. The Climax is when James tricks her into coming to her old ballet studio in Phoenix, and fights her while she is left to defend herself. Fortunately for Bella, Edward finds out where she has gone and goes to fight James. Bella survives but has a few injuries; While James outcome was not so fortunate. I am happy with the ending of the book because now that Bella is safe from James, she can finally be with Edward.

Jourdan Tappeiner


Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Dear Book Club
I have currently just read “eclipse” by Stephenie Meyer. It was 629 pages long and is the third book in its series. “eclipse” is about a girl named Bella who is Dating Edward who happens to be a vampire. Just as everything was getting back in to place, she finds out that her best friend Jacob Black is a werewolf. She is confused why Jacob and Edward can not get along. She is forced to choose between them. And try her very best to not hurt any one in the process.
The main characters in this book are Bella who is a protagonist and is in love with Edward who also is a protagonist. And then Jacob who is Bella’s best friend and an antagonist in this book often causes conflict for Bella and Edward. Edwards’s family are protagonists and always try’s there best to get Bella out of trouble. Bella’s dad is an antagonist sometimes and also a protagonist depending on how much he knows about the situation. Victoria is an antagonist in this story because she try’s to kill Bella several different times. The main setting in this story is in forks where Bella and Edward live. The main events in this story are when Bella finds out that Jacob is a werewolf. And when she learns that deaths in Seattle were not caused by a gang but by new vampires witch happen to be training to come kill her. Another main event is when Bella graduates from high school and gets engaged to Edward. The main conflict in this book is when Bella finds out that Victoria is a bad vampire and is leading new born vampires to come and attack Forks and also when Edwards’s family is fighting them so that they can not get to Bella and the town of Forks. The resolution is when Edwards’s family kills all the young vampires and when Edward kills Victoria. Bella does not have to worry about Victoria or any other bad vampires for the moment. Now all she needs to do in focus on her engagement with Edward and Find a way to tell her dad that she is engaged.
Overall I am very satisfied with ending of my book and am very excited to start the next one. This book was not predictable and very exciting. I would recommend this book to someone who likes romance adventure and mythical creatures.

Kori Gibson

The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle
Dear Book Club,
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle is a short mystery where Sherlock Holmes tries to find out how a young woman died in her completely sealed bedroom. The protagonist in this story is Helen, a fearful young woman, whose sister was murdered. The antagonist is a crime that was committed by Helen’s stepfather. Another main character is the detective himself, Sherlock Holmes. The primary setting takes place in the late 1800’s in Helen’s bedroom which is in a manor in London.
The rising action begins when Helen wakes up Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective in the early hours of the morning. She urgently demands an appointment with him. She tells him that she thinks her sister was murdered. It continues when Helen’s stepfather, Dr. Roylott, visits Holmes and angrily says that Helen is lying and that it is none of Holmes’ business.
The climax takes place in the bedroom at Helen’s house where Holmes and his partner, Dr. Watson, stay up all night waiting for anything suspicious to happen. They hear the stepfather turn on and off his light from the other side of a vent and then see a snake slither out between the bars of the same vent. Watson turns on the light, which frightens the snake back into the Dr. Roylott’s room.
The resolution is when morning arrives and Holmes finds the stepfather dead, having been bitten by the snake which he put out the night before intending to kill Helen. It is obvious at this point that the sister was killed by the same snake. Helen is finally freed from her stepfather’s dominance and abuse and inherits her fortune which was rightfully hers. The plot and its strange circumstances finally make sense with the discovery of the snake.
I was definitely satisfied with the ending of the book because it tied together all the loose ends of the story. It solved the mystery and dealt with the murderer, bringing justice. With the ending I understood the meaning of the title, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, as it was a speckled banded snake that caused Helen’s sister’s death. The entire tale built up suspense and curiosity which was completely resolved with Doyle’s ending.
I predict that Helen will have a good life and that Holmes will keep solving cases with his detective work. Watson will remain partners with Sherlock, and continue to document their work. Sherlock will continue to be the most famous detective in London. As far as mysteries go, this book is a good start as it is short and easy to follow as well as being one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes tales. The story was interesting and intriguing with good character development, making it a good choice.

Cheers,
Cody Leeds


To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Dear Book Club,
I am reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. This book is about three kids named Jean, Jem, and Dill. Jean is the main character although the plot centers around an old man named Boo Radley. He is mysterious and never comes out of his house. Jem, Jean and Dill try to make Boo Radley come from his house but it never works. They start to think Boo is not real so they ask Atticus if he is and Atticus said he is real. Jean and Jem think that Boo Radley only comes out at night.
The rising action in this book is when their neighbor's house catches on fire and Jean's house doesn't. Fire fighters come and put out the fire, they also spray water on Jean's house. I am not sure how it ends, I predict that Boo Radley will come out of his house and something big will happen.

Brandon White

Setting Letters November 13, 2008

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer
Dear Book Club,
The book I have just read is called The Wish List by Eoin Colfer. It is about a fourteen- year -old girl living in Ireland by the name of Meg Finn. Meg’s mother had married a man named Franco, who was not a good husband at all, in fact he didn’t even work. All he really did was sit in front of the television. When Meg’s mom died because she was crossing the street and a taxi hit her, Meg’s step dad hardly cared except that nobody cooked him meals anymore.
After being cast out of her home by Franco, the thought of getting money and being able to get out of the city and away from Franco is what propelled Meg to help her partner in crime, Belch, and his pitbull, Raptor to rob an old man’s house.
That fateful night things went horribly wrong and after the accidental explosion of a gas tank, Meg, Belch and Raptor died. Meg’s spirit gets flung upwards into a tunnel. The tunnel was so huge s to appear boundless. This illusion was shattered by rings of blue light that pulsated along its length like the heartbeat of some great creature. The air was slightly liquid. There was no smell, the walls looked soft like clouds and people were floating by who looked like small dots. Up ahead there was a fork in the tunnel that was fairly simple to negotiate. If you had a blue aura, you go up to the pearlies. If you had a red aura, you go down to hell. Meg Finn’s aura was purple, which means her good and bad deeds were exactly equal, and the only way for her to go up to heaven was to go back to earth as a spirit and help Lowrie McCall, the old man she tried to rob, with a list of things he would like to set straight before he dies. This is the “Wish List.”
The tunnel affects the plot because you either go up or down. I like this because the tunnel is at both the beginning and the end of the story.

Muhammad Mehai (9th grade)


New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Dear Book Club
I have currently just read the book “New Moon” it is 563 pages long and is written by Stephenie Meyer. It is the second book in its series of four. “New Moon” is about a normal 18 year old girl who just happens to be dating a vampire Edward Cullen. She has known him for about a year now and when she least expects it he just disappears with out any warning or explanation. She is heartbroken and doesn’t know what she will live for any more. She try’s to live and act as normal as possible for her dad and mom. But they still seem to notice she is heartbroken. They advice her to move on and live her life again, she decides to visit an old family friend Jake Black. They become great friends through out the book and experience more surprising and unexpected adventures.
I am going to describe the setting when Edward leaves Bella in the forest with out any notice or explanation. I followed him into the forest the trees were very green and the dirt was still wet from it raining the night before. His hands were ice cold and were as hard as marble. He started to talk without any emotion. he said he had to leave. He was saying he was going to leave me. I felt my head spin and thought I was going to fall. I could feel my heart beating so loud, I hated when it did that it must annoy him. I was so confused. I wanted some answers but of course he didn’t give me any. I just kept listening much to in shock to actually say something. I felt his cold hand drop mine and he started to run away deeper in the forest. He turned back and then said to make sure I was careful and to try to stay out of trouble for my parent’s sake. Then he ran far deep in to the forest. I was to hurt and sad to go home and as mindless as I was at that point I actually tried to follow him in the back of my mind I new I wouldn’t but I still tried as pathetic as I was. I looked up and was surprised to see that it was dark out already. Then I realized I was very cold I took a deep breath and let it out slowly I could see my breath in the cold dark air. My heart felt like I had a hole in it. I decided to lay down on the dirt I was to tired to walk back maybe he just might come back for me. I decided to try and wait…
This scene in the book affects the main character Bella very deeply. It changes her life extremely and she is too much in shock to even notice that it is really happening. This part of the story makes the reader experience the same amount of sadness and confusion as the character Bella. It makes you feel like you are actually there. This event affects the plot greatly and makes you wonder what the story is going to be about if the vampire Edward has left her. A place that reminds me of the scene I described is a trail in my back yard it has so many trees and is fairly easy to get lost in.

Kori Gibson (10th grade)


For One More Day by Mitch Albom
Dear Book Club,
I am currently on pg.154 of the book For One More Day by Mitch Albom. This book is about a man named Charley Benetto who has had troubled childhood experiences. His father told him when he was young that he could either be a mama’s boy or a daddy’s boy, so he chooses daddy’s boy. When he is eleven years old his father leaves him, so he lives with his mother who raises him on her own, Charley spends the next couple of years wishing that he could have the perfect family that stayed together. When he is around forty years old his mother dies. He then becomes an alcoholic and his whole live spirals out of control. He leaves his family and has a life filled with regret. His own daughter doesn’t even invite him to her wedding because he was not a good father to her. He has many failed careers which included a sales man and a Major League baseball player. One night he realizes that is life has crumbled to pieces, so he decides to end it. He is driving back to his hometown on a rainy night and ends up crashing his car. The next thing he knows he is at his old home and his mother who had died is living there. She talks to him as if nothing has happened. Charley soon realizes that he has the chance to spend one more day with his mother.
One setting from For One More Day is when Charley has crashed his car into a semi-truck and is lying in the wet grass realizing what has just happened to him. He could see the truck snapped in half with steam rising from the engine. He could hear the sound of his shoes crunching on the gravel as he walked to observe the scene of the crash and the crickets laughing. He tasted the blood on his lips; it had a salty taste to it. He could smell the rain and wet grass. The mood was that of sorrow. Charley realizes how depressed he is. It affects him because when he starts to walk away from the crash, he soon realizes that he has gone back in time after the accident and is now able to fix the relationship he had with his mother.

Jourdan Tappeiner (10th grade)


Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Dear Book Club,
Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a book where Pi, an East-Indian teenager is trapped on a lifeboat with a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and a Bengal tiger. Martel exposes Indian life and Pi’s struggles to survive on a floating zoo where the predators eat the prey, until just the tiger is left alone with Pi.
The most significant setting in the book is established when Pi is forced onto a lifeboat with the four animals just before dawn, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The cold, salty night air from a storm rushes the boat as the tiger growls. The sound of sharks churning the water and the hint of sunrise make a fearful but calm mood. The foul smell of rotting fish and moldy plastic surround the bobbing boat while Pi lies still, hoping that many lifeboats will find him in a couple of hours.
This boat saved Pi’s life. Most of the story takes place on this vessel so the setting of the lifeboat is very important. The setting basically creates the plot. The meat of this novel takes place in this tiny place where Pi struggles to stay alive. Though it is effective I dislike the setting. The smell, the fear and the weather would make it unbearable, not to mention the lack of food and fresh water. I would hate to be in a situation like this.
The idea of a tiger being loose on a stranded lifeboat alone with a boy is so outrageous that I can’t think of a situation at all similar. A lost fishing boat would be like this but you would have to add a big predator to make it at all close to the setting of this book.
The scene which introduces the lifeboat has a frightening yet calm mood, due to the growling tiger and the approaching dawn. As the days go by in the lifeboat this conflicting mood carries on through the story till the end. The unpleasant lifeboat is critical to the plot because it saved lives and creates the strange meeting between a boy and a tiger who both want to survive. I am relieved to say that I have never heard of a situation like this and would not like to experience it myself!

Cheers,
Cody Leeds


Pearls of Lutra by Brian Jacques
Dear Book Club,
I have read 300 fantastic pages of the masterpiece “Pearls of Lutra” written by Brian Jacques. It is 408 pages long and is the ninth book in the Redwall series but is the next book chronologically after “Mattimeo”. The six magnificent rose colored pearls known as the Tears of All Oceans have been stolen and the only person who knows where they are is dead. Fermald the Ancient has hidden the pearls all over Redwall Abbey along with a cryptic clue to the location of the next pearl. The emperor of the Tropical Isle, Sampetra, Ublaz “Mad Eyes” will do anything and everything to be able to call the Tears of All Oceans his own. He has sent the best of his trident wielding rats lead by the ferret captain Romsca and bloodthirsty monitor lizards lead by the monitor Lask Frildur to claim the greatest treasure of all the seas. At Redwall, Rollo the Recorder stumbles upon a piece of parchment wedged in Fermald’s chair that leads the group, Tansy the Hedgehog, Martin II, Warrior of Redwall and he himself Rollo Bankvole, to the first pearl. They are able to find the second pearl, but when Abbot Durral is kidnapped by the monitor lizards it is a race against time to find the remaining 4 tears to trade for their beloved Abbot. Martin tries to save Durral, but the corsairs set sail before he has any chance to save him. A group consisting of Martin, Clecky the Rabbit, Grath the Otter, and the shrews Plogg and Welko set sail on their own craft to follow the trail to Abbot Durral while Tansy, Rollo and the squirrels Piknim and Craklyn still search for the hidden tears.

Eating a ship’s biscuit and drinking some murky water Abbot Durral drifted off into happier thoughts of Redwall Abbey. Suddenly he was yanked back into reality by the metallic clash of steel on steel. The tensions between Romsca and Lask Frildur grew so great that they exploded into all-out war. Fearing for his life, the Abbot grabbed everything he could lay his hands on and shoved it up against the wooden door. Seizing Romsca’s smelly old blanket, Abbot Durral wrapped himself tight and nervously waited out the gruesome battle that held him hostage in the frightening darkness.

During this scene, Abbot Durral has the living daylights scared out of him while the corsairs and monitors are fighting to the death. This scene left me hanging in suspense as to what will happen to Abbot Durral and what will be the outcome of the battle. I like this moment in the book because of the suspense and action, but I dislike because it reminds me of my worst field trip ever: The Tall Ship Trip. It is an excellently written story and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Preston Towers

Instructions: Character Letter

General Instructions
Each week I will assign you a different book club assignment for this journal. Read at least 100 pages a week and follow the instructions for each assignment. When you finish a book, don’t forget to write the title, author, number of pages, and date you finished in the back of your journal.

• All letters must begin with the letter heading “Dear Book Club” and include the date, just like a real letter.
• Begin each letter by telling your group the title and author. Also give a brief (3-5 sentence) summary of what the book is about, a mini plot summary.
• Write 2-3 full pages, no more, no less, plus a page for a graphic or drawing.
• Letters must be written neatly in cursive, printing, or typing.
• Correct all spelling, and use proper punctuation.
• Write on both sides of each journal page.
• Practice reading your letter aloud at home prior to sharing it in group.


Character Letter Instructions
Before writing your letter, select a main character from your book and make a character map to brainstorm ideas for your character letter. Begin the letter with a mini plot summary. In your letter physically describe a main character in your book. Next, describe his/her personality using at least two adjectives. Give evidence from the book of something that character has done that supports each adjective. What makes these personality characteristics important to the story? What do you like or dislike about this character?

Instructions: Setting Letter

General Instructions
Each week I will assign you a different book club assignment for this journal. Read at least 100 pages a week and follow the instructions for each assignment. When you finish a book, don’t forget to write the title, author, number of pages, and date you finished in the back of your journal.

• All letters must begin with the letter heading “Dear Book Club” and include the date, just like a real letter.
• Begin each letter by telling your group the title and author. Also give a brief (3-5 sentence) summary of what the book is about, a mini plot summary.
• Write 2-3 full pages, no more, no less, plus a page for a graphic or drawing.
• Letters must be written neatly in cursive, printing, or typing.
• Correct all spelling, and use proper punctuation.
• Write on both sides of each journal page.
• Practice reading your letter aloud at home prior to sharing it in group.

Setting Letter Instructions
Before you begin your letter, draw a color picture of a setting from your book (one main place and time in history). Label items in the picture with a word of sensory description. Begin the letter with a mini plot summary. Describe this setting in detail. Use all five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, mood) and label these on your picture. Describe this place in such a way that the reader feels like they are there and can make a mental picture. How does it affect the characters? How does this place affect the feeling or mood of the story? How does it affect the plot? What do you like or dislike about this place? Describe a place that has a similar setting, either real or from a book or movie.