Reader's Journal #5- Beastly by Alex Flinn

#5                                                  Reader’s Journal                                                  9/26/11

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

            This week I started reading a folktale book called Beastly by Alex Flinn. Usually books take a while to get exciting, but I enjoyed it from the beginning.

           

            While reading, I noticed a quote on the first page that really stood out to me:

“’I am allowing the world to see you as you truly are,’ Kendra said. ‘A beast.’

And then I was pouncing on her, my claws dragging into the flesh of her neck. I was an animal, and my animal voice formed not words, but sounds I could’ve formed before. My animal claws raked her clothes, then her flesh. I smelled blood, and I knew without even having words for it that I could kill her like the animal I was.

But some human part of me made me say, ‘What have you done? Change me back! Change me back, or I’ll kill you.’ My voice was beyond recognition as I howled, ‘I’ll kill you.’

Then, suddenly, I felt myself being lifted off her. I started to see her ripped flesh, then her clothes repair themselves like they’ never been torn.

‘You cant ill me, she said. ‘I will simply move on to a new form, perhaps a bird or a fish or a lizard. And changing you back isn’t up to me. Its up to you.’”

            I chose this quote because it is such an important passage from the story. Also, it hooked me into reading the book. 

            While reading I used many different strategies. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned the book for text features. I noticed that the book was divided into different parts and chapters. There are 6 parts each with about 5 chapters in them. Also before reading read the synopsis and the excerpt from the book they chose (which was my quote), to make sure it would be interesting to me. While reading I wrote down figurative language I found throughout the book. I also predicted that Kyle would transform back to human. After reading, I compared Beastly to the original fairytale it was written after, Beauty and the Beast. Also, I tried to confirm my prediction but wasn’t able to because I didn’t finish the book yet so I just thought about the literary elements and plot structure.

            I found many literary elements while reading this book. The genre is folktale and the subgenre is contemporary fairytale, because it has fairytale-like characters in a modern day setting. The main characters are Kyle Kingsbury, Magda, Kyle’s dad, and Kendra. The book is written in 1^st person in Kyle’s perspective so the author’s perspective is biased. Since Kyle is biased he makes it obvious that Kendra, the witch, and his dad are the antagonists and he is the protagonist; however, in a way I believe that Kendra is a protagonist because all she is trying to do is help Kyle learn a lesson. All the main characters are round and dynamic. Some foil characters are Mr. Anderson, SilentMaid, Froggie, and Grizzlyguy. These characters are all part of Kyle’s Internet site for people who have transformed. They are very dynamic but not round enough to be considered protagonists or antagonists. The story takes place in New York City and then Brooklyn, New York in a “castle” in modern times. The weather conditions vary throughout the book and one social condition is that a witch tested Kyle to see if he didn’t judge people by looks and he didn’t pass. He was transformed into a beast.

            The exposition is when Kyle’s personality and the setting are explained. The rising action is when Kyle meets Kendra, goes to his school dance, and embarrasses her. The climax is when Kyle gets transformed into a beast. I am still on the falling action, which is when he tries to find a girl to break his curse. I didn’t see the movie but I think there is another climax. The theme is definitely not to judge a book by its cover. The tone is entertaining and the mood is amused. I hope to read more books by this author to find out his motif. The pattern of organization is climatic order and the author’s purpose is to entertain. The conflict is Man vs. Self because Kyle’s main conflict is that he has to find a girl to change him back to human.

            I didn’t indentify so many different figurative language because since this was fairytale, some of the things the author included were actually real things. However some I did find are, “’They’re sheep following the heard’” is a metaphor. “’I’m as old as the ages, and as young as dawn’” is a simile.

            In all, I really enjoyed reading this book. I think I might see the movie because of this book. I rate it a 10 out of 10 stars and recommend it to anyone in middle school and high school.

Sincerely,

Bailey Levy

Reader's Journal #4- The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

#4                                                       Reader’s Journal                                                                   9/20/11

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

Today I finished reading the book The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I knew it would be good but it really exceeded my expectations. I loved reading every page!

A quote that stood out to me while reading this book was:

“Despite his condition, it seemed to dawn on him what Ronnie had done. Ever so gradually, she saw his grimace replaced by an expression of wonder. As her stared at the piano standing exposed in the alcove, she knew he had done the right thing. Leaning over, she kissed him on the check.‘I finished your song,’ she said. ‘Our last song. And I want to play it for you.’”

This passage on page 444 really stood out me because it was so touching. I loved reading it. The passage actually tells the readers why the author titled the book The Last Song.

I used many strategies before, during, and after reading this book. Before reading I reread parts I read before to refresh my memory of what the book is about. I also predicted that the book’s resolution would be like the movie’s resolution. While reading I used post its to write down any new literary elements I found and new figurative language the author used. Also while reading, I thought about the quote I chose and compared to quote I chose in my lat reader’s journal-the synopsis. The quote I chose now relates to the title of the book, whereas the quote I picked last week was a basic summery of the book. After completing this book I thought about all the literary elements and devices and the plot structure. I also made text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections. Text-to-self connections I made were from the main character Ronnie and myself. In the book Ronnie learns the importance of her parents and how much she should appreciate them, which is something I have learned and am still reminded every day. Text-to-text connections I made were to other realistic fiction books I have read. Text-to-world connections I made were from Ronnie and her problems in the book to other real teenagers that go through the same things she does in the book.

I found a lot of literary elements while reading. The genre is Realistic Fiction because fictional story that could've taken place within the last 50 years. However, since this is a love story, it could fall under the genre Romance. The protagonist is Ronnie Miller, Steve Miller, Jonah Miller, and Will Blakelee. They are all round and dynamic. There is no antagonist. Some foil characters are Blaze, Marcus, and Jonah and Ronnie’s mother. These are important characters and were static, but weren’t round enough to be considered protagonists. The setting starts off in New York City and then goes to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The time is modern day, about 2010. The weather conditions vary throughout the book and some social conditions are that Ronnie’s parents are divorced and that she and her brother are being “forced” to visit their father in North Carolina. Her father, Steve, gets diagnosed with cancer.

The exposition is when Ronnie, her family, the setting, and her conflict are introduced. The rising action is when Ronnie and her brother first arrive at their father’s house. Also when Jonah and Steve start building a stain glass window together. I believe the climax is when Ronnie meets Will because that is one of the main points of the story, but I believe another main point is when Steve gets diagnosed with cancer. The falling action is when it talks more about Ronnie and Will’s relationship. The resolution is when Ronnie finishes Steve’s “last song” and Jonah finishes the glass window. There is something else that happens in the resolution but it would really spoil the book and movie. The tone is entertaining and the mood is amused. The theme, I believe, is said on page 445:

“Life, [Steve] realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it’s on the middle where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing worthwhile.”

The point of view in third person limited depending on the chapter. The name of each chapter is the name of a character. Whatever the name of the chapter is, that is who the chapter is focusing on. I believe the pattern of organization is flashback because in the prologue, Ronnie is talking to her mom when she asks Ronnie about her summer with her father. Chapter one starts off talking about what happened first during Ronnie’s summer. The author’s perspective is unbiased. The author’s purpose is to entertain. The conflict is Man vs. Self for two main characters- Ronnie and Steve. The rest of the protagonists don’t have any conflict.

Some figurative language I identified while reading this book was, “Even though they fight like cats and dogs, she still brings him to the park every weekend”, is a simile. “Her words stung him, and he knew she was right”, is an idiom. “’Dad said I have eagle eyes’”, is a metaphor. I’ve noticed that the author likes to include hyperboles, because I found about two. “In a million years, the same thing could probably never happen again.” “…I’d heard him scream about a million times before.”

All in all I really enjoyed this book. I would without a doubt rate it a 10 out of 10 stars and recommend it to everyone middle school and up! J

Sincerely,

Bailey Levy

Reader's Journal #3: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

9/12/11                                              Reader’s Journal                                                     #3

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

           

            Last week I started reading the book, The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I have seen the movie and wanted to know if it was like the book.

            A passage that stood out to me was the back summary:

            “Seventeen year-old Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains alienated from her parents, especially her father… until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Resentful and rebellious, Ronnie rejects her father’s attempts to reach out to her and threatens to return to New York before the summer’s end. But soon Ronnie meets Will, the last person she thought she’d ever be attracted to, and finds herself falling for him, opening herself up to the greatest happiness – and pain – that she has ever known.”

            I chose this passage because it really hooked me into reading the book. It’s significant to the story because it basically is a summary of what the book is about. 

            I used many strategies before, during, and after reading sections of this book. Before I starting reading, I set a purpose. My purpose for reading was for my reader’s journal, my book a week challenge, and since this book was made into a movie, to see if it was similar to the movie. Since I recently abandoned a book, I made sure this book would be better by reading the reviews and noticed how they were all positive. Also, I knew this book would be good because some other books Nicholas Sparks wrote were made into movies that I loved. For example, A Walk to Remember, Dear John, and The Notebook. While reading I used post-it’s to find any figurative language, literary elements, and plot features. I also used what I knew from the movie and the author’s descriptive language to visualize parts from the book. I didn’t finish the book yet, but I used after reading strategies on the part that I read. After reading, I thought about all the literary elements I wrote down. I also started comparing the movie and the book from what I read.

            I found a lot of literary elements while reading. The genre is Realistic Fiction because fictional story that could've taken place within the last 50 years. However, since this is a love story, it could fall under the genre Romance. The protagonist is Ronnie Miller, Steve Miller, and Will Blakelee. They are all round and dynamic. There is no antagonist. Some foil characters are Jonah Miller and Jonah and Ronnie’s mother. These are important characters but right now, they are flat and static. The setting starts off in New York City and then goes to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The time is modern day, about 2010. The weather conditions vary throughout the book and some social conditions are that Ronnie’s parents are divorced and that she and her brother are being “forced” to visit their father in North Carolina.

            The exposition is when Ronnie, her family, the setting, and her conflict are introduced. The rising action is when Ronnie and her brother first arrive at their father’s house. I believe the climax is when Ronnie meets Will because that is one of the main points of the story, but I know from watching the movie that there is another main point that I didn’t read yet. Therefore, I’m still on the climax. The tone is entertaining and the mood is amused. I’m not sure yet what the theme of the book is. The point of view in third person limited depending on the chapter. The name of each chapter is the name of a character. Whatever the name of the chapter is, that is who the chapter is focusing on. I believe the pattern of organization is flashback because in the prologue, Ronnie is talking to her mom when she asks Ronnie about her summer with her father. Chapter one starts off talking about what happened first during Ronnie’s summer. The author’s perspective is unbiased. The author’s purpose is to entertain.

            I was also able to identify some figurative language. “Resentful and rebellious…” is an alliteration. “He’s like a puppy” is a simile on page 3. “She already answered the question a million times, even if Ronnie didn’t want to accept it” is a hyperbole. “I’m going to miss the sound of cars roaring…” is a personification. “In the darkness, he wore the ghost of a smile, but his eyes remained shadowy pits” is a metaphor on page 104.

            I’m really enjoying this book and look forward to finishing it. I rate it a 10 out of 10 stars and recommend it to all middle school girls and up! J

                                                                                                            Sincerely,

                                                                                                            Bailey Levy 802

Reader's Journal #2: Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

9/6/11                                             Reader’s Journal                                                     #2

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

            This week I continued reading the book, Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella, which was a really bad idea because I abandoned it. I couldn’t continue reading such a pointless and boring book.

            A quote from the book that stood out to me was:

“Am I dreaming? Is this a mirage? I can see a cash register, and a queue of people, and a display cabinet with price tags… Oh my God, I was right! It’s a shop! There’s a shop, right there in front of me!”

            I chose this quote because it was just ridiculous to me. If this is how the main character, Becky Bloomwood reacts when she sees a shop, I wonder how she would react if she won the lottery. This quote is just one of the many reasons I abandoned the book. It is significant to the story because this is how Becky is in every chapter. Every time she sees a store she immediately perks up and acts as if she just found a billion dollars on the sidewalk. In my opinion, it is really pathetic.

One strategy I used before continuing the book was that I looked through it to reread parts I enjoyed. The sad part is, I couldn’t find any. I also set a purpose. My purpose for continuing this book was for my reader’s journal, my book a week challenge, and also to see if the book would get any better. While reading I thought if any literary elements were changing and realized that none did. I also predicted if I would abandon it or not. I predicted that I would abandon it after I gave it a fair chance. After reading, I confirmed my predictions I made while reading. I did abandon the book. Then, I thought of the reasons why a good reader would abandon a book, and tried to see if I gave it a fair enough chance. I know I gave it a fair chance because I thought about the reason I was interested in the book in the first place (the fact that it was a movie), and tried maintaining that interest; however, the book was just so bad, that I didn’t even care about the movie. By going over these things, I’m sure that I gave the book a fair enough chance before abandoning it.

The genre is Realistic Fiction because it is a fictional story that could’ve taken place within the last 50 years. The protagonist is Becky Bloomwood. She is dynamic and round. Again, there isn’t really an antagonist because the conflict is man vs. self because Becky’s problem is that she is a shopaholic. If the antagonist could be something then it would definitely be shopping. Some foil characters are Becky’s parents, boss, her friend, Suze, and Suze’s cousin, Tarquin. All of the foil characters are flat and static. The setting is in many places in London, England in the year 2000. The weather conditions vary throughout the book. Becky’s social condition is that she’s a shopaholic with no money.

The exposition is when the book introduces the characters and setting. It is at the beginning of the book. I’m still on the rising action. There is absolutely no climax yet. The tone is humorous and the mood is bored. It’s hard to say what the theme of the book is. I’m not sure, but I think it is that spending money on unnecessary things is foolish. The point of view is first person and the author’s purpose is to entertain. The pattern of organization is time order. Since the book is told in Becky’s perspective, the author’s perspective is biased to whoever and whatever Becky does and does not like. Also, while reading I was able to identify some figurative language like “That store seems like a million miles away!” is a hyperbole. “David E. Barton says that shopping is not the answer to everything. He says we should just enjoy our journey on the river of life without spending” is a metaphor because “river of life”. The last figurative language is a simile, “’your smile is as bright as the sun.’ Tarquin said to me.”

All in all, I really disliked this book. The book makes me not want to see the movie, which is one of the reasons I decided to read the book in the first place. I rate this book a 3 out of 10 stars and do not recommend this book to anyone. If anyone is interested in this topic, I suggest you just skip to the movie.

Sincerely,

 Bailey Levy 802