NAME: Noemi DATE:2/10 TITLE: Go Ask Alice TIME: 2 HOURS AUTHOR: anonymous PAGES 53-106 TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK: 53

Explain how the author creates suspense in this book:

    This book is very exciting, because there is always something new going on. It never stays on the same topic for too long. I think this is because it is a diary, so instead of describing her whole day she just skips to the important parts. Also it is a very intense subject which makes it even more suspenseful! One day Alice is on probation one day and the next she is running away with some kids she just met. Sometimes I think the book might even be too suspenseful, because I barley get to soak in one exciting event before a new one has come along.

     Make up a motto that one of the characters seems to live by. How and why does this fit the character?


    If I had to make up a motto for how Alice lives it would be, stay high 'till I die. This is because Alice's life has begun relying on drugs. She doesn't feel herself except when she is high and she thinks that it is the only way to enjoy life. She doesn't care about the consequences of her actions and she lives for the moment. It almost seems like Alice doesn't care about anything except drugs, she doesn't even seem to care about staying alive anymore. I know that if Alice doesn't become clean, her addiction is going to cost her her life. 


 Make up a motto that one of the characters seems to live by. How and why does this fit the character?


    My least favorite character in the book is Alice. She is hurting her family and all the people around her, but she doesn't care. She uses her addiction as an excuse to do drugs and I know she could've stopped if she asked for the help that she needed. I wish Alice would at least feel sorry for all the pain she is causing her family! I know everyone wants to rebel from their parents, but Alice is going beyond rebelion. I feel sorry for her but, a lot of this is her fault. She has gone way too far with drugs and now it is too late to turn back! I have never read a book where the mane character was my least favorite. It is a whole different experience when you have little sympathy for the person you are reading about. If Alice were my daughter I would regret bringing her into this world. I can't even imagine what her parents are going through!

NAME:Noemi DATE:2/2/11 TITLE:Go Ask Alice TIME:1HOUR AUTHOR:Anonymous PAGES:1-53 TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK:53

    While Alice was visiting her grandparents over summer, she had many new experiences. She went from LSD to speed, within a few weeks! She also lost her virginity while on acid, and not to her dream boy Roger! Now Alice is back at home and she has to take sleeping pills and tranquilizers every night, but she isn't doing any serious drugs.

    I think Alice needs a good influence in her life, because Roger is going away to military school and she has no one to talk to. I'm afraid she is going to start using drugs again as soon as she finds someone at home who does them. Alice is very easily influenced and she acts on impulses, so I know if she is offered drugs she will use them.

    After reading the first 50 pages I am already very attached to the main character and I'm worried she is going to begin relying on drugs to stay interested in life. This book is very interesting, because I can relate to a lot Alice's thought and feelings as a teenage girl. She talks about boys, family and friends. By reading this book it almost feels like I know her. 

Tears Of A Tiger Book Reviev

Book Review: Tears of a Tiger author: Sharon M. Drapor

By, Noemi Delgado

           As Monty was drawing a picture for school, he looked up to his big brother Andy and asked if tigers cry. Andy was tough like a tiger and Monty saw him as a role model. But now Andy cried a lot and didn’t feel he deserved to be looked up to. Andy told his little brother it was okay to draw tears on his tiger.
           Andy Jackson was a 17-year-old basketball star on the Hazelwood High Tigers. He was a loving brother and boyfriend with decent grades and a big chance for a college scholarship.  His life was filled with basketball, girls and parties. He was one of the most popular kids at school. Until a tragic accident unraveled his happiness into, depression and guilt.  After a long basketball game Andy and his buddies had a few drinks before Andy got in the drivers seat. Andy lost control and they got into a horrible accident.  He watched as his best friend Robert Washington, who was stuck in the car, burn to death.
           This accident led into the story of a teenage boy dealing with extreme guilt, on top of all the problems any high school student would go through. As an African American, he also dealt with discrimination and expectations from his father to fit in with a white society. This book is interesting because it tells the story from many different perspectives; such as Andy’s, his friend’s, his teacher’s, his brother’s, his parent’s and his psychologist’s. These character’s feelings are expressed in many different forms. For example the author uses diary entries, English essays, letters and dialogues to tell this story. The unique writing style of Sharon M. Drapor, gives the readers the opportunity to mold their opinion about different events, according to the feelings and experiences of various characters. It also lets you see how Andy’s deterioration affects the people around him, especially the ones who loved him the most.
           Andy became obsessed by his guilt. He tried to act happy, but around his girlfriend Keisha he opened up and let his depression take over. Their relationship grew weaker as Andy grew sadder.  Throughout the book you see Andy  becomes more and more isolated, which causes him to care less not only about others, but about himself.
           The book captivates your feelings and lets you understand the pain that every character goes through. I recommend this book because, it allows you to enter the world of Andy Jackson and his tragic experiences. This story is mostly told in dialogue, so it is not the most beautifully written book. But it’s deep emotional pull makes it worth the read.

           

NAME:Noemi DATE:10/24 TITLE:Bone TIME:2HOURS AUTHOR:Fae NG PAGES:105-150 TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK:45 START FINISH

The chapters that I read this week were mostly about how Leila dealt with the death of her sister. She talked about how it felt for everyone in China Tow to be talking about it. I think it was especially hard to have everyone talking about it because Ona killed herself, and people probably thought badly of their family. Leila didn’t really care too much that people talked about it, she cared when people talked to her about it.

Old friends, boyfriends and even enemies stopped to try and talk with Leila. They all wanted to know why she jumped. Leila avoided them all; I think she felt they were all trying to make themselves feel good by pitying the family.

Leila doesn’t like attention she doesn’t like pity. I think her mom and sister, Nina do. They care a lot more about what other people think.  But during the morning of Ona, no one really cared about anything except holding on to her.

NAME: Noemi Delgado DATE:10/16/10 TITLE:Bone TIME:2HOURS AUTHOR:Fae NG PAGES 65-105 TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK40

After the death of Ona, everyone in the family had a different way of dealing with it.  Leila tried to focus on her relationship with Mason. Nina tried to move away from the sadness, by going to New York. Mah was just sad all the time. Leon was the only one who was able to live sad and happy at the same time. Leon had the best way of dealing with it, because he found a way to accept the fact that she was gone and still have some peace. Everyone else had to forget about her to feel peaceful.

            Leon is a very spontaneous character; no one ever knows where he is or what he is doing. He always has a new project he is working on, with a line of unfinished projects behind it.  He reminds me of Lennie from Of Mice & Men, because he has a sweet heart but he is always disappointing people and getting into trouble. Leon is very wise although, most people look at him like an idiot.

            Mah always pities herself saying, “I have one daughter dead and one in New York.”  I think this makes Leila feel unappreciated. She spends most of her time helping her parents, yet her mom only thinks about her other two daughters. While Mah and Nina were in Hong Kong, Nina felt like there was weight lifted off of her. I think she felt this way because Leon doesn’t want her help even though he needs it, but Mah doesn’t really need her help she just wants it. Nina got to focus on Mason and just occasionally check in on Leon. Spending time with Mason is what really gets her mind off Ona and their other family problems.

NAME: Noemi Delgado DATE: 10/8 TITLE: Bone TIME: 2 hrs. AUTHOR: Fae Myenne NG PAGES 1-65 TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK: 65

     The author of this book from the point of view of second generation Chinese American woman named Laila. I can relate to her in some ways because my dad immigrated to the U.S. as a young adult, I get to share another culture  & speak another language. I don't relate to Leila in many ways because my dad speaks English well & he doesn't rely on me to help him in this society unlike her parents. Her Mah & her step dad Leon are constantly needing her help to translate for them & help them with paper work. Leila is always worrying about her parent because they have a hard time getting along in American society.
     Leila is the oldest of three sisters, the youngest Nina moved to New York and Ona committed suicide. Ona is a big part of the book even though she is not present, her death is the caused many of the character's problems. Each family member blames them self except Nina, who blames the family. Nina tries to get away from all the guilt and obligations of the family, while Leila is being tied down by her familial duties. For example, when Leila visits Nina in New York, she convinces her to marry her long time boy friend at City Hall, instead of having a big banquette held by her mother. "Look, you've always been on stand by for them. Waiting and doing things there way," Nina said this because she wants to encourage her sister to do thing for herself instead of always pleasing her parents.
     I think Nina is right in many ways, they have to be their own person & make their own decisions. I also know where Leila is coming from because I wouldn't be able to just leave my parents helpless. If I were Leila I would get married in city hall, but I would also let my mom throw a little family banquette for me. She does need to realize that celebrating her happiness is what makes her Mah happy.

IR Book

Title: Bone
Author: Fae Myenne Ng