Book # 38   Words: 85059 Date: May 12

Title: Journey to the center of the Earth           Author: Verne, Jules           

Genre ~ Fiction Type: Science Fiction 

• Opening Sentence:

On 24 May 1863, which was a Sunday, my uncle, Professor Lidenbrock, came rushing back towards his little house, No. 19 Konigstrasse, one of the oldest streets in the old quarter of Hamburg.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

Splendid

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

diabolical (adj): characteristic of the devil, or so evil as to recall the devil

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

I really enjoyed reading this book, because it was a really interesting and exciting adventure. One part that I found interesting was when they wen to Denmark, so that they could get to Iceland, because they went sight-seeing in Denmark. When they went sight-seeing in Denmark I related to a lot of the places that they went to, because I have been to most of them. It is really fun to read a book and know that you have been there and you know what it is like there.

Book # 37   Words: 31200     Date: May

Title: Teen Life (vi unge)           Author: vi unge                                 

Genre ~ Non-Fiction Type: magazine                  

• Opening Sentence:

Velkommen, søde dig!

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

fornøjelse

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

smid det ud! : throw that out

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

I really liked reading this Danish magazine. One because it is in Danish and I barely read stuff in Danish. Two because I really enjoy cooking and their are a lot of recipes that I am going to use to bake really yummy foods and drinks. I am really excited when I read all these recipes, because it makes me want to make it and eat it.

Book # 35   Words: 101890      Date: May

Title: The Travel Book           Author: lonely planet                               

Genre ~ Non-Fiction Type: informational

• Opening Sentence:

Most travel journeys take in just a country or two, but the journey you’re about to embark on incorporates every country on earth.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

Bermuda

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

evoke (verb): bring or recall (a feeling, memory, image) to the conscious mind.

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

This book has a good outlook on every country. Some countries are at war and some are violent and dangerous, but in this travel book every country looks like it will be your next vacation. Even a country like North Korea looks like a really fun holiday location.

Book # 34   Words: 22860 Date: April

Title: 100 Journeys of a Lifetime          Author: National Geographic          

Genre ~ Non-Fiction Type: Informational magazine                                                                    

• Opening Sentence:

The world’s must-see destinations.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

gliding, marvel

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

marvel (noun): a wonderful or astonishing person or thing

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

This is a really interesting magazine, and it makes me really excited about what I am going to do in the future. When I get older I will go to all the places in this magazine, because they seem really fun, interesting, and most of the places have a lot of interesting history.

Book # 33   Words: 45483       Date: April 20

Title: One Crazy Summer           Author: Williams-Garcia, Rita                             

Genre ~ Fiction Type: Historical Fiction                                                                                   

• Opening Sentence:

Good thing the plane had seat belts and we’d been strapped in tight before takeoff.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

Classius Clay

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

snappy: (adj) irritable and inclined to speak sharply

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

One Crazy Summer is a very detailed book that focuses mostly on the relationship between the daughters and the mother changes. The book is not so focused on the events and what is happening around them but more what is happening in them. The daughters hearts are what is most changed through the experience of meeting their mom and being with her for 28 days.

Book # 31-32   Words: 100214 Date: February

Title: The house of the Scorpion          Author: Farmer, Nancy                                

Genre ~ Fiction Type: Science Fiction  

• Opening Sentence:

In the beginning there were thirty-six of them, thirty-six droplets of life so tiny that Eduardo could see only under a microscope.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

eejit

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

latticework (noun): interlacing strips of wood, metal, or other material forming a lattice

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

The House of the Scorpion is focused a lot on Matt and how he tries to be human, but also the truth of how he is a clone. Matt uses love and care for and from others to overcome challenges. Matt has manny relationships with people (humans), even though he is a clone. Is Matt human or clone? What makes a clone a clone?

Book # 30  Words: 32404 Date: March 

Title: A child called “it”           Author: Pelzer, Dave                          

Genre ~ Non-Fiction Type: autobiography           

• Opening Sentence:

March 5, 1973, Daly City, California- I’m late.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

school became my only hope for escape

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

pail (noun): a bucket

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

A child called “it” is a very horrific story about a young boy, not even 10 years old being abused by his mother. You always watch movies where someone is abused once, but not over and over again. In this book Dave is consistently being abused and he is actually a real person. I was amazed at how bad Dave was abused.

Book # 29   Words: 30644 Date: March

Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory         Author: Dahl, Roald                          

Genre ~ Fiction Type: Fantasy        

• Opening Sentence:

These two very old people are the father and mother of Mr. Bucket.

• Favorite word / phrase / sentence:

Completely dotty

• Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:

colossal (adj) : extremely large or great

• Reflection, Connection & Personal Response: 

Charlie and the Chocolate factory gives you that feeling of “oh I am so happy that he found the golden ticket.” When Charlie finds the ticket Roald Dahl writes with so much detail that I felt like I had found the ticket. This reminds me of the rush of happiness that I get when I do something great or find something like money on the road or pavement.