Book 8-9: The House of the Scorpion (by Nancy Farmer)

Posted on June 4, 2015

Book # 8 Words: 100,214 Date: 2015

Title: The House of the Scorpion Author: Nancy Farmer

Genre ~ Fiction Type: Dystopian

Opening Sentence: Matt woke in darkness to the sound of something moving past him.

Favourite word / phrase / sentence:
“Any rat in a sewer can lie. But a human doesn’t run and hide in dark places, because he’s something more.”

Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:
eejit (n.): a way of saying idiot
fetal (adj.): like a fetus
valiantly (adj.): showing courage and bravery

Reflection, Connection & Personal Response:
This book was very enjoyable for me. I came to learn more about the horrors of future human technology, such as cloning, from a very interesting perspective. The character Matt was very interesting, especially because of the environment he grew up in and the way he was treated by other people. However, my favorite character in the book was Tam Lin, because even though he seemed like such an imposing figure at the beginning, as I read, he was very righteous and I admired that about him.

Book 7: The Giver (by Lois Lowry)

Posted on June 3, 2015

Book 7 Words: 43139 Date: June 2 Title: The Giver Author: Lois Lowry Genre ~ Non-Fiction / Fiction Type: Fiction

Opening Sentence:

t was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened.

Favourite word / phrase / sentence:

apprehensive

“For the first time, he heard something that he knew to be music. He heard people singing. Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music too. But perhaps, it was only an echo.”

“If you were to be lost in the river, Jonas, your memories would not be lost with you. Memories are forever.”

Vocabulary and new terms (with part of speech) and definition:
infraction (n.): a crime less than a felony
relinquish (v.): to release from someone’s grip
exuberant (adj.): joyously unrestrained

Reflection, Connection & Personal Response:

It was a really good book and something simple that I could read. I like how the author decided to do a cliffhanger at the very end. I liked it very much