First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. Washington Square Press, 2006 Genre: realistic fiction

The Tenth Circle is a story about a 14 year old girl and her family, which is quickly falling apart. After the break-up with her boyfriend, Trixie Stone quickly falls into depression. During a party where she tries to get her boyfriend back, her actions take a dark turn and she is raped by the boy she once loved. With their world seeming to crash around them, the Stone family must pull through twists and turns and a journey that could tear them apart.

The front cover reads "Picoult is a master of the art of storytelling,"- Houston Chronicle

One thing that I really like about the way Jodi Picoult writes is that she is great at really making you think. She always ends topics and topics and paragraphs with very thought provoking sentences. They make you reflect on what you've read. It really help you to get into the story and feel what the characters are feeling.

I've also read The Pact and My Sister's Keeper by this author. I've thought similar things about all three. They are all great books and all revolve around questionable topics. She seems to like to write books and stories about controversial topics. You really have to read the whole book before you can decide on your opinion of the conflict. And people often have different opinions.

"Laura Stone knew exactly how to go to hell"(15).

I really enjoyed this book. I've enjoyed all books by Jodi Picoult that I've read. I'm excited to continue reading her work. I really felt like I related to the main character in this story. At some points I felt like I really understood how she was feeling and where she was coming from. It was very interesting to read and I would suggest it to anyone.

Value Essay

Music of the Field

With Apple coming out with a new product constantly, and people always feeling like they need to have the next thing, always being bigger and better, people often forget the simple things that bring us joy. We are always so focused on the material things in life that we forget about those priceless moments that nothing can beat. What in our lives is really valuable? Is it the new computer or fashion look? Is it the time we spend with family and friends? Or is it really just the moments we feel most alive that are truly valuable?

As I walk out of the school, I reach into the pocket of my North Face jacket and fish out my sleek and stylish iPod touch. I’ve been waiting the whole day for the chance to listen to my own music. I unravel the headphones and wipe the dust off the screen. I press the small circular button at the bottom of the rectangle. The screen lights up and reads “Slide to Unlock,” with a bar beneath it. I slide the bar and my music world is opened. I touch the orange music icon and scroll through my playlists. I decide on my “Top Picks.” I then scroll trough the songs until I see one that hits me. With its 16GB of memory, I can fit most any song I want into one portable piece of technology. I love its convenience and capabilities.

We break from our huddle and set out to our positions. I jog to my place as center defense. The tension in my body rises as the referee walks to the center of the field. “Goalie ready?” he asks the opposing goalkeeper. She nods. “Goalie ready?” he asks ours. She nods also. The referee blows his whistle and the game begins.
The center forward hits the ball and then we're in motion. All nervous feeling is gone and I know what I'm doing. When the ball comes my way I have my stick down and I attack. When I get the ball away from the opposing player I pass it up to my offense. I feel accomplished and know I've done a good job. When the ball comes down the field again, I am ready and repeat the process. I feel at home on the field. I feel in control.

My iPod and playing field hockey are two extremely important things to me. They appear to be totally different, but to me they are similar. They both give me comfort and a sense of control. With my iPod, I can always choose the song that I feel suits my mood and on the field I am in control of my plays. My iPod allows me to listen to the music that comforts and relaxes me almost anywhere, and field hockey is a type of release that is similar to why I listen to music. So although these two things are very different, in my mind, they are similar in terms of what they provide for me.

It's hard for me to say what I truly value more. Overall, I'd say priceless moment are more valuable than material items. But for me, my iPod isn't truly what I value, it's what my iPod provides for me. Music is everything to me. It can lift my spirits when im upset or angry. It can calm me down when I'm worked up about something. It is my main form of release and relaxation. What I really value is listening to music, my iPod simply gives me an efficient and convenient way to do that. So I value that also.

Field hockey and my iPod are two very valuable things to me. I value them for different, yet similar reasons. I don't know what I would do if either of them weren't in my life anymore. I would say that it is impossible for me to decide which is more valuable to me because they are both so essential to my life, happiness, and well-being.

Summer Reading Essay

Daisy and Dave

A Child Called “It” meets How I Live Now

Dave Daisy

I wake up in the morning disoriented once again. Ever since we moved to this new house, I’ve been unable to get a good nights sleep. I always wake up forgetting where I am. Not that I ever sleep well. I usually sleep “with one eye open”, to make sure my step-mom does come at me with an ax in the night. She could always hide my body then tell my dad I ran away.

In all honesty, it wouldn’t be that unbelievable.

Ever since my separation with Edmond, I’ve felt more and more that there isn’t a big reason to continue liveing my life. But I have met a new boy at school who I think would be good for me. None of the other kids seem to like him. Which is easy to understand, he smells, has old, dirty clothes with holes in them, and steals from peoples lunches. There’s something about him though, something desperate and scared. Like me.

I get on the bus for school after winter vacation. I look around and see no one to sit with so I choose a seat in the front by myself. I get to school and go to my classes. I’m till getting used to this new school, it’s so much smaller than my school in New York.

Finally it’s lunch time. A time for me to be by myself, and stop having people ask me questions. I buy a lunch so no one will ask questions. And so I can tell my dad that I did infact use my lunch money.

I take my tray and look around for a seat. I see Dave in the back corner of the cafeteria. I decide to go over and introduce myself.

“Can I sit here,” I ask.

“Sure.”

“I’m Daisy,” I tell him.

“Dave,” he answers.

“So, are you new here to?” I ask, to make small-talk.

“Um, no, just not very social I guess.” He notices that I haven’t touched my food. “Do you think I could have some of that?” he asks timidly.

“Go ahead.” God knows I’m not gonna eat it. He pulls the tray over to his side of the table and digs in. He eats like he hasn’t eaten in years. The tray is clean in 3 minutes flat.

I’m impressed.

We continue to talk through lunch. When the bell rings we say good-bye and go to our classes.

On the bus ride home that afternoon, I see Dave sprinting down the sidewalk as if someone is chasing him. I look up and down the sidewalk around him, but there’s nobody in sight.

Everday for the rest of that week, Dave and I eat lunch together. That week stretches into the next week, then the next. Soon enough Dave and I are actually friends. Naturally it doesn’t take me long to notice the excessive bruising and cuts on Dave’s body. Especially when his clothes might as well be transparent with the number of holes in them. So one day I decide to take the plunge and ask.

“It’s nothing,” he says, “I’m just clumsy and have a lot of accidents.” Not only is his answer ridiculous, it sounds far to rehearsed to be real. For the next week I continue to question him about his various cuts and bruises. Finally he cracks. During lunch he takes me to the farthest corner of the cafeteria, as far away from he other kids as possible and he spills the beans.

He explains to me how his mother brutally abuses him. Forces him to be separate from the family and practically a servant to them. How he lives in the basement and has to search the trash for food just so he can survive. He also tells me about the “games” his mother “plays” with him. And how he has learned to withstand everything just so his mother will not feel like she has won. So he can feel some small victory for himself.

I am horrified.

“Well you have to tell someone,” I say as soon has he pauses. There has to be something someone can do to help him.

“The nurse is already in on it,” he says solemnly. “There’s not much she can really do. If my mother ever found out I told anyone, she might actually kill me.”

“There’s really nothing anyone can do,” I say, shocked that this could actually be happening to someone.

“I guess not.”

There’s silence after that. The bell rings and we go to class. I can’t even manage to pay attention in history. I start to think about Dave’s life in camparison to mine. I suddenly feel ashamed. Dave stays strong through impossible circumstances and manages to continue seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I have it far easier than him and live in darkness.

The following week I am sitting in english, my only class with Dave. The principal walks in the room and asks Dave to come with him. Dave looks at the principal for a moment, then turns toward me. He get up from his seat slowly and follows the principal out of the room. I’m suddenly very anxious. Every minute seems like an hour. Finally the bell rings for lunch. I grab my backpack and rush out of the classroom. I run to the office and see Dave walking out with a police officer. A group of teachers watching him go. Dave sees me and stops. he looks up to the officer and asks him for a minute. He walks over to me.

“He’s bringing me to the station,” he says. “I think he’s going to help me.” There is a slight smile on his face. Tears well up in my eyes a little. I can already tell this will be the last time I see Dave.

“That’s great,” I choke out. Dave gives me a hug and then turns back to the officer and walks out of the building. I run outside just in time to see him driving away. I wave my last goodbye. Small tears streaming down my face.

Later, I think about my time with Dave. I realize that I am a better person for knowing him. He taught me a life lesson. No matter how hard you think your life is, there’s probably someone out there who has it worse off than you. You just have to keep having hope and looking forward. Things will always change.

That night I get a good nights sleep. Thinking abut the wonderful people I’ve known and will meet. Because although I miss Dave, I am now looking forward. Just like Dave, wherever he is.