Zoe’s Comments (group member since Nov 17, 2014)

Zoe’s comments from the Open World Learning Community '14-'15 group.

Saving Kabul Corner, by N.H. Senzai, is a book about friendship and saving things you love. Ariana is a true tomboy who is sooooo exited to move to their new house. Then her proper, ladylike cousin from Afghanistan, Laila, moves into her room. Her dad is still in Afghanistan fighting. Ariana just can't stand her. Then a rival Afgan food store opens up across the street from their store and it reignites a feud that dates back to Afghanistan. But when serious damage starts happening, Laila and Ariana realize something is fishy. Will Ariana and Laila be able to overcome their differences and be able to save the stores?

I really liked Saving Kabul Corner. It was very detailed. Here is an example,"Just thinking about making tiny folds in a soft piece of paper,watching a 3-D figure emerge from a flat page, soothed her nerves." The only bad things where a few misunderstandings. I recommend this book to anyone who likes friendship,excitement, and cliffhangers in stories.

Scat, by Carl Hiaasen, is the second book in a Florida swamp eco-series. When Nicks teacher disappears mysteriously when a fire breaks out during a field trip Nick and his friend Marta just have to find out what's going on. When they go to the scene of the fire they get thrown into a thrilling plot. And of course there is scat. A very special scat...

I really liked Scat it was thrilling! I could not set it down. The ends of the chapters have really good cliff hangers. I just HAD to reading! One example of a cliff hanger: "And the second thing he said was: 'I didn't do that fire, man. I'm innocent.'" The one thing that was confusing at first in the book was that the story kept switching who told the story but then I figured it out. I recommend Scat to anyone who likes adventure stories.

That Girl Lucy Moon, by Amy Timberlake, is about a sixth grader who stands up for many things. For example during logging season she clung onto a tree that was going to be chopped down. But things aren't the same in middle school. Lucy now just seems to be totally ignored. But when their towns only sledding hill gets fenced off, well who could ignore that? But when Lucy lands in detention for protesting her hopes go down. Can she do what is right, be able to sled, AND survive middle school?

That Girl Lucy Moon is a really good book. Amy did a good job of expressing Lucy. The beginning also really grabbed my attention. It says,"It all began with that October 3rd wind-a breeze with a nip that arrived in Turtle Rock, Minnesota, every year, right on schedule at three o'clock." Some words I didn't know but that was fine. All in all I really liked That Girl Lucy Moon.

Sounds like a interesting book. You made it sound good.

Salt, by Helen Frost, is a book told in a poem format. There are two different kinds of poems because every other one is told by a different boy. Anikwa, a Boy that is part of a Miami tribe, and James, an American. But this is during the war of 1812 so the Miami tribe and the fort that James lives near don't trust each other. The trading post at the fort will not trade with them so that means the Miami tribe won't be able to get salt. They need to have salt to survive. Can Anikwa and James help each other or will their friendship fall apart once and for all?

I really liked Salt. One reason I liked it was because of how the poems were formatted. James poems are the 13 stripes of the American flag. Anikwa's poems are a Miami design. But, the poem sometimes made it hard to understand. The sentences don't finish in one line. Here is a example. (The big spaces are where a line ends and a new line starts.) "This lacrosse stick is to big for me,but I like to use it because it was my father's." That was hard for me to understand. Another part is cool is that poems about salt were woven into the book. Here is an example from one of the poems. "Earth gave it food. Rain quenched it's thirst. Salt kept it strong." I really liked Salt and I strongly recommend it.

Rascal A Dog And His Boy, by Ken Wells, is told by Rascal,the dogs, perspective. It is a adventure tale. Rascal started of living on a small farm by a bayou in Louisiana. Then the boy of his dreams comes by to adopt a dog and guess who he chooses. Rascal! But when Rascal and Meely, his boy, are walking through the woods they go across a rotten old bridge and Meelys leg goes through! How will Rascal be able to save him? Will anyone listen?

I gave this book four stars because I really liked the descriptive language. One example is,"They bark low and deep like a tugboat horn." The author makes the similes relate with Louisiana and that makes it even more interesting. One bad thing though was that the author made the southern accent so strong I sometimes couldn't understand it. One example of that is,"Anyway, I wadn't the onliest dog around. That was confusing for me. But I liked Rascal A Dog And His Boy.

Wonder struck is about two kids Ben and rose. They are in different times. They end up having their paths cross in the deaf world.