Angie’s Comments (group member since Jan 08, 2013)

Angie’s comments from the Hedges' Frosh 12-13 group.

Connor wrote: "I am currently reading The Cardinal of the Kremlin. I have not read very much of my book so far but I will attempt to explain this. In this book the Soviet Union and the United States of America ar..."

SO true, Connor! I love that you are tying your reading to current events :)

I am reading Divergent by Veronica Roth, which is similar to Hunger Games in that it's about a futuristic society that is separated. Instead of being separated into districts, this society is separated into factions. The main character was born into a faction, or group, but decides to switch to another group--the Dauntless. Her decision leads her to do things that are scary for her, including jumping off of a train.

"I stand and look over the edge. There is a body on the pavement below us; a girl, her arms and legs bent at awkward angles, her hair spread in a fan around her head. My stomach sinks and I stare at the tracks.Not everyone made it. And even the Dauntless aren't safe." (55)

I selected this passage because even though I won't be jumping off a trains anytime soon, I can relate to how frightening it is to make big decisions. This year, I've had to make several major life decisions, and no matter what choices I made, there is danger. People are always afraid to make changes in their lives because change is scary. I'm only in chapter 8 of this book, but I think the character will be glad she made the choice she did, even though it scared the heck out of her. She's a courageous female character, like Katniss in Hunger Games. I think that's why both books appeal to me so much!

Share and explain a meaningful passage from your SSR book.

In your reply, include the title and author of the book. Provide 1-2 sentences to describe your book to set up the passage you include (give me the info I need to understand the quotation). Include the passage (with quotation marks) and the page number(s). The passage can be as short as one sentence, but should not be longer than a paragraph. Then, explain why the passage is meaningful to you!

How does the book you're reading now relate to you? Consider the following aspects of your life in your response.
--Events in your personal life
--People you know
--Places you've been
--Current events in the world
--Aspects of the contemporary world (especially if your book takes place in another time/place/world)

High-quality responses MUST include the following elements:
1) At least two specific examples from the book
2) At least one vocabulary word (TYPE IN ALL CAPS)
3) The title and author of the book
4) Evidence of careful writing (spell check, editing)

In the storyUnbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemptionby , she suggests that persistence in the face of adversity builds character. This theme is highlighted when Louis Zamperini transforms from a troubled and troublesome child to an exceptional athlete through his determination (and support of his family), despite the challenges he faced. This life lesson is significant because we all face tough times in our lives. We may not be training for the Olympics or taken as prisoners of war by the Japanese, but we can still learn from his example to grit our teeth a little more!

Write a theme statement that applies to either the current SSR book you’re reading, or a previous SSR book. Explain how this theme is evident in the story. In other words, what action(s) / events take place that highlights this theme? What is the significance of this theme to the story and to us (the reader)?

Template: In the story ________ (book title) by _________ (author), it becomes apparent that the theme is _____________________________(tell me what the theme of the story is). This theme is highlighted when ______________________ ______________(describe the action / event in the story that highlights the theme). This is significant because __________________________________________(tell me why the theme is significant to the story, and even to us as readers).

Nerds :-P

So, how do you like Good Reads so far? How should we use it in class?