What's 811 Reading? discussion

Being that we are focusing on identifying relevant information and explaining its significance, you may choose whatever prompt you would like. Please make sure that your evidence and explanation are very strong. Your explanation should be a MINIMUM of THREE sentences.

Feeling stuck? Here are some suggestions:

1.) If you could change something about your book, what would it be? A character? The ending?

2.) Describe a connection that you can make with the book. Can you connect it with yourself? Another text? The world?

3.) Who is your least favorite character?

For a “4”: Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky

In Joe R. Lansdale's realistic fiction, All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky, I can connect to this book to the world because may kids don't have parents in their lives at all. In the beginning of the book, Jack Catcher lost his parent, his mother with a disease and his father killing himself. The day when Jack's mother died from pneumonia, who is Jacks only mother, his father went to kill himself to be with his wife. In the text, "Before morning, she was dead. ... The note states: I CAN NOT TAKE IT WITH YOUR MAMA DEAD! LOVE YOU AND I AM SORRY." This quote states that many kids around the world lost their families, parents, and/or godparents are gone because of diseases, murders, accident (as known as car accident), killing themselves and many more. Children and Teens around the world are suffering of lack of food to eat even their parents aren't there and starving to death. Without parents when you are new born or older to 17 it's hard to do things for example, money, food, health and even schools. Therefore, without parents in your life you can struggle with needs you need in life.

In Stephanie S. Tolan's fictional novel, Surviving The Applewhites, my least favorite character is E.D. She is the only not-talented student that is always hating and trash-talking about Jake, a troublemaker and a talented student who recently moved to her school. The reason why she is my least favorite character is because of her personality and attitude towards others, especially Jake. She just hates on Jake other than because he is a misbehaving student. The author once stated, " Great! Now E.D. and Jake are going to be classmates! Jake may have a difficult semister in this school....". Because of E.D.'s jealousy of the other Applewhites having many different talents and will always talk behind Jake's back, this would be tough for Jake to deal with. Therefore, this is why E.D. is my least favorite character.

In the realistic fiction novel, Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell, one connection that I could make with this book is that being separated with from your friend and family. in the beginning of this book, black beauty was sold by his owner to a complete stranger, and his life was turned upside down, and black beauty's life is now a complete sorrow to him, and in hard way, black beauty learned how unpredictable life can be with man as his master. "When his owner was forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labour and cruelty. Black Beauty soon learned how unpredictable life can be with man as his master". This shows that when you're separated from the ones you love your life will go upside down once that happens. Therefore, that why I connected the life of Black Beauty with mine, we're kind of the same.

In Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's fiction, my least character is Skyfa. Skyfa likes to cause so much problems especially with the Falcons. Falcons are powerful creatures that takes over places. Skyfa is someone who always want to be good at everything. Skyfa wants to always fight with the falcons but the falcons don't want to. The Skyfa thinks the Falcons are stronger than him, and Skyfa wants to know if that is true. Whenever Falcons says no, Skyfa states, "Why don't you want to fight me? Don't you want to see your full potential?" This quote shows that he will do anything to fight with the falcons. Another reason why Skyfa is my least favorite character is because he likes to hurt innocent people. Skyfa states, "I don't care who I kill." This quote shows that he doesn't care about anybody but himself. The last reason why Skyfa is my least favorite character is because he talks too much. Skyfa states, "I want justice! I need Justice! I, I think, need to be a prince." This quote shows that he likes to talk too much.

In J.K Rowling's fantasy novel,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Harry's closest friends are Ron and Hermione. Harry and his friends are in danger. The Ministry of Magic, the government for magic, has fallen. It is now controlled by Voldemort, the antagonist, in the series. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been given a mission to look and destroy all horcruxes and kill Voldemort. Lupin went to harry and asked if Dumbledore left him a tasked.Harry states, "He did, Harry replied, "and Ron and Hermione are in on it and they're coming with me"(211) this quote shows how close Harry an his friends are. Harry did not choose any of his friends, he chose those 2. They helped him throughout the past books in the series. They helped him so much that Harry depends on them for so many things. Therefore Harry and his friends are very close.

In Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's non fiction autobiography, When The Game Was Ours, a connection I could make to the rivalry between the two players is the Boston Red Sox and Yankees rivalry. The Larry Bird/Magic Johnson rivalry was one of the most famous well known rivalries in the history of the NBA. Ever since college basketball, the two have known and have played against each other. Eventually when both of them were drafted to the NBA, the rivalry still existed but the two had formed a friendship which would last forever. Magic had stated, "Our rivalry was well known by most people and often times it was a heated rivalry in which we would try to outplay each other; however, Larry and I were friends at that time as well." This quote shows a connection between the Bird/Magic rivalry and the RedSox/Yankees rivalry because both are obviously well known by many people who are into sports; In addition, although the RedSox/Yankees competition is much more heated, both rivalries are strongly related and I can easily make a connection between them.

In Janet Tashjian's novel, The Gospel According to Larry, I would change the ending of the story. After everyone found out that Josh was really Larry, his life fell apart. His crush left him,news follow him around, and he feel sad now. Josh was thinking about suiciding. But then towards the end of the book, Josh starts having good moments."After talking to my mother, I feel much better," This proves that Josh has a better time after what he has gone though. Josh knew that he could change his life. He did that, but it should ended in a bad way. Therefore,I would change the ending of the story.

In Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, my least favorite character is Gollum. He is my least favorite character because he always wants Shmégol to try and do bad things. Gollum is a bad side of a creature named Shmégol. Shmégol wants to get the ring because it is very powerful. Even if Shmégol may be a little creepy, if Gollum was never around Shmégol would be kinder.