Ms. Okes's Classes 2012 discussion

What book(s) did you choose for your Summer Reading projects? Why? What did you think of it?

As a teacher I recognize the need to lead by example, so I'm working my way through the Summer Reading lists myself. Some of them I love (and I recommended) and others I was not familiar with (that other teachers recommended).

If you want to see my opinions on the books we're requiring, check out my reviews under the Summer Reading bookshelves.

The two books I read for my summer reading project were A Child Called "It" and The Diary of Anne Frank. Both of these books were recommended to me by fellow students and a previous English teacher. I had interest in both these novels because I thought that I could learn about the lives of other people and be exposed to some of the cruelties that some people have to face. There was a lot to learn from these books. I did not necessarily like them, due to the fact that they were somewhat depressing. However, I would recommend them because they both are eye-openers and these people's stories should be heard.

For my summer reading project, I chose to read A Child Called "It" and A Separate Peace. I chose to read A Child Called "It" because when I read the summary, it interested me. I thought it was a great book because it was inspiring and I wanted to learn about someone else's life. The book did make me sad and angry, but I would recommend to anyone. I chose to read A Separate Peace because it was recommended to me by my previous Enlgish teacher. This book was pretty good, but it had some boring points. Overall, it was a good book. I would recommend it to someone who was looking for an interesting and good story.

For my summer reading I read Dracula and Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Dracula I did not enjoy. I found it very hard to read. I got confused due to how it was written, and I found it cheesy and predictable. My main issue was how it was written in shorthand.

Their Eyes Were Watching God was a great book. I found Janie to be an inspiring woman. It is fiction, but it is about Janie's journey to reach self realization. The language is written oddly, but it is easy to figure out. This book I would recommend to many people.

The two books that I read durring the summer was Dracula and 1984. Dracula was a very short and too the pint book explaining throughout the book exactly what needed to be said. The book 1984 was very interesting because throughout the book it was a mystery through the whole book. I really loved the book 1984 becasue it really showed what it was like in 1984 but not only what it was like but what it was like to be there and make you feel as if you were there.

For my summer reading project I read "A Child Called It," which was a very sad story. When I heard about everyone else reading it I thought about reading it myself. When I read it I was glad that I was never put in that situation and I wished that I could do something about it. Dave's mother starved him and beat him, just because she could. It was a very depressing story yet you would have to read it.

Tyler Baldwin

For my summer reading I read A child called "It" and The Coalwood Way. I read a child called "It" because I had heard alot about it. I think it was one of the most sad and inspiring books I've ever read. I would recommend it to anyone.
I chose to read A Coalwood Way because I had read books by Homer Hickam before and really enjoyed them. A Coalwood Way was just as inspiring and fun to read as his other books. I would recommend this book also.

For my summer reading I read A Child Called It and it was a very sad story. A kid in california was beaten and interagated by his mother. He was not fed well and would steel lunches from his school. He would have bruises and stabbed by his mother as well. His mom put him in a room and made him drink Ammonia.

I chose "A Child Called It" and "A Separate Peace" for my summer reading. I really enjoyed reading A Child Called It because it was a true story. I chose this book because the title caught my attention. I thought the book was eye-opening because there really are people in the world that will abuse their children.

The second book that I read for summer reading was A Separate Peace. I chose this book based on the summary. I read the summary online and I thought it would be really interesting. I didn't really like the book, it didnt hold my attention very well.

I read "The Coalwood Way" and "The Things They Carried". I chose these books because my peers recommended them and I thought I should try them. I really enjoyed "The Coalwood Way" and I thought it was a good book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to read it. I wouldn't recommend "Things The They Carried" because I found it boring. I felt like it kept repeating the same scenarios and scenes.

***** "The Coalwood Way" "The Things They Carried"

I read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" for my summer reading project. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I feel like the book will help me with future reading assignments, because it helped me understand old English language. I think that the storyline is great, and I like it because it involves mystery and wonder. It is a little violent, but not so much that I didn't enjoy it. It can be described as creepy, but hey-it's about a blood sucking vampire, so I couldn't expect it to be any different. I didn't like that Lucy died. I thought she was a great addition to the story, and was sorry to see her go. I'll give it a "V" for violence. I chose this book because I thought it would be interesting.

This summer I read "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents". Both of these books were recommended to me. I enjoyed "The Diary of Anne Frank". It was interesting to get an insight into Anne's life. "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" was a good book as well. The storyline was entertaining and I couldn't put this book down. The plot was unpredictable, which I like in a book.

For my summer reading, I read "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents." Both stories were interesting and entertaining. "The Diary of Anne Frank" was very informational and gave a lot of insight into her life. "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" was a little confusing at times with the set up of the book, but it was still a good story.

I read A child called it, and also Robinson Cruesoe

The two books I read for my summer reading were: Dracula by Bram Stokers and also 1984 by George Orwell. Dracula was more of a historic take on what it might be like if you were Jonathan Harker, a realtor who goes to Transylvania to meet Count Dracula. Whereas 1984 is also a little later in history, but about a man named Winston who get's in trouble ith Big Brother, they're always watching him. I prefer Dracula over 1984 because it has a little more action and excitement.

The two book that i read over the summer were "The courious case of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde, and Dracula." The first was a good book but it really went back and forth through characters alot, so you really had to pay attention to all the different things going on with each individual character. It was all around a very good book. The second one I read was Dracula. This book was quite long, but very amazing! The way it detailed all the characters, their feelings, and how they ended up all having some sort of connection with Dracula at some point. This book tells how Dracula became "known" around different cities, and legends and not just in Transylvania. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes horror and mystery!!

The two books I chose for the summer reading project were "1984" and "Briar Rose". I chose these books because they looked like something that I would never read, so I decided to try something new. I really didn't get into "1984" at first but when I read into it more I started to like it. "Briar Rose" was a very good book and I liked it very much. I would recommend "Briar Rose" to anyone, however I wouldn't recommend "1984".

The two books that I read for my summer reading were Dracula, and 1984. Both stories were entertaining and were about things that caught my attention. Dracula was a bit confusing in some parts but eventually it all fell together and made sense. The same occured with 1984. I would reccomend both of these books to people interested in reading something different.

I read The curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Robinson Crusoe. I really recommend The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to anyone who likes a mystery. This book is a huge mind game. I really liked both of these books, however Robinson Crusoe was still a little bland for me. This is your average story about a man who gets stranded on an island and has to survive until he is rescued. The only difference between this and Tom Hank's in Cast Away is that Robinson Crusoe was on his island for some thirty years.

The two books I read for my summer reading were Robinson Crusoe and Dracula. I have read both of these books multiple times and I felt like they were very good choices of literature. I reccomend Robinson Crusoe to anyone who is intrested in a survival story than is easy to get caught up in. Dracula was very good but after not being able to put Robinson Crusoe down I found it slightly bland, However i find this is a common occurance for me because with any book that I have read for a long time and I have read it during all my free time I find that all books after it are bland unless they are sequel to the original this occurs for awhile but wears off. These are the books I reccomend and hope you take the time to enjiy them as much as me.

I read the Child Called It for my summer reading. I read this book because a bunch of my friends and classmates. I also got really good recommendations on it. I really liked this book. It was very detailed which made me cringe sometimes. I defiantly cried over this book because my heart was so touched by the authors story. That is why I choose The Child Called It for my summer reading

I read George Orwell's 1984 and the Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. I enjoyed 1984 very much; it was a book that made me realize how terrifying the concept of censorship and total government control was. The dystopian society that was described in the fictional Oceania is similar in someways to our modern lives, and the relationship between the two can be astonishing. My second book, Oedipus Rex, was a classic Greek drama. I did not enjoy its pacing or style of action. It was not very enjoyable to read, but I could see how other tragedies and dramas could have been influenced by this piece. I recommend 1984 to anyone who would be interested in government or philosophy, it was a great book and I enjoyed reading it.

I read "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and "How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" for my summer reading. I chose the first one because I thought it would be a good book and show some of the history of Florida seeing as that was where I am from. I chose the second book because I needed a second book and good not sit down and make myself read some of the other books. I honestly loved both books and was happy that those were the ones I chose an I would definitely recommend both books.

For the summer reading I read "A Child Called It" and "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl". I really liked Anne's story because of my love for World War II events, but I have to say that A Child Called It would be my favorite of the two. Anne Frank is about a teenage girl that is a Jew in Holland during the 1940's. They have to hide from the Nazi's in a secret annex and eventually get captured. Anne ends up dying in a concentration camp. It is a autobiography. On the otherhand, a child called it was about a child who was abused. His mother did terrible "games" on him that would almost kill him. She starved him, and tortured him to no end. He now goes to schools and tells his story. He is an inspiration and I loved his autobiography. I really enjoyed the two books that I read over the summer. They were very thrilling and interesting, as well as extending my knowledge on many vocabulary words and history facts.

Holly wrote: "The two books I read for my summer reading project were A Child Called "It" and The Diary of Anne Frank. Both of these books were recommended to me by fellow students and a previous English teacher..."

I'm certain these were deep, dark books for a summer! I think they are both excellent, though. Remember that book titles are italicized or underlined.

Callan wrote: "For my summer reading project, I chose to read A Child Called "It" and A Separate Peace. I chose to read A Child Called "It" because when I read the summary, it interested me. I thought it was a ..."

I had a similar experience with A Separate Peace. I can see the depth the author portrayed, but I found the characters frustrating enough that I wanted them to move on faster.

BryAna wrote: "For my summer reading I read Dracula and Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Dracula I did not enjoy. I found it very hard to read. I got confused due to how it was written, and I found it cheesy and ..."

I admit to having trouble with Dracula as well. I found Frankenstein a lot easier to read, though not what I expected based on my movie experiences.

Adam wrote: "The two books that I read durring the summer was Dracula and 1984. Dracula was a very short and too the pint book explaining throughout the book exactly what needed to be said. The book 1984 was ..."

1984 was written before 1984 occurred. This was not based on true life. It was based on what could happen if government took complete control of society. Farenheit 451 is of a similar vein.

Sierra wrote: "For my summer reading I read A child called "It" and The Coalwood Way. I read a child called "It" because I had heard alot about it. I think it was one of the most sad and inspiring books I've ever..."

What other books by Homer Hickam have you read? Did you enjoy his presentation at our school?

Jake wrote: "For my summer reading I read A Child Called It and it was a very sad story. A kid in california was beaten and interagated by his mother. He was not fed well and would steel lunches from his scho..."

Watch your spelling, kiddo. Some words like "steel" have two separate spellings for two different meanings.

Courtney wrote: "I chose "A Child Called It" and "A Separate Peace" for my summer reading. I really enjoyed reading A Child Called It because it was a true story. I chose this book because the title caught my att..."

Don't forget, book titles are underlined or italicized.

Sydney wrote: "***** "The Coalwood Way" "The Things They Carried""

Remember, book titles are underlined or italicized, not in quotations.
I haven't read The Things They Carried yet. Do you think that gentlemen would have the same perspective as you?

Tori wrote: "I read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" for my summer reading project. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I feel like the book will help me with future reading assignments, because it helped me understand old ..."

Great review!

Kailee wrote: "This summer I read "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents". Both of these books were recommended to me. I enjoyed "The Diary of Anne Frank". It was interesting to ge..."

Remember, book titles are italicized or underlined.
Some students were confused with the unusual plotline of The Garcia Girls because it was a collection of memories. Did you enjoy that or have trouble with it?

Abby wrote: "For my summer reading, I read "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents." Both stories were interesting and entertaining. "The Diary of Anne Frank" was very informatio..."

You and Kailee must be schoolwork twins. I had friends like that in high school. One of them was even named Emily, which made for some confusing moments. Don't be afraid to strike out on your own, sometimes!

Defrank wrote: "I read A child called it, and also Robinson Cruesoe"

Mr. DeFrank, please give us some more detail. Did you like them? You were one of the few to attempt Robinson Crusoe, so we'd love your opinions!

Alyssa wrote: "The two books I read for my summer reading were: Dracula by Bram Stokers and also 1984 by George Orwell. Dracula was more of a historic take on what it might be like if you were Jonathan Harker, a ..."

Remember, books are italicized or underlined. Remember, both of these books were fiction, though 1984 may describe the author's fears about the government's role in society.

Andrea wrote: "The two book that i read over the summer were "The courious case of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde, and Dracula." The first was a good book but it really went back and forth through characters alot, so yo..."

I'm glad you enjoyed Dracula! It is not an easy read, so you should be proud of your accomplishment!

Brittany wrote: "The two books I chose for the summer reading project were "1984" and "Briar Rose". I chose these books because they looked like something that I would never read, so I decided to try something new...."

Why would you recommend Briar Rose?
Why would you not recommend 1984?

Matt wrote: "The two books that I read for my summer reading were Dracula, and 1984. Both stories were entertaining and were about things that caught my attention. Dracula was a bit confusing in some parts bu..."

Remember, book titles are underlined or italicized.
What caused you to choose these books? What made them confusing at first?

Anthony wrote: "I read The curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Robinson Crusoe. I really recommend The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to anyone who likes a mystery. This book is a huge mind game...."

Good connection to pop culture!
Remember, book titles are italicized or underlined.

Victor wrote: "The two books I read for my summer reading were Robinson Crusoe and Dracula. I have read both of these books multiple times and I felt like they were very good choices of literature. I reccomend Ro..."

You have a bit of a run-on sentence there. Gather your thoughts, write them out, then look back to check for audience comprehension.

Savannah wrote: "I read the Child Called It for my summer reading. I read this book because a bunch of my friends and classmates. I also got really good recommendations on it. I really liked this book. It was very ..."

It is a hard book to read, but well worth the effort. You should consider reading the sequels to see how he turned out as a grown man.
Watch your vocabulary, though. Definatly means with anger. I believe you meant definitely.

Eldrick wrote: "I read George Orwell's 1984 and the Greek Tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. I enjoyed 1984 very much; it was a book that made me realize how terrifying the concept of censorship and total governmen..."

I can imagine the language was difficult. I started The Aeniad this summer, and had a similar problem. We will be reading Antigone, the third in the Oedipus trilogy, but as a simplified, modern translation.

Rebecca wrote: "I read "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and "How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" for my summer reading. I chose the first one because I thought it would be a good book and show some of the histo..."

Why did you like these books? What about them appealed to you?
Remember, book titles are italicized or underlined.

Jack wrote: "For the summer reading I read "A Child Called It" and "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl". I really liked Anne's story because of my love for World War II events, but I have to say that A Chi..."

Dave Pelzer wrote at least two more books describing what happened after he was "rescued."

For my Summer Reading Project I chose to read Angela's Ashes and A Child Called It.

Frankly, I didn't really anjoy Angela's Ashes for many reasons. I felt that the book itself was very difficult to understand, and I couldn't really follow along with the story line because i felt it was very 'all over the place.' I wouldn't personally recommend this book simply because I didn't enjoy it at all.

However, I felt that reading A Child Called It was a very rewarding experience. It opened my eyes to real thing real people experince. I hope to read the rest of the series as well. I would definately recommend A Child Called it to anyone and everyone!

For my summer reading project I read "A Child Called It" and "Dracula." I really liked both books. The reason that I liked "Dracula" is because ever since I was a little boy I have been fascinated by vampires. My favorite vampire movie ever is "The Lost Boys". When I read "A Child Called It" it made me mad. I don't see why a child should ever have to go through anything like that.

For my summer reading project i read the books "A Child Called It" and "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl." Out of the two books I liked "A Child Called It" the most because it told of a young boy's struggle to survive in what was one of the worst cases of child abuse in California before he was rescued. The mood overall was pretty depressing but it made me think "How can this happen to a little kid?" I highly recomend this book because it made me aware of what can go on in the U.S. I liked "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl" but not as much as the first book because it was more depressing than the first and it was hard for me to really connect with what was going on. Over all, they were good books to read.