The House on Mango Street Part II

             I'm ecstatic and sad to have finished The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I'm happy because I wanted to see what happened at the end, but sad at the same time because it was such an amazing book. I found myself not wanting to put it down, and wishing it was longer because Esperanza's story was so good. She's a character that I've actually learned so much from. Not only about coming of age, but how to be a strong, caring, and kind person. She has gone through a lot yet still manages to put a smile on her face.
            One thing I took from this book was how much it means to be kind. Esperanza has such a passion for people, and never judges anyone. One line that stuck out to me was "One day I'll own my own house, but I won't forget who I am or where I came from. Passing bums will ask, can I come in? I'll offer them the attic, ask them to stay because I know how it is to be without a house." Although she doesn't have her own house, she still dreams big. And she doesn't let any of the negative people in her life affect her feelings towards people in general. Many people wouldn't open their homes to bums. But she looks at them differently, and doesn't judge a book by the cover, but by the pages. Some people say struggle makes you stronger. Esperanza's story is a perfect example of this.
             Another thing that I got from that quote was to never forget where you come from, or who you are. As we grow up, we struggle to find who we are. Sometimes in the process to do so, we forget where we come from. Although you might be ashamed of your upbringing, where you live(d), it makes us who we are. Every obstacle, or achievement is another lesson learned, and it only makes us stronger as a person.
              Not only was this book incredibly inspiring and such an interesting story, it was also written beautifully. There's so many things that I took away from this book. I STRONGLY recommend this book to anyone, and everyone. Before reading this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, and was only reading it because I had to. But while reading it, I've learned to never judge a book by its cover. I've learned this from Esperanza. This was an amazing reading experience for me, and this is definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year!

The House on Mango Street

            So far, I am seriously enjoying The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Not only is it a great story, but it really helps you understand the struggle of coming of age for yourself, others and makes you think deeply about it. Not everyone deals with growing up the same way. Everyone comes from different families, places, etc.
            We all have different responsibilities and roles in our family, and life. But Esperanza's role in her family is a difficult one. Esperanza is like a mother figure for all of her younger sisters. She takes care of them, and makes sure that they're okay. Many kids have to grow up fast to take care of their younger siblings. Esperanza deals with this very well. One quote that really stuck out to me, and showed the importance of Esperanza's role was "Because I am the oldest, my father has told me first, and now it is my turn to tell the others." Esperanza has so much weight on her shoulders. I never had to deal with this, since I'm the youngest, but my sister has. However, it's a different situation with us. My sister never had to really take care of me, because fortunately we have such an amazing mother and father that was always there for us. But she did have to make sure she was being a good role model for me. And I could only imagine how hard this is, especially being a teenager and going through of a time of mistakes. But Esperanza, as well as my sister always managed to pull it off.
            Another quote that made me think was "I wonder if she made the best of what she got or was she sorry because she couldn't be all the things she wanted to be." This is a good example of childhood and adulthood. When we're young, we have so much ambition. We have dreams of what we want to do, and the kind of person we want to be when we grow up. But as people get older, they start to see all of that changing. What we want and what we have are completely different. We may not always be the person we wanted to be, but we're stuck with who we are. And since it's all we have, we have to suck it up, and just accept our life for how it is and realize that everything happens for a reason. The way someone is brought up can also restrict them from being the person they want to be. And to break free from that person takes a lot of strength and courage, because all we know is what we were brought up around. Esperanza is brought up in a poor neighborhood, and although she has so many dreams and a clear view of who she wants to be, her childhood life is holding her back.
          As I continue to read this book, the more I love Esperanza. She is such an inspirational character and handles adult tasks very well. She is facing some serious inner struggle, though. She feels trapped, and doesn't know how to get out. Not only is her life not the best, but she's a child, and can't really do anything about it. Esperanza inspires me to work hard, and try to never give up. She makes me realize that so many kids have it much harder than I do, and to take advantage of every opportunity I have. I can't wait to finish the book, and see how Esperanza deals with the problems she is faced with.

Red

           Red edited by Amy Goldwasser is a book of essays written by teenage girls. These essays give you a feel for how teenage girls think, and how their lives are. I found this book really interesting and actually enjoyed it. I always raced my way through one essay, to get to the next one because they were just so good.
           The creativity and language of each essay is what really captivated me. I felt like I was in the mind of each girl, and a part of their life. In one essay "The Fourth Floor" by Kathryn Pavia, her language is so beautiful and you feel like you're really there in that very moment. When she says "The elevator thumped rhythmically as the numbers lit up, counting down three... two... one..." I felt like I was in the elevator. I could hear the "beep, beep, beep" in my head, and the smooth feeling of riding. Another thing she says in this is "The cafeteria was quiet except for the hum of coolers and heat lamps, some muffled footsteps, and bits of conversation seeping in from beyond the sliding doors." For this line, I actually closed my eyes for a second. And I was able to hear and picture it. However, it was then cut off by the sound of my Maltese, Spike's barking.
           I thought it was really cool to get in the mind of other teenage girls. It's crazy to see how similar our lives are, and that we're not alone. We face a lot of the same things, and it's great to see how others cope, or deal with these situations. People don't only learn from their mistakes, but others as well. Sometimes it takes a tragedy or something unfortunate for someone to learn not to do it.
           I learned a lot from these girls. I wouldn't say that they've made a huge difference in my life, or I am influenced by them, but they've changed certain things I do. Boys, girls, family, drama are a part of every one's life. The way you handle it is what matters, though. You can get involved, mad, or sad. But what changes your opinion or the way these things interfere with your life all depends on what you do with it. These girls showed me that it's okay to be nervous, scared, feel alone, etc. Because you're not the only one that feels that way.

Crank

            Crank by Ellen Hopkins is about a girl named Kristina, (also know as Bree) who was dragged down by the "monster", Crank. Crank is a street/slang term for crystal meth. On the first page of crank, Kristina says,
                              
                                Life was good
                                before I
                                met
                                                                  the monster.
                                After,
                                life
                                                                  was great.
                                At
                                least
                                                                  for a little while.

This is a very meaningful poem in this book because it shows us the journey of crank. Life is good before the monster comes along, but then it's great. But only for a little while. While reading crank, I was actually disturbed by a lot of what was happening. I couldn't believe the effect it can have on a person's mind, family, and body. It takes them to a whole other planet, where nothing matters, except knowing when they're going to get high again. So does lack of confidence and love lead you to foolish, destructive things?

             Kristina was never a very confident person. She always felt like the odd, ugly one. Until she reached high school, and boys actually started to give her attention; and girls wanted to be her friend. Kristina loved the new reaction she got from guys and girls. They thought she was beautiful, confident, and a leader. But on the inside she was just lonely, insecure, and wanted to be loved. Kristina never wanted to go back to how things used to be, so she made up Bree. Bree is everything she ever wanted to be, and represented the new her. Bree was fun, carefree, and someone everyone wanted to be friends with. Unlike Kristina. She became so infatuated with Bree, she forgot who she really was. She wasn't confident in herself, so she was very vulnerable and became involved with crank.
           
             Kristina's mom and dad are divorced. So she always longed for a guy to give her the love she missed from her father. However, she chose all the wrong guys. Brendan, is a guy she met, who she did crank with. He eventually winded up raping her. This shows how addicts surround themselves with the wrong people while doing drugs. They're not in the right state of mind, and don't really care about who they're around. Until something tragic like getting raped happens. Even that wasn't enough to scare Kristina into stop doing drugs.

             This book really changed my opinion on addicts and drugs. Addicts are people that have a problem. They can't control their addiction without professional help. They become a friend of the monster. At first, they think the monster's their best friend. That it'll always be there to cheer you up. But sooner or later, they find out that the monster is only dragging them down the path of self destruction. But the monster is clever. He catches you and puts you in a trap before you can realize this, and for most people by the time they do it's already too late. I always said that I would never try drugs ever in my life, and after reading crank it made me realize that doing so is probably one of the best decisions I could ever make.

Romeo & Juliet

              Romeo and Juliet is a story about love and hatred. Which are the total opposites of each other. Put both of them together, and it makes any situation bloody, and violent. But in the midst of all this fighting  Romeo and Juliet young, and have nothing but love for each other. Is this a bad thing?
             Love is very fragile. Anything you are told can easily break you. There are gonna be people who want you together, and people who do everything in their power to break you apart. But if it's true, nothing can tear you down. You'll be able to withstand everything and anything. If you have to second guess yourself, then it's probably not meant to be. Because if it is true, you just know.
            Can young people be in love? Or do they just think they are? For me, it's both. I think anyone, no matter what you're age is, can be in love. I just think when you're younger, you're very selfish. And to be in love, you have to think of someone else before yourself. You can't be self centered, you have to put their happiness before yours. But I also think since we are self centered, we can't be in love. We might think we are, but we're probably not. Especially because for us, looks are what matter most. So we're not in love with the person and their personality. We're in love with the way they look or how popular they are.
             Baz Luhrmann did amazing job portraying love and hate together. He shows how easily things can fall apart, and how easily things can fall together. He put the movie into a modern time to show us how this may relate to our lives, and how fast we can fall if it's true and meant to be. Even though I didn't understand everything they were saying, Luhrmann made their actions, chemistry and body language clear so you can understand what was going on. He used the settings to really help what was happening in the scenes. "While Luhrmann had faith in the relevance of the story, he knew that to reach out to a new audience he would have to make it hip and sexy. That meant a dramatic setting, an analogy for the originial violent, Verona."

Shug

              Shug by Jenny Han is about a girl named Annmarie. Annmarie is going through a seriously tough time right now. She's in a very awkward stage, and it's very hard for her to deal with. She finds things wrong with her, and seems to think there's nothing good about herself. She's very harsh on herself. And some of her closest friends aren't acting so nice anymore.
              Self-esteem is a big problem for teenage girls. Even if they're one of the prettiest girls, they tend to find a flaw with themselves. Twelve to fourteen years old is a hard age to deal with. It's when you're the most impressionable, and vulnerable. You believe everything that you hear, and are always looking for things you can perfect.
               I think celebrities don't help with self esteem. They set an image of what every girl is supposed to look like. This is why a lot of girls feel so low about themselves. They see these beautiful girls, on T.V. and in magazines. They think that's what they should/want to look like. But, they don't realize that it's all fake. Photoshop, tons of make up, lighting, is what make these girls so beautiful. And even they probably don't like something about themself.
              Image takes away from what really matters-personality. The way you look shouldn't affect other peoples opinions about you. What happened to when how you treated others was all that mattered? Apperance has become such a big part in peoples life. It's either something people are constantly worried about, or something people are constantly judging you on. It's very unfortunate that some people overlook inner beauty. You might be missing out on a really amazing person!

All-Star Mentor

http://pagesofreality123.blogspot.com/2010/12/edward-cullen-is-so-2008.html
          Thai definitely deserves to be an All Star Mentor. Not only does she write deeply, but she writes beautifully. You can tell how much what she is reading impacts her life, and how she really feels about it. She puts so much thought into each one of her posts, and really pushers herself to write more, which really inspires me. I chose this post because I felt like it was so true, and I agreed with her completely. She explained her feelings in detail, and elaborated very well! Thai has such well written posts, and will inspire anyone to go above and beyond to write a fabulous post!

http://peaceloveandpages.blogspot.com/2011/01/poetry-response-speak-now.html
           I absolutely loved Ashley's post on the song, "Speak Now". She unpacked and interpreted the song so well. We share the same passion for Taylor Swift, so it was so cool to read about how this song made someone else feel. Her theory was very smart, and something most people don't think about while listening to a song. She dug real deep to find what this song could mean. I liked her theory, because I can relate to it. Which is what writing is mostly about, being able to relate to someone else's story.

http://untoldstoryinsideyou.blogspot.com/2011/01/too-much.html
          Zarrin's post on Slam by Nick Hornby was very thought provoking! I read this book over the summer, so I liked how we had different views and opinions on this book. Another thing that I liked is how she used vocabulary words, which shows that she actually understands how to use them, and is using them to help her become a better writer. Her work is very detailed, and hardly ever goes off topic. She has such a strong voice in each of her posts, and her personality and opinions really show.

Home, the one place where I don't feel alone.

Where the blue crystal skies

& the green hills lie.

Is where I want to be.

If only I was in Italy.

The fresh clean air

and the soft wind in my hair

Make me feel at ease

If I could, I would never leave

But Brooklyn is where I must be.

Although, knowing where you going

is knowing where you're coming from

& I come from the place

where the sun is in your face.

But I also come from the place

where the beach is your backyard

Life isn't all that easy, it's actually kind of hard.

Puerto Rico- you're where my heart is.

All the times I had with you when I was such a little kid.

You'll be with me forever,

when it gets hard.

& when the hard gets better.

Ireland, oh, the stories that I hear

Of how beautiful you are.

the hills and hills of grass

and how the time can just pass

the sweet smell of nature

Its something you can't deny.

You don't want to leave so badly, you almost want to cry.

This is where I come from.

There's more than what meets the eye.

You have to look deep inside.

To see, where someones true beauty lies

I'm proud of who I am.

As I go through life saying "I can"

as long as I follow my dreams

even through the pain and screams.

I might not know where I'm going, but I know where I come from.

Poem

Pep Rally

Why do they force us to come to these stupid pep rallies?

I don’t want to be here.

I’m not feeling peppy, and the pep rally isn’t helping.

These things are only set up so that the cheerleaders can show off,

And all the boys can drool over them -

Especially Andrea Herkimer.

I don’t actually hate Andrea, since we’ve never spoken.

           This poem has always been one of my favorites. It wasn't just a poem that I read, liked, and moved on to the next one. It actually made me think. I felt like I and other people could relate to it on many levels. It had a much deeper meaning then what it came across as.
           I feel like this poem explains how most teenage girls feel. We're upset most of the time, envy other girls, and want boys to like us. This is hard to deal with because we feel like we have to be perfect. Image, jealousy and popularity are such a big part of girls' lives, which is why this poem was so easy to relate to.
           I think this poem is go for girls out there who don't revolve their life around their image, but still want to be noticed. I think every girl wants to be noticed, drooled over, and told how amazing they are. But when you're not on the cheerleading team, popular, or as outgoing as other people, it's very hard to get attention.

Sweethearts (Spoiler Alert)

          Sweethearts by Sara Zarr is about a girl named Jennifer Harris. Jennifer has never fit in anywhere, and always relied on her best friend, Cameron Quick to get her through things. But after he "passes away", she is completely lost. Most of her memories were with Cameron, and they now have become a part of her. But she can't seem to remember a lot of things about him, because she feels like her memories have gone with him. But even after Jennifer, aka, Jenna Vaughn, grows up, she still finds herself thinking about Cameron. She has a boyfriend, friends, what else could she ask for?
         This book was really intense for me. The compassion and devotion Jenna has toward Cameron really amazes me. Even many years after not seeing him, she still thinks of him as her best friend, and cant let go of him. I find it so amazing that Jenna remains to stay devoted to Cameron, and never forget about him. It's sad when someone passes, and you just forget about them.
         It also taught me about the impact you can have on someones life. If you do something nice, or are always there for someone, they'll always remember you. It won't matter what you looked like, but what you did and the difference you made in their life. Being there for someone can change someone. Especially if they don't have any friends, just a smile will make their day. So think before you do something, because they'll remember it forever.

Fancy White Trash

            Fancy White Trash by Marjetta Geerling is about a girl named Abby who has to deal with the problems in her everyday life. She doesn't really have any role models, because basically all of her sisters are either pregnant, had a baby, or just bad. The people that Abby is surrounded by impact her life in many ways.
           Abby is different than the people in her family. Abby wants to learn from her sisters' mistakes, instead of following in their footsteps. She has a good head on her shoulders, and wants a better life for herself. However, it's not easy when you don't have a positive role model or a good living enviornment.
           I think this is why a lot of kids have problems. Most people aren't strong like Abby. So they usually follow in their family members steps because that's what they feel comfortable with. They think it's the right thing to do, because their parents do it, so why can't they?
           But, this can go two ways you can look at this as a bad thing, or a good thing. Sometimes when kids see how are their parents lives are, it makes them want to work harder. It makes them want to be better than that and go farther in life. Either way, it's good to have someone that you can look up to.

The Last Song

               Do we become oblivious to the world when we're in love? Does nothing else matter? In the Last Song, this happens to Ronnie, a rebellious teen. A tragedy has to happen for her to snap out of it. Most of her life becomes to devoted to her boyfriend, Will.
                Is this what is wrong with teenage relationships? Do we fall too hard, too fast? I think so. We don't really know who we are yet, so throwing a boyfriend in there doesn't really help. It's not a bad thing if you have one, but you shouldn't revolve your life around it. There are many things that are more important then a boy at this age. Like family, school, & friends.
                Sometimes, people slack off in school when they have a boyfriend/girlfriend. It's terrible because school gets you further in life, not a middle school crush. That's what parents mean when they say "you'll have the rest of your life to worry about girls/boys." A lot of girls think that they'll be with that boy forever, and it's almost never true. So you should start paying attention to the people that really matter in life.
                This book really helped me appreciate my family. In a second, they can be gone. Then you'll regret not spending enough time with them. It reminded me to always stay true to myself. And never forget the ones who were there for me from the beginning.
        

Living on Impulse

             Would you be able to risk everything for a piece of clothing? Risk your family, friends, even your own freedom? Mia Morrow does. Living on Impulse by Cara Haycak, tells a story of a teenage girl with a stealing problem. Mia  is such a compulsive stealer, that when she's in the mode, nothing can stop her. She doesn't stop to think about what she is doing. She really is living on impulse.
              Stealing does have many risks, however it's just not worth it. Why would you want to go from being free to a dark jail, all for a shoe? Sometimes, in life you have to seriously think about what you're doing. And most of the time, if you second guess it, or have to think about it, it's probably not the right thing to do. Mia second guesses herself, but then does it anyway. It's like her heart knows what's right, but her mind doesn't. And for her, her mind takes over.
             This is not one of the biggest issues for teens. But, it's still an issue. Parents always tell you, "no stealing, hitting, or bad language" when you're young. When you get older, it feels like all of those rules go away. You're not with your parents all of the time anymore, you have more freedom, and you feel pressured to do what you're friends are doing.
              But, this can be prevented. It doesn't matter if you don't have a great supportive family. Although it helps, they're not always going to be there to tell you what to do, and the difference between right and wrong. This is when responsibility is needed. YOU are responsible for your actions. YOU know right from wrong. YOU are the one who is in control of your future. If you mess it up, there's no going back. So next time, if you feel like whatever you are doing is wrong, it most likely is. And ask yourself, is this worth it?

Hard Love

        Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger is a book about a young love that is not easy. Marisol is a lesbian that recently just "came out of the closet". There love is very difficult because John is very shocked once Marisol tells him she likes him. They try to maintain a good friendship by writing zines to each other.
       This book was cool because this is how a lot of middle/high school teenagers feel. They don't really quite know who they are yet, but they are conflicted with the pain and joy of liking/loving someone. It's a hard time because you have so much to deal with. School work, fitting in, friends, etc. But having a crush/boyfriend is something that everyone goes through.
        Love and crushes are very fragile when you're a teenager. You're naieve, vulnerable, and sensitive. Sometimes, you can't even focus on your work because you're thinking about that person. It interferes with work, but you feel like you can't control it. You want it to go away, but no matter what you do, it doesn't.
        This book is very helpful during these times. It lets you know that it's not going to be easy. It's not what you want to hear, but it's true. Everyone wants a perfect relationship, but that's only in fairy tales. And this book helps you get through it.

Normal Girl

       Normal Girl by Molly Jong-Fast is a book about a girl(Miranda) who deals with drugs. Drugs aren't Miranda's only problem. Her boyfriend Josh, just passed away, and she believes that she killed him. She couldn't even stay sober for his funeral. Miranda finds herself surrounded by a very bad influence, Janice. Janice is her "friend" who is a drug addict as well. This is a terrible problem that many teenagers are conflicted with everyday.
      Drugs and peer pressure are a part of most teenagers' lives. They can't do one without the other. A lot of teens don't look to do drugs, but are peer pressured by their so called friends to do so. The worst thing about this, is that most parents aren't aware that their kids are doing drugs. So, by the time they find out, they're older and don/'t live with them, or it's too late.
      My mom is the best about making sure me and my sister are on the right track. My sister and I have such an open relationship with each other, our family and our mom. I can talk to them about literally anything. Since my sister is older than me, but younger than my mom, I tend to go to her with more of the teenage-related problems. She understands because she's been there. I love talking to her about stuff like that, because she is so strong, and isn't easily pressured.
       It's very unfortunate when kids don't have good family or friends that are there for them. It must be hard to deal with that, because I don't think anyone really wants to do it. At first you might like it, because it's new but over time, it becomes an addiction. And just because you're addicted, doesn't mean you want to do it. You need to be really strong and have a good head on your shoulders to be able to deal with peer pressure.
       Although this book is about a very bad topic, I think kids, and adults can learn from it. It shows you what a bad choice drugs are. It shows you what you'd be going through if you did do drugs. It shows you just how hard life can get. But life is and will always be hard, and drugs won't make it any better.

Breaking Dawn #2

     Would you be willing to do whatever it takes to get the one you want ? Even if it means turning to violence? In Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer, both Edward and Jacob have to face these problems. They're both in love with Bella, and are constantly fighting to prove to her that they're the one she should choose.
      Even though Breaking Dawn is a fantasy book, there are still problems in it that people deal with everyday. One thing is violence. Throughout all of the books in the series, physical and emotional fighting occurs. This is something a lot of people in the world go through, especially kids and teenagers. Physical fighting is a big problem in schools, gangs, relationships, etc. It's terrible, but does happen. I feel like schools try to educate us about verbal bullying, but not enough on physical bullying. Physical fighting leaves kids feeling afraid, and worrying about how the next day at school, or at home is going to be.
    Verbal abuse, is one of the worst things a kid can go through. They feel insecure, alone, and hate themselves. This leads them to do self-destructive and heartbreaking things. Neither type of abuse is acceptable. But how come there isn't enough being done about it ?  I feel like there's so much more we all can do to help stop, or prevent this from happening. Especially in Middle and High School. We're all old enough, and know better, so why bully someone? It doesn't prove anything. It doesn't make you cool, or prove that you're stronger, or tougher than anyone else. It just makes you look like a big mean jerk. Bullying is something that I strongly oppose. One thing that I think we can all start doing to prevent this from happening, is tell an adult, if you, or someone else is being bullied. It's not snitching, it's the right thing to do, and may even save someones life !

Breaking Dawn (SPOILER ALERT !)

          In Breaking Dawn, the love triangle continues to grow, and becomes much more difficult. Bella is deeply in love with Edward, but doesn't know how to keep her best friend Jacob without hurting him. Jacob refuses to give up, and still tries to protect her, even from her own fiancee. When Bella has a baby, Jacob finds himself sharing her with yet another person. Although it's hard for him, he remains loyal. Like he said, "I'm gonna fight for you, until your heart stops beating."
              Personally, I think that Bella should be with Jacob. Edward is crazy nice, but he's too clingy. Of course, he obviously loves Bella but, when she's with Jacob, it just seems right. He'd do literally anything for her, and loves her more than she'll probably ever know. When she's with him, she seems to be more comfortable, and herself. With Edward, she's always serious, and they never have fun.     
              Breaking Dawn is about love, and who will always be there for you. We all have someone that we know or hope will be in our lives forever. My best friend, Melanie is someone who has been with me through basically everything. Without her, I don't really know what I'd do. She's like my own little diary. I tell her anything & everything. I know that no matter what, she'll never judge me.
               But, when it comes to love, Jacob can't help but judge Bella and the choices she makes. It's only because he loves and cares for her, though. With anyone that you love, you always want to see them make the right decisions, and make sure that they're happy.

Dear John

   Dear John tells a story of love, pain, and distance. This is something we all can relate to. But, Savannah and John's relationship is not really like others. They are forced to be away from each other because he's in the military. Since it's hard to communicate,  they decide to stay close by writing letters to each other.

   I never really thought about it, until I read this book, but this is how military couples/families actually feel.
Imagine being away from the one you love, and never knowing if he or she is going to be okay. Savannah misses and worries about John constantly. Eventually, it takes a toll on their relationship, when Savannah realizes that she wants a stable family, and cannot have one with John.

    Nicholas Sparks' books are almost always about romance, but I always seem to be able to connect to them in some way. In my life, my sister is the one that I miss. She's away in college, and although she is smart and strong, I can't help but worry about her. She's 19 and can very well take care of herself, but to me, in this big world, she seems so small.

    Besides being away from the girl he loves, John has a tough time being away from his dad. Him and his dad were never really close, as a matter of fact, half of the time they spend together, they're fighting. But John loves his dad a lot. His mother wasn't around while growing up, so his dad was the one raising him. (SPOILER ALERT- do not read on if you want to read Dear John and do not want to know the ending.)
     But, when John's father gets very ill and passes away, John feels terrible about the way he has treated him. I learned a lesson from this, which was to never take advantage or treat people bad while they're here. Especially your family, because one day you could wake up, and they can be gone. So cherish everyday you have with them, because you never know if it's going to be your last.

      All around, Dear John is an amazing book. I think no matter who you are, you'll like this book. It makes you realize what and who's important in life. It  also teaches you that it's okay to be vulnerable and fall in love. Just make sure you're ready for it.

Stuart Little by E.B. White

    While re-reading Stuart Little, it brought back lots of memories for me. Most of which were with my mom. This was one of the first books I've ever read, so it's very dear to me. My mother and I used to go to the library while my sister was in school, and we would just read endlessly. Reading was a bond that we shared, and Stuart Little definitely brought us closer, because I would ask her to read it to me all of the time ! I always had an infatuation with animals, so this book was one of my favorites. When I read this book now, it's like I can hear my mother's gentle soft tone reading every word. It gives me that home feeling. It also makes me feel like I'm three years old again, sitting in that library, reading this book. When I was younger, this book was more of a pleasure to me. Now, it helps me see the world, and people in a whole different perspective. It's crazy how much your thinking can change, and you can take a child book and use it as something to help guide you through certain parts of life.