Eat to Live, Live to Read

I really enjoy reading books about food, so I started reading The Third Plate by Dan Barber. (I'm also talking about this book in the spirit of Thanksgiving, which involves lots of food)


The book is divided into 4 sections: Soil, Land, Sea, and Seed. The sections mainly encompass the who farm to for movement and the search of sustainable food, whether it is from foie gras to the perfect flour. 

Barber discusses the progression of American food from the "first plate" of industrial, protein-rich meals, to the "second plate" of organics and grass-fed meat. He discusses his beliefs on how neither of the approaches are ultimately sustainable or healthy. Barber proposes moving on to the "third plate" based on seasonal choices, livestock patterns and rhythms, whole-grains, and small amounts of free-range meet.
In a summary, this may seem very dull and uninteresting, but Barber manages to incorporated his proposals into a richly woven tale of the search for a truly sustainable meal. 

Obviously, my interests are different than yours, but if you enjoy reading The Third Plate, I also recommend reading The Omnivore's Dilemma and Fast- Food Nation. 

Let me know what you think in the comments section below. Happy Thanksgiving!! :)

A Classic Mystery

Okay, so the 21st of June was the last day of school, so I'm officially in 8th grade! Yay! And congratulations to all the graduates of 2015, high school or not. (But I digress.) My English teacher assigned summer reading assignments for all of us. Having projects to do over the summer is not really the best thing you want to do, although reading is fun. So, I have to finish a study guide on The Hound of the Baskervilles.

So, some of you readers may be thinking now, "Classics?? They are boooring." However, this Sherlock Holmes book really threw me off guard. It was the best mystery story I've read in a long time. There is a right amount of suspense and spookiness mixed in that keeps your eyes glued to the page.

The original cover published in 1902

The plot is centered around an age-old story/curse that has been passed down along the Baskerville family. I can only tell you so much without spoiling the book! So, I guess you will just have to find out for yourself what happens. Basically, Holmes and his sidekick/ assistant Watson go to Devonshire to investigate the murder of Sir Charles Baskerville. The next in line has already arrived at the estate, only to be threatened with an anonymous note and the theft of one of his boots. 

So basically, I learned that the word "classic" does not necessarily mean a very long, boring book that you are forced to read. Classics can be extremely interesting and fun to read. So next time you see a Sherlock Holmes book, do not walk by it, even if you don't like mysteries! Pick it up and read one chapter. YOU WILL BE HOOKED. If you enjoy reading this short story, you can buy the other stories in big volumes in bookstores such as Barnes and Noble. I've burned my way through the first book and I'm working on the second.

Another post is coming up! You can see that my blogging skills have sort of improved(at least in my opinion).

PS If you enjoyed The Hound of the Baskervilles, I also recommend A Story in Scarlet. It's about a murder mystery, but Sherlock Holmes' deduction skills make the plot line very interesting!

PPS And Oh. My. Goodness. The new TV series Sherlock is sooooo GOOD!!! I recommend them, but some of them may be more on the PG-13 side.

The Right Book at the Right Time

Similar to Wonder and Unwind, this is an intensely moving novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family. I really enjoy writing about these types of books, because they have really interesting character development. I also recommend reading Out of My Mind, which is similar to Wonder. 

Counting By Sevens by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius. When I mean genius, I mean GENIUS. She's like a girl Einstein. She is obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, and finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn't kept her from leading a quietly happy life... until now.

Willow's parents both die in a car crash, after her mother's diagnose of breast cancer, leaving Willow alone in a confusing world. She meets Mai, a Vietnamese girl, whose family goes out of their way to make Willow feel at home.

The best part about this book is that this is not (I repeat, not) a tragedy. This odd, but endearing girl manages to push through her grief. By the end of the book, Willow has even stopped counting by sevens. Her journey to find a family is a touching and action- filled book that is a must read.

There is no such thing as a perfect book. But I strongly believe that there is such a thing as the right book at the right time for the right person. Counting by 7s was the right book at the right time for the right person(me). And for that reason, it is one of my favorite books, and for that reason, I will probably love it forever. #CountingBy7s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. For those who enjoyed the book, I believe it has been turned into a movie.

A Tale of Heroism and Sacrifice

I recently borrowed this book from the library. It's called

I Am Malala

Some of you may have read it. If so, tell me what you think in the Comments section.
This was a very intriguing autobiography.

Malala Yousafzai spoke out for girls' rights to an education. After the 9/11 attack, the Taliban took control of Swat Valley, where Malala lived. On October 9,2012, She was shot in the head while riding the bus home from school. Miraculously, she recovered and had become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize. She has also spoken to the United Nation in New York after her recovery. I Am Malala has a very touching ending," I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not." I am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.


I will apologize for the lack of posts this week. I had my annual standardized tests and was unable to keep up with my blogging. Now, you can look forward(hopefully) to consistent posts on the latest books.

Malala was ranked 6th place

Sweets for the Sweet (Reader)

From now on, I'm going to post about books and their movies. These books are not ranked, unless I wrote that I am going to. I will only do this at the end of each year based on the top 3 books. 


Some of you may have noticed that I focused on one theme: people not fitting in, for whatever reason. Now I am going to stray from that theme(because I did not mean to) and write about a great mystery/realistic fiction book!
The sweetness of...

The Candy Makers by Wendy Mass

Note before you read: This book is divided into sections narrated by one of the four main characters. 
         
When Logan, Miles, Daisy, and Phillip meet on the front steps of the candy factory, for the candy making contest, they have no idea they are going for a ride. All 4 are so different, and yet seem to make easy relationships. Logan has scars running down his torso and is the son of the owner of the Life is Sweet Candy Factory. Miles is a quiet boy who talks about the afterlife all the time. Daisy is a cheery, bright, and dramatic girl who has a strong temper. Phillip is a rude boy who always wears a fancy suit. Logan and Miles become friends because of Miles’s friendly and eager personality. Logan invites Miles to sleep over at the factory with him. But then they hear a noise in the Cocoa Room. 

In the next section, we find out that Daisy is an undercover spy with a mission to steal the factory’s secret ingredient. She creeps into the factory at night to steal the ingredient but runs into a mysterious person. Who is it?

Phillip entered the contest purely to win. He finds out that his father is trying to steal the secret ingredient to put the candy factory out of business. Phillip goes to steal the ingredient, to protect the factory, but runs into Daisy. They are discovered by Miles and Logan, and Daisy's cover is blown. Philip had made his dad promise that if he won, his dad had to cancel the operation to steal the secret ingredient. They all discuss it and agree to make Philip’s idea for a candy harmonica win the candy contest. They all work hard to make it the best, but will they succeed—or fail?

Anyone who enjoys candy or Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory should read this book. This book definitely should be read by people of all ages, even adults, though it would be more appealing to middle school students between the ages 9-13. This book is a total page turner, very funny, and has many strange plot twists. If you love any of those qualities, you should totally read this book!

Great book found in the depths of the library...

This post, I want to tell you about a very nice fiction book that I read. I happened to stumble across this book while a was reading a book order packet thingy. The book is ...

Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings

In many ways, Natalie O'Reilly is a typical fourteen year old girl, but she was born without irises, and has juvenile glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease where fluid builds up in the eye, causing pressure on the vital organs. But then Natalie learns she will lose her sight within a few months. Natalie is sent to a school for the blind in Baltimore to learn skills such as Braille and how to use a cane. Outwardly, she does as she's told-- inwardly, she hopes for a miracle that will free her from a dreaded life of blindness. 

But the miracle does not come. In just one night, she turns completely blind. Natalie must confront every blind person's dilemma. Will she go home to live scared? Or will she embrace the skills she needs to make it in a world without sight?

This book really teaches the readers that the blind and others with disabilities are capable of doing things that those without disabilities can. The book talked about many everyday obstacles blind people have, which are things people just take for granted.They find ways to get around the obstacles. This book has many unexpected twists and turns. Natalie's internal conflicts make it easier for the readers to sympathize with her. Let me know what you think! :)

The Wonder of Wonder

Hello again! This post is going to be about one of my favorite books. It is so heart wrenching but has lots of meaning in the plot.

I am going to write about the wonder of ...
Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder's message to all it's readers

August (also known as Auggie), is not an ordinary boy. Deep inside he is, but outside, he is not. His face isn't ordinary. He has Treacher-Collins syndrome which deforms the face. August's parents think that he should go to school instead of home-schooling, beginning in fifth grade. He wonders if he will be able to fit in at school at all. 
He finds out it's much like he expected. All the kids try to ignore August and pass around rumors that you can catch a disease from him. Auggie does make two close friends: Summer, a girl who actually enjoys Auggie for who he is, and Jack. Jack started out as Auggie’s “assigned” friend, and when Auggie finds this out, he and Jack have a falling out. Will Auggie be able to fight his way to the end, or will he be crushed by the prejudice of his enemies?

I strongly recommend this book. The narrator changes every few chapters from August to his sister to a few of his friends. All of the points of view help the reader picture the story more completely. This book is fit for everybody young to old. One thing I didn't like was there were some points of view that I didn't think were necessary, and they slowed the book down. But overall, it was a very enjoyable book. August's story of courage and friendship really melted my heart. The author writes about middle school pretty realistically and how cruel (and how compassionate) kids can be.

What if?

I actually borrowed this book from the library, misreading the title. As you can see in the picture on the left, the font is hard to read. However, my mistake introduced me into a new series. The first book is...

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

One of the many versions of Unwind's covers

The story takes place in a society where unwanted teens ages 13-18 are salvaged for their body parts. Three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them. Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs-- and she isn't talented enough to keep. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religious custom to donate 10% of everything to the church. 

Brought together, they stick together through desperation, and they make a cross-country journey, knowing their lives are in danger. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed, but when they and their bodies are wanted by their society, eighteen seems far away. Will they find a safe sanctuary to stay in?

This book is a must read for those who enjoy science fiction/ fantasy. Unwind is a very touching story. The book has some very important themes that you learn as you read this book.  I would not recommend this to anybody under the age of 10.  This book will make you think and influence your opinions about society in the past, present, and future. I feel the author is relating many details from his story with our world today. 

I think that this book is a satire of the future based on the abortion conflict in our present day society.  The author talks to you in a casual, but well- written style. It is very easy to get lost in the book, look up, and realize, it has been like 5 hours and OMG you were supposed to finish your homework ages ago...
But that didn't happen to me(luckily), so I spend quality time with it over the weekend. There is lots of suspense throughout the book, and kept my eyes glued to the page! 

P.S. The book Unwind is part of the Unwind series. A list of the books can be found here. I have not read them yet, but comments about the whole series are welcome. As always, feel free to include constructive feedback, comments, and/or questions about the books or the blog.

Why do people enjoy fiction?

Recently, I asked myself, "Why do people enjoy reading so much?" Based on my observances, people enjoy books that have the following features:

1. It takes you away and focuses the reader on the characters problems, and away from your own problems
2. A book that has lots of good suspense
3. A resonance that leaves a lasting impression
4. A reader will find something in the book that reminds them of themselves.
5. The readers get to know characters that you feel you can identify with and talk to if they existed in real life.

Thus, I have tried to choose books that will interest readers and fit the standard model for books that young adults/teens will like. So I have included my first post ever(!) also.

My first review is...
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl is a girl that is very different from the average high school student. Students are slow to warm up to her. She is nothing like what they had experienced before. They cannot place her in a certain group, stereotype, or clique, so they shun her are "weird." After she joins the cheer-leading team, she suddenly becomes popular. Leo, the protagonist, begins to think more and more about her. 

Stargirl's message to all her readers

But there is one problem: Stargirl cheers for EVERYONE as a cheerleader. Her school mates completely turn on her after she extends her kindness to the opposing team. Leo must decide who he cares about more: Stargirl, or everyone else/ his reputation. Later on, he begs Stargirl to be the only thing that would destroy her: Normal.

This book was appealing for me because it demonstrates the conflicts in popularity and the importance of being oneself.
Stargirl is the first book in the Stargirl trilogy. Have fun reading!

"She was illusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin went through and away she flew."

~ Leo