The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Hellozers everybody!!
So I just finished re-reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. My mom made me buy this book when she saw that it was on the reading list because according to her it was a REALLY good book. "You will love this book. You should definitely read it" were her exact words. WRONG this was one of those books that are sooo boring you don't want to finish. But being the sweet child I am decided to make my mother happy by finishing this book.
This book is about a girl, Katherine or Kit for short, who lived in Barbados with her grandpa. When her grandpa died Kit was left to marry this old guy. So she moved up to live with her aunt and uncle and her 2 cousins. She was on the way up there when Prudence dropped her toy in the water. Kit jumped in the water and swam and got it for her. No women knew how to swim only witches were supposed to know how to swim. So that started an assumption that she was a witch *hints the title*. After living a very hard life up in Massachutes she finally finds a friend, Hannah the witch. Now nobody was supposed to like Hannah because she was a "witch". Only other "witches" we're supposed to like Hannah. So when Kit became friends with her everyone wanted to arrest her because "Witches werent allowed". That's all I'm going to tell you, so if this sounds interesting so far Read it if not Don't!
Kit and I seem to be completely opposite people. She moved from her luxurious life in Barbados to Massachutes. I would NEVER do that. I would have stayed behind and figured out a way to not marry that man. Secondly she went to her aunt and uncle assuming they would have enough food, room, money, etc. to accommodate her without even asking! Again I wouldn't do that. Lastly, she jumped of the side of the boat to get a spoiler brats toy (prudence). I know that is probably the right thing to do but still I wouldn't do that.
This is one of my shorter posts because I'm kind of busy so that's all I have.:)
Happy reading!

~Rachel

HALELUIJAH!!!:):):):)

Ok so today I went to the foot doctor and he said it wasn't broken my growth plate in my foot is just about to stop growing and the tendon is making it hurt. Ok I was thinking what do I need to do about it. He said do what you normally do and don't rest. Oh I said so I've been doing everything wrong! So YAY I get to take dance this year. I am SUPER EXSTATIC !!!!! That made me very happy after hearing very disappointing news from Maggie. I'm not sure if she wants me to tell though so I won't.
Anyway today I finished reading Peter and the Sword of Mercy by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. This series is AWESOME definitely recommend!!! Some parts of these book are in appropriate such a they sometimes swear and they are mildly scary, but I just ignored those parts and kept reading. I read over half of it last night and I thought boy this is a BAD idea I'm going to have nightmares because they were describing a man named the skeleton who has one yellow eye and bony fingers and only one hand.
Ok so this series is about how Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, Neverland, etc. came into existence and the adventures they had. In this book Molly has grown up and married George. Wendy(name ring a bell?), there daughter had to save them knowing what little she knew about the starcatchers. *SPOILER IN THIS SENTENCE*Molly and George are kidnapped by Lord Ombra and Wendy has to find a mysterious boy named Peter Pan to help save them by using the Sword of Mercy.
I like how the authors of this book put actual events that happened in real life into this fictional book. For example the "Sword of Mercy" is a real sword. It's on display in the crown jewels. And it really is missing its tip. I liked how they thought of what would happen if the tip was found.
That's all I have for today. I will write another post in a few days.
Hasta-la-vista
~ Rachel

P.S. I have know idea what that means:)

Fever 1793 (again)

   Ok First off I'd like to say that I am VERY VERY sorry at I havent blogged in forever. Here's why

1) as I have already said we are moving. So last weekend we moved pretty much our whole house I'm actually living out of a suitcase :/

2) I was at church camp all last week (it was AWESOME BTW also if you've never been zip lining PLEASE DO it is the most fun I had in thirty seconds EVER) anywho. And dumb me forgot to take my book to finish reading to camp dumb da dumb dumb dumb!!

3) I have had major foot pains so next Thursday I'm going to the foot specialist yes I said the FOOT SPECIALIST to get them to look at it AND if it's broken or fractured I will miss a WHOLE STINKING YEAR OF DANCE. That would be so tragic. Ok on to the book.

   Fever 1793 is about a girl named Matilda who is living in the time period of the yellow fever. The yellow fever is a disease that is usually spread by mosquitoes but can also be spread by small rodents. It usually develops in the tropics. The yellow fever of 1793 was brought by trade ships to Pennsylvania and caused many deaths. It usually makes you sick to your stomach and you can't eat anything without vomiting it up.

   I felt that Mattie's actions/ emotions were the same as mine. She was very happy in the beginning and complained because of the work she had to do (man that sounds like someone I really know). As I got more into the story as the back of the book says her whole world got turned upside down. That was somewhat what I felt like when my dad had his brain tumor. I was on top of the world then i found myself in the hospital with my dad. I was so traumatized my mom made us go to a councelor. I think Mattie felt the same way when her grandpa died.

   Ok side story well somewhat of a side story I have no clue why but when we were at camp we studied Jonah and on the night we talked about the fish spitting him up I thought about this story. I imagined the fish having yellow fever and vomiting up Jonah. I also thought some of the songs related to this story. I don't remember them but I just felt that they related to this story.

   Ok so my summer reading list was going to be this :
Fever 1793 by laurie Halse Anderson
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Peter and theSword of Mercy by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
Re-read The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (I read them in like 3rd grade)
The Extraordinary Eduaction of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
and The Magician's Elephant by Kate Dicamillo

Ok I have read 2 1/2 of those YIKES better get reading!!!!!

Bye bye

~Rachel

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

   Ok so I know I haven't blogged in forever but I have been so busy you couldn't even imagine. First of all my grandpa broke his arm and we have had to take him to therapy every Monday, Wednesday, and friday (BTW I stay at my grandparents every summer). Secondly I have had piano lessons this summer which I usually don't have. Thirdly my grandparents computer has been down and I got fixed literally three hours ago. Lastly we are in the process of moving which is a pretty big deal considering the amount of junk we have...:). So it has been hard for me to find the time to read. Ok enough self pity lets get to books.

   I am in the process of re-reading Fever and the Witch of Blackbird Pond because I read them at the same time BIG mistake I don't remember exactly what happened in each book. I kinda got them confused. But that is ok I don't mind. Anyway so the other day when we were at Barnes and Noble looking for fathers day gifts I found a book called Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier. This is going to be my challenge book because
  
   1) It is 381 pages long. Now that is definitely not the longest book I've ever read, but it is still pretty big.
  
   2) It is set in London and in about the 1800s (I'm assuming I don't recall it saying) so the language is somewhat difficult to understand. One word I thought was interesting was "beggarmonger" I liked how it defined the word in the next sentence too (I'm somewhat lazy you could say)
  
   3) It is gross. Now I know that that may scare you away from the book, you might not think its gross. I can't stand anything medical ok. I can't watch someone get a shot. I can't even see an IV in someone it seriously grosses me out. So that was a real challenge for me. In the beginning it says that a raven pecked the boys eyes out. I can't tell you more because it would spoil the whole book, but don't let that scare you I was grossed out too just ignore that and keep reading. It's a really good book.
  
   4) It made me think in a different perspective. It told the story from the point of a blind person. So it really described the other senses more than sight. So instead of saying "The room I am in is aquamarine. It has pictures of me in Disney World on the wall. There is a bed, two bookshelves, a dresser, and a nightstand." it would say " I am in a room it seems like a square room by feeling of the walls. It is quiet. There is something in the middle of the room that is soft. I think it is a bed. I can hear someone that seems 4 or 5 in the room next door. And I can smell cookies baking in the oven" . I would have never described the room like that unless I was blind.
  
   Ok here's a summary of the book. There is a boy who is named Peter. He is ten and he is blind. He was found on the street by an evil man named Mr. Seamus who teaches him how to pick locks so he can steal. He meets a mysterious man and steals the mans special box. Ok that's all I'm gonna tell you because I want you to read it yourself.

   I can't wait to move :)) I'm so excited. Even though we will have to leave at like 7 in the morning to get to school on time. I'm so used to it only taking 3 minutes to get to school. Oh well:) I hope I have persuaded you all to read this book:)) Bye Bye!

Beach Time!:)

Ok so I know I haven't blogged in a loooong time. Well that's what it feels like.:) Anyway I'm on vacation and it's been awesome so far. This afternoon I went out on the balcony and read about 3 or 4 chapters of The Bridge to Neverland by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. It is sooooo good I can't put it down. On the car ride down today I had a full battery on my kindle, now it has less than 1/4 of the battery left.:) I've already read Fever, my first book. This book is very emotional. I cried my eyes out! It was so sad. I really don't know why but I always get really sad when I read books where somebody dies. I don't usually cry but I feel a wave of emotions. This author really knows how to put the emotions of the characters in. When Matilda's grandfather died I don't know why but I started thinking what I would do if my grandfather died. I guess that's what really got me sad. I probably would have not been able to keep composed like Maltilda did because when I started to think about my grandfather dieng I realized all of the things that reminded me of him... I've also started The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I haven't read very much of it yet. I think I'm on page 56. I'm hoping it lives up to the expectations that my mom told me. I think the reason I haven't gotten very far is because it was placed hundreds of years ago. Ive had to go back and re-read a lot of it because of some of the language they use. So far I think that it is interesting that it was uncommon for women to know how to swim. I would die if I didnt know how to swim (so would Catie:)) Another interesting thing I noticed was that the women all wore plain normal clothes to church. Nowadays most people dress up for church. I can't wait to finish all of my books! :)) I will post a picture of the beach later :) Bye! ~Rachel

Good or Bad

   I am so excited for school to get out! I can't wait for a full day of reading!
Places I will read this summer:

-Car
-In bed late at night when I have been yelled at about a million times to go to sleep
-On the bus ride down to church camp
-Couch
-Kitchen table
-and of course the BEACH

   Some books are good, but a lot are bad. I have developed a process on how to decide if a book is good or not.

Q 1) Is it over 100 pages? (yes I do read books under 100 pages, but in my opinion a truly good book is at least 100 pages)
Q 2) Read the back. Does it sound good?
Q 3) Read the first chapter. Is it more boring than watching Max and Ruby with my brother... if yes that book needs to go to the basement bookshelf


P.S. Got Pi?

Beach + Reading = :)

     What do you think of when you hear the word beach? I think of summer, sand, ocean, and most importantly reading! I read every chance I can on vacation... especially in the car. I don't think I could survive the car ride without my book. I'd go BERSERK!
    Three reasons I read on vacation...

1) So I don't have to play with the most annoying five year old that ever walked this planet
2)So I have something to do on the beach... Hey you can't swim that much
3) I don't think I could go a week without reading something

    I'm not sure what books I'm going to read this summer. I've already picked out The Witch of Blackbird Pond  by Elizabeth George Speare and Fever1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson for my reading list. I am currently reading Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry and Robert Pearson (3rd in a series) it is very good. I am for sure that I am going to read the last book in that series. I need some suggestions though, so PLEASE post some of your favorite books. Thanks!

Beach Pics

Yes that is my little brother and me

That is probably one of the only times we were actually getting along ... :)