Picture of Freedom

March,23 2010
I really liked how Patricia C.McKassack included in her book how a real slave would feel when they were mistreated, because of the color of their skin. It made me feel sad and angry. No one should be treated like that. I also had a connection to this book. When I was at a zoo I saw lots animals put in small cages, their eyes pleading to go home, just like slaves that were brought to America and that just want to go back to their country. They both want to go back were they come from and they both feel like they are treated like property and used for entertainment . This connection helped me really understand the characters feelings, getting into feelings that are hidden in the text. I know when this is a just right book for me when I can read non-stop and eager to get to the next page.

The main character is called Clotee who at the start of the story started off with big secrets like knowing how to read and write. Then soon bigger secrets that can relay on life or death for herself and the people that she loved. She was offered freedom form her master to tell who the person that was helping the slaves at the plantation escape. But she decided not. It would not get her anywhere, besides she could not leave her family. Spicy was one of the the people who changed rapidly in the story. When she was first bought she was afraid. Her old master whipped her everyday leaving big black scars and cuts on her back. When ever someone rose their hand she would cover her hands over her head. Then later she and Hince started an relationship. She became friends with Clotee and was admired by everyone.

The story ended when she drew the words F-R-E-E-D-O-M and she could see a clear picture of herself. I would have liked it if the story had told about her journey with her family to freedom. I think that the author's moral is that we are different in the outside but same in the inside.

Gentle Annie

March, 3 2010
Mary Francis Shura wrote a great story about a Civil War, Union nurse that would never give up. It made me feel very aware to how realistic and dangerous out in the battle field could be. I could actually see the tents when the soldiers were camping and could even see how tired the soldiers looked like from all the marching. I really did understand how she felt when the other maids quit and felt temptation just like Mr.Daw at field day when he was eating that chocolate cake with the moaning about how good it is chiming in as well.

Will used to be very annoying to Annie and her friend Sophie until he came to tell her that Sophie could not make it to the party when Annie lave decided to let them go on a chariot ride and that is when they both became friend s. Will soon decided after when hes old enough that he was going to enlist Annie was comfortable with the idea to become a civil war nurse will and she became even closer to Will. Annie has also changed in the story when her father died. She learns how to nurse her father and to cook for herself.

I would have really loved the book to end when she married Will instead. Because them seemed so close together and then when I got used to it all of a sudden Will marries a girl called Martha!

Kensuke's Kingdom

March, 1 2010
Micheal Morpurgo really knew how to get a reader interested. I loved the way how he made each chapter a mystery to push the reader keep on wanting to continue to the very end of the book. When the character, Michael was lost I felt lost also. When Michael had to choose to stay with Kensuke on the stranded island or go home to his parents was heart breaking just like when I was invited to birthday parties on the same time and I knew I was going to have to hurt someone's feelings.

Well Kensuke used to be a man in Tokyo living with his family until his town was bombed. He fled to a boat and then landed on a lonely island where he made peace with the orangutans. Michael was an ordinary boy until his parents toke him and their selves on board the Peggy Sue until Michael fell overboard with his dog Stella and landed on the island. Kensuke used to be a quiet old man with the wisdom of the island until Michael dropped along and didn't listen to what he said. Then one day Michael was stung by a jellyfish and Kensuke saved him. That is when Kensuke became best friends with Michael and wasn't lonely anymore. Michael at first was trying every way he could to get help. By not following Kensuke's rules he was stung by a jellyfish and when Kensuke saved him they became friends.

The ending was when Kensuke realized that Michael was a boy like he was and when he dies he would be alone. So Kensuke let him go when his parents were on the island. "But don't let anyone know. Me don't exist island don't exist." Michael was soon back were he belonged.