false 70 45 45 true 5703187 read 0 true 812165 currently-reading 0 true 812164 to-read 17 false 3756596 11th-grade-books http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59570864 to: How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines (Paperback) by Thomas C. Foster
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
I decided to read this unique book because it wasn't your ordinary "how to book". Thomas C. Foster, the author, combines vital instruction with interesting commentary to ultimately educate readers on how to properly read literature. I found it very interesting how Foster says that all books are related and have many connections among them. He also says that there are frequently biblical references or metaphors that the reader must look for. He also talks about the importance of each character, setting, imagery, and dialogue. His fundamental reasoning is that the author put it in there for a purpose, so it must mean something bigger. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take their reading skills to the next level. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59569263 to: The Hallo-wiener (Paperback) by Dav Pilkey
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
I have always loved Dav Pilkey's books, including his Captain Underpant's series. The Hallo-wiener is a wonderful short story that combines humor and a life long lesson: to treat your friends nicely because they can ultimately help you in dire situations. The protagonist, a wiener dog wears a hilarious hot dog costume for halloween, resulting in other dogs making fun of him. However, when the dogs are trapped in a lake, the wiener dog rescues them. He then becomes their friend forever. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to hear a warm hearted story with a nice lesson to it. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59567994 to: The Merchant of Venice (Folger Shakespeare Library) by William Shakespeare
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
The only other Shakespearean play I have read was Romeo and Juliet. Consequently, i was really eager to read The Merchant of Venice to see if there are any parallels between the two plays. This play, which is classified as a Shakespearean comedy, isn't all that funny to a modern reader. However, it certainly is different from Romeo and Juliet, which is seen as a tragedy. For one thing, The Merchant of Venice has women who dressed up as men and a happy ending. These are characteristic of a Shakespearean comedy. I know this doesn't sound all that funny, but its still a great play. One will immediately notice the anti-Jewish sentiment among the characters. Nevertheless, i recommend this play to anyone interested in Shakespeare! ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52493448 to: Native Speaker (Paperback) by Chang-Rae Lee
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
I have to admit the first thing i noticed when I picked up this book was the intriguing cover. Anyways, this book, like many other books, is about the search for one's true identity. It really reminds me of the book Inventing Elliot. The protagonist, Henry Park, is a Korean American who has trouble defining his own identity in a society where racism is prevalent. Chang-Rae Lee does a great job in conveying the idea that even in a country like America, a place where people are supposed to be treated equally, people are vulnerable to the de facto racism that can never be fully eradicated. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52492101 to: The Kid Who Climbed Everest: The Incredible Story of a 23-Year-Old's Summit of Mt. Everest (Paperback) by Bear Grylls
When I first picked up this book, I knew i was going to go on a long journey (no pun intended). Bear Grylls recounts a journey not many people have ever successfully encountered. He climbed up Mt. Everest! Even more impressive was that he was only 23 years old and he had seriously injured his back from a parachute accident. This story is more than just a story of how he go to the very top of Mt. Everest because it also shows that everyone can accomplish a goal even though the odds are against him or her. It is a very inspirational book, although I would still not venture on a journey up Mt. Everest.

]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52491529 to: Indignation (Hardcover) by Philip Roth
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
As a growing individual, Marcus Messner not only learns about the new aspects of life, but also discovers his own identity and understanding of himself. I, too, am going through a similar process. A gradual and natural process, the understanding of one’s own identity is essential to learning about a person’s current state and how one can learn from previous mistakes. Marcus Messner, like most individuals, is exposed to different things, which influence the makeup of his character and personality. Especially during a time of transition from childhood to adulthood, a person is sometimes uncertain about what he or she should do in a difficult situation. In turn, disparate parents and his distracting love life are the primary influences on Marcus’s capricious identity. This book is suiting for any teenager who is also going through a transitional period into adulthood.

]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52490694 to: Mr. Popper's Penguins (Paperback) by Richard Atwater
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
Despite my personal bias towards penguins (they are my favorite animals), Mr. Popper's Penguins is one of my most favorite fiction stories I have ever read. It is kind of ironic how in this day and age, the natural habits of penguins and other arctic creatures are getting destroyed. Perhaps, this world needs more people like Mr. Popper and his loving affection of penguins. He kindly accommodates 12 penguins! In a way these penguin are like his children because he cares so much about them. This book is very sweet and humorous, and so i recommend this to anyone, children and adults alike.

]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52489762 to: Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.) by Matt Ridley
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
I decided to read Genome because i may possibly want to pursue a career in the biological field!. I have learned the basics of the human genome, but this book goes even deeper. For instance, I had already know abotu the Human Genome Project, but I had yet to understand what they had found about each chromosome. Matt Ridley cleverly organizes this book into 23 chapters because there are 23 pairs of chromosomes in each human cell. Normally, one would feel intimidated by the possible scientific jargon in a scientific analysis. However, Ridley writes in a very entertaining way that any reader, even he or she who has no interest in science, will be interested in learning about the every genome that make sup our bodies. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52489148 to: Guts : The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books (Hardcover) by Gary Paulsen
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
The title "Guts" is indeed an appropriate name for this riveting account of Paulsen's real life experiences in the wilderness. I have yet to read Gary Paulsen's more famous book the Hatchet, but this book explains where he got his ideas from. Throughout the book, I was in so much suspense because the plot is so unpredictable. I would never have imagined how life would be like in the wilderness, but not Paulsen thoroughly explains how he did it. It is clear that Paulsen has a natural love for nature, something not all people have. He has connections with various animals such as the moose and even a bunch of mosquitoes (How scary!). I can already predict that the Hatchet is going to be just as adventurous and exciting as Guts!
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52484957 to: Leon's Story (Sunburst Books) by Leon Walter Tillage
bookshelves: 11th-grade-books
Leon's Story is another book that relates very much to the material I have been learning in history class. This book specifically portrays the de facto racism that is still prevalent in society. Despite the prohibition of de jura racism in society, it is evident that Leon is still feeling the unfortunate effects of racism and bigotry that fills up the mind of many. Consequently, he is segregated solely based on his skin color. He has to work extra hard just to get to school, while other white students could take the bus. He also has family problems because his father was killed by a group of white boys. The most unfortunate apsect of this story is that Leon, by himself, could not change the norms of society He alone could not banish the racism that exists in the majority of people.

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