The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne *SPOILER*

Bruno, a nine-year-old boy living in Berlin, comes home from school to the day that change his life forever.   He is told him and his family are moving because of his dads job to the "Out-with."  He's not sure what the "Out-with" stands for but he is for sure that it can be no better then their magnificent  house in Berlin, and he was right.  The day of the big moves come and when they reach their new home it's very remote and has no other houses within miles of them. Bruno is unsatisfied but he knows he can't make his family move back home, because this is their new home.  He wants to explore around the home, but his mother told him he is not allowed to leave the ground inside of the fence that surrounds the house.  He tries to explore but there is noting interesting just grass, a tree and a shed.  He decides to unpack, and while unpacking he looks through his window.  He sees huts, and people of every age and height,for miles on end all wearing the exact same striped pajamas. However, he is not sure what it is.  So, he asks his sister, Gretel, to come take a look.  Gretel says that they are farmers that live on the countryside as she explains to him, and Bruno is eager to explore this "countryside" his sister speaks of. He knows he is not suppose to explore but he does anyway. He escaped through a window in the shed behind his house. He finds a trail leading through the woods and as he walks along it he comes to a tall fence. He continues to walk along the fence, until he comes close to the end of it and there he finds a young boy sitting in blue and white dirty and old pajamas.  They talk for a little while with no introduction, Bruno thinks he finally found a friend that he can spend time with. The only problems is the fence dividing them, and their lives.  After talking, Bruno introduces himself, and the other boy does also, his name is Shmuel.  For many days they continue to meet at the exact same spot.  They eventually find out that they are both nine, and have the same exact birthday also.  Bruno doesn't tell any of his family about is new friend worried that his parents will stop him from going any longer. One day Bruno wakes up to see Shmuel washing glasses in his home.  Bruno's father's friends, the Nazi's,  are in the room with Shmuel, but eventually  they leave and Bruno and Shmuel begin the talk and Bruno gives him food because he looks starved.  The Nazi's walk in and see Shmuel with food and take it away, angry because they are convinced that he stole it.  When Bruno and Shmuel meet the next day, Shmuel had even more marks then usual. Bruno wanted to make it up to him because he knew he was hurt more because of what Bruno did. Shmuel had been telling Bruno how his grandpa was missing, so Bruno and Shmuel decided that the next day Bruno would sneak under the fence in a spot where it was just enough room for him to fit under.  The next day Bruno found out that it would be his last day in the "Out-with" and he would be leaving that evening.  He knew he had to go help Shumel, so he did.  He sneaked out the window and down the path to where him and Shumel met. Shumel was waiting with the striped pajamas so Bruno matched everyone and did not stand out. Bruno changed and let his shoes and clothes on his side of the fence and crawled under into Shumel's area. They raced back to the houses and began searching in every single one and there was no sight of Shumel's grandfather. They walked into another house right as the soldiers came in and directed everyone out into lines and directed them to a room where they were all told to take off there clothes and enter a room that had all cement walls  and no windows.  Bruno was worried and Shumel told him that they were just going to shower.  But as soon as they got in the gas pellets were released.

 The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is a fantastic, touching story that can make anyone's heart melt.  It teaches us how everyone can be friends no matter the differences.  I would recommend it to anyone from young teenager, to a grandma.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (Part 1) *SOME PARTS SPOILED*

This Blog Is a Summary of the book.
If you have not read "The Uglies" please read my summary for clarification on this post!

"The Pretties" starts off with Tally Wanting to Join the Crims.  The Crims is a group of pretties that are very spontaneous.  They often pull off funny pranks to keep themselves "Bubbly", which means that their "pretty minds" are not in order and they feel as if they the city rules are crazy.  All Pretties have a "Pretty Mind."  It is when a lesions is placed inside you head what makes you think that you are perfect and so is you're life. It makes it so you never want to rebel.
  Eveyone knows Tally will get into the Crims because of her incident with the smoke.  And of course, she is.  She instantly is one of the leaders of the Crims along with Zane.  Their is a celebrations for the new Crims, and at that party she receives a note from a stranger.  She doesn't decide to open that note until her first date with Zane in the park.  The note is from when she was an ugly and was in the smoke.  The note told her about a cure for the lesions and how she promised she would test them out.  So her and Zane go for it.   They go to the place the note instructs them. Valentino 317. When they go to search for the room, the only find 316 and 317. They figure out that the room was replaced with an elevator s they climb to the top where they find an old rusty do with 317 engraved into it.  they going to find a small bottle with 2 pilsl sitting on the floor. They close the door so no one can see them. Tallia is debating on taking the pill she doesn't know she wants to because it could possibly kill her. Then they hear footsteps of the above them. They know it is special circumstance so Zane and Tally each take one pill to cure their "pretty minds" just before the door flies open.  Since they both took off their inference rings, which are trackers they are suppose to wear all the time, they both get bracelets put on that they are not able to take off.
  A month goes by and Zane was getting very bad headaches which they think are from the pill, but they ignore it because he can't go to the doctors or they will know something is wrong with his brain. And the crims get ready to pull off their biggest prank yet.  Right before a soccer game, they are going to go to the floating ice rink above the field, and dump alcohol on it so it will crack under their feet, and send them free falling through the air.  They all prepare with their bungee jackets. They go on the ice and drop the alcohol. All the crims are sent flying down. The audience is in shock and don't know what to do. The crims fall and once they get close to the ground their bungee jackets send them springing back up, braking their fall. After everyone has landed, The crims are instantly famous around uglyville and all the pretty towns. And Zane and Tally are the most famous of them all.
     After this tremendous prank, Zane and Tally knew the pills worked because they never stops feeling bubbly and they thought the city rules were crazy. They knew they had to get out of the city and start a new smoke with all the crims. They talk to the crims about it and for weeks they plan their escape. The one major problem is Zane and Tally's bracelets. They can't take them off like the others can with the inference rings. After weeks of trying to become skinny enough to get them off Zane has an idea. They sneak out to machines that are suppose to be to cup metal, and Zane sticks in his hand and tells Tally to pull the Buttons that make the machines chomp what ever is inside. But Tally can't. She is to worried that the machine will crush Zane's hand along with the bracelet. However, rigt when Tally is about to take the risk and hit the buttons, she sees fire restance gloves. She stops and grabs then for the escape. Right away Zane and Tally notify all the crims to get into hot air ballons and to float away. They all do as told and Zane and tally slide on the heat restance gloves under their bracelets. They float away and Zane and Tally stick their hands into the fire lifting the balloon, hoping that the heat will expand the braclets enough to slide off of ther wrists.  Tally's gets hers off easy but Zane's won't and they are reaching the city borders. At the last second it slips off and everyone jumps with their hoverboards to stop their fall and to bring them to the new smoke. Tally is about to Jump when she's that Peris did not jump. She tries to convince him but it won't work. She then realizes that she has gone over city limits and that their is no metal in the ground to stop her hoverboard and her fall. She doesn't know what to do, UNTILL she sees a river. She knows that all rivers have metal in them so she jumps landing dead center over the water.  However, it was to deep so her hoverboard could not stop her fall. She is sent tumbling into the water.  When she is finally able to get out she realize her hoverboard is gone and she is going to have to walk by foot.
     She begins her journey and is suddenly attacked by Old man who were still uglies, they call themselves "The Outsiders." Right before they're about to hit her, they realize  she is a pretty.  And to them pretties were gods. They apologize and take her back to their camp. There she tells them all about her plan of the new somke. They all plan to help her. The next day she wakes up and is given lots of food and things to help survive. All she can think about is if Zane is okay and if they are all at the smoke and are scared about her. As they leave, their leader, Andrew, says he will go with her to protect her from the other people in the wild that would kill her and from to make sure she is always safe. Will Tally make it back to the new smoke, or will she be killed by the wilderness?  Does Zane survive? Will they ever see each other again? Read the phenominal book "The Pretties" by Scott Westerfeld to find out how the stunning story unfolds at the end.

The Pretties by Scott Westerfeld *SPOILER*(Part 2)

Read Above (The summary) before reading this for clarification.

"The Pretties" by Scott Westerfeld is a phenomenal book that is just as intriguing and suspenseful as the first book in this series, "The Ugilies." I enjoyed the whole book, from the first page to the last. Although, their are some parts that I thought were to long, but everything else was a stunning jaw dropper with surprising turn outs.

         However, one of the moments in "The Pretties " that I thought was too long was when Tally was brought back to the camp of the outsiders she met after she fell into the river. I felt that during that chapter it was repetitive and some of was its confusing because it was all over the place. But other then that, I though the rest of the book was stunning. 

    Through all the stunning moments their was one part that I thought was the most intriguing part of the book.  It was when the crims were trying to escape. It all started when Zane and Tally had to get their bracelets off so they would not be tracked.  Mr. Westerfeld used his amazing talent of description to scare you because you makes you think Zane and Tally are going to risk having their hands flattened to attempt to get of the bracelets.  He continues to convince you until that last second, when Tally finds the heat resistance gloves. Then, when the crims fly away on the hot air balloons, they use the  heat from the fire holding up the balloon to expand the bracelet and slide it off.  Mr. Westerfeld keeps you on the edge of your seat when Tally slides hers off but Zane's wont come off and they are reaching the city borders.  Zane finally gets his off and all the crims jump with their hoverboard which will catch them.  However, Peris does not jump, Tally stops to talk to him.  But she realized that the small talk would be just enough time to go out of the city limits so Tallys hover board wont work anymore.  Will she jump with the risk of dying? Will she go back to the city with Peris? or is their a safe way down? Mr. Westerfelds leaves you with many questions which urges you to read on even more! 

I highly recommend this book this book and series to any mid-teens and young adults.  It is a fantastic read that you will never want to put down.   I hope you enjoy "The Pretties" just as much as I did!

The Wall by Peter Sís

      "The Wall" is a memoir about a boy growing up in Czechoslovakia during the middle of the Cold war between the Soviet Union and the USA and their allies.  Peter Sís did not right many words to go with the story, but he did use a lot of photos.  However, the amount of words does make the book any worse, because a photo is worth a thousand words. He also uses colors in the book to symbolize what his life is like.
      Sís uses his drawings in the picture book to show how the boys life was changing.  When he was little he could draw anything, so he drew flowers and simple drawings.  However, as he got older he knew more about what was happening and drew his feelings.  Eventually he had no freedom at all.  The picture that touched me the most of the one where the boy had to hide underground his paintings cause he didn't have the freedom to paint what he wanted to.  This got to me because it shows how the Soviet Union didn't give you much freedom.  They wouldn't even let you express you're self so he would have to hid his feelings from the world.
     Throughout the book, the two main colors he uses are red and gray.  He uses those two colors to symbolize his life and how plain.  Gray because gray tends to be a more boring color and his life is plain, and it symbolizes that he does not have much freedom.   Red symbolizes the very little excitement in his life, and the Soviet Union because they had to follow what ever they said and they wanted everyone to think that it they were good.
      The small amount of words in the book are also very important. They describe how he felt at the time and how he had no freedom at home.  How his own drawings were being used against him.  Also, how he was eventually only allowed to dream, he could not draw anywhere with freedom. For years he was trapped in that word and all it did was get worse. All he could dream of was being free. Eventually, he was able to make it over the wall to freedom. Next thing he knew, his dream came true and the wall feel and finally the war was over.  His dreams came true and he was once again free. 

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld *SPOILER* (Part 1)

       Tally Youngblood is a 15 year old ugly living in Uglyville who was soon going to be 16 and become a new pretty.  Or at least she though she was.   Tally has always been a trickster along side her best friend, Peris.  However, Peris turned 16 three moths before her so she was on her own for a while.  Then she met Shay, another trickster who had the same exact birthday as her.  They spent every day together playing tricks and showing each other new things everyday.  Shay also taught Tally how to ride a hover board and she taught Tally all about the Smoke and they took many trips out to the Rusties.  Shay tried to introduce Tally to David, but David never showed up.   It was all fun and games until the night before their birthday when Shay had the trick that could change Tally's life. Shay wanted her and Tally to run away to the Smoke.  Shay didn't want to turn pretty and this was the one way she didn't have to. Tally wanted to turn pretty so she decided to stay home.   Shay left her a note in case at last minuet she decided to run away.  The note read, "Take the coaster strait pass the gap,  until you find one that's long and flat. Cold is the sea and watch for breaks.  At the second make the worst mistake.  Four days later take the side you despise, and look in the flowers for fire-bug eyes.  Once they're found, enjoy the flight.  Then wait on the bald head until its light."  Tally kept the note and the next day packed it in her small bag that she would bring the New Pretty Town when she was turned pretty.

   Tally was excited to be pretty and once again with Peris.  But then she was told their was a problem with her operation and was taken into another hover car.  Driving her car is a cruel pretty.  She knows that it means something is serious if a cruel pretty is involved.  Cruel pretties are modified to become much stronger and all around better with everything physically.  Once she is inside she meets Dr. Cable and tells Tally she is at Special Circumstances.   Tally never thought it was real because it was known as a rumor around Uglyville that they are real.   Dr. Cable talks to Tally about shay running away and asks if she knew anything about it.  Tally says she does not, but Dr. Cable tells Tally that Until she tells all she knows she wont be able to turn pretty.  Tally comes back the next day and confesses everything. But not the note.  Until Dr .Cable bring it up on the screen and Tally tells her everything.   Tally is the instructed to follow the note to the smoke, and when there put the heart necklace to her and eye and Special Circumstances will come and find them.   Tally makes her way and it turns into to an amazing adventure.  Then, she finally makes it to the smoke.  Will Tally give up the Smokes hiding place, or will she spend the rest of her life their, ugly.  Read "The Uglies" or my next blog post to find out 

My Response

        I thought that "The Uglies" was a phenomenal book that always had you on the edge of your seat. Not knowing what will happen next was my favorite part and it all started when shay told Tally about running away.  Would tally run away with her? Or, would she stay and become a pretty? Another time that I though as the most intriguing was when Tally reached the smoke.  She wanted to become a pretty, but after a little while their she saw how great it could be.  So would she notify Special Circumstances with her eye-reading locket and betray her friend, or would she decide to begin a new life in the smoke.  All these moment were complete page turners and before you know it you would have been reading for hours! Another thing I loved about "The Uglies" is the was Scott Westerfeld described everything.  When I read the book it wasn't just words on pages, it was a performance.  You might have been reading, but it feels as if you are in Ugliville experience all these Life changing moments with Tally and Shay.  

The way Scott uses description, creates suspense, and brings you into the story is what makes "The Uglies" a great read for anyone.  However, I think it is more for girls but boys could most likely read it and enjoy it also.  

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld *SPOILER* (Part 2)

       The second part of "The Uglies" began when Tally reached the smoke.  Tally met David, Cory, and all the other smokies on her first day and they were all curious about her.  Still, she went along with everyone else and worked on the railroad, pulling up steel that they would carry back to the smoke to make trails for their hover boards.  While working Tally and David were working together talking all about her trip and David tells her how she is the only person to ever come alone to smoke.  Everyone else came in groups except for her and that's why everyone is suspicious.   That night Shay shows Tally where she will be sleeping in a hut in the middle of the smoke.  Tally didn't want to go back to the city yet, she wanted to stay at the smoke for a while, and so she did.  As the days went by Tally feel into the regular routine with work.  A couple days down the road, her and David when out on a little adventure where they ended up kissing.  And at that moment Tally realized she didn't want to go to to the city anymore.  She wanted to stay in the smoke. After dinner that night David brought Tally to meet his parents, Maddy and Az.  After talking for a while, Maddy and Az decided that Tally could handle the information they were about to tell her.  They told her all about the operation to become a pretty and how they put a lesions in everyone's head.  It was very dangerous to have and some people even died from it and Maddy and Az were trying to find a solution, but they were stopped by special circumstances and that's why they ran away and created the smoke.  Tally was shocked by this information.  Then, she knew for sure that did not want to become a pretty.   So that night, She and David went to the fire and she threw in her Locket, because she thought it would destroy it and that nothing would happen after it.  

      That morning she wakes up to loads of hover cars flying over the smoke. Tally runs outside and everywhere their are cruel pretties, and that could only mean Special Circumstances were there.  She quickly threw herself against the wall hoping no one saw her.  When she bumps into a fellow smokie they call "Boss."  The Boss hands her a box of a substance that works like pepper spray.  When a special sees them, Tally uses the substance and the Boss makes a run for the woods.  Tally runs but is spotted and tackled by a different cruel pretty and is handcuffed and brought to the rabbit pen when are the captured smokies are contained.  Tally is put in the section labeled "Armed resistors." As they wait Shay is brought in and is furious with Tally.  Shay starts yelling and Tally and telling her it was all her fault, when a cruel pretty comes and takes Tally away to Dr. Cable. She tells Tally about how the locket would be activated if any damage happened to it.   Then, she asks Tally where it was and Dr. Cable has a cruel pretty  take Tally to where he said the necklace was.  Even though it was actually melted.  When up their she is able to kick the cruel pretty over the edge and takes Cory's hover board and quickly leaves.  Hovercrafts try to catch her but she is able to get away and hide in a cave.  Then, out of now where David appears from farther back. The next day,  her and David travel back to the smoke and find it deserted.  They decide to make their way to the city.  Tally knows the other smokies will be at  special circumstances so once they get close they decide to go there.  They have to figure out a quick way to get in and they cant get close to the fence or touch the group because it will set off the alarm.  So they make a jump from their hover boards and are able to land on top of the building. They make it in and find where all the smokies from Tally's city are.  Shay comes out as a pretty.  She tells Tally how happy she is that she's pretty now, but Tally knows its all from having a pretty brain because during the surgery they don't only change your looks but your mind also.  Out comes Cory and Maddy and they all run out and are able to make it to the Rusties on their hover boards.  Once they are their for a while Maddy thinks she come up with a pill to get rid of the lesions.  However, Shay refuses to take it and none of the other people among them have it because they are not pretty.  So Tally volunteers and says that she will become pretty, then come back and take the pills.  David argues that she can't leave because being pretty will change her mind.  Her and shay travel back to the city and just like that, ugly Tally Youngblood is gone.  And now, she is one of the new pretties. 

My Response

       I thought the first half and second half were both great, but also very different.  The first half was very low key and  mostly just introducing you to the characters.  However, the second half if very dramatic with all of its such as the special circumstances taking over the smoke, Tally and David braking in, and then the Tally, David, and Maddy's fight about curing the cancer in New Pretties heads. I find the Second half of the book much more intriguing with the all the drama between Shay an Tally and David and Tally and pretty much everyone. I thought that all these made the second half of "The Uglies" a fantastic page turner story that will leave you on the edge of your seat.  

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

     

        A Hundred Summers is a romantic love story between two different times, winter  1931 and the summer of 1938.  Lily Dane, Budgie, Graham Pendleton and Nick Greenwald appear in both stories, but lives are completely different each time.
 

1931, New Hampshire and Massachusetts

      Lily and Budgie, to best friends, make their way to a Dartmouth football game in New Hampshire.  The quarter back, Nick Greenwald, catches lily's eye.  Once the games ends, Budgie and Lily go to the bar where they meet up with Budgies boyfriend, Graham Pendleton.  Along side him is Nick Greenwald.  Lily and Nick take a walk in the part.  Nick being a gentlemen gave lily his coat, only forget to retrieve it when they go their separate ways.  Nick makes the long drive the next morning for his coat back.  Lily and him go out to breakfast.  Just as they continuously do over the next couple weeks. They keep visiting each other more until winter break when they will be close together for a month. Winter Vacation begins and Lily and Nick begin to make their plans.  However, first comes meeting the parents. First Lily's, then Nicks. How Will their parents react? Will Lily and Nick stay together? You must read this enhancing Love story to find out!

                      1938,  Seaview Rhode Island (Spoiler)

     Just like every year  ever since Lily was little, she spent her summer at Seaview.  A small little town on the ocean in Rhode Island.  However, this summer is a little different.  Lily is nervous to see Budgie.  She hasn't spoken to her in two years.  Ever since Budgie married Lily's ex-fiance, Nick Greenwald. Lily confronts them at a restaurant where she introduces Budgie and Nick to Kiki, her six year old sister that she watches out for. Since all three of them are spending the summer in Seaview, their is no avoiding each other.  Lily spends a good chunk of her days with Budgie while Nick plays around with Kiki.  Until Graham, Budgie's old boyfriend, decides to take a brake at seaview.  Lily doesn't know what to do.  Still having feelings for Nick, she has to decide weather its time to move on and leave her past.  Will she not be able to move form the past? Or will she start seeing Graham again? All these answers fall throughout this dramatic love story.  Read it to find out!

This blog contains my 2 blog entries for this month.  Also, A Hundred Summers was a 400 page book.