A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer

A Girl Named Disaster: Nhamo is an orphan in Africa. her aunts hate her, her uncle dislikes her, her cousins don't know what to think, her grandmother loves her, and the rest of the village thinks she's a witch. When an epidemic of cholera strikes the village, they journey to a muvuki, or witch-doctor. He says that Nhamo must be sent to a man she doesn't even know as a wife. She is under twelve. Grandmother orders her to run away to the mysterious Zimbabwe and find the rest of her family. But the journey goes badly wrong.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it twice. It was really interesting about all the spirit stuff they believed(believe?) in. the ancestors, witches, water spirits, etc.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter is half way through his miserable vacation with the Dursleys, his mean rrelatives when a mysterious creature, called a house-elf, shows up and tells Harry not to go back to Hogwarts. Harry is a wizard who gos to school at Hogwarts and enjoys most of it very much. But when Dobby ruins the Dursleys dinner, Harry is locked in his room day and night. He is saved when Ron, his best friend, and Fred and George, ron's brothers show up in a flying car. Ron's sister, Ginny, is starting her first year at Hogwarts, and she proves to be a valuable find for Voldemort, Harry's arch-enemy. But when Ginny is stolen down to the Chamber of Secrets harry and Ron decide to find out what's going on....

I couldn't make up all that myself. I like Lochart, Harry's stuck-up teacher. He takes everything Harry does as trying to get more fame: "...I mean, a few people have heard of you, haven't they? All that business with He-Who-Moust-Not-Be-Named...I know, it's not as good as winning Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award five times in a row as I have, but it's a start!" Funny.

Veritas school picnic is today! It's gonna be fun!

Together is all we need by Michael Phillips

Together is all we need: Mayme Daniels and Katie Clairborne are cousins-except one is white and the other is black. Katie is an orphan of the Civil War, while Mayme's mother was killed. Katie's family owned a plantation named Rosewood, and the two girls and a few friends have run it by hemselves, telling everyone in town the Clairbornes are still alive. But when an uncle of Katie shows up and claims it as his own, will they be able to keep it?

I found it very interesting that Katie and Mayme were practically sisters, though different colors. During the Civil War period most blacks were treated like trash. there are also three other books before the above, and they're all great too.


Hey russ-when's that train ticket coming?
i miss you guyses!!

Terry Waite: a biography by Trevor Barnes

Terry Waite: Terry was from the start drawn to the church, even when he was a little kid. he enjoyed going on long bikrides by himself but also hanging out at parties and making everyone laugh. When Terry was older, he first enlisted in the Navy, then the Army, but he was allergic to the khaki die in the uniforms. So he entered the Church army. Then he married Frances and they had four kids. being in the Church Army led him to become a secratary for the Bishop of Bristol, then a lay-trainer(?) in Africa, then Rome for the Medical Mission Sisters, the the Archbishop's 'special envoy' as a mediator in Iran. He went there three times, and on the third was captured himself. For four and a half years he was kept in a tiny room. when released, he was a hero.

this was a neat little book. I couldn't figure out what the Church Army was though, other than it wasn't a military unit. I'd like to hear ideas. Something I found interesting was that Terry named his brother! David was born premature and wasn't thought to live long so Mr and Mrs Waite sent for the priest to have him christened, but they hadn't thought of a name. Terry had just been to Sunday School where he heard about David and Jonathon so the baby was named David Jonathon Waite.

russ-i want to see you guyses weally bad!!!

Fire-Bringer by David Clement-Davies

Fire Bringer is about a deer named Rannoch who is botn with a mysterious birthmark. Soon, he is run out of the herd with his foster mosther and other friends. They journey all over the Low Land. One day, Rannoch and Willow were walking when men came. They were hunting. Willow escapes, but Rannoch is left for dead. A boy finds him and heals him, keeping him in a pen behind the house. But Rannoch breaks free, and stats a herd out of reach of his chasers. He finds out the truth of his rreal mother, and returns with the herd to fulfill the prophecy he has long denied....

Fire-Bringer is a great book by one of my fav authors. I really like how it's written how a deer might see things. Example: The men came with their shining sticks...then one of them raised a different kind of branch to his shoulder. With a loud sound, a deer fell. A short, sharp stick in his neck (men with swords and guns are hunting deer). Another picture is fire- burning air that shines like stars. Definately a good book.

THanks, everybody for your comments. I really appreciate it.

Mom and Dad are gone this weekend, so Aaron and Kelly Payne are watching us. It's gonna be (and has been) so much fun!
~ruthie girl!!!!!!!!!!!!

OU Bedlam

There's an OU game today. We met three girls and their parents today. the girls are thinking of going to OU next year. Anyways, we showed them around campus and it was CRAZY! There were millions of people walking around in red and white. I felt wierd walking around in my pink dazzlers T-shirt. The band was practicing. The schooner was going through with ponies disgustingly green around the mouth(do horses chew cud?and if they do, does it look like green throw -up?) . There were lots of tail-gate parties and big screen TVs. It was hot weather. It was great meeting people, but next time I'd rather tour on a cool quiet day.

Hope you girls-Jessica, April, and Anna-come again!

Eldest by Chistopher Paolini

Eragon, the first Rider in over a century, is sent to Du Weldenvarden, the elves' forest, for trainingwith his dragon Saphira. They are taught by a crippled Rider pair. Eragon has trouble with his back all throughout training, a scar from his battle with the Shade. On the day of the elves' celebratin of their pact with the dragons, a mythical being heals his back completely. Soon after, he recieves news that the empire's formidable army is marching towards the Varden's encampments. Eragon has sworn to help the Varden whenever he is needed, so he flies immediately to Surda. The war that has been going on for more than a century has burst into the open, Eragon must face a friend gone bad, and a treasured hope becomes hated info....

Eldest is many wonderful stories twined together. It's the best book i've read since Harry Potter came out. Its prequel, Eragon, is equally good. I would wait 'till it's out in paperback though, it's really expensive now.