A RIng of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle

Vicky Austin is spending the summer at her grandfather's, watching him die of leukemia. THen comes Adam, a scientist with a special project on dolphins. He invites her to help, and they discover that she has a special thing with dopphins. This is confusing enough, but there is also Zachary and Leo. Amidst confusion and tragedy comes joy and light.

Very good. I don't understand why Leo is there, though. HE doesn't add much to the story. Also, Rob is seven and Suzy thirteen, but they act and talk like twelve and sixteen-year-olds. I enjoyed Adam and Basil.

story part II

I don't know why it's double-spaced. I hope it's good. Need title ideas. ~Ruthie

“Bran! hi, Bran!”

Bran turned.

Rhys Andrasson ran up to him. “Are you entering the contest tomorrow?”

“What contest?”

“The falconing contest. The first falcon to get the lure and come back wins, and its master gets a gold coin! Are you entering?”

Bran turned red. He had no falcon. They were too poor to buy a bird, and he had no father to teach him how to train one.

“No,” he muttered. “I’ve got to go home.”

Rhys frowned. “tell you what,” he said “I’ll let you fly Kirsa, and if you’re better at it than I am you can fly him in the contest. We’ll split the coin. Good?”

“Yes!”

They walked to one of the many fields surrounding the village. Rhys ran into his house and gently brought out Kirsa. He held her on his fist and then raised it to the sky. With a surging of wings she was off, and the boys watched her gleeful circles.

“Okay,” said Rhys, “Now hold up the lure, and whistle.”

Bran whistled, and waited a moment, heart in his throat, watching the circling bird. He whistled again, and Kirsa plummeted from the heavens onto his fist. Rhys clapped.

“I’ve never gotten her to come that fast! Will you do it?”

“Of course! Besides, gold would be enough to feed us for a month! Let’s go again.”

They watched with pleasure as the falcon swooped and dived. Finally and with great reluctance, Bran returned home. He was happy, and a hole in his heart was filled at last.
Gwen was pleased that her son had a friend, and enjoyed asking him about his times with Rhys.

my new story for NaNoWriMo

Long, long ago, there was a war between two great men. Arthur and Mordred fought for ten years until both were killed in the last battle. Mordred was thrown into a traitor’s grave, while Arthur was buried in Avalon. The country erupted into civil war, every nobleman wanting more power.

Guinevere, the disgraced queen, had been sent out of the country. She went to a town by the sea, changing her name and settling into a peasant’s life, and no one was the wiser.

The poor of Britain said that Arthur had a son, who would bring back the peace of his father and stop their oppression. They waited and hoped while war raged around them, but when no warrior arrived they went back to work with heavy hearts.

NaNoWriMo

Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

Enna's brother, Leifer, has been burned to death by his own powers. She is horrified when she discovers that she has fire power too. But she cannot stop using it. They are at war, and the need to burn something is always pushing at her mind. Soon the fear of the fire-witch is in every Tiran camp. So they set a trap for her, and it worked. They put her on a drug that makes her unable to use her powers. The captain, Sileph, tricks her into thinking Bayern is wrong and Tira right. Soon she begins to burn for Tira. But seh figures it out and escapes. THe problem now is that the fire is eating her up from the inside. If they don't find a cure soon, she will die just like Leifer.

Good. It was an easy read. I wanted it to be longer, but really there was too much of Enna in the Tiran camp. I don't want to read 150 pages about believing Sileph. THey should have cut some of that out and turned it into battles or getting married to Finn.

We are reading Beowulf in Literature. It is good but sometimes confusing.

I started a book for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) It's a continuation of King Arthur.

bookses

Hope was Here by Joan Bauer
Hope and her aunt, Addie, are moving to Mulhoney, WIS, to work at a diner. Hope lives with Addie because her mother and father abandoned her. G.T., the owner, has leukemia, but he still begins to campaign for mayor against Eli Millstone. Addie is a cook and Hope a waitress at the Welcome Stairways. They are quickly accepted, and soon G.T. asks Addie out, and Braverman, the grill man, asks Hope out. G.T. is losing the campaign, and at the end he is behind 114 votes. They are crushed. The truth comes out though: 120 of Millstone's votes are fake. G.T. and Addie marry, and they adopt Hope. But only a year and a half after G.T. was elected,tradgedy strikes.

Good. It seems like too much, though. Why does G.T. have to die only a year and a half after they became a family?
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Voyages of Slaves by Brian Jaques
Adrift on the Mediterranean, Ben is captured by a pirate, Al Misurata, and Ned (a dog)thrown into the water. Ned is found by circus performers, the Rizzoli Troupe. They are soon reunited. Ben's master proposes to take the Troupe back to their homeland. He is under false pretenses, though. He plans to sell them into slavery. They set sail on the Sea Djinn, and soon Ben and Ned escape and find themselves aboard the White Ram. Al Misurata traps the Troupe. Ben and Ned then go aboard the Blue Turtle, who takes them to a town close to the Sea Djinn's destination. They then go to the convent and rescue the Rizzoli Troupe. The pirates come afterthem, and again it is a bittersweet ending.

Don't be thrown off by the title, it's actually pretty good. I liked Kostas, captain of the Blue Turtle. He was funny. There was too much messing around, boring stuff
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A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeline L'Engle
On Thanksgiving day, Mr. Murry recieves a phone call about a madman's threat of nuclear war. Charles Wallace knows a rune, and after saying it, a unicorn, named Gaudior, comes. They cross very different times to set things right. First there is a fight between brothers, Madoc and Gwydyr, men who came to the Americas long before Columbas. Then to Brandon Llawcawe and his sister, and Indian, named Zille. Zille has been accused of witchcraft, but she is innocent. After that they go to Beezie and Chuck, and here the enemy win. Chuck dies by his sepfather's hand. Then to cIvil War times, where Matthew and Bran fight against Gedder just like Madoc. And because of all this, Mad Dog never made his threat, and instead a peace-loving man ruled.

very good. I loved Gaudior, he was so majestic, but funny at the same time. The time traveling was hard to get used to at first, but after a few reads it was OK. Wouldn't it be cool if some of that stuff really happened?

happenings

My birthday party is today! It's a progressive dinner. Fun! fun! fun!

We're thinking about getting an RV! It's old, but really cool. Dad almost couldn't fit on the bed!

James Taylor is growing on me. Listening to him right now.

I started a new story! I think it's going to be pretty cool.

East by Edith Pattou

East: Rose's family is poor, and the farm is doing badly. Then winter comes, and Sara falls dangerously ill. A white bear comes to the door, and asks for Rose in exchange for family wealth and health. SHe agrees, and they journey to the far north. Ater some time in the bear's castle, Rose begins to think he is enchanted. She begins to try to solve the mystery, but unfortunate events get in the way.

Okay. It was confusing, at first, that the chapters were named after characters, and that the chapter was told from sthe character's point of view. Some of the people weren't even in the story until much later.

strike!!

Todd! I AM NOT WORKING FOR YOU! Because you are annoying me so much, I'm not even going to make you cookies. SO STOP!

the latest resolution

I have just decided that when I'm older I'm going to get a big, black, fluffy Newfoundland and name him Fortinbras.
~Ruth, now 12

Bread and Roses, too by

Rosa is afraid for her family. Her mother and sister have joined the strike! She does not want them to die in the street, shot or trampled by the angry crowd. But they will not listen. Jake Beale is a boy of the street, reduced to stealing and lying by his drunkard father. He has had help from Rosa several times from Rosa already, and when he hears she will be sent to New York City, he is eager for the possibility. But after they are both on the train, he discovers they are not going to New York, but Vermont! Yet veront may not be so bad after all....

Good! The story was pretty vague about the place and time, but I'm pretty sure it was in Massachusets during the Industrial Revolution. It was a little hard to follow at first, from the jacket it was about a girl, but the first chapter or so was about Jake. But I'm glad I kept at it.

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

The Hiding Place: Corrie ten Boom is in her fifties when the Nazis attack Holand, and she and her family are soon part of the underground. They build a secret hiding place in Corrie's room for the six Jews that live with them to hide during raids. Yet they were betrayed, and the ten Boom family went to a concentration camp. This is the story of a family, who, through extreme pain and sorrow, came from it with a great faith in Christ and many other virtues that have influenced thousands others through her books, speeches, and homes for Holocaust victims.

How can anyone get through this without changing? How I wish I could be more like Betsie, and through Betsie, Corrie! This story is meant to be sad, but it's like the sadness of a Christian funeral. There is mourning, but they have gone somewhere better, heaven. Rejoice!

Volumes 3-4 Story of the World books by Susan Wise Bauer

Volume 3
Early Modern Times
The book opens with the Holy Roman Empire. Then you read about the spread of slavery, the great fire of London, the first American colonies, and Napolean.

I enjoyed reading about the Aztecs and Incas of South America. Their culture was so different from ours, yet they were pretty close to us, maybe closer than England, or France, who we copied.
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Volume 4
The Modern Age
the Grand Exposition in London, during the reign of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Then the Potato Famine of Ireland, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and the rise of USSR and communism.

I wish Mrs. Bauer would spend more time on the Revolutionary War or Canada or South American revolutions than the Peace of Versailles, or the railroad, or Middle East partitioning.

Story of the World
History for the Classical Child
Volume 1:Ancient Times by Susan Wise Bauer
Ancient Times: The earliest nomads in the Fertile Crescent to the rise of Rome to the last Roman emperor. There's Greek, Norse, Chinese, and African mythology. The stories of empires all over the world-Roman, China, Egypt, and Islam.

These books are cool! I enjoyed reading about the Egyptians and the Islamic Empire. I've always liked Egyptian things, and I didn't know hardly anything about the Islamic faith or its origin. But why would you make a six-year-old emperor of Rome? Sheesh.
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Volume 2: The Middle Ages
The Eastern Roman Empire has a new name now. What is it? Who discovered North America before Columbus? Covering the world up until the Elizabethan period, you learn even more amazing things.

Isn't it crazy what the royal family's relatives will do to get power? Like the English king who shut up the two princes in the Tower of London. I would be scared if I were heir and there were envious uncles. But I'm a girl. -Sigh- (of relief)

Happy Birthday Drew! He and his friends went to the Little River Zoo today. It was pretty neat. Who's ever petted a kangaroo or lynx?

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

Harvey Cheyne is stuck in the middle of the ocean among fishermen! He was rescued by one after falling overboared an ocean liner. As a pampered son of a multi-millionaire, he doesn't know a thing about boats, and hates the crew for not taking him home. But after a year among the crew, Harvey is changed....

Rudyard Kipling is very good with accents and did a very good New English. I really dislike the name Harvey. Why would you name someone Harvey? I learned some things about boats too.


Gram took Anna shopping today. Anna's birthday is tomorrow. Anna told Gram what she wanted, and even got wrapping paper and picked out a card. An hour later, she opened it all.

a new story

For those of you who don't know, I want to be a writer when I grow up. I practice and let out (sometimes) crazy ideas. Here's a new story:

A procession of wagons rolled into the city's gates. The townspeople crowded round to see the strangers. The travelers smiled, but said nothing. A cloaked figure rode at the head. he turned his head to see around. Through the shadows of his hood, they could not see his face. A murmur rustled through the crowd.
The travelers were under the king's orders to rebuild a district near the city that had been ravaged by a fire, and ensure that the governor upheld the king's laws.
Work began at once. Mixed in with the soldiers were blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, and many other craftsmen. The hooded man oversaw everything. He was the king's heir; there were no princesses or princes. He was a magician. The workers called him 'Lord Thomas', and both feared him and were in awe of him. The people tried to stay away.
One windy day Thomas was watching men high up on the scaffolds. The woodwork wobbled. A sudden blast of wind sent it tumbling down -right on top of Thomas. He was rooted to the spot until the last possible second, magic drained out of his mind, then he started to run. But with an almighty crash, it was upon him.

Comments would be appreciated!!

stuff

• Dad and Cal, Drew, Anna and I got back from Hamanha yesterday.
  
• Aunt Heather, Renae, Megan, and Sara are coming today. We're going to take a picture of all of us, frame it, and give it to Gram for her birthday. The actual day was yesterday, the tenth.
• RAIN!!!! Finally!
• School starts in eleven days. I'm pretty ready.
• I've got a new story going in my head. Once I get some of it on paper I'll post it.
  

bookes

First things first:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
A mass murderer called Sirius Black is after Harry. Sirius has mysteriously escaped from the wizard prison, Azkaban. He's a known supporter of Lord Voldemort. But things aren't quite what they seem....

Okay. The Hogsmeade scenes don't make sense to me. Harry doesn't have the invisibility cloak on the first time, does he? But surely someone would know that he wasn't supposed to be there. Then when the throws mud at Malfoy, he has it. Why does he have it this time?
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Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time by Lisa Yee
Stanford has just flunked sixth-grade English. Now, if he wants to do school next year, he must take summer school. Stanford's only motivation is that if he makes it, he'll be able to do A-team basketball. His parents hire the know-it-all, Millicent Min to tutor Stanford. This is torture. But through Millie, he meets the wonderful Emily.

Good. I don't think it was written very well, though. I liked the purple hair thing, though. It made me laugh. It was sad that his dad never thought good about him. Stanford got a B-, a huge improvement from Fs, and dad said, "Good. Try for an A next time." Sheesh. I'm glad Dad's not like that.

Montana Books

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
One dark night Meggie's dad reads from a book-Inkheart- and three people from the book appear in the livingroom. Basta and Capricorn try to get the book so they can go back into it. Dustfinger runs away. Mo gets them out of the house, but they are hunted by Capricorn's men. This will change their lives forever.

Very good. I like Elinor a lot. Imagine having a whole house stuffed with books! She's too mean at first though. They're family after all. And it took too long to get to the point. Too many pages of nothing.

i'm behind...again!

The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw
Saaski is hated by the entire village.She plays tunes on the bagpipes that no one's ever heard. She hates rowan wood, salt, and St. John's wort. She loves the moor. She can read the Folk's signs, and half-remember other fairy things. Old Bess says that Saaski has another name-a fairy name!

I didn't like that it took so long for her to figure it out, or the scene with Bruman wanting in the Mound with her. I did like the part where she finally blended in with the roof. The villagers weren't expecting that!
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Shabanu by Suzanne Fisher Staples
Shabanu and her family live in the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. She is the second daughter in a family with no sons, and has freedom other girls wouldn't dream of. When a wealthy man kills Shabanu's sister's husband-to-be, Shabanu is ordered to give up everything to uphold the family honor, or should she listen to her heart and do another forbidden thing?

Very suspenseful. It was hard to figure out what would happen. It was hard to figure out the time, though. One minute there's Jeeps, the next a very new old-fashioned Ferris Wheel.
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The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reis
Two Polish Jews have to go into hiding when the Second World War begins. They spend most of their time in a tiny room in the attic. They hate being inside all the time, but what can they do?

This is Johanna's own story. Isn't it amazing?!? There was a little too much of the boring attic. Opoe was funny. She was somewhat of a doomsdayer. I liked the discription of the signpost as a tree.

Going to Montana tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today's actually Friday the 21.

Summer of the Swans by Betsy Briars

Sara's little brother Charlie can't talk ever since he was three. Their mother is dead, and their father comes home only if he has to. Aunt Willie is their guardian. But when Charlie disappears, she's not so sure she is up to it. How will Charlie get back?

This book needed another twenty pages or more to finish it off. The dad never comes home, aunt Willie and Wanda never make up, they don't see the swans again. One of the best things about the book is when dyes her orange shoes baby blue and the resulting color: puce.
You step into a imagination station and see two girls holding gross tennis shoes. One is disgusted, the other is trying hard not to laugh.

a hatfullofskybyterrypratchett

A Hat Full of Sky: Tiffany Aching is off to learn how to be a witch. Miss Level, who has two bodies, is her mistress. Tiffany quickly has no friends except Petulia, a very timid witch, because she says the wrong things to Annagramma, the leader of the meeting. A hiver that will be named Arthur is searching for someone to use, someone with a lot of power...
...like Tiffany.

The part where Petulia invites Tiffany to the meeting is funny. Quote,"...Annagramma says it's important to make contacts." "Annagramma's the leader, then, is she?" said Tiffany. "Um, no. Witches don't have leaders, Annagramma says." "Hmmm," said Tiffany. Annagramma is the leader. I also liked the bee dance at the end, because it was neat how the bees knew how to make a dress twirl as she spinned, etc.

Going to Missouri today. Not Misery, Mr. Spears!

Holes by Louis Sachar

Because of his great-great-grandfather, Stanley Yelnats is stuck at Camp Green Lake. There is no lake, only tents, dirty people,yellow-spotted lizards, and holes. The boys there have committed a crime, and had the choice of coming to Camp, or going to jail. They dig holes exatly 5 feet across and deep, 'for character'. Stanley soon realizes that something else besides character is being looked for.

I enjoyed the three stories going on at once. They told you why this thing was like this and what Green Lake was like 100 yeards ago and foreshadowed things in Stanley's story. But I got confused sometimes. There wasn't much distinguishing between stories. I liked the creepiness of the story. I got shivery sometimes, like when the Warden scrached Mr. Sir with her venom-coated fingers. I could picture it really well, and Mr. Sir was gross.

I had a softball game yesterday, and instead of going an hour and fifteen minutes, it went two-and-a-half hours. We went into three overtimes! but the other team finally got one more point then us, and we lost. But we got fourth place in tournament!

getting up to date

The last three postings are mixed up. I started some a while ago, but finished todayish, so scroll down and check them out.

Happy has a gross sore on his neck. We took him to the vet yesterday, and they had to cut the scab off and prescribe pills. Poor puppy.

I met a girl from Bolivia yesterday. Her name is Lu, short for Ludovica. She's really neat. She's staying the summer with her sister, Karla, who is a junior at OU. They'll give us Spanish culture lessons.

This summer I'm going to try and read all the Newberry Medal books.

My Own Two Feet by Beverley Cleary

This is an autobiography of Beverley Cleary, from the end of highschool to the publishing of her first book, Henry Huggins. She went to junior colledge at Chaffey, California. Her family lived in Portland, Oregon, so she had to take long bus trips back and forth. She then graduated and went to Berkeley, and fell in love with Clarence Cleary. Her parents did not approve. Beverley's dream was to get a degree of librarianship. she could not get it at berkeley, so she transferred to WA State. She and Clarence married. Pearl Harbor was bombed, and she was sent to an army library. When the war ended, they moved to San Francisco and Beverley began Henry Huggins.

I find it more fun to read autobiographies than normal biographies because it is fresher, and more detailed than most biographies. Beverley Cleary is pretty funny. I had no idea she lived during the Depreession! Recommended.

Started taking Spanish lessons with Mrs. Payne. Very interesting.

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
Katie and her family move to Georgia in search of a better job. They move into a tiny house in a Japanese community, Katies parents have crazy work schedules, and no one is very happy. Katie follows her sister Lynn more than ever. Sammy is born, and things change again, for the better, mostly. Lynn has found a friend, Amber. Katie doesn't like her. It gets worse when Lynn stops doing stuff with her and doing strange things like walking around with books on her head. Amber is a fake friend, because she abandons Lynn when Lynn is discovered to have anemia. The family works harder than ever to pay medical bills. Then she comes down with lymphoma, too, and isn't likely to live very long. Katie doesn't know what to do without her.

This made me cry. It is a most deserving Newberry Medal book. I enjoyed the part where Katie's dad smashed a car's windshield and afterwards they went to a Mexican restaurante and Katie ate five tacos. I also like the part where they give their parents the money from not eating donuts, and the expressions described.

books i read on recent trips

Went to FLA a few weeks ago, to see family last week, and books were read.
Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques
Martin is taken captive and made a slave by Badrang, the evil stoat. He, and two friends are rescued by Rose and Grumm of Noonvale. They are separated at sea. Martin, Rose, Grumm and a hedgehog journey to Noonvale to muster army against Badrang.The other two escapers make soldiers out of actors and actresses. They fight. Badrang is winning, Martin's army comes....

There was to much traveling of Rose, Grumm, and Martin. 200 pages of traveling, 10 in Noonvale. Parts where there were slave escapings were exciting. It was good when grumm tunneled to the pit.

Crispin and the Cross of Lead by Avi
Crispin is an orphan who doesn't know who his dad is. The priest tries to tell, but is murdered by the steward. Crispin is declared a wolf's head for murdering the priest and stealing money, but he did neither. A wolf's head means he can be killed on sight. Crispin runs away and meets Bear,
a juggler. They go to Great Wexley. Crispin finds out that the steward knows Lady Furnival. Bear is captured by Lady's soldiers. Crispin goes to save Bear.

I don't like Avi's endings (from the 2 of her books i've read). Great plot, but really winds down. Steward saw Crispin at least 3 times after Crispin was declared a wolf's head, but never got him.

The Lost City of Faar by D.J. MacHale

Bobby Pendragon is in the flume again, this time on his way to Cloral. Cloral is a world where everyone lives on gigantic boats...almost everyone. Ledgend has it that a thousand years ago there was an island called Faar, where the first Clorans lived. It sunk like Atlantis, and was never seen again. If there is such a place, it would be the perfect target to make the whole world fall into chaos.

D.J. MacHale isn't the greatest writer, but he sure knows how to make you want to keep reading! Spader was pretty cool, everybody likes him, but why did he have to change so much? I liked the fish people a lot. 'Fake' mermaids and mermen.

Going to Florida tomorrow! Is it the Sunshine State, or is that somewhere else?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Today is Mom's birthday! Wish her one.
Here's a way to say it on the phone...
1. call 822-5338
2. then push(and maybe sing):

Hap-py Birth-day to you,
1 1 2 1 # 6
Hap-py Birth-day to you,
1 1 2 1 # 3
Hap-py Birth-day dear mom (or Julie)
1 1 # # 8 4 ? 1
Hap-py Birth-day to you!
# # 6 4 2 1

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnans Rawling

The Yearling: Jodie and Ma and his father, Penny live on Baxter's Island, a pine forest in the middle of Florida scrub. One day while he and Penny are hunting, Penny is bit by a rattler. They kill a doe to draw off the poison. Jodie, who has always wanted a pet, argues that since the doe had saved Penny's life, they should take care of her fawn. But when it starts ruining crops....

This was an okay book. it didn't get very interesting until Penny got bit and they rescued Flag. One thing I did like, though, was the way everyone talked. Ev'rythin' was slurred and endings were usually cut off.

Guess what??

I WON SECOND in the Science Fair! i did not expect to get anything. I mean, there was a robot! Lucas made his own robot (with a little of his dad's help); it had a moveable camera, a microphone, and it moved. Josiah, who won third, made a lung. Chris (1st) rusted nails. I put lettuce seeds in different soils to see which grew best. So if anyone grows lettuce, put it in regular potting soil, or, in a pinch, acidic potting soil.

Dazzler Showcase is Saturday!

books i read over the weekend

I read two new books over the weekend; here are their reports.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Ani is a princess sent to make a marriage alliance with the country of Bayern. on the way, her lady in waiting, Selia turns traitor. She and about half of Ani's escort go on to the palace, and set selia up as princess. Ani becomes a goose herder. she wants to: get title back, reveal Selia, show kingdom she's not worthless, with the help of some very special talents.

I loved this!!! I like it when someone takes a fairy tale, makes it longer, ends it how they want to, put it in their own words. The first paragraphish didn't make sense. What does it matter if the princess didn't open her eyes for three days?
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Rakkety Tam by Brian Jaques
Rakkety Tam and his friend Doogy are squirrels bound to a crazy king and queen. When Gulo the Savage comes and takes away the royal banner, they are given the bargain that if they return the flag, they will be set free from their oath. But even getting close to Gulo is no easy task.

This seemed to be an unnessacerily long book. At one point the enemy seems to be dead, but isn't. there's a theiving vole 'helping' the Redwallers that keeps on stealing their stuff. The sign of power is a turtle! But the beginning, where Doogy and Rakkety Tam are in the squirrel kingdom, was pretty funny.

THE GRAND CANYON WAS GRAND!!!!!!!!!. I'm really glad we got to go. Drove all day Friday, got to Flagstaff at about 8:00, spent the night in a hotel, left for the Grand Canyon at 8.00, spent 5,6 hours, drove back to Alberquerque, came back Sunday. We hiked, saw the sights, took tons of pictures, ate lunch, and walked. I would post my pictures, but we need the camera printer for that.

Our office looks wonderful! Thanks to everyone who helped!

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

The Hero and the Crown: Aerin has never fitted into the king's court. She is a half Damarian, daughter of a Northerner, shows no sign of the Gift, has tamed a lame, wild stallion, and is a dragon-killer. Those aren't the usual hobbies of a princess. Because she doesn't fit in, she avoids the court, and so since not many people go to the library, she goes. And finds a recipe for a fire-defying mixture. This is the beginning of the dragon hunts. The North raises a Great Dragon, and she fights it. Because if she doesn't, it will destroy Damar, because the one who woke it has the Crown, Damar's stolen treasure.

This is the inspiration for Dragon Slayer. So i like it. It was really cool how it seemed like the fight with Maur is the climax, but no, there's more! it all fits together so well. My favorite character is Talat, the horse. he's almost like C.S. Lewis's talking horses-it's like he's about to talk all the time.

Going to the Grand Canyon with Russ in a few weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the Dragon Throne by Michael Cadnum

The Dragon Throne: Edmund and Hubert, newly returned from the Crusades, and recently made knights, have been sent to Rome! they will be guards for Ester, a lady-in-waiting to the queen. Ester made a vow: that if her father lives through an accident, she will go on the pilgrimage. They begin the journey, accompanied by two other knights. Traveling had gotten harder since King Richard left, and Prince John hadn't done much against bandits. They best way through the Alps is the Saint Bernard Pass, which, despite its awful weather, is guarded by the outlawl Conrad of Saxe. If they do survive, what next?

all of it was pretty good, up until about 2/3 of the way, but all the suspense that was built up in that 2/3 didn't really lead to a problem worthy of all the suspense. it was a very interesting time period, though.

Talking with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Talking with Dragons: Everyone in the Enchanted Forest is looking for the Sword of the Sleeping King. Most dangerous is a band of wizards who want to rule the Forest. Daystar, the bearer of the Sword, a fire witch nammed Shiara, and a baby dragon are supposed to take the sword to a castle, fight the wizards, find the king, figure out how to wake him, and get rid of the wizards. Definately not an easy task....

One thing I really liked about the story was that almost everything was the author's creativity. Magic swords aren't new, but the actual magic is. Fire witches are new. wizards as badf guys is new. I liked the humour too. But I didn't like how easy it was to figure out the story.

Redwall books by Brian Jacques

I've gotten really behind on reports. here are Redwall books. I highly reccommend them.

Marlfox
Marlfoxes are magical foxes. Their queen 'must be surrounded by beauty'. They have heard of Redwall Abbey's wealth and many beautiful things, and go to capture it. They steal a tapestry of Redwall's famed warrior, Martin. Dann, Song, Dippler, and Burble go to recapture it.

Redwall
Matthias is a bumbling mouse who becomes a warrior when Cluny the Scourge and his army attack. They have also heard of the Abbey's riches. Redwall is besieged! The sure way to defeat them is to get back Martin the Warrior's sword-but it is guarded by Asmodeus the snake!

Salamandastron
Ferahgo the Assassin has returned to Salamandastron! He intends to plunder the extict volcano for the supposed treasure. Urthstripe is the Badger Lord who, along with ten hares, protects the mountain. He has a daughter named Mara. She runs away, meeting up with a long-lost uncle and two Redwallers. Together they save Salamandastron.

Mossflower
Martin the Warrior has come upon Kotir, home of the wildcats and the self-proclaimed rulers of Mossflower! He joins with Corim, a resistance force, to kill the remaining wildcat, Tsarmina. Their plan includes flood tunnels....

Mattimeo
Mattimeo is the son of the great Matthias. Slagar the Cruel hates Matthias and all of Redwall for what they 'did' to him. So he dicides to get revenge by stealing Redwall's young ones...and selling them as slaves.


The only things I don't like about these books are silly things that really shouldn't matter. But since these have big battles in every one, it mentions how a lot of animals die. That is not cool with me. Another is the pictures at the beginning of each chapter. Some are really wierd. But I enjoy all the songs and rhymes. I like how each type of animal has a different was of talking. Each book has a riddle that the heros solve before they can get the bad guys. it's fun trying to solve it with them.


SPRING BREAK!

Greetings!

HELLO, everyone!
Salve! (Latin)
Hola! (Spanish)
Hej! (Swedish)
Che sha-ah la! (Chinese, Burmese, Thai
Goeie dag! (Southern African)
Shalom! (Israeli, Turkan)
Yaa! (Ghanan)
Use! (Nigerian-morning)
Bonjour! (French)
Haa! (Comanche-Oklahoma, USA)
Guten tag! (German)
Yoyo! (British Columbia Canada)
Mauri! (Pacific Islands)

Thought this was cool.
Thanks to Jennifer's Language Page...The title says there's more than 800 greetings!
Seeya...Vale!
~Ruthie Girl

RuthFacts

Just in case readers have no idea about me, here are random facts about Ruth Elizabeth Serven:

1. I want to be a writer when I grow up, but also want to travel, get good grades, and be a painter.
   
2. I am 11 years old. My birthday is September 26, 1994.
3. I have red-blonde-brown hair( I call it strawberry-blonde), blue eyes, lots of freckles, no glasses, and no braces.
   
4. I like to eat all clementines, oranges, carrots, PB&J, quesadillas, tacos, spaghetti, lasanga, honey, apples, broccoli, steak, pork chops, most kinds of chicken-in short, I'm not very picky.
   
5. My favorite colors are all shades of blue, green, burgandy, purple, and orange.
6. I like to swim, ski, garden, cook, read(!!!), hang out with friends, take photos, draw, jump on our trampoline, ride my bike, and write stories
   
7. My family has a dog. His name is Happy Chewbacca. He is a black mini poodle, and is fluffy instead of marshmellowy-poofy.
8. I'm learning Latin in school, and find it confusing. I would rather learn German.
9. I play viola in an orchestra through OU. I like it a lot.
10. My house is a yellow one. It was built in 1902. Our city is Norman, Oklahoma.
11. I go to school at Veritas Classical Academy. My mom is the headmistress! I am in 5th grade.
    

The Telling Pool by David Clement-Davies

The Telling Pool: Rhodri Falcon lives in the time of Richard the Lionheart. He is told his fortune by a fake fortune teller who is really a witch. Rhodri's father goes on a crusade to Jerusalem. When he comes back, something is wrong. With the help of the Telling Pool, Rhodri figures out what's happened and goes to help.

I...didn't like this book as much as Clement Davies other two. It was creepy. Tantallan was my favorite character, most of the time. I think he's Merlin. I think a lot of the characters are from King Arthur stories. I enjoyed guessing about them. I also liked the parts when they're flying the falcons, though Rhodri loses Melanor too many times.

From the Lighthouse by

From the lighthouse: Wheezie's ma has gone away. The rest of the family doesn't know what to do. Sid runs away, and his dad goes after him. After what seems like a long time to Wheezie, Rudy and Clayton, they come back. but without ma, bad things keep on happening, and it seems like they get worse and worse until....

This is one of the two or three books that made me cry. There was a part where Wheezie had made Thanksgiving dinner and thought ma would come home for it. She keeps on looking at the door and, when no one comes, realizes that ma is gone for good. that was really sad. It was inspiring how all the bad stuff happened and they stayed together.

happy early valentines day!

trips

Here is an update of where I've been this month.
Colorado:
I went to RUF's ski trip! It was GREAT! I even had fun driving there and back, which is hard to do on long trips. The first day me and Dad woke the rest of our apartment up with really loud music. They didn't like it. I went to ski lessons most of the day. My teacher was really nice, and her name was Miss Nicole. I enjoyed all of large group- the speaker, the songs, and the stories. Wednesday I went with everyone else, and raced down hills. at about 3:00 it started blizzarding, and I ran into a tree. Thursday was clear all day long. I even went down some blues.
Duncanville:
Every year Dazzlers goes to a workshop in Duncanville, Texas. We drove down Friday night, and slept in a church. We did T-shirts and talked for a long time, so I went to sleep at about midnight. The next morning we all got up at six, and had to be out by 7:30. I was really tired. We drove to Duncanville Highschool, and started to dance at 8:30, stopped for lunch at noon, and danced some more until 5:00. I really enjoyed our afternoon routine, which was almost like a play, to a song about the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz.

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

Rose Daughter: Beauty has had a dream about walking down a hallway all her life, going towards a monster waiting for her. Then her father comes back with the terrible news that he has met a Beast, and that she has to go to him! She finds out the wonders of the Beast's palace, liking some and is annoyed by others. And every night, he asks if she will marry him. After what seems like seven days, she is allowed to go back, but if all the petals fall from a rose, he is dead. Beauty goes back and forgets all. Just as the last one is falling, she remembers and rushes back. She faces the magic that keeps him there, and defeats it. She and her three sisters are married together, and everyone lives happily ever after.

In the Author's note, Robin McKinley explains that she has written another Beauty and the Beast story, about twenty years earlier. Then she gets married and moves from Maine to England, and begins to garden. Rose Daughter is written to tell her favorite fairy tale with roses.

...with roses. I like that this whole amazing thing was written to put in things that she had missed earlier. I also like that there is magic, but it is there, part of everything, but yet something that wasn't there at first. Interesting. McKinley has written lots of other books too, and the ones I've read are great.

The Rainbow Fairy Books by Andrew Lang

I am a fan of fairy tales. Andrew Lang put magical stories from all over the world in about ten books, with names containing all the diffrent shades of red and puple you can get. Most stories are good like Beauty and the Beast (in the Red Book), and others are bad, like the Headless Dwarves (Violet). A major theme in the stories is that youngest daughters are always more beautiful and that youngest sons are smartest, and that if you help some one it will help a lot. I highly reccommend them.

I like fantasy, if anyone hasn't noticed. Some stories I think are pathetic (really-frogs? how did that get in there?), but I really like the dragons. They're are evil dragons, not Dragon Tales creatures.
Thank you, Kelly MacIntire for introducing us to the Books!

Four Wings and a Prayer by Sue Halpern

The Monarch butterfly is the one butterfly to migrate like a bird, but still no one knows how. Four Wings and a Prayer tells of the expedition to trace the journey of the Monarch as it flies more than three thousand miles through the United States to a tiny mountainside in Mexico, than back again.
The stories of people who spend their lives to studying this butterfly are told along with their efforts to understand this bug.

I was glad I read this. There was a lot of stuff I didn't know- like how a butterfly rides on air currents, leaving and entering as needed. Cool. I did find it hard to concentrate about half-way through on, though. It just kept on going. Read it. Maybe while you're reading another too. Monarchs are amazing creatures.