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.