Red

I overall like this book, although it can be a bit much at times. I give major credit to the girls that are a part of this book. It is crazy to see what some of the girls go through and how they perceive it. I am sure that this book helps a lot of other teens because now they know that they are not alone. I know that I can relate to some of these stories because i had a rough childhood myself. I do however wonder how much of this is true. I know first hand because I was a dramatic teenager once, that I took things way out of proportion at times and I look back at it now and I laugh at my self for acting the way I did. Although no one can look me up it on the Internet as we can with these girls. I mean I am sure they have a facebook and I am sure some people have said something to them even in envy. It is sad to see what and how some teens think. For me going into Nursing I care and want to help everyone. I love talking to my friends and give them advice. I feel like all some of these teenagers need is support. I have learn that with out support one is likely fail. I think it would be interesting to see the parents of these teenagers comment on their point of view. I wonder if it would change the relationship for better or for worse. It may be new news to the parents what is happening to their child. Thorough communication is key to a successful relationship. I wonder if after writing what these teenagers were going through if it helped them in the grieving process.

My Book

Well I have had a pretty entertaining life. My book would be about a little girl and how she was raised in a lower class family. She had one sister who was older than her and a younger brother. Her parents would always be fighting over money and her father is an alcoholic but she didn't know this at the time. When the fighting and drinking got to be too much for the family my mother decided to leave my dad unless he went into sobriety. My father didn't last long and my parents got a divorce. I had to relocate for the third time to a new school district and we moved in with my grandparents. It was a two bedroom house with six people in it, enough said. I began to blame the divorce on myself. I could remember almost every night when I went to sleep I could hear them fighting. I would put my pillow over my head and wish they would just get away from each other.This made me believe that my wish had come true. I developed some major issues from this experience and my mom forced me to go to alonon and councilors. Me being 11 years old, the last thing I wanted anyone to know is that it was my fault and that I ruined my family. I began being what I would like to call it a disrespectful disturbed child. I moved out of my mothers house because there were to many rules, everyone ganged up on me and there was too much structure. At my fathers house it was just him and I. He had rules but they weren't crazy and he understood me and was always there for me. I sincerely was a good child just needed something and till this day I couldn't tell you what would have helped me. I began hanging out with the wrong crowd when I moved back and.......

The absolute

I am very pleased with this book. I think it has been the best yet. I liked that it was an adolescent focused book but it had a good outcome. Junior went through a lot that teenagers go through today and he came out with a bang! With the irrelevance of death happening in everyday life it is a hard aspect to deal with, but Junior pulled through. Making decisions to switch schools is not only hard and usually the parents decisions but it is also really stressful trying to fit in a new crowd, but Junior pulled through. Having your old best friend become your worst enemy is something teens may go threw too. It is the worst feeling and leaves an empty spot in your soul, but Junior pulled through.
As you can tell I am very proud of Junior pulling through all the tough times in this book. It shows teenage readers that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That there is a possibility to see through this depressed moment of your life. I think a lot of teenagers think its the end of the world when something bad falls on their plate but this book shows them to get up and dust your knees off. This was the most upbeat book that we have read so far and I am glad to see a good outcome. Especially Junior becoming friends again with Rowdy because this also will happen in your teenage years. Acquaintances come and go but true friends will always come back.

Jennifer Trock

Betsey Brown is a good book to read and a easy read too. I found myself not wanting to put it down. It was amazing to me how much Betsey grew through out this book. It seemed like the women she met throughout her life taught her a lot more than what her mom did. I think that is a good and a bad aspect. I know her mother is a very busy woman but she should be able to teach her children about life. They really just lived every day the same. They all loved each other but it always got hectic in the house so there didn't seem much time to do other activities when the day's chores came to an end. When Regina came into the Brown's home she influenced the children but not as much as Carrie did. Regina taught the children about life whether it was appropriate or not i am not going to talk about. I think what really taught Betsey was her trip to the city when she saw Regina, it probably changed her whole persona and I am glad it did. Carrie was like the mother that those children needed. She was stern but sweet, fun but to the point. She gave the children meaning in the home and responsibilities that they were okay with doing. She also talked to each child on their own level. I was not happy with the ending and it left me wondering about Carrie and her past life. I never would have thought she would end up in prison. It seemed that you had to be ruff around the edges to survive in that era though. I think adolescents should read this book, it opens the doors to things that can be oblivious to the young.

Bullying

When I think of bullying the first thing that comes to my mind is a black eye or the school bullying hanging someone up by their underwear on the flag pole outside of school. Really though if you takes second to think about it bullying happens in all forms and gradually gets worse and more deceitful as we grow up.

Some examples of different kinds of bullying as we age:

Young-
says that people are not there friends if they don't get what they want
doesn't let people play with them
steals others toys
not so physical

Teen-
beats people up that has a lower status then them, basically because they know they can
to get what they want
status?
a way to fight off anger
Physical

Young Adult-
pick on others under educated in certain aspects of life (eg. sweet girls)
just for the feeling of control
use lies ans well as physical aspects of bullying
Physically and emotionally

Older Adult-
to get what they want
bully the young to get over on them
use bullying in a non physical way (eg intellectually)
emotionally and slightly physical

Bullying has come along way and has a lot of branches coming from it. Bullying no longer has to be a black eye. It's really sad. People bully others to get what they want now and to get a higher status. For example in Charlotte Temple how La Rou just used and abused the sweet Charlotte to get out of where she was.... People also tell others anything they want to hear to keep themselves out of trouble. For example Huck Finn and how he made up an endless amount of stories to the variety of people he met....

Huck

All in all I liked this book and at one point I actually couldn't put it down because I wanted to find out what had become of Jim. One part of the book that I couldn't hardly stand was when Tom came back into the picture and had to do all these specials things in order to let Jim out of slavery lock down. I mean it was endless. I just wanted Jim to be free already. He had such an imagination that he tried to replay everything he had read about. Then I come to find out Tom knew the whole time that Jim was a free person and just wanted to have an adventure. I agree with some of the critics sayings about if Twain ever wrote a book about Toms adulthood it wouldn't be good. I liked Huck's character and how easy going, smart and the fact that he was always on his toes. Obviously I never grew up back in the 1800's but it seemed like you could basically live anywhere; practically every house hold Huck visited they welcomed him as their long lost son. That would be a good aspect in present day. I can understand why some schools would not want this book read, but if you really think about it its all history. Some of the words and racism used is what the 1800's unfortunately was all about. It makes this book seem that it was really based on a true boy. It also shows that not all slaves were treated badly. Then on the other side I can agree with some critics saying that this book should be for the mature mind not for young high schoolers. Only because it could bring racial comments that could start into fights. Also could make African Americans in the classroom feel uncomfortable.

Charlotte can only take so much. After summer passed with little to no visits from Montroville she started thinking about her life and how she can fix all these empty spaces she has in it. Little Lucy was about five months and Charlotte knew she had to make a good life for her daughter just like her parents did for her, even if it means leaving Montroville and going to live with her parents. Charlotte gave him one more time to make things right and he never showed up. Charlotte packed her belongings and left with out a note or anything left behind. When she got settled in at her parents place she started going back to school and working at a friend of the family's restaurant saving money to get her own place. It was a very tough year for Charlotte trying to forgive her self for what she did to her parents and trying to get the hang of her new schedule. She completed an associates degree in science hoping to one day become a nurse practitioner. After graduation she got a cute little two bedroom apartment, a place she could defiantly call home. She started back at school working towards her BSN. While in nursing school she met an amazing man but was real skeptical about getting into another relationship. This time she knew she had to keep her guard up. He was a very smart man that many people respected him. He didn't try to rush her into anything and just thought the world of her. Next thing Charlotte new she was in her junior year of college and felt on top of the world. To think of where she came from and how she turned her whole life around was astonishing every time she thought about it. Charlotte was living her dream as an independent single mother.