Books I have read recently, and why I do or do not like them

To Kill A Mockingbird
This book is so amazing!
I read it a long time ago when I was maybe thirteen, and I remember having mixed emotions about it.
But I just finished it for the second time, and I also studied it in English, so my understanding of it has
deepened my love for this book. My friends are all sick of me talking about it.

Gossamer
This book is by Lois Lowry, a author probably more popularly known for writing The Giver.
I knew when I picked it up, that it would be good, but also like her other books I have read, it takes a while
to pick up the pace, and get more interesting. BUT IN THE END IT IS AMAZING!
Another less known book by Lois Lowry is called The Silent Boy. I love this book, and it made me cry.

Love, Stargirl
This book is the sequel to Stargirl. I waver between liking this book more or less then the first.
It is about a homeschooler, who (in the first book) tries high school. In the second book, it's about her life
as a homeschooler again. I really love this book. It inspires me.

An Unlikely Friendship
I was really disappointed in this book. Ann Rinaldi is a wonderful writer of historical fiction. Her books
have helped me see historical events on more of a personal level. This one, wasn't that enlightening.
Although it did help me understand a couple of things more clearly, I didn't really enjoy it. Maybe because
Mary Todd Lincoln and her family were such a selfish people, I didn't really sympathize with what was happening to them.
Ann Rinaldi's other books, have been about amazing people who helped shape America. Mary Todd Lincoln didn't seem to fit the mold.

Falling Leaves
This book is by the same author of The Joy Luck Club. Which seems to be a book everyone has read, but one that I never have taken the time to read. This book was sooooo sad. What amazed me, was how the stepmother had such control over her family, and even after the stepchildren left, they still were under her control, and felt like they must obey her wishes. This book showed me some of the worst cruelty one could suffer at the hands of her own family.

The Book Thief
I think almost everyone I know has read this book. It took me forever to get around to reading it, but when I finally did, I loved it. In case you haven't already read it, it is about a German girl growing up during the time of the Holocaust. Her foster family harbors a runaway Jew, and it tells of her relationship with him, and also what he has to go through just to survive during that time.

New Moon
Ugh. Breaking Dawn better be good. The only reason I am continuing this series, is that I want to find out by myself what finally happens. Although I do like to read them because they are so phony. The problems that Bella thinks are so important are just so miniscule. They make me laugh. I hate how controlling Edward is, and how he thinks he can get whatever he wants from Bella. Also I hate that he can't accept that she wants to continue to be friends with Jacob Black. He doesn't have to be the only male she ever looks at. He already knows that she would rather die then lose him. Which is really pathetic. I also hate how annoying and whiny Bella is, and how she thinks she is so brave to go and visit Jacob against Edwards wishes. She should just get a life, and realized that Edward doesn't have to control her every action, and that she doesn't have to complain about everything either. Thank you for listening to the rant on that one. I just need to get it out.

Eclipse
This one isn't that much better than New Moon. Although I do hate the characters, I like to read it and laugh about their 'mole hill into a mountain' problems. "Oh how awful, I have to marry Edward first?!?!" "You went to see Jacob Black, jeez Bella, he could kill you!!!" "He left you Bella, and now you want to be a vampire just like him!?!" (followed by a angry uncontrollable morph into a werewolf) "He isn't kissing me, he isn't smiling, I love him, I want to see Jacob, I will escape, I want to be a vampire, I want Jacob to accept Edward, I want Edward to accept Jacob. My life is a wreck, Edward actually wants to me to go to college?!?" Sorry about another rant.

Moving

I'm pretty sure that everyone knows we are moving by now. If not, *blam*, here's the news.
We'll be in Utah at the beginning of June.

A pretty sweet drawing

Satchel did this on our chalk board. When he first did it and told me to come see it, I was kind of busy, and didn't really look.
A day later I was walking by, and saw it. "WHO DID THIS DRAWING???" I took a picture of it, because it is pretty sweet.

Cousins!

Amy, Diego, and Mateo came to visit this last weekend. The boys (Diego, Mateo, Elias, Satchel, Atticus)
played on the trampoline, played in the dirt, watched movies, played in the dirt, went on a walk,
ate Ice pops, ate empanadas, shot the bb gun, and...oh yea, played in the dirt. They all had a blast.
Hopefully they come to visit one more time before we leave.

Our last day in Ithaca

Last Monday was Dad's birthday, and of course he wanted to go on a hike, so we went to Ithaca for a hike, and then ate at Moosewood restaurant, then went to Cornell's Ornithology lab, and then drove around Cornell campus. It was really fun, but sad to say goodbye to one of our favorite places.

Atticus's birthday

On Atticus's birthday, fresh back from our trip, we went bowling.

Every one had fun, despite the scores we got, which I will not go into detail about.

It is really hard to get a picture of someone bowling, cause they are always moving,

so I gave up, and took pictures of our shoes instead. Opened presents and had yummy ice cream cake for dessert. The other picture is of Atticus and his friend Hannah playing basketball one day. Atticus is really into peace signs. If you can't already tell.

Philadelphia pictures

Mom and dad underneath the arch at Valley Forge
Bright candles at Readings Terminal Market
Satchy, Elias and I in a mutant monopoly game piece
Satchel, Elias and Dad, playing sorry
In front of the love statue with the Philadelphia art museum behind us
In an old church in Valley Forge
A field in Valley Forge that we ate lunch by, and then played tag in
Mom and I next to the Liberty Bell
Right by Carpenters hall after a long day of walking around.