Friday, November 6, 2015

The Land Of Stories

By Jaden


           Have you ever wanted to visit the fairy tale world? Well that’s what Alex and Conner Bailey do in The Land of Stories written by Chris Colfer.  Alex and Conner, who are 11 years old, receive a book from their grandma that transports them into the fairy tale world. Alex’s wish came true: to travel through the fairy tale world as Conner unwillingly went. But how will they get home? The wishing spell is the only way they can get home. As they travel from the dwarf forest to the corner kingdom, the charming kingdom, the red riding hood kingdom and other places they’ll find items to activate the wishing spell. On their journey, they collect items and met new friends who are determined to help them get home. Will Alex and Conner be able to get home?(1) “Once upon a time' These are the most magical words our world has ever known and the gateway to the greatest stories ever told. They're an immediate calling to anyone who hears them-a calling into a world where everyone is welcome and anything can happen. Mice can become men, maids can become princesses, and they can teach valuable lessons in the process.” ― Chris Colfer, The Wishing Spell  Everyone should read The Land of Stories because it’s entertaining, it affects your emotions, and it will get people reading!   
 (2) “A villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told.”― Chris Colfer, The Wishing Spell. So many people love this book because, it tells you things you didn’t know. For example, did you know that Goldilocks and red riding hood both were in love with Jack from the bean stalk? My friend Marley was so shocked when she found out that the evil queen name was Evie. In The Land Of Stories you will also learn that you can’t judge a person by just knowing a little bit of their history. For example, you will learn to love the evil queen once you get to know more of her history. As Alex and Conner travel the fairy tale world looking for the artifacts they almost get killed or go to unexpecting stops. The book will grab your attention and it has a very exciting, adventurous plot.   
           
       Reading The Land Of Stories will really get  your emotions kicked up and going. When my old teacher from 3rd grade read it to me I cried when she read the end because, it was so sad. The chapters in this book will make you tense up, make you scream of joy , or cry of sadness.
Everyone in my old class all exclaimed no, yes, and gasp when my teacher read the book. “ As Evie grabbed her heart of stone she ached more and more as she was holding her dead fiance that she just freed from her magic mirror.” Listening to this part of the book made me cry because it was so sad. The most important  thing about reading The Land Of Stories is that it teaches you to not be ashamed of who you are to be brave and make the right decisions. Alex is the smartest girl in school and didn’t feel like she fit in but, on her journey through the fairy tale world with her brother she learns that what makes you  different  makes her the most jeweled girl in both worlds(3).“Courage is one thing that no one can ever take away from you.” ― Chris Colfer, The Wishing Spell After reading this book I got stronger on the inside. From then on I didn’t care what people thought of me.


       Some kids text, plays games on the computer, or watches TV, but with this book for all ages kid and teens will read instead of doing a useless game or watch a no good TV show. More than 70 percent kids 8 to 18 have tvs in their room. Which, damages their life spending time with their family. Fact, children 2 to 5 watch tv for more than 32 hour a week.  Reading is so important to learning which includes spelling, grammar, and fluency. Also reading is a skill that will help you throughout your education. Scientists are using their most important tools to peer inside the human brain, they have found many shocking info. They found out that our brain uses 7 different regions when we read. Reading also makes are brain grow from when we were a baby. Also reading is not just a talent we are born with like, seeing and hearing.  It is a "recent cultural invention.” A long time ago man found an instrument. That instrument was a tv.  CSGlobe says “When you watch TV, brain activity switches from the left side of your brain (responsible for logical thought and critical analysis) to the right side.


       If you your kids read The Land Of Stories they will most likely not watch tv for as much as  before. I read this book three days straight without knowing anyone was talking to me. Kids 13 and under will be more eager to explore the world, like explore their back yard, the park, or the city with an adult of course. Did you know that 68% of American 4th graders do not read at a proficient level? There are at least ten reasons why you should read to your kids. Here’s an example. One, it builds a stronger relationship and teaches younger kids basic speech skills. In the article Reading and re-reading The Land Of Stories mother Michelle says “that she heard the about the book and thought it would be great for her and the kids. When J ( her daughter I assume)  heard me ( Micelle ) listen to it on audiobook book  she heard names of some princesses that she recognized and she got curious. From then on J was  sucked into The Land Of Stories”. “To be honest I never read much, until I read The Land Of Stories, know I read nonstop.”  A person from goodreads.com  says “ I think it’s a good book for anyone.” http://www.barnesandnoble.com the publisher says “There's more in Colfer's magic kingdoms than Disney has dreamt of."—USA Today".



      The Land Of Stories is a really entertaining book for kids, preteens, teenagers, and grownups. So I recommend anyone should read this book for these reasons. It’s entertaining, get’s your emotions kicked up and going, and will get kids to do something else.. The Land Of Stories will make you love reading. Go read The Land Of Stories!

Why the Olympics Should Be More Often

By Alyssa Weil
          Don't you love it when the Olympics are finally on and you get to cheer for your country’s team? Ever gotten impatient for waiting so long and wanted the Games to come around more often than every four years? Well, this article will convince many that the Games need to be more frequent. The Olympics should occur every other year because it makes the world a better place to live in, gives athletes more chances to participate, and entertains millions of people.
              The Olympics should occur more often because it makes the world a better place. Competing in the Games brings together athletes of the world in a great sports festival; promoting peace, friendship, and fair play.(1) There is huge value in the Games, especially in regards to troubles the world faces. For instance, in Beijing before the 2008 Games, pollution was terrible, but when they had to host the Olympics, it motivated China to clean it up.(7) Also, the London mayor said after the 2014 Games, “The winning, planning, and legacy of hosting the Olympic Games has made the UK stand out and shine.”(3) These are all the reasons how the Olympics improves the environment.
                Hosting the Games every other year would provide more athletes the opportunity to participate. In the 2014 Games 13,000 athletes competed, but if it was held more often, the numbers could be doubled. The chances of becoming an Olympian is about one in 200 million! This is an extremely low chance, but it could be more likely to happen if the Olympics were more frequent. Also, if an athlete messes up in one Olympics, they could have another shot at winning in the next Games. Randy Stoklos, a professional beach volleyball player, was trying out for the Olympics, but he got injured.(5) It was his only chance to participate in the Olympics, because by the time the next Games came around, Stoklos was too old. Shaun White said after losing badly in the 2014 Games, “I’ve thought about returning plenty of times, I’m happy I’m moving on. It didn’t ruin my entire career but tonight was definitely a disappointment.” White is also too old to compete in the next Olympics but he could if the Games were in only two years.(2) These are all reasons that if the Games were more often, more athletes could participate.
                   Last but not least, the Olympic Games should be every other year because they’re entertaining! The world focuses on something positive for two weeks, and much of the negativity in the news is silenced by loud cheering. (1) Here in the US, people across the country get so into the Games, that we often we forget there are millions in other countries following their athletes and cheering on their fellow countrymen and women just as hard as we are cheering for ours. (1)The Opening Ceremony is awesome, with the unique performances and the greeting of the athletes.  A reporter from the New York Times said about the ceremony, “Tonight, creators successfully intertwined meaning with special effects and local culture with visual displays, all while unveiling a show that delicately touched on American patriotism.”(9)
For the technical stats, an average of 21.4 million viewers watched the Sochi Games in prime time, but NBC wants more, which can be achieved by hosting the Games more often.

                   These are all my reasons why the Olympic Games should alternate between Winter & Summer every year rather than every two years. It entertains people across the globe, encourages countries to make their country a better environment, and gives more athletes a chance to participate. So we should definitely convince people the Games need to be more often!

All About Lauren

By, Lauren Burns
Hi! I’m Lauren! I am thirteen years old and I live in the USA! I have four younger brothers who are eleven, nine, five, and two! If you were wondering yes, I am the only girl! Some of my hobbies are piano, reading, soccer and track. My favorite events in track are high jump and the two hundred meter dash! My favorite books are the Harry Potter series, (who doesn’t like them) and this amazing book called The Children of Willesden Lane! So if you haven’t read them you totally should! Something interesting about me is that I am homeschooled!! I do school at home four days a week and then go to a homeschoolers program on Fridays! My favorite songs are “Classic” by MKTO and “Drag Me Down” by One Direction! This next part is a little bit cheesy but I’m going to tell you what my favorite color, food, candy, chocolate, ice cream flavor, and animal! My favorite color is blue, my favorite food is burritos, ( I love burritos!), my favorite candy is Sour Patch Kids, and my favorite chocolate is Milky Way. Okay, now my favorite ice cream flavor, it is this Bryer’s Blast flavor I don’t actually remember the name (wow Lauren, so professional!) but it had like chunks of brownie and it was chocolate and it was sooooo good!!! Alright last, my favorite animal is… ZEBRAS! They’re so cute and cool! To all the zebras reading this, I LOVE YOU!!!! I hope you enjoyed my all about me!

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Why Harry Potter is the Best Franchise


By, Lauren Burns
It’s been sold forty million times worldwide and been published in sixty-nine different languages. What is it? Harry Potter!!! Have you ever wondered why Harry Potter is the best franchise ever? If you have then you came to the right place! Harry Potter is the best book series because it’s life changing, it’s well-written, and it’s movies are really cool and fun.
    First Harry Potter is life changing. Many people have gotten through extremely hard times because of Harry Potter. Here are two people who have commented how Harry Potter has changed their lives. “Harry Potter has changed the world. They’ve changed my world. I am a better person because Harry Potter exists. Hail to the Queen, J.K Rowling.”(7) “I was bullied through school so Harry Potter was my escape. Through it I could have friends and be brave. Thanks J.K Rowling for writing a series of books I still cherish this day.”(7)Harry Potter hasn’t only changed people’s personal lives; it’s also changed their people’s education! one person declared: “If it wasn’t for Harry Potter I wouldn’t have gotten into writing at all,...” (11) The wizard novels became a gateway to reading for hordes of people, And not just children. The series got adults who "hadn't picked up a book in years" to read again.” exclaimed Charlie Jane Anders. (12)
    Albus Dumbledore changed Harry Potter’s life. Here are a few quotes from Albus Dumbledore,  “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” “Curiosity is not a sin… but we should exercise caution with our curiosity… yes indeed.” “To the well-organized mind, death is but the great next adventure.”(2) Albus drew readers very close to him; almost giving people a grandparent or mentor they never had. Harry Potter has changed so many people’s lives!
    Next, Harry Potter is well-written. Harry Potter has amazing imagery. For instance: “It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.”(9) Here’s another example: “He had drawn the red cotton curtains against the bright, cloudy sky; which gave the room a fiery glow at odds with the rest of the airy, light cottage.”(8) Harry Potter also has an amazing plot.
It goes like this, when Harry Potter was a baby, he defeated the most powerful wizard of all time. He then got a letter saying he was accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throughout his seven years of school, Harry Potter is always fighting evil. Harry Potter also has amazing characters. One of Harry Potter’s best friends, Hermione Granger, is super smart! Here a few quotes from her: “Just because you’ve got the emotional range of teaspoon doesn’t mean we all have.”(13) “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things- friendship and bravery!”(13) Hermione Granger is an awesome character!
The next characters I’m going to talk about is the Weasley family. The Weasley adds comedy, love, and friendship to Harry’s life. Ginny Weasley said this, “You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” Ron Weasley said, “Hearing voices no one else can can’t be a good sign, even in the wizarding world.” Harry Potter’s so well-written that it keeps people hooked!
Harry Potter is very well-written.Last, the  Harry Potter movies are really cool and fun. Harry Potter movies follow the book really well! Each movie decorated the castles, characters, and everything else with precise detail that was found in the books. The filming was also amazing! The Great Hall, the common rooms, the Triwizard tournament, Quidditch, spells, and much, much more! Many critics have commented on the Harry Potter movies; so here a few! David Edelstein, from the Slate, commented on the Goblet of Fire. “I couldn’t be more pleased with what the screenwriter, Steven Kloves, and the director, Mike Newell, have wrought this time.”(6) Roger Ebert, from the Chicago Sun-Times, commented on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. “I admired this Harry Potter. It opens and closes well, and has wondrous art design and cinematography as always, only more so.”(6) The last quote is from Peter Rainer, from New York Magazine. Peter commented on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. “Finally, a Harry Potter movie that does justice to J.K Rowling’s books… the most powerfully entrancing children’s film in the years.” This is why the Harry Potter movies are really cool and fun.
These were my reasons of why Harry Potter is the best franchise in the world. It’s been published in two hundred countries and won forty-one awards1 I hope you enjoyed! Go read and watch  the Harry Potter series!

Work Cited Page

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Brought to the Lives of Its Fans." Moviepilot.com. N.p., 20 May 2015. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.


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"14 Profound Quotes From The Harry Potter Books." BuzzFeed. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

About Me by Annika Tuka


          My name is Annika Tuka, I am 12 years old and live in Colorado with my parents and my older brother and two younger sisters.  Growing up my family and I traveled quite a bit.  A year or so after I was born we started by living in Vietnam, where my mom is from, for three and a half years.  We moved a lot in Vietnam, we never stayed in one house for too long but we did settle down in one house for over a year.  When I was two and a half I started playing Soccer for a team and I still play that sport to this day.  It is my favorite sport and I hope I can play it for the rest of my life.  During our time living there we traveled to Thailand and Cambodia.  About a year after my sister was born (in Vietnam) My parents finally decided to move back to America.  But of course we had to make a detour.  We flew to New York and lived there for a while, then finally we flew back to Colorado where ALL my relatives lived.  Even though we had settled down in Colorado it didn't stop my parents from wanting to travel.  We went to Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and a few more. We don't travel much these days, we take the occasional trip to California or Texas but that's pretty much it.  In all that time I have picked up on a few new things like piano, drawing, reading and photography.  I like to hang out in my room and sketch things I see or think of or take pictures of or read about in books, and when i'm not doing that i'm playing soccer.  I have a pretty busy life but it's fun and I love it. 

Why You Should Go Watch San Andreas

Annika Tuka
Mrs. Middaugh
Writing 2
10-29-15         


Go Watch San Andreas
You’re sitting in your bedroom doing work when suddenly you hear a rumbling sound and your house starts to shake, then your wall comes crashing down.  What would you do if you lived in California and half of it was about to drop into the ocean?  That is what it was like for the residents of California in the movie San Andreas.  This film is action packed with a great plot and characters.  Most of the scenes will have you jumping in your seat worried, scared, and even happy for the characters.  You should go watch San Andreas because it has a great plot, it is a fun and fast paced movie and many other people like it.  
The film San Andreas has a great plot.  The movie starts on a seemingly ideal day when suddenly California’s San Andreas fault triggers.  The earth starts to crack in half and Ray Gaines and his ex wife have to make their way across a destroyed city to find their only daughter Blake, and bring her to safety.  Meanwhile Blake and two british brothers she meets are trying to survive and find a way to get to her father.  Blake and her two friends run from crumbling buildings and devastating fires, and just when they think they might be safe long enough for Ray to get there, a tsunami comes crashing in.  The film San Andreas has a great plot and is very fun.
This movie is very fun and fast-paced.  To get you interested the disaster movie opens with a search-and-rescue helicopter crew from the LA Fire Department trying to pluck a young woman from her car, which somersaulted over a cliff and is teetering on the rocky hillside. Glenn Kenney from movie review site, ElbertDigital.com said “San Andreas is both too fleetly action-packed and too nice to provide many hisses. Instead, the movie compels Johnson and Gugino (last names of the actors who play mom and dad) to play dodge-em with falling buildings via chopper, mediate some super-size potholes in a four-by-four, do some impromptu sky-diving when there’s suddenly no viable airport runway to land a small plane on, and much, much more.” (2)  Another reviewer, Robbie Collin, from thetelegraph.com says, “San Andreas, a film in which all of California suddenly buckles along its spine, sending the skyscrapers of San Francisco and Los Angeles toppling into one another like dominoes arranged in a fate-tempting row, while the citizens run screaming for their lives.” (3)  Is that too fun and fast-paced for you? I hope not. A good benefit of fast paced movie is that it will keep you interested the entire time.  
Another reason why you should go watch San Andreas is because many other people love it too!  Movie reviewer Glenn Kenny from ElbertDigital.com said “The action is bracing, Johnson’s performance is solid and, within its extremely narrow parameters, entirely convincing, and Gugino and Daddario are both gritty and attractive. The result is a pretty exemplary popcorn movie.”(2) Glenn Kenny also said “I’m not sure whether it was the editing or my own willing suspension of disbelief but the CGI-manufactured scenes of mass destruction are among the most realistic in this mode I’ve ever seen.”  (2) On rottentomatoes.com they show that over 50% of people that have watched this movie liked it, but on their tomatometer of pro reviewers, only 50% of them liked it.
The movie San Andreas is a super fun movie with a great plot and amazing acting. 

I definitely enjoyed my time watching this.  Anyone who loves action and destruction movies 

would without a doubt enjoy thisfilm, so go call up your old friends, have a movie night and

watch San Andreas.






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