The Tale of Despereaux

Srishti Ghosh

3^rd Period/L.A.

10/18/10

Chapter 4- 8(Chapter 8 not included)

The Tale of Despereaux

By: Kate DiCamillo

I think that the chapter about Despereaux falling in love with the princess are very cute. I enjoyed these chapters a lot because all though the hole first section of the book does not fit reality, this part really made me get into the book and, just for a while leave my everyday problems behind. It interested me that the princess did not scream a run the other way while yelling at servants to kill the mouse because it differentiates from most stories with princesses. Uniquely written this story beats many other stories I have read. I predict that Despereaux will not die in the dungeon because what kind of a story would that be? But, with Kate DiCamillo, you never know. Her imaginations definitely gives her the power to manipulate her stories in any way she wants.  I can read this book at a very fast pace since I have read it so many times but I enjoy reading it slowly to get the full effect of every chapter. I can tell DiCamillo wants you o feel like you are actually in the story by how descriptive she is and I always do feel like I am in it. Kate DiCamillo’s imagination plus her amazing writing abilities makes for a very high quality and enjoyable book.

The Tale of Despereaux

Srishti Ghosh

3^rd Period/L.A.

10/18/10

Up to End of Chapter 15 (starting page- 81)

The Tale of Despereaux

By: Kate DiCamillo

 I feel so sorry for Despereaux. I connect this story with WW2 because in WW2 the Nazi’s wee killing Jewish people because they were different. By sending Despereaux to the dungeon the Mouse Council thinks he will die but he would not have to go is he acted like the other mice. I’m happy to see that Despereaux didn’t renounce hi acts because he did nothing wrong. The mice should just let Despereaux live however he wants. I think Kate DiCamillo wrote this story as an anthropomorphism because she tries to show how humans usually judge other humans a certain way just because they are different but she uses mice instead of human in the first part at least. This book is fantastic. I have read it 7 times and definitely recommend it. You will enjoy it very much and enjoy watching Kate DiCamillo weave all the different parts of the story into one great story. If you want to become a writer you should read to look at an example of some really good writing. It models what a great piece should be like. I predict that Kate DiCamillo began writing at a young age to accumulate all the skills it took to write this book.

The Story of My Life

Srishti Ghosh

3^rd Period/L.A.

10/20/10

Overall Thoughts in First 6 Chapters

The Story of My Life

By: Helen Keller

I am completely speechless by how well Helen Keller writes. I am amazed that she could write at all. I predict that Helen Keller had some help writing the book because some of the words she uses are so high quality that I don’t think she just knew them. She probably asked someone she was good friends with to help her phrase some of the sentences. Her writing surpasses anything I would ever be able to write if I was deaf and blind. In fact it seems Helen intelligence exceeded many kids of her age even when at younger ages. Some of the things she figured out how to do in her younger year of darkness and silence, I didn’t figure out until I was far older. I wonder how her mother told her to thing as a young child before her teacher came. I think the whole story shows an example of a miracle from the fact that she survived to the fact that she learned to talk. I can read this book fairly quickly because the wording, although high level, does not complicate the text. I connect with Helen in a really weird way because when her mother gives birth to her younger sister she feels envious but I never felt any envy towards my brother. It reminds me of this story I read when at a younger age about a girl hating her new sister.

Catching Fire

Srishti Ghosh

L.A/3^rd Period

9-30-10

Comparison of Writing Styles (no specific pages)

Catching Fire

By: Suzanne Collins

On the contrary to Leslie Connor’s writing style, I very much enjoy Suzanne Collins writing style. She writes with what I see as great passion and sincerity. Although, I do not enjoy tragic stories she should not “butterfly and rainbow” stories. Her descriptive personality (yes I believe description naturally comes to her) and her talent would be wasted writing happy stories.  My favorite thing that makes me like Collins over Conner: how she hooks a reader. Even if the end of one chapter doesn’t always create the desire to read the next one, whatever she writes as her last sentence pulls(almost literally) into the next one. I admire her writing very much. I feel like how much you enjoy a book depends on how you read it. I think I’m reading this book at a good pace and am not trying to rush it. If I read (read (this one in present) in past tense) it faster I do not think I would enjoy it as much. If I were to evaluate my reading I would say that sometimes I expect too much out of a book and look at them too critically. I don’t know what will happen next in the book but I know it will be very interesting! I predict that Gale will become a main character very soon. But who will become the love interest? I can’t wait.

Waiting for Normal

Srishti Ghosh

L.A/3^rd Period

10-3-10

Author Writing Style Reflection (no specific pages)

Waiting for Normal

By: Leslie Connor

Although the story fills with detail and I can feel the way the characters might feel, I do not like her style of writing because at the end of the chapter no hook appears for the next chapter and I’m more motivated to read when I feel like I need to know what happens next. Usually at the end of the chapter I’m bored and want to put the book down. I didn’t enjoy the fact that the back cover had been replaced by praises instead of a basic idea of what happens in the story. This brings me back, once again to no hook. In fact I probably wouldn’t have read the book if my mom hadn’t bought it for me and asked me to read it. Could it possibly be the fact that I am maybe reading it “wrong” (notice in quotations please). Could the book possibly be too easy for me? (I’m not trying to sound conceited.) Would I like it better if I read it at 10? I predict if I gave to someone younger than me they will enjoy it more than me. I predict Addison , the main character will somehow convince her mother not to wear the “ugly” dress her mom bought her for the concert because it seems like a very significant event considering how much Collins have spoken about it. I wonder how this event affects the story. I will not be recommending this book to anyone.

Waiting for Normal

Srishti Ghosh

L.A/3^rd Period

9-30-10

Comparison of Writing Styles (no specific pages)

Catching Fire

By: Suzanne Collins

On the contrary to Leslie Connor’s writing style, I very much enjoy Suzanne Collins writing style. She writes with what I see as great passion and sincerity. Although, I do not enjoy tragic stories she should not “butterfly and rainbow” stories. Her descriptive personality (yes I believe description naturally comes to her) and her talent would be wasted writing happy stories.  My favorite thing that makes me like Collins over Conner: how she hooks a reader. Even if the end of one chapter doesn’t always create the desire to read the next one, whatever she writes as her last sentence pulls(almost literally) into the next one. I admire her writing very much. I feel like how much you enjoy a book depends on how you read it. I think I’m reading this book at a good pace and am not trying to rush it. If I read (read (this one in present) in past tense) it faster I do not think I would enjoy it as much. If I were to evaluate my reading I would say that sometimes I expect too much out of a book and look at them too critically. I don’t know what will happen next in the book but I know it will be very interesting! I predict that Gale will become a main character very soon. But who will become the love interest? I can’t wait.