Book 16

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                                                                       12/13/11

 I am not really enjoying reading the book, How To Be The Funniest Kid In The Whole Wide World ( Or Just In Your Class), written by Jay Lena.  The genre is definitely Hummer.  There is no store. There is no main character.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: There is no store. The main problem is there is no story. The tone or mood of the book is not very suspenseful because, it tells the answers. A theme that appears in the book is stand-up comedy. There is no moral.  From my point of view, I can see that this book is not meant . The author organized the story through Q and A.  The author’s purpose is to entertain people. His perspective is that in life, you should have a laugh.  

 “What kind of mint is deadly if thrown?  Spearmint.”  This was written on page 50.  I picked this passage because it shows that There are jokes.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that it is a joke book. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I did the 5 finger test, or check the vocab.  However I then abandoned it.

 Figurative language I saw in the book: personification, simile, oxymoron.

 I would rate this book 0 stars because at the book has no actual story.  I think How To Be The Funniest Kid In The Whole Wide World ( Or Just In Your Class) is not a very well written hummer book.  ( NO I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT TO THE CLASS )

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

CE 3

Date: 12-10-11

Name: Michael

Tittle: Animal shelter's behavior experts face life and death decisions for animals

Author: JOHN OWENS

Source: The Miami Herald

The topic of the article is: Pet training.

The main idea of the article is: How a pets future is decided.

This main Idea is: Stated.

The author’s purpose for writing this article is to: Inform the reader about how a pets future is decided.

The author’s perspective in this article is objective (unbiased) because: He told  both sides.

The pattern of organization of the article is: Q and A.

The reason the author chose this pattern for the article is: To best explain the article.

The text features included in the article are: Tittle.

This article is about: Pet training.

What I learned from this article is: That you should not be fooled by the name the “ Anti-Cruelty Society ” is a very cruel place.

What I liked about this article was: They used a lot of quotes.

What I did not like about it  was: They said killed dogs.

Who should read this article and why: Everyone,  everyone should know the truth.

This article reminds me of: (text-to-world) When the pound kills animals to make space when they still have room.

New vocabulary I learned:

Word                       Context Clues                    Meaning

1. Controversial 1. demanding 1. Argumentative

2. Advocacy 2. stress 2. Supportive

3. condemns 3. weapon 3. Evil without evidence

Book 15

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                                                                       12/6/11

 I am enjoying reading the book, Artemis Fowl, written by Eoin Colfer.  The genre is definitely Fantasy.  The store takes place in an unknown land. The main character is Artemis Fowl.  He is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: First, A boy (Artemis) tries to steal a panting, next he jumps off a building, later he defeats a criminal, thats all I read. The main problem is he is being chased by heat seeking missiles. The tone or mood of the book is not very suspenseful because, everything so far is in no way mysterious. A theme that appears in the book is that theft is not worth it. The moral is theft is not worth it.  From my point of view, I can see that Artemis is well prepared. The author organized the story through a time order.  The author’s purpose is to entertain people. His perspective is that in life, you should not take things from others.  

 “The dwarf couldn’t have stolen all the truffles and explosives.”  This was written on page 33.  I picked this passage because it shows that they are stealing.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that they are stealing. 

 I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, someone at the book fair recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am still reading this book.

 Figurative language I saw in the book: personification, simile, oxymoron, metaphor,  illiteration.

 I would rate this book 5 stars *****because at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  I think Artemis Fowl is a wonderfully written fantasy.  ( YES I DO RECOMMEND IT TO THE CLASS )

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 14

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                                                                       11/28/11

 I am enjoying reading the book, Artemis Fowl, written by Eoin Colfer.  The genre is definitely Fantasy.  The store takes place in an unknown land. The main character is Artemis Fowl.  He is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: First, A boy tries to steal a panting, thats all I read. The main problem is it is in a high security bank. The tone or mood of the book is not very suspenseful because, everything so far is in no way mysterious. A theme that appears in the book is that theft is not worth it. There is no moral so far in the book, because I'm not very far in.  From my point of view, I can see that the robber is well prepared. The author organized the story through a time order (so far).  The author’s purpose is to entertain people. His perspective is that in life, you should not take things from others.  

 “Franz Herman stole the Ferry Thief when he was 18 years old; I need to beat that record.”  This was written on page 33.  I picked this passage because it shows that they are stealing.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that they are stealing. 

 I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, someone at the book fair recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am still reading this book.

 Figurative language I saw in the book: personification, simile, oxymoron, metaphor,  illiteration.

 I would rate this book 5 stars *****(so far) because at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  I think Artemis Fowl is a wonderfully written fantasy.  ( YES I DO RECOMMEND IT TO THE CLASS )

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 13

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                                  11/23/11

 I am enjoying reading the book, Myths and legends of the World, written by Geraldine  McCaughrean.  The genre is definitely short story.  The store I’m takes place on a coast line. The main character is Kahakura.  He is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: First, Kahakura has a dream, then he tells his people about it, then he runs away, later he comes back with a gift, and so on. The main problem was they needed more food. The tone or mood of the book is suspenseful. A theme that appeared in the book is don’t be greedy. The moral of the book is that you should not be greedy.  From my point of view, I could see that the generous get rewarded. The author organized the story through a time order.  The author’s purpose was to entertain and pass on lessons of morality, and how things cam to be. Her perspective was that in life, you should be generous to the needy.  

 “So Kahakura took home to his tribe the amazing secret of fishing nets- how they are used and how they are made.  As long as the sea runs and the fish run in the sea, the Maori people will never go hungry for fish, nor empty of love.  It is as the gods wish.”  This was written on page 19.  I picked this passage because it shows the generous get everything.  The passage is significant to the story because Kahakura got his treasure because of generosity. 

 I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am writing this, and I quizzed myself.

 Figurative language I saw in the book: illiteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

 I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, even during dinner when my mom tells me to, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.(YES I DO RECOMMEND IT TO THE CLASS)

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 12

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                                                                       11/15/11

 I am enjoying reading the book, Entombed, written by Bernard Mayer.  The genre is definitely Memoir.  The store takes place in Europe. The main character is Bernard( Bezo ).  He is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: First, Ukrainians raid Bezo’s house, later they are put in work camps and told to wear arm bands.  Later, they make and live in an underground bunker, also the Nazis search for them, thats all I read. The main problem is they are Jews in the holocaust. The tone or mood of the book is very suspenseful because, everything so far is very mysterious. A theme that appeares in the book is that many people hate the jews. There is no moral so far in the book, because it is a memoir.  From my point of view, I can see that the Jews are widely hated. The author organized the story through a time order.  The author’s purpose was to inform people about the holocaust. His perspective is that in life, you should not take things for granted.  

 “I’m going to the camp to talk to Dr. Frommer to tell him to come to the bunker with me to evaluate the old-timers and take along injections.”  This was written on page 177.  I picked this passage because it shows that there life mite end soon.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that there life mite end soon. 

 I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am still reading this book.

 Figurative language I saw in the book: illiteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

 I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  I think Entombed is a wonderfully written historical-non-fiction Holocaust memoir.  ( YES I DO RECOMMEND IT TO THE CLASS )

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

current event 2

Date: 11-13-11

Name: Mikey Rogatinsky

                                  

Current Events Journal 

Title: A legacy of service: Three generations of Pines family have served in military

Author: Perry Stein

Source: The Miami herald

The topic of the article is:  Family loyalty

The main idea of the article is: A family of veterans

stated

The author’s purpose for writing this article is to  inform

The author’s perspective in this article is: subjective (biased)

The pattern of organization of the article is flash backs

The reason the author chose this pattern for the article is it talks about his past

The text features included in the article are: image, and caption witch helps by giving an idea of what they are like

This article is about A family of veterans 

The significance (importance) of this article is they are veterans and it was veterans day

What I learned from this article is   veterans children generally join the army

What I liked about this article is  it’s very descriptive

What I did not like about it is  it only tells the grandpas stores

Who should read this article and why  adults, because it’s from The Miami herald

This article reminds me of  the book Griffins daughter, because the grandpa, dad, and son are in the army (text-to-text)  

New vocabulary I learned 

                                                                         

	Word	Context Clues	Meaning
1	imbued	imbued him with	filled with
2	shrapnel	shrapnel bit by bit	shell fragments
3	indoctrinated	was indoctrinated to	instruct

Book 11

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                                                                       11/7/11

 I am enjoying reading the book, Entombed, written by Bernard Mayer.  The genre is definitely Memoir.  The store takes place in Europe. The main character is Bernard( Bezo ).  He is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: First, Ukrainians rade Bezo’s house, thats all I read. The main problem is they are Jews in the holocaust. The tone or mood of the book is very suspenseful because, everything so far is very mysterious. A theme that appeares in the book is that many people hate the jews. There is no moral so far in the book, because it is a memoir.  From my point of view, I can see that the Jews are widely hated. The author organized the story through a time order.  The author’s purpose was to inform people about the holocaust. His perspective is that in life, you should not take things for granted.  

 “Clara was vibrant and full of life. She wanted to live.”  This was written on page 53.  I picked this passage because it shows the character not taking life for granted.  The passage is significant to the story because Clara wanted to live. 

 I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am still reading this book.

 Figurative language I saw in the book: illiteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

 I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  I think Entombed is a wonderfully written historical-non-fiction Holocaust memoir.  ( YES I DO RECOMMEND IT TO THE CLASS ).

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 10

Dear Ms. Zrihen,                          11/01/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Myths and legends of the World, written by Geraldine  McCaughrean.  The genre is definitely short story.  The store takes place on a coast line. The main character is Kahakura.  He is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story: First, Kahakura has a dream, then he tells his people about it, then he runs away, later he comes back with a gift, and so on. The main problem was they needed more food. The tone or mood of the book is suspenseful. A theme that appeared in the book is don’t be greedy. The moral of the book is that you should not be greedy.  From my point of view, I could see that the generous get rewarded. The author organized the story through a time order.  The author’s purpose was to entertain and pass on lessons of morality, and how things cam to be. Her perspective was that in life, you should be generous to the needy.  

“So Kahakura took home to his tribe the amazing secret of fishing nets- how they are used and how they are made.  As long as the sea runs and the fish run in the sea, the Maori people will never go hungry for fish, nor empty of love.  It is as the gods wish.”  This was written on page 19.  I picked this passage because it shows the generous get everything.  The passage is significant to the story because Kahakura got his treasure because of generosity. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am writing this, and I quizzed myself.

Figurative language I saw in the book: illiteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, even during dinner when my mom tells me to, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Current events 1

Date: 10-30-11

Name: Michael

Title: Will Steve Jobs' final vendetta haunt Google?

Author: MICHAE  L LIEDTKE

Source: The Miami Herald

The topic of the article is: stealing.

The main idea of the article is: Google stole from Apple.

This main Idea is: Stated.

The author’s purpose for writing this article is to: Inform the reader about what Google did to Apple.

The author’s perspective in this article is objective (unbiased) because: He took no sides.

The pattern of organization of the article is: Cause and effect.

The reason the author chose this pattern for the article is: Because there were chain reactions.

The text features included in the article are: Tittle, pictures, and captions.

This article is about: What Google did to Apple.

What I learned from this article is: The reason Android is such a big apple competitor is because it stole from Apple.

What I liked about this article was: They used a lot of quotes.

What I did not like about it  was: They weren’t descriptive.

Who should read this article and why: Anyone who uses computers, if you don’t it is pointless.

This article reminds me of: (text-to-world) When companies steal from each other.

New vocabulary I learned:

Word                       Context Clues                    Meaning

1. Vendetta 1. Haunt 1. Revenge

2. Antipathy 2. Continuos hinting 2. Dislike

3. Innovative 3. TV 3. Introducing new things

Book 9

Dear Ms. Zrihen,      10/25/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Juggling Fire, written by Joanne Bell.  The genre of Juggling Fire is obviously Mystery .  The story Juggling Fire takes place in (unknown). The main character is Rachel.  She is round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story so far: First, Rachel begins her journey, then she makes a fire, and has a meal with her dog Brooks. Later, after having settled down for the night Rachel takes out her weapons.  The main problem so far is that Rachel is having trouble getting to her old house.  The tone of the book is very suspenseful and mysterious.  A theme that appears in the book so far is that fire is a good thing. The moral of the book appears to be that you should not go looking for adventure if you are not prepared for danger.  From my point of view, I could see that Rachel is very excited to go searching for her dad and old house. The author organized the book through chronological order and flash-backs.  The author’s purpose is to entertain. His perspective was that Rachel is very adventurous and can deal with trouble. 

“Every couple of minutes I feed in more wood.  Willow burns hot and fast, and its smoke streams into my eyes.  The fire feels like company. ”  This was written on page 19-20.  I picked this passage because it shows that Rachel is adventurous to go on a journey threw the tundra.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that Rachel is brave to journey threw the wilderness. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, I read the synopsis, or summary.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each page and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After, reading I am still reading.

Figurative language I saw in the book: alliteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger (because it’s a mystery)  so you want to read more all the time.  Also, I do recommend it to the class.

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 8

Dear Ms. Zrihen,      10/18/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Tentacles, written by Roland Smith.  The genre is obviously Mystery .  The story takes place in America. The main characters are Marty, and Luther.  They are both round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the story so far: First, Luther arrives at the island, then he and Marty pass through security to get to the main part of the island. Later, after having a chimp pull out a clump of his hair, Luther and Marty chase a teacup dog and the chimp, Bo, down to the lake and back.  The main problem so far is that they are having trouble catching Bo.  The tone of the book is very suspenseful and mysterious.  A theme that appears in the book is that due to Luther’s strange hair color, Bo enjoys yanking it out. The moral of the book appears to be that you should not go looking for adventure if you are not prepared for danger.  From my point of view, I could see that they are very excited to go searching for giant squid with their uncle Wolfe. The author organized the book through chronological order.  The author’s purpose was to entertain. His perspective was that Luther and Marty are very adventurous and can deal with trouble. 

“Yeah, Marty shouted back.  This is definitely not working.  Bo’s playing with us and it’s getting dark.  If we don’t catch her soon she’ll climb up a tree, build a nest and go to sleep with P.D. cuddled in her arms. The Coelacnth will sail without us. ”  This was written on page 52.  I picked this passage because it shows that Luther and Marty are adventurous to go chasing a chimp and her pet.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that Luther and Marty are brave to chase the chimp into the middle of the forest when it’s getting late. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, I read the synopsis, or summary.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each page and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After, reading I am still reading.

Figurative language I saw in the book: alliteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger (because it’s a mystery)  so you want to read more all the time.  Also, I do recommend it to the class.

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

book 7

Dear Ms. Zrihen,      10/11/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, written by Hunter S. Thompson.  The genre is certainly biography.  The store takes place in Las Vegas. The main characters are Hunter, and his attorney.  They were both round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the store: First, a journalist (Hunter) is asked to cover a store, then Hunter and his attorney go to Las Vegas later wile on drugs they spend way to much money.  After that they run away.  Later, however they come back, to cover an anti drug police conference (this is stupid because they are on drugs). The main problem is Hunter is on drugs, and at an anti drug police conference. The tone or mood of the book is very suspenseful action, and stupidity. A theme that appears in the book is don’t do drugs. The moral of the book is that you should always stay sane (off of drugs).  From my point of view, I could see almost immediately the negative affects of drugs. The author organized the book through flash backs, then chronological order.  The author’s purpose was to inform and pass on lessons of safety. His perspective was that in life, you should never do drugs.  

“I was such a mess that they had to haul me back to the ranch house in a wheelbarrow  ...  they said I was trying to talk but I sounded like a raccoon.”  This was written on page 113.  I picked this passage because it shows the the effects of drugs.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows he was on drugs.

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, I read the synopsis, or summery.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each page and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After, reading I am writing this.

Figurative language I saw in the book: alliteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, even during dinner when my mom tells me to come, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  Also, I do recommend it to the class.

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

book 6

Dear Ms. Zrihen,      10/4/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, written by Hunter S. Thompson.  The genre is certainly biography.  The store take place in Las Vegas. The main characters are Hunter, and his attorney.  They were all round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the store: First, a journalist (Hunter) is asked to cover a store, then Hunter and his attorney go to Las Vegas later wile on drugs they spend way to much money.  After that they run away. The main problem so far is Hunter is on drugs, and owes allot of money. The tone or mood of the book is very suspenseful action. A theme that appears in the book is don’t do drugs. The moral of the book is that you should always stay sane.  From my point of view, I could see almost immediately the affects of drugs. The author organized the book through flash backs, then chronological order.  The author’s purpose was to inform and pass on lessons of safety. His perspective was that in life, you should never do drugs.  

“This is the main advantage of ether: it makes you behave like the village drunkard in some early Irish novel... total loss of all basic motor skills: severance of all connection between the body and the brain.”  This was written on page 40-41.  I picked this passage because it shows the the effects of drugs.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows he is on drugs.

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  (not finished)

Figurative language I saw in the book: alliteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, even during dinner when my mom tells me to, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  Also, I do recommend it to the class.

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

book 5

Dear Ms. Zrihen,      09/27/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Myths and legends of the World, written by Geraldine  McCaughrean.  The genre is definitely folk-tail.  The stores take place in many places like scotland, america,etc. The main characters are to many to name all but a few are Re, king Arthur, and Kahakura.  They were all round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the stories: First, a story of miners, then men on the moon, then the sphinx then leprechauns, and so on. The main problem was varying thru-out the story. The tone or mood of the book is suspenseful. A theme that appeared in the book is don’t be greedy. The moral of the book is that you should not be greedy.  From my point of view, I could see that in almost all the stories, those who were greedy ended up losing out (or dyeing). The author organized the book through a series of short stories.  The author’s purpose was to entertain and pass on lessons of morality, and how things cam to be. Her perspective was that in life, you should be generous to the needy.  

“Raven greedy to add all these pretties to his collection, let go of the moon.”  This was written on page 117.  I picked this passage because it shows the greedy loose everything.  The passage is significant to the story because Raven lost his treasure out of greed. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  After reading, I am writing this, and I quizzed myself.

Figurative language I saw in the book: illiteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, even during dinner when my mom tells me to, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 4

Dear Ms. Zrihen, 09/20/11

I am enjoying reading the book, Myths and legends of the World, written by Geraldine  McCaughrean.  The genre is folk-tail.  The stores take place in many plases. The main characters are to many to name.  They were all round/dynamic.  The plot evolved in the following way threw the stories: First, a story of miners, then men on the moon, finally the sphinx. The main problem was varying thru-out the story so far. The tone or mood of the book is exciting. A theme that appeared in the book is don’t be greedy. The moral of the book is that you should not be greedy.  From my point of view, I could see that in all the stories, those who were greedy ended up losing out.  The author organized the book through a series of short stories.  The author’s purpose was to entertain and pass on lessons of morality.  Her perspective was that in life, you should be generous to the needy.  

“So Kahakura took home to his tribe the amazing secret of fishing nets- how they are used and how they are made.  As long as the sea runs and the fish run in the sea, the Maori people will never go hungry for fish, nor empty of love.  It is as the gods wish.”  This was written on page 19.  I picked this passage because it shows that with hard work you can learn a new skill.  The passage is significant to the story because Kahakura teaches them to fish and so they can be independent in getting food and not completely reliant on him. This was generous of him. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I skimmed and scanned through this book, or I flipped through the pages looking for text features to see whether or not I would like this book.  Also, my mom recommended it to me.  While reading, I would quiz myself on what I read after each story and re-read parts I didn’t understand.  (Not yet finished with book)  

Figurative language I saw in the book: illiteration, simile, metaphor, oxymoron, personification.

I would rate this book 5 stars ***** because once I start reading, even during dinner when my mom tells me to, I can’t put it down.  And at the end and middle of every page, there is a cliff-hanger so you want to read more all the time.  

Sincerely, 

Mikey Rogatinsky

Book 3

Dear Ms. Zrihen , 09/13/11

I enjoyed reading the book, The Adventures of Tom sawyer, written by Mark Twain.  I only have 50 pages left.  The genre was historical fiction.  The Adventures of Tom sawyer takes place in America. The main character or protagonist is Tom.  He was a very round or dynamic character because the book describes his as troublesome, young, good at figuring things out, and fast. I don’t believe there is an antagonist because the boy Tom fought ended up being sad when he couldn’t find Tom.  The foils are Huckleberry Finn and Joe Harper.  The 2 of them go on adventures with Tom, but are not exactly the main character.  Other characters are Aunt Polly, Sid, and Mary.  

The plot continued to evolve in the following way: after Tom and Huck witnessed a murder, they ran into an old warehouse.  Then they discovered a man sleeping. He had been present at the murder. Tom, Huck and Joe decided to run away to an island. Later, Tom gets homesick and comes back to spy on his family. While spying, he learned that his family was going to have a funeral for him because they thought he was dead.  He had an idea and goes back to the island. After telling Huck and Joe, they decide they should attend their own “funeral.”   They attended their own funeral and Tom’s family discovered they were still alive.  Tom returned to school.  The main problem or issue was that school finals were coming up soon. Tom resolved this issue by taking the finals. 

The tone or mood of the book was exciting, but a little slower and less suspenseful.   A theme continued to be adventurous.  The moral of the book is that you should just do what you are told because what goes around comes around.  

From my point of view, I could see that Tom is a very mischievous and quick-witted boy.  The author organized the book through chronological order.  The author’s purpose was to entertain.  His perspective was Tom was mischievous and mildly self-centered.  

“ Vacation was approaching.  The school master, always severe, grew severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make good showing on examination day.”  This was written on page 140.  I picked this passage because it shows that Tom went back to school and his teacher is becoming more strict with punishing him.  The passage is significant to the story because it shows that though mischievous, Tom still has some regard for the rules. 

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, I did the 5 finger test, or check the vocab. Also It was recommended, or suggested to me.  While reading, I would always think of what to type or quiz my self and talk about it or discuss it.  (50 pages left)     

Figurative language was noted in the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: simile,   metaphor, alliteration,personification,and oxymoron.

I would rate The Adventures of Tom sawyer ***** (five stars) because once I pick it up I cant put it down. 

Sincerely, 

Michael Rogatinsky 

Book 2

Dear Ms. Zrihen , 09/6/11

I enjoyed reading the first three quarters of the book, The Adventures of Tom sawyer, written by Mark Twain.  The genre was historical fiction.  The Adventures of Tom sawyer takes place in America. The main character or protagonist is Tom.  He was a very round or dynamic character because the book describes his as troublesome, young, good at figuring things out, and fast. The antagonist appears to be developing slowly because I believe it is the person who Tom was fighting.  Tom was fighting him because he threw a rock at Tom. Other characters are Aunt Polly, Sid, and Mary.  The plot evolved in the following way: First Tom tricks Aunt Polly and runs away. Then he gets in a fight, after that, he gets in trouble(witch happens often). Later, he goes to the cemetery with Huckleberry Fin, Lastly he witnesses a murder. The main problem or issue was Tom must decide weather or not to tell. The tone or mood of the book was exciting and suspenseful.   A theme that appeared in the book was adventure.  The moral of the book is that breaking the rules doesn't pay off(unless you’re Tom).  From my point of view, I could see that Tom is over confident yet cautious.  The author organized the book through chronological order.  The author’s purpose was to entertain.  His perspective was Tom was over confident.  

“ They continued to whisper for some little time. Presently a dog set up a long, lugubrious howl just outside-within ten feet of them. The boys clasped each other suddenly, in an agony of fright.”  This was written on page 79.  I picked this passage because it shows that Tom is not always as brave as he seems.  The passage is significant to the story in the sense that Tom is not always as brave as he seems.

I used several reading strategies throughout the book. Before reading, It was recommended, or suggested to me.  I also did the 5 finger test, or check the vocab.  While reading, I would always think of what to type or quiz my self and talk about it or discuss it.  (still not yet finished)     

Figurative language was noted in the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: simile,   metaphor, alliteration,and oxymoron.

I would rate The Adventures of Tom sawyer ***** (five stars) because I cant put it down. 

Sincerely, 

Michael Rogatinsky