Universe by DK

This book talks about how the Universe was formed based on scientific facts and lots of research. This book has three main parts: an introduction a guide to the universe and a section based on the night sky. It was a very long and intense book to read/study. I liked it because it has lots of pictures and really good visual imaging. It can tell you about a scene and I can see it in my minds eye. It is really informative and has lots of detail.

Life Without Limits

Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disabilities to live an independent, rich, fulfilling, and "ridiculously good" life while serving as a role model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, Nick eagerly spreads his central message: The most important goal is to find your life's purpose and to never give up, despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in your way. Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured while learning to deal with them as a child, teen, and young adult. "For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation." Nick shares how his faith in God has been his major source of strength, and he explains that once he found a sense of purpose -- inspiring others to better their lives and the world around them -- he found the confidence to build a regarding and productive life without limits. Let Nick inspire you to start living your own life without limits.

Tamer By Mal Peet

In the "Hunger Winter" of 1944, two undercover operatives parachute into Nazi-occupied Holland. They are spies of the Allied forces, sent to provide support for the Dutch resistance movement.

Half a century later, a fifteen-year-old girl named Tamar inherits a box from her grandfather containing a series of clues and coded messages. out of the past, another Tamar emerges--a man involved in the terrifying world of resistance fighter-- and she is his namesake. His is a complex one of passionate love,jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily fear and casual horror of the Second World War. Unraveling it will transform Tamer's life.

Dark force Rising

The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord--Grand Admiral Thrawn--has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. With the aid of unimaginable weapons long hidden away by the Emperor on a backwater planet, Thrawn plans to turn the tide of battle, overwhelm the New Republic, and impose his iron rule throughout the galaxy. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republican Council--only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies. Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness... and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side.

the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a masterpiece of literature that has survived the trials of time again and again. Originally Oscar WIlde underwent much controversy over his explicit scenes and homoerotic content. Finally the book gained fame and is now used in comprehensive English classes all over the world. It shows the life of a young and stunningly handsome man by the name of Dorian Gray. Gray is susceptible to influence and Lord Henry Wotton take advantage of this. Lord Wotton turns Dorian Gray into the young, lively, and beautiful person he always dreamed of being.

Field&Stream THE TOTAL OUTDOORSMAN MANUEL BY T. Edward Nickens

Hunt Better: How to track a buck, make the toughest shots and master bow hunting and knife skills.
Fish Smarter: Advice on the best techniques for fly fishing  bait casting  and spinning, as well as surefire ways to get the most out of your motorboat, canoe, or kayak.
Survive Anything: Whether you fall through thick ice  are swept away by a raging river, or have a stare down with an angry bear, these skills mean the difference between life and death.
Camp Anywhere: Tested and proven expert tips to help you stay warm, eat well, and build a fire in any situation in record time.

Secret Soldiers by Philip Gerard

They were Eisenhower's secret weapon-an elite troupe of 1,100 artists, actors, electronic wizards, designers, and writers drawn from the New York art world and colleges like the University of Chicago  These men created dazzling theatrical battlefield ruses, fooling the German High command into attacking the wrong place, defending the wrong bridgehead, even retreating from phantom attackers conjured by radio scripts, sound effects, a handful of convincing actors, and inflatable armored divisions. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. helped pioneer the tactics of this unlikely band of heroes, which included future fashion king Bill Blass, abstract painter Ellsworth Kelly, and artist Hal Laynor. Drawing on recently declassified records, interview, diaries, and letters.

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn

It's five years after Return of the Jedi: the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting Jedi Twins. And Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of Jedi Knights. But thousand of light-years away, the last of the emperor's warlords has taken command of the shattered Imperial Fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the new Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to build. The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale--in short, a story worthy of the nameStar Wars.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Jonathon Harker travels to Transylvania for a business deal with a Romanian nobleman, only to find himself ensnared in the horrific world of Count Dracula, a mysterious man with an evil secret. Worst of All, the Count is now headed toward London-and Jonathan's beloved Mina. Can this monster be destroyed?

So far this is a great book. It is exciting and I can't put it down! Anybody who likes vampires should read it. There is a small book that tells the story. So far my favorite character is the Count. A vampire. In the other book Lucy got bit. (A friend of Mina's) If that part comes, I can't wait.

Gregor and the marks of secret

My favorite things are the comedy and adventure of  the series, like  the children learning the  underland creature's language, and Gregor and Luxas friendship.



 My favorite character is Luxa. she is my favorite because  she is protective and because of  her common sense and her sometimes loving behavior and when she is tired. She is also pretty, and Luxas hair in the book it says its soft.





Why I followed the series so far is because  it is awesome,  funny and you always want to know about whats next. You won't ever regret reading the series of Gregor the over lander books.



 The book is also funny  because you never know when the comedy will spit out of their mouths.The jokes, the words, even the way the're doing stuff is funny, like Boots being silly with  Hazard and Temp and how Boots is not afraid of  any underland animals like Butterflies,Lizards, Ants, Rats, Spiders, scorpions, fireflies. Boots loves them all. Because Boots thinks the're funny, cute and silly it's dangerous for all of them protecting Boots.

The Lord of the Rings part II: The Two Towers By: J.R.R. Tolkien

          The Two Towers, the second book of J.R.R. Tolkien's three volume epic, The Lord of the Rings, continues the story of Frodo Baggins- the brave and gentle hobbit upon whom the fate of Middle-earth depends. We pick up where The Fellowship of the Ring left off:: with Frodo alone responsible for ridding the world of the dangerous ring he inherited from his cousin Bilbo-- a ring for which Sauron, the Dark Lord, is restlessly searching. The first part of The Two Towers traces the deeds and perils of each member of the Fellowship after Frodo has gone his way-- from Pippin and Merry's kidnapping by Orcs to the adventures of the noble Aragorn and the wizard Gandalf, which bring them to Orthanc, the indomitable tower of the greedy Saruman.
            The book's second part follows Frodo's terror-fraught travels through the hills of Emyn Muil and the Dead Marshes to Mordor, Sauron's hellish stronghold,where Frodo must try yo destroy his burden at last. On the journey he is accompanied by his intrepid servant Sam, and he seemingly tames the slithery, unscrupulous spy-turned-guide, Gollum. Approaching the Dark Lord's realm, things look less gloomy as he briefly joins forces with the Men of Gondor and learns of a secret passage into Mordor. But Frodo enters what he hopes will be the last phase of his odyssey only to be attacked by the voracious giant spider, Shelob; he loses the ring and is captured by the enemy-- just as the looming war between good and evil, a long-expected contest of epic proportions, is beginning. The Two Towers is the stuff not only of classic myth, but also of modern fairy tale-- delivering the profound impact of both. As the Times literary Supplement wrote after the book was first published in England in 1954, "Such a timeless story must be told in timeless prose. Dr. Tolkien manages this difficult feat very well. . . . Even a single read will not be quickly forgotten."

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Life wasn't easy for Celie. But she knew how to survive, needing to get by.
Then her husband's lover, a flamboyant blues singer barreled into her world and gave Celie the courage to ask for more-- to laugh, to play, and finally-- to love.

Thin Air by Robert Parker

I haven't started reading this book yet but it was suggested to me by another mystery lover. Previously I have read Sherlock Holmes novel called  A study in scarlet which I found very intriguing but I needed a break from that style of writing so I decided to pick a more modern mystery. I did like the Sherlock Holmes book that I read but I wanted something that was less complicated like this Robert Parker book.

Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and The Prophecy of Bane, The Curse of the Warmbloods, and Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Susanne Collins

Why I recommend it: it's funny, it's full with adventure, and survival skills, and it never seems to get old. It's a great book to read to someone  or to read alone. and it's for all different ages.

What book I'm on: the 4th book of the series.

Why I like it: It's hands down interesting.  You always want to know what's next, and it makes no sense.  That's why it's funny.

What I dislike about it: when the people cry or get killed.

Main characters: Gregor, Boots, Ripred , Luxa, Hazard, Ares, Thalia.

 

The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrua

It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly. . . .

As the people of Yonwood scramble to make sense of the woman’s mysterious utterances, Nickie explores the oddities she finds around town—her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals and papers, a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes—all while keeping an eye out for ways to help the world. Is this vision her chance? Or is it already too late to avoid a devastating war?

The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

When teenagers Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow lead their people up out of the Earth, fleeing their dying underground city of Ember, everything is new and a little frightening to the refugees--the sun and the moon, birds, trees, fire…and the people of Ember are strange to the 322 citizens of Sparks, one of the few towns on Earth to survive the time of The Disaster. How can they feed and house the 400 Emberites, the leaders of Sparks wonder, when they have just begun to be able to feed themselves comfortably? But if they don’t, these underground people with no survival skills will surely die in the wastelands. They take them in as best they can, but grumbling and bad feeling grows on both sides.

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here" Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails? Twelve-year-old Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet seem to be the only people who are worried. They have just been assigned their life jobs--Lina as a messenger, which leads her to knowledge of some unsettling secrets, and Doon as a Pipeworker, repairing the plumbing in the tunnels under the city where a river roars through the darkness. But when Lina finds a very old paper with enigmatic "Instructions for Egress," they use the advantages of their jobs to begin to puzzle out the frightening and dangerous way to the city of light of which Lina has dreamed.

Mossflower A Tale From Redwall By: Brian Jacques

When the clever and greedy wildcat Tsarmina becomes Queen of the Thousand Eyes and ruler of the peaceful woodlanders with an iron claw, bringing every otter and hedgehog, every mouse and squirrel to its whimpering knees.

But then the brave mouse Martin and the quick-talking mousethief Gonff meet in the dungeon of Kotir Castle. With the aid of all the woodlanders, the two escape and resolve to end Tsarmina's tyrannical rule. Joind by Dinny the mole, Martin and Gonff set off on a dangerous quest for Salamandastron, mountain of dragons, where they are convinced that their only hope, Boar the FIghter, still lives. . . .

This is our test blog to be sure that Morgan and I have properly added ourselves to the blog site.
Here we go.

Red Scarf Girl

In 1966, twelve year old Ji li Jiang had everything: brains, the admiration of her classmates, and a bright future in  Communist China. But that year China's leader, Mao Zedong, launched the cultural revolution, and Ji li's world began to fall apart. Over the next few years, he family was humiliated by former friends and neighbors. They lived in constant terror of arrest, and when he father was finally detained, Ji li faced the most difficult dilemma of her life. This is the true story of one family's courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century.