Dear Julia Hoban...

Letter about Literature

Dear Julia Hoban,

Your book Willow was very inspiring to me. I feel like in many ways it gave me a new perspective on life. It showed me how big of an affect things can have on one single person. It made me realize that I should never take anything for granted. Including friends, family, and the loved ones around you because in a flash they could be gone, just as Willow’s parents we gone. It made me learn that you should never put yourself in a situation that would harm yourself just to take away the pain. It made me understand that you should never assume you have no one and exclude yourself from the world around you. It taught me not to worry about the small things that don’t always turn out smoothly and to ignore the imperfections, because when you think you have it bad, someone out there always has it worse than you. It also showed me how one person has the chance to completely turn someone’s life around for the better like Guy did for Willow. Reading your book makes me want to reach out and be there for anyone who needs help because I don’t think anyone deserves to be alone. Just because someone is different to you doesn’t mean you don’t have thing in common, were all human and we all need to be loved and cared for. No matter how much someone says they don’t need or want anyone or how much they try to push you away, Willow taught me that they are lying and they need someone there for them more than anything. I believe that NO ONE can go through life alone or better yet, that no one should have to go through life alone. Everyone needs someone to be there for them in the tough times and be there to celebrate with them in the good times. I feel like I now want to be more understanding of every situation that comes at me. I want to think twice before getting mad at someone, I want to let people know I am there for them, I want to let everyone feel loved, and I want others to read this book so they can really see what affects some situations have on others. I now know that there really are people out there that don’t believe they deserve life so they try to take it away from themselves, and that is a mistake because everyone deserves the world.  Reading Willow was a real eye-opener for me to understand that no one’s life is perfect no matter how good they can hide it, or show they don’t care. Thank you for writing a wonderful book, I am very appreciative of it and I loved it!

Your fellow Reader,

            Stevie Dailey

vlog..

Book Trailer for Willow (ANIMOTO) By: Stevie Dailey

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Symbols representing Willow and her story..

Willow by Julia Hoban.

Willow killed her parents in a car accident.

Willow uses razor blades to take away her pain.

Willow cuts to hide the pain from losing her parents.

Family was everything to Willow.

Willow's get away at a park.

Guy makes Willow feel wanted and loved again.

Willow needs to feel loved more than anything.

Book that Willow, her brother, and Guy all enjoy.

LINK UP!

http://www.linussblanket.com/willow-julia-hoban-book-review/
This is a summary of the book Willow. It is created to give you details that help you better understand the book. I read and it really made me more interested in finishing my book!

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/feeling_sad/cutting.html
This is a site that has information about other teens who cut themselves. It is information to why people do it and I believe it will you understand why Willow did. You also have the opportunity to discuss with other teens about cutting and get advice if you are in need.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7zDSg3bRco
This link is the video trailor for Willow. It will give you information about the book. It will also try to get you interested in the book so you read it hopefully.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology
This link gives you the definintion of anthropology. Willows brother, father, Guy, and herself are all interested in Anthro. It gives you a better understanding of what it is so you can understand why are they are all so interested in it.

http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Cutting-Yourself
This link talks about the harmful affects on cutting yourself and how to stop. Just like in the book, Willow was given lectures by Guy to stop, this tells you how bad it is for you. Just imagine how hard it is for Willow to stop her harmful addiction.

http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Lost-Both-My-Parents-As-A-Teen/11221/forum
This is a discussion board for other teens who have lost their parents. If you lost yours, this might be a great way to let some of your emotions go. If you havent, read some of the stories to get an idea of how Willow felt and what was constantly going on in her mind.

http://gettingtoknowwillow.blogspot.com/
This is a blog the author has created. It was created to give you information about why the author wrote the book Willow. It helps you get a better understanding of why what happened in the book was put in the book.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/julia-hoban/2127837
This link is here for you to order the book Willow which is available at Barnes and Noble. It was one ofmy favortite books I've read. I hope by reading my blogs I have also gotten you interested my book.

http://www.onread.com/book/Willow-191691/
This link is another option if your interested in reading Willow. You cna subscribe and read the book online. It also give syou a short description of the book to help you get a better idea.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/514824.Julia_Hoban
This links you to quotes by the author. It will help you get a closer look at why the wrote the story she did. It will also give you better understanding.

my advice to you...

Blog Comment 1: Brandon Blewett
Brandon, I think you did a really good job explainig your stengths and weaknesses you had in your first quarter blog. I can really relate to how you felt about your grade because I was also disappointed with mine. I like how you pointed out what mistakes you made that you would make sure not to make this semester.Dont lose your enthusiasm on blogging due to your bad grade. I beleive in you and that you have the ability to bring your grade up this quarter to satisfy you. This quarter really focus on paying attention to the blog prompts and understanding what is being asked of you in the particular blog post. If your asked to create an overview instead of summarize specific sybmols themes make sure you try to do so. I know your capable of getting a better grade on your blog so dont give up Brandon!

Blog Comment 2: Abbie Weil
Abbie Jean, you did a very good job voicing your opinion about spark notes. Shame on you for ever in your life using it!! Ahem.. but of course something has to be there to dumb it down for you since im not :) Just kidding!  Also, I agree with you a hundred percert about not really understanding or seeing the different emotions that are shown in the book if you use spark notes for your book as a substition for reading it! If you like the book your reading right now, then you shouldnt feel the need to use spark notes. Anyways,I read this book and I loved it. How do you like it so far? Are you getting into it? I got so into it i couldnt put it down!!I think next time you should really think of a tittle for your blog. Well ttyl!

Blog Comment 3: Macie Wheeler
Macie, thank you for complimenting on my blog! I also believed you did really well on your first quarter blog. I understood you really liked you book so I continued to read your blog and I am actually reading your book now! I love it so far! My favorite book out of Willow and the previous book I read is Please Ignore Vera Dietz. How do you like the book? Which is your favorite so far? I'm very excited to start following the other school and I do believe it will get me more interested in blogging, what do you think?

Beginning of Blog #2, Reflection!

     Now I'm going to begin blogging for the second time. First quarter my blog grade wasn't the best or what i expected to get but I had never done it before so it's all a learning experience. Recieving feedback will help me improve my blog for this quarter so I can do better than i did before and Im hoping to recieve a better grade. Aftrer recieving my blog grade I understand the mistakes I made and what my strong and weak points were. Some of my strong points were the links I used along with the descriptions I wrote and the two paragraphs I wrote for my classical music piece, they were very lengthy and described why i chose the piece I did. My weak points were my animoto and my picture blog. I made the same mistake for both of them. For the picture blog I created of more plot summaries instead of showing inportant symbols and settings. For the animoto I gave a summary instead of getting readers intrigued by my book.

     I still really enjoy blogging and I personally want to continue with this project for the rest of the year. I will not let my first quarter grade let me get discouraged for this quarter. I'm still going to try my best and learn off of my mistakes from first quarter in order to improve this blog. So far I have really enjoyed reading my second book. Its called Willow and it has a really interesting story line. Its about a girl who killed her parents in a car accident and continuously thinks of herself as a murdered. She constantly feels pressure to make herself suffer through as much pain as everyone else. Right now im not very far in the book and but I know that she will eventually use love as a way to cope with he troubles. I really like how we are given a little more freedom for this quarter blog, I believe it will help me improve my grade with the allowance to take this blog into my own direction.

ANIMOTO!!!

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Links that help you better understand.

http://www.aa.org/?Media=PlayFlash
This link tells you what AA is. I choose it becasue Vera and her family have drinking problems. Her dad wants her to understand the dangers.

http://www.as-king.com/html/vera.php
I choose this link because it is the authors website. It not only gives you a short summary of the book but it gives you information on the author and other important details in the book. It also shows other peoples opinions on who have read the book and what they thought of it.

http://www.as-king.com/
This link is also website that has information about the author. Its you contact the author and also give you dates about when the author will be doing book signings and releasing new books. It also gives many details about the book, Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagoda
In my book one of the major settings is at the town Pagoda. This link will give you backgroud information and pictures of Pagodas. I was really confused as to what it was so this link helped me out!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6665671-please-ignore-vera-dietz
Good reads is a review site. It gives a great review over Please Ignore Vera Dietz! It also gives you more opinions on the book other than mine. It also has quotes and gods excerpts from the book.

http://inthegoodbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-please-ignore-vera-dietz-by-s.html
This is a link that conencts to a blog that is also in blogspot.com. Its a girl blogging about the book I am reading/blogging about too! Its very useful to see another persons work that is similar to mine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_therapy
I believe that this link that tells you about family couseling could be very helpful in terms of better understanding my book. Vera and her dad encounter many problems in thier relationship after their mom leaves, Vera getting in trouble, and Charlies death. Going to family therapy with eachother really helped out their relationship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1c4d5kSX6c
This is a book trailor for my book. I feel like adding this in will help get others interested in my book and give them ideas that i was not able to share. I hope this draws others in and gets them really interested in reading Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/please-ignore-vera-dietz-a-s-king/1100290601
I hope that by reading my blog you have drawn an interest to my book. I also hope that thsi post helped you become more knowlegable about what is happening in my book. This link makes the book available for you to purchase, which i hope you really consider reading  this book!!

http://treehouseguy.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/treehouse-fall-04-gif.gif
A very important setting also in my book is a tree house. Charlie built this tree house with the help of Vera and began living in it every summer. This picture fits the perfect description of the treehouse built.

http://jdcard.com/engl3007/airplane.htm
This link is directions on how to fold a paper airplane. In the book paper airplanes play a big symbolic role to Vera and her dad. They made a tradition of flying them from a pagoda as a symbol of over-coming Vera's mom leaving them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.S._King
I choose this link because I think it gives a really good biography of the author. It also gives a list of awards the author has won and tall the things she has acomplished. A list of different books the author has written is also available if you decide to read this book and end of loving her work!

Vlog!!

Blog Comments

Blog Comment 1: Abbie Weil
I really like how your blog tells the story in an order of events. It summarizes the book good. I also like how you incorporated humor in this blog my making the pictures funny. Your book seems really interesting and i am considering reading it for my next book. How do you like this book? Even though what happens in your book isnt really relatable it stills grabs my attention. I like teen novels with good story lines, which your book seems to have from what i have read in your blog so far.

Blog Comment 2: Hannah Gray

Hannah I really enjoyed looking at your blog post! i think you did a really good job going in to specific details. You also highlighted many important facts from your book really well. After reading and looking at the pictures in your blog i am really interested in your book and i am going to consider choosing it for my next book to read. How did you like your book? Would you recommend it?

Blog Comment 3: Brandon
Brandon, I think you did a really good going into detail about your book just using pictures. I think you really tell the story and give me a good summary. However, you book doesnt really seem to be a book I would be intersted in or really read but I'm sure its a fantastic book for you to read! Great Job!

A Ride in the Dales

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.classicalconnect.com/files/CCPlayer.swf" width="350" height="120"><param name="movie" value="http://www.classicalconnect.com/files/CCPlayer.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="playlist=/node/4250/play/xml" /><a href="http://www.classicalconnect.com/%22%3EClassical Connect - Free classical music online</a></object>

                   I picked this piece because i feel it best described the characters mood in my book, Please Ignore Vera Dietz. Vera, the main character in my book has a lot going on in her life at the moment and has really always had something going on. She lives a crazy life that consist of going to school and maintaining a full time job and good grades. Her mother left her a few years back and her bestfriend, Charlie, just recently died also. I think she has a hard time dealing with his death because she feels she could have prevented it so she gives herself a hard time.
                  This musical piece starts with a very upbeat pace and then begins to slow down and then it tends to get really dramatic. Which is how Vera lives her life each day. She begins each day with a clear mind and keeps strong about Charlie and her mother. Throughout the day though while she is at work and has more time to just sit and think Charlie wont stop popping up in her mind. She feels as if he is comstantly randomly popping up, which causes Vera to break down and become emotional. This musical piece also shows how sad Vera can be at times really well but she continues to make it through the day. I feel like this piece does a really good job of expressing the main characters mood and story.

             

picture creation

Book Cover.


Symbol showing everything in Veras dads life was right again.



Charlies funeral.



Veras works at Pagoda Pizza as the deliverer.



The town Vera lives in is famous for a pagoda in the mountains.



Vera and Charlie built a tree house together.



Charlie and Vera were close neighbors.



Charlie used to write his secrets down on a napkin.



Veras dad read zen books to help with life.


Charlies Zippo lighter.


Jenny Flick burned down Vera's favorite pet store.


Charlie left notes for Vera in a cigar box.


Charlie and Vera hungout at the Master Oak together.


Charlie bought a bike and began to ignore Vera.


Vera was very lonely.


Vera knows Charlies big secret.


Vera and James get pulled over at night.


Vera and James go to Pagoda Pizza Christmas party together.


Charlie gave Vera a dozen roses on Valentines day.


Vera's mom left her and her dad for another man.

Introduction of Blogging

Hi, my name is Stevie Dailey. I am an inexperienced blogger so this is all new to me. English doesnt happen to be one of my best subjects, therefore, making it one of my least favorite subjects. I am a little nervous about doing this because I am not a very strong writer. But, this project excites me sort of because it takes us away from writing a paper that drags on and on, so its a little bit of a change for once. Reading isnt on my list of hobbies but that doesnt mean i dont necessarily enjoy it. If i can find a good book that seems to have an interesting plot, then i can really get into it. I dont really ever find myself struggeling to understand the reading, however, it just may take me a little bit longer to finish the book. Well, i hope that you find my blog useful for a source of information amd also find it interesting.

I am participating in the Read for a Lifetime program at CCHS for my English III class.The purpose of this blog is to give others information about the book i will be reading, called The Diary of Vera Dietz. While writing this blog i hope to see my writing skills increase and get people interested in the book that I am reading. I hope others can use my blog as a great and helpful source of information. There are other people that dont necessarily love reading like me. Im hoping that by giving them information with the same mind set of not being too interested, that i can draw their attention and give them a better point of view. The reason i chose the book that im reading is because it sounded like a very dramatic young adult novel, which is what catches my attention. I love when a lot of things are going on in a story because it makes you want to keep reading to find out what is going to happen next.

A blog that is written weekly with the same prompt, a summary of what you read, can begin to get boring. Not only for the person reading it, but also for the person writing. Switching up the prompt will help keep the blog interesting and also give everyone a chance to show their strengths and weakness's a writer as you are given the opportunity to write about many different things. One of the most simple prompts you can write maybe after you have summarized what you read is to relate. Write about how you can relate to the situation the character has been through or experienced. In one way or another someone can always relate to another person. Another interesting prompt we can use while writing our blog is to sort of take the plot of the book and kind of add your own comic to it, either making a story way more funny than it already is or making it dramatically serious. Its always good to add a bit of humor to make things a bit more interesting. Switching up the prompts will be a good way to keep the blog interesting and fun.