Introoooooooooooo

     We have now come to the time to begin third quarter blogs. Last quarter I recieved a much better grade than I did first quarter and I was very happy with that. I believe I put more effort into my blog and tried harder to get a better grade. This quarter I want to do the same and recieve a good grade again. Our very first time blogging we recieved a very structured prompt with specific instruction on what to put into our blog. For our second blog we were given more freedom and other options to put into our blog. Now for this thrid quarter blog we were given very little instruction and entry specifications for our blogs. We are allowed to take our blog into a personal direction and be very creative and expressive about our book. I am very excited to begin blogging for the third time and also without a very structured prompt!
 
   The title of the book I choose for this semester is "what happened to goodbye" by Sarah Dessen. I choose this book because I have read many other of Dessens books before and I really like them. I dont read often but I would have to say I am into teen love storys which are what alot of her books are about. I havent gotten very far in the book but from what I read so far I really like it! It has a very interesting story line. In the book a girl and her father were abandoned when the mother left them for another man and they just keep continuing to move around and start new lives. They are running away from their problems and creating new identitys for themselves. Eventually you will come to learn that the teenage girl falls in love and shockingly is tired of leaving behind her problems. From what I have read so far I really am enjoying this book and I can tell it's going to be one of those books I pick up and cant put down.


This is the book cover for my third quarter book!



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

<object id="vp1mIOem" width="432" height="240" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1323364250&f=mIOem1TAqOwAqasFAfbn4w&d=35&m=b&r=360p&volume=100&start_res=360p&i=m&options="></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed id="vp1mIOem" src="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1323364250&f=mIOem1TAqOwAqasFAfbn4w&d=35&m=b&r=360p&volume=100&start_res=360p&i=m&options=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="432" height="240"></embed></object><p><a href='http://animoto.com'>Make a video</a> of your own at Animoto.</p>

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?