Touching Spirit Bear

This novel is a strong peice of evidence. Evidence of 2nd chances, for Cole Matthews a troubled teen bully/ victim, who seeking for something unknown. While on the desert island he discovers the true roots for his anger and aggression and breaks down his barriers. The novel uses many vivid details and greusom scenes to portray exactly how hard and vital the island is to life. While reading the novel i could feel all the emotions and see all the scenes. Cole is hard, but being hard was not his fault, life and the people in his life had forced him to put up walls to protect himself. The lesson I got out of the novel is that life is like the island and if you choice to let the bad hold you down you will get eaten alive by the spirit bears of your life, but if you choice to get yourself together and move and not dwell on the bad you will redeem yourself and go far. In the end, Cole learned his dances and worked on himself. Many things happened to get him there but he kept moving forward. Just like we as people have to do.

Free

What does the word free really mean? Is the meaning, unattached, able to move, mobile, or flowing? I believe free is when you have your mind made up and nothing is holding you back, you are able to move without restraints or caution. You can go as you please and do what you need to do without a second thought. I guess free without. Nothing there, alone, bare! It almost sounds painful and not worth the fights that so many have fought. But the state of being free is great, refreshing and pure. To be able to make your own choices and decisions is an amazing thing that so many take for granted, and I'm lost as to why? Soldiers are fighting for our freedom, not just mine but yours to and people walk like they have forgotten that. 9 years ago this country was attacked and lives where taking, even if you did not die your life was taken from your an your freedom was threatened. I dont know about you but that last sentence of mine sparks emotion. My point is that being free is important no matter how dull and bare the word sounds. So never let anything or being make you think different, because there are a lot of lifeless people that would love to get the chance to show you wrong.

Indian Captive

In the courageous novel Indian Captive, the character Molly Jemison portrays bravery and true heart from beginning to end.

This novel takes place in past time Pennsylvania on the frontier, where Molly's family grows corn and doesn't think Seneca indians will attack them. Soon they find out they were wrong! Molly is separated from her family and has to survive alone with the indian people."a pioneer never quits" is my school moto and Molly fits the moto well. "Home is where you make it" is another moto Molly fits in this novel.

Through the years she never gave up on herself and even coped with her new home. More people should be Mollys, instead of dwelling on the bad of the situation look at the good things you have no matter how small they may be. Rough times are bound to come and you cant control them, but you can control the responses you have. Keep your head up and just keep moving forward. All of these points are shown and proved in the novel.

The chapters are short and the text is not challenging. The novel is an easy read that you can pick up when you just need time to yourself and want to reflect on things. I recommend the novel to all people, because everyone needs to learn these homely lessons.

Tricks

Ellen Hopkins's novel Tricks, is an epic journey of the teenage love crisis. The novel consists of short poems that reveal the secret love lives of 5 teens. Each teens' journey is different and awakens different feelings.

In the beginning, i started out ill interested in the intros to the lives of 5 strangers and did not much care for their boring average lives, but as the poems progress i realized that, that is what makes the novel so grand. The idea of the novel," that love changes all aspects of ones life and even though the word "love" is spelled the same no two people go through the motions the same way'. All the people had average lives that they were content with until love took over their lives.

As the novel plays on, you also learn that everyone is looking for a different form of love whether the love be a relationship with a member of the opposite sex, parents and family, or yourself. Hopkins realistically portrayed modern teens and really addressed issues that are taboo and never mentioned unless Oprah and Tyra Banks are having a ratings craze.

The novel awakened me to the world of others and made me realize some many dynamics to others around me. I recommend this novel to the brave ones that dare open their eyes to real issues and situations.