Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Fiction

                You couldn’t imagine a more unlikely pair than George and Lennie.  The book describes George as small, wary, and a thinker.  Lennie is the opposite.  Close to a giant in size, but resembling a child in his manner, Lennie relies heavily on George for help.  As laborers in California in the 1900s, this relationship is very unusual.  They stick together through hard times and together they dream of someday buying their own farm and “livin’ of the fatta the land.”

                Most of the workers are surprised by the bond George and Lennie have.  George risks his job many times to help Lennie and everyone knows that George would be better off without him. But if George were to leave Lennie, Lennie would be without a job and would eventually find his way into trouble. Lennie never means to hurt anyone, but because of his immense strength he can’t help it. It is George’s job to keep him safe, which is an example of the sacrifices families make for each other. 

The Life of Pi

The Life of Pi  By Yann Martel

***** 5/5 stars  Fiction

On the back of this book, one of the critics says it is hilarious. Why does he call it hilarious? Being stuck in the middle of the ocean with a tiger in a tiny lifeboat is not even remotely funny to me. Pi Patel is the son of a zookeeper. When the zoo is in the process of being moved to North America on a cargo ship, the boat sinks and Pi ends up in a lifeboat with a 450 pound Bengal tiger, a wounded zebra, an orangutan, and a hyena. Soon it is just Pi and the tiger. If you think that is funny, you have a really bad sense of humor.

            On one level The Life of Pi is about a boy and a tiger. On another it is about adaptability. I've read other reviews about The Life of Pi and the reviewer said that The Life of Pi was about religion and how the tiger is God. That didn't really jump out at me. What jumped out at me was how Pi was able to survive on a lifeboat with a 450 pound tiger, how the meerkats were able to survive on the carnivorous island, and how the tiger adapted to live with Pi as a food supplier.

            The movie The Life of Pi is coming out tomorrow and I suggest that you read the book before you see the movie.

Silverwing

Silverwing  By Kenneth Oppel

***** 5/5 stars  Fantasy
When Shade, a Silverwing bat, is migrating south with his colony, he is swept away during a storm. He then embarks on a journey to find his colony again. On the journey, he encounters and discovers many things that amaze and surprise him, including the Promise that bats may be able to fly during the day. This book reminds me of The Wizard of Oz because both Shade and Dorothy are trying to get home. They both have interesting companions and they encounter things that they didn't think existed. Shade's cleverness and resourcefulness helps him through obstacles that try to prevent him from returning home. Though, like Dorothy, Shade eventually makes his way back home.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm  By George Orwell

**** 4/5 stars  Fantasy
Living on a farm in England,  the animals of Manor Farm have had enough of men. They have worked so hard and they hardly receive enough food. On the path to fairness, the animals overthrow the farmer and work to establish a farm of equality and justice. What made this book interesting was how the farm resembled a communist country. The rulers of the farm, the pigs, clearly state that no animal will sleep in a bed. Later, the pigs end up sleeping in the farmhouse's beds. They also say that no animal should drink alcohol. Eventually, the pigs drink many crates of alcohol. I just wrote a report on North Korea and I thought it was interesting how similar the farm was to North Korea.  North Korea's leader is greatly respected and the government tells the people lies. The pigs,too, had to be treated with utmost respect by the animals and the pigs fed the other animals lies. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars was the fact that its ending was unsatisfactory.

Smells Like Dog

Smells Like Dog  By Suzanne Selfors

***** 4/5 stars  Fiction

When  Homer Pudding's Uncle Drake, a treasure hunter, dies he inherits only 1 thing, a droopy, clumsy, lazy, dog. All of his uncle's other possessions are missing. Homer doesn't think that seems right. What happened to his uncle's treasure hunting maps? Is it true that his uncle was eaten by a tortoise? And why does Homer's dog have a coin with L.O.S.T. on it? Into The City Homer plunges, leaving his country home behind, to find the truth about the mystery his uncle left behind.

Girl's Best Friend

Girl's Best Friend  By Leslie Margolis

***** 5/5 stars  Mystery

Throughout the whole book I was continuously guessing what would happen and I never could. Maggie lives in Brooklyn where dogs are disappearing. Maggie's ex-best friend's dog Kermit, goes missing along with the other dogs and Maggie wants to find out where Kermit is and who took him. Dog lovers will want to read this book.