Summer Assignment #4-The Book Thief

After reading this book, I didn’t really like it that much. It was too boring for me. I chose this book because it sounded fun to read about Nazi Germany and Hitler but I wish there was more tense moments for the reader to focus on.

I saw personal connections with me and the book because everyone has their secrets. Whether or not they are big or small. I have mine and Leisel and her family had theirs. Hiding a Jew in that time was a bit bigger and dangerous than any that I have but you get the idea. During the beginning of the book I thought that because death was narrating the book that it would somehow kill her because of her reading books and hiding Max but it didn’t until later in life I guess. I feel bad for Rudy only because he liked Leisel and always brought up that she should kiss him but she didn’t.

I would recommend this book to someone who likes reading a lot. I don’t so I need an action packed book to keep me interested and this one didn’t do that. It would be different with someone who likes reading because they wouldn’t mind getting through the boring parts unlike me. Overall it wasn’t bad but I wish I would have picked a different book.

Summer Assignment #3- The Book Thief

The passage I picked for my book that hooked me as a reader is, “On the way home, they stopped at the bridge and inspected the heavy black book. As Rudy flipped through the pages, he arrived at a letter. He picked it up and looked at it slowly toward the book thief. ‘It’s got your name on it.’ The river ran. Leisel took ahold of the paper.”pg. 368

This hooked me because Rudy was now finding about how Leisel was interested in books and liked to read them because he found this one with her name in it.  I stopped reading after this to think about it for a little and make predictions and type this before continuing reading. I think that she will lie to him and deny it but Rudy will try to figure more about what is going on with her.

I have no idea where the book could go from here. Leisel could tell him and be honest with him or she could try to lie and ruin everything but im looking forward to see what happens with them. Hopefully she makes the right decision and trusts Rudy with what she is doing. If not then I don’t know.

Summer Assignment #2- The Book Thief

So far in, The Book Thief, Liesel has been left by her mom at a foster kids program to try and give her a better life. I admire this because she knew she couldn't provide properly for her two kids. However on the train ride to the drop off for Liesel and her brother, he died. So it didn't get off to a very good start. Liesel immediately mad a connection with her foster-dad and didn't like how her foster-mom complained a lot and yelled. Liesel is a shy girl but given time with someone can open up and be comfortable. But, at school Liesel was very far behind all the other kids her age and had to go back to learn the alphabet. Some of the kids didn't want to be her friend because she was stupid but there was one boy who didn't care. I haven't learned much about him but I'm predicting that he will eventually love Liesel and she will love him back.

This book is structured differently. The story is told from a 3rd person point of view from a Nazi soldiers eyes. In the beginning of the book this confused me a lot, but once you get used to it, it should be fine. Overall so far I am liking the book and we will see what happens later on and if I still like it.

Summer Assignment #1- The Book Thief

       I have just started the beginning of the book and I seem to be very interested. We had read a lot about Hitler and Nazi Germany in history last year and I was very interested. I know that it is a very dangerous time for people who go against the government like Liesel is doing. Her family is hiding a Jew in their basement while she becomes very interested in books.

       She is taking a very big risk to try and learn and open up her mind a lot more following the death of her brother. She is mainly risking herself in public places like the book burnings and from the mayors-wife's library. If I were Liesel I would stop risking her life because of the Jew they are hiding and that can get bad. With Nazi soldiers searching for Jews and if they find her books to she won't stay alive. I would probably wait it out until things get better with Hitler and the government. However, I still think that she will steal books and hide them and dry to learn as much as possible. There will be a lot of suspense because what she is doing is illegal and she easily could be caught. I'm looking forward to see what happens throughout the book and I hope its a good read. I usually don't like to read books but we will see how this one goes.

Blog 11 Tri 2

Gato's time with the keeper is almost done. This is because he will turn 15 soon and have to get a job and work instead of having free time after school. The workouts are getting easier and the keeper is starting to accept him more. By referring them like they are in the same group, by saying, "keepers like US." This makes Gato really happy.

But, his uncle who is a teacher figures out what he is doing during the day. His parents think he is out observing nature, but his Uncle noticed that he is now very big and has massive hands. He says that he wont tell Gatos parents but I'm not sure. It might happen and they wont let Gato play soccer anymore which would be really bad.

Blog 10 Tri 2

Now in Keeper, El Gato starts to get really personal with the interviewer. HE starts to get emotional talking about how this 'Keeper in the woods' comes and helps him even though the interviewer originally thought he was making it up like some kind of analogy. But now that he is getting really deep the interviewer thinks he possibly could be telling the truth.

Personally, I don't know it he is telling the truth about this Keeper because he seemed like a ghost or part of his imagination. But how he talks about him and how emotional he gets he very well could be real. This is only because he is a World Cup winning goalkeeper and i don't think that he would be insane enough to lie about this and get so emotional. Anyway, im really looking forward to how the book turns out.

Blog 9 Tri 2

In Keeper, El Gato trains hard every day, from sun up to sun down. He is almost on the field and in between the posts 24/7. The mystery Keeper who is training him pushes him harder than anything El Gato has done before, he makes him cry and feel terrible. But this motivates him to do greater things so that the Keeper will stop. One day a storm came and El Gato looked like he had been hit with a tsunami. His parents were furious that he didn't come home sooner and the look on their faces was like they found out that they had one the lottery, but couldn't keep any of the money. Absolutely devastated and they didn't want El Gato going into the woods anymore. 

However, he still goes into the woods and the Keeper is training him harder than ever before. Hitting shots with so much swerve and dip, it's like the ball has a mind of its own and cant stop moving like an 8 year old kid on a sugar high. El Gato is now  wondering why he did this in the first place, but i think he will overcome these difficulties and keep going.  

Blog 8 Tri 2

In Keeper, so far the interviewer is getting deeper into El Gato's life.

So far, he explains how he goes into the jungle everyday when he was a kid. This is because he has nothing else to do because he quit playing soccer. It was forbidden to go into the woods because it is dangerous and you can get lost easily. He ventures into the woods one day and follows the path that he usually does but this time he ventures off and doesn't care. He ends up seeing a clearing in the woods, he looks down and its super nice grass, turf. He looks to one end and sees a soccer net. A real net with it pulled back and everything. He notices a keeper standing next to it, waiting for him.

I did get farther into the book but it would give to much away. All i can say is that it is very interesting and i like it a lot so far.

A pulled back professional soccer goal like the one he sees in the clearing.

Blog 7 Tri 2

So far in the beginning of Keeper, by Mal Peet. The beginning is like a normal book by giving you background information and stuff like that.Bringing you into the plot among other things. But it is good so far, it's hard to tell how the rest of the book will turn out based off of the beginning but I'm starting to get pulled in and I think it's a good sign that I already want to read.

I think i will like this book a lot because it is about soccer and that is something that i can relate to on a very personal basis. I have a lot of experiences with the sport and I hope I can relate to this book. I have read soccer books in the past and have enjoyed them a lot but I hope this one will top the list.

Blog 6 Tri 2

Over christmas break, my aunt and uncle got me, among other things, a book. It's called Keeper, by Mal Peet. The title represents a soccer goalkeeper and his story. It's setting is in South America where a veteran soccer reporter interviews El Gato, who is the World-Cup-winning goalkeeper. He recounts his life story and how it begins in a poor  town in a mythic corner of a jungle.

My Uncle and Aunt read some reviews on this book and one stuck out, it was a teenage kid, around my age, who said he didn't like reading at all and how he has trouble getting into books unless he is forced to. But however he did get really into this book and loved to read it. There were tons of replies to this comment and people really connected to this book and liked it a lot. Im super excited to read this because it is about soccer and that is my life outside of friends, family, and school.