Assignment 4

Since Opening Night of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is next Friday, I am assuming we won't meet for the next two weeks. So here are your assignments.

First, re-read your own paragraphs--you should have six of them.

Now, re-read and check everything on this list:

• Capitalize the first and last words of your title, and all the important words in between.
  
  
• Capitalize all proper nouns and the first letter of every sentence.
  
  
• End each sentence with a period, a question mark or an exclamation point.
  
  
• No sentence fragments! "Walking down the road to the store." is not a sentence. (You need to tell us, in the same sentence, who or what was walking down the road.)
  
  
• What was the assignment for this paragraph? Could you improve it? could you add more description, or make your main idea clearer, or your introduction and conclusion stronger?

Second, when you're done editing your paragraphs, then it's time to leave comments for everyone else. Tell them everything you love about it, and try to find an error they missed. (Grammar Nerds rule!) Did they fulfill the assignment? Any suggestions for things they could improve?

Third--I hope you're still reading--because there will be PRIZES at our next meeting! Possible awards may go to Best Editor (of your own posts), Most Helpful Editor (of others' posts), Most Improved Paragraph, Most Descriptive Paragraph, Best Details, and the Alacrity Award (to the person who most quickly edits and improves all their paragraphs).

All prizes will be edible!

Assignment 3A (due 9/29)

Write a descriptive paragraph on a topic of your choice. You should choose an event or a setting that you can describe with the five senses.

First--an introduction which includes a main idea. (One suggestion: You may want to use a feeling that one might have in this setting as your main idea.)

Next--describe the setting or event using the five senses.

Last--a concluding sentence that wraps up and restates the main idea.

Assignment 3B (due 9/29)

Choose an event or a setting from one of the Sonlight books you have read or are reading, that you can describe with the five senses.

First--an introduction which includes a main idea about the setting or event.

Next--describe the setting or event using the five senses.

Last--a concluding sentence that wraps up and restates the main idea.

A Night in the Loft by Horsefeathers10 (3B)

As I walk up the steep, creaky stairs to the loft, I feel its comforting warmth. Quickly, I get changed and wait for Trudy to say her loud prayers, then I start with mine. Mama begins talking about the weather and says that Papa is probably cold and wet. I feel sorry for him and begin to feel lonely without him there. Then Mama kisses my forehead softly and I smell the clean buttery scent on her hands. Soon she is singing the familiar nursery rhyme that she sings to me and Trudy every night with her sweet, soft voice. I glance over to see plump Trudy sleeping beside
me, snoring softly. Mama's soft breath blows out the candle light and we are wrapped in darkness.

Riding Free by Horsefeathers10 (3A)

The feel of the firm horse breathing heavily underneath me makes me tingle all over! The smell of horse sweat mixed in with the dusty alfalfa is never a new smell. I mount my tall friend and we head straight for the gravel arena. In a few minutes we are trotting swiftly across the smooth hard ground. The sound of hoofs beating in rhythm, the refreshing wind whistling over the open fields and the voice of my teacher reaches my numb ears. I look at the muddy pasture where three horses are trying their best not to get any of the icky mud on their legs. The warm body of the horse underneath me is comforting. There is a beautiful sky and it's a wonderful day. I feel like I'm riding free!

This post won the "I'm Right There With You" Award.

Black Out by Horizon11 (3B)

As I walk outside, I tell my son not to be afraid. Stepping out the door, the smell of new fallen rain fills my nose. Walking on the muddy path I hear the squash of my feet, cows mooing,and all of a sudden I hear Indians yelling. I look and see them coming out of the forest and running for the house. I take off, and as I run, I can feel the swish of my dress on my weak legs. I'm at the door but feel a pain in my shoulder. One of the Indians has thrown a tomahawk at me! I can feel the blood dripping down my arm. Then I black out.

Just Another Day by Jockulater13 (3B)*

As I walk down the cobblestone path to my new job as a cook's assistant, I hear an agonized scream. I turn my head and see a terrified little boy being lifted up by one of the windmill wings on the Miller's farm. Racing headlong towards him, I know the danger he is in. I grab the wing just in time for him to jump off and me to go up. I rise toward the top of the mill, realizing that I've been tricked by a wicked little schoolboy. The boy, not wanting to get blamed for getting me hurt, shouts for me to let go. As I look down, my head feels dizzy. As I go higher and higher, I get a mouthful of the bitter, salty taste of the ocean. I then let go and fall heavily to the ground, scraping my chin and knee on the hard, rocky path. After the shock, I reach my finger to my chin and feel the blood trickling down. I notice a strange smell and remember the loaf of bread in my pocket. I pull out the smashed loaf, break off a chunk and begin to eat. Hoping the food will help me get over everything that just happened, I get up and dust myself off. Just then, I hear the sound of the work bell telling everyone that it's time to get started. I return to the cobblestone path, with my head held high, and I'm back on my walk to work.

The Last Fight by horizon11 (3A)

In the dark I'm thinking how this fight scene will go. Then I hear the line that tells me it's time to go on. I slide on stage with the other Wolves. I can see the people on the edge of their seats waiting to see what's going to happen. I can see the wooden sword come crashing down with a "thud," the music begins and the fight is on. The excitement fills me up and I have to give a big "HOWL!!" I'm being thrown in the air. I have to be fast to get the sword. I corner my opponent and point my sword at his green shirted chest. The smell of my plastic muzzle fills my nose. I can feel the cold sweat running down my neck. As loud as I can, I give my last big "HOWL." I'm about to stab the enemy, but receive the painful blow instead. I get dragged off stage. When I'm out of sight of the audience, I say to my friend that's waiting in the dark "that was good ."

This post won the "Most Exciting Post" Award.

Kit's Night in Jail by Care-bear 10 (3b)

Kit heard the lock click as the constable bolted the shed door. She shivered as the cold November wind drafted through the cracks of the rickety walls. The smell of pigs floated in with it. She slid down into the musty straw and felt it pricking her spine. The shed was dark but little rays of moonlight shone in. The constable had left her some lumpy porridge. She sat there and forced it down her throat. She pulled the thin quilt tighter around her shoulders. It was going to be a long night.

Jamestown by Phantom11 (3B)

Fire and smoke were a common sight in Jamestown and there was seldom a place where you could be safe from mosquitoes. And even if there were no mosquitoes, there would be gooey slimy mud. Doesn't Jamestown sound lovely? When I was eating breakfast this morning I thought, "What would the people of Jamestown eat for meals?" Well to my surprise, it sounds good. They ate chewy, juicy meat and bright yellow crunchy corn. When the people of Jamestown sat down to eat, they usually heard wolves howling in the night and smelled manure and dead animal. Jamestown was a place filled with intriguing sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

This post won the award for "Most Interesting Post on a Boring Subject."

Soccer On Saturday by Phantom11 (3A)

Every Saturday morning I ride my bike to the field and think about how much fun it is to play soccer. The first thing I see is my clever coach telling us to warm up. So I take off my toasty jacket and go warm up with my other champful team mates. It feels great to let the cold air touch my skin. I can already feel sweat rolling down my face and smell horribly bad B.O. Well, coach said I have to be midfield, which is fine with me, but the other midfielder isn't great. Finally the high-pitched whistle blows in the beginning of the fourth quarter. I'm dribbling down the field I look for my teammate playing midfield. But she's nowhere in sight, so I'll have to take it alone. I can hear the cheering on the sidelines. Finally, I see that the goal is wide open. I take the shot and make it. The game's over and mmmmmm those chocolate Kissables are tasty!

Easter Vigil by Care-bear 10 (3a)*

As I sit in the darkness waiting for the three loud knocks to come from the back of the church, I'm almost jumping out of my theater seat with excitment. Easter Vigil is my favorite night of the year. I smell the smoky incense as the robed deacon gently swings it down the aisle. I love it when people come up on stage and act out the scriptures. One of my favorite parts is when we sing "He is Alive" and all of a sudden I hear the ear shattering sound of the drums beating, the bells ringing, and the people cheering. The lights come on and two huge gold and white Easter banners drop down saying "He is risen! Alleluia"! My other favorite part is when everyone joins hands and dances through the carpeted aisles. I feel the hands grasp mine as we weave through the auditorium. I feel happy and free. It is the most amazing night ever.

This post won the "You Were There" Award.

Stink Alley by Pickle13 (3B)*

Lizzie was a brave little girl who came with the Separatists from England to Holland. She explained to the little boy the adventures they went through to get to Holland with much enthusiasm which makes it easy for anyone to imagine the smell, taste, sound, touch and sight.

When she tells of the day that she and her parents boarded the ship bound for Holland, you can just taste the salty air of the Atlantic Ocean. The wind blew in with Lizzie’s breath and her mouth went dry. Her eyes started watering and she choked back the ocean-salty gunk that she was longing to cough out.

Lizzie tells the little boy how she and her father looked out across the ocean at the little boat full of women and children. She saw the waves starting to get bigger as the boat backed out. She watched as the soldiers and government ride up on their horses and watch their boat sail away. Lizzie squinted, trying to keep her mother in sight but the fog covered up her mother's shining eyes.

Men shouted over the whistling wind at the captain who wouldn’t go back for the women and children for fear that he would be arrested. The women screamed across the waters for their husbands to come back and the children cried and screeched earsplitting shrieks. Lizzie sobbed quietly to herself and tried to block out all the noise as she prayed silently.

Underneath the deck Lizzie breathed a long breath of recovery. She tried not to think of her mother. The hull smelled of seaweed and stinky feet. She lied down on her bunk and smelled the sheets. They smelled like sour milk. She tried to cover her face so she couldn’t breath the stink, but her hands smelled like her mother since she had been holding her hand right before they were separated. She didn’t want to smell her mother either so she rolled over, held her breath for as long as she could, and then cried.

Lizzie’s father hugged her tight as they waited on deck for the sighting of Holland. His arms were warm and soft. The wind blew across her face like feathers tickling her cheeks. She pulled her legs up under herself and tugged the blanket over her thighs. It was rough, but warm. She thought about the adventures she had been going through and prayed a quick silent prayer and instantly felt much better and knew that she would be seeing her mother again and they’d all live happily again in a free country.

Auditions by Pickle13 (3A)*

When I walk into Christ Community Church for auditions, I can instantly sense the nervousness in the building. I look around and there’s kids everywhere pacing back and forth, or sitting and standing, twiddling their thumbs, or bouncing their knees uncontrollably while sweat runs down their anxious faces and goose bumps pop up on their shaking arms and legs. Some of them have already auditioned, and their faces are full of grateful relief. The faces of the kids who haven’t auditioned yet are drained of color.

I take a sip of my ice-cold caffeinated tea, hoping that it’ll give me energy for my audition and that auditioning is not as bad as these kids are making it look. I watch nervously as one of my friends walk up to the stage to perform their audition. I crunch on an ice cube and swallow hard as she starts singing. I can almost taste the salty sweat in the air.

I listen closely as one by one my friends go up and sing their hearts out to the directors. They all do really well which only makes me feel scared that I might not do as good. After each audition, the audience applauds and whoops as loud as they can. When the clapping dies down, there’s silence. Then the directors call out the next number.

The smell in the auditorium gets worse by the minute. With all these kids going up on stage and dancing so hard they can barely breathe, the B.O. is terrible. I try my hardest not to smell so much like body odor by drenching myself in Sweet Pea body spray, and adding a new layer of deodorant ever five minutes.

Finally, I’m sitting on the hard benches in the front row waiting for my number to be called. I slip my feet out of my flip-flops and I dig my toes in to the velvety soft carpet. Suddenly, I hear my number being called. I make my body move up to the stage and I can feel all eyes on me now. The fans on the ceiling blow a light breeze across my face. I clasp my hands above my head to begin my dance--they’re cold and sweaty. Then, I begin to sing and by the time I’m halfway through I don’t feel nervous one single bit.

This post won an award for "Most Descriptive Post."

Shoreline Scramble by Jockulater13* (3A)

As I walk down the shoreline of Crashboat Beach, I search the crystal water for the biggest waves. I feel the smooth sand under my feet and smell the food that Mom had packed for the day. Soon we are all swimming in the bright blue Atlantic Ocean. As I am knocked off my feet by the strength of the waves, I get a mouthful of the disgusting taste of salt water. I rub the drops from my eyes and realize I'm being pulled away from the shore. I've been caught in a riptide. I see that my sister has been caught too. I scream for help. My dad and uncle see us, and they race into the waves to catch me and my sister before we are swept out for good. We walk back to shore and decide that we've had enough fun for one day.

The Land in Arkansas by Nirrok 10{3a} *

I think Arkansas is wonderful. When I'm there, I can smell that amazingly fresh scent of no air pollution or horrible fuel odor. I think of beautiful pictures of country. It clears my mind and I can see beauty wherever I turn. When I stand by the lake, the refreshing wind rushes in to my mouth. It tastes of clean pure air and sweet wind with no worries or sadness. It seems to wipe all fear away from existence. I can hear the whip-poor-will as it makes its call. It is a nice call. It says,"whip-poor-will whip-poor-will." I can feel on my face a lovely leaf as the marvelous breeze carries it to its future home. I know my destiny is in wonderful Arkansas.

This post won an award for "Most Evocative of a Place or Mood."

The May Pole by Nirrrok 10 { 3b} *

Maggie is a French girl whose courageous acts saves the family who she is bound out to. It happens when Maggie is out with the children and they hear shouts in the woods. Maggie crawls through the underbrush to a cliff that looks over the channel.Maggie spots a band of Indians. Maggie hurries back to the children, picks up the youngest and runs to the house. When they get there, Maggie hurries the children into the house. Maggie snatches the last of the family's food and rushes out to feed the Indians. But there is not enough. She takes some cloth that they have been saving and tells the eldest child to help her. Together they make a May pole. Maggie helps the Indians to weave the ribbons. As Maggie runs around and around the May pole, she tastes the sweat as it runs down her face. Then she hears a CRACK!!! The flimsy pole they used fell over. All the Indians race for some of the cloth. Maggie and the eldest child run for the house but an Indian steps into the path. Maggie waits for the blow of death from his tomahawk, but it does not hit. Then a familiar voice says, "Noel." Maggie looks up and sees the Christmas Indian who commforted her on that lonely Christmas Day. The Indian motions to the rest of his band, and they disappear into the woods. Even though Maggie is a French bound out girl, she never lets that stop her from being Marguerite Ledoux.

Assignment 2A

Write one paragraph on a topic of your choice which includes:

First--an opening sentence (or two) which introduces the main idea
Next--at least three sentences that explain or expand or give examples of the main idea. Only one example of explanation per sentence. Make them interesting!
Last--a concluding sentence (or two) that restates the main idea and wraps up the paragraph.

Use a mind map to help you brainstorm ideas for your topic.

Assignment 2B

Write one paragraph discussing or describing a character from a Sonlight book which you have finished. It should include:

First--an opening sentence (or two) which introduces the main idea
Next--at least three sentences that explain or expand or give examples of the main idea. Only one example of explanation per sentence. Make them interesting!
Last--a concluding sentence (or two) that restates the main idea and wraps up the paragraph.

Use a mind map to help you brainstorm ideas for your topic.

Make-Up by Pickle13 (2A)

I love wearing make-up! When I look in the mirror, I can see that mascara helps my eyelashes show up, blush helps my cheek bones look rosy and eyeliner helps my eyes look bigger and brighter than they do without it. I feel so much better about myself when I can stand looking in the mirror without flinching at my dullness. Make-up not only makes me feel pretty, but also more mature than I really am. Without it, I feel like I just look like a yippy-yappy kid!

Cameron Townsend by Pickle13 (2B)

Cameron Townsend was a very determined man. When he decided to become a missionary, he stuck with his idea till he died. He went through tons of hardships but never gave up his faith or belief in his idea of getting the Bible translated to the millions of tribes all around the world. He was so determined, that even when his best friends and wife died, he kept on going until every single job he was given was done. Nothing stopped this committed hero from doing God's work.

Wise Esteban by Phantom11 (2B)

In Walk the World’s Rim, by Betty Baker, Esteban is a courageous black man who is a slave to one of the Spaniards. Although he is a slave, I think he is the wisest character in the book. For example, when the tribe called the “tea drinkers” accused the Indian boy named Chakoh of poisoning their tea, Esteban drank the tea to prove that it was not poisoned. He pretended that he wasn’t sick, even though he really was, in order to save Chakoah’s life. Another time, Esteban ran into some fierce and scary-looking Indians called the Buffalo Hunters. The group wanted to rest in their village, so Esteban pretended that he had been bitten by a rattlesnake so that they could stay there and rest. Later, in order to become friends with them, he spontaneously thought of a pantomime, of a man being chased by a buffalo, that they thought was so humorous, they called it a gift of laughter. So I will always remember him as a wise and clever man.

Soccer by Phantom11 (2A)

I love playing soccer. I love running and dribbling the ball down the field, and the enthusiastic feeling I get after scoring a goal! I can’t explain the extremely wicked feeling of making a nice, clean punt across the field. And when I see someone dribbling about the field, the gratifying feeling of taking it away makes me unbelievably happy. I’ll never forget how much I love playing soccer.

Dinner Time by horizon11* (2A)

"Time for dinner," I yell up the stairs. The girls come racing down like a herd of elephants . The smell of teriyaki chicken fills the house. We all try not to get the seat next to the messy baby. I end up next to my big brother and my little sister. We bow our heads and thank the Lord for this day, say a happy "Amen," and dig in.

This post won the "Short But Sweet" Award.

Peace Child by The Jockulater13 (2B)*

Don Richardson was a missionary who went to one of the most uncivilized jungles of New Guinea. He taught the barbaric cannibal tribes who had never even seen a white man before. He preached to them about the love of God and of his self-less son, Jesus. He was a brilliant man who learned their complicated language and changed all their cannibal traditions. He was truly a very faithful man who risked his life to teach the most uncivilized people in New Guinea about God and His Peace Child.

This won the "Most Improved Post" Award--for a post that was good to begin with, but the author found excellent ways to improve it.

Wise Bird by HorseFeathers10 (2B)*

Wise Bird takes flight to find Om-Kas-Toe. He sees every rolling hill, pointy mountain top and low valleys. He spots something below and swoops down. It is Om running as fast as he can toward the village to bring a message. Wise Bird drops and lands at Om's feet. The twinkle in Om's eyes tell him it's time to take flight.

A Breed Between by Horsefeathers10 (2A)*

The Appendix is a breed between a Thoroughbred and a Quarter Horse. The Thoroughbred can run far, but not as fast as the Quarter Horse. The Quarter Horse can run very fast, but it can't go as far as the Thoroughbred. When they are put together, there is an amazingly fast distance runner to enjoy.

The Big Disaster by Nirrok10 (2A)

The big disaster was when the Bergners moved away. I miss them more and more each day. I especially miss things we did together like inventing weird things that actually worked [sometimes], like a rope pulley. The pulley was suspended in mid air by a branch in the Bergner's yard. Its purpose was to help us climb the fence. I really liked the ultimate messy mud fight. It was a riot. It was fun bombing Justin's face. I miss being able to wake up in the morning and know that in a matter of minutes I would hear the knock knock knock and then, "Can Korrin play?" Or sometimes there were two little men in P.J.s asking in high-pitched voices, "Tan zatary pway?" Another thing I miss is the perfect friends. I miss how their pep talks got me out of bad moods. I miss fighting with my good friend Justin.Oh well, I guess I can't have everything in this world. I miss the Bergners A LOT!! It was a huge catastrophe when they moved.

Phoebe by horizon11* (2B?)

Phoebe and her father, Samuel Fraunces, are sitting in the Queen's Head Tavern. Her father asks her to do the most dangerous mission in her life. He asks her to be a spy! Now Phoebe is only 13 years old, but she is willing to do whatever her father asks. She must go to the house of General George Washington to be his house keeper. She is told to talk little and listen lots. The first few days are slow, but one night when she is making the General's dinner, one of his body guards comes in the room. Phoebe likes him, so she lets him stay. But when she sees him put something on the General's peas and she knows something is wrong. She was asked to look out for a man whose name starts with a "T," This man's last name is Hickey, but when she serves Mr. Washington, he says to his friend, "I wonder where Mr. Thomas Hickey is?" Phoebe knows he is the one. She throws the peas out the open window. She has just saved General George Washington's life.

Water Taste by Jockulater13 (2A)

People say water doesn't have any taste at all, and maybe they are right. But I think water has a lot of taste. For example, water from the salty ocean is extremely nasty. But water from a mountain stream is marvelous. I don't know about you, but I think water has a lot of different tastes.

Edward by Care-bear10 (2b)

Edward Van Alstyne was a brave young boy who had a big job to do. He had to save his mother's life and fire a gun that not even his father had fired. His father was captain of the Guilderland. Edward was mighty proud of that. Captain Van Alstyne left Edward, a his mother, and his sister home alone while he went out to face the French and the Indians. While he was gone the Indians came to Edward's farm. The Spanish gun was taller and heavier than he was, but this did not stop him. Sweat dripped down his neck when his mother went outside where the Indians were hiding. When she yelled "Atoord!" (which is Dutch for Edward), he fired the gun and fell back with a thud. An Indian tomahawk hit his mother's shoulder, but Edward killed all three of the Indians with the Spanish Gun. He did something not even his father's men could do. He was a hero.

Skiing by Care-bear 10(2a)

Skiing is maybe my favorite thing to do. When I get on the ski lift I feel so excited. I hear the safety bar come down with a clang and I'm off. The snow stings my face as I swing up the mountain. Looking down I can always pick out my cousins with their pink and purple ski suits from the eighties. When I get to the top of the mountain the frosty air makes my nose red as a cherry. As I race down the mountain I feel like I'm flying. The Only sound that I hear is the swish of my skis as they turn in the snow. I feel Happy and free.

Walk The Worlds Rim by Nirrok 10 [2A]

Esteban is a black slave to Dorantes. He is also a clever man. For example, in the buffalo people's village, he pretends to be bitten by a rattlesnake to make the Spaniards good medicine men again. No other tribe could heal rattlesnake bites. Even though Esteban is a slave to Dorantes, he always keeps an open mind.

Assignment 1A

Pick any topic and write a paragraph or two about it.

Try to make it interesting by including some of these ideas:

a strong introduction
a strong conclusion
adjectives
adverbs
strong verbs
specific details and examples
metaphors
similies
alliteration

Assignment 1B

Write a report about one of the Sonlight books you have read.

Try to make it interesting--see Assignment 1A.

My Super Hero by horizon11* (1A)

Do you have a super hero, or a role model? I do. She's called Mom, and we have so much in common. We love to go for walks, bike rides, picnics, and hanging out with Super Man (my dad), and all the other Super Kids. On rainy days when it's just me and mom, we'll go somewhere like the mall or do something fun. Sometimes we just like to talk. She says when she gets old, we're going to buy a house by the beach and all live happily ever after.

Om-kas-toe by horizon11*

Om-kas-toe was a twin in a Blackfeet tribe in the 1700's. He made friends with a raven and he named him Wise Bird. With Wise Bird he helped his tribe find a lost baby, find food for the tribe, helped Om escape from enemy warriors, and saved Om's life. Om learned a lot from his friend.
His dream was to be the best brave in the Blackfeet tribe.

Om-Kas-Toe by Horsefeathers10 (1A)*

Om-Kas-Toe is a Indian boy from the Blackfeet tribe. He discovers many things that help his people, including the hot springs, food when his people need it most, and the amazing Wise Bird who helps find the baby and the bull. He also saves Om's life. Om's tribe moves from place to place year round. Women and children carry packs on their back and half wild dogs pull a travois with a harness that straps on the dog under their belly and over their back. It is made of animal hide that the women sew together with small bones.

Until Twin Girl and Om-Kas-Toe find an elkdog--that is, today's horse--the Blackfeet people have never seen such a magnificent animal. They are amazed by its size and yet it does not react when it sees people like elk and buffalo do. The elkdog helps the people in many different ways. It pulls its own travois that is much bigger than the dogs and it makes hunting buffalo much easier and safer. The hunters soon find more elkdogs and Om-Kas-Toe gets the elkdog of his dreams, which he names Big Black for its beautiful color and size.

Horse Wonders by Horsefeathers (1A)*

The smell of horse fills my nose as I walk closer to the barn. There is my teacher waiting for me. The horse I ride is sticking his head out of the stall to say hello. His brown and white coat is darkened by the rain. He stands still as the brush runs over his body. The saddle is on. I pull myself up. Getting my hands on the reins and my feet in the stirrups, he starts to walk. His walk soon turns into a trot. The air has a slight drizzle and getting up very early is worth it. The horse walks faster, eager to get his tack off. Once his saddle and bridle are off, he starts to eat the food that was set out for him. The sun is high in the sky as the smell of horse slowly fades away.

Cameron Townsend by jockulater13 (1B)*

Cameron Townsend is an inspiring story about a man who grew up on a California farm in the late 1890's. He is miraculously discharged from the National Guard during World War 1. He finds himself in Guatamala writing the New Testament into the unwritten Cakchiquel Indian language. This book is all about a man finding God's purpose for his life, bringing the word of God into thousands of Indians' lives and making a difference in the world.

Game Time by jockulater13(1A)*

"Tails!" I call as the coin flies into the air and hits the ground with a thud. "Tails it is," the referee announces, and asks if I want to kick or recieve. My teammate next to me says "Kick." We shake hands with the two captains and head back to the rest of our team on the sideline for coach's "before game pep talk." Eager to get on the field, we line up for the starting kick-off. The kicker raises his hand and we charge straight to the unlucky player who caught the ball. I make the tackle at the 25 yard line and the game is on. The whole game is a battle. Every time we get up to the ball and the quarter-back yells "ready...set...go!" we clash together, trying with all our might to tackle the player running the ball towards the endzone. The buzzer announces the end of the game, with a score of 17-14 . We've put up another win, warning all the other teams that when we meet, we will not be beat.

Om-kas-toe by Care-bear10 (1B)

This book was exciting from beginning to end. It started when Om's mother saved his twin sister's life, when the village wanted her to die because they thought twins were bad luck. Instead of bad luck, Om and his sister gave good luck to the tribe. Om found a raven and named him Wise Bird because of the wonders the bird did. Wise Bird saved Om's life many times in this book. He was practically human and he was Om's best friend. I don't want to give away the ending, so there's only one way to find out.

Guys Should Wear Make-Up Nirrok 10 (1A)

Why don't guys wear make-up? I mean, they have pimples too! Seriously, don't they care about their zits? Their faces are either red or totally white. Make-up would cure all of that. It would also cure them of being totally insensible and they would know how to impress us girls. Some guys wear eyeliner because they think it looks cool, but it does not cover up their not-so-great points. Oh well, I guess guys are guys.

Om-kas-toe by Nirrok10 (1B)

I liked Om-kas-toe because it was full of excitement and adventure. I thought it was very heartwarming because the raven continues to help him through the book. It kept you guessing about whether Om-kas-toe would live through the story or not. But in the end, it all worked out no matter what happened. If you love horses, this is the book for you. If you have not read this book, you need to.

Pillows by Pickle13 (1A)

Have you ever read about the Egyptians' pillows? They are quite uncomfortable. Believe me, I've tried one! They're not even what I would call a pillow. They are more like head displayers carved out of stone. You lay your head on it and your head supposedly fits perfectly and you look like you're trying to show off your head! When I first read about the Egyptian head displayers, I was glad that some amazing genius thought of the sophisticated, fluffy, kind of pillow. I don't know how I would sleep if I had to keep my head propped up on a hard thing like the Egyptian pillows. But with a mooshy pillow underneath my head, I can actually dream wonderful dreams. Also, did Egyptians ever have pillow fights? I hope they didn't! They would've knocked each other out within seconds!

Purses by CareBear (1A)

My dad wishes he had a purse. What a big pile he has when he empties his pockets! There's a pocket knife, nail clippers, breath mints, cell phone, money clip, change purse, credit cards, a comb... He has to get up extra early just to stuff his pockets. This is a good example of why guys need purses. Hey, they don't have to buy the pink ones with sparkles. Well, there's always Christmas.

Peace Child by Pickle13 (1B)

When my mom first handed me this book I read the first sentence and instantly thought it was going to be the most boring book I would ever read. "As the sun rose, Yae gazed down through the floor slats of his Mauro village tree house at the dark surface of the Kronkel River forty feet below." I thought that the book was going to be about a young African boy and how he lived and what he did, another boring history book. But once I kept reading Peace Child, I realized that it was probably the most exciting book I had ever read. The only reason that I found it exciting was because it was so gross. Yae was a member of a tribe who lived in the Mauro village. He was killed almost instantly though. I thought he was going to be the main character and stay alive all through the book. But, I was incredibly wrong. Yae was murdered by cannibals and eaten.

The book explained every little detail about how he was murdered and how he was shredded up and how he was passed out amongst the cannibals and eaten! It was so nauseating that I couldn't help but gag and hold my stomach! It kept getting worse! The cannibals also just had some completely stomach-churning superstitions and religious ways. This book was also just over all confusing. First, it seemed like Yae was going to be the main character but then he was torn to pieces. Second, it focused on the cannibals that had killed Yae. Then, it brought missionaries into the picture and suddenly the book was using first person! So the book finally did have a main character but it was just perplexing how many stages it went through before it finally came to the main part of the book! Peace Child would be nowhere near being my favorite book but it was a pretty exciting story and having read all the cannibalized ways, I was dragged into wanting to read the rest. Not bad for a history book!

Bad Gameboys by Phantom11 (1A)

You've probably asked for a game boy before, and your mom probably has told you no. I agree with that for sure. According to mom and I, game boys destroy your mind because it makes you lazy and the only thing you want to do is play it. So I suggest that you don't get a game boy but if you do, then don't tell your friends about it please. So then it doesn't catch on and then not every spoiled boy or girl doesn't have a game boy.

Teamwork in Om-Kas-Toe by Phantom11 (1B)*

Since I'm in soccer, I'm thinking a lot about teamwork. So it's not surprising that when I read Om-Kas-Toe, teamwork is what jumped out to me.

At the beginning, Om's tribe was moving to their winter camp when one of their beastly, wild dogs ran away with a baby on his back. The baby's mother ran off with an ear-splitting shriek, so the Indians decided to have a search party for the baby. So Om and the special bird that he found, Wise Bird, started searching too. Om searched on the ground while Wise Bird tried to locate the baby from the air. Working together, the miracle happened--they found the baby!

Later on, Om and his sister, Twin Girl, captured an "elk-dog" (which is a horse) using teamwork. They made plans together. Om would circle the area, checking for enemies while Twin Girl started humming and walking toward the horse. He joined in and they caught the horse by its rope.

As you can see there are good examples of teamwork in teamwork in Om-Kas-Toe. I'll have to remember then when I'm playing on the soccer field!