Category Archives: My Book Reports

My Book Reports

VOODO DOLLS

               When Mavis the Vampires was a one-year-old, she would hide all the time.  When she was five, she would play crazy tricks on her adoptive parents that were a king and queen.  When she turned nine, she was good at drawing.  This may not seem as ignoble as when she was one and five, but what she drew was not okay for a “Royal” princess. 

                Most of the time, she would draw voodoo zombie dolls with pure red blood coming out of their eyes and an arm or leg would normally be cut off.  Her pictures were so real that they would appear as an illusion!  

                Since Mavis got adopted to a Royal family, she was technically rich with a capital “R”.  Mavis requested the king to frame her pictures all over his kingdom and his land!  Of course the king turned her down. Mavis started to sulk and cry so much, so much, that the king and queen couldn’t bear to see their daughter in such agony.  His Royal highness, talked with the queen and they decided to hope for the best with their decision. 

                On Halloween Eve, the king did it.  He had chosen to put the doll pictures all over the kingdom.  Since every holiday they had celebrated with a feast, the queen ordered her chef to cook up a spectacular buffet.  When the chef was cooking, the aroma had floated through the long hallways and the open doors that led throughout the palace grounds.  Suddenly, in Mavis’s room, something sneezed!  What could it be?  Mavis turned around and she saw her voodoo doll drawing walking across the hall.  Mavis was confused and thought it was her imagination. 

               Later, at dinner they were all enjoying their scrumptious food when the butler heard a knock.  Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!  Why would anybody be coming in the middle of the feast?  Were we expecting anybody special?  The butler felt the smoothness of the gold handles and opened the door.

               This was unforgettable, unbelievable, I would say.  What they saw were several dolls from Mavis’s drawings!  Too many questions came to everyone’s mind along with scary feelings.  Mavis was unsure about the whole situation to speak.  She gaped and her jaw touched the floor.  It was real!! 

               How were they going to terminate all these dolls?  After living with them for a day Mavis had a dream.  She knew exactly what to do.  Take a wart from a witch, a leech from the pond, a hair from a snake, and two giants’ toe nails.  You had to mix it in a cave obstructed by platinum two yards thick!  Say the words “Voodoo, voodoo, go away! We don’t need you day by day!”  Put two fingers full of the nauseating mixture on each frame and when all the instructions were done by the book, on an instant the dolls flew upward towards the sun and burnt to ash.  Mavis was never selfish again.  She used her artistic skills to start an art stand and she would paint realistic pictures of people in her own kingdom. 

               Ever since, Mavis was compassionate about the well fare of her people, the king and queen started celebrating the day where voodoo dolls came alive!  It was named Voodoo Day as a victory for good over evil.

My Book Reports

Marley A Dog Like No Other

My book report is on a book called Marley A Dog Like No Other.  This is a true story and the writer experienced this marvelous tale of a rambunctious little pup.  The authors name is John Grogan. 

The book is about how a family grows up with a dog and how loopy they can be.  This book has a special place in my heart.  For a long time I have had a desire to add a dog, or puppy, to my family.  This book details what it takes to raise a dog in a family.  There are many interesting facts, sub stories, twists, and plots that bring about many funny and miserable experiences. 

I like how this is a true story because it gives a personal touch to the book.  The non-fiction book starts off with the author, John Grogan, as a child going to a mutt ranch and adopting a well behaved dog. As an adult with his wife the author adopts a new young puppy.  In the book, the story revolves around the three main characters which are John’s wife, Jenny, John Grogan and Marley their newly adopted dog .  This book talks about what dogs can do in their mischievous lives.  The book describes the scenarios and situations – – – in great detail.  Even though the book is picture less and has several chapters, the detailed descriptions make it easy to visualize the story as played by the main characters.

The story line of this book is about the lifecycle of a dog living in a normal family.  At the beginning of the book when Marley comes home he sniffs every square inch of the house.  Night falls and Marley’s box to sleep is in the garage.  Marley cried and whimpered until John picks up the box and takes it into his bedroom.  The best thing about the house when Marley was a puppy was toilet paper!  Five minutes in the bathroom, and out he came with toilet paper in his mouth.  He would run across the hardwood floor and make it look like the house was decorated for Halloween.  Marley had joined obedience classes.  The instructor thought that there were no bad dogs, just weak owners.  Marley gets kicked out of the class because of his bad behavior.  John thinks that his family was not going to quit anything at any cost and that meant Marley. 

So John trained Marley at home.  When John left for work the next day, a storm was coming.  When he and Jenny came back home they were surprised and alarmed and shocked to see a destroyed garage.  Marley’s paws were covered with dried blood but he seemed happy! 

In the middle of the book, Marley gets a part in a film called The Last Home Run.  On day one of practice since Marley is very crazy and impolite according to dog language, he gets fired.  The next day he is back on the job!  A couple years later, John’s family finds a video of The Last Home Run and watches it.   At the end of the movie, they find “Marley the Dog . . . as himself”.  Towards the end of the book as Marley ages, he gets arthritis in his hips and his stomach twists which puts his life at risk.   

The author wrote this book to honor his first dog, Shaun, when he was a child.  I think the author suggests that by adopting a pet from an animal shelter can bring a lot of joy into the lives of the dog and to the family.  I believe that after reading this book I can find the pros and cons of owning a dog. I have realized that when you own a pet such as Marley, along with the fun comes responsibilities.  It teaches you discipline, develop a bond, loyalty, and friendship.  I urge my fellow classmates to read this book as it provides the do’s and do not’s in a fun way. Even those who already own a pet, this book shares engrossing experiences that they can relate to and enjoy.

My Book Reports

Legends of the Animal Healer – The White Giraffe

Basic Introduction

My book report is on a book called Legends of the Animal Healer – The White Giraffe.  This is a realistic fiction book.  I think the author wrote this wondrous book because she might have had a pet giraffe and might have wanted to ride it.  Also because she might really care for animals.  The author’s name is Lauren St. John.

What is this Book About?

            The story line in this book is about a girl who loves animals and has healing powers to care for them.  The theme or message of this book is always believing and fighting for what is right, even in crucial times. 

Why I Chose this Book?

I chose this book because the presence of animals keeps the book interesting.  The magical healing powers expressed in this book create a very good impression in my mind about the ways of Africa and provides an enriching experience while reading.  I feel as if I am part of this book, just being a narrator of the story while I recite it to myself.

Book Summary

In the beginning of the book Martine’s parents are killed in a fire which forces Martine to move to a game reserve in Africa with a grandmother she didn’t know she had.  Martine’s grandmother, Gwynn Thomas, is stern but loving.  Martine is an eleven year old who loves animals, and is kind, loving, caring, and sort of emotional girl.  She is the main character of the book.  Tendai picked Martine up from the airport and takes a quick stop at Grace’s house.  Tendai is an African bushman who knows many helpful herbs, loves animals, and is also kind and caring.  Tendai’s aunt, Grace, is a sangoma, or African medicine woman.  She is kind, warm, and is ever so good at cooking.  Martine ponders about why her grandmother is so uncongenial and unpalatable and why it seems like everything is kept as a secret from her.  

In Africa she goes to a new school as a new student, where she meets Luke & Lucy part of the Five Star Gang.  The Five Star Gang is a club formed by popular kids at school.  The kids in the Five Star Gang sometimes talk about Ben, a “wimp”.  Later on Martine considers Ben as her best human friend.  Ben is quiet, strong, and caring.  Within a few days, her class goes on a field trip.  Mrs. Volkner, the teacher had to go back to the bus for a couple of minutes and that was when the havoc started.  Luke found an Egyptian goose with a hurt wing and starts “playing around” with it.   Martine tries to fight for what is right and in turn gets the nick name “Witch” because she heals the Egyptian goose with a magic touch and the goose flew away.

In the middle of the book, on one night she sneaks into the game reserve, Sawubona, and meets a white giraffe which she rides.  The white giraffe, Jeremiah, Jemmy for short, is the giraffe that lets Martine ride him.  He is sweet and cute.  Jemmy takes Martine to his secret sanctuary.  She finds a cave which she names The Memory Room.  Inside, she finds some cave paintings.  Out of the blue, she finds Grace who tells her more about the pictures which depict her destiny. 

At the end of the book, the white Jemmy gets drugged by a member of the five star gang’s dad, the mayor of that town.  Along with Jemmy are a few other illegally drugged animals held captive on Ben’s father’s boat, the Aurora.  Some of the animals included were snakes, parrots, monkeys, sheep, and a baboon.  Martine finds a way to get Jemmy on his feet and running toward the exit of the boat before it left the dock.

What I Like/Dislike About this Book?

I like that the author describes in color about each characters’ qualities and how every scene and setting looks.  I like the setting of this book because most of it is held in Africa, one of the places I would really like to go to.  The closest I got to going to Africa was a safari ride in Disney World.

I would have liked to know specific information on which time period the story took place, which would have helped a bit to research about conditions in Africa.

If I Would Change this Book, what Would I Propose?

If I would change the end of this book, I would have written that Ben would have siblings so they all could help more of the animals that were hidden and drugged in the boat. 

Why I Would Suggest this Book to Read for my Fellow Classmates?

This book is an adventure, and it provides sensations as if you are going through an electrifying roller coaster ride of emotions.   The vivid, interesting imagination of the author makes you feel part of the story and once you start reading you cannot stop.   Enjoy!

My Book Reports

Dragon Slippers

My book report is on a book named Dragon Slippers.  The writer thought about writing a book like this after falling in love with dragon-fantasy books.  The author’s name is Jessica Day George.

The book is about the main character, Creel, who fights the Roulaini army, and in the process, befriends a dragon named Shardas and finally defeats Roulain.  This book, like most others is motivating.  Have you ever experienced dragon riding?  This book colors the picture in your mind of how it would feel.

I like how this is fiction because the author could put in all her imagination and change the story in however way she wanted to.  Dragon Slippers starts off with the main character, Creel, getting “gifted” to a dragon by her aunt who considered Creel as just another mouth to feed.  In the cave she bargains a pair of slippers from the owner – Theoradus- which strangely itch!

After encountering a band of robbers looking for wealth, Shardas, the dragon Creel made friends with, fed her well and let her sew the patterns of his hoard, stained glass windows, for embroidery on her dress.

In the middle of the story, as Creel travels to the King’s Seat, she works at a posh shop owned by Derda.  There she meets a few girls named Marta, Larkin and Alle.  Marta and Alle help Creel go to the Merchant’s Ball.  The Merchant’s Ball is an annual fair where a few people try to sell new patterns for dresses.  Larkin on the other hand, helped the Roulaini princess, Amalia, by giving her the power holding slippers to fight against the King’s Seat, and this time win.  The slippers as described in the book are a way to communicate with dragons and vice versa. 

After finding out about the magical powers of the slippers, Creel gets worried that the King’s Seat will lose to the Roulaini because the last time they had war, the dragons were on their side.  Creel takes side with Feniul, the only dragon not attached to the power of the slippers.  They then make collars along with crown prince Luka, Marta, and a few others.  The collars are what makes the dragons free from the hold of the slippers magic powers.  Then the collars were forced on to some of the dragons like Niva, Amacarin, and Feniul.  After putting the collars on Niva and Amacarin, Creel rode Niva to find either Larkin or Amalia.  She succeeds in finding Larkin with the help of Luka and they force her to tell them where Amalia is.  When Creel enters the spot where King Caxel was hiding, she finds Amalia with the help of Feniul.  There she finds Shardas’ wife Velika and tells her not to listen to the power of the slippers.  Both Shardas and Velika were believed to be dead after jumping in the Boiling Sea. 

If you are a person who loves fantasy and make believe, this is the right book for you.  I mean wouldn’t you love to ride a dragon? Or for that matter even see one?  I would heavily recommend you to read this book because it contains the adventurous journeys of Creel and breathtaking views and unexpected plot twists in the story.  The author describes the characters and their revolving story in great details which makes you believe as if you are actually a character in the story along with them!  This story also enforces the learning in not to judge a book by its cover.  Use your judgement to analyze and make conscious decisions.  For example, Larkin was described as nice and always portrayed as helper to Creel however, she turned out to be nasty in the end.  Marta was described as sassy but she actually was nice.