Student Saturday: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

Publisher:  Harper Collins

Pages:  288

Genre:  Middle Grade Fantasy

Today's student reviewer is Pedro and this is his own review.

This book is a  book that will touch your heart because it has action, adventure and wild fights.  The story starts telling you about the super main character who starts with a name of Rusty.  One day he meets wildcats and makes a decision to join them.  Then Rusty gets a new name, Firepaw.  After awhile he gets trained and discovers something exciting.  He is trained by Thunder-Clan Warriors.  He even gets to meet Graypaw and Ralenpaw on his way to becoming a warrior.  But, before he can become a warrior he will need to take a mission with their leader.    After he comes back, something will happen to him and Thunderclan.

One thing I want to tell you is that one of my dreams was to go somewhere just as firepa did.  I would recommend this book to everyone who likes a book with adventures, fights, and action.  And my opinion is that this book is filled with realistic action.  It has lots of emotion and action words that make me and my senses feel the story in real life.

Student Saturday: Zoey 101: Quinn in Need by Jane Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens

Publisher:  Scholastic, 2007

Pages:  105

Genre:  Middle Grade Realistic Fiction

Student Reviewer is Aarti and this is her review as she has written it.

The book I read is Zoey 101:  Quinn in Need.  The characters are Zoey and she always forgets her room keys, Chase who has bushy hair and he is competitive, Logan is a jerk and makes fun of people.  Lola is pretty much helpful to everyone.  The setting is on campus (PCA).  The plot is that they are making a bot to compete with the science geeks.  Quinn wanted to go home there to see Otis.  Instead Zoey brought Otis here on PCA campus.  My connection is Chase is competitive who reminds me of my friend Emily.  I think everyone who likes thinking about other s than thinking about their self should read this read.  I saw the shows and found out that I really like the books.

Student Saturday:; Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman

Student Reviewer:  William

Publisher:  Scholastic

Pages:  144

Genre:  Middle Grade, Mystery

The book I chose to review is Skeleton Creek, book 1, by Patrick Carman.  The book is published by Scholastic press, New York, copyright 2009.  I believe Patrick Carman has written his best series ever by writing the Skeleton Creek series.  He is one of my favorite authors and I hope some of you are fans of him, too.

In this book, the author uses two main characters named Ryan and Sarah.  During the entire book Sarah videotapes everything while Ryan records all of the events in the form of notes.  These notes are what you read in the book.  In the book at around every 25 pages you get to a page with a password and a web address.  On these web pages you can watch the videos filmed by Sarah and described in Ryan's notes.  This is a clever way o write a book and makes it realistic nd interesting.  The videos are at sarahfincer.com, then type in the password and watch Sarah's video.

This book is a great book but may be scary for some kids aged 11 or 12.  It's a mysterious and frightening ghost story with a twist.  The setting occurs at a dredge near Seattle, in a town called Skeleton Creek.  The dredge is some sort of old fashioned haunted mining boat where it would dig wet mud out of a lake while looking for gold and whatever wasn't gold would be thrown back into the water.  The dredge is abandoned at the time of the writing of the story.  There is an underlying theme throughout the book about not listening to nes' parents, as he fifteen and sixteen year olds were instructed not only to not associate with one another, but also to never go o the dredge, Not following their parents instructions turns out to have some disastrous consequences.

Some of my favorite things I liked about this book were:  it was the story about kids, it took place in an interesting setting, the characters had personalities that I can understand and identify with, and the story was mysterious and changing and i never knew what to expect next.  The only thing I did not like about this book was that it ended in a cliff-hanger.  This is for obvious reasons as it is part of a book series.  I would recommend this book to anyone and middle school because it is a exciting twisting tale of adventure and very fun to read.

Student Saturday: Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

Publisher:  The Chicken House, 2007
Pages:  656
Genre:  Middle Grade Fantasy

Student Reviewer is Pankti and this is her review as she has written it.

Meggie is a regular girl who lives with her dad and goes to school, when something horrible happens.  Her father gets captured.  He gets taken away and even finds Meggie's mom, but as they get back they realize this is only the beginning.  Someone is still after them ad before Meggie knows it she is in the Inkworld with her friend Farid.  her father, Mo and her Mother Resa are caught by an old enemy.  They are also now in the Inkworld and the evil woman named Mortola who has captured Resa so many times hurts Mo.  Resa stays with Mo but they are captured again.  This time by the evil Prince Adderhead.  As this news reaches Meggie who is with Farid and Dustfinger, she tires to go after them.  In her attempt she too gets captured.  Will things ever be the same?  Find out by reading Inkspell.

I would recommend this book to people who like action, horror and mystery.  My favorite part was the beginning and the end.  The end was very suspenseful.  This book was similar to another book I read where both main characters were very brave.  They were both sensible and had the same determination.  This story does not exceed all of my expectations.  I did not like this story as much as I enjoyed the first book but it wasn't bad.

Student Saturday: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Publisher:  Scholastic 2000
Pages:  144
Genre:  Middle Grade Fantasy

This review contains spoilers.  But this time it is okay.  Great Story for the occasion.

Student Reviewer is Meredith and this is her review as she has written it.  I find it very appropriate for the day.

I really enjoyed this book.  Scrooge is like the Grinch who hates Christmas.  Ebenezer hated songs and he had a partner named Jacob Marley, who died 7 years before.  Bob Cratchet, his nephew asks him to come dine with his wife.  Scrooge replies by saying, "Bah! Humbug! Merry Christmas?!  A man should be boiled in his own pudding, with a stick of holly through his heart!"

Marley visits him on Christmas Eve.  He tells Scrooge about the three ghosts.  After their visits.  Scrooge learns his lesson and starts to appreciate Christmas and be friendly.  He becomes friendly, and sends a big goose fro Bob Cratchet's family.  Tiny Tim says, "God bless us! Everyone!:  After that Scrooge becomes nice and never hated Christmas again.

Student Saturday: The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

Publisher:  Yearling, 1997
Pages:  160
Genre:  Middle Grade, Adventure

Student Reviewer: Nirali, this is her review as she has written it.

"The Incredible Journey" is a story about the long journey of three friends.  Badger (an old bull terrier), Tao (a Siamese cat), and Luath (a young Labrador Retriever) journey across the Canadian wilderness towards home.  The trio left from John Longridges' house on an early September afternoon.  John was watching the pets for his friend Jim Hunter, who had gone to England with his family because he was invited to give lectures in an English University.  The Hunters were coming home soon, and Longridge knew he was going to miss them.

On the day the pets decided to travel towards home, they go at a very fast pace, but once Badger is attacked by a bear cub, the trio slows down for him to recover.  This is only the first of their problems.  One day they come across a river, which they have to cross to get home.  Loath gets over to the other side and persuades Badger to come too, but when Tao is coming, disaster strikes.  A dam that beavers had built long ago breaks, and all the water rushes down.  Tao is swept along.  While Tao is gone, Luath starts to hunt for food.  Once he had almost caught a porcupine but the animal got away and shot quills into Luath's cheek, just missing the eye.  So the two journey on (the quills sinking in deeper) and come upon an old couple's house.  The husband removed the quills, and they both would feed, groom and nurture the two back to health.  One night the cat (Tao) returns and the trio leave the next day back towards their journey.  When the Hunters return to John 's house they find the pets missing and try to track them.  Will the family be reunited again?  Was it worth it for the animals to take the long journey home?

Student Saturday: A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Publisher:  Harper Collins, 1999
Pages:  162
Genre:  Middle Grade, Adventure

Student Reviewer is Tristan and this is his review as he wrote it.

The Baudelaire children's parents died i a fire while the children were playing at the beach and now they have to go to Count Olaf's house because he's their new guardian.  The Baudelaires hate Count Olaf so they hate every day with him.  He makes them work, like doing the dishes, making dinner and cleaning around the house.  The Baudelaires survive almost getting hit by a train, because mean old Count Olaf parked on the train tracks.  Violet and Klaus' smart thinking got them out of harms way.  They live with Count Olaf for a little bit before running away from him not knowing where their next destination will be.

This book is full of interesting characters.  Sunny Baudelaire likes to bite things.  violet likes to be an inventor and Klaus likes reading.  They are all geniuses.  Count Olaf likes to torture the children and try to steal the enormous amount of money the Baudelaire children's parents left behind for them. Thief!  I really enjoyed this book.

Student Saturday : Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan

Publisher:  Scholastic, 2008
Pages:  160
Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Student Reviewer:  Christina,  This is her review as she wrote it.

I really liked the book Brother's in Arms because it has a lot of drama and is a realistic fiction book.  I have a younger sister and I would recommend Brother's in Arms to her if she ever came to this school.  When I read this book a lot of weird things happened.  Martin's brother Huero died because he got shot.  They were trying to shoot Martin but got Huero instead.  It made me feel very sad.  If I was in Martin's shoes I don't know what I would do.  his mom thinks it would be better if they moved to a new neighborhood, and for Martin to go to a new school.  She says it's best for them because she doesn't want to lose her son Martin.  When he's at his new home it won't stop him from getting revenge on his brother's killer.  The setting of this book is Blueford High and his old neighborhood.  I really, really loved this book and I hope you do too.

Student Saturday: The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

Publisher:  Candlewick, 2002
Pages:  128
Genre:  Middle Grade, Adventure

Student Reviewer:  Isidro, this is his review as he wrote it.

I have lots of adventures and this book does too which is why I like it.  A boy without a mother, because  an accident took her away.  He feels lonely only wit his father not able to tell him secrets so as he gets on the bus to school he sees a girl.  She is dressed so fancy just for school.  All of the kids are making fun of her.  At one point Rob asks for her name.  Sistine becomes his best friend and that same day after school he meets a tiger and keeps it a secret.  After meeting him he tells Sistine and they both carve out tigers out of wood and begin an adventure in a forest.

Student Saturday: In the Woods by Robin Stevenson

Publisher:  Orca, 2009
Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, mystery
Pages:  128

My student reviewer today is Taylor.  This is her review as she wrote it.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  Katie is a teenager who is pregnant but wouldn't tell anyone.  Cameron who is 14 and is Katie's brother doesn't know she is pregnant until Katie told him to go into the woods.  The mother has no clue what is going on.  The setting took place in the woods because that's where they had to investigate and that's where Cameron went everyday.  The summary of the book is about this boy named Cameron who was told to go to the woods by his sister Katie and when he was riding his bike around the train in the woods, he heard some crying.  Then he found a baby.  From then on he thought Katie had something to do with it or she was covering for someone.  It reminded me of one time when I was in my backyard and heard this little tiny sound of rustling and it was a snake.  I would totally recommend this book to someone that loves mystery books.  In my opinion I thought the book was going to be about Cameron finding a baby in the woods then he would bring it to the hospital without knowing that it was Katie's baby and that she had been hiding her little secret about being pregnant.

Student Saturday: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

Publisher:  Amulet Books, 2009
Pages:  224
Genre:  Middle Grades, Realistic Fiction

Todays review is by my student Adan.  It is posted as he wrote it.

One of the books I read for my summer project was, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw.  It is an interesting book to read.  It's about a boy that is trying to get through middle school.  His mom is making him do his own laundry.  Luckily he got clothes for Christmas.  Will it be enough to last the whole school year?  This book is an interesting book to read.  One connection I had with the book is that all I got was clothes for Christmas.  I would recommend this book to my cousin Oneida.  This book is mostly about a kid  who is trying to get through the school year like me.

Student Saturday: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Publisher:  Scholastic
Pages:  384
Genre:  Young Adult, Dystopian

Today's reviewer is my student Jack and this is his review as he wrote it.

I think this is a great book and I was hooked since the first chapter.  I see this love around on TV all the time and I usually hate it.  But, this book makes it really good and doesn't go overboard.  In the book twelve year old Prim is chosen to fight in the Hunger Games, a twenty four person hunt to the death on live TV.  Katniss, her seventeen year old sister volunteers to take her place.  Peeta, someone Katniss knew from childhood is chosen also.  The Hunger Games were designed to keep the twelve districts in line by sacrificing two of their children each year.  Before entering the arena, Peeta announces his love for Katniss on TV.

I think this is a great book and has an ever changing plot that is really good.  This book is definitely dark so think before reading it.  You'll want the sequel, Catching Fire,  but think before reading it because you'll really want the final book Mockingjay and it is REALLY dark.

Student Saturday: Hoops by Walter Dean Myers

Publisher:  Laurel Leaf, 1983

Pages:  192

Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Today's review is by my student Zackary and is entered as he wrote it.

Hoops is about a teenager who lives in New Jersey and likes to play basketball.  He lives by a gym and he decides to join a basketball team like all of his friends.  The basketball coach tells the team about how he thinks they can make it to championships.  Their basketball team is good and they win a lot of games.  Coach calls him over to talk during practice.  Coach tells him that he used to be a basketball player and he thinks he can go pro too.  That is what the book Hoops is about and I thought it was an okay book.  I recommend it to anyone who likes sports books.

Student Saturday: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

Publisher:  Yearling, 2003
Pages:  192
Genre:  Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

This review is by my student Chandler and is posted as he wrote it.

A Single Shard was a good story to read.  It was about Tree-ear, an orphan that lived in Vietnam.  He loved to watch Min, a sculptor make art work.  One day Min catches Tree-ear spying on him and asks from him to do work for him.  Tree-ear agrees and works and works for hours a day.  All of the village heard about the Commissary Kim was coming to give commissions to the potters.  Min was given one and soon Tree-ear was off to go give the Commissary the art work.  half way through the trip Tree-ear was stopped by two men.  Later he realized that they were robbers!  The two men beat Tree-ear up and has his food taken.  But the worst thing is they trow the vases over the cliff!  Tree-ear is devastated and rushes to the river below.  All that is left is a single shard.

Will the journey end here?  Will tree ear continue?  If he does will the Commissary like the broken art?  Read this book to find out.

Student Saturday: The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin

Publisher:  Puffin, 2010
Pages:  256
Genre:  Middle Grade, Mysteries

Today's review is by my student Nirali.  It is entered as she wrote it.

Winston Breen LOVES puzzles.  He has enjoyed them since he was younger.  One day in the middle of the last day of school, he is asked to go to the principal's office.  When he returns, he is very excited.  He immediately goes to tell his friends Mal and Jake the good news.  The school had been invited to Simon's Snack Foods for a puzzle contest (Winning School got a $50,000 prize).  Unfortunately, the trio has to go with one of the meanest teachers at Water Fredricks Junior High, Mr. Garvey (everyone calls him "mean" because he assigns homework on Fridays).  When the group gets to Potato Chip Factory, they see about 10 other school teams from around town.  When the contest begins, everything goes nice and and smoothly.  The teams go to different places in Glenville but soon teams start dropping out.  Everyone had the feeling there was a cheater on the loose, but who could it be?  Would anyone find out who the cheater was before he cheats his way into winning the grand prize?
I connected to this story by doing the puzzles the characters did.  By doing this I knew how hard the puzzles were.  I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone, but if you like puzzles, you will like this book more than others.  I thought this was one of the best books I ever read because it is very interesting and puzzling.

Student Saturday : A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin

Today's review comes from my student Evan.   It is copied exactly as he submitted it.

Publisher:  Scholastic, 2007
Pages:  192
Genre:  Middle Grade Animals

Two dogs named Bone and Squirrel were born together in a wheel barrel with their mother.  They lived right outside a house with the Merion's living inside.  Matthias was one of the Merion children and he fed Bone and Squirrel until the day they left.  The reason they left was because their mother wandered off and left them behind.  So until they were ready, they left.  Bone and Squirrel were strong brave dogs and they stuck together for a long time.  They wandered through the woods, over rivers, through farms and then they stopped at a highway with cars whooshing by.  In the middle of al of the madness was a bag of chicen.  So they went out for a meal.  On their way they almost got hit by a car.  That's how they met Marcy and George.  The couple took Bone and Squirrel to the vet to have them checked.  They ended up spading Squirrel and neutering Bone.  After a couple of nights in the animal hospital they were again taken home by Marcy and George.  After all of the peeing and pooping of the dogs, George wasn't so comfortable with Bone and Squirrel's presence.  While Marcy was sleeping, George took Bone and Squirrel out somewhere far and he threw them out the window.  That's how Squirrel and Bone became lost.  After the incident, Squirrel wandered away from the location and met Moon.  Night after night they traveled on until one night.  They were crossing a road and a truck hit Moon and clopped Squirrel's shoulder  The passenger got out and took Squirrel and Moon to the vet to get examined.  They kept Squirrel in a cage and fixed her up until she is healthy again.  The man who hit Squirrel took her home.  After a few weeks the family goes on vacation and accidently left Squirrel behind.  Squirrel wandered off from the location and tried to find shelter while making her hunting skills improve.  After she finishes her last winter in a barn she ends up at an old ladies house.  The owner, Susan opens up the door and tries to be nice and let Squirrel in.  When Squirrel finally decides to enter the home, Susan directs her to a warm cozy blanket next to her fireplace.  She takes Squirrel to the vet and has Squirrel examined.  After that Squirrel finds her perfect home at last.

Student Saturday: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

This weeks review is by my sixth grade student Emily.

The book takes place in Middle Earth and partly in the Shire and there are essentially two main characters, Mr. Bilbo Baggins {the Hobbit}, and Gandalf the Gray {magical Wizard}.  There are also thirteen Dwarves that follow Bilbo on his journey to bring down the Evil Dragon.

The book starts off in the shire.  All the hobbits are preparing to throw Bilbo a 130th birthday party bash.  As the party wears on into the night Bilbo prepares to give a speech.  As he is up on stage he magically slips on his ring and disappears in to thin air.  Everyone is astounded, they can't believe their eyes!  Bilbo then reappears in his cottage with Gandalf the Gray waiting for him.  Gandalf prepares him with all the materials he will need for his journey, and Bilbo slips off into the night.

As Bilbo is traveling he seldom meets up with Gandalf.  But then one early misty morning Gandalf appears and introduces him to thirteen Dwarfs.  As Bilbo hastily accepts his new traveling companions company, the take a short cut through the Mountains.  Late the next day they all get kidnapped by Goblins/Trolls!  Days pass by and then finally they all manage to escape the Goblins Grasp and Bolt off into the night.

Once they escape, Gandalf has them stop at a friend's house for a little rejuvenation.  While there, they are all treated like kings, it almost seems like a dream!  All dreams have to end someday, and soon they are sent out in to the Dark Forest to continue on their journey, but something goes terribly wrong.

While in the forest the group keeps seeing all these flashing, glimmering lights, they are so intriguing , soon no one can bear it any more. , we must follow the light!  As they venture deeper and deeper into the forest they soon realize something has gone terribly wrong.

As they find their way out of the forest (with some unexpected twists and turns), they come upon a small town that tells them how badly the dragon has been wreaking havoc on their homes and crops.  The group decides to camp out on the dragon's mountain for a few nights.  After some lonesome nights up on the cold, Frigate Mountain something happens that will change the town forever.

In my opinion I thought that this was an awesome book with a lot of mischievous twists and turns.  This is by far one of the best books I have read in my whole life!  Some connections I had with the book were adventure connections.  My family and I love to go on adventures to new places, and that is what the book is about!  Bilbo Baggins going on an adventure to an unknown land.  I would recommend this book to people who don't give up on a book, even if the beginning is slow.  I would also recommend it to fantasy lovers.  This was a great read.

The Capture (Guardians of Ga'Hoole Book 1) by Kathryn Lasky and Book Giveaway

Publisher:  Scholastic
Pages:  240
Genre:  Adventure, Fantasy, Middle Grades
Source:  I received a copy for review

The opinions expressed in this review are mine alone and are in no way influenced by the receiving of a book.  I will always give my honest opinion.

What do you get when you take an animal, in this case owls, mix in human characteristics and then send the owls on an adventure?  You get Kathryn Lasky's, Guardians of Ga'Hoole series.  The Capture is the first book in this series.  I've had it on my list to read for a while but had not had a chance to read it.  I am so glad I was offered the opportunity to review the book.  The others in the series will soon be gracing my shelves as well.  I am truly sorry I waited so long to read it.


Soren is a young barn owl who finds himself on the forest floor one night while his parents are away hunting.  Only a few weeks old and still unable to fly, he knows the dangers that surround him and feels he probably won't survive the night.  Suddenly he is scooped up and taken to St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls.  From the beginning he believes that something is not quite right with the academy.  He befriends another owl named Gylfie who also shares this belief.  He just needs to survive until the time he can fly.  He also needs to avoid being moonblinked, or brainwashed.  If he can manage to do all of this, then he might be able to escape and help the owl kingdom survive.  He has learned that the academy's true purpose is to control all of the owl kingdoms on Earth.

Kathryn Lasky has a wonderful series here.  I am glad that on September 24th this book will be seen in theaters as, Legend of the Guardians:  The Owls of Ga'Hoole.  I for one will be there and will be encouraging many of my students to join me.  It is refreshing to find a series where you can delve into a fantasy world yet learn some animal facts as you go along.  I had to stop and remind myself that the characters were owls and not humans.  The characters were well fleshed out, to the point I could decide who I liked and did not like, and why.  The fantasy world they lived in was very believable.  This is something that is important if we are to pull kids into a book.

  View it on YouTube here:

So who is this author you ask?  Kathryn Lasky is the Newbery Honor author of over one hundred fiction and nonfiction books for children and young adults.  She lives with her husband in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  You can visit her online at:        www.kathrynlasky.com







Now for the Giveaway

Two winners will each receive a copy of Guardians of Ga'Hoole:  The Capture by Kathryn Lasky and a copy of the first book in her new series Wolves of the Beyond:  Lone Wolf

About the book:

Wolves of the Beyond:  Lone Wolf
In the harsh wilderness beyond Ga' Hoole, a wolf mother hides in fear.  Her newborn pup, otherwise healthy, has a twisted leg.  The mother knows the rigid rules of her kind.  The pack cannot have weakness.  Her pup must be abandoned on a desolate hill condemned to die.  But alone in the forest, the pup, Faolan, does the unthinkable.  He survives.  This is his story, the story of the wolf pup who rises up to change forever the Wolves of the Beyond.  Find out more at:  http://www.scholastic.com/wolvesofthebeyond/.

TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment telling me what you liked about the book or what you look forward to seeing in the movie.  I will take comments until midnight on Saturday and will pick a winner on Sunday using random number generator.  Leave your email address so that I may contact the winners.     Thank you and good luck.

Student Saturday

This is my first Student Saturday.  I am pleased to have a poem written by Joshua.  His summer reading assignment included reading a book.  He chose the book, "Canyons" by Gary Paulsen.  He informed me he had never had any training in writing poetry but he really felt like putting his heart into this and he did an awesome job.

Canyons a Poem  Written by Joshua

I went to the canyons and what did I see?

A boy about the same age as me

The Indian boy named Coyote Runs,

Ran into trouble with a gun.

A soldier told the boy a command,

But the boy could not understand.

I felt a bump I was right near it,

When I pulled it out of the ground I heard, “take me spirit”.

Taking the skull home with me,

Putting it where nobody else would see.

Growing curious as can be,

I take the skull to my biology teacher, Mr. Homesley.

Knowing the Indian boys past,

I have to take him to where he was last.

I’m putting the skull where it should be.

Not caring about my family.

My mother just called the cops.

Knowing now I can’t make any stops.

The skull talks and guides me,

Telling me where he wants to be.

The journey was rough not knowing where to turn,

But I did not stop until the skull was returned.

Now that my journey has come to an end,

I feel as though I have lost a friend.

Student Saturday

Gabi is a student fairly new to my after school writing program.  She is a very talented writer who aspires to  be published in the near future.  This is an idea she is toying with.  Enjoy.  Feel free to give feedback.  Please remember that she is a sixth grader so no profanity.  My after school students are looking for ways to improve their writing.

My Life in Depression


I just couldn't bear myself to believe it when my family got wind of the news. I absolutely refused to think she was dead. Danielle had been my best friend for thirteen years how could I think she was dead? I looked out the window at the afternoon sky with the sun hanging over the grayish white clouds and bunches of tiny buildings. Darkness was creeping slowly up into my heart unable to accept the fact that Danielle really was dead. I sat on my bed trying to piece together all the facts. She hadn't been at school today, she hadn't answered any of my texts or e-mails, she hadn't met me at the mall and she didn't even seem to bother to pick up her favorite book from my apartment at all this week. Of course I'd gone over to her house and questioned her parents but their only response was that she was dead. I didn't want to believe anything told me about Danielle at the moment. All I really wanted to do was sit and mourn in my bed that Danille might actually be in the hospital or she could have possibly run away from home and her parents didn't want to tell the truth. Of course I wanted to wish all these things were true but my mind was so twisted and confused between sadness, anger and thoughts right now I hardly had a clue what to do. I'd considered going out to look for Danielle knowing she wouldn't have traveled far if she'd run awaay from home but that would only worry my parents. I'd also thought about visiting the hospital but that would just give my parents the opportunity to tell me Danielle was dead and I had to accept that. Both those ideas were eliminated after I'd thought about them of course. So all I could really do now was sit and wait for a better day when my life wouldn't be in the hands of depression.

Gabi (from writing class)