Reading+Response+Guidelines&nbsp;

**Reading Response Journal Assignment Ideas and Prompts:**
=== === Write me a letter telling me about the book you are currently reading. In this letter, I encourage you to follow these steps:

First write a paragraph that about what the book is about. This should include:


 * A topic sentence that tells the title of book, author, and main idea.
 * A sentence that describes the setting of the novel (this can describe the time period, location, or historical event, etc.)
 * A sentence describing the novel's main character(s). Who are they? What are they like? What problem do they have?
 * A few sentences explaining the problem/plot of the novel.

The next paragraph is more open-ended. I basically encourage you to write me about a particular aspect of the book that interests you.
 * Tell me what you like/dislike about the book.
 * Tell me more about the main character -- what character traits do they possess that you admire? How does the character change from the beginning of the novel to the end? What causes the change?
 * Tell me questions you have about the story.

Below are some great responses I received last time. Perhaps use them as models if you're having a difficult time beginning. I look forward to your letters and dialoguing with you about your reading.

Mr. C

//The Kite Fighters// by Linda Sue Park
Recently, I finished a book called, "**//__The Kite Fighters__//**" by Linda Sue Park. "**//__The Kite Fighters__//**" is about a boy named Young-sup and his brother named Kee-sup. Kee-sup got a kite for his birthday, while Young-sup got a popular board game in Korea called //Yut// (you-t). Kee-sup isn't very good at flying the kite, so he only gets it in the air after about every tenth turn. So Kee-sup hands the kite over to Young-sup. He waits a moment, then throws it into the air without running. The kite stays in the air then crashes. Kee-sup tells Young-sup that he tried that method 100 times and it never worked. Young-sup then waits for the perfect moment then launches the kite. It soars like a bird! Kee-sup's mouth is gapping in awe, and he asks, "How did you do that?" Young-sup says that the kite talked to him and told him when to launch. Kee-sup laughs and says that the kite must have a //tok-gabi//, little imps that visit each household every once in a while. One day. Young-sup and Kee-sup are flying their tiger kites when the king approaches them. The king says that he was looking out the garden when he saw two tiger kites flying in the air. The king says that he wants a special kite that he can fly. The king is their age, so they become friends. He also says that when nobody is looking or listening, they can talk to eat other like normal brothers. Then Kee-sup makes a kite for the king after thinking for a great amount of time. The design ends up to be a dragon, which is a symbol for the king. He paints some of it in gold, to make it spectacular. The king likes the kite, and wants the kite to be flown in the kite fighting competition. This is a competition where kites try to cut each other's lines. Young-sup is asked to fly the king's kite, but their father says that the older son should have the honor to fly it. Young-sup gets very angry and starts thinking that his father doesn't like him. Kee-sup convinces his father to let Young-sup to fly the kite, and he does. Kee-sup thinks of a neat idea of adding sharp ceramic shards to the line, so it is easy to cut the opponents line. Young-sup wins every game, then faces the champion. He cuts the string while falling to the ground. If you fall to the ground, it is a penalty. Will Young-sup win the championship?

I think that this book is a great book because it has a real cultural story in it. The story is based on Korean Culture, where the elder son usually brings the honor to the family. That is why the father said that the elder son should fly the kite in the competition. I think this book was interesting to read about because there is a problem in-between the two brothers, where one wants to fly the kite, but because of tradition, he is not allowed to. I first thought that Young-sup wouldn't be able to fly the kite, then when I read on, I found out that Kee-sup told his father that the most skilled person in the family should fly the kite. Another thing that I liked about this book was how you had to find some meaning in some words. For example, there was a line where Young-sup's mother said, "Your face is like a month of rain, my son. What makes the clouds inside your head to dark and heavy?" I read this sentence and I knew it meant that he was sad, because when people see rain, they usually think sad. When I finished reading this book, I was happy how it ended, (not necessarily saying Young-sup won) and I thought it was a great way to end the book. I kept on wanting to read on, and I wished there was a sequel to the book. If you ever have no book to read, then I think you should just pick up this book and start reading!

//Bec// by Darren Shan
The book thatI am currently rading is called //Bec// by Darren Shan. It is again another one of his horror stories. I have read about 200 pages so far.The book takes place in the middle ages in some part of Ireland. The main character is a girl named Bec. She is a priestess with magical potential although her magic is weak and untrained. Some other important characters are: Drust, Connla, Coll, and there enemy Lord Loss. A cult has opened a gate way do the demon world and legions of fowl beasts are pouring in! Bec and the others are sent to destroy what ever is bringing the demons to the human world. Along the way, they meet a powerful druid named drust who discovers Bec's magical powers. Jis goal was to destroy the portal before it turned into a gigantic gateway. He was impatient to train her and make her stronger although her potential is limited. However, a encounter with the Demon Master Lord Loss changes everything. Lord Loss gives Bec part of his powers which explains why she developed so quickly. His reasons are unknown. Together, they all must embark on a journey into the worlds unknown. Crossing boundries and breaking the laws of nature. There adventure is filled with pain, sacrifice, and woe. Will the band of fighters save the land or will the demons rule the earth and skies forever!

I think //Bec// is a very interesting novel. What I especially liked is how Darren Shan took a real setting in hisory and blended a twist of fiction in. I also would have never figured out that the Authour would put the characters in a place like medevil Ireland. Another Iike is that the book contains more than one genre in it! For example, there's horror, sorrow, comedy, action, and suspense. There are also no boring parts in this book. Every page should be read in order to understand the plot and situation. Characters may be in one setting and then a totally different setting in the next page. Just like student X (Who ever he/she is), I like books with suspense. It gives you a thrill that makes you want to keep on reading until you find out what happens. Then after that, it leads you to more suspense. I guess this is why people in the reviews say Darren Shan's books are utterly unputdownable! Finaly, the detail that is put into the book is just amazing. It's almost like watching a well animated movie. A very scary movie!

//Heartbeat//, by Sharon Creech is about a 12 year old girl named Annie who enjoys the sheer pleasure of running. //Heartbeat// is set on the edge of a small town; the time period is around the late 1900’s. The main characters include Annie who loves running barefoot, Annie’s best friend Max who runs alongside her every day, her aging grandpa, and her parents. The book //Heartbeat// is about 12 year old Annie running barefoot for the pleasure for freedom and listening to the rhythm of her heartbeat go thump-thump. It’s the rhythm that makes her feel free during the year when everything is changing. Her best friend Max is becoming increasingly moody, her grandfather is aging and her mother is being pregnant with a new baby brother. In addition, she’s been assigned an art assignment to draw an apple a hundred times and to learn from the 100 apple drawings. Everything around her is beginning to change, including the apple she’s assigned to draw a hundred times.

//Heartbeat// has been a book with many good points to look at. One reason why I have enjoyed reading //Heartbeat// so much is the way its written, in poetry. At first, this book may seem like a regular novel, but its not. It's actually a poem with rythymic freestyle verses, telling the story as the words flow along together. The poetry expresses the feelings of the characters in a meaningful yet carefree way. For example, in the book Sharon Creech writes: Max looks angry, black mood all around him, and I do not even try to pick up my pace. I let him surge ahead of me. In //Hearbeat//, I have also learned serveral messages throughtout this book. The most important message that I have learned in this book is that people you know and are really close can change, and sometimes change you in a whole new way you don't want them to be. Life is full of changes you'll have to learn and adapt to them. After reading //Heartbeat//, what I had learned most was that stories don't always have to be in paragraphs, it can be written in different forms of writing too.

//The Warrior Heir// by Cindy Williams
Right now, I’m reading a book called //The Warrior Heir// by Cindy Williams Chima and it’s about a high-school boy who lives a double life: as a boy and a magical warrior. This book is set in America, in a small town of Trinity, Ohio. Jack, the main character is a clever and brave boy who encounters on being a warrior in a few months training. Some other main characters include: Leander Hastings, Jack’s warrior coach, Aunt Linda, Jack’s magical protector and Ellen Stephenson, a very close friend of Jack’s. The novel is about Jack learning to adapt to new and magical changes in life. The only thing that sets him apart from other high schoolers is the medicine he takes daily and the thick scar above his heart. One day, Jack skips his medicine and has this sudden urge to kill another classmate from school. He soon finds out he is Weirlind; otherwise known as a secret society of magical people. Jack trains with Leander Hastings to become a skilled warrior. Between the magical people, there is the Game in which warriors from opposing sides fight each other to death. Warriors are the rarest Weirlinds out of all the wizards, enchanters, and so on. Jack is a warrior and soon discovers Ellen is one too. Will the two friends have to face each other to death?

I think that this book, The Warrior Heir is a very clever novel, it has all the great characteristics of a story that I would like to read. First of all, I think that this book is very similar to Harry Potter. These two books are both about brave teenage boys trying to defeat and save a certain enemy. These two books both include ordinary boys discovering that they have an extraordinary talent that is far beyond what they’ve ever imagined. In addition, I really enjoy reading books with suspense. In this book, it includes lots of suspense which keeps me hooked on and wanting to keep reading to the end. Sometimes, books don’t have very good suspense and I usually find it bring and dull to read. But most of all, I loved the ending of this book. Unlike most books, you can usually predict how the book is going to end. But this book had ended in a way that I had never thought it would be; the author had lead me off to think of another ending. I was really shocked to see how it ended; not only it was satisfying; it kept me wanting for more. To me, that is the best way to end a book. So next time if you need a book to read, the Warrior Heir might be something to look for!

From, Student X