The Girls

Amy Goldman Koss has another dramatic, clique, crushing, and friendship story, The Girls, about teenage protagonist: Maya, Renee, Darcy, Brianna and Candace. It’s a story about true friendship, the survival of middle school, and making wise choices.

Maya was just one of the popular girls until she was put out of her group of “friends” and Candace the antagonist, begins to separate them all. As the book is developed, each chapter is told in the point of view of one of the five girls, and shows there feeling about the protagonist exactly through their eyes.

This book appeals to those who interest in gossip, cliques, true friendship, or just simply want to read a book about middle school life from a girl's perspective.

Maya—the newest of the group—realizes that she is no longer part of that clique. She finds out that she was not invited to Darcy’s birthday party while everyone else was. Maya was confused and could not make out what she had done wrong, when actually she was just being kicked out of the group because of Candace, the leader “said so.” Renee—the next one in line to get exclude and whose parents are going through a divorce knows that leaving Maya out is bad but she fears that she will no longer be popular if she speaks her mind. Brianna—is just one of the followers of Candace—who doesn’t want to risk to get kicked out of the group either. Darcy—Candace’s “best friend”—obeys Candace as if she was her slave. The mystery is that no one in the group knows what wrong Maya had done, except Candace who decides who’s in and who’s out.

The author Amy Goldman Koss gives support to the story with coming of age issues that are common in the adolescent life. At the same time, the climax and resolution was blunt and brief. The climax as well the resolution was pointless because she went through so much trouble with the description and development of the characters but she didn’t end up with a strong and solid ending of the book.

The Girls is a short and fast read (121 pages) that displays many teen moments. It portrays a serious peer-pressure issues occurring in every school in the world. All of the characters really give the reader a perspective of their feelings and thoughts.

Poetry Friday: My Grandfather

My Grandfather

By: Luciana Paz

Is a writer A comma, a semicolon, an exclamation point.

He is the ink of a Mont Blanc. He is a fine and timeless writing instrument.

My grandfather is a water buffalo; a dragonfly, African Grey, a red phoenix, a crane, a donkey when he has an idea.

My grandfather is owl wise.My grandfather is rock strong. My grandfather is cotton soft.

My grandfather is a reader.A connector, a thinker, a critic.

My grandfather is

an analyzer. He taught me to value the small things in life.

Because of him, I perceive history writing, reading

in a different light.

Because of my grandfather, I'm resilient.

Confession Tuesday

1. I just looked outside my window saw a fish cloud. It’s kind of deformed but you can make out at lease the form of the fish. It remembered a story my grandpa had told me about a man how knew what was going to happen in the future, just by looking at the clouds and how they moved. I guess it might have been an advantage but who wants to know what they future is, they should just live it.
2. Today was a fantastic day (sarcasm) I had my first detention! I’m so proud of myself! I feel like a rebel now LOL I’m just kidding…
3. When she started her “electrifying” (pay attention to the quotation marks) tirade I seriously wanted to go up to her and say a piece of my mind but I couldn’t risk getting a double “Mrs. Trius’s detention of doom!”
4. Aside from having “Mrs. Trius’s detention of doom!” I pretty much had a good day. Only the fact that I got home at four and miss an hour of homework…but whatever.
5. I love to annoy my little sister with word she does not understand (especially worldly wise ones)she gets you irritated that the only thing for her to defend herself is my mom( I can’t mess with my mom or she’ll confuse me with words I don’t even want to hear.)
6. I bet there any people you know that are hypocrite and I bet everyone can say you yourself are at least a little hypocrite. There is this person that’s in our grade that really is a hypocrite (It’s not the person you are thinking right now) its someone you could least expect to be , some people may already know who the person because they’ve begun to see the other side of him/she. I wish they could stop but I can’t say anything because I can’t trust that person anymore.
7. I’ve been seeing Mrs. Gaudiano wondering around the middle school talking to her old students teacher, parents etc. Her coming to visit the school evoked many funny memories…at lunch I had remembered what Yeji, Nysha and I would call Mrs. Gaudiano something red cheeks (that meant death. Give us a break we were in 6th grade. Like if that was long ago…haha…oh wow two year ago).
8. It took me an hour and twenty-two minutes to right this confession Tuesday…I better stop. “We’ll be back with more, next week on Luciana’s blog!” ;)

What’s that Saying Again? You can Achieve if You can Believe?

I remember my first meet it evokes so many memories…I was clad in a black speedo swim suit, light blue goggles pressing around my eyes , green dynamo logo on my right side and a yellow cap just like every other competitor. The tension pervaded through the swimmers as well as the coaches and parents. The shouts, made by the crowds reverberated across the dome, giving me a haunting feeling of fright. Many irascible parents rebuffed there children’s entreaties to not competing and giving them a long tirade about how winning was there life and future. (I guess they had those grimaces on their faces because it was early in a Saturday morning). Since it was cold outside, I had to keep myself warm, with energy inside, and so I wouldn’t get dehydrate drink a lot of water.

The races had begun I was tremulous of getting on the diving step, getting timed and getting launched by an abhorrent “beep!” I had a profound feeling that something was amiss, spontaneously I heard an anonymous person call my name. Right before they could call again, I noticed that I was supposed to be on one of those diving step to swim 100 meters of butterfly. My heart had made a million slips at that moment; with cursory attention to the things in my way, I ran as fast as I could to my spot. I was thinking that I could never come out in first place I thought those stress kids would bet me by a lot.

Right when I got on the diving step I mind went blank and completely turned my thoughts inside out. I had only four things on my mind: 100 meters fly, power, speed, and number one. My strokes were just like a butterfly escaping in to their world and being free. I was on my final stroke when I reached to the wall and heard a loud “beep!” My name was first up the list I was ecstatic, thrilled of my accomplishment. I realized that if I set my mind on something and repeat it over and over I will have amazing results that I never thought I could be able to do.

To You Mother

I fall

She catches

I fail

She solves

I cry

She comforts

I talk

She listens

I need

She gives

I hope someday

I’ll do the same

She’ll fall

I’ll catch

She’ll fail

I’ll solve

She’ll cry

I’ll comfort

She’ll talk

I’ll listen

She’ll need

I’ll give.

To you

Mother,

I love you.

Slice of Life: FRIDAY...or not

Today was a normal day except the part I thought it was Friday. I had planned everything for the weekend: going to the movies with friends, shopping, staying up late, sleeping till noon, eating with family at a restaurant but no, I was reminded by my friend that it was only Thursday…sadly. There’s nothing wrong with Thursdays but it’s so frustrating that you still have an entire day left until you can say, thank god it’s Friday!

I guess since its Thursday I have to write about something interesting or something that isn’t. I have an idea that’s pondering inside my mind but I’m not sure about it. (I really wanted to write about me thinking it was Friday but at the same I wanted to write about getting a really special birthday present from a very special family.)

When my and family and I lived in Atlanta there was this family name the Yoons. My parents had met them apparently because both the dad and mom worked in the same place as my dad. At the time I was still in my mommy’s tummy so I can’t really remember when I meet them. They have always been very helpful and supportive to my family as well as loving. Our friendship between their families grew and grew and still does. They really love my sister and me but of course I am their favorite (I’m not joking). They always send us many pretty things that no one really would think of or give as present. Since it was my birthday last Saturday they sent me this beautiful bag that I always dreamed of having (I just got it today through mail).I was so surprised and all I wanted to do was call them and thank them. Like in all the presents they send us they put a really small but unique card that has concise amount writing but also contains a profound meaning.

I completed my duty with writing a 3 paragraph and one sentence long Slice of Life…now hopefully someone can comment on this fantastic, marvelous, unbelievable work of art (sarcasm)!

Is this Just an Okay?

Why do people get divorced? Is it because they don’t love each other anymore? Many families probably go through this, but who is the one that is haunted with those thoughts? Studies show that children are affected the hardest. You’ll find that there are lots of friends whose parents are divorce and you might not feel very bad about it but image how they feel? You can only feel the tension and the depression that that person is feeling if you go through it.

If you where in that situation youd probably be impelled to feel reclusive and might be tremulous to express your feelings to your parents. You might wonder if you could have helped to prevent the split. Others might wish they had prevented arguments by work together within the family, doing better with your behavior, getting better grades or wished you'd kept quiet so the irascible parents wouldn’t get mad. You may feel despondent or relived because of the tension going on at home.

I would say that parents going through a divorcing have to be strong and confident especially yourself. I also think that parent as well as children would still feel profound sadness, anger, or depression butthat’s okay because the interminable and abhorrent feelings will disappear with time and you will find yourself back to normal…in a way.