Post 1: Why Do YouRead?

I read because I find it enjoying and feel like I can escape the realities of life, and just become a person who is watching the book unfold like a bystander would watch a car go by, but I also read when I am required to for school. When I decide to read when I’m not required, I seem to find some inspiration in the book. I believe that reading can enhance your mind, and I when I was younger I was always surrounded with books that my parents wanted me to read. I believe that reading can enhance one’s mind because it allows the reader to have to think and comprehend the plot and actions that are taking place in the novel. Another reason that I read is because there is such a widespread selection of genres and books to read, and the more genres and books you read, you gain knowledge on topics that you may never thought would appeal to you. I also think that reading is becoming a more widespread way selling new technologies which would appeal to people who may not want to read. These new technologies are also a reason why I read, and want me to use these technologies.

Book Recommendation: Fat Kid Rules the World

I would recommend the novel Fat Kid Rules the World for anyone who is looking for a book that is comedic but has some reality to it. It is the story of a 300 pound, 6 foot 1 inch high school senior named Troy Billings. He has no friends, but with the help of a high school drop-out, Troy learns that he can still succeed in life. The high school drop-out would be school legend Curt McCrae. He is the one who saves Troy from jumping in front of an on-coming train in an attempt to take his own life. The two of the most unlikely people become great friends and help each other make it through the hard times in life. Troy and Curt don't just become great friends, they become something greater.

Theme and Summary: Fat Kid Rules the World

The theme of this book would be working together in life can help you survive the tough times. This theme emerges in the middle of the book when Troy realizes that he needs Curt McCrae in order for him to survive and keep him positive about himself. The  development of this theme is gradual, since the main characters don't become friends till the middle of the novel. The theme is shaped by the actions of Curt and Troy, along with other characters that aren't quite as important. An example of this would be after Troy goes to the concert and meets up with Ollie, and is told that he is lucky to be Curt's drummer since they need each other to survive. This event occurs in chapter 45, along with the fact that many people see Troy as popular since he knows Curt, and this is the first time in his whole life that Troy has been thought of as popular.

Charatcers: Fat Kid Rules the World

There are many important charracters in the book that I am currently reading, but the main character is Troy Billings. He is a 17 year-old, six-foot-one, 296 pound kid who is described as,"Friendless, utterly miserable, and about to step off the subway platform in front of an oncoming train." I chose to pick Troy because he shows that he is going to be a dynamic character from the very beginnig, and that he is   the main character. I believe that as of where I am in the novel right now, that Troy is still a round (no pun intended) character. From my perspective Troy has developed a decent amount, and that he has to continuing to develop to allow the book to still be interesting, and to keep the theme relevant. His interactions with other cahracters, such as his dad, his brother; Dayle, and the other main character; Curt  McCrae. Troy's interactions with Curt are extremly important to the developoment of Troy because he encourages Troy to be himself. Also, his interactions with Curt show what kind of person Troy really is, not how other people portray him to be, which is this very overweight and firendless kid, when really he is nice and very socialable.

Reading Skills: Monster

In the book Monster by: Walter Dean Meyers, I predict that the main character, Steve Harmon will be found innocent of murder. I believe this because he has yet to take the stand and plead his side of the story to the jurors.

I also predict that a theme for this novel would be that you cannot make a rash decision based on what a person looks like. A reason that I would consider this as a theme is because in the beginning of the trial Steve's lawyer tells him that he must appear and act as innocent as he can because the jurors have already made up their minds just because he is,"black and young" as the lawyer states.

A question that I have is if he is found innocent of murder, how will his peers and family treat him, and act around him? Another question that I have is how does his lawyer prove his innocence to a close-minded jury?

A text to world connection would be when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred in New York. Everyone who looked like they were Middle Eastern, or had a darker complexion, was treated differently, and some even assumed that they belonged to the guilty party. This is exactly what occurs in this novel when the jurors see what Steve and the other suspects look like.

A text to self connection would be that when Steve takes the stand he knows that the best thing he can do is tell the truth, and answer every question to the best of his ability. This is exactly how I feel the best way to tell your side of the story. When I forgot my homework, and my teacher asked me where it was, I told her the truth, which was that I just forgot. I have always agreed that the best policy is honesty.

A text to text connection can be found between the novel Monster and the Brian Banks story. The Brian Banks story is about a young African American and uprising football star, who is accused of a serious crime that he did not commit. He lost ten years of his life in jail and on house arrest. His attorney encouraged him to take the plea bargain rather than fight for his innocence in court because he was a young, black male. Brian Banks later proves his innocence after serving the ten year sentence. He is now pursuing his life-long dream of playing in the NFL. This connects to the novel because Steve is being accused of a murder that he claims he didn't commit, and is currently serving time in prison during the trial.

To find out more information on The Brian Banks Story go to: http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2013/4/4/4182724/falcons-flyover-the-brian-banks-story

Reading Skills: Fat Kid Rules the World

    In the book Fat Kid Rules the World by: K. L. Going, I predict that the main characters Troy Billings, and Curt MacCrae are going to become good friends and help each other out when they are in tough situations throughout the story. I believe this because they both have to deal with major problems in their own personal lives.

    I also predict that the theme of this novel is that working together in life can help you survive the tough times. A reason that I would consider this to be a theme is because in the very beginning of the book, Troy is thinking about committing suicide, but Curt prevents Troy from jumping in front of the subway train by causing him to become distracted. This shows that Curt was looking out for Troy and that he was there to help him when the going got tough for Troy.

    One question that I have is what would have happened with Troy and Curt had Troy's father not fell for the lie that the two boys were starting a band? Another question that I have is that Troy acts like his little brother really does want him to commit suicide, what would his little brother's reaction be if he actually did commit suicide?

 
    A text to text connection between this novel, Fat Kid Rules the World and another text would be the poem Shoulders by Naomi Shihab Nye. The connection between these two pieces of literature is the theme, which is that working together in life will help you survive the tough times. I feel that this connection is very strong because I have read only a couple chapters and that is what I believe the author has already conveyed.

    A text to self would be that just how Troy and Curt are relying on each other to get through the tough times, I rely on my family to help me get through the tough times.

A text to world connection would how nations are allies with each other, especially in times of war. An example of this is during WWII, the Allied Forces fought against the Axis, both of these forces considered the countries that they were fighting with tho be their allies. For example, the U.S is and was allies with the British, and the French during WWII and currently are today. This directly correlates to the novel since the Allied Forces relied on each other for support in the war, and Troy and Curt rely on each other for support to get through each day.

Book Recommendation: Monster

Another book that I would like to recommend is Monster by: Walter Dean Meyers. The reason I would like to recommend this book is because I feel that it is a great book to read. Although it's not a difficult book to read, I believe that it holds a strong message inside of it, which is that just because someone is a certain race or ethnicity doesn't mean that they committed a crime. This is what happens to the main character Steve Harmon. He is being charged with felony murder after a robbery turns deadly, and he is  acquaintances with two of the robbers, who try to say that Steve was their lookout man and was supposed to check the store to make sure nobody was in it. If you are tha type of readeer who likes mystery novels, than this is the book for you.