8th Grade Summer Reading Blog

Dante Ceppetelli I think the quote “it's better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission” is a quote that people should not live by because you should always ask permission before you do something, and if you don't ask then you are going to get in trouble. Then you are going to have to ask them to forgive you and it will be hard to gain their trust again.

Harrison MacDougall "Those batteries can last forever if they are charged." I think the quote “Those batteries will last forever if they are charged” is really important to the story because Frank says that quote at the beginning of the book when Frank and Chris found the batteries. Then Chris remembers what Frank said at the beginning when he found the battery charger. Then they put the batteries in the radio and called coast guard and they were saved.

Zachariah Wilson "It's wrong for anybody ever to hurt you. No matter who does it, it's wrong. Can you remember that?" I think this line is important because it is true. No one deserves to be hurt or abused. Even if you are close to the person hurting you, it's not right. In this book, the main plot is about the abusive mother and the hero, Murdoch. This quote is when Matthew, the character being abused, realizes Murdoch can help him. He feels hopeful that he won't have to live a life of chaos. 

Alexander Cleary "We were on a sailboat and it sank, and now we're in a cabin but I don't know where we are, we need help. My name's Chris. I'm here with my brother." The reason why I think this quote is important is because of the fact that although Chris and Frank had declared that they were brothers a bit earlier in the book, I think that how Chris said that they were brothers to the person he was calling to get help from was a really good way of uniting the two. For most of the book, they hated each other and would get into fights. In fact, I didn't even realize they were brothers until late in the story when Frank finally said it. Chris didn't know it either! As the story went on, they got a lot closer to each other and I think Frank chose the right time to say it. 

Meyah Dugan "IT happened. There is no avoiding it, no forgetting. No running away, or flying, or burying, or hiding." I believe these sentences would make an excellent quote because it says that what happened has happened, and you cannot change that. You can't run from it or forget about whatever has happened, you must deal with it. Whether that is speaking up for yourself, or just accepting what has happened. In the book, Melinda says this referring to it as a tragic event that happened during the summer, but it can be applied to many other things as well. 

Ethan Todd "It can't be that hard." This is important to me because through the whole book nothing seemed easy and ironically when Frank said it cant be that hard, he failed to make fire, proving him self wrong.

Aidyn Short "He chose the biggest word he'd ever used to say how puny we were in that enormous world. In a way he was right. But in a way he was wrong. We had beaten the darkness, holding back with our torches the wild animals, the ghosts and skeletons. We were the most powerful things in our little part of the planet. But in the larger world, we were also nothing." I like this part and think it is memorable and somewhat important because the book I think is mostly about the characters. It does tell you how they survive, but it also tells you little things about the characters and I think this really shows how they grow. I also really like how he puts it that they're the strongest things on the island they're stranded on, but compared to the rest of the world they are nothing.

Julianne Trovato “Everything is Nothing” Is everything really nothing? Is death the end? Does anything really matter if we all die at the end? There’s no point in going through life’s trouble, so let things be. If someone doesn’t like your shoes, is there really a point to say “ I don’t like your shoes either”? Just let it go because it’s nothing, just another thing on earth. Everything has it’s own meaning but it can’t stop you from living life. This makes a good quote because everyone will have their own perspective and point of view on it. You may have to think deep on what it really means or what you think it means.

Angelina Chapman "Do not just live. Live boldly." I believe that this is an important quote because it is a reminder that life is too short not to be adventurous. For example, Lil and her friends could have decided to not enter the Labyrinth and climb out the window instead. However, they chose the more adventurous route and left with more knowledge than when they first entered. 

Josh Styles "Tougher, stronger, fearless!" I think this particular quote is very inspirational and memorable because it gives motivation and inspiration to succeed. In this particular situation it was meant towards roller skating and roller derby. From a pro to a beginning. That is why I think this quote is memorable. 

Devin O'Donal "Everyone makes a mistake now and then." I think this is an important quote because everyone makes a mistake now and then. In this book, the quote is about football. I think it is memorable because people have been making mistakes for a long time. 

Sedona Bolevic "I get out of bed and take down the mirror. I put it in the back of my closet, facing the wall." I chose this quote because it reflects how many teenage girls dislike their appearance. The main character is no exception, and not liking the way she looks is one of the issues she battles within this book. Taking the mirror and hiding it also represents how the main character tries to avoid her problems instead of dealing with them. 

Camden Lapointe "You do have a golden arm." Matt Gordon is a starting quarterback and he is jealous of of Alex Meyers. He realized that Alex was a very talented quarterback and had a very amazing almost a "golden" arm. Matt Gordon had felt more threatened that Alex, the new kid, and not just a freshman, was going to take his roster spot. He had done something very drastic, and something that he very well knew could cost him many scholarships and possibly his whole future in his football career. 

Alanna Linton  “I dont want to be cool,I want to grab her by the neck and shake her and scream at her to stop treating me like dirt. She didnt even bother to find out the truth- what kind of friend is that?"  Melinda blames Rachel for turning against her so easily, but she never really holds it against her. She wants to yell at her so badly but she never can. In the bathroom when she sees Rachel she says “hi” but Rachel gives her attitude. The other seven or so years they were friends is what Melinda dwells on. “My room belongs to an alien. It has a postcard of who I was in the fifth grade. It is a demented phase when I thought that roses should cover everything and pink was a great color.”  It seems kind of symbolic that Melinda doesn’t like pink anymore. Pink is an innocent, girlish color, and she doesn't feel innocent and girlish anymore. At first, she's totally isolated from the Melinda she was before the rape. She thinks her old self was an alien b...

Jacques Dubois' "There's magic in the forest." This quote is important because it states that one of the main characters which is a raven, has magic. The raven was able to cure an infected wound that would have killed Frank in less than 24 hours. The raven also saved Chris' and Frank's lives when he shows them where a working battery is located. They put the battery in the radio and are able to call for help so that they can be rescued from the island. 

Lucas Spier “Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.” I thought this quote is important because it is saying that sometimes it is better to take risks and ask for forgiveness later on. The Walk On is about a high school freshman named Alex Myers. He is a backup quarterback for Chester Heights football team. The coach's son is the star quarterback and the coach plays his son in over Alex. The story is about Alex overcoming a difficult relationship with his coach and showing him that he is able to lead his varsity football team.

Liam Fillian  “Where it is dangerous to speak, or to act, or even to think?” This quote is memorable because the family is talking about risking their lives to try and get a better life. They live in East Berlin and the father wants the family wants to move to West Berlin. They are hesitant on leaving because they didn’t want to leave the life they have already started. The mother doesn’t want to leave because she does not want to leave her mother. This part of the story made an impact on me because I was scared for the family.  They would have to leave everything they knew behind to get a safer and better life.

Madla Walsh “Everything’s a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. It’s up to you.” I choose this quote because it relates so well to the character and the topic of the book. Maddie has never once left the house due to the fact that if she did she could die. But her nurse Carla, who has been taking care of her since she was a baby, tells her that even with her disease some risks are worth taking.

Riley Jones One of my absolute favorite quotes from the book is min zeis aplos. Zeis tolmira. Translated into English, it means “Do not live simply. Live boldly.” I chose this quote because it's inspiring and I thought it was so cool when I was researching the meaning and this popped up .

Carly Tessier “Let me tell you about it.”   I feel this is a memorable part in the book because she finally tells at art teacher, Mr Freeman,  about what happened to her. It was hard for her to talk to him because she never speaks out or talks about what is going on in her life. She knew she had to tell someone because she did not want to get hurt again and she worried other girls would get hurt by him too.   

Carter Smith "Pheonix Ray Bauer, their pheonix from ashes." I think this quote is important because Nixy was not the only pheonix in her families point of view, but also in the whole MEEP worlds (and Diego Salvador's). I say this because when the virtual world was coming to an abrupt end with seeming no hope, out came Nixy and saved Wynn from being virtually kidnapped. 

Jay Norton "The fence was only the beginning. I had just divided my life in half. Nothing would be the same again." This quote is very significant because it shows that this new wall is only becoming a problem. Gerta's dad and oldest brother were doing work on the other side of Berlin when the wall went up. Now the wall has literally divided their family in half. Anyone who tries to escape will get shot if necessary. Now everyone feels in danger. This quote sums up what the wall has done in 3 sentences. It also sets the tone for the rest of the book. 

Elizabeth Cavanaugh  "It didn't make me feel completely safe, the way I'd dreamed. Nikki was still out there." I think this quote is important because Matt, the main character feels that even though his mom, Nikki, is not with her children, she is still alive to put them in danger. I also feel this quote is important because it shows that even though Matt and his siblings have been waiting their whole lives to get away from their mom, they still don't truly feel safe and it wasn't everything they hoped for. 

Alice Judge "Except it also felt so good-so good!- to have spoken." I chose this quote because Matthew, the main character, always felt as if he had to keep quiet and follow his mother's orders, even if he didn't want to, to keep his sisters safe. Finally, in this scene, he let all of his true emotions pour out and confronted his mother about all of her faults. Obviously, it did not go well. Though I think that it is only a matter of time when, as a human being, you have to speak up about your emotions. I think this quote was probably one of the most important ones in the whole book.

Thomas Trumble "I've learned a lot from watching him. You can't say I'm better than he is. We have different strengths." I chose this quote because it showed that Alex (the main character) doesn't think he is better than anyone else. In this quote, he is saying that he and Matt (the other QB) are equal but have different strengths. Matt's strength is that he knows more about football than Alex. But Alex has a better throwing arm than Matt. What this quote means is that even though you might have the same job or position as someone else, doesn't mean that one of them is better than the other. They just have different strengths. 

Maggie Sylvester "Spend some time with your mother. Boys come and go, but mothers are forever." I chose this quote because throughout the book, the protagonist grows further away from her mother because of a new boy. In the book, it's a big deal since the main character has never talked to anybody but her mother. This also applies to the real world, since teenagers drift further away from their mothers. They may not realize it, but mothers/parents are more important than their love life. 

Isabella Souliere "That was not an answer I had expected. So Frank had kept his secret in case it hurt my feelings?" I think this quote is important because it takes place at one of the main points in the book where the readers learn why the main character (Chris) is disliked by Frank, the secondary character. The reason it's a main point in the book is that throughout the book, Frank is always saying that he can't stand Chris and dislikes whatever Chris does. Chris and the readers have no idea why up until this point, so this is why the quotes (or character thoughts) are so important for the story.

Shane Sullivan "Peace on Earth on one side, MEEP on the other side." I think this quote is important because the author is trying to tell the readers that we spend too much of our time on technology. MEEP is a virtual-reality platform that kids use to play video games on. The story takes place on Christmas and normally Christmas is a time for family to get together and have fun, but instead they are inside playing video games. It is also memorable because it reminds me of the world right now. 

Ethan Frankiewicz “But I’ve told Frank that if we have any doubts, it will not happen.  If we believe we’ll be saved, we’ll be saved.” This quote is important because it gives Chris and Frank a reason to keep going.  It helps them to stay positive.  The quote is useful because it motivates them to look for things that might help save them like a battery for the old radio in the cabin or lighters to start a fire. The quote is saying if they stop believing that they will be saved, they might never be saved or survive alone in the forest of Alaska.

Gabe Speidel Overall, I thought that “The Leveler” by Julia Durango was very memorable.  In addition to being well written, it gave a lot of insight into why you should never rush into something.  If I had to choose though, the most memorable quote, in my opinion, from it is “For a moment, I wonder if I can ever return.  If I should ever return.(Pg. 193)”  That quote was spoken by the protagonist, Nixy, when she realizes that she sort of rushed into the mess of retrieving the lost, Wyn Salvador, when he is imprisoned inside the MEEP, which is their form of virtual-reality internet.  When she entered Wyn’s world, she was immediately trapped, and just believe that quote sums up most of her questions and fears.

Abby Ashe Throught A Night Divided there were many devastating and tragic quotes but there was only one that really stuck with me which was….”The things they write could never be played here” That quote sticks with me I believe because learning about the beatles in 7th grade and enjoying listening to them helps me understand how things were back in the time period this story takes place in, I believe what the author is trying to get across is that in East Germany it was forbidden to listen to any kind of music the expressed free being.

Isabella Sambuaga “I don’t know what to say, so I tell her I love her too. It’s not enough, but it’ll have to do.” In this book, I saw a lot of quotes, but this one made me feel emotion. I absolutely love this quote because love is really hard to say in words. This quote just had a lot of meaning, and thought put into it, and the quotes with a lot of meaning and thought, make the best ones.

Wells Lambert "I'm here. I don't need Murdoch or anyone to take Emmy away. Or to tell you that you won't be allowed to see her ever again. I'll make sure of that. Me. Alone, if necessary." In this quote, Matt tells his mother that he is able to take care of his family. To make sure that they are safe and their mom can't hurt them. Matt finds the courage to confront his mom that he is able to do it alone, without help from family or friends.

Grace Vigent Looking down at the floor, Arthur said in a barely audible voice, "it was because of his hat, your Honor." This particular quote is important and memorable because the main character, Arthur Owens, has thrown a brick at an old man and has sent himself to court. While in the court room, the judge asks Arthur why he threw the brick at the man. He then replies saying it was because of his hat. That hat was his dads before he died, so he throws the brick in sudden rage showing the reader how much that hat, and his dad, meant to him. 

Molly Morin  "You are not living if you are not regretting." I personally think that this statement is important to the story because the moral of the book is that it is ok to take chances. It teaches that people take huge risks for the ones they love. The main character is a great example. She meets someone, and risks her life for him. In conclusion, this book would not have a climax to the story if the main character didn't take chances. 

Lilliana Margel "You're not living if you're not regretting." I chose this quote because we might regret some choices we make but if we don't regret some choices we make, than we could miss out on opportunities in life that we might regret missing. This was the concept of the whole book. Maddy, the main character has a rare disease that makes her not able to go outside. Then one day, she wanted to go somewhere, so she went to Hawaii with her friend Olly. That was her opportunity, but she never regretted it. 

Cordelia Barnet "May his teachings be great. His pen mighty. His ledger bright. His mind clear. His body and will strong. Then, and only then, will his name go down in history, and those wise enough to follow find their feet in footprints of gold." The reason I chose this quote is it shows that you need a brain to be mighty. This quote is saying you need more than just strength, you need smarts and strategies. It is saying if you are a leader you need to be wise and cunning. It is also saying that you need to be able to keep calm. The quote says, "his pen mighty," which I interpret as having good rules and expectations. These are a few of the reasons I have chosen this as a good quote from the book.

Emily Morris "He hurt me. It wasn't my fault. And I'm not going to let it kill me. I can grow." I think this is important because all of the kids at her high school think that's it's all her fault that they got busted at their end of the year. She called the cops because someone did something to her they should't have. I think that it's great that she knows she did nothing wrong and that she can continue to grow as a person even when everyone is against her.

Lydia Bilodeau "My head is pounding, like there's a cymbal-playing monkey going to town inside my brain." I think this quote is memorable because it is a silly and great way to describe a headache. Almost everybody gets a headache, and describing what it feels like can sometimes be difficult. This quote gives a funny, yet perfect description of a headache. Saying "my head hurts" is way less descriptive and it's boring. However if you say "my head is pounding, like there's a cymbal-playing monkey going to town inside my brain," then not only did you describe your headache but you said something funny too. Who wouldn't remember this quote when they get a headache? I know that the next time I get a headache, I will definitely remember this quote. 

Logan Croteau "Today is the day we'll be saved." I think this is a great quote because it leaves you thinking do they actually get saved? It is memorable to the book because Chris says it every morning to try and stay positive and it cheers Frank up enough to want to survive. Chris also says it because he truly believes that one day they will be saved.

Shealle Dulin "Everything would be okay again. Whether that was true or not, I chose to believe. I made myself believe it, or the worry would drive me insane." I chose this quote because it shows that Gerta, the main character, refuses to give up hope that her brother, Fritz, will be back from the Stasi (German police). The quote really intrigued me because it was at the very end of a chapter and was a cliff hanger.

Kay Smith "She was the queen bee and we served her. Now she's dangerous like a mosquito. A mosquito might bite you. It might carry malaria. But most of the time, a mosquito just whines and buzzes." Matthew (the protagonist) made a great connection between him and his two sisters mother. The connection is so accurate that I couldn't help but call it a quote. Nikki (Matthew's mother) used to be treated like royalty, but later on, her children smartened up and started to ignore her or stand up to her. 

Madeline Grygiel " Oh my god I am so sorry , she writes. Why didn't you tell me ?" I think this quote is important because it is showing that Melinda is stepping out of her comfort zone by telling Rachel why she really called the cops at an end of summer party. Throughout the book, Rachel wasn't being a great friend to Melinda because Melinda called the cops at the party, but when Rachel starts dating this senior, Melinda feels she needs to warn her about him. In this scene, Melinda tells Rachel what happened and she immediately feels sorry for her. I was surprised when Melinda told her this because she was always very shy and kept to herself and now she told her ex-best friend this huge secret. 

Kira Neal "There's more to life than being alive." Although this book has so many beautifully quotable moments, I couldn't help but be drawn to this one. Not only because of the hidden oxymoron effect, but because of the stark truth of the statement. Because, in all reality, there is a huge difference between being alive and truly living.