The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas

I agree with Janice, this book is a great read and can give the impression that you are reading a true story. The writer has been very clever, by writing the story from the child’s prospective the horrors of what is actually going on with the various characters Bruno interacts with is left very much to the readers imagination. For readers with some knowledge of what happened at this point in history this brings the story vividly to life. Whilst the writers methods mean the book could also be used as a tool encouraging discussion of a painful part of history that should never be forgotten. Once I got into the story I couldn’t put the book down and the ending stayed with me long after the final page closed.

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

The book was fiction but you would think it was non-fiction when you read it as it’s set in the beginning of World War 2.

The story is about a boy Bruno who lives with his family in Berlin. Bruno’s family have to move from their home to Poland. Their new home is next to a concentration camp. At first Bruno has no one to play with so he set off to explore his new home. He meets a boy called Shmuel who is the same age as him and is like a skeleton with short hair and a uniform that to Bruno looks like striped pyjamas. The boys get very close and meet every day at the fence where Bruno brings food for Shmuel.

One day Shmuel's dad goes missing. Shmuel gets Bruno a pair of striped pyjamas and he goes under the fence to help Shmuel to find his father. Bruno gets his eyes opened at what is really going on there. You will have to read the book to enjoy it as I did.

I would recommend this book. I enjoyed getting into the boys way of thinking. It was hard at first but as you get into the book you can see yourself there and the ending was not what I thought it would be.

The black horse

The story I read was based on a western theme. It was about Big Jack Corrigan a Bounty Hunter operating within the law to bring his quarries back to justice dead or live. However for Big Jack, it had to be dead every time. The law took objection to this. So when Corrigan and his henchmen set off in pursuit of the bank robber and killer Pearly Gilles and his gang, deputy US marshal Lee Saleen followed facing the unusual task of trying to stop the bounty hunter from killing the killers. Surrounded by enemies, how would Saleen cope against the overwhelming odds? Read this book and you will enjoy finding out.
A good read lots of excitement!

A Christmas Carol

This version of ' A Christmas Carol' was modernised by Pauline Francis from the original by Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens lived in London in the Victorian period and this book is set in London in the 1840's.

Two themes are developed in the book : money is not everything and that people can change.

This book is written from the third person narrator's view. I liked this as it reads as though someone is telling you the story.

There were some excellent character descriptions. On the first page, the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is described by the author.

' He was as hard and as sharp as flint and as secretive and solitary.'

' He was as bitter as the coldest wind.'

To me, these words summed up the meaness and isolation of the character.

The descriptions gave me a good mental picture of the different ghosts. There is a striking contrast between the luxury surrounding 'The Ghost of Christmas Present' and the two ragged children, Poverty and Ignorance, who appear from his robe. In Victorian London there was a big difference between wealthy and poor people, who lived in dreadful conditions, and the author seemed to use this description to show this.

The author also used a good technique when the ghosts use Scrooge's sayings, from the first chapter, to show the shock he now feels when they are repeated to him. This proves that Scrooge is changing for the better.

This book can seem quite depressing at times, but has a happy ending as the ghosts visits have shown Scrooge the error of his ways. The ending shows that people can change.

This was a good short read which made you think, but finished with a feel - good ending.

I would rate this book 5/5.

Marion P.

2009 Blog Information

Happy New Year!

Hope you all found some time to read books over the holidays.

Just to remind you that we are having a Book Club, West Lothian Burns' Evening on Friday 6th February at Uphall Community Centre. 7 p.m. - 9.30 There will be performances, a buffet and dancing - all for the price of £1.00 . You are welcome to bring a guest.

If you are interested, either see your tutor, or get in touch with me at the Learning Centre.

Looking forward to seeing the new 2009 postings !

Marion P.

refugee boy by benjamin zephaniah

I found this book very interesting, giving an insight of refugees coming to our country how they coped and how they were treated, made me ashamed of how some people treat refugees.
A paragraph in the book stood out for me, he says Things are very hard for me, look at me, look at all the things I am capable of.Think of the things you can call me ,a student,lover of literature, a budding architect, a friend a symbol of hope even,but what am I called a refugee.

Get Together

Hi All

Don't forget there's a get together for all bloggers on Thursday 4th December - 7pm at the Adult Learning Centre. It's a chance to chat about how it's gone so far and have a mince pie or two...

See you there

Jenny