You read 3 (or more) books this past summer. Which book from the summer reading list did you find to be the most "interesting"? In a paragraph or two, tell me what it takes to make a book interesting (in your opinion) and how the summer book you chose met the standard of "most" interesting. If NONE of the books qualified for that title (again, in your opinion) tell me where and why they fell short of your standard.

Finally, tell me what things you read OTHER than assigned books? Did you read magazines, other novels, travel guides for a vacation, instructions for how to work something, whatever? Think it over, this could be a longer list than you first imagine! Which of these other things was the most interesting.... did you use the same standard as you did for paragraph one? If not, why not?

*Feel free to copy and paste this prompt onto your personal page so that you don't forget to answer all parts of it. The deadline for this entry is 5pm on Friday, August 14th.

The book that I found most interesting from the three that I had to read this summer was Their Eyes Were Watching God.  This book caught my interest because it felt like a real life story that I could relate to.  Being a young woman I hope to find love as Janie did but the lessons she learned along the way might help me to take a better path when looking for it.  This book was most interesting in my opinion because it was a lesson that I know I will face in my life.  To make a book interesting for me it has to draw me into the story and that is what this particular novel did for me.  The others may have also done this but this was the novel I most related to.  The Kite Runner made me look to my friendships but it also made me to sad to ever want to read it again and although The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was interesting and gripping it felt disconnected and choppy. 

This summer I also found myself reading magazines and even other novels.  The two that come to mind are A Wrinkle In Time and Blue Like Jazz.  I loved these books and even though I have not finished reading them both they inspired me to get out read others things that I may not have given a second glance to before.  These weren't interesting because they taught me about life  they simply showed me the world through another person's eyes.  It's like they brought another world to life and that's a whole different reason I find books interesting, they help you escape your world and enter one where there may be adventure and hope.  These are the reasons any person would enjoy reading and a few of the reasons I do.

Consider the novel you read for the theme SELF-DISCOVERY.

What exactly was it that the novel's main character discovered about himself/herself? Explain how this discovery was an integral part of the novel's substance or core.

How was this discovery applicable to you as the reader? In what sense could it be applicable to ALL readers? What did you learn about YOURSELF as you watched the character change within the novel?

Answer this on your personal page by 5pm on Friday, Aug.21st.

The novel The Kite Runner was one of the saddest and most intense books on the summer reading list.  It forced a young boy named Amir to look deep into himself and define what he believed to be a true friend.  It was a main part of the novel because without this conflict the story would have no struggle or connection to readers.  Amir was tested in the worst way possible to see what kind of boy, what kind of friend, he really was to Hassan.  Without this conflict readers would not have been drawn into the plot and hurt as Amir did.  His discovery that it doesn't matter what your friends are it's who they are teaches readers to accept people no matter what they look like or what their heritage is.  This novel taught this writer that there is always more that meets the eye with people.  You have to learn who you can trust out of the people around you.  Any person would be surprised what a good friend would do to defend a friendship.  This is the tough lesson Amir learns about Hassan and by learning this lesson he teaches readers to show more respect and loyalty to their friends.  That's what made this story unique and taught valuable lessons.