Author Archives: Aila L.

Adventures in Biodiversity: Thoughts and Review

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You may have heard of the term “biodiversity” before, but what is it and why is it so important? The book, Adventures in Biodiversity by Alexandre Antonelli gives new insight to these questions. Antonelli is a highly experienced and respected plant scientist. He has devoted his career to studying the evolutionary science of tropical plants and habitats. Throughout his book, he applies his knowledge to educate about the loss of biodiversity, and the dangers that come with it. It includes many details about the study of habitats and biology.

Personally, I am interested in biology. This book has furthered my passion for it: I have learned so much! I especially enjoyed reading about the author’s trips to rainforests and endangered ecosystems. I never knew how interconnected and complex nature truly is. Did you know that more than 500 species of flowers rely on bats to pollinate them? I didn’t either!

This book has also educated me on the dangers of endangered species and habitats. Everything needs biodiversity to thrive. All species, from cocoa plants to horseshoe crabs, play a major role in our everyday lives. Although we rely on the unique variety of species to thrive, humans are the leading cause for loss of biodiversity. We destroy rainforests, kill species for their fur, and steal habitats for our own. This decline of biodiversity has rapidly accelerated throughout the years. For example, the Amazon rainforest has already lost 20% of its area due to deforestation. It is projected to lose 7% more by 2027. The book goes into much more detail; there are many specifics on the causes, types, and consequences of the loss of biodiversity. I highly recommend everyone read this book and spread this knowledge to others.

Nostalgic Books

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It’s always fun to remember the simpler times of our childhood. Personally, literature has always been a big part of my life, and I know a lot of other people feel the same way. There is just something special about old childhood favorites. Let’s revisit some of my– and maybe yours as well– beloved books from years ago. 

  1. Percy Jackson series

Percy Jackson is such a creative and enjoyable book series! Personally, I love learning about Greek mythology and history. Reading this was so much fun for me– it was absolutely my favorite in middle school. I heard they recently made a show adaptation! I have watched the movie adaptation before, but have yet to watch the show.

  1. Dear America series

These books were so eye-opening and captivating for me. I actually cried over a few! Especially the story of the enslaved girl. If you don’t know already, these books are fictional diaries capturing the lives of girls from historical America. Most of them are very sad, but they helped me gain new perspectives and appreciation for the life I have. I think this is a very important experience every child should have. 

  1. Wonder

Most of the time, when I am forced to read books for school it is a grueling experience. With all the reports, essays, and book logs, it made reading boring. However, this one I didn’t mind. In fact– I loved this book! Similar to the Dear America books, it opened my eyes to new perspectives. It also had such a heartwarming story throughout. Weird to think that I’m around the same age as Via!

  1. The Magic Treehouse 

This was one of my favorite book series. I read these over and over again throughout elementary school. It has such a creative plot and it was written beautifully. I was always immersed in the spectacular magic, timelines, imagery, and plot of every world they explored.

  1. Junie B. Jones series

I absolutely loved these books. They have such a neat charm to them. I remember spending my recess reading Junie’s misspelled diary entries and her dramatic attitude. Remember when she locked herself in school to avoid riding the bus? 2nd-grade me couldn’t believe it!

Effective Study Methods

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Have you ever spent hours struggling through textbooks, study guides, and notes only to completely forget everything during the exam? Or even worse: you are forced to pull all-nighter, and sleep through your alarm! Even if you personally don’t struggle with these, implementing these 3 study methods can still provide major benefits.

  1. The Feynman Technique

In simple terms, this is just explaining to someone– out loud– your study concept. Don’t use any technical terms. Think of it as explaining it to a fifth grader. This may sound weird, but it works for many reasons. Firstly, explaining a concept helps you understand and memorize it yourself. Speaking out loud is more memorable than just writing it down or reading it. Secondly, it helps you fill any gaps in your knowledge. If you can not explain a concept in simple terms, you do not know it well enough. You can also see what parts you forget to mention. This technique is best used when you have reviewed the concepts at least once.

  1. Blurting

Blurting is when you write down everything you remember onto one space. This can be a few sheets of paper, a whiteboard, or even a mirror! Personally, I do not have access to a large whiteboard– so I like to write on my mirror with dry erase markers. It works just the same. This method helps with memorization, gaps in knowledge, and understanding of the concept. 

  1. Spaced Repetition

This method ensures that you won’t be pulling any all-nighters! First, calculate how many days you have until your exam. Next, write the specific topics you want to review, and how long for. Then, follow these guidelines to space out your studying. 1st session: this day. 2nd session: the next day. 3rd session: a week after, 4th session: a week and ½ after. Continue this– spacing out each study session– until the day of your exam! 

The Giver: Book vs. Movie

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Recently, I sat down and watched the movie adaptation for The Giver. While I had never watched it before, I have read the book twice. It is one of my favorites. I think the movie is good– but it isn’t as good as the book. There are some differences in the plot and its overall execution. I may be biased, though, since I always seem to prefer books over movies! Anyways, here are the important differences between the two versions of The Giver:

  1. Age of Jonas

Jonas is a new coming Twelve, so he is about twelve years old. This is not expressed in the movie, since Jonas is depicted as sixteen. This alters some aspects of Jonas’s character and actions.

  1. Character and Plot development

Compared to the book, the movie rushes plot and character development. Some characters feel not nearly as fleshed out as they do in the book: I was introduced to many characters and scenes very fast. However, this is expected for movie adaptations since they have less time compared to the book. But it does make enough of a difference to include it in this list.

  1. Receiver of Memory Trait

Jonas’ special ability is identified by his light colored eyes, and is central to the plot development plus the specific abilities. However, in the movie, the characters with special abilities are identified instead by a birthmark on their wrist. This seemed weird to me: they changed a huge part of the plot for almost no reason. I don’t think it would be impossible to give the actors contacts.

  1. Jonas’ and Fiona’s Relationship

This is also another weird change. Since the movie aged up the characters, there is a kissing scene between the two. This did not happen in the book, but there was some romantic connotation involving Jonas and Fiona. 

  1. Stirrings

In the movie, stirrings are not addressed as directly as they are in the book. Also, Jonas is given an injection instead of a daily pill.

  1. Ending (not spoiled)

The ending ended slightly differently from the book, including a major aspect not previously mentioned. I recommend you go watch the movie if you’re interested to see it!

The Giver by Lois Lowry is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby. 

Authors We Love: Donna Tartt

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Donna Tartt is an American novelist who writes psychological fiction. You may have seen her literary works before, some of which include: The Secret History and The Goldfinch. Personally, I have read many of her novels, and enjoyed all of them. She has an intense, nuanced writing style that really draws you into the world that she creates.  Her novels have a very mysterious, often melancholic vibe to them. 

Her most recent novel, The Goldfinch, is a stunning 780 pages long. Despite its slow-pace, Donna still manages to maintain a captivating and engaging story. It is one of her most intricate and emotionally profound novels. It– rightfully so– has earned her many awards. In 2014, Tartt won not only the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, but additionally the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 2014. The book was also adapted into a film.

Similarly, The Secret History is another prominent novel by Donna Tartt. This book has such a distinctive feel to it. I recommend you give it a try if you haven’t already. It is an incredible book; I wish I could read it for the first time again!

Tartt has touched many people with her novels. In an interview, she states that,” I’ve had some moving letters from people in prison. I also love hearing from young people who have been inspired to study classics.” Tartt highly values the deep impact her books have on readers. She is also a very humble person, who is genuinely passionate about literature. She is also incredibly talented, even at a young age. She wrote her first poem at just five years old! 

Overall, Donna Tartt is an amazing author. Her novels are a work of art, and she is an inspiring person. I recommend you give her books a try.

Book by Donna Tartt are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.