Author Archives: Lam T.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

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On a day which did not seem particularly special at first, something extraordinarily special happened to occur—but none knew it until later on. In a thrift shop on the outskirts of town, Carmen Lowell stumbled upon a seemingly ordinary pair of pants and decided to buy them. When she got home, she tossed them in her closet and forgot about them.

Later on, Carmen and her best friends, Lena, Tibby, and Bridget, get together before spending their first summer apart. They discover the forgotten pants and each takes a turn in trying them on. Though the girls have very different body shapes, the pants fit them all in quite a magical way.

The pants are christened the Traveling Pants, and the girls decide that they will share the Pants throughout the summer to stay in touch. The Pants pass from Lena, in Santorini, Greece; to Tibby, stuck at home; to Carmen, in South Carolina with her divorced father; to Bridget, at a soccer camp in Baja California.

Throughout the four girls’ exciting adventures and incredible experiences, the Pants crisscross the globe, witnessing it all. This is the story of four girls and their first summer apart as a pair of magical pants comes into their lives.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares is an unpredictable novel which takes readers into the lives of four girls and their issues and triumphs. This book was one I absolutely loved—I couldn’t even put the book down until I’d finished, and afterward, I thought about it for a long time. Venturing into the stories of the relatable characters, readers will follow them through their ups and downs with excitement and anticipation. I promise you, after reading about the Sisterhood, you will never forget about Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen and what they represent.

“Bridget called for a moment of silence. ‘To honor the Pants,’ she said.

‘And the Sisterhood,’ Lena added.

Carmen felt tiny bumps rising along her arms. ‘ And this moment. And this summer. And the rest of our lives.’

‘Together and apart,’ Tibby finished.”

-Ann Brashares, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

-Lam T.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

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“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”

These are the well-known words of none other than retired United States Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, spoken during his commencement speech to the graduating class from the University of Texas at Austin. McRaven spoke of the ten lessons he learned from Navy SEAL training, ten lessons needed if one wants to change one’s life, or even the world. These simple lessons at the basis of his remarks dealt with overcoming the trials of SEAL training, but those ten lessons are equally important in dealing with the challenges of life, no matter who you are.

Admiral McRaven was not at all expecting much of a welcoming audience among college students. But to his surprise, they embraced his inspiring speech. McRaven’s wise words seemed to have a universal appeal, and many people wanted to know more about how the ten lessons shaped his life.

As a result, McRaven decided to write a small book, called Make Your Bed. There are ten chapters, each giving a little more context to the individual lessons. The book is filled with anecdotes about the origin of the lessons and the people who inspired McRaven most. These are the ten lessons:

If you want to change the world…

  • Start your day with a task completed. “Start off by making your bed.”
  • You can’t go it alone. “Find someone to help you paddle.”
  • Only the size of your heart matters. “Measure a person by the size of their heart.”
  • Life’s not fair—drive on! “Get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.”
  • Failure can make you stronger. “Don’t be afraid of the Circus.”
  • You must dare greatly. “Slide down the obstacle headfirst.”
  • Stand up to the bullies. “Don’t back down from the sharks.”
  • Rise to the occasion. “Be your very best in the darkest moments.”
  • Give people hope. “Start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.”
  • Never, ever quit! “Don’t ever, ever ring the bell.”

Now, these lessons may seem like the boring stuff you were told constantly as a kid, but Admiral McRaven’s book will go further than that. Reading through his heartwarming and heartbreaking stories, I took a different perspective to these lessons. McRaven’s powerful words touched me, and these days I’m trying my absolute best to live by these lessons so I can change my life—and maybe the world—for the better. Read Make Your Bed, and it will change you as well.

But that’s not it! If you don’t have time to read this life-changer, please watch a 15-minute YouTube edit of Admiral McRaven’s unforgettable speech by MotivationHub instead. McRaven’s speech is intercut with footage of SEAL training and powerful music, and it will leave you speechless and determined to change your life.

After watching the video, if you’re interested in learning more, check out Make Your Bed by Admiral McRaven! The simplicity of the ten lessons he teaches is astounding, but if you live by these morals, you will change your life—and maybe even the world!—for the better.

Don’t miss out on this chance to change! Admiral William H. McRaven’s wise words just can’t be passed over—try Make Your Bed or even his famous commencement speech! I promise you, you will close the book (or the video) with a newfound mindset of determination.

“Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often, but if you take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up… if you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. And what started here will indeed have changed the world, for the better.”

-Admiral William H. McRaven

-Lam T.

Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

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At age eleven, Melody Brooks is full of knowledge and curiosity. However, she struggles from cerebral palsy, which limits her body, but not her mind.

For her entire life, Melody’s communication has been limited to a small board with twenty basic words printed on it. All she can do is point to the words, with no other way to put her complex thoughts into words and sentences.

Born with a photographic memory, Melody is a video recorder always capturing everything around her. However, she’s never been able to share what she thinks and knows. Always being underestimated, Melody’s daily routine at school is listening to nursery rhymes and reviewing the alphabet. Every. Single. Day.

All Melody’s memories have words, and all her words have meanings, but only in her head: She’s never spoken a single word. Most people don’t realize the importance and power of words, but Melody definitely does. She explains that thoughts need words, and words need a voice, which is something almost everyone except her has.

One day, Melody and the rest of her class—other kids with physical differences—are informed that they will get to attend some inclusion classes. Real classes with ordinary fifth grade students! But this experience isn’t as great as it sounds. The other students look at her funny and seem to believe she’s just as mentally challenged as she is physically. In truth, she’s the smartest student in her entire school.

But there’s no way anyone will ever know that. She can’t walk, she can’t write, she can’t talk . . . until she discovers a device that will allow her to speak—out loud—what’s on her mind, for the first time ever. At last, Melody has a voice! Even so, as she journeys through fifth grade learning, growing, talking, and making new friends, she realizes that not everyone is ready to hear it.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is an absolutely incredible must-read that cannot be passed over. The perspective and power of this book have significantly changed me and the way I think. As Melody Brooks strives to teach everyone—herself included—to believe in her, readers will be taken on an unforgettable experience. While taking in this wonderful story, readers will think about everything they’ve ever known in a different light and realize that some things we take for granted don’t come as easily to others.

-Lam T.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.