Tag Archives: harper lee

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

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mockingbird_coverTo Kill a Mockingbird is about two young siblings, Jem and Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and their father, Atticus Finch. Jem is the older one with a kind heart, and Scout is the younger sister who favors boys’ games and entertainment.  Their neighbors are the mysterious Radleys.  Jem and Scout always wondered what was with the Radleys.  During one summer they meet Dill, a young boy who comes to their town every summer.  From that day they played with scripts from stories.  They decid to try to get one of the Radleys out, Boo Radley.  They try many ways but fail.

Few months later Atticus gets a case about a black man raping a white girl. Jem and Scout eagerly join the audience in the court room as the case was discussed.  It ended up with the black man being found guilty, and he went to jail.  The father of the victim wanted revenge on Atticus for defending a black man.  So, will the man found guilty be released or not?  And will Jem and Scout ever get Boo Radley out of his home?

This book was really enjoyable. Once you finished the first chapter you are hooked and reeled in.  It is such a page-turner!!  I suggest this for thirteen and up because of the language.  The story really fits in with the title.  I hope you enjoy this book.

-Samantha S., 8th grade

How to Improve your SAT Critical Reading and Writing Scores

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glasses-272401_640As a high school junior, I have grown to realize the importance of the SAT, and have searched for hours for ways to improve my scores.  From my own experience, reading is ridiculously helpful in improving critical reading and writing scores, so I thought I would provide you guys with a list of books that are both rich in SAT vocab, and enjoyable to read.

Leonardo di Caprio and Carey Mullligan in a still from The Great Gatsby1.  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald:  Fitzgerald is one of my favorite authors of all time.  I love him because he writes about the 1920s, which is pretty much the most interesting era of all time, and his writing style is beautiful.  The Great Gatsby is one of those rare books that I actually recommend reading after you see the movie, as it makes the plot much easier to understand and hey, looking at Leo DiCaprio for three hours isn’t all that bad either.

2.  Lord of the Flies by William Golding:  This was my favorite book that my class read during sophomore year.  It’s a fictional expose on the concept of civilization and it is interesting and terrifying all at once.  I definitely recommend this book if you are a fan of survival stories, adventure, or even horror.

brave_new_world3.  Brave New World by Aldous Huxley:  This book was required reading for my sophomore year, but I would have read it even if it wasn’t required.  Brave New World is a book that predicts how our future society will look, and also uncovers the startling faults in our own present-day society.

4.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee:  I can sum up all the reasons I love this book in two words: Atticus Finch.  Atticus is one of the main characters in the book and is pretty awesome.  He is one of those silent-but-deadly literary heroes that are so hard to find in books nowadays, and that makes me love him even more.

catcher_in_the_rye_cover5.  The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: This book is amazing because it is written exactly the way I think: sarcastically, honestly, and caustically. (Like how I threw in an SAT vocab word?)  Holden Caulfield is one of the most famous literary characters of all time, and you should definitely read the book to find out why.

6.  Animal Farm by George Orwell:  This book is a satire on the Russian Revolution, as different figures of Russian history are represented by farm animals.  The great part about this book is that it will help you learn grammar and a little bit of history at the same time!

Other books that I haven’t read yet, but are rich in SAT vocab include:  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

Have you guys read any of these books yet?  What did you think of them?  Are there any other books that helped you with your SAT studying? Reply in the comments and good luck on your SATs everyone!

-Amanda D., 11th grade

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

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mockingbird_coverWritten by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those classics that everyone reads at some point of their lives, whether they choose to or are forced to read it for school.

Set in Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930s, To Kill a Mockingbird is about the adventures of a young girl named Scout Finch and her brother, Jem. Their innocent childhood of playing games and making up stories is suddenly threatened when their father, Atticus, decides to defend a colored man in court. Throughout the novel, Scout and Jem try to maintain faith in humanity, as well as try to understand the human nature of good and evil.

Many themes are apparent throughout the book; however, the most important are the theme of morals and good versus evil. Many characters struggle to distinguish between right and wrong. Atticus is a wonderful example of an honorable and ethical man, who teaches readers to be open-minded and to not judge others because of the color of their skin.

As the novel goes on, readers will become attached to the many characters, including Atticus, Scout, Jem, their neighbor, Boo Radley, and their friend, Dill. In my opinion, Boo Radley is the most interesting character in the book. Due to the number of scary rumors, the children are both constantly afraid and fascinated by him. Boo is a man of mystery, and his secret isn’t revealed until the very end of the book.

I love the fact that the novel is narrated by a naïve six-year-old girl, since it shows the story in a point of view that one is not used to seeing in serious, realistic fiction. Because Scout is so young, she describes the plot from her perspective, without really comprehending the importance of the numerous events. This makes the reader actually think, and try to put together information to get a better understanding of the true meaning of the novel.

I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in seventh grade and I certainly enjoyed it. I have read it over and over again, each time gaining more understanding of the characters and overall message that Harper Lee conveys. Now, it is my favorite classic because it is deep, funny at some parts, and teaches many important life lessons. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone over the age of thirteen, and can completely agree with English teachers that To Kill a Mockingbird is “the best book ever!”

-Kaylie W., 9th grade