If you are searching for any Frederic Chopin sheet music piece, your search is over. I recently came across SheetMusicFox.com while searching for a particular chopin nocturne, and they have every single piece Chopin composed available for free download. It’s also very nice and easy to print out as it is in PDF format. You can find sheet music for all of Chopin’s Ballades, Etudes, Mazurkas, Nocturnes, Piano concertos, and sonatas.
The Uglies by Scott Westerfelds a fantastic book. It is New York’s #1 bestseller. Once I started reading this book it was so hard to put it down.The Uglies is about a girl living in a world where anyone under 16 years of age is ugly, but then when you turn sixteen, you get an operation and become a pretty. But Tally, the main character of The Uglies has always wanted to become a Pretty. But when Tall’s time came to become a pretty, she was about to have her operation when a conflict turned up. This conflict forced her into two choices. To never become a pretty, or to betray her friend and turn her in. The choice that Tally makes will forever change her life…
Kiss Kiss by Chris Brown is a O.K. rap song. For those of you who do like this kiss kiss, this is a good workout type of song. The lyrics are O.K. I must admit that this song is not very well written or sung. If i were to rate this piece of “music” out of ten, i would give it at the most a four. I wouldn’t recommend this song to listen to unless you are dancing to it. Try to enjoy the video below!
A Beautiful Life by Ace of Base is a great hip hop song. Its lyrics make you visualize a beautiful life including a new day filled with new beginning, etc. It’s good song to sing or dance at any type of graduation or ending performance of the year. Out of a ten star rating it deserves an eight. The way the whole song is put is beautiful. LOL, that’s why its called Beautiful life. Anyway I would recommend anyone who likes singing or dancing to a cool and sassy type of hip hop.
The other day, I was listening to Whenever, Wherever by Shakira. Its a good song to dance to, mostly because you can follow every beat of the song clearly with no trouble what so ever. The lyrics fit the song completely. The way Shakira sings this song is unbelievable in the fact of the lowness of the voice that is needed to be able to sing such a low song. Overall out of a ten star rating, I would give this song a five.
The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss is a fantastic book. (This review wont spoil the plot line of book) I recommend this book to children ages 8 to 12. It is about a Jewish family living in Winterjeck (this may not be the correct spelling) , until Hitler came into power and wanted all Jews to have a miserable life or killed. He conquered many places and forced all Jews out. Then, he posted on streets signs (written in German) that said Jews were only allowed to buy goods from stores from 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. This would be the time that had only small amounts of leftovers left in the shop. The Upstairs room is mostly abouts two girls leaving there families and going into hiding (away from being hurt, in pain, or killed) in order to be safe. The adventures that take place are very interesting and persuade you to continue reading. Overall, if I were to rate this book from a 1 to 10 rating, I would rate it a 9. A nine, because the way the author states sentences is sometimes not entirely correct. I recommend you read this book if you really like historical fiction.
Not So Bad :Sara G.
My heart was beating so loudly that I thought you could hear it from miles away. I plugged my ears as if trying to escape from the noise. It was no use. I suddenly became aware of the large air vent above my head. Air was blowing full force at my face. My teeth began to chatter. As I was trying to decide what was louder, my heartbeat or my teeth, the huge oak door swung open. It brushed my cheek and nearly knocked me off the chair. A woman in a tan business suit stepped out of the room and beamed at me. Her teeth looked to perfect to be real. The whole scene I was part of looked like it came from a movie. The halls were perfect and clean with flyers posted here and there. I wanted to disappear. W Welcome to Lakeview School!” she said excitedly.
The smile seemed plastered o n her face. I saw two nervous figures behind her, my mom and dad. They were just as nervous as I was. They wanted me to like this new city, new home, and new school. (Yeah right!)
“I’ll show you to your classroom!” Principal Buckner said.
I gave my parents a hug, and they walked down the perfect hallway back to the parking lot where their car was waiting for them. I followed Principal Buckner. Unlike my old school back in New York, this school went from Kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. I knew that many of the kids had already known each other for a long time. We finally reached another large door marked Room 81 in large, white, prominent letters. I stepped in. Everyones’ heads turned to the door. The teacher smiled with a real grin unlike the principal’s fake plastic smile.
“Ms. Carpolis,” Principal Buckner boomed. “ This is our new student Lauren”
“Hello Lauren,” Ms.Carpolis said,“ welcome to room 81! Please take one of the available seats.” Principal Buckner left the room still grinning. At my old school I always sat in front. I was never one to hide in the back of the classroom. I took a seat somewhere in the middle of the room.
“Would anyone be so kind as to volunteer to show Lauren around today?” Ms. Carpolis said with a questioning air. Several people raised their hands, but she called on some girl named Natasha in the back of the room. She smiled at me shyly, and then returned her attention the Smart Board in the front of the classroom where problems were being written. Class droned on and on until we were dismissed. I expected to hear a bell like at my old school, but the only sounds heard were the shuffling of feet and quiet talking. I pulled a schedule out of my pocket. Next, I had science in Room 13.
Science went by a little more quickly then math. I managed not to spill any chemicals on the floor. The rest of the day was a blur of bologna sandwiches, heavy textbooks, and boring teachers. After school, I met Natasha outside of the office like I was instructed to. She was already there waiting for me.
Natasha looked kind of odd standing there alone on the steps. She was pale, petite, and very pretty. Her tiny body looked out of place on the huge stone steps outside of the school. Someone ran over to her, and I could hear them ask her a question. She nodded her head no, and the girl ran back to a group of girls who were sitting by a tree. I secretly wondered what the girl had said to Natasha, but decided not to ask. I didn’t want to jeopardize the first chance of a possible friend that came my way. When Natasha finally saw me, she ran over to me and started talking. When I heard her start to babble, she sounded nothing like the meek girl I saw in class. I was so astonished that I barely paid attention to anything she said. I managed to snap back into reality and hear her say “ follow me,” I robotically began to walk around behind her, listening to her say random stuff about all the different classes and which teachers to avoid.
“ Don’t talk to Mr. Halabur unless you absolutely have to. If he ever calls you over to his desk, you know your dead.”
I tried to listen intently, but my mind kept wandering back to those days when I would run with no worries across the field at school with all my friends. After the soccer games, we would lie in the grass talking or go back to my house and watch some TV. I never knew what lay ahead. If mom and dad would only listen, if they could only understand. I needed my old life back. I couldn’t stop thinking about going shopping in New York City with my friends, or laughing at all of the dumb jokes we told each other. Nothing would ever be the same again.
When Natasha finally finished the tour, she invited me over to her house. I said I’d call my mom. I was astonished that someone was actually being nice. Maybe she’s just sorry for me, I thought. I popped out my Voyager and dialed home. Mom picked up on the third ring. I could tell she was clearly relieved that I had possibly made a friend, and she said I could go. Relief washed over me. If I had to say no, it would be the end of a budding friendship. Natasha would think I didn’t like her, and that would be the end of that. We walked along the path to her house, and I surprisingly had a great time. I managed not to think of home during the visit, well, only once.
Natasha had a big family. She had an older sister, Emma, who was fourteen. She seemed nice enough. Her brother, Zachary, who was fifteen, had blonde hair that covered one eye. The eye that was visible was a brilliant blue color. Her little brother named Benny was three and adorable. Twenty-one year-old Maddie had already gone off to college at Harvard. Then there were the twins. Sam and Josh didn’t look anything alike. Natasha said they were fraternal, which I guess made sense. A family of seven kids; yet the house was still orderly and quiet. It was one of the biggest houses I had ever seen, right in the heart of Beverly Hills. The whole family seemed kind and well mannered, and I was surprised to see that everything was in its perfect place, each book on the shelf and each toy in the box.
Natasha’s room was amazing, exactly how I wished mine was. The walls were a perfect white color, with not a single speck of dirt in sight. She had bubble chairs hanging from the ceiling in bright neon pinks, greens, and blues. Her bed was a king sized. There was a white comforter with polka dots on it that matched the colors of the bubble chairs. I was in heaven. She even had a mini fridge. Natasha popped the fridge open and threw me a bottle of Vitamin Water. We laughed and talked and played Wii, until her mom asked if I wanted to stay for dinner. Natasha smiled encouragingly, so I stayed. It was the most fun I had had since I moved to LA. I could have all the fun in the world, but I decided it would make no difference. I was going to convince my parents to move home, and I was going to do it soon.
My mom picked me up shortly after dinner. I heard a car pull into the driveway, and when I looked out the window I saw her. She rang the doorbell, and I walked to the door. I thanked Natasha’s mother for having me over and said good-bye to all of her various brothers and sisters. Natasha said I would see her in the morning, and we exchanged knowing glances. Mom asked how it was and I said fine, my standard response to everything.
My first official day of my new life was over. I let out a sigh of relief. So ready for bed, I fell asleep. I woke up at 12:23 AM and rolled over. I hate waking up in the middle of the night. I realized how hungry I was. Natasha’s family had dinner at 5:00, when my family ate at 8:00. I barely ate anything. Natasha’s mom served delicious pasta, but I was too full from lunch to eat. I got up and started walking in a slight daze to the kitchen. The door opened easily, and I slipped into the dark pantry. Nothing good. The refrigerator had a bunch of leftovers, one of which was chocolate cake. Yum. I picked it out and put a bit on my plate, then ate and snuck back into bed. Mission accomplished.
When I awoke, I felt my mom’s arms shaking my shoulders, trying to wake me for school. I put on my high-top converse, skinny jeans, and a loose grey sweater. I was content thinking maybe I would blend in. Mom handed me a bowl of cereal to eat in the car on the way to school. When we arrived, I hugged her goodbye, and stepped into the bustling hallway of Lakeview School. Natasha spotted me and ran over. We walked to our first class together. I had made a friend. Maybe it’s not so bad here after all. I could like this town. Maybe- SNAP OUT OF IT! I told myself. You hate it here. You have a friend, but you hate it. Nothing would change that. I tried to shadow the speck of doubt hiding in the corners of my mind. Could I possibly like LA? Could I get over my old life? No. There was no way. I tried to rid myself of all these thoughts and live in the moment.
My teachers all seemed pretty nice, and I sat with Natasha at lunch. She had many friends, and they all seemed cheerful and fun to be around. They all seemed to like me. That was important. If I couldn’t leave this dump and go back home, I might as well get a few friends. The girls’ names were Tiffany, Lucy, Nicole, Sophie, Zoë, Ella, and Hannah. The nine of us sat together at the big round table on the left side of the cafeteria. I ate my sandwich hungrily and drank down my Orangina. Life was good.
After school, I checked my messages. I had one from Jennie. I called her back immediately. She told me all of the new news about her family, friends, and school. I listened intently, and for once I didn’t feel left out when she told me about the recent parties and events. Life was going on in New York. It went on the same even when I wasn’t there. For the first time, I realized what was upsetting me. I was afraid they would forget. Jennie would forget about all the good times we had together. All of my other friends would never think of me. It was like a piece was taken out of my heart. My name would never be said again at school. No one would think of me, and no one would care.
Why does life have to be so unfair? I was sitting in science right after lunch, and Hannah sent a note flying on the classroom. She seemed to be the nicest of Natasha’s friend,s and I was pleased she wanted to talk with me. With help from her careful aim, it landed right on my desk. I picked it up and read.
I’m having a little birthday party Saturday night, want 2 come?
I was so happy that I accidentally let out a squeal of excitement, and Ms. Lorils looked at me over the lenses of her bifocals.
“ Anything you would like to share with the class Lauren ?” she said pointedly.
“No Ms. Lorils.” I said in a voice so quiet I could barely hear it.
“Good. Then let us move on. Please read aloud from page 94, paragraph 2.”
Regaining confidence I started to read, thankful that paragraph 2 was the shortest paragraph on the page.
I thanked Hannah for inviting me and told her I would love to come. She said it was just casual, and I could wear anything. The party would go from 6:15-10:15 PM on Saturday night. I knew that Beverly Hills casual was different then New York casual, and I began mentally planning my outfit. This could be fun.
Before I knew it the week was over and Natasha was lying flopped over on my bed reading People Magazine. I had made several new friends, and life was pretty good overall. I had talked to my old friends at least 100 times and we IMd and emailed 24/7. Natasha helped me pick out an outfit that was perfect, a casual Ella Moss dress and flats. Natasha had helped me so much since my arrival, I just wanted give her a huge hug, but that would be to weird, we just met after all.
My mom drove Natasha and I to the party. I was astonished by what met my eyes. SMALL? Hannah called this a SMALL LITTLE PARTY? This was one of the biggest parties I’d ever been to! I followed Natasha downstairs to a huge room big enough for 200 people. On the far side was a table with different types of sushi. The other table had every type of soft drink and hundreds of little desserts. It seemed like the whole of Lakeview School 6th grade was in Hannah’s “events room,” which her parents usually used for charity functions and get- togethers. Jordan Sparks and Chris Browns’ “ No Air” was blaring over the amazing sound system. The party was amazing. I had such a great time dancing and singing, and I met tons of new people. If this was what life was like in LA, I could maybe get used to it. The party ended much later then it was supposed to, and my parents couldn’t come and pick me up. Dad had just left on another business trip, and my mom had to get up the next morning for her yoga class. Natasha’s mom just took me home with her, and I spent the night.
After Natasha fell asleep I sat there thinking. I thought of how my old life was, I thought of how my new life was. They were both good, but different. What else was there to say? My mom clearly loved it here. My brother loved having a backyard to play football in and a basketball hoop out front. My sister loved being able to go shopping outside, even during the winter. We just couldn’t do stuff like that in our apartment in New York. Even though I loved the beautiful view of Central Park from out my window, my new house was great. After a little while, I could get used to living in LA, maybe I could even like it. It reminded me of my mom’s favorite saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!” I would pull a lemon from the tree in our new LA backyard, make a huge glass of lemonade, and gulp it down.
The Egypt Game
By: Sara G.
What would you do if someone said you could go back to ancient Egypt? The Egypt Game is a tale of friends who find they have something in common, a love of ancient civilizations. April Hall is a refined girl with a mother who is a rising star. It is decided that while her mother settles down, she should go live with her grandmother in her Casa Rosada apartment. The author, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, describes April’s predicament by saying,
“ She knew she ought to feel grateful, but for some reason what she really felt was angry.” She wants to leave the boring old university town and go back to living with her mother, Dorothea. She quickly makes friends with several people in the building like Melanie, her soon-to-be best friend and her brother Marshall. Before long, they realize that they share a love and interest in learning facts about ancient Egypt. Soon after their meeting, they create a game where they pretend they are ancient Egyptians. The game takes place in an empty storage yard behind A-Z Antiques and Curio Shop. After a while, there are six Egyptians and the game is running full speed.
The Egypt Game is probably one of the worst and most unrealistic books I have ever read. Don’t be deceived by the colorful illustration on the cover. This story is bland and boring. I find it quite hard to believe that modern-day children enjoy spending all of their time researching ancient societies at the library. During recess at school, most children enjoy talking with friends, playing sports, and other fun activities. In this book, the teacher reads the story to the children about oracles. At recess, all the students decide to stay inside and do research on the topic. I don’t know what bubble the author lived in, but this would never happen. To say the least, I believe that books should hold you in and captivate you. Stories should take you out of your world, and bring you to the world of exciting literature. This story does not transport me to the town where April and her friends live, it simply makes me want to go as far away from it as I can. Not only is the Egypt Game very unpractical, it is also has a very uninteresting story line. To have you on the edge of your seat, a good book should always throw in little twists and turns. I could tell how this book was going to end by the time I had reached about the fourth or fifth chapter. Even reading the back of the book will give you a basic summary. There are no surprises hidden between the lines. If you are in the mood for bore and snore, I suggest the Egypt Game. Otherwise, don’t even pick this book up off the shelf.
Emma’s Dangerous Escape
“Mom, I can’t take it anymore. I’m really hungry and I am so tired of working all day,” I said.
Our family had been driven out of our house into a concentration camp for Jews. In order to survive and receive a small amount of food, we were required to do harsh physical labor. Since the day they had taken us out of our house by force, I finally figured out why they underfed us at this camp. They thought we would be tired if we didn’t have enough energy from food and therefore it would be harder to escape. Obviously, they thought wrong. I had a strong feeling that my mom and I would escape out of that horrid place in no time. How did we plan this? I don’t know, but Ann, my mom knew what to do.
“Don’t worry, Emushka, we will be out of here in no time,” my mom said, whispering softly.
“But how? There are two Germans standing next to us with rifles by their side,” I asked, whispering quietly.
That’s when I saw my mom in her unusual thinking mood, trying to find a way out.
“Emushka, I’ve got it, first I will flirt with the German who is drunk, and then I will steal his gun. That is when your queue is, to start running away, but if by any odd chance one soldier starts shooting at you, hide behind a tree for protection,” said my mom. “I will try to meet up with you later, think about an aunt’s house, and good luck.”
She went up to the drunk German and started flirting. She waved her hand at him, smiled deeply, and gave him the love look.
“Oh, my mother is a great actor!” I mumbled quietly to myself.
Then, while the drunk German was bragging to his partner, I saw her steal his rifle. That’s when I started running; I ran like the speed of the wind. When the two Germans finally saw me, they were about to shoot at me, but they realized the drunk German’s rifle was missing. They looked at Ann and saw the rifle was in her hands.
She stopped them and said, “Don’t shoot at her, or I will shoot both of you!”
“My partner will not shoot, if you promise to give me back my gun,” said the drunk German.
“All right,” said Ann, lying.
Instead of handing him the rifle, she slapped the drunkard in the face and started running with the rifle in her hand for protection. Ann ran in the other direction from where I was hiding. She was afraid that if the two Germans went in my direction, they would find both my mom and I. This way, if they chose to chase us, they could only catch one of us.
As I walked deeper and further into the forest, I stopped looking over my shoulder to check for Germans. In the forest, there stood many beautiful plants and trees. I saw sharp dark green bushes, full of red raspberries. The sight of this made my mouth water. I heard the sweet chirp of a bluebird singing his or her heart out. Oh how strong and magical the odor of the oak trees is. It is among the things I shall never forget.
I sang to myself, “I am a lonely blond headed girl in the forest who is starving and worrying about my mother, la la la la la.” I had always thought of how life would be with freedom. Freedom was a word that filled me with joy and happiness, whenever the thought came in my mind. This thought, freedom, was what I had thought I would never receive, but I dreamt I would.
All of a sudden I stopped, because I heard a stick crack near me. I turned around, looking to see if a German soldier had found me. Instead, a few feet behind me, there stood a beautiful girl about the same age as me. Perhaps this girl was a German spy or a soldier seeking Jews who ran away in the forest to turn them in? I doubted it. This girl was in ragged clothes, and her hair was just as messy as mine. I stepped a few feet closer to her. She signaled with her finger for me to come even closer.
We both sat on the grass beneath us and introduced ourselves. I told her that my name was Emma, my last name was Ginsberg, and I was 12 years old. She told me that her name was Sarah, her last name was Trotsky, she was also 12, and she used to live in Belarus, Ukraine. She asked where I lived before the Germans took me away from my house, and I told her that I lived on Observatory St. in Odessa, Ukraine. Sarah asked if I were an only child, who my parents were, and if they were still alive. I told her that I had no siblings, and my mother was living. I told her that I didn’t know if my father, Sasha, was still alive because we were separated at the camp. After I said that, I started worrying about my father, too. I had so many questions to ask him! We both agreed with each other that it wasn’t fair for Jews to have a harsh life, compared to other non Jews. Sarah was about to ask another question when I interrupted her and told her that I was too tired to answer any more questions. That was partially a lie, because I could’ve still answered questions, but I did not want to waste all my energy in one day.
From that point on, I could see we were going to be great friends. Not just friends, but BEST friends. We both went to sleep on the dry grass. I dreamt of a way to get out into the city and reunite with my nicest and favorite relative, Aunt Galina. I knew she lived close to here, maybe about 35 miles away, a 12 hour walk. That’s it, that’s my path to freedom.
I woke up about 8 hours later. I woke up Sarah. She was very cranky when she finally woke up and wanted an explanation. I told her that I had a great plan. I explained to her that my Aunt Galina’s house was about 35 miles north from where we were. We could walk to her house in about 12 hours and in the middle of our trip stop for a nap. Therefore, our whole trip would take a full day. That was how our journey began.
We set out about half of an hour later. We walked at a very slow pace. Every now and then we would stop to stretch and work out our cramps. It was a fall day and about 60 degrees. I felt like I was going to freeze to death. I wonder how my mom was doing, if she was still alive, and where she was.
We were only walking for about 12 hours when my feet went numb, and I couldn’t walk any more. I suggested that we take a nap. Sarah agreed, and we went to sleep. I dreamt about my mom, that she would someday meet up with me, and where we would go then. What would happen to Sarah? I would fell really sad if I left her. Not only does she not have any family left, but she would not have anyone to take care of her if she got sick or didn’t feel well. That’s when the idea struck me! If I ever got to Aunt Galina, if she let us, my mom, Sarah, and I could all live together at her house. If not, well, I’d think of another plan. Sarah woke me up. I got up slowly and cautiously. We both gathered our belongings and started on our path to freedom. Freedom is what all people want, but sometimes they don’t try enough to actually receive it. Freedom was what I wanted since the time I was born! My chance came and I took it, just like Hatshepsut, the Egyptian pharaoh ruler. She took her chance to grasp the reigns of authority and power.
With no food in our stomach, I felt empty and tired, even though I had slept for 12 hours.
“I’m so hungry!” said Sarah with a groan.
“I am to, so please don’t remind me about hunger.” I said. As we continued walking through the forest, we stumbled on top of a huge tree branch. I wanted to scream in pain, but I didn’t because the Germans might follow my faint scream and capture us.
“Owe, my knee hurts,” Sarah whined.
“Well, you’re just going to have to live with it, the same way I lived with all my other problems on this journey.
I desperately missed my mother and father. I never realized how hard life was without parents. About 5 hours passed and Sarah started feeling ill. Her forehead was hot, much hotter than mine. I figured she was running a high fever. Nearby was an icy cold river. I walked toward it with Sarah. I told her to cup her hands and pour the cold water onto her forehead. As she did, I felt her forehead and her fever faded away. We rested and then began the rest of our journey.
Both Sara and I were excited that our journey was close to an end.
“We are almost there!” I whispered disbelief evident in my tone.
“I know, but I am really scared!” Sarah said.
“What is there to be scared about? You should be happy we are finally going to have a comfortable place to sleep and food to fill our empty stomachs!” I said.
“I don’t really want to talk about this while I am scared, okay!” Sara said with small tears coming out of her eyes.
“Okay, but whatever the reason is, I hope you feel better about it,” I said.
We saw sunlight ahead of us, and the city called Derybafifskie. Whenever I had passed the streets in Odessa, I would sometimes see non Jews. I had always thought of how much more stuff I could do, if I were a non Jew. I had never understood why Jews were not treated as equal as other races. Now, I am as close to receiving freedom, as when I had kissed my mother goodnight every night. I am so excited, that my dream had almost become true. This was the city where Aunt Galina lived. A few minutes later, we were walking in the city’s streets. Everything was so beautiful, compared to the horrid camp. We walked to Aunt Galina’s bakery and were standing in front of the store. There we saw her and her husband.
“Wow, they have aged a lot more since I visited them a year ago,” I whispered softly to Sarah.
“Ya right, they seem much younger than my Aunt Liza who is 48 years old and my Uncle Yigorivich who is 50!” Sarah said while giggling.
“My aunt Galina is 55 years old and my uncle Gabriel is 60 years old,” I said.
The second we both stepped in, they hugged and kissed me. I explained to them that Sara was my best friend who also escaped from the camp. Both of her parents were dead and she was the last of all of her relatives and family. Once I told them this, their expression turned from happiness to sadness. They asked where my mama was. I told them that she escaped in the other direction, and she would hopefully meet us here soon. Their faces looked worried.
“Would you like to stay with my aunt, uncle ,and I?” I asked, whispering softly.
“It sounds like a splendid idea, but I am not sure if they will take me in.” said Sarah, with a heartbreaking look in her eyes.
“They will because they know if I have a friend, this friend is just like to them a family remember or close relative,” I said, in a nice tone to Sarah.
“I hope so, but if not, just don’t you worry, because I can live alone on the streets,” Sarah explained in a joking manner.
“Nice joke!” I said with a huge grin.
I went up to Aunt Galina and asked her if I could live with her until my mama would pick me up. She said of course. Then, I asked if Sara could stay, and she said that she would love to take her in, but on this matter I would have to talk to Uncle Gabriel. I spoke to Gabriel, and he said yes. I went to tell Sarah the final arrangement I had made. When I told her, her face lit up with so much delight and thanks that she hugged me so tightly that I thought I was going to suffocate.
After three restful weeks, there was a knock on the door. I was afraid it was the Germans trying to find me, so I ran as quickly as a mouse to Aunt Galina. I whispered to her that someone was knocking on the door. I hid under bathroom sink and waited. I waited for the clanking noise of the German soldier’s boots, pushing through my aunt and searching for me. A few minutes later, I heard a familiar voice. The voice sounded like a sweet bell ringing in a melodic tune. I came out of the sink cupboard and ran to see her.
“Emushka, I thought I would never see you again ! I missed you so much!” screamed my mom with joy.
Ann asked me who the girl was standing next to me. I explained that it was Sarah, that I met her in the forest, and that she was also a Jew who had escaped. My mother, aunt, and uncle asked if they could talk privately. We let them and then went outside in the yard to play. While we played in the yard, they talked about what they should do with Sarah, and where Ann and I would live. Since my grandparents had their own house, containing 2 bedrooms, one messy attic, and two bathrooms, it was decided that all five of us would live in their house. This would be until the Germens went away from Odessa, and we could return to our house. They told us this news, and from that point, my new family of five lived happily ever after. Sadly, we never heard news about my father nor did we ever return to our house because the Germans never left. But other than these small facts, I had a normal life, and all the freedom I ever wanted.
“A successful thief doesn’t depend on things being unlikely to happen,” Gen said. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner is a brigands and robbers fiction. This book is beyond what any anyone could seek or imagine.
This adventurous story takes place in ancient Greece. There are many fascinating characters in The Thief such as Gens strong guard, Pol. In reality, he is not Gen’s bodyguard, but rather has been hired by the king to make sure Gen doesn’t escape. As Gen, the main character of the book, unfolds his story, he seems to reveal more and more about himself, but he never discloses very important clues to his true identity. He gets thrown into prison for bragging about being the greatest thief in the world. Why does this happen? The king wants Gen to go on a quest to steal what not even the best of thieves has ever stolen. I think that the way he steals this precious object is slyly planned. Gen was given an opportunity to steal a treasure for the king. If he succeeded in stealing it, he would not go back to prison. If he failed, the king would make sure he wouldn’t go back to prison but instead die from hard labor. Gen embarks upon a very dangerous and troublesome journey, placing him in the middle of a battle, and nearly drowning in an underground cave. Gen does not receive the respect he deserves, sleeping on the flow while his guard gets the bed, or freezing in a scant cloak while the guard gets to sleep in a sleeping bag.
This story is mostly about Gen’s heroic adventures. I liked this book for several reasons. The adventures Gen goes through are filled with mystery and excitement. The great level of detail given by the author makes you feel as if you were in the story.
I dislike the way the author lets Gen provide glimpses of his past, and leaves out just enough to make it difficult for the reader to fit the parts together. The setting lets you clearly depict imagine each section of the story in your mind. Gen travels to many distant lands and forest, and always ends up being tied up to either a tree or a leg of a bed. It describes the cities in classical Greece. Overall, the whole plot itself is a lot of fun to read about. Not kidding, once I picked this thick book up, I got annoyed by the fact that it was really long. Then, once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I would rate this book 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.