Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
By John Flanagan
Will, now a full-fledged ranger, received
a perfect first assignment: to protect the
fief of Seacliff. Will sets out on his journey to Seacliff, when he comes upon a
dog that is wounded by a sword. He
bandages the dog up and keeps her for
his pet. When he gets to Seacliff, he
quickly realizes that the Fiefs defenses
are weak, and its unable to defend itself.
30
Although it is difficult to
follow some of the setting,
since it is in the U.K., the
novel is filled with suspense
and action. The author succeeds in dragging the reading into Alex Riders life
story. I would recommend
this book to anyone who
likes Sherlock Holmes,
D.C., or Marvel stories.
Stormbreaker makes the
reader hungry for a sequel.
Scott
Megan
Edward Smith
Literary Magazine
2014-2015
Stormbreaker
By Anthony Horowitz
Forge
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Quarantine
By Lex Thomas
David never thought that high school
could be this hard. A kid comes to
school with a horrible disease. Now kids
are deadly to anyone over the age of 18.
All teacher are dead, and kids are getting hungry. Food comes every two
weeks, but getting it is brutal. Dangerous gangs form in the school, but David has no
29
Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda Sordino is an isolated teenager
who many people hate because she
called the cops on an end of summer
party. Melinda becomes depressed and
stops talking almost entirely because of
what happened at the party. Her art
teacher, Mr. Freeman, encourages her
to express herself through art, which
she just cant seem to do without exposing one
of her darkest secrets. As Melinda struggles to
draw her tree and make it appear alive, she
A Northern Light
By Jennifer Donnelly
Mattie Gokey has big
dreams of going off to
college, but
that is farfetched for a
girl in 1906.
Desperate to
help her family
through a hard
time, she leaves
home to get a
job at the Glenmore.
While working as a
waitress, she meets a
guest, Grace Brown,
who asks Mattie to
burn a bundle of letters. Shortly after this,
28
Table of Contents:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Nighttime
By Mark Haddon
This is a powerful and inspiring story of an autistic
teen named Chris Boone,
who lives in Britain.
Boones past can be best
described as tragic. He,
for most of the book, lives
with his dad, as Chris mother is supposedly dead from a heart problem. One
night, a dog belonging to one of Chris
neighbors dies by a mysterious killer. Can
Chris find the criminal before he (or she)
strikes again?
This book is effective in having a powerful
influence on any reader. Haddon makes
the reader want to know how the mystery
unravels. I strongly recommend the book.
-By Zachary Thompson
Memoirs:
Pages 4-10
Arguments:
Pages 11-14
Poetry:
Pages 15-25
Book Reviews:
Pages 26-30
3
Beijing
before. The only things I could read were the numbers. I
I stepped onto the sidewalk outside our hotel
looked around at the people. Many were wearing
and took a deep breath. The air was thick with the smell masks, some even had fancy air filters on them. Thats
of cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and tar. I coughed. The smart, I thought to myself. Thats really smart. I didnt
think not seeing in black and white all the time would
sky was grey, but not from the clouds. I wondered if
these people knew what a clear day looked like.
make a difference, but it did. I felt so camouflaged,
We had arrived in Beijing the day before, but we blended in, normal, the same.
were too exhausted to do anything. Cmon guys, lets
When we got to the subway station I noticed
get going, my mom told us. Hurry
that the sign with the name of the subway on it
looked just like the ones in New York City. We
up. We were on our way to the zoo. Maybe the parts of
took the escalator down to where the subway
The streets were full of
the world are much trains stop. We had to buy special subway ticket
cars, buses, motorcycles, and
bikes. The sidewalks were packed
cards to ride the subway. They too looked like
more similar than
with busy people on cell phones
the ones in New York. Hey, doesnt Beijing sort
youd expect.
pushing one another to get where
of remind you of a Chinese version of New York
City? I asked my mom.
they needed to go. The buildings all
Hmm, she replied. I guess I can see
touched the sky, climbing higher
and higher. They probably built up because theres no
that. Its not like China town though.
more room to build out, I said.
Yeah.
What? my mom asked over all the noise and
As we waited for the next subway on our line to
commotion.
come through, I noticed more and more similarities. The
subway maps, the yellow warning tape, the general deNever mind, its just the buildings are really
sign of the subway station, the tone of the voice on the
tall.
Oh, Yeah. They are. Wait. Stop. Go! Now, run! announcement system, the way people were pacing up
Traffic was fast. Very fast. It didnt like to stop
and down the platform. Maybe the parts of the world
for anything or anyone. People dashed out into the
are much more similar than youd expect, I told myself
as the subway train pulled into the station.
street, stopping in the middle of traffic like they were
playing Frogger, except this was real life.
On the way to the subway station, I started to
notice all the Chinese writing. It was everywhere. It was
on flashing advertisements, signs on shops, wrappers
-By Megan Scott
tumbling on the ground. I had never seen so much of it
Father
The bright sun shone on the cold
chains of the swings of Barry Park
playground. That wretched day when I
met him, my biological father. I peered
through the window at the red, dilapidated truck that was parked next to my
mothers car. My mother got me out of
my car seat and there he was. I found
myself marveling at the sight of a man
I had only met in my dreams and
known from tucked away photographs.
Hi Nina, he said to me with a smile,
which to this day I
am not sure was
4
sincere. The stare I
gave him was so
27
If I Stay
By Gayle Forman
parole, the pair encounters new problems that take them down unknown
paths.
This book is moving and really sad. The
writing is beautiful and powerful, and
the message is inspiring. I would recommend this book to a friend.
26
-Allison Pangborn
The Call
I remember it just like it
was yesterday. I was sitting at
the kitchen table talking to my
mother when her phone rang. I
remember the sound of her
chair dragging across the floor
as she got up to answer her
phone.
Its our cousin, Jaime,
She called to me.
Hey Jaime, How are
you? she asked.
I began to hear soft sniffles from the other room. Curious, I got up and walked into
the dining room where mom was
on the phone. My mom stood
there, her face pale and tears
streaming down her cheeks. She
quickly got off the phone and
turned to me.
Mace, her voice
cracked, Hes dead, she said
softly. My uncle is dead, she
Margarita: Daisy
She stood over the meadow; her
eyes blurred the flowers into a constellation looking like patches. In a lazy haze,
she stumbled down the hill, , her eyes refusing to re-focus.
Spencer! Spencer! a manly voice
called.
Her body snapped
back recognizing the figure. Her speed picked
up. After a while of racing at her own speed,
she collapsed in the middle of the meadow. How
was it that even in this
Let It Go
pants searching for a distracBy: Brynn Murphy-Stanley tion from this awful feeling,
It was 3:00after
big mistake. The girls hands
school. I pried open my
appeared to be calm and colripped and tattered folder and lected, and the swift movesunk into my cool couch.
ment of her fingers gradually
Second grade. I was seven
pointing, 1..2.3. Boom!
years old. All I wanted to do As if my cheeks exploded
was show off to my new
from the barrier of lips that I
friend, who I begged to have pushed so hard together, the
over for the last two weeks. Minute Maid was gone from
Then my brother, my horri- my mouth and reappeared in
ble, obnoxious brother came my brothers deep brown
in and out of the living room eyes.
trying to annoy us as we tried
She was off. My
to work. I
cool and seemThe
Minute
yelled at him,
ingly impressive
pushed him out Maid was gone
friend leapt over
the door, and
from my mouth my porch fence
even called my and reappeared and sprinted down
mom to get him
the long endless
in my brothers
out. Did it
street. I was in
deep
brown
eyes.
work? No.
disbelief; I couldStill, as
nt even contemI attempted to yell and push plate what just happened in
and call, I felt the lukewarm that short time. However, I
lemonade glass in my hand. I still somehow came to my
knew I didnt want to drink
senses and explain to my fuit, but my mind directed my rious mother what just haphand to throw the sweet juice pened. My mothers anger
into my mouth, thanks to the rolled off her like a tidal
suggestion from the friend wave and I was the unmistaknext to me. Soon she did the ably unlucky victim.
same, after she told me, On
Sitting in my boring
my mark.
room for seemingly countless
My mind was scathours left me to ponder what
tered, Should I? I thought. happened, and what I learned
No! Yes? My heart started from this big mistake. I have
beating in my throat. My
decided that I have learned to
blood seemed to be running think before I act because if
in a sprint. My face felt as
you dont you can really hurt
hot as it would on an August yourself and people around
day. The sweat ran down my you.
face. I looked down at my
Dive
By: Keelin Murphy-Collins
Nervously, I climbed up on the tilted
platform. I heard the referee pick up the microphone, Take your mark, brrrrrrrr the buzzer
went off. I held my breath, put my hands up
and I dove.
Down, down, down toward the bottom of
the pool. Then I opened my eyes, though I hadnt
realized that I had closed them, and looked
around. Im underwater, I thought. I felt my
lungs start to tense up with the lack of air, I
needed to get out, NOW. I put my hands up over
my head and kicked my legs as hard as I could.
I shot up to the surface and took a deep breath.
I then swam 50 meters to the end of the
pool and back. Noise, quiet, noise, quiet. That is
what I heard as I swam each time my head surfaced or went beneath the water. Noise, quiet,
noise, quiet for 100 meters.
As I came back to the wall where I started, I was so occupied with catching my breath
that I didnt realize that I was the only one there.
I had done it, I had finished, and not only that I
had won!
I AM
I am from I-phones, clothes, galaxies,
sneakers.
I am from a park with trees
and siblings.
I am from chicken, rice and beans.
I am from my mothers house.
I am from slinky.
I am from my donkey stuffed toy.
I am Lashea Hines
25
A Foolish Plan
By: Curran Shannon
I AM
24
The Drive
Maysha
By: Sienna Fuller
Maysha, Maysha, Maysha, Maysha I couldnt stop saying the mantra that brought me a little bit of peace.
Its been years since then. Now I dont
think about how she died. I think about
how she lived in her curious way. I
remember the times when shed sneak
out of her cage just for me to find her
warming on the windowsill or comfortable in the blankets on my bed. I remember the days when she was her
usual, tumor-less, lively self..
I AM
I am from construction trucks that I played with
every day before I go to pre-school.
I am from chicken that my family and I have two times a week
with dessert after.
I am from computers played on almost every single Saturday morning
with my brother.
I am from omelets and bagels on Sunday mornings
with the family.
I am from Nerf guns, playing with my friends
for hours.
I am from You get what you get and youre lucky
for what you got.
I am from a caring and loving family.
I am from a neighborhood with
stray cats and dogs
where the dogs bark
in the middle of the night.
-Addison
I AM
I am from a household
where Treat others
how you would want
to be treated
is an important saying.
By: Amara Clemente-Johnson
23
Gold
By Nina Bendo
I am pure.
A and XOXO
are my tattoos.
That suspicious old woman
with the tubes and the tanks
gave me to her.
I am full of
that womans love and her spirit,
for she has faded.
That suspicious old woman.
must have meant a lot to her,
because I am with her,
everyday and I never leave.
I have been lost,
but always found.
I have been broken,
but always fixed.
I am there for her smiles,
I am there for her tears.
I like being worn a lot.
I feel like I am that woman.
with the tubes and the tanks..
I feel like I am
as special to her
as that suspicious old woman is.
But I dont understand.
I am not rare.
I am not a diamond.
I am simply
a loose, hanging chain
flowing across her skin
like a waterfall.
22
Fishing in Minnesota
By: Ethan Baker
In August this year I went to my uncles cottage up in
Minnesota on Lake Fifteen. There were copious amounts of
fish in the lake, and we had already caught quite a few during
the week. On about fishing boat. I had no idea what was coming.
My dad took us out for our first troll. We both cast our
line out, then left the bail open for awhile. We then closed our
bails and let our line trail behind us. After a bit, my dad and I
both hit something simultaneously. We, with a lot of effort,
reeled our lines in. We had both snagged weeds. My dad
reeled his line in first and picked the weeds off. He let some
line out, and dropped his lure into the water. Almost immediately, a pike surged through the water and hit the lure. Me,
with my lure still somewhere in the water, angrily caught the
pike in the net.
Wow. That is just crazy! my dad happily exclaimed.
I glared at him.
What? he questioned.
Can I just get my line out of the water? I asked.
Of course.
Then come on! We got my line out and we turned
around for another troll. About halfway through, I snagged
something. Oh my God! I hit something! I thought. Is it a
weed or a fish?
10
Music
My Ghost
Ocean Escape
As loyal as a dog
By my side always
Helps me like a brother
Will protect me like a guardian
And loves me like family
As strong as a dragon
And as smart as a human
Will always be by my side
My ghost is like my brother
And I love him.
-Zaynell Zachery
The Silent Light
By: Hezekiah Harden-Danzy
I see him in the light and dark
I hear his steps
Like the will o wisp in the wood
The end or start
From the TV to the window
No birds, only singing and whistling
No color but black
Chirp, chirp
No deer, but foot prints
I follow until they stop
All I see is ash and icicles
At school I see them behind all
The people behaving stupidly
There it is nodding its head
And saying what a waste of time and space
They could be kings and queens
But they decide to be pawns
It might have no interest in anyone else
but I know it has an interest in me
It has been following me all my life.
When I get home
I see people who have been there before
I see puppies
Girls and boys
Its like a lost angel looking for a buddy
Im his buddy now.
Surrounded
Cant get away
Stuck
All they say
Hurts
My gateway drug
Is needed
My phone
My head phones
My music
It takes me away
From what they say
August, Austin, Chris, Kid
Becky, Nick, Ari:
They get me from this place
My wrists are clean
No darkness here
Just me, myself and I
Just me, myself and
No one but my music.
-Tatjyana Verhage
Tonight
By: Jaden Denham
Tonight I can write the most peaceful lines
The world is quiet and still
No fights or trouble
Birds singing
Winds blowing gently
A peaceful mind
Makes for peaceful actions
The world is calm.
21
20
School Uniforms
Shouldnt be Mandated
Ben Ashby
highway mpg is 28mpg, while the hybrid model has a combined mpg of 41 mpg (fueleconomy.gov). That is a 13 mpg
difference, which is the average for most cars with a hybrid
version. This will be good for the environment and will make
gas stops farther apart than ever before.
Lastly, a hybrid will save you money. As the years have
gone on, the gas prices have risen. Sure, the prices have
dropped, but they will go back up again once the world economy picks up again. With that in mind, a hybrids high end fuel
economy may save you some bucks. It will save you up to 30%
off of your usual gas expense. This helps families in tight situations.
Now some argue that hybrids aren't that great. A leading
automobile comparers web site said, Most...hybrids cost more
by around 15% than gasoline vehicles (fueleconomy.gov).
This, however wont matter in the long run. A hybrid can save
a couple thousand dollars a year, and within a 3-6 year ownership, the car will begin GAINING you money. So dont listen
to this. Your hybrid will out-pay itself.
Hybrids are the best for our world and the automobile world.
They are Green-friendly, fuel efficient, and money savers. They
are the future of the car industry and need more publicity. So go
to your local car dealership and ask about the great incentives
of a hybrid. Whats your next car going to be?
11
I Am From
By: Ben Ashby
Dangers of Football
By: Deborah Madera
The game of football is too dangerous and the NFL rules and safety procedures need to change. Changes to the
way NFL players performances will
prevent serious injuries. Many football
players who were examined were diagnosed with CTE in the brain.
CTE is chronic traumatic encephalopathy; its a progressive degenerative
disease of the brain trauma which includes symptomatic repetition as well as
successive hits to the head. Did you
know from the NFL Concussion Crisis
Timeline by Lauren Ezell, Dr. Ann
McKee, Dr. Ormolu and other scientists
continued to study CTE in former athletes. McKee tells frontline, I found
CTE in the brains of 45 of the 46 former
NFL players I examined. If there were
changes to safety procedures for the NFL
football players, less injuries and CTE
wouldnt be found.
12
19
I Am From
By: Priya Stanton
Zebra pillows,
And Nanas Thanksgiving turkeys.
18
13
14
mother and a father. However, these arguments collapse upon further investigation.
In America, a country that is constantly
progressing, breaking tradition is common. If doing things the way they had
always been done ruled our society, women, black people, and many other groups
never would have been given equal rights.
Now it is taken for granted that we are
equal. As for the argument of religion,
there are many religions in our country.
Denying an entire community their rights
based on the beliefs of one religion that
stands alone against them doesnt seem
right. Also, during the creation of the
United States, church and state was a big
issue. It was decided that they would remain separate. As in, the church has no
right to influence the legal decision of gay
marriage. Furthermore, if you say the only
point of marriage is to create children,
then by that logic, those who are infertile
or are not intending to have kids should
not be allowed to marry. But I see them
facing no opposition. Lastly, children do
not necessarily need a mother and a father. This is evidenced by children of single parents who are brought up just fine.
They do require male and female role
models in their lives, but they do not have
to come from the immediate family. A
gay couple can raise a child just as effectively as any other. All arguments proposed against gay marriage do not seem to
compare to the simple fact that gay people
are, in fact, people, and deserve to be
treated as such.
In America, couples of the same sex
are denied their right to marriage. This
negatively influences most aspects of their
lives and discriminates against them.
Someday in the near future, this may
change. And on that day, those living in
the land of the free will be given the freedom they deserve. I will support them
until then and after, and so should you.
Gay rights are human rights. If you believe in human equality, lend your hand.
Where Im From
By: Julia Fay
Im from that crazy red headed sister
With lots of dolls.
Fat cats shedding
Creating fur balls.
Bald headed Dads
Going out for a jog.
Family members yelling
who fed the dog?
Im from the old rusty swing set
That creaks.
Neighborhood kids
Playing hide and seek.
Im from a fruit obsessed mom
Who says eat a plum.
All this craziness
Is where Im from.
17
I Am
I am from new and old things
That seem to
Surprise me every day.
-Todd Sanders
Where Im From
By; Cammie Nash
I am from a big brick house filled with noise.
I am from practice makes perfect and fight for
what you want.
From jokes and war stories, friends and family.
I am from early morning flights and late night
landings.
From tired eyes at the table and chaotic weekdays.
I am from soccer on Saturdays
16
and church on Sunday morning.
I Am From
I am from long bike rides
to late night devotions.
Memories of my old house on Berkeley Drive
and sitting in
the dog cage at moms work.
I am from Grandmas Italian sauce recipe
and homemade
pizza and garlic knots.
From Greek yogurt and bananas after a run
around the neighborhood.
I am from late nights, early mornings, a loud
fan with a
I AM
I am from I-phones, clothes, sneakers, and
nail polish.
I am from a park, trees, and babies.
I am from chicken, chicken wing dip, stir
fry, and tacos.
I am from My cousins house and my Poppis house.
I am from Actions speak louder than
words.
I am from my favorite monkey teddy bear.
I am Sanareya Williams
I am from mirrors on the walls,
the top half of a manikin covered in stickers,
and pictures of old movie stars.
I am from the stray cats,
the partying college kids,
and the old knotted trees.
I am from, What do you wan to do now?
from the random songs and whistled tunes,
the CDs of mixed music.
I am from pasta and peas,
vegetarian meat,
and a piece of chocolate for dessert.
I am from drawing pads and finger paint,
Make your own bracelets,
and the box of assorted Legos.
I am from open minds,
from creativity,
from a world of choices.
-By Sienna Fuller
15