Shaquille O'Neal

Author: Michael Boughn

Publisher: Warwick Publishing Inc.

Place and year of Publication: Toronto, Ontario 1999

Number of Pages: 91       
Where you found the book: CHS library

Theme: Sports, Accomplishments, Athletes

This book is called Shaquille O’Neal because this book is about a guy named Shaquille O’Neal.

The main character is Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal.

Story

   Shaq was born on March 6,1972 at Newark, New Jersey. His father was a solider, Shaq’s father had to move around a lot to lots of different military bases and took his wife and son (Shaq) with him. When Shaq was in Grade 6 they left to a military base in Germany. IN the base he was teased for his size and height, and he wasn’t doing that well in school, which didn’t help. He was 6’5’’ and 250 pounds at the time.  

   

   While they were at Fulda (a city in Germany) they arranged a basketball clinic for kids. A coach from Louisiana State University runs the clinic, Dale Brown. By 13 years old, Shaq was already 6’8’’ tall. Coach Dale Brown told Shaq’s dad he had potential as a basketball player. 

   

   In 1987 Shaq’s family returned to the U.S. to stay. Stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, Shaq’s traveling days were over. Shaq was 13 years at 6’9’’ and was in high school in Texas. He played high school basketball and with Shaq lost the only game for his freshman year team. There record was 32-1. By November 1988 Shaq had already signed a letter stating his agreement to go to LSU. At his senior year, Shaq is now 7 feet and 270 pounds. On his senior year his teams record was 36-0 with Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq was named Most Valuable Player (MVP). Shaq Graduated from high school in June 1989. 

   

   ON April 3,1991, right after the end of the NCAA tournament, Shaq announced he was leaving LUS to make himself evaluable for NBA draft. Shaq signed a 7-year contract with Orlando Magic for $39.9 million. Shaq became the first player in NBA history to be named player of the Week in the first week in the league, averaging 25.8 ppg, 16.4 rpg and 3.40 bpg for the week ending 11/15/92. He was named 1993 NBA rookie of the year, and to the NBA All-Rookie first team, after averaging 23.4 ppg, 13.9 rpg and 3.53 bpg. He led the NBA in scoring (29.3ppg) in 1994-95 and in field goal percentage (.599) in 1993-94. Shaq was selected in 1996 as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history. Then Shaq signed a 7-year contract worth $121 million with the L.A Lakers. He has appeared in the 45 career playoff games, and in the NBA All-Star Game in each of his first four seasons (1993-96). Shaq was an actor and rapper. He made lots of movies like Blue Chips, Kazaam, Steel, and made lots of albums too. Shaq was very talented in many ways.

   

  

   

Christian Perspective 

   This book was kind off based on a Christian perspective and showed some Christ like qualities for example, Shaq at one point of his life was extremely gentile even though people made fun of him for his height and weight. Shaq’s not even Christian, ends up he’s Muslim. The names of his children are all Islamic names.

   

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book but I hate reading about all the games he played. I think this book has described every game Shaq has played. I recommend this book to people who enjoy sports, athletes, and tall people.

The series of unfortunate events *Austere Academy*

Author: Lemony Snicket

Publisher: Scholastic

Place & year of Publication: New York 2001

Number of pages: 221

Where you found the book: Public Library

The characters of this story are Violet, Klaus, Sunny, Count Olaf, Mr. Poe, Count Olaf’s associates, Vice Principle Nero, Mrs. Bass, Mr. Remora, Carmelita, and Duncan & Isadora Quagmire.

They called this book Austere Academy because the Baudelaire’s went to the Academy, and it is called Series of Unfortunate Events because it is a series of books about the Baudelaire’s and a lot of unfortunate events happen to them.

This books many Themes are courage, loyalty, overcoming challenges, family relationships, and friendship.

Story Review

The Baudelaire’s were going to a school called Austere academy, there motto is “Memento Mori” which means “ remember you will die.” The Baudelaire’s went to the big school with grave shaped buildings. They went to the office of Vice Principle Nero, who was trying to paly violin, and he thought he was a genius. He told the three Baudelaire’s the rules of the school.

#1 If you are in the administrative building without permission you aren’t allowed to use silverware at any of your meals

#2 If you’re late for class you get your hands tied behind your back at mealtime

#3 If you don’t show up to his 6 hour violin recital, you have to buy Vice Principle Nero, you have to buy him a bag of candy and watch him eat it

Violet had to study with Mr. Remora in Room I. Klaus had to study with Mrs. Bass in Room II. Sunny had to be Vice Principle Nero’s secretary, she will have to answer phone calls, and take care of the paperwork, and would mean she would have to work in the administrative building so her silverware would always be taken away. They left to see were they were living. They had to live in a shack entirely mad of tin. They get to sleep on bale of hay. They were crabs on the ground & fungus on the roof, with green walls with pink hearts on them. They left for lunch after they saw their shack. At lunchtime Carmelita made fun of the orphans by chanting “Cake Sniffing Orphans in the Orphan Shack.” Everyone joined in and chanted with her “Cake Sniffing Orphans in the Orphan Shack.” Duncan Quagmire stopped them and talked with them with his sister Isadora Quagmire, they were twins. Isadora wanted to be a poet, and Duncan wanted to be journalist. Carmelita told the Baudelaire’s to meet the coach who was Count Olaf at the field in front of the school. He told them to paint a luminous circle, and to do some laps around the circle. The exercise is called S.O.R.E (Special Orphan Running Exercise.) The Quagmires were spying on them from the auditorium were Nero’s 6 hour violin concert was. The Baudelaire’s had to miss the concert and ended up missing 8 more because of doing S.O.R.E. So they each owed him 9 bags of candy witch would be 28 bags of candy. They went to Nero’s office and he told them they were failing every test and they would have to get 100% on their exam (which they would have the next day) or they would be given to Count Olaf. They had to do S.O.R.E that night so they wouldn’t be able to study and they didn’t know anything. The Quagmires said they would do S.O.R.E for them dressed up to look like them, so know the Baudelaire’s can study all night. They got 100% but Count Olaf found out what they did so Nero could expel them. Mr. Poe came and asked Count Olaf to take of his shoes because if he had a tattoo of an eye that means he is Count Olaf not a coach. He ran away to a car waiting for him with three of his associates and the Quagmires who had a fortune just as good as the Baudelaire’s. The Baudelaire’s were crying as their friends were taken away with nothing but they’re Journals left behind.

Christian perspective

This book could have had more Christ like attitude. Like the part were Olaf tries to steals the fortune, which is not Christ like. Or the part were he makes them do S.O.R.E, which is also not Christ like. They could always think of a better name for the book too. I kind of think Series of Unfortunate Events sounds depressing.

My perspective

This book is not the best book to read if you don’t like violence unfortunate events or any bad things happening to children. If you don’t mind any of those and you like mystery books you should read this book. That’s why I read the book and enjoy it too. I chose this book because this is the 8^th book of these series and I’m not stopping now.

Convincing paragraph

The most important component in a situation of surviving alone in any location is water. The reason why is because people have claimed that an average person can live for 3-4 days without water. Without water a person with a right mind would search for some water knowing they might die if they wouldn't from dehydration. If they do look for some water and fail to succeed, that person is basically counting how many days they can survive, and maybe hope people find out how long he or she survives and put him or her in the world record book. In hatchet Brain was fortunate to land/crash in a lake so he didn't need to find or look for water, he could get water when he needed it and it was right there when he needed it. If you were in a dessert with obviously no water what is the use of any other component of surviving.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Author: Lemony Snicket
Publisher: HarperCollins
Place and year of publication: New York 1999
Number of pages: 162
Where you found the book: Public Library

Explain Title
This story is called A Series of Unfortunate Events because Series of Unfortunate Events happen to the Baudelaire children. Series of Unfortunate Events means Lots of unlucky things happen.

The Characters
The Characters of this story are Mr. Poe, Mrs. Poe, Count Olaf, Sunny, Violet, Klaus, Justice Strauss, Mr. & Mrs. Baudelaire.

Story Review
The Baudelaire family lived happily in there mansion. The Baudelaire family was very wealthy. The three Baudelaire children which were Violet, Klaus, and Sunny were all good at something. Violet was the inventor of the Baudelaire family, and when she was thinking of an invention, she would tie a ribbon around her hair so she could see, because her hair is too long. Klaus was the reader of the family, he has read more books than most people have in their whole life, and he remembers everything he reads. Sunny is an infant so she can’t do much, but she has four sharp teeth that she bites objects with. Briny beach is a nice place to be, but is crowded on nice days so the Baudelaire children go there on rainy, cloudy, or whatever bad weather condition so they have the beach to themselves. Violet likes skipping rocks and looking out at the horizon thinking of inventions. Klaus liked to look at the sea creatures that he learned about in his books.
Sunny liked to bite whatever she could find. Mr. Poe came to them to tell them the bad news that their parents their belongings and their mansion were all lost in a fire. They stayed at Mr. Poe’s house, then to their new guardian Count Olaf. They were dropped off at Count Olaf’s house. Right when they entered his house they noticed Count Olaf had a tattoo of an eye on his left ankle. When Mr. Poe left, Count Olaf put the Baudelaire Children to work. He made them cook for him and his theatre troupe. Justice Strauss is Count Olaf neighbour, and she has a library so Klaus liked it there, and she was nice. Count Olaf wanted the  Baudelaire children to be in a play he made called The Marvellous Marriage which was at his house, the
Baudelaire’s found it suspicious that he was being so kind. They knew he was going after the Baudelaire fortune, but how was a play going to help him. When he told them what part everyone was getting and how bad he wanted Violet to be the Bride and him to be the Groom, the Baudelaire’s got a clue. Klaus look it
up in a law book, it is legal for Count Olaf to marry violet as long as there are witnesses and a judge (Justice
Strauss agreed to be the judge not aware of what was happening), a signed document by the bride’s hand,
and permission from their legal guardian (Count Olaf). Count Olaf took Sunny and hung her from the roof of his house in a cage, and if the two Baudelaire’s didn’t go with the plan he would drop her. So the play went as planned till Violet was done signing the document Count Olaf let Sunny go and was laughing at the crowd for their stupidity. Then Violet said that it doesn’t count if she uses her left hand because bylaw it doesn’t count if it is not your writing hand and she is right handed so she wasn’t married to Count Olaf. Mr. Poe announced to the audience that Count Olaf will be arrested right away, but then Count Olaf turned off the lights and escaped with his troupe before anyone could get him. Know the Baudelaire’s would be safe...for now.

Christian Prospective
I think if they rewrote this book they should change the name because it seems depressing, and Christian books aren’t depressing, and how in every book the problem involves with someone dead because Count Olaf killed them. They could have made Count Olaf's name less intimidating like Mr. Wilson, and make him nicer, and make him Christian, and the Baudelaire’s unchristian so he could teach them about God, and who he was, and what he did. In the ending of every book the Baudelaire’s learn one or more valuable lesson about God. Maybe in the last book they will all be Christians spreading Gods word across the world.

Your Thoughts
I choose this book because some people told me about it so I decided to read it. I really liked this book and found it very interesting, because when something bad happens it takes a while for the writer to get to the point so I keep reading and reading till he finally tells me the whole point, then another bad thing happens so this keeps you interested till the end. I recommend this book to people that like mystery, fiction, horror, or books with no happy ending then this is the book for you.

Demessie's Spelling Word Story

A man named Jacob was misdirected pathetically in ancient punctuation. It was a stupendous waste of time.
He was also misdirected by the U.U.U (Union of Unified Unicorns.) They told him to sign some paper work, so he signed his signature on to it and spectator while the U.U.U got me bankrupt. He went to the I.E.A (International Environment of Antarctica.) The I.E.A got Jacob bankrupt too. He’s ridiculously stupid. He was frozen in Antarctica, but was shot by an antifreeze gun in the future. Jacob thought it was nonsense, even though he had witnessed a union of unified unicorns. He had disagreed that what just happened made sense, what-so-ever. A century later he owed over $100,000 to over 100 companies like the C.I.A, F.B.I, N.F.L,
N.B.A, and even to B.O.B (which isn’t a company.)He spent 4 years running from the companies and people. The message of the poor, individual who doesn’t have a dime was sent to every corporation, and company that existed. Everyone got the signal, because now every Company was hunting him down. He had to get out of his deed with the N.H.L. Sadly Jacob owed his life to over 28 companies. He never seemed to ever solve his problem. The only thing that seemed to changing was the number of companies that he owed his life to. First 28, then 36, then dramatically to 73. So as can see he lived pretty long because of the time he spent in an ice cube(1 century.) Three years later Jacob died at the age of 163.
Jacob
2003-2173

Hardy Boys #1 The Tower Treasure

Info about the book
Author: Franklin W.Dixon
Publisher:Grosset & Dunlap
Place and year of publication: New York 1959
Number of pages: 180
Where book was found: C.H.S Library
Genre: Fiction/Mystery

Story Review

The main characters are Frank Hardy, Joe Hardy, Mr. Hardy, Smuff, Chet, Jackley, Mr. & Mrs. Applegate, Mr. Robinson, Jerry, Biff, and Phil. Mr. Robinson was blamed for the crime of stealing the tower treasure which he didn’t commit. Mr Hardy was on the case. He believed that Jackley was the thief and that he needs to fly to where he is and ask him a few questions about the treasure. Smuff was out to ruin Mr. Hardy case. But Joe and Frank wouldn’t let that happen. After school Frank and Joe went outside to think of something, so they called there buds to come help them think of a way of making sure Smuff would miss his flight. They wanted to stall Smuff so he misses his 6 O’clock flight, and has to go on the 7 O’clock flight. So the Hardy’s and there buds went to Rocco’s Fruit and Veggie shop to take over for him while he rested. Smuff is neighbours with Rocco’s shop. So they thought of a plan to stall him for at least 30 minutes. They lit a barrel
full of garbage on fire so Smuff would come and try to be a hero and waste at least 20 minutes of his time witch was good enough. So his flight left without him.

The Hardy’s went to the old tower after Jackley confessed and told their father the info of where to go. Mr. & Mrs. Applegate wanted to know why they were here. The Hardy’s explained the whole story to them so they let them investigate the old & new tower because Jackley didn’t tell them which tower. They searched and searched they went up and down, but didn’t find anything. The second time they searched Mr. Hardy was with them and this time they searched very carefully. They didn’t find anything. But the next day Joe and Frank went to the old tower to look for the treasure. This time when they went to look up stairs the door
was stuck, so they pushed and pushed till the door flew open. There was the treasure, but hobo Johnny said it was his room, so he locked them in the room so they panicked. They tried to what 15 minutes so Hobo Johnny would leave. After 15 minutes they tried there hardest to get out the trap door but it was stuck. So they looked around for another exit. Frank found one spot on the roof were it was dry and looked easy to break through. So he picked up a crowbar and got a boost by Joe and he started smashing the spot till it was big enough to go through. He went up while Joe threw the treasure over to him and climbs up with his brother and go to their motorcycles and ride of to Bayport (which is where they live.) They reported this to the police and they set Mr. Robinson free. Mr. Applegate let them keep some of the treasure. So the Joe and Frank bought a crime lab on the second floor of their barn.

Christian Perspective

This book is not Christian or non Christian. It doesn’t have violence but it doesn’t contain any information on Christ. I believe that this book isn’t Christian, but does not show anything strictly against Christianity. I think there is nothing wrong with the way they responded to what happened. Like when they told the police on the thief, one of the Ten Commandments says you shall not steal. The man who stole also lied, you shall not
lie. I’m not exactly sure if this is a way Jesus would do it. All I know is it’s not exactly the opposite.

My Perspective

I enjoyed the book very much. I recommend the Hardy Boys series to boys who enjoy mystery books as much as I do. I hope whoever has read this book agrees with me.