Kings & Queens of Britain

Miranda Fan

I read Kings and Queens of Britain. This book talks about the British royalty. I started reading it on the 15th of November and I finished reading it on the 24th of November. The author is Tim Vicary.

And this book has 10 parts which tell the reader how the British royalty has developed until now.

1) The Queen and Parliament

2) Queen Boudicca

3) Alfred the Great

4) William 1

5) King Henry VIII and the Church

6) Elizabeth 1

7) King Charles and Oliver Cromwell

8) King James II and Parliament

9) King Edward VIII

10) The Queen today

I think this book is good, If you like kings and queens of Britain, I think you'll like this book. The English level I think it is not difficult. I think through this book you can know everything about the kings and queens of Britain, but this book doesn’t talk about Diana, so I think it is not good. But I want to introduce it to my fellow students.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Emma Wang

I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I started reading this book on the morning of the 17th of November and I finished reading it on the evening of the 19th of November. This story is written by C.S.Lewis. There is a movie that has the same name.

This book has a fantastic story but I could't find what time this story happened, maybe it happened at a time of war, I think. And this story takes place in a fantastic world, in a wardrobe.
This story has four main characters. Their names are Susan, Lucy, Edmund and Peter. They are four children and they are very brave.
The four children had come to live in the countryside and they live with an old Professor. This Professor has a big house, and in this house there is an old wardrobe. One day, Lucy opened this wardrobe and she found a strange world — this world has a lot of magical animals. Lucy goes back and tells her sister and brother, and they go to this world. Then they find the Great Lion, Aslan. And Aslan told them a prophecy about the world of Narnia — that four children will save the world. According to the prophecy, the four children will help Aslan defeat the White Witch. At last, Edmund becomes King and Lucy becomes Queen in Narnia.
I think this book teaches me the importance of faith, love, unity, loyalty and dedication. And I think the best point in this book is the four children help Aslan to get rid of the White Witch.
I rate this book as good because it's very interesting. The English level I rate as about right, so I want to introduce this book to my friends.

A New Hairstyle

Naimah Al Abdullah

AUTHOR: Sheila Duke
GENRE: Nonfiction
DATE STARTED: 17/11/2010.
DATE FINISHED: 17/11/2010.
WHEN AND WHERE IS IT SET? One Tuesday at 10 o'clock.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS: Suzy and the hairdresser
WHAT HAPPENS?
Suzy wants to change her style, to be a different person. She makes an appointment with a hairdresser and consults with her at her salon & gets a new look.
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE? A good hairdresser can make a good new look.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE BOOK? It is easy and useful. I recommend my classmates read it.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Speckled Band

Emma Wang

I read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Speckled Band. I started reading this story on the afternoon of the 15th of November and I finished reading it on the morning of the 17th of November. In the world, the series of Sherlock Holmes books are famous detective fiction, and this story is in one of these series. The author is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and this story takes place in 1883 on the western border of Surrey, England.
There are two main people in this story. The first is Sherlock Holmes, a great detective. A lot of people usually visit Holmes at 221B Barker Street when they have difficult questions. The second is his best friend, Dr Watson. He is always with Holmes and taking note of the cases. This story is about a young woman and from Dr Watson's perspective.

One day, a frightened young woman came to visit Holmes and her name is Helen Stoner. Helen tells Holmes a case: Two years ago, and only two weeks before her marriage, Helen's sister died suddenly. Helen listened to a low whistle and a noise like a heavy piece of metal falling just before she found her sister. Now Helen wants to marry, and strangely similar events are happening in her home. So Helen was very frightened and visited Holmes quickly.

Holmes pays attention to this case, and goes to Helen's home with Dr Watson. Holmes looks at that house inside and outside very carefully, and then he was very serious and tells Helen: "We will spend the night in your room. We will try to discover the reason for the noise that you have heard." Helen agrees to this. At midnight that evening, Holmes and Watson found a snake in Helen's room and Holmes strikes it, and then the snake went back and killed its owner, the criminal, the stepfather of Helen. At the end, Holmes explains that an inheritance is why Helen's stepfather killed Helen's sister and tried to kill Helen.

I think this story is telling me to 'pay attention to the details in life' and I think the best point in this book is that Holmes strikes the snake, because a lot of people couldn't do this. Between the very dark and very light it is difficult to see anything.
I think this book is good and very interesting. The English level I rate as about right so I want to introduce this book to all my friends.

The White Oryx

Gracia Li

Author: Bernard Smith

Date stared: 24/11/2010

Date Finished: 24/11/2010

This book tells about an Oryx. This story happens in the wild. Two people went to do a field survey and found the ground had blood. They walked along the blood trail and found an Oryx, and see two people who planned to kill this Oryx. They stopped all this and raised the alarm. The policeman arrested the two people and the Oryx was rescued.

Humans constantly hunt Oryx, and Oryx numbers keeps decreasing. The Oryx are facing extinction. The Saudi government is continuously providing protection, but someone is constantly hunting oryx. I think that mankind must strengthen the protection of Oryx. People are not right to kill any animals. I want to let them know more about the danger of Oryx extinction so I will recommend this book to my friends.

Tomorrow's Girl

Sam Al Harbi

Author: John Escott

Genre: Science Fiction

I started reading this book on Monday the 22nd of November. The book is set on Catullo Island in Italy. The characters are Angelo, an old man, Bernardo and Marta. One day Bernardo wanted to change the beautiful island to a fun island for people on holiday but Marta persuaded Bernardo not to follow through with his plan. She told him "I come from 2022 and I know what you don’t know: The amusement park will be abandoned. No one will go there any more."

The message is don’t build yourself up at the expense of others. The best thing Bernardo did was not to do what he wanted. It is a good book and easy. I want to tell my friends to read this book.

Leonardo Di Caprio

Miranda (Bizhu) Fan

I read Leonardo Di Caprio. This book talks to you about Leo’s life and his road to stardom. I started reading it on the 1^st of Nov and I finished reading it on the 16^th of Nov.

This book takes place in the United States where Leo grew up and became a movie star. The author is Brent Furnas. Leo was born in NOV 11,1974 in America. When he was younger, his parents divorced, but they allowed him to choose the best. He didn’t like study, so he became an actor. His most famous movie is Titanic.

I think the best point in the book is the description of how Leo became a superstar and the description of his famous movies.

I think this book is good because the English level I rate as easy, so I want to introduce it to my fellow students.

Mystery Girl

Wael Al Anzi

Author: Joanna Strange
Genre: Drama
The hero of the story is Phil

There was a beautiful girl next to him and he was impressed by her beauty and he wanted to talk to her. He was ashamed so he followed her to speak to her when he dared.

His friend tells him the play will start at 7:30, but he had believed the play would not begin until 9:00. He went quickly and did not speak with the girl but her friend said, "His name is Bill. Talk with him after the show."

This is a beautiful story.

Alissa

Gracia (Wenting) Li

Author: C.J. Moore

Genre: Children’s story

Date Started: 17/11/2010

Date Finished: 17/11/2010

This book’s main character is Alissa. The story is as follows: Alissa likes reading and she wants to go to school, but her father is very bad. One day, her father sold Alissa to a man in another city. Her master is very fierce, and her life was hard. Alissa has to work fifteen hours a day, and this women shouted at her every day. A few days later, Alissa was sold to a clothes shop. The shop owner is a bad woman too. One day, Alissa picked up a rich lady’s purse in the shop, and then she returned it. The rich lady thought Alissa is a honest girl. Then Alissa has a nice home.

This book has changed my lifestyle. As I think Alissa is an honest girl and she likes study, I will be like her and value learning. This book tells me 'as long as you are work hard, life will be fine.' I deem this book as best, but I don’t want to recommend this book to my friends because the English level is too easy.

Michael Jordan

Assaf (Sam) Al Harbi

Genre: Sport

I started this book one day a week ago. This book is set in America. The main character is Michael Jordan. I think all people know this man. The book speaks about the life of Jordan and his way to fame. The message is how you can improve yourself. I learned how to organize my time. The best thing about the book is it recognizes the life of a famous person. It is a good book and I want to tell my friends to read this book.

Island For Sale

Wael Al Anzi

Author: Anne Collins
Genre: I think the story could be called a drama or a love story
The heroes of the story are Duncan and Jane

Duncan received a message that his money was running out so contacted an agent to sell his palace and island. Duncan felt very sad because he didn't want to sell his palace. The agent told Duncan that a singing star will buy the palace and the island. Next, the star and his girlfriend came to the island and Duncan stood in the palace to receive the guests and I felt that the woman lamented. Not liking the palace, the guests went to their place and Duncan was glad he had not sold to minors. Then he found a girl wandering around on the beach and he told her about the problem and found a solution. She said "Why don't you open a hotel in vacation time?" Because of this idea he became rich and married Sally and fathered two children, a boy and a girl

I think that the story is easy. I liked the story. I advise anyone to read it because it is easy.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes: The Six Napoleons

Emma Wang

I read The Return of Sherlock Holmes: The Six Napoleons. I started reading this book on the evening of the 6th of November and I finished reading it on the 7th of November. This story is a famous story in the world and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the author of this story. The genre is detective fiction, and the story takes place in 1904 in London, I think. In this book the main character is a detective whose name is Sherlock Holmes, and he is very clever. The police often asked him to help them. So this story is a typical case of Holmes.

One day, Mr. Lesttrade, a detective from Scotland Yard, visited Holmes and told him about a difficult case: A mad man stole three cheap busts of Napoleon and broke them. At the first everyone thinks this man hates Napoleon, but the next morning this man killed a man because he wanted to steal a bust of Napoleon from a house in Kensington. Then Holmes soon realized why the mad man broke the busts, because he was looking for something in the busts. Holmes does things in this way and he found a lot of clues. At the last he told Mr. Lesttrade what is in a bust of Napoleon: “It’s Black Pearl of the Borgias!", and at the same time Holmes helps to catch the criminal whose name is Beppo.

I think this book's message is 'there is only one truth' and I think the best point in this book is Holmes is very clever because when everyone thinks that criminal hates Napoleon, he does not think that. I rate this book as good because I love Holmes. The English level I rate as easy and I want to introduce this book to all my friends.

Beauty and the Beast

Naimah Al Abdullah

Genre: Folktale

Date stated: Monday 8/11/2010

Date finished: Wednesday 10/11/2010

This story happened many years ago in a small village. The main characters are Beauty and the Beast. The story goers like this: A prince was turned into a beast by an old women and he took a lovely girl Belle into his castle. After days passed the magic broke and they finally got married

The message is 'deal well with people and they will change their behaviours.' I liked this story. It was very fantistic and it has a very easy level of English. I recommed other students read it.

A New Zealand Adventure

Khaled Sobahi

Jan Thorburn

Date started: 15/11/2010
Date finished: 16/11/2010

The book talks about friends who went on a holiday to New Zealand. When they arrived at Auckland Airport they rejoiced and took a taxi and went to the sea and then went to the Sky Tower and jumped from it. Later they went to an area very beautiful under the mountain. Then they went to watch whales, found expensive tickets and then asked for money from family and completed their activities in New Zealand and returned to their country.

Sarah and Jessica enjoyed their stay in New Zealand and all the activities they did. The book is fun and interesting and I advise all students to read the book because of this. To explore a country as beautiful as New Zealand with lots of activities and adventures would be fun. The book is easy and so good for learning.

Brad Pitt

Fan Bizhu (Miranda)

Author: Nancy Taylor

I read 'Brad Pitt.' This book talks to you about Brad Pitt and his story . I started reading it on the 1^st of November and I finished reading it on the 6^th of November.

The story takes place in America.

Brad Pitt was born on December 18th, 1963. He is an American. He became famous during the mid 1990s after 'Interview with a Vampire' in 1994 and the thriller 'Seven' in 1995. Pitt was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe Award for his role in 'Twelve Monkeys.' In my free time I usually see Brad Pitt’s movies. He really bring his fans surprises so he really is a superstar.

I think the best point about this book is the talk about his famous movies. He is a movie star because so many people like his movies .

I think this book is good because I like movies and I like Brad Pitt. The English level I rate as easy so I want to introduce it to my fellow students .

The White Oryx

Assaf (Sam) Al Harbi

Author: Bernard Smith

Genre: Adventure

I read this book one day two weeks ago. This book is set in the desert of Saudi Arabia in modern times. The main characters are Abdullah and Mandy. The book talks about some stolen oryx, a kind of animal. The message is wild animals shouldn't be traded. It is a good book because I learned certain natural areas should be protected. The book is easy. I want to tell my friends to read this book.

Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves

Li Wenting (Gracia)

This book’s authors are Annie Hughes and Melanie Williams. The Genre is a folk tale. The main characters are Ali Baba and the forty thieves. The story happens in the Persian kingdom.

Ali Baba sells wood and he has a clever housemaid. One day, Ali Baba was cutting wood on the way home, and discovered some robbers' treasure and he opened the door, and then Ali Baba and the thieves struggled.

I think the book’s message is 'evil is unable to overcome justice.' I think Ali Baba used wisdom to gain victory over the robbers, and I learned from this book man shouldn’t be greedy for money, but should be kind and honest. I rate this book as good, because I understand the greed for money and 'not pursuing money' difference. The English level I rate about right, so I want to recommend this book my friends.

Welcome to the Elem DW Blog

David Woodfield

Hi everyone! Welcome to the Elem DW Book Blog.