Red

I found this book to be very interesting. It was nice to read about some things that are very easy to relate to. I particularly liked the story about the girl ending up in Utah. Now, I cannot relate to this story but it was very touching and I could really feel the emotion. I think that in our society we often over look the cry of help from teens. It is often called a “cry for attention” which it is, if someone wants to kill themselves they need someone to talk to or to help them out. I recently found out a boy that I had dated in 8th grade but grew apart from in high school, killed himself last year. There were signs even when I was dating him, but nobody says anything. Here in America so many things are taboo that we just do not like to talk about them or to people about them. A lot of teenage suicide could be prevented if parents, friends, teachers and everyone paid a little bit more attention to the details of people. If someone is acting different than they normally do, if they are more depressed, someone needs to sit down with them seriously and talk about. We make everyday a routine so that nothing can be out of place, not even taking five extra minutes to talk to that person who sat alone at lunch. Samantha did not want to go to that camp in Utah but it is what was best for her. People need to pay closer attention to the little things that change and a lot more lives could be saved.

My Book

I would write my book the same was Alexie writes Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, in first person. I would write it in more of a diary form. I would talk about my life growing up. I have an older brother who is 20, a younger sister who is 13 and a younger brother who is 8, so as you can imagine things around the house were never dull and boring. My book would be about a young girl (me) who is sometimes over shadowed by her perfectionist older brother, shunned for not liking her baby sister and not paid attention to because of the newborn baby. Now, the book would not be this horrible sad story but one of growth and learning to accept and share even when you do not want to. Since my parents are still together in real life I would include that also, because I think many people do not think it is possible for marriages to survive. I would talk about the hardships I went through when my mom cam close to dying from a brain aneurysm, how I was 150 lbs in 6th grade and lost almost 40lbs in one summer, the first boyfriend I brought home, almost losing my best friend of 12 years because of stupid decisions we both made and the stupid fights my parents constantly had. Sort of a diary sort of a memoir but anyone that would read it could probably relate to at least one part. I would want to write a book that kids could read and know that they are not alone in what they are going through. For example, just because my parents are still together does not mean that our household is quiet and perfect, actually it is the complete opposite. Also, just because my dad owns his own business does not make us rich, I can remember my mom telling me I couldn’t go to the dance because we didn’t have the money for that. People assume a lot about others but never really take the time to get to know them on the inside.