Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

Blurb:
This is the story of a little girl called Fern who loves a little pig called Wilbur. And of how Wilbur is saved from a dreadful fate by Charlotte the spider's very clever plan. The most loved children's story ever.

Reflection:
Charlotte's Web is an all-time classic and a must read for any child.
E.B. White creates Charlotte's character as quite knowledgeable by giving her an extensive vocabulary. By doing this it is also extending the reader's vocabulary if they do not know what it means.
One of the major themes in this book is that no matter what happens, time will continue. This is shown by two examples. One of Charlotte's acceptance that it is her time to go but she has passed her life on to her five hundred and fourteen children. Also this is shown by as Fern grows older, her interest switch from Wilbur to boys showing that she is maturing within herself just as the doctor said.
I thought it was dreadful that Charlotte had to die alone but there was no way around it and she probably wouldn't have wanted anyone to be there anyway.
The friendship of Wilbur and Charlotte brought everyone in Zuckerman's barn together. Upon arriving in the barn, all of the animals thought Wilbur was a nuisance and naive because he didn't know what was coming for him. Nobody even knew Charlotte existed until Wilbur was yearning for a friend and she stepped out. The animals in the barn seemed to get along better as they realised that Wilbur was really sweet and humble.
Charlotte's Web is a tale of friendship and the joy it brings to people. I would recommend this book for everyone as it is a classic and is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read...

Jatta - Jenny Hale

Jatta - Jenny Hale

Blurb:

Jatta is a princess in the kingdom of Alteeda, but her life is no fairy tale. Her mother was slain by wolves when Jatta was three years old, and the palace has been haunted by fear ever since.

Then Jatta wakes one morning, bruised and disorientated, soaked in sweat, to see her bedroom smeared with bloody paw prints...

Reflection:

At the beginning, there was a major plot twist but I thought that it was very easy to see what was coming. It wasn't a surprise and because of that it almost took two long to get to the point. But once the action really started happening, the book grew harder and harder to put down.
The brotherly sisterly bond shown between Jatta and Arthmael was almost otherworldly. Had they not been closely related, without a doubt they would have been star-crossed lovers. At times it was almost a little bit too fictional verging on the borderline of incest. Drake, Jatta's betrothed was jealous because of their bond almost creating a love triangle which was altogether confusing.
Through the book, Jatta's character changes. At the beginning she is very reliant on other people to help her make her own decisions. This along with her vivid imagination describes her mind as being naive and innocent, almost fragile. But as more deception and bad things happen she develops the ability to make her own decisions and her mind becomes more mature. By the end of the book, she could be described as a person whose body is two young for their soul. She becomes brave and courageous like her brother who is no doubt her role model.
The comparison between Dartith and Alteeda is almost like contrasting heaven and hell. In Alteeda people are willing to help and no evil things lurk in dark alleyways. In Dartith, Arthmael and Jatta are constantly bombarded with dangers such as Undead and wolves. I think that this was a shock to the system for them both and let it really sink in that their lives here are different to those in Alteeda.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for teenagers who love a good fictional story. Although I would have liked to have seen more of what happened when Jatta and Arthmael returned and what Drake did as King of Dartith.

The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien

The first book in the series was quite like the Hobbit. Although easier to read, the language used was quite wordy although it created an awesome description of people and places.
The characters created by Tolkien were complex and I think that this is what gave the book its magic. For example, the Lady of Lorien who at first seemed cold towards the travelers, changed to become a kind woman whom, when offered the Ring by Frodo, refused to take it. This showed that she was true to herself and she knew that this was not what was supposed to become of this Ring.
The idea of a hobbit that Tolkien brings across is the species in this novel that humans in our age can relate to the most. They enjoy socializing and partying (merry-making as they call it), they love their food and have expansive pantries. But the one thing that differs between us two is that they don't like adventures. In fact, they will avoid them with at all costs. We, on the other hand, love adventures and our curiosity can sometime get the better of us. I think that Tolkien uses this comparison so that the reader can relate to the hobbits and allows the reader to understand in more depth the characters that the hobbits portray.
I really enjoyed this book but I would recommend it for people who have quite a large vocabulary otherwise you will find yourself reading two books at once, in other words, the dictionary also.