Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Dell

It’s pretty easy to say that literature has been one of the defining features in my life. However, was hard to choose a book for this assignment, as plenty of the books I’ve read have had a great impact on my person. Novels such as Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, The Little Princess, or Animal Farm come to mind. As for children’s literature, I can recite The Lorax almost entirely from memory, and of course being raised Christian Catholic meant the Bible played an important role in my childhood as well. However, I can honestly say there is one book I have read that has affected me the most, and that is the novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
My reasons for choosing this piece are both personal as well as massive spoilers, so I won’t go into them to deeply. Yet I can say that this book taught me about what it’s like to grow up and fall in love without even realizing it. Aside from its main plot, however, Sáenz’s novel includes many touching moments and descriptive commentary that I find very relatable and truthful. This book tells the truth of teenage years amplified by a feeling of difference and loneliness.
        Since I was thirteen I have been working through depression and anxiety issues, and this book is a great relation to my inept social problems. Not to mention the extreme teenage angst that comes with the young adult coming-of-age genre. However, the self-monologues and imagery perfectly capture emotions and feelings I thought were impossible to put into words. It reminds me of my favorite band, twenty øne piløts, as their music means the very same to me.
        It’s hard to describe exactly what this book means to me, as I don’t very much understand it myself, just as I don’t understand why I want to be an engineer. There was no defining moment, no realization, no nothing. I was pulled to it. In my heart and in my soul, I can feel pure love for this book. It is one of those pieces that will numb you, make you lie on your bed for an hour after finishing it, feeling nothing and almost crying but not quite. You don’t know what to feel. All you know is this book. So instead of drinking to stop the pain, I read.
        Just as the contents have power, the style with which they are written in amplifies the soul of it, As I have mentioned, Sáenz has a way of perfectly boxing one insane emotion into a single group of words. It amazes me that everything I feel can be represented by a simple pattern of letters and spaces. It’s pure poetry. This book is so effortlessly me, just everything I feel. The relatability is so accurate its almost frightening, so it is clearly plain to see why I have such a strong connection to it. In addition, I feel a very strong connection to the characters. Aristotle’s fearlessness and independence as well as Dante’s view of the world, innocence, and ability to make anything beautiful are all qualities I’ve wanted to have in myself. This novel inspires me to grow as a person and become someone gentle, yet fierce.
        Lastly, I can never seem to get tired of this book. I still don’t own it, but I have been listening to the audiobook. I first read it last summer, and it left me numb for a few days. It made me think about everything and view the world with Sáenz’s imprint now on it. I don’t really remember much from the time I read the book, but it changed me, and I haven’t been the same since. All I can say is: go read it. As confusing and jumbled I’m sure this essay was, the only way you can truly understand what I mean is if you read it yourself. Let it mean something to you, let it inspire you, hurt you, and make you as numb as a Novocain shot. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the most important book in my life and will remain for the longest time. Please trust me, it’s worth your time.

The Influence of Warrior Cats- Boynton

In my early adolescence, I was a very anti-social person. I didn't consider myself a person with many friends, and the few I had seemed to only be in the school setting. Between the 4th and 7th grade, I tended to only make friends for class and usually didn't stay in touch after the school year ended. The few that stayed throughout the years were as reserved as myself and it was rare for us to hang out more than once in a month. My lack of socialization came from two factors- the first being a lack of confidence, the second being a lack of connection. I never seemed to find people who loved the same things I did with the same passion, and when I did, I was always so scared of messing up the friendship by saying or doing the wrong thing that I chose to reserve myself.

When my brother introduced me to the Warriors series by Erin Hunter, I found another way to spend my hours alone. The storyline and world inside the book was thoughtful and complex, and despite it being a juvenile fantasy series about cats, the characters were relatable and multidimensional. It was so thought provoking and intriguing that I struggled to put each book down. I began reading the lengthy series during the 5th grade and when I finished, I waited patiently for the next one to come out. Every few months, I would be on my knees begging my mother to buy the newest one, and every few months we would have the same argument. She would want to wait until it was paperback and, therefore, cheaper. I would insist that I need it immediately and could not wait one more day. It would end with me picking up extra chores to earn it and then spending the whole weekend dissolved in the new story. While I have always liked reading, it was the first time that I didn't want to read- I needed to.

However, Warriors was no Harry Potter, and the release dates weren't heavily advertised for everyone to see. So at the end of the weekend, I would log on to the family computer and go on to the official Warriors website. If the date wasn't there, I would check once a week until it was. Then I would continue to check, just in case it was pushed forward. After returning to the site so often, I found a few games that allowed me to play as the cats and immerse myself into the world. Later on, I found a button in the top corner labeled “forums”. Unaware of what this was, I explored it and found a place with thousands of fans like myself discussing the characters, plotlines, relationships, theories, and upcoming books. Too excited to even ask my parents’ permission, I made an account and jumped into the debates. I checked multiple times every day for the newest responses and topics.
After being on the site for a while, I found a part of the forums that consisted of roleplays. Different users made characters in a unique setting and were able to interact with each other. I joined several that day, making complicated characters to join in on the fun. We created our own plotlines that lasted for months, and I grew to know the people I talked to daily. Eventually I began to consider them my friends.

This had been a major breakthrough because for the first time in a long time, I felt a strong connection to these people and I was not afraid to talk to them. We would type responses for the roleplay. Underneath, we could ask about one another’s day, wonder when one of our friends would be ungrounded, and follow up on another friend’s life struggle. I would log on to a community where people wished me luck on my math final, asked about that one band solo, and sent fun birthday messages when the little cake icon appeared near my name.

While I have since left the website and spent much more time with face to face interaction, I am still connected to some of my old friends through Facebook, snapchat, and texting. These were the people that, for the first time in a long time, made me feel wanted, appreciated, connected, and missed. These were the people that encouraged me to go to one of my first sleepovers, to join a sport, to challenge myself, and become who I am today.

While Warriors may just be a child’s novel, it has influenced my life more than any other story I have read and it has provided myself and thousands of others with a safe, welcoming community.

When You Reach Me Kransberger

When I was younger I was an extremely avid reader. Put a book in my hands and I would emerge myself into the story for hours.This is a fairly uncommon quality in children I think but one that has an incredibly large impact in the person I have become. I don’t read as much as I used to anymore but the lessons that I took away from the books that once captivated my attention for days on end, some more than others. When asked about my favorite or most impactful book,I don’t miss a beat before flashing back to my childhood.Vividly I remember the excitement I felt when my elementary school teachers would serenade our class with their favorite stories. In fifth grade, my teacher came to school one day with a new book to share. It was called "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead. I have never been so captivated by a book since. "When You Reach Me" is the most influential book I have ever read because of the captivating plotline, excellent life lessons, and interesting structure.

By captivating plotline I mean edge of your seat nail biting can’t put it down captivating plot line. The story is quite unlike any story I have ever read. It is simple and short in length but so wonderfully written that it makes me question the things I believe to be true about deep concepts that have puzzled the human race for as long as we can remember. Heavy topics such as time and the human ability to travel in it. The best part is that I had no idea I was reading a book even sort of about time travel or anything of the sort until the last 30 or so pages. It took some pretty unexpected turns and always kept me feeling like I was on the edge of my seat. I read that book seven years ago for the first time and continue to think about it to this day. This was influential to me because it showed me how exciting reading could be. Although it has always been something I enjoyed doing, this was the first book that consumed my thoughts even when I didn't have it in my hand. That is something that has really stuck with me. It set the bar for books ever since.

The main character of "When You Reach Me" is a girl named Miranda who is best friends has been best friends with a boy named Sal who lives in the apartment directly under hers since she was a baby. Throughout the course of the novel the two drift apart drastically. Reading “When You Reach Me” for the first time in fifth grade, I had yet to personally experience drifting apart from a friend for no good reason. When I got older and people did begin to drift apart I had in the back of my mind the story of Miranda and Sal. It made me realize that it was normal and a part of life. Through their broken friendship I realized that life takes people in different directions and it's okay to outgrow someone who was once your whole world.

"When You Reach Me" is also sometimes written in the form of lists as opposed to paragraphs. This is because when Miranda gets stressed she makes lists in her head to stay organized. In my mind this makes the book appear more like the inside of her brain than paragraphs would and I felt way more connected to her character as a result. It was personal and gave me a feeling that  I knew Miranda better even though she is fictional. The interesting structure if this book was influential to me because it helped me to feel like I was close with a fictional character on a personal level which is something I don’t remember feeling before this novel and still  strive to establish among characters in current reads.

"When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead is by far the most influential book I have ever read. I feel this way because of the incredible plotline, life lessons that I learned, and overall structure of the book. It sets the bar for all books I've read since

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Beck

    Without a doubt, the most influential book in my life has been the Bible. From the moment I was born, this piece of literature has affected me directly and indirectly. My code of ethics is a result of this book which has been reinforced by my parents and weekly church services. Certainly, my life, along with modern history, would be drastically different without the Bible.

    For this assignment, however, I am limiting the broad category of influential books to only those I have fully completed while focusing on the books that have had literary influence. With these restrictions, the books that have had the greatest influence on my development are the Harry Potter books, by J.K Rowling. As a whole, this seven book series has had an enormous impact on my life. If I were to narrow it down to a single book though, it would be the first in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

    I first read the book when I was seven years old.  The significance of this book is that it was a turning point in my literary career. Before I entered the world of Harry Potter, my library consisted of straightforward children's books like; Geronimo Stilton, Magic Tree House, and Henry and Mudge. Harry Potter was the first “real” book I encountered. As a seven year old, it was complex enough that I frequently enlisted the help of my mother to understand the seemingly complex plotline and diction.

    In addition to being influential as the gateway to more difficult literature, J.K. Rowling’s series impacted my life by developing my love for books. This was the first book that I really enjoyed to read. I would stay up late, sometimes with my mom, pouring over the pages of the book, eager to dive into the wizarding world. As soon as I finished the first book, I began Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I enjoyed this book to the extent that when I played with my neighbors and brothers, we pretended to be characters from the book, coming up with our own adventures.

    Moreover,  I developed a love for reading from the Harry Potter series. After I had completed the series, I began to read the ten book Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale. The reason I read these books was because its fantastical elements reminded me of Harry Potter. Likewise, I read the book Eragon by Christopher Paolini and its three sequels because it was in the genre of books I liked, established by Harry Potter. It is unlikely  I would have read these books, or many others, if it hadn’t have been for Harry Potter.

    Aside from making me a better reader and encouraging me to read more, Harry Potter has been very influential on my life. I have read the series all the way through three times and have picked up on new things each time. The series has become nostalgic as it has encompassed a large portion of childhood with both the books and the movies.

    Throughout my several readings of the books, I gained an appreciation for the literary merit of the book. From my first reading, I was engrossed in the plot. The book is fast paced with an easy to follow plot. The later books build on this making the plot even more rich by adding layers to what is happening. Similarly the characters in the book are very interesting and well-developed. Being of similar age, I was able to relate to Harry. At Hogwarts, he faced similar issues as me such as school and friends. Because of this connection, his adventures became more exciting as I could envision myself in them. As I got older, I began to appreciate the supporting characters such as Severus Snape and Sirius Black who initially seemed less important than Harry. I currently believe that one of the major reasons the series is successful is because of the plethora of interesting side characters. Furthermore, the setting of Hogwarts castle and other places like Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest is extremely well-developed. Rowling did such a good job with the setting that Universal Studios recreated it in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios, which I recently visited.

    Additionally, the first installment of Harry Potter utilizes symbolism. While I would probably view Gryffindor symbolizing good and Slytherin symbolizing bad as basic or the wands representing individuals’ personalities as obvious today, it is complex enough for the target audience of children and young adults. Similarly, Rowling’s writing style is straightforward with simple diction and easy to follow narrative. While I may critique it today, it is ideal for the intended readers.

    Lastly, the Harry Potter Series  has influenced my life as a result of its larger themes that taught me lessons. First, the book emphasized the importance of love. Despite Voldemort’s power, Lily’s love for her son was able to protect Harry from being killed. As a second grader, I was able to see that the relationship I had with my family was significant and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Another important theme of the book is that death should not be feared. In The Sorcerer's Stone Dumbledore says, “Death is but the next great adventure” (Rowling 215). Moreover, Voldemort, the villain, becomes distorted and corrupted while trying to cheat death. Meanwhile, Harry is able to see through a magic mirror that his parents are by his side, even after death. These ideas are in line with the Christian idea of heaven and life after death that I was taught growing up.

    In conclusion, the Harry Potter series had a significant impact on my life both in reading and my development. Besides having a large influence on my life, I consider the Harry Potter series to be some of my favorite books of all time. I would highly recommend the series to young readers as I believe they had a profoundly positive impact on my life.

Nancy Drew and The Secret of the Old Clock - Abby Seeger

During my entire childhood, I was surrounded by books. Weekly trips to the library were exciting adventures, and books could always be expected as gifts during birthdays and holidays. My personal collection continued to expand as I grew older, but it was nothing compared to the immense amount of books that my parents had collected over the years; construction manuals, coffee table books, novels, and reference books littered almost every room of the house. Among the numerous volumes that consisted of my home library were fascinating books from my mom’s childhood, books with yellowing pages and weak spines that I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to finally read. Inhabiting a bookshelf in the basement, these books were full promise to me. The prospect of unread adventures and mysteries within my own house made me look forward to the day when I was old enough to be able to read them.

When I was in the second grade, my mom decided that I was a good enough reader to begin the Nancy Drew series, and she handed me The Secret of the Old Clock, written by Carolyn Keene. The cover illustration portraying a girl and a clock in an eerie and shadowed forest, and the back cover which promised of “thrilling” and “spine tingling” adventures introduced to me a whole new love of reading. This was the book that signified the transition from picture books and meaningless stories to novels full of danger and adventure and mystery, books that had a deeper meaning and signified something greater than itself  beyond its pages. My love of Nancy Drew continued beyond The Secret of the Old Clock; once I had finished reading it, I immediately moved on to the next book in the series, and soon I had completed all of the Nancy Drew books in my mom’s collection. My mom and I began a crusade at bookstores to complete the series, which we soon learned to be extensive and seemingly never ending.

This book had a strong and profound influence on me, and helped shape me into the person that I am today. The character of Nancy in the novel was the person that I wanted to become when I was older; successful, helpful, loving, and adventurous. Her dedication and devotion towards her father and the close friendships that she so easily made were admirable to me, but her independence even more so. Despite the close ties that she had with her family and her friends, she was never afraid to go off on her own. Illustrations found sporadically in the book always portray her as self assured and confident, even though in most cases she was by herself, without the help of others. Throughout the book, Nancy often acted independently to solve her problems and the problems of others instead of relying on outside help - which would traditionally appear from other male characters. This concept was huge to me. The idea that an amateur detective who happened to be a girl could solve problems just as adeptly as males, if not more, elevated Nancy from an admirable detective to an inspirational role model, and someone that I aspired to be.

Carolyn Keene’s novel introduced to me new literary concepts that allowed for me to grow as a reader. The relationships between the characters were a new phenomenon that I had never been exposed to before. The fact that Nancy was acquainted with so many seemingly insignificant people introduced me to different types of interactions between characters, and eventually caused me to read closer as I realized that everyone that she met was a possible suspect. Also, The Secret of the Old Clock exposed me to a descriptive writing style that I had never experienced before. Adjectives such as animated and chic and verbs such as murmured and mused were completely new to me and allowed for me to visualize what was occurring in the book in ways previously unknown to me.

The Secret of the Old Clock, written by Carolyn Keene was the most influential book of my life. It introduced to me new literary concepts, including vivid descriptions and intricate and complicated relationships that allowed for me to grow as a reader. Additionally, it provided me with a positive role model in the character of Nancy, whose independence, self reliance, and hard work inspired me throughout my childhood.

Black Box by Hansen

Since a young age, I have never enjoyed books with a happy go lucky feel or a fairy tale ending. One of my favorite books as a child was Charlotte’s Web, because there wasn’t a predictable resolution where everyone was content. It built a realistic feel as opposed to a story like Frindle, where everything seems to work out well between the characters and everyone is satisfied. Going into middle school, I found myself drawn to mystery novels because of the unknown factor, nothing is expected about a mystery. During the first week of my freshman year of high school, Ms. Arnett brought our class to the school library at the end of what seemed like an excruciatingly long class period. We only had about 15 minutes to decide what book we would be reading at the beginning of every class for the next couple weeks. As I rummaged through the shelves, I found a book, Black Box by Julie Schumacher. I was drawn to it because of the cover, cliche I know. It was a silhouette of a girl with her hand on a window, damp from fresh rain. It reminded me of the mystery novels I have read. At this point class was almost over so I rushed to check the book out without another thought.

Once I started the book I was instantly drawn to it, which is somewhat absurd for me. It usually takes a few chapters for me to really get into a new book. I shortly began to realize that this book was like nothing else I have ever read. It heavily addressed mental illness, something rather taboo. I found the book to be very eye opening to a truly real reality for many people. I’m a strong believer that you never honestly understand someone's situation until you have experienced it yourself. This book created a great admiration within  me for anyone suffering from these kinds of conditions. The book was about Dora, a teenager with severe depression, who became hospitalized. But was written by her sister, Elena’s perspective. That was one of the best aspects of the book, you got to really understand what it’s like for the families as well. I found myself becoming quite emotional multiple times throughout the book, simply from knowing that many people have to deal with a battle within themselves, like Dora did. And that it has such a strong effect on everyone involved.

Towards the end of the novel I found myself confused on why it was almost over, the point in the story did not seem like a stopping point. Once I reached the last page I was so confused, because nothing was resolved by the characters. I searched everywhere online to see if there was a second book, but there wasn't. So I sat on my bed for a while trying to figure out what I had missed and why all of the sudden the book wasn’t making sense to me. After contemplating this for a long time I remembered early on, and in the last chapters, the author made allusions to how overwhelming, unforeseen, and confusing things are for people dealing with depression. I made the conclusion that the author must have intended to interrupt the plot and end it in such a harsh way, to correlate to depression itself. At this point, the characters were finally on track for a happy ending. However, there was this same false hope many times throughout the book. Elena received some bad news that would back track their happy ending once again. I think the author ended the book right then to create some sort of never ending cycle. Kind of a heartbreaking tone, as if Dora will never be able to escape her condition. I was relatively upset when I first finished the book, because I wanted to know what happened next and how it turned out for the family. Looking back, I have a strong admiration for the author for ending her book this way. I think it enhances the empathy you feel for the characters and ultimately gives a deeper insight to what other people are dealing with.

Because Black Box was such an unusual book, in comparison to my ordinary reading choices, it has opened me up to selecting books that I normally wouldn’t consider. I did not expect to enjoy this novel very much, yet it became one of my favorites. I have found myself reaching for books that aren’t all that similar to what I am used to. I notice this is a strong attribute to anyone who enjoys literature since it gives you a broader range of possibilities. Every book you read is like a new adventure you experience and new lesson learned.

Black Box has left a lasting imprint on me. I am very grateful to have stumbled upon this book and to have been exposed to the complex nature of the characters. This book wasn't extremely well written or even had a great plot, but it still had managed to influence me in my day to day life. I am a much more open minded and understanding person because of it. Something so valuable simply from expanding my horizons and trying out a book I never thought i’d relish like I have.

Katrina Elzinga - Week 1: The Mother-Daughter Book Club Series

I have always loved to read.  In a way, I was destined to love it because it has been one of the central focuses of my life practically from the day I was born.  As a baby, everyone, and I do mean everyone, would read to me. As a result, I have read pretty much anything that was in front of me since I’ve been able to read.  I read Little Women when I was ten, and Pride and Prejudice when I was twelve.  I have read a lot of books and have many favorite ones, so it is quite difficult to choose a sole one that could be considered the most influential in my life, every book I read has an impact in some way, leaving new facts, teaching life lessons that make a person wiser through something other than experience, and providing entertainment that movies can normally just not live up to.  Most of what I know has come from one book or another each being influential, so I’m just going to choose one series of books and write about it.  

A series of books that have had an influence on my life is the Mother-Daughter Book Club Series. I probably discovered this series when I was about ten or eleven years old.  It begins with the first book, The Mother-Daughter Book Club, and continues into, I believe, seven volumes.  I loved this series because it focused on four, and later five, girls and their mothers.  They were very relatable characters who were of the same age I was when I started reading the series.  Each character has a different personality that makes them relatable to whomever might be reading the series.  They encounter everyday problems from bullying to foreclosure that also appeal to people of different backgrounds.  

This series taught me about creative problem solving, as the characters solve the many issues that they face in hilarious and interesting ways that most people wouldn’t think of.  It taught me that there is always a way to solve a problem, even if you have to think outside of the box.  

It also taught me to delve deeper into what I read.  Each book centers on another book, usually a classic (like Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Daddy-Long Legs, and many more), that the girls have to read for this book club.  In the scenes that focus on the meetings that the characters have, a series of fun facts about the author of the book that they are reading is given.  This has taught me more about the authors of some of my favorite classics and has demonstrated how their lives play a role in shaping their books.  I also love history and find these facts immensely interesting.  These facts have also encouraged me to learn more about many of the books I’ve read.  For example, I was reading Hamlet for this class and my grandmother brought to my attention Isaac Asimov’s, Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare. This book has greatly enhanced my understanding of the play by bringing the contextual information about the influences of the play, the history leading up to it and surrounding the period in which it was written, and has explained some of the harder to understand bits of the play.  Reading this has greatly enhanced my understanding of the play and allows me to learn more from it.  

This series has also encouraged me to read books that I may not have otherwise, and has made classics seem more interesting.  I’ve read Jane Eyre, and more of Jane Austen’s work such as, Emma and Sense and Sensibility.  The author’s humor and application of the different books’ lessons makes them much more appealing to read.

These books also emphasize the importance of family and friends, and the role that they play in helping us solve life’s issues.  They have made me more grateful for those that I have in my life.  They show that it’s okay to be different because those who matter don’t care, and those who care don’t matter.  In other words, there is always someone who out there who supports you through whatever you want to do in life.  This lesson is common in many books that I’ve read.  

In the end, this series has been rather influential and has increased my love of reading.  Good books always leave you wishing there were more pages and this series accomplished that.  It taught me many lessons and has enhanced my reading experience, and it was fun reading them.  Isn’t that what is important when all is said and done?

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Dell

It’s pretty easy to say that literature has been one of the defining features in my life. However, was hard to choose a book for this assignment, as plenty of the books I’ve read have had a great impact on my person. Novels such as Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, The Little Princess, or Animal Farm come to mind. As for children’s literature, I can recite The Lorax almost entirely from memory, and of course being raised Christian Catholic meant the Bible played an important role in my childhood as well. However, I can honestly say there is one book I have read that has affected me the most, and that is the novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

My reasons for choosing this piece are both personal as well as massive spoilers, so I won’t go into them to deeply. Yet I can say that this book taught me about what it’s like to grow up and fall in love without even realizing it. Aside from its main plot, however, Sáenz’s novel includes many touching moments and descriptive commentary that I find very relatable and truthful. This book tells the truth of teenage years amplified by a feeling of difference and loneliness.

        Since I was thirteen I have been working through depression and anxiety issues, and this book is a great relation to my inept social problems. Not to mention the extreme teenage angst that comes with the young adult coming-of-age genre. However, the self-monologues and imagery perfectly capture emotions and feelings I thought were impossible to put into words. It reminds me of my favorite band, twenty øne piløts, as their music means the very same to me.

        It’s hard to describe exactly what this book means to me, as I don’t very much understand it myself, just as I don’t understand why I want to be an engineer. There was no defining moment, no realization, no nothing. I was pulled to it. In my heart and in my soul, I can feel pure love for this book. It is one of those pieces that will numb you, make you lie on your bed for an hour after finishing it, feeling nothing and almost crying but not quite. You don’t know what to feel. All you know is this book. So instead of drinking to stop the pain, I read.

        Just as the contents have power, the style with which they are written in amplifies the soul of it, As I have mentioned, Sáenz has a way of perfectly boxing one insane emotion into a single group of words. It amazes me that everything I feel can be represented by a simple pattern of letters and spaces. It’s pure poetry. This book is so effortlessly me, just everything I feel. The relatability is so accurate its almost frightening, so it is clearly plain to see why I have such a strong connection to it. In addition, I feel a very strong connection to the characters. Aristotle’s fearlessness and independence as well as Dante’s view of the world, innocence, and ability to make anything beautiful are all qualities I’ve wanted to have in myself. This novel inspires me to grow as a person and become someone gentle, yet fierce.

        Lastly, I can never seem to get tired of this book. I still don’t own it, but I have been listening to the audiobook. I first read it last summer, and it left me numb for a few days. It made me think about everything and view the world with Sáenz’s imprint now on it. I don’t really remember much from the time I read the book, but it changed me, and I haven’t been the same since. All I can say is: go read it. As confusing and jumbled I’m sure this essay was, the only way you can truly understand what I mean is if you read it yourself. Let it mean something to you, let it inspire you, hurt you, and make you as numb as a Novocain shot. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is the most important book in my life and will remain for the longest time. Please trust me, it’s worth your time.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling - Kynan Moretti

Growing up, much of my family would consider me an avid reader.  I would sit at a library for hours on end, reading a book I had found mere moments after entering, and even continuing to read throughout the night once I arrived home.  If I had found a good book sleep was not a necessity that was processed into my schedule, to my mother’s dismay.  I was not always like this, however, as I originally viewed such a task as tedious a chore as homework.  This was until I found a book that engulfed my attention, and showed me how novels could open doors to your imagination.

In second grade, I had slight emotional troubles due to my undergoing in a change of school districts.  When I shut myself off from my family, I found that I had nothing to do. This, as can be expected, led to an extraordinary amount of boredom, an amount that did not go unnoticed.  When prompted to try reading, I was more than reluctant, although eventually began with the second book in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. After only a few pages, I was hooked.  As each page came and went I found myself diving deeper and deeper into the story, growing increasingly attached to the characters, and like a book on anti-gravity, I just couldn’t find myself able to put it down. Some of my fondest memories include running outside with my cousin, of whom was the brother I had never had, and grabbing sticks to sling the spells we had taken time to memorize and go off on adventures to the wizarding world in our imaginations.

This is all true, but my love of reading is not the only thing that I obtained from this tale. Throughout the book, the students of Hogwarts, the only place that Harry considered sanctuary from the Dursleys, turned on him because they believed that he was Slytherin’s heir. This was mere speculation due to Harry’s ability to speak Parseltongue, and throughout the book the reader knows this to be nothing more than a falsity, and as the consequences become dreadfully worse one cannot help but feel bad for our protagonist. This shows to those of a young age how rumors can lead to more harm than they were meant to and are rarely true, a lesson that I personally believe is of extreme importance.

One could always find how the most righteous of intentions can lead to disastrous consequences, especially when looking at Dobby’s actions throughout this novel.  I, for one, could always find myself relating to the bumbling fool, and was personally ecstatic due to what he accomplished on page three hundred and thirty eight of the 1999 hard cover printing. Other than that, Dobby was kind of a dolt throughout the book, and the Harry had to deal with the consequences of Dobby’s actions to the point where his life and ability to go to Hogwarts had been put at risk. At the end of the book, Dobby even states that Harry didn’t need his protection.

Throughout the book you are forced to learn that not everything is what it seems. The author leaves hints and clues, along with betrayal making this lesson very prominent throughout the entirety of this book by using characters, such as Tom Riddle and Lockhart, objects, such as his diary, and even the safety of certain characters. And although this is true, I did learn one final lesson from this book. Although some things are not what they seem, others are. Seriously though, you quickly realize that the Malfoy family is filled to the brim with jerks as you progress through this story.

In conclusion, if I had not found this book I do not believe that I would have grown as accustomed to reading, or living, as I have over the years.  J.K. Rowling made a book whose complexity could keep your attention, all the while keeping a simple enough selection of vocabulary as to where children could understand it.  This blend of wordsmithing was something that I had an extremely difficult time finding a competitor for, and was definitely a worthwhile read that I would recommend to anyone.

Harry Potter - Hegerfeld

   Growing up with a mother who always pushes you to read rather than watch TV or play video games may have not been very fun at the time, but actually impacted my life in a much better way than it would have if she didn't. Now, I don't love reading as much as some do but this life of being "forced" to read has made me enjoy them more. The first books I truly enjoyed were the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. first my mom read them to me at a young age because of the high level diction and the complex plots, but as time went on i began reading them more and more on my own.
   One of the biggest reasons that the Harry Potter series has been so influential is because I began reading it (or having it read to me) at such a young age. Its actually the first real book I remember outside of magic tree house and that sort of books. Every night we would read until we could find a spot to stop (some nights took much longer than others) and then my mom would ask me my favorite part or what the pages were about. It took me forever to realize that she actually did this to increase my comprehensive skills, and make me remember the books a lot better, which in turn is another reason they were so influential.
  Another large reason that the Harry Potter series has been so influential to so many people is because J.K. Rowling does an exceptional job creating characters, and giving each one such a different, vivid life. This allows anyone who reads the books to find at least one and usually more characters they can create a very strong bond with. For example, I really liked Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George Weasly. They weren't a perfect match to my personality, but there were similarities that I was able to relate with certain things. As a kid i loved getting into things and messing around, I never liked to just sit around, which is why school really did not interest me. This made me feel closer to Fred and George because they seemed to never just sit around, rather play pranks on people, skip class, and get in trouble.
   The creation of the Hogwarts houses also allows everyone to feel some sort of a connection to the book. I always felt like I belonged to the house of Gryffindor. Whether this was because it got the best image through out the series or not, I thought that I had similar characteristics of Gryffindor members such as being a leader and being courageous. As a kid I would even take this outside of the book and try to reflect some of the actions taken in the books into the real world. It lead me to do daring things in front of my friends at recess or take risks to do fun things.
   That's not it though. These seven books also taught me meaningful lessons on creating strong relationships with friends and family. The Harry Potter series is far from non-fiction, but many of the actions that ruined friendships or created feuds between characters are very relatable. They showed me the importance of staying true to friends and lessons on handling tough situations.
   I've never been attached to any books like I have been to Harry Potter. It would take an absolutely fabulous book for me to turn down watching a new episode of shark week, or say no to a friend who wants to hang out, and while reading these books it happened multiple times. I would be a completely different person if it wasn't for J.K. Rowling's magnificent Harry Potter books.  Combined with the bonds I was able to make with characters throughout the book, and the valuable lessons that these books taught me, I have became a better, and smarter person.

Love, Aubrey - Dickens

I've always enjoyed movies, TV-shows, books, etc. that were true, down-to-earth, and meaningful; told a story worth hearing, that can influence your life. Up until the book, Love, Aubrey, by Suzanne LaFleur, I hadn't read a single book that I found worth-while or meaningful to me. Love, Aubrey, was the first book I had ever finished front to back. It changed my life for the better because I finally found a true love for books and reading.

Throughout my years of school, I have not always loved reading and have not always found it worthwhile and enjoyable. There are so many books in the world that tell a story that is so influential and meaningful to the person that wrote the story and many others, however it took me a while to find an author I could relate to. Suzanne LaFleur was the first author that I connected with and I found that I wrote a meaningful story in my opinion and from my perspective. She brings her stories to life in a way that is relatable to people, no matter what they are going through. Her stories offer so many different situations, approached at so many different perspectives and angles. However, not every solution was a success in Love, Aubrey, and I think that is what I liked most about her writing and the book. I appreciate her realistic approach, unlike other books where everything is always a success.

Suzanne LaFleur is an author I have come to extremely enjoy and appreciate because she was the one that brought my aspirations to explore to life. All of her stories and books are told with such passion and heart, it's rare when you can tell whether the story is fiction or non-fiction because each one is brought to life so well.

Each character in Love, Aubrey is full of purpose and meaning, and I can see how she has grown to be such an amazing author in all of her other books, because of how all of her characters each portray a different personality and different quality. Some are qualities that are more normal for people to have, and others are not. These rare personality traits allow readers that have similar traits to have a deep connection with the book, as I feel I did. The other more normal ones, shape to whatever mood a reader could be in that day. You never relate to just one character in her books, and I love and appreciate that about her books so much. They influence me to believe that I don't have to be just one way all the time.

Throughout the book, you get to watch the main character, Aubrey, grow and learn and heal emotionally and spiritually. When I first read this book I was 10, almost the same age as Aubrey, and I felt like I related so much to her journey and it made me feel like I wasn't alone. As a 10 year old, I was just beginning to realize there were things outside of the world other than just my little bubble. Love, Aubrey, gave me insight into the world I was so curious about, but didn't know how to explore or begin learning about. I have always been a curious person, even as a kid, I love exploring and learning about new things. This book gave me a feeling that I hadn't felt before, one that gave me inspiration to explore and do bigger and better things with my life.

This book began my journey that has led me to be the person I am today, one that I am very proud of to be. Aubrey when she was 11, lost her father and younger sister in a tragic accident and it turned her world upside down. To make things worse her mother abandoned her a week later, so she was on her own along with her grandmother and pet goldfish, Sammy. Shortly after I read this book, my grandpa passed and I was very close to him, so it also turned my world was also turned upside down. After the fact, I remembered reading this book, Love, Aubrey, and it helped me through that tough time in my life, by reading how Aubrey fought through her troubles and thoughts and adversity. Books are something that are precious and when written with a passionate story behind them, whether fiction or non-fiction, can change lives and help people grow and prosper as people.

They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky by Smith - Week 1

I have grown up around books my whole life. I will not lie and say I was always an avid reader who spent weeks on end reading. I read an average amount outside of school as my parents always encouraged me to read. It was never the lack of books that prevented me from reading vigorously, for my mom is a teacher and own a small library in the basement. Instead I often found many books were written to only be entertaining, and I felt as if I wasn’t developing as a reader. I wanted characters that were complex, yet understandable, relatable, but different. I found this variety in several different series. The thing is I haven’t read many of the classics series like Chronicles of Narnia, or Lord of the Rings, or even the Harry Potter series. I found many of these characters to be similar and a little repetitive. Instead I read different series like Artemis Fowl, Heros of Olympus, Lorien Legacies, the Maze Runner, and Kane Chronicles. Some of the best books I have ever read has come from these series, they have helped me become a better reader and thinker. However they didn’t force me to change how I think or act. That is why I believe that the most influential book is not necessarily the best book and vica versa. A book can be the best in several different ways it can be the best in a literary sense, creative sense, imaginative sense, etc. but there can only be one most influential book. To me a book is influential when it teaches me something new, forces me to understand other viewpoints, think critically, analyze the situation and then compare my reactions to the actual characters reactions, as well as leave me wanting to know more. To me no book has fulfilled these requirements any better than They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, by Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng, and Benjamin Ajak, along with Judy A. Bernstein revising. It is the true story of three Lost Boys from Sudan and their journey and fight for survival.

This books is influential to me for a couple of reasons, first when I read it last summer I was mature enough to fully comprehend the difficulties these boys had to overcome as well as they atrocities they survived. Knowing this was a completely true story that thousands of kids experienced, really connected emotionally where it is drastically different from the very sheltered and protected life I have here in DeWitt. The situations the boys were put in as 11-13 year olds were so severe that it often took me several pages for me to  digest it all. They were in a constant life or death struggle at such a young age where when I was that young  my biggest concerns were what if my crush doesn’t like me, or what if I get a bad grade. For the duration of the book I often would pause and think of how I would have adapted or reacted to the conditions they boys had to live in. The end result was consistently bad, I can honestly say that there were many times where I would have given up and died. This book is responsible for a change in thinking from me. After I read They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, I have actively tried to help those who are not as fortunate as I have. I have volunteered in a soup kitchen several times where I learned to connect with people on deeper levels than I can with people only from DeWitt. I have also participated in Kids Against Hunger which created meals that go to kids in the exact situations that the Deng brothers and Benjamin were survived. Had I not read this book I would not see that many of my problems would be a luxury for some, and I need to do what I can for those who have real problems and those whose life may be endangered. They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky as well as Otto, our Swedish exchange student, helped me to change my thinking from what's best for me and my family, to a more worldly thought process where I now consider if my actions are making the world a better place or not.

Like I said earlier just because it is the most influential book I have read, it is not the best I have read. The authors grew up in Sudan, so english is their second or third language so there are several grammatical/ literary mistakes. The authors are often separated which often causes there to be several plot lines/ stories that are developing at once and can be confusing, and lastly the characters don’t get fully developed because it is a true story. However, given these downfalls it has many positives like it is very descriptive, it has several intimate interactions between the boys and family they though they lost, and lastly the errors do actually help give it a sort of sincerity that otherwise would be lost. So it may not be the best book but it is still very very good.

In conclusion, I have always wanted to read the books that forced me to think and would influence me as a person. If It didn’t help me to grow I would try to avoid it. They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky has definitely given me a new and better sense of mind. After reading it I have connected with more people and and have done more to help others than at any other point in my life. Had I not read it I would have missed a great opportunity to become a better and more considerate person.

The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials- Ozbun

Growing up and throughout the first two years of high school, I truthfully was not the kind of person who could just pick up a book and read it from cover to cover. I normally tended to resent the idea of reading and it irked me to even think about reading. Books either had to start off very fast or hook me right from the beginning pages. However during this past school year, I was able to stumble upon the “Maze Runner” series as suggested from Mr. Battaglia during seminar which gave me a different mindset when it comes to reading. I had seen the movie and seeing it only intrigued me more to begin the series. This book allowed me to be fond of reading books not only for schoolwork, but for enjoyment. Which definitely makes this book the most influential one in my life.

First reason being that this book gave me the idea that even if things don’t go well in the present, then something good will have to happen sometime in the future. Everyone says today that if something bad happens today, then something good is bound to happen. In the book, the main characters realize early that the organization “Wicked” is back at it again with their old ways in trying to put them into tests. When the boys sneak out of their bunks late at night, they realize that not everything is as it seems. The people attempting to help them are not who they say they are, and have been taking kids to another room in the building to run further tests after knocking them out with whatever drug they had on hand. So the bad has happened, and breaking out of the “Wicked” complex can bring nothing but good or at least something better. Being religious like I am, I believe in this kind of concept day after day. That God truly does have a plan for everyone and he will not put you through anything that you cannot get through. Even through life’s highs and lows I stay tied to this and it has gotten me through some pretty rough times in my life growing up and in recent years.

Furthermore this book is influential to my life in another way. This aspect of the book is the all powerful effect of friendship in your life. The book gave me a furthering knowledge on how important it is to have friends in my life. Friendship is essential to getting through life no matter how hard it gets. To have friends that can be there day in and day out like I do certainly means a lot. Some of the events that have taken place in the past few years of my life have been rough, and without these people in my life I have no idea how I would have been able to make it through all of it. In the book, without the help and use of friends there is no way the main characters would have made it through what they did. I have a very close knit group of friends as they do in the book, who would do anything for me if anything bad happened to come up. As I would do the same for them. The book made me realize how good I have it and how great of friends I have in my life currently. I would not change anything for the world with where I am at right now with friendships. It emphasizes the power of friendship throughout the book and what it is like to not have them around as well. It not only gave me a thought on how valuable friendship is, but how happiness would not be attainable without them as well. The characters were lost without their fellow “gladers” and a visible uncertainty was noticed by myself when they were not with them too. As if the protagonist Thomas was not able to function without them being around. The literature always made sure to reference how Thomas was always thinking about them when they were not around. He couldn’t stop until he had found them. I feel the same way as Thomas, and feel completely lost when my friends are not around or when I am not with them. Therefore, the book taught me to value friendship more than I had in the past and for the coming future.

In The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials, there were several uses of literary techniques. Most of these uses happened to be imagery, characterization, setting, and a few themes in addition. To get the idea of the landscape the characters had to go through, imagery and emphasis on setting were highly sought after in various pages throughout the book. The author James Dashner, did an amazing job on being able to describe the circumstances and scenery the protagonists in the book had to traverse through. It was quite simple to understand the characters and their ideals early in the book with the help of Dashner’s characterization. Not only was he able to explain the plot thoroughly but he described the thoughts and choices the characters had immensely. I felt truly connected to the characters in this book, and it is the first time I could say that for any book.

In conclusion, not having read The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials would have lessened my opportunities to enjoy reading and I would have missed out on some great life lessons. This book happened to influence my life immensely. Without having read it, I would not have a deeper passion for reading as I do now. Not only that but I probably would not have signed up for this class without reading it either. I also have a much, much greater value for friendship in life. Lastly, I know things happen for a reason and only good can come after the bad. This series and book will most likely be my favorite for some time.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Kennedy

The first time I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling I was in first grade. I was still learning how to read, and every night before going to sleep I would read a chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with my dad. He would help me when I was confused by big words or complex grammar. At the age of six I did not understand the complicated themes and allusions, but I was enchanted by the fantasy world of adventure and magic that I could visit while I was reading. As I became a better reader, I was quickly able to read on my own and spent all of my free time reading. Through books I was able to go to other amazing worlds without ever leaving my own home. This love of books was inspired by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and if I hadn’t read it I would be a completely different person today.

When I wasn’t reading a book, I was running around in my backyard with my brother and friends. Even then, I was influenced by Harry Potter and other books I had read. With a little imagination we could become wizards and heroes fighting ogres and dragons like the characters in books. As a kid I was fascinated with the fantasy genre, and I was excited by every new spell and creature that was introduced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone again in fifth grade, as I wanted to read the rest of the series and I did not remember the whole plot from reading it when I was six. The second time I read it I understood a lot more of the themes and plot. I felt I could relate to Harry’s situation, things like school, homework, and sports were all things I experienced in my everyday life. These everyday situations allowed me to relate to some of Harry’s problems and made it much easier to picture the world the characters lived in. Another thing that allowed me to relate easily picture the world that the characters were in was the imagery and detail that went into describing Hogwarts, the characters, and all aspects of the books. All of the characters were well developed and I was able to understand and empathize with both the main characters and many of the side characters.

Throughout the book there are morals and themes that are important for children to be exposed to. The power of love, the importance of humility, and the ability to choose your own future are all themes throughout Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as well as the other Harry Potter books. One part that impacted me heavily was when Dumbledore and Harry were sitting in front of the Mirror of Erised, and Dumbledore told Harry not to dwell on dreams instead of focusing on his real life. After reading this I realized that I could not sit idly and think my dreams would fall into my lap, instead I must strive to make them happen by myself. This idea has changed my views on several aspects of my life, and is something I still think about today.

J.K. Rowling’s writing style and tone are informal and she uses simple diction that makes the book easy to read and understand. The book also has relatively simple themes and lacks complex literary techniques. While these are things that would feel childish and annoy me if I read it now, it is perfect for children, which is the book’s target audience.

One thing I find interesting looking back on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the other Harry Potter books is the theme that death is not bad but a necessary part of life. Voldemort is grotesque and evil because he is has tried to beat death. In his attempt to become immortal he has become something other than human. In contrast, when Harry’s mother sacrificed herself to save Harry, she was able to give him protection. Also, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry is willing to sacrifice himself to save his friends.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is very good children’s book and I think it is a book all kids should read. I am very glad that I read it both in first and fifth grade as it has impacted me in many ways and it has helped me develop into the person I am today.