Language+Arts



1] Francis Marion by M Schlesinger Jr.

This book was about a Revolutionary War hero named Francis Marion A.K.A. the Swamp Fox. As a child he hung out in his swamps at his house in Belle Island, South Carolina. Most people were afraid of all the alligators and creepy animals their but he hung around them all the time. When he was older he decided to be a sailor but on his way to his boat's destination his ship was wrecked by whales and he never sailed again. Around the time he got back it was the beging of the Revolutionary War, so he joined the local milita. These people suprise attacked the british by using gurilla war tactics. Thats why he called the Swamp Fox because he would jump out and kill British troops using the swamp to their advantage. He and his malita survived by eating potatoes and drinking water. They were also very polite they even invited british soldiers to dinner before they snuck out to kill them. When the war ended he got married and then died at age 63 and was buried in his home of Belle Island Plantation. I would recomend this book to people who are into ameracan history.

2] Ty Cobb by Dennis Abrams

Ty cobb was one of the most feared but also one of the most talented major base ball players of all time. As a child Ty Cobb always had a need to be the best and first one to do every thing. His dad was a very well respected man in Royston Georgia where ty grew up. He hoped he would be a doctor but he always had a passion to play basball. Unfortunatly his dad did not let him play little leagh. Eventualy Ty Cobb talked his dad into leting him play in the local mens team The Royston Reds where he got a cuncosin from geting hit in the face with a ball because back then one of the rules was to get a person out you could hit them in the face( people prefered this because if you knocked them out then they could not play. After lots of hard work Ty Cobb was accepted to the Detroit Tigers making him one of the yungest players to ever play major leagh base ball. He was not very popular because the other players were scared he might replace them, so they picked o him and played prankes on him untill they finally tried to force him to quit. This finally got to the point where ty went to buy a gun for protecion. Ty cobb steped up his game by sharpening his cleets and diving foot first into the base man so they would move. He also steped up his personal life by being supper mean beating people up over little things like bump into him or he would even beat his team mates half to death when they beat him to the hotel room. One day cobb got mad at the catcher and tryed to beat him up but he forgot that he was a former profeional boxer and cobb ended up really endrured. Ty Cobb had ben married and had kids but was away from home all the time so his kids were not his biggest fans. He was a super strict parent and would not let his kid play his dream sport of tennis calling it a sissy sport. His kid ignored him and got a scholarship to a big college. Around this time Babe Ruth was just coming out and and was stealing Tys publicity. This mad Cobb made and he soon droped his technical ways and that season he hit more home runs than Babe Ruth would ever in a single season. Ty Cobb eventualy retiered and with no freinds or family( because his wife divorced him after getting to violent, and his kids hated him) turned to alcahol and moved to California. He died in July 17 1961 and was burried in semetary in his home city in Royston Ga. I would recomend this book to people who really want to learn about the history of baseball

3] Where The Red Fern Grows by **Wilson Rawls**

This book is about a boy named Blly who lives on a farm. Billy sicerly wants two good coun hounds. Billy saves up his money for years and finally gets enough money and gets his uncle to order them for him. Unfortunatly they cant ship them to his uncle so he has to all the way down the river to retreive them. He incounters several problems on the way there and back including geting into a fight with a bunch of local school boys due to his differance in looks. Fortunatly the local sheriff breakes it up and saves him. Billy names his dogs dan and ann, he trains them to hunt couns. Eventualy they get so good that they can enter a coun hunting contest. They dont win but they accualy do win because the other guys feel sorry and give the win to them. His dogs eventually die and he burries them. a plant called a red fern grows right on their grave. The legend of the red fern says that an Angle came down from heaven and planted a red fern. I would recomend this book to people who like storys about dogs

4] Pompie Lost And Found by Bonnie Christensen

This book is about the eruption of a volcano called mount vesuvius that killed of a whole entire city of Pompeii nearly 2000 years ago on August 24 ad 79. Pompeii was your average city in the Roman Empire around 79 AD. All of a sudden out of nowhere a loud noise boomed all threw out Pompeii. It was ignored by most people. That night a load of hot ash clouded the night sky and poured all over the city. Soon the whole city was burried in ash never to be herd of or remembered, untill the early 1500s when diggers discovered an under ground tunnel with wall paintings. Though it was not untill 1763 that they were confirmed to be the lost city of Pompeii. Since then Archiolygists have dug and found many wonderful paintings, pots and even some houses. They have even un covered some molds of bodies and have molded them to study how they looked when this terrible natural dissaster happend. I would recomend this book to people who are interested in history and just need a interesting book to write a book report really quick.

5] carlos santana by

The book I read was about a very good guitarist named Carlos Santana. He was born in Mexico and grew up sort of poor. His father played violin he talt Carlos how to play and left the family to work in San Francisco. When Carlos was 12 sent him a letter telling his father he would be interested in learning guitar. His father scent him a old beat up Gibson L5 to learn on. In no time he was able to play good because he had experiance with violin. When he was older he was good enough to get gigs playing in local clubs and bars.Soon he decided to move to San Francisco for better operatunities. Soon he started a band called the Santana Blues Band. After many small shows and gigs they made their first apearence at WoodStock, which got their name out there and quickly got a record deal with Colombia Records. Nearly 40 years have passed by and Carlos Santana is still making records in a solo career but not as many people like him as they did in the 60's,70's and 80's. I would recomend this book to anyone who is interested in one of the original guitarists who changed the world.

6} The Lord Of The Rings (the fellowship of the ring) by j.r.r tolkein

This book is very long and has many things going on at once. First there is a hobbit named Frodo Baggins who inherets a very powerfull ring from his uncle Bilbo Baggins. this was the one ring of power created by Souron the dark lord of midle earth so he could rule and terrorize all of middle earth at his own will. Gandalf a wizard and also a very close freind of the baggins discovers the ring in frodos poseson of the ring and sends him on his way to Rivendell with his freind Samwise Gamgee. On there way they pick up a few more companions like Merry and Pippin. They also run into many problems and are saved many times. Once in Rivendell they are told to set out on another journey to Mordor to destroy the ring with 9 other companions. They lose 2 and due to battle. I would recomend this book to people who love fantasy books that accualy seem like they are real.

7] Nelson Mandella By Bengamin Poground

This book was about a man named Nelson Mandella who was a huge freedome seeker in south africa. He helped achive freedome from apartheid. Apartheid was the racial descriminataion against any one who was not white in South Africa. He was born on July 18, 1918. his father was a cheif. He had four wives a horse and a lot of cattle. Nelson was the son of the third wife. His father was very wealth. Nelson gratuated school and the familys clan celebrated by sloughtering a sheep. He went to college but was suspended because the food there was very bad so he started a riot. He was tall good looking and every one liked him. Mandella moved to a place called Johannisberg and got married. This place was surronded by poverty. He was a lawyer. Many years latter meadella joined the ANC and led many protests that angered the British so they threw him in jail. After 27 years he was finally released in 1990. he quickly became presedint of South Africa. I would recomand this book to people who want to learn about guys who helped free nations.

8] Jesse Ventura By Michael V. Uschan

This book was about a man named Jesse Ventura. He was born July 15, 1951 in Minnapolis, Minnasota. His mother and father were both in the World War 2. His father was a member of a tank destroyer squadron. His mother was a nurse in the Army. Although his dad was a war hero and held many medals Jesse never found out untill way later in his life. His dad wanted to keep his war history a secret. Although he goes by the name Jesse Ventura his real name is James Jim Janos. All throughout his chil hood he was very popular in school and played many sports. When he gratuated he wanted to go to the Navy SEALS like his brother did. He tryed out and passed all the basic training. He spent 3 years running secret missions for the goverment and doing rescue missions in Vietanam. After serving all his time in the Navy SEALS he came back and learned how to wrestle. He joined the AWA American Wrestling Assosiation. He changed his his image to a really buff bleach blond California surffer dude and was the bad guy. This was around the WWE was going national and they saw his talent and sighned him with them. While in the WWE Jesse Ventura had a rivalry with Hulk Hogan. He was on his way to a title shot when he got a major blood clot and was in the hospital for weeks. He would never wrestle again. Even though he could not wrestle he was offered a spot as a ring announcer in the WWE. After many succecful years as an anouncer he quit for a movie offer in Predador with Arnold Swatchenagger. After a few other small movies he retired and went to be a radio host and an annoncer for a few football games. After running for mayor he got got it, he was a really wierd mayor and wore t shirts jeans and a shaved bald head with a bandanna. He latter ran for Governor of Minnisota and got it. I would recomend this book to people who are interested in Jesse Ventura

9] Sequoia

This book was about a Cherokee man named Sequoyah. This man was the inventor of written Cherokee. Sequoyah was born sometime between 1760 and 1776 in Overhills country near the Cherokee village of Tushkeegee on the Tennessee River near old Fort Loudoun in Tennessee. His mother, Wu-teh, was a member of the Paint Clan and his father, Nathanial Gist was an English fur trader. Sequoyah was raised in the old ways of the Cherokee and became a trapper and fur trader. Most cherokee indians wondered about the majic paper that the whit men looked at (this was papper with writing on it). One dat Sequoyah decided to devote his whole life to trying to creat a written language. He was so devoted that he built him self a hut and kept all his work in there. Some days he would never come out. His wife got so mad that she burned it down and every thing in it. He did not really care he just started over. The Cherokee National Council did not aprove and thought he was crazy. he would one day prove he had discovered a written language by teaching it to several boys in the tribe and his daughter. He was awarded with a silver medal that he would never take off in his life. In his 80's and after many years of national recognition, Sequoyah fell ill and died in 1843 while searching for a band of Cherokees who, by tradition, had moved into Mexico before the revolution. The location of his grave is unknown. I would recomend this book to anyone who wants to learn aboutvery smart people who over came the odds and did somthing unthinkable.

10] Travis Pastrana by J. Poolos

This book was about a famous motocross racer named Travis Pastrana. travis pastrana was born on October 8 1983. When he was little his parents did not belive in punishing there kids, instead they just encouraged him to do what ever he wanted to do. One time when he was a kid his father let him operate a bulldozer. While operating the bulldozer he knock over a 15 foot high wall of concrete. Instead of yelling at him or getting on to him they just laughed. His parents used the idea of play time to educate him made him what he is today. As a kid he learned to jump ramps with little mini dirt bikes. His father built him mant ramps to practice on and it was here he learned the art of falling. When he got allittle older he won many amature championships. Eventually he won a qualifying turnament to compete in the X Games as a profesional. He latter went on to win then the free style tournament. Since then in all his X Games tournaments he has been in he has never lost. I would recomend this book to people who are interested in dirt bike rideres.

10] Paul McCartney by Kate Boyes

This book was about a man named Paul Maccartney. Mccatney was born in Liverpool England in June 18 ,1945. He grew up constantly moving because his Dad's work made him go all over Liverpool. He had 1 brother named Michael. They both were born around the end of World War 2 while Liverpool was still trying to recover from being heavily bombed during the war. Paul's mother died when he was 12 and he got very depressed and quit going to school. Instead he talked his father into buying him a guitar. Paul did not know how to read music so he had to teach himself to play by ear. Once he started playing well he met John Lennon, who was also a guitarist.. They eventually found places to practice and began writing songs. They soon decided to start their own band. After searching for band members they settled with Ringo Starr and George Harrison. They recorded theire first album and America and Britain loved it. They became very popular and many more albums were to follow. Eventualy they broke up and Paul Macartney and his wife moved to Scotland where they lived on a farm. After the Beatles broke up Paul formed his own band with his wife, Linda. They called it Wings. Wings went on to be one of the most successful bands of the seventies. After a long and plentiful career Paul decided to settle down with his family in Scotland. He still is writing and recording music today.

12] Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lighting Theif. By Rick Riordan.

This book was about a young boy named Percy Jackson. He is attending a private school called Yancey Academy. While he is there, he meets Grover Underwood. It is time for summer vacation so his mother takes him to the beach to get away from his mean step father. While there, Grover shows up at his door with no pants on but he has a goat half. They get in their car to go to a safety camp called Camp Half- Blood which is where people who are half-god and half-mortal go because monsters try to eat them. They are called Demigods. They are attacked by a minotaur but Percy kills it. It captures his mom and sends her to the Underworld. At Half -Blood Hill he finds his Latin teacher is activities director. His name is Chiron and he is king of centaurs which are half- human half- horse. He also sees Mr. D. or Dionysus, who is the camp director, but is also the god of wine. While he stays there, he is clamied by Posideon as his son and makes friends with the daughter of Athena, Annebeth Chase. He also lbecomes friends with Luke, the son of Hermes. Later, Percy Annebeth, and Grover are sent on a mission to recover Zeuses lightning bolt. They have exactly 10 days before the summer solstice to retrieve the lightning bolt. If they fail, the gods will make war with each other. I would recomend this book to people who like greek mythology.

13] Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

This book was about Percy Jackson. He is attending a school called. While there, he meets a very tall boy named Tyson. Tyson is also very slow. While at the Acadamy, they are attacked by monsters and tyson destroys them all. Annabeth appears there at the school to save them and they take a magic ride on the Grey Sister's Taxi Service. The Grey Sisters share one eye. When they arrive Percy starts getting weird dreams about Grover being trapped by a Cyclops. Percy decides that Grover is in danger. Later on Percy's friend Tyson turns out to be his brother and a cyclops. Percy, Annabeth and Tyson go out to the sea of monsters to find Grover who is being forced to wed Polythemus the Cyclops. While on their quest, they also are looking for the Golden Fleece to use its healing power to save the giant pine tree on half-blood hill. It is really Thalia, daughter of Zeus, in tree form. I would recomend this book to people who find Greek Mythology interesting.

14] Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth. by Rick Riordan

This book is about when Percy Jackson is trying to survive at a new school that his new step dad is working at. while there he meets Rachel Elizabeth Dare who he already met at Hoover Dam on year while on a quest. He gets attacked by 2 monsters and they destroy and burn down the band room. Him and Annabeth were supposed to go see a movie while she was in town but instead they have to go to camp Half Blood. When they get to camp half blood they have a new sword trainer he has a Hellhound for a pet and it takes up with Percy. They all find out that the evil army of Kronos is trying to get into the camp from the Labyrinth. They are forced to go in it and try to find the work shop of Dadaules who built the labiyrinth and ask him to show them how to navigate through it befor the Titan army finds camp Half Blood.

15] Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Titans Curse. by Rick Riordan

What happened in this book was Percy Jackson Thalia and annabeth were called to a school in new york to get 2 half bloods named Nico and Bianca DI Angelo. There was a scary looking man there that talked like a french dude and he never left the side of the 2 half bloods. These half bloods did not know they were half bloods yet that's why they were there to get them and bring them to safety at camp half blood. Percy went out side to look for Nico and Bianca but was attacked by the teacher who turned out to be a monster. Theye were all fighting the monster when Annabeth got thrown off a cliff and theye thought she was dead. All of a sudden a group of young girls showed up with theyre bows and killed the monster. They asked the leader who she was and she told them she was Artemis Goddess of the Hunt. Only girls are allowed to be in the hunt and once you are in you are immortal. Artemis asked Bianca if she would like to be one and she said yes so now she was immortal. Nicco felt betrayed and they all went to camp half blood to report to Chiron. Chiron sends the general of the hunters Zoe Nightshade and Bianca on a mission with Grover and Thalia. Percy was not invited but he followed them on his Pegasus blackjack. Percy saves their lives and accompanies them on their mission to save Annabeth and to also save Artemis I would recommend this book to people who think Greek mythology is cool.

16] Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Last Olympian

This is the final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians seris. It was about the final battle between the Gods and the Titans. Luke the son of Hermes is working for Kronos. He has turned him self into kronos and did so by resurecting him from Tartus where he was choped in to millions of pieces and imprisoned there. Kronos has awoken the biggest monstor in the world and the gods have left mount Olympus and are trying to stop him from destroying the whole United States. The Half Bloods are trying to fight of the massive army of Kronos and trying to destroy Kronos at the same time. It take many forces like the Centaurs, Demi Gods, Saytrs, and the gods to win this battle. i would recomend this book to people who have already read the first 4 books.

17] Roverandom by J.R.R. TolkienIn

This story Rover, a small dog, makes a big mistake. He was playing in his yard one day when an old wizard walked by. The wizard stooped down and took Rover's ball. Rover, being a mad little dog, bit a hole in the wizard's trousers. The wizard (whose name was Artaxerxes) turned Rover into a toy dog and gave him to a consignment shop. While at the store a mother peered in the window and bought Rover for her little boy to play with. The little boy played with Rover all the time, but Rover was not very content. He longed to be able to move freely and be restored to his old size. One day the little boy left Rover out on the beach by accident. Rover howled and howled, but no one could hear him- or so he thought. A sand wizard was sleeping peacefully under the sand when he was awakened by Rover's crying. Rover told him of his sad tale and the wizard took pity on him. He tried to reverse Artaxerxes's spell, but could only succeed in de-toyifying Rover. He was still a very tiny dog. The sand wizard sent Rover to be safe fro mArtaxerxes on the moon. Rover was to live with the Man-In-The-Moon! When Rover got to the Man-In-The-Moon's castle he met another dog named Rover. So, the //real// rover changed his name to Roverandom. Roverandom had great fun on the moon, but he longed to see the little boy that had previously owned him. He asked The Man-In-The-Moon to send him back home, and he did...partly. Roverandom was sent back to Earth, but went to live under the sea to ask Artaxerxes to make him his old size again. During Roverandom's stay on the Moon Artaxerxes had become married to a mermaid princess and was very happy. Finally, after much begging, Roverandom was able to get turned back into his original size. He went back to the little boy's house. The little boy was overjoyed to see that his toy dog had turned into a real dog! I would recomend this book to people who like dogs

18] Eragon By: Christopher Paolini

This story is about a 15 year old guy named Eragon. He was in the Spine Mountains one day and found a blue stone. He took it home with him and it latter hatched into a dragon. Dragons are supposed to be extinct because along time ago a dragon rider named Galbitorix got mad because his dragon died and he killed of all the Dragon Riders. Eragon decides to keep it hidden and raise it on his Uncle Garows farm. One day some evil creatures called Razac come looking for the dragon while Eragon is off and kill his uncle Garow and destoy the farm. Eragon finds a ex Dragon Rider whos dragon was killed by Galbitorix and was thought to be dead. They travle out to kill the Razac. Brom dies along the way and they defeat a Shade named Durza and find an Elf. They must travle to the Varden and prepare for a great battle of Urgles the soldiers of Galbitorix. I would recomend this book to people who like dragons.

19] Eldest By: Christopher Paolini

This book is about Eragon and his journey and training at Elsmera to be taught by elves and improve his majic skills and sword fighting.. He is taught there by an elf master. He learns lots of magical spells to help him a better dragon rider. He and his dragon, Saphira, must also have a brutal battle with Murtag and his dragon thorn. Murtag is the son of Morzan the evil dragon rider who helped Galbitorix destroy all the other riders. Eragon will also be reunited with his cousin Roran who was like a brother to him and Roran will also help fight the war with some friends of his. I would recomend this book to people who liked the first book.

20] Brisingr By: Christopher Paolini

Eragon and Roran have to go to the Razac's castle to save Roran's girl friend, Katrina, from them before they kill her. The Razacs were winged monster things that fed on flesh. They were known to eat people from time to time. This really meant a lot because all the Razacs and their parents were at the jail. Eragon and Roran kill the beasts and save Katrina from their clutches. After Roran and Katrina escapes Eragon splits up to kill the last remainng Razac. Eragon makes his way to the Varda and is joined by a elf girl that eragon likes but she is hundreds of years older than him she just doesnt look like it. While at the Varda Eragon learns from his mentors that Brom was really his father. He also learns that Galbitorx's weakness is dragon hearts and that he has been living off of dragon hearts to keep him alive. Murtagh and Thorn fight a battle with the dwarves and Oromis dies. At the same time Eragon and Saphira are fighting a battle and win. Eragon starts to feel confident about fighting Galbitorix. I would recomend this book to people who like dragons.

21] Red Scarf Girl By: Jili Jaing

This book was about a girl named Jili and she grew up in Shanghi China during Mao Zedongs Cultural Jevolution. Her life was very dificult. Jili was a good student but because her grand father was a land lord she had bad class status and no body wanted her on the Red Gaurds. Her father was sent to a center to remold himself in labor because someone accused him of listening to forien radio. He had to brutaly work and get beat and yelled at. The Red Gaurds were going to every ones houses and takind all the stuff that Chairmen Mao considered to be a forold. A for old was somthing that Chairmen Mao thought was to old and needed to be thrown away and the people should move on. Eventualy Jili has to go work and she gets tired and passes out. I would recomend this book to people who are interested in learning about Asians.

22] The Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers By: J.R.R Tolkein

This book is the second installment of The Lord of the Rings. It continues the story of the Fellowship with Boromir's funeral after the Uruks killed him. Frodo and Sam go on their way to Mordor, and Merry and Pippin are captured by the Uruk-Hai. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn travle across 50 leagues to find their captured hobbit friends. Frodo and Sam meet a small gangly creature named Gollum that wants the ring. Gollum agrees to take Frodo and Sam to Mordor, but he has plans of killing them when they get there. Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin escape from the Uruks, and flee to Fangorn Forest. In the forest they meet and ent named Treebeard. He helps them and eventually leads a rebellion against the evil wizard, Sauramon. At the same time there is a battle going on between Rohan and the Uruk-Hai and they fleed to Helms Deep. They win the battle with the help of Gandalf who comes back as the White Wizard earlyer Iwould recomend this book to geeks.

23] The Outsiders By S. E. Hinton

This book is about a kid named Ponyboy Curtis. He belongs to a group of youths that call themselfs Greasers because of there long hair. their rival gang the socs are always looking for a fight. One day Ponyboy and his friend Johny are at the Park because Ponyboy just got hit by his big brother Dally or Dallas and they got attacked by several Socs who tryed to drown Ponyboy. Johny killed one of them and now they are running from the police. They are staying at a church and some kids burn it down and Ponnyboy and Johny saves them from dying. Johny gets hit in the back with a log and broke his back. In the hospital he dies and Darry goes out and comits sucide by cop. I would recomend this book to Greasers.

24] The Lord Of The Rings The Return Of The King By J.R.R Tolkein

Frodo, Sam and Gollum/ Smegoal get closer to Mordor sam finds out that Gollum has been planing to kill Frodo and Sam when they go into the tunnel and take the ring. Sam tries to do somthing about it but Frodo thinks Gollum is good so he throws Sam out and continues to go to Mordor with Gollum. Latter on Frodo is attacked by Shelob the giant spider he then relizes Sam was right. Sam climbs back up the mountain and finds Frodo but he thinks he is dead.  Gondor is going to be attacked by alot of Mordor and Gandalf and Pippin light the becon that will tell Rohan that they need help. The Steward of Gondor does not want them to light it but they do it anyway. Rohan sends all their forces to help but it still is not enough. Aragorn goes into the mountain with the blade that was once brocken that Arowen had reforged for him and comands the dead spirits that betrayed Isealdor and fled into the mountain so they were cursed untill they helped.  In the end the ring gets destroyed and Aragorn is the King of Gondor. I would recomend this book to anyone.