Willy Wonka Day!

First, I want to tell you that I finished "From The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". The book was really good. I liked it because the kids ran away to a museum. As I got to read about their adventures, I got to learn about art. I don't know a lot about art, so it was a good time to read and learn. This is one of my new favorite books. My friend, Hannah said that it was her favorite book in 4th grade, and I am excited to read it again next year.

Today was Willy Wonka Day at school. I dressed up as Miss Violet Beauregard and my sister was an Oompa Loompa from the book. I won't tell you about the descriptions of these characters because I want you to read it and not watch the movie please. I am begging you, read the book. My favorite parts of this funny book are: Veruca in the nut room, when Charlie gets the golden ticket, the Chocolate Room, and the ending which includes the Great Glass-----you need to research this part on your own. I don't want to give away anything.

Now, I want to tell you about this "candyish" day. Can you see the pictures of all my friends? Sprinkled throughout the fun day, was candy (CANDY...Can-dy!) . I felt like Charlie at the factory, because I could eat candy all day long. I had nerds, gummy sweet tarts, a big sweet tart, a chocolate bar, fun dip dust, and last but not least a jaw breaker. I also had some hot chocolate later on. It was a hyper day! After all that candy, I felt wonderful, even though my mom probably would not have been happy about me eating all that. I also want to tell you quickly that even though I had a lot of sugar, I got a 96 on my Latin quiz and a 100 on my spelling test, which all makes me very proud. It was a wonderful day!

Now I am reading, well I am almost done, with the library book I got yesterday. It is "James and the Giant Peach" also by Roald Dahl. My teacher suggested that I might like it and my friend Madison told me that I would be able to find it in our school library. So, I started last night and today I am on chapter 28 out of 39 chapters. So, as soon as I finish this post and help my mama put away the laundry, I am going to READ. (Try to finish the book if I nobody bothers me!) I hope that you are enjoying the books that you are reading too. Have a stupendous weekend! ****All of this was dictated with a British Accent today!

Mike Teavee from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I like this song and hope you do too.

First half of the song in not here since it is so long. This is the second half:

“All right!” you’ll cry. “All right!” you’ll say,
“But if we take the set [television] away,
What shall we do to entertain our darling children? Please explain!”
We’ll anser this by asking you,
“What used the darling ones to do?
“How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?”
Have you forgotten? Don’t you know?
We’ll say it very loud and slow:
THEY . . . USED . . . TO . . . READ? They’d READ and . . .
READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half of their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching ’round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be!
Good gracious, it’s Penelope.)
The Younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty totter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and -
Just How The Camel Got His Humbe,
And How The Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless by soul,
There’s Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole -
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks -
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They’ll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start – oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They’ll grow so keen
They’ll wonder what they’d ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
P.S Regarding Mike Teavee,
We very much regret that we
Shall simply have to wait and see
If we can get him back his height
But if we can’t – it serves him right.

Books that are too hard

Good morning or good afternoon to some. Last week I started my second book from Lemony Snicket. It was a busy week with my grandma visiting , homework, Latin, and a sleep over and I didn't have time to really sink into the book. I discovered that the book was more than I can take right now. I feel stressed when I want to get into a book and time is running out and it's a little bit too hard. So, I want to tell you what I think I should do with a book that's a little too hard. Could you give me your ideas too.

If the book is too hard, I set it off for later. I want to read it but when it's too hard I can't pay attention to the story. Then I don't keep reading and I am confused with it all. So, a "Series of Unfortunate Events" will have to wait until I am nine years old (which is in April) and then I will give it another go.

A special friend sent me a package of books. One of them was "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". It looks like there are kids going into a hotel on the front cover. I chose this one today because it looks interesting and it has a gold seal on it which I think means it is an awarded book. I am going to get started with the book, after I go rock climbing with my dad. I want to advertise Stone Moves, it is a rock-climbing gym. My sister is on the rock climbing team and it is a great place to climb. If you live in Houston, you can find it located in a phone book. Go visit it, it's great and you might find us there.

Did you notice that my blog now has music! Mrs. Maines helped my mom get it on. My mom picked all of the songs that I love. Can you tell that I love musicals? I also love acting. My mom couldn't resist putting the song "Bag of Hammers". It reminds me of my mom. I "soothe" my mom "like a lick of ice cream", at least sometimes.

I am wondering, what books are you reading by the way? So go, read, enjoy the world.

Gracie