I’m reading “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate. It’s about a loving, relaxed gorilla, Ivan. I love this book because the characters are just to die for, they’re  such adorable animals. Around Ivan’s cage are his friends, Stella, the knowledgeable elephant, and Bob, a cuddly dog. They meet a small, baby elephant named Ruby. She changes their lives, and Ivan has to make those changes for the better.

I wish today was December 22, you just woke up, you look at your alarm clock that’s right next to your bed and you see that it’s exactly 8:00. Then you look out your window, and you see a light, but consistent snowfall, and everything outside has a blanket of snow covering it. Then your mom comes in with an iPad playing your favorite Christmas music in one hand, and in the other a cup of perfectly temperatured hot cocoa with exactly six mini marshmallows in it. Once you’re done with your hot cocoa and Christmas music you walk downstairs and see your Dad just finishing making chocolate chip pancakes. You walk over to the table, and all your siblings are nice to you today, so your little sister pulls out the chair for you, and your older sister puts the perfect amount of whipped cream on your stack of pancakes, but you get to do the finishing touch, by putting on the chocolate syrup on your stack. Then you sit on the couch with your family and watch your favorite Christmas movie. Once you finish the movie, you look outside and see the that snow has piled up. So you go outside and build snowmen. You build five snowmen with your friends, each snowman carefully constructed  with perfectly shaped snowballs. Once you’re tired and cold like icicles, it’s time to go inside. The second you step inside the scent of fresh out of the oven peppermint bark brownies fills the air. Your Mom greets you and your friends inside to watch another Christmas movie. As you’re watching the movie, you dig your teeth into the crunchy peppermint bark, that meets the mushy and warm brownie. As the movie comes to an end, you and your friends say your good-byes. Then the smell of cooking turkey welcomes you into the kitchen, when you walk in your Dad asks you if you want to make gingerbread men. You approve the idea, so you and your siblings spend the next half hour decorating the best gingerbread men you’ve ever seen. When the oven goes off you know a feast is waiting to be eaten. Once your stomach is full, and your plate is empty, it’s time to go, but you know you still have room for cookies. As your Mom lifts the hot pan out of the oven, the mouth watering smell of gingerbread spreads like wildfire, and a smile spreads across everyone’s face. When you’re done eating, and the sky has darkened, you know your day is coming to an end. As your parents tuck you in, they both give you a kiss on the head and say goodnight. You watch them leave the room, and quietly close the door behind them. When the lights are off, and your parents are gone, sleepiness takes over your body, and you slowly drift off to sleep. That would be the best day ever.        

By: Kate and Olivia  

I just finished reading “Ghosts” by Raina Telgemeir. It’s about this girl named Catrina, but goes by Cat, and her little sister, Maya, who live in Southern California, but moved up the coast to Northern California, because Maya has cystic fibrosis. Which affects her breathing. They eventually meet this kid named Carlos, who tells them that the town is full of ghosts. Cat starts sixth grade and meets new friends, and she went to this huge party on the Day of the Dead with them. She meets a couple new ghosts there. I thought the book was so good. It was a quick read, but it’s my favorite graphic novel.

If you celebrate Christmas, you know that feeling you get when you’re right about to open your presents which have been sitting under the tree for a week, and you’re so excited, but when you finally do… you get the same gift you got last year. And we all know that fake smile you have to give your grandparents, or whoever gave you the gift, to make them think that you love it, when really, you’re dying inside. They know that you really wanted a new computer, or a PS4, but every year what do they give you? A book. Mean like, yeah, I know, you’re supposed to be thankful for the gifts you have, or that your family can even afford them, and I am, but you just can’t help feeling almost, angry, at them for not getting you that computer. That’s why I try so hard to be thankful for everything that I have, and to be polite and say “thank you,” for anything someone does for me. But we’re only human, and you end up feeling the same anger/sadness/disappointment every Christmas.

Whenever I hear that I think “yeah, that’s kinda true.” Like for example, you have wifi almost all the time, and it’s become something we all take advantage of. Because I know for a fact, that the second there’s no wifi, it’s like there’s a zombie apocalypse. You realize that there’s nothing to do without it. You realize how little we even talk anymore. Without wifi, what else are humans supposed to do? Talk to each other?! When was the last time anyone ever did that? Without wifi, our brains will explode. We aren’t mentally ready for this natural disaster. Honestly, how long could you go without wifi? Exactly. All we do is play with our technology. With wifi of course.