Plastiki

I am here to tell you about a new thing called Plastiki. But before that, I have to tell you a small story. During the 1950's and 60's, there were a group of scientists who theorized that early man might have populated the continents by using rafts to sail across the ocean. To prove it, the scientists built a raft out of wood and sailed around the world.The experiment didn't actually prove anything, but it showed that the theory was possible. It was called Kontiki. Now, almost 60 years later, a team of scientists, adventurers and journalists have constructed a 60 foot long catamaran out of plastic bottles. It's known as Plastiki. Their ambitious plan is to use this catamaran to spread awareness about what we are doing to the oceans. Their first stop after leaving San Francisco was the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is a final stop for all oceanic 

garbage riding the currents, and right now it's bigger than the United States. Their goal, as I said before, is to spread awareness that there is a mass of garbage out there right now which is nearing the size of Canada. If we stop polluting, that thing won't grow smaller, but we can focus all our power the destroy the Patch instead of worrying that it will get bigger. They will also  stop at several sites of ecological importance that are being affected by global warming and the Patch. Islands such as Hawaii, which is the closest US state to the Garbage Patch. Midway, whose spectacular coral reefs and historical WWII shipwrecks are threatened by the large amounts of garbage that breaks loose from the Patch and float into its waters. The British skipper of the vessel, Captain David De Rothschild, says it is a fun and a media-

attracting venture since to spread awareness today you need the media on hand to broadcast everything you say. In my opinion, Plastiki, you have my full support. I think that this is a great way to show the world what exactly it is they are doing to our beautiful oceans, and that there is a simple answer to it. Unite and stop polluting.

Elephant Run

Elephant Run by Roland Smith is an action packed suspense filled adventure set in Burma in 1941. When Nicholas Gillis Freestone, aka Nick, is sent to Burma to help his dad out in the family’s teak plantation. Nick grows to like the place, but all that is snatched away when the Imperial Japanese Army comes knocking on the front door. With Nick’s dad set to a camp and Nick and Mya, Nick’s friend, all alone, there seems to be nothing they can do. But the sudden appearance of Hilltop, a mysterious monk, convinces them that they need to set Nick’s dad free. The question is, will they succeed?

 

My favorite part of the book was actually the whole book. Each part was about the same in quality, length and pace, so I can’t judge. But that was the thing I liked about this book.

 

Roland Smith was born in Portland, Oregon November 30^th 1951. He has worked in various zoos around America. Following the 1990 Exxon Valdez oil spill, he promptly launched 

a campaign to save the wildlife injured during the spill. He lives with his wife Marie and children Becky, Shawn and Niki Smith in Tualatin Oregon

Pictoral Definitions: Vocab 10

Melodramatic

Beckoning

Despicable

Godsend

Probation

Impeccable

Ambivalent

Melancholy

Primitive

The Pirates of Crocodile Swamp

The Pirates of Crocodile Swamp is an easy-to-read but not-too-boring adventure by Jim Arnonsky about to young boys. When their alcoholic father abducts them and takes them to the Florida Keys, Sandy and Jack (who are, coincidentally, the same age my brother and I; Sandy: 11, Me:11. Jack: 9, my brother: 9) escape into Crocodile Swamp with limited supplies and fend off hungry sharks, poisonous snakes and giant crocodiles. But it is only with the help of newfound friends can they truly escape from their past.

My favorite parts of the book are when they describe their feelings toward their dad and about running away. Since Jack is the less mature one, he has a lot of turbulent emotions clashing within him. Sandy is pretty much focused on one goal: do whatever it takes to get as far away from their dad as possible, so I liked reading about what they felt like.

Jim Arnonsky was born on September 1^st, 1946. In 1976 Jim and his wife Deanna moved 

 to Vermont with his two daughters. He continues to live there today and is self-taught, in writing, the arts and the sciences.

This is and extremely relaxing read, that you might read on a boring day. For anyone who loves the swamps or nature, this is the book for you.

The Fire Thief Fights Back

The Fire Thief Fights Back by Terry Deary is the awesome and exciting final chapter to the immensely popular Fire Thief trilogy. Closer and closer to his objective of finding a human hero, Prometheus, the infamous Fire Thief, meets Sam Wonder and his mother, Jenny Wonder, salespersons of Jenny Wonder’s Magical medicine (which is actually useless rainwater) and Alice, a slave girl. As the monsters of ancient Greece rally up against earth, with the Avenger leading them, Theus must gather his 3 human heroes and along with Zeus, fight of the monstrous threat.

My favorite part of the book was when Zeus and Sam fight off the seven monsters guarding the Avenger. Funny footnotes and amazing description made this part extremely enjoyable for me.

This final chapter to the fire thief trilogy is funny and slightly sad, but it is a must read for anyone who loves a good adventure.