G-Dog and the Homeboys: Celeste Fremon

The Pico Aliso housing projects in East Los Angles is one of the toughest neighborhoods in the country. Many of the teenagers don’t even know if they’ll make it to adulthood, heck they don’t know if that very day they’ll get shot. The author recounts the lives of people living in the barrio mostly that of Father Greg Boyle most known as to the homies G-Dog or just as G. Father Greg is a Jesuit priest who works to change the lives of many of the homeboys for the better. Celeste Fremon the author of the book was motivated to do this book after meeting with Father Greg and his homeboys when she wrote a story of them in the newspaper. She became deeply involve with helping Father Greg in maintaining order in the gang infested barrio of East LA.

Father Greg way of competing against gangs was to get the kids off the streets and working to better their lives. The only bad thing is that many people have negative views that gangsters are overly aggressive and violent delinquents; no establishment wants to hire such people. Father Greg manages to have the companies to hire the gang members if he pays their salary but having so many people under wages it has nearly bankrupt Father Greg. Even with such obstacles in his way Father Greg manages to pay all the wages of his gang workers and manages to change a few lives for the better.

RH

Girls in Pants By: Ann Brashares

This novel attracted me, because I had seen the movie "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." This was a smash movie in the summer of 2005, and I viewed it at home, and I loved it.

This novel is about Carmen,Lena, Bridget, and Tibby who have been good friends since childhood. Pants are what keep them together as friends, and have some magical touch for all four girls. The girls spend their final summer together, before going to different colleges.

It's interesting the way the girls react towards events. First, Tibby learns that her pants had known what she hasn't about Brian, so she longs, and lingers for her pants. Carmen, she's needs the magical pants because,she is taking care of Lena 's Greek grandmother for the summer. Another fact is that Carmen is pretending to be someone she is not.

On the other hand, Lena wishes the pants could tell her whether to go to Art School which is her dream or should she follow, even if it means her family would not support her. Bridget the final, but not the best of the group, was especially glad to have the pants at soccer camp when Bridget finds , who her fellow coach is.

LRD 5/8/06

Under the Jolly Roger. By: L.A. Meyer

This book is a sequel to Curse of the Blue Tatoo. It relates once again to Jacky Faber, our main character in both books. This time she finds herself against her will aboard a ship where the Captain of the ship makes advances towards her sexually. Jacky is fortunate in that the Captain is ill, and dies. In the mean time, Jacky convinces the sailors to her side, which makes her gain command of a ship in the Royal Navy. In between time, Jacky encounters many adventures. She Jacky makes the rank of Liet. in the Royal Navy by Captain of a ship she was on.

In the end, Jacky Faber was known as a pirate throughout the seas. She was caged in the hold of a ship, and taken to London, England to the gallows. I am not letting you know why, because you need to read the book to find out. Did Jacky Faber escape ?


LRD 5/8/06

Poison Ivy by Amy Goldman Koss

Ivy has been picked on since the fourth grade by the Evil Three Ann, Benita, and Sophie. The Evil Three are three of the most popular kids in school, and Ivy isn't popluar at all. Ms. Gold takes this as an opportunity to have her 3rd period American Goverment class learn about the judical system. The students pick a lawyer for Ivy and a lawyer for the Evil Three. They also pick a judge and a jury. They have a trial to find out if the Evil Three are guilty of being mean to Ivy over the past few years. The trail lasts for two weeks in the classroom. The jury reaches a verdict, but it proably isnt the one you're thinking of.

Tom Burnham