Vince Deleon

  Oliver Twist is a boy who lives in a workhouse then is sold to a man to be his apprentice.The man wasn't treating Oliver well,so he escaped to London where he meets another boy named Artful Dodger. Artful Dodger was in a street gang of kids who pick pockets run by a man named Fagin. Fagin trains Oliver to become a pickpocket and after a while Oliver is sent on his first pickpocket. He tries to steal a handkerchief from a man but is caught. Mr. Brownlow, the man who's handkerchief was stolen sees Oliver in the street sick, and takes him back to his house and takes care of him. Lover stays there but soon after two of Fagins members go after Oliver. They capture him and return him to Fagin. Fagin wants Oliver to help another member named Sikes in a burglary. When they finally get wheat they were stealing Oliver gets shot and Sikes gets away. When a member named Nancy plans to expose Fagin, Sikes murders her, while Sikes is getting chased by an angry mob he ends his life while trying to escape. Mr. Brownlow and Oliver are reunited and live a peaceful life in the countryside.

I thought the book had a surprising ending and the book was filled with a lot of twist and turns. I did not think Oliver was going to be shot, and I also though Sikes would not be able to kill Nancy, then end himself. This was a great book and really enjoyable to read. 

I feel as though the author Mr.Jimenez, was trying to tell myself that I should try to understand what he went through to come here, and how hard he had to work. It says in the Authors Note that Francisco used his poverty to write his books, and he tries to show reader how little he had and how much he accomplished.

I think Francisco wanted children that are just like he was to see that even though you don’t have a lot you can do really great things. Francisco spent most of his childhood moving around and doing hard work. Working hard and having dedication,Francisco went to a very good college. By reading the book I think that Francisco wants kids to work hard and understand how hard he worked to get to where he is today.

Francisco reminds me or my brother and I am like Roberto. My brother is like Francisco because he is smart and he works hard, even though he may need help from me along the way.

 The island is about a fifteen-year-old boy name Wil Neuton, who had to move away from his city home to move to a house in the countryside of Wisconsin. Wil attended a high school in Minnesota and has a crush on a girl named Cindy. When Wil left his school and all his friends he felt isolated and lost. While out for a bike ride he sees a small boat near the river, so he takes it for a ride and while he is paddling the boat he sees a island. So he stops the boat on the islands land. While on the island he realizes the wonders of nature and how peaceful a place this island is.When he starts riding home, he is greeted by another fifteen-year-old named Susan. A few days later when they have become real friends Wil shows her the island, she understands his amazement of the island and agrees why he wants to learn more about the island.

 After some days Wil starts fully living on the island and adopts three imaginary friends, since he has isolated himself on the island being visited by no one except Susan sometimes. Wil's parents are worried about him and try to convince him to come home but Wil refuses and they leave him alone. When the school consular gets involved he tries to understand the Wils motivation to stay on the island, the reporters who come to see whats happening with Wil but can't figure out why he would want to stay on the island. Wil thought a lot of thing on the island like, did Wil discover the island or did the Island discover him, he never really understood which one. On this island Wil was trying to recreate the experiences of his life. When he finally understands his purpose he talks to the interviewers and tells his story, then he returns home and explains to his parents what he saw in his mind and how he now understands that even though he moved away from his friends he will still have the memory of them, Wil still continued to visit the island but not as often as he did before, because he finally understood himself.