4th Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

His Bright Light by Danielle Steel. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. 1998. Genre: Non Fiction

His Bright Light is about a boy named Nick Traina and his losing battle to manic depression. From an early age, Nick’s mother Danielle knew something was wrong with Nick despite his brilliant and charming ways. He was the perfect child. Entertaining, polite and provided a whole family with lots of laughs. As Nick was to age, his problems seemed to take over him. For years his mother didn’t know what was wrong with him. After years of therapists and doctor visits, Nick remained undiagnosed, even with his sickness getting worse. He was becoming more angry and upset with himself, until he was diagnosed with manic depression. Nick’s life would consist of years and years of therapy, suicide attempts, and medication. He was at a battle against himself, one that in the end he could not win.


“Hope has come to each of us, in different ways, like final gifts from Nick. Spring will come, and many summers, and there will be holidays without him, when we will remember all too clearly when he was with us. But the memories linger, the sweet perfume of all he brought. He left each of us something, a gift, a dream, a memory, a little more courage than we had before, a bigger dream than we might have had without him. Life is about dreams, and hope and courage, the courage to go on, even after those we love have left us. And in our hearts, Nick isn’t gone.” (Last Page: 291)

Danielle Steel has a particularly unique sense of writing style throughout this book. She recalls painful memories of her child growing up with his illness. I admire Danielle for being able to write an entire book about the son she lost. I especially admire the way she is able to talk about all the good and wonderful tings he accomplished, knowing all the bad things that also happened in the back of her mind. Nick didn’t mean to hurt anyone and he simply couldn’t control his feelings and emotions. The some of the things Danielle remembered Nick saying to her were some pretty terrible things. I was angry with him but realized, he was sick, and really couldn’t help it. He was at a battle against himself every day of his life. The book also consists of pictures and poems and song lyrics Nick wrote. Along with letters they wrote to each other. I felt like this book was very personal, and was surprised how Danielle let her reader’s experience her past. At times I wish I had been there to be her shoulder to cry on.

I overall really enjoyed this book. I liked the way Danielle really let you into her life. She didn’t just give you a brief description of her son’s life. She let you in as if you were actually there. This story also made me realize what manic depression is, and how serious it is. I had never thought it could lead to suicide like in Nick’s case. It opened my eyes to a new kind of illness. It also opened my eyes to what suffering and hurting is really like. Never in my life have I known someone to suffer like Danielle and her family had. It also got my thinking about having my brother die. Nick left behind seven siblings. I can only imagine what they were going through, their big brother gone from their lives forever. After reading this book, it really makes me what to look into reading more of Danielle Steel’s pieces of writing. Overall this story really moved me, which was something I wasn’t expecting, but in a way I was glad it did.

Third Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Pocket Books, 1999.
Genre: Fiction


Catherine Hyde’s second novel Pay It Forward is absolutely fascinating with the way she makes an idea thought to be unbelievable and impossible, in fact believable and possible. Set in a small California town in the 1990’s lives twelve-year-old Trevor McKinney, son of Arlene, a recovering alcoholic who works more than one job, and Ricky, an absent father, that hasn’t been around for years. While returning back to school after the summer, Trevor’s new social studies teacher, Reuben St. Clair decides to give his class an extra credit assignment of thinking of an idea for world change, and putting it into action. Young Trevor comes up with the idea of paying it forward, which later becomes known as ‘The Movement.’ Trevor decides to pick three people at random, and do a big favor for each of the three people. When those people would ask how they could repay him, he would tell him to simply pay it forward, and thus a chain of human acts of kindness would grow. Little did Trevor know, this plan would touch and inspire more people then he thought possible.

“Speaks to the hunger so many of us feel for something to believe in that can give us hope….Hyde’s book delivers a profound vision: The simple magic of the human heart.” – San Francisco Chronicle.


Pay it forward is written a very unique way. Many characters such as Trevor, his mother Arlene, his teacher Rueben along with all the people that were helped or who paid it forward, narrate the story. The story is also written with excerpts by Chris Chandler, who was the reporter in the story who tracked down where the movement began and who started it. He was the reporter that made sure everyone knew about Trevor and his idea. The story also contains excerpts from Trevor’s diary where he talks about his progress with the movement among many other family issues. This book allows you to see through the various eyes of the characters and how the Movement impacted their lives.

“What made you all care so much? Why is this such a big story? This is our world. It’s the only one we got. And it’s gotten so damn hard to live in. And we care. How can we not care? There are our lives we’re talking about. And then a little boy came along, and he decided maybe he could change the whole thing. The whole world order. Make it a decent place to live for everybody. Maybe because he was too young and optimistic and inexperienced to know it couldn’t be done.” – Rueben (302)

This book’s theme and main message I thought was very important. We only have one Earth, and we should care. The Earth shouldn’t be a place for evil, it should be a place for everyone to live decent lives, and be kind to one another. People don’t realize how lucky our lives are, and take advantage of that. This book really taught me a lot about how to treat others, and really a simple act of kindness can go a long way and affect someone so deeply that you never thought it could happen. I also like the way the story is told in various points of views. I especially liked hearing from the people who participated in the Movement, and how they paid it forward. The characters in the book are also brutally honest, which I thought was enjoyable to read.

Second Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

Marley & Me by John Grogan. HarperCollins, 2005. Genre: Nonfiction

Marley & Me is a touching and memorable story about one family and a dog that would change their lives forever. This story begins with a young married couple, Jenny and John Grogan who begin to live their lives together in Palm Beach, Florida. However life would never be the same after they bring home Marley. Since the day they brought home their rowdy yellow fur ball of energy, trouble was around every corner. Marley, despite his flaws of destroying furniture, clawing through walls and excessive drooling, was always a member of the family. This story is about the life and love with the world’s worst dog, and the roller coaster journey of Marley’s life, through all the ups and downs.

“Expect to laugh, cry, and shake your head as you read this book. John Grogan understands that the journeys that people and dogs sometimes take together are a reflection of us and our world – of our own humanity and of the joys and sorrows and ups and downs of life. Marley is a great and memorable dog, and in the hands of a write as observant, unsentimental and piercing s Grogan, this is a human-canine journey dog lovers will want to take.” – Jon Katz, best-selling author of A Dog Year and Dogs of Bedlam Farm.

Marley & Me is John Grogan’s first book and by reading this book, I would have never guessed. Marley & Me is such a heartwarming story about love and the bond between a man and a dog. Marley, since day one, was always trouble for Jenny and John Grogan. Whether he pretended to be a chipper – shredder, shredding through an entire wall, or exploring the inside of couches contents. Marley is adventurous, wild, and free. Grogan describes Marley to be energetic and full of happiness despite being constantly scolded and after reading the book, it is very clear, Marley to me is simply high on life. Grogan has very unique writing style. He uses a lot of humor and turns the saddest parts into something more hopeful and optimistic for the readers. Its almost like he doesn’t want the reader to experience the hardships in his family’s life, but to look forward with a better note, kind of like telling the reader, ‘don’t worry, we got past it, its in the past, its over, done.’

“As we fought, Jenny absently walked to the stereo and pushed the play button on the tape deck. It was one of her marital combat strategies. When in doubt, drown out your opponent. The lilting reggae strains of Bob Marley began to pulse through the speakers, having an almost instant mellowing effect on us both.” (12)

After reading Marley & Me I found myself in love with Marley despite all his flaws and mishaps. Even tough Marley was the world worst dog; literally, you can’t help but love him. John and Marley’s relationship really showed what a love-hate relationship is, and how a dog is a mans best friend. I really enjoyed how Grogan made the book humorous and also very descriptive. I really enjoy how he sets the scene for the reader letting them get a setting in their mind before he goes of on another one of Marley’s incidents. Grogan really allows the reader to tap into his life, making it so that the reader is part of Marley’s journey through life. A life that was at times wild, crazy, painful, and sad.

First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Washington Square Press, 2004. Genre: Realistic Fiction

My Sister’s Keeper is both a powerful and suspenseful novel that will have you constantly turning the pages for more. This book is about the tragedy of a family that lives in the suburbs of Providence, Rhode Island. The story begins with a little girl named Kate Fitzgerald being diagnosed with leukemia. In order to keep Kate alive, her parents decide to have another child that would be a genetic match for their very ill daughter. And thus Anna Fitzgerald is born. Since the day Anna was born she has been helping her sick sister Kate out with whatever her body needs. But when Kate is sixteen, she has a bad relapse, and is later informed that she will need a Kidney transplant. Anna is expected to give Kate one of her kidneys; that is until she sues her family for medical emancipation.

“It’s difficult to find a book combining a timely moral dilemma with well-drawn characters for whom one cares. Picoult has written such a book.” – The Boston Herald

This book is unlike any book Jodi Picoult has written. It is very unlike Jodi to write about such a debatable topic of genetic engineering. The main character Anna is the product of genetic engineering and throughout the story questions who she is. This book is not just about Anna’s medical journey but the journey about finding herself, and who she is.
I am familiar with a book called The Genetic Revolution by a man named Dr. Patrick Dixon. I have not read his book but I have heard that it is all about genetic engineering, and that being able to genetically create your child is like playing God, which many find controversial. It is interesting to read a book that starts off with the creation of a child through genetics.

“I wasn’t the result of a cheap bottle of wine or a full moon or the heat of the moment. I was born because a scientist managed to hook up my mother’s eggs and my father’s sperm to create a specific combination of precious genetic material.” (Pg:7-8)

I am a big fan of Jodi Picoult. I have read many of her books, and all of them were great, but none of them compared to My Sister’s Keeper. A lot of Picoult’s books are very emotional and dramatic, but reading her books never affected me emotionally until I read My Sister’s Keeper. Just the way the story was built, and how it was told from seven different points of views. The main character Anna’s point of view was the most interesting to read. She is so bright, and intelligent at age thirteen, and I was amazed at just how comfortable she was at being honest even if it was hurtful. I know that I will have a long time to wait before I read another great book like this.