Mockingbird

     I am currently reading "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine. This book is about 10 year old Caitlyn and her dad, who are both dealing with the death of her brother who was shot in his school. I found this book to have many complex issues, and Caitlin was in the middle of each one. However, the death of her brother Devon was the biggest issue. It seems as if Caitlyn doesn't understand that her brother is gone, she knows he was shot but throughout the story she acts as if her brother will come back home soon. Caitlyn's life is tough, losing her mother at a very young age, to losing her brother a few years later. A complex issue that has been following the book from page to page, is Caitlyns Asperger's syndrome. Due to her syndrome, she has trouble communicating with about everyone and finding a friend who can take her tantrums, and understand her syndrome is one of the hardest things. Devon, was the only person who she called a friend, unlike many older siblings he stood by her, and gave her a reason to live.
       
      Caitlyn's syndrome not only caused her to be friendless, but bullied also. Josh who was bullying Caitlyn didn't directly bully her due to her syndrome, but he knew well enough she has Asperger's. Sometimes because of her syndrome, she has trouble communitcating with people, and she's not understood well. Caitlyn was mad that Josh rain into a students personal space and knocked him down , so she wanted to teach him how to say excuse me. Caitlyn had to repeat herself many times just for Josh to go along, but instead he leaped onto a conversation about her brother being shot. I find it very disturbing for Josh to interrupt and give Caitlyn rude replies. Josh knew that suffering from Asperger's could cause Caitlyn to have trouble communicating, but he should have never mentioned her brother.

        I think having Asperger's  or having any disorder related to that is a really complicated issue that could effect many people each year. Having Asperger's means you have a difficult time interracting with other people. Caitlyn is in a closed cirlce with everyone surronding the outside, she's on her own. In the book, Caitlyn's class had to do a group project consisting of atleast 2 people or more. However, it didn't matter how many times Mrs.Book talked to Caitlyn about being in a group, she insisted not too. Caitllyn's syndrome is making it harder and harder by the day to make friends, so she'd rather work alone. It broke my hear when Caitlyn said "I leave people alone, they tell me to themselves. They always tell me-Leave me alone. Caitlyn go away-so I'm listening. And I'm doing what they asked so I'm being nice. Judging a person by their looks, or a disability is something that America faces every day. It's also a very complicated issue in the book, that occurs to Caitlyn a lot. Caitlyn accepts what people have to say, because she finds it easier to walk away from complications, and she has this side of her that lets in.

       Due to this complex issue, Caitlyn was even put into a different recess class, different from her peers. Her teachers thought it would be best to put her with the kindergartners, so she won't have to find it hard to be with people her age who are with their own groups that ignore her. I find this wrong but right at the same time. Caitlyn will need friends in her life, and even though it is very hard growing up with Asperger's there will be times when she needs someone to talk to, So taking her out of recess, will just make the chances of her having a friend smaller and smaller. But on the other hand, her teachers are right. Seeing kids having fun, while standing in the corner by yourself is awful. And maybe, being with kindergartners will help her discover more things in life, and she could even make a few new friends.

      Overall, Caitlyn's syndrome is a complicated issue, and hopefully thoughout the book people will see Caitlyn for who she is, not judge her off Asperger's.

The Clique: Kristen Part 2

     

       I have recently finished reading the book The Clique: Kristen by Lisi Harrison. Kristen
went from being  Massie follower, and going beyond her ways to impress Dune, to actually returning to the way she is. Since I was halfway through the book, Kristen's attitude changed from being so opsessed with Massie, and doing whatever she says to listening to herself. Kristen hasn't messaged Massie for help ever since she let her down.
     
       However, Kristen didn't go through a big change without a cause. She was lied too, laughed at, and backstabbed until she finally found found that in order to escape from all this hate she has to be the real Kristen not the one she portrays to everyone.

    During shopping with Ripple to find cute clotes that Dune would like, instead of buying the cute flowery dress she wanted, Ripple made her buy a red sweater and shorts that she said "Dune would like". Kristen oractically spent all her savings on that one outfit just to impress him. And when she finally wore it to the skate park to show Dune, her enemy Sky was wearing that Flowery dress that she wanted. And ripple, went behind her back and helped out Sky to pick out a perfect outfit for Dune.

    During that time in the book, Kristen finally realized that the whole thing was a joke. She was on her own, and if she wanted Dune then Ripple was definitely out of the question. Kristen only had 4 other people that she could trust and rely on. And that was her witty commitee. A group that Kristen made, where the people in it could be anyone they want to be. All 5 were always there for eachother, because they never they'd never judge eachother. However, the witty committee was a secret, because kristen was scared if her friends were to find out about it they'd leave her.

    At the end of the book, the witty commitee helped Kristen pull a prank on Sky. They inserted pink paint in her pool. The same pool she was supposed to hang out with Dune later. A few hours into their prank, Sky turns messy red in front of Dune's hysterical laughter and storms out. Kristen finally not afraid to show who she really is, introduces Dune to the Witty Commitee.

  I found that really nice of her. Kristen went from doing what everybody else wanted, to finally doing what was right all alongm showing her true colors. I also think that The Witty commitee is there for Kristen so much more than the Pretty commitee is. I mean, they've helped her get her crush back, and ger revenge at Sky for ruining most of her summer. The Witty commitee which is all about Brains over beauty is something everyone needs to take an example from. I especially think that sometimes it's the people you expect least from, are the ones who are there for you most. Just like the Witty Commitee.

     I've started reading the book The Clique summer collection:Kristen by Lisi Harrison.
kristen the protagonist in the story  Kristen part of the ALFA club which includes Massie,
Dylan, Alicia, and Claire spends her summer stuck in Westchester tutoring Ripple. However, it turns out that Ripple is more interested in sucking out all of Massie from Kristen, instead of actually being tutored. Just when Kristen was about to give up her summer job, in walks Dune Ripples 13 year old brother. Just by his sight, his eyes, and his charm Kristen knew that if she wanted to be Ms. Dune Baxter she'd have to stick it through the summer.
   
     Everyone has or had that one friend. That one friend that takes away everyones breath away. Is nothing like you, but theres something about her that drags you in. You feel like in everyday of your life you have to be "perfect", just to impress her. Massie. M-A-S-S-I-E. The leader of the Alpha group is the last person you ever want to argue with. In the book, I've noticed that Kristen compares everything to Massie. It's as if Massie was controlling her life even though she was across the world. Kristen only buys clothes of Massie's likes, and acts the way Massie would act. If she walks into a store and sees a cute shirt that she really wants, but realizes Massie would find it ugly; than she would never get it. For example, when Kristen told Massie about Dune Baxter, Massie told her to wave goodbye to him just because he wasn't endorsed and he didn't have rich parents. Kristen really has to stop caring about everything Massie says. I feel like a little Massie is growing insie Kristen, and is getting bigger everytime she listens to Massie.

        I am more than halfway through the book, and Kristen has been doing so much just to make Dune like her. Everytime she's with Dune, she shows a change of her usual attitude. She goes from little Miss Diva to a skater chick, just to win his heart. In the beginning Kristen was very shy around everyone, and she really cared about the way she dressed. She actually bothered helping Ripple with her math, and she was very respectful towards everybody she knew. However, after meeting Dune, Kristen changed a lot in character. She went from a shy bee to trying to impress him in front of his skating friends. She also tries way too hard to steal his heart. Kristen goes surfing with Dune's family all the time nowadays, but not because she wants to, she just wants to spend more time with Dune. Kristen also changed from helping Ripple to using her for her brother. She's made a deal with her, that if she tells her everything about Dune and his likes and dislikes than Kristen will spill everything about Massie to Ripple. Kristen even went shopping with Ripple to buy clothes that Dune would find good looking. So instead of picking the dress she adored, she spent her entire savings on a Red hoodie and shorts that Ripple intriguingly said Dune would "love them". Kristen also had a change of charcater. She went from being a kind shy girl who was always there for her friends, to pulling horendous pranks on people she just met. Dune wanted to pull a prank at the night of Sky's party. He wanted to take out all the water from her pool, use it as a skating rink, then fill it up with jello. Kristen agreed to help him, not because she wanted too, but because she felt as if it would get them closer.
 
      I personally can connect to Kristen. I have been through times where I just wanted to act "perfect" in front of my crush. And i would also go out of my comfort zone just to be closer to him. However, I do think Kristen isn't thinking about the actions she's taking. She doesn't understand that people could get hurt if she takes on the prank with Dune. She also needs to understand that changing for a person isn't necessary. If they can't accept you for who you really are, than there's no point of even trying to gain their attention. Dune and Kristen are two opposites. And Kristen is trying to hard to get his attention. Her eyes are only set on him and so is her mind, if she doesn't think about the actions she's taking than she could get herself in serious problems. Before going all the way for a guy, Kristen should get to know him much better.