The+Stone+Goddess

//The Stone Goddess// by Minfong Ho Fiction I picked this book because the cover intrigued me and I also read the back and the inside cover and thought that it looked good. Mrs. Bell also recommended it to me so I thought I should read it. The book is a nice size, not too big and not to small, and that was another contributing factor. In the beginning of the story, Nakri (the main charcter), is dancing, copying her sister, Teeda's, movements, trying to look more like the lead "aspra", or leading goddess in the dance. The dance teacher is also her mother, whom she calls "Ma". When she comes home from the palace, which is where she dances, the door is locked and her father opens if for her. When she asks why the door is locked, her ma says, "Hush. Just to be safe." The next day when Nakri is offering food to the monks, which includes her brother, Boran, a car with Communist soldiers come saying that they have won and to surrender. Nakri goes inside, makes a white flag, and raises it up. Then the soldiers say that Americans will be bombing the area any minute and to get out of the house, packing supplies for three days. The family travels to Nakri's Ma's parents, and that is where I stopped reading. I noticed that the author uses good words; she is descriptive and that makes the story VERY interesting and captivating. I think that the story is more than just a story. It feels like you are actually experiencing the event.

9/8/09 Making Connections In //The Stone Goddess//, Nakri first gets seperated from her parents and is only with her two siblings. Then one of her siblings dies and eventually the other sibling, Boran, and Nakri get back with their mother, their father having died. They travel to the edge of a neighboring country, Thailand, with Ma, Boran, Uncle Kem, Nakri, and some cousins and got supplies and food. Then her uncle and cousins went back to Cambodia (their home country) while Nakri and her family moved to America, where Nakri had a very hard time fitting in and learning English. All that happens in this book is because of the raging war over Cambodia. The book is unlike anything I've ever experienced, read, or heard of. It has unique experiences that are very descriptive and captivating. This book is like none other. It is a very good book but you have to understand it to really know what I mean. It is very complicated and sensitive but will be a very good book to anyone who really understands it.

9/10/09 Today I worked on my cereal box. I finished the blue planning sheet and started to work on my front cover. I wrote Grandma's Scarves in big bubble letters to color in later, drew a bowl of cereal that had the shape of Grandma's Scarves (Checkered rectangles) to color in later, and I started drawing Grandma sewing a scarf, again to color later. I plan on making the backround multicolored and bright to make it look fun. On the back, I plan to write something like, "Teeda has gotten lost on her way to the rice fields. Help her find her way!" and making a maze in which the "start" is Teeda and Nakri's cabin (this is at the work camp when Khmer Rouge has taken over) and the "finish" the rice feilds where Nakri and Teeda work. It will be one color in the backround. On the right I will have the main characters and on the left I will have a summary of the book. Script Eileen: DADA! I can’t find anything to eat! Help me, Tuna! Tuna: Read //The Stone Goddess//. I guarantee you won’t be hungry any longer! Eileen: You told me that LAST time I was hungry, and I went to the library. Here’s the book. (Holds up book) Tuna: I know! READ IT! Eileen: Well, OK… (Pretends to read) Tuna: So? Eileen: Well, it’s fantabulous but how can this help my hunger? Tuna: You don’t know?! Grandma’s Scarves, of course! Eileen: Huh? Tuna: WHAT? You’ve never heard of Grandma’s Scarves?! Eileen: (clears throat) what? What is this Grandma’s Scarves thing? Tuna: Um, it’s, like, the best breakfast food in the entire world! Here, try some! (Holds up box and gives it to Eileen) Eileen: Well, OK… (Pretends to start eating) Tuna: Well? Eileen: Wow! This is really good! It’s FANtabulous! Tuna: See? Didn’t I tell you? Hey… can I have some of those? Eileen: No! Mine! Tuna: What? I told you about them! Gimmie! Eileen: (Gets up) No! (Runs away) Tuna: NO! MINE! COME BACK! GRR… (Camera turns to Olivia) Olivia: And this is why… you buy more than 1 package of Grandma’s Scarves. (Growling in background) Eileen: I’m sorry I kept the yummyful Grandma’s Scarves from you, Tuna. Tuna: It’s OK Leenie­. But I think that we all agree that: All Three: Grandma’s Scarves are the best!