I Am Poem

“I Am From”
I am from the city that never sleeps
Lots of people struggle to find something to eat
Where you can see a sea of tourists outside at midnight
Or you can even see a bum fight
Some people consider where I’m from to be the fashion capital
Its lights and magnificence may even grab you
Where one day Stock workers can be clappin’
And the next day, they need a stimulus package
Residents’ here are republicans, independent, or democrats
Other residents you see falling to the addiction of CRACK
I am from the city that produces lawyers, doctors, and athletes
Where you can see a good citizen catching a thief
I’m from a city of lies and deception,
But I’m also from a city of perfection.
I’m from the Big Apple, New York City

Bad Boy: A Memoir by Walter Dean Myers

I just started reading Walter Dean Myers' "Bad Boy:A Memoir." So far the book is good. Myers talks about his family roots in the United States. He also talks about how he doesn't have a vivid memory of who his mother was. He says when he was just a little boy he was sent to live with his father's ex-wife, and her husband. Little George was not alone, he was with his half-sisters, Geraldine and Viola. In the book Mr. Myers talks about how he considered his fathers ex-wife, Florence Dean, to be his mama. Myers talks about how much he loved her, and didn't want her to pay his sisters any mind. Another thing he wrote in the book is how he adpated to living in Harlem, and how much he liked living there. There's no place like Harlem.

"The Streak" By Walter Dean Myers

We just finished reading "The Streak," a short story from W.D. Myers "145th Street." "The Streak." was very interesting. It was about a boy named Jamie Farrell, who just lost a school basketball game to Powell Academy. After blowing the winning shot, everybody in school is giving him grief. That's when he tells his best buddy Froggy, that he dropped a Wonderade bottle and the glass splattered all over the locker room floor. That's when Froggy tells Jamie that he is on a streak. Froggy says that when a streak occurs, a number of bad things can happen, or a number good things can happen to you. Then he drops his slide in biology, and at lunch he spills milk on Maurice Duprees lap. When he stopped by the burger joint he started eating food, but then realized he left his wallet in locker. He runs home, and then sprains his ankle to get the phone, and when answers the phone he finds out that he failed his english test and is on the verge of failing. Then that's when Jamie gets good luck. he had seven good things coming his way, and he had already used them before he could ask Celia to the dance. Luckily, Celia was also having a streak so she asked him out. In the end they both got what they bargained for.

What Mr.Mattero Did by Priscilla Cunnings

The part of the book i just read is good. I read from both Claire, and Melody, Mr.Mattero's daughter, perspectice. I nfind it to be very interesting. I feel that Jenna is doing this partially because her mother is having an affair. You shouldnt take your anger out on someone else, just because of the problems you are facing at home. Also, I fell sorry for Mr.Mattero because he he is being falsely accused of something he didnt do. Claire is worrying to much about everything, and that is going to be her downfall, and is going to be one of the reasons they get caught. I feel Melody should relax a little, even though her father is being accused of something. She shouldnt worry about what ther people think, if she knows her dad didnt do anything wrong. Also, I believe that they are justr siding with the girls, and that is not fair.

What Mr.Mattero Did by Priscilla Cunnings

I just started reading a book called What Mr. Mattero Did by Priscilla Cunnings. So far the book is good. It is about about three seventh grade girls who are best friends, accusing their music teacher, Mr. Mattero, of Sexual abuse. The three girls, Jenna, Claire, and Suzanne, appearently say that Mr. Mattero has touched them in an inappropiate manner. In the book it seems as if Claire and Suzanne didn't want to go through with this report, but Jenna insisted on it. So they go to Mrs. Fernandez, the principal, and reports the so called sexual abuse. When she sees that all their stories match, she calls their parents. After the parents come, Mrs. Fernandez calls Mr.Mattero down to the office, surprised he goes. That's when is punched in the face by Jenna raging dad. That's when detectives come to the school and Mr.Mattero is suspended with pay. Claire never planned for this to happen, but did Jenna know this would happen all along?

The Freedom Writer's Diary Forwarded by Erin Gruell

I just finished reading a book about teenagers in California. The book was about a teacher, Erin Gruell, transforming these troubled youths into human beings. When Ms Gruell first started teaching English at Wilson High School, she faced with a big challenge. How could she ever teach a group of "remedial" students? Erin didn't know how she would do it it, but she did it. She helped these "Thugs" turn their lives around to become people of society. She taught them how to write. She arranged meetings with people that they kids had never even heard of. But after hearing these people stories, they all realized they were all alike. When there was no possible hope for these kids, Erin Gruell, took them under her wing and taught them how to fly without wings. Teaching them that if you put your mind to it, nothing is impossible to do.

Autobiography of my Dead Brother by Walter Dean Myers

I recently finished reading a book by Walter Dean Myers called, Autobiography Of My Dead Brother. The book was very interesting. It was about a boy named Jesse writing an autobiography of his blood-brother, Rise. When Jesse and Rise were young, they were real tight, they did everything together. But as they grew older, the two drifted apart. Rise started to get into stuff Jesse never thought he would. Then that's when Rise told Jesse what he was doing, about the hits he was ordering, and the block he was about to take over to sell drugs. Because Rise, "Had it like that", he got Jesse a girlfriend. That's when Jesse started to really realize that his so called "Blood-brother" wasn't the person he knew. One day after a meeting with the Counts, the group that they were apart of, a shooting happened. After cops roughed up the Counts, Rise decided he had to get out of the city, he called Jesse and told he would bid farewell to him the next day. The next day when Rise came over to bid farewell, he was shot and killed. this opened Jesse's eyes to the real world, and he then realized that his life was not promised to him.