раевой конкурс "Bookworm"

Private School є1

Form 6A

УA Christmas CarolФ by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born in 1812. A Christmas Carol first appeared in 1843. In that time Charles already was a very successful novelist. He had already written УThe Pickwick PapersФ (1836-1837), the novel УOliver TwistФ (1838), УNicholas NicklebyФ (1839) and УThe Old Curiosity ShopФ (1841).In his time, for Dickens it was very easy to become the best-selling writer.

 He was the son of a clerk in a government office. His father was sent to prison because he owned money and could not pay it back. In their time to send to the prison was very law. He was 12 years old when his father went to prison, and Charles himself had to go to work. It was very unpleasant work, and the pay and the conditions were very bad.

DickensТs books helped to show the foolishness as well as the unkindness of such treatment, since Dickens could make his readers not only weep but laugh at foolishness.

After УA Christmas CarolФ was printed and ready to be sold in time for Christmas 1843, the writer had a short Christmas holiday and enjoyed himself like Scrooge at FredТs party in the last chapter of that book. That book in red and gold hard cover, price five shillings was a great success. By the Christmas Eve the bookshops had sold six thousand copies, and orders were coming in from all parts of the country.

It was the name on the door: SCROODGE AND MARLEY. But Marley was dead. He died seven years ago. But Scrooge remembered him and never painted out MarleyТs name. And former their business was known as Scrooge and Marley. Sometimes people who didnТt know the business called Scrooge УScrooge У and sometimes they  called him УMarleyФ, but he answered to both name. He didnТt mind what he was called.

He was a hard man with money, very hard, hard as stone. He was friendless, secret and alone. He had cold face and red eyes, his lips were blue, he had a cold way of walking. And this cold inside him he carried with him always, everywhere he went. It made his office cold in the summer, and in Christmas time it was even colder. No one ever say him good morning, afternoon or evening. No one ever asked him how he is. No poor people asked him for a penny. No children asked what time it is. Nobody asked him the way to a place. Even seemed when menТs dogs saw Mr. Scrooge, they pulled their owners back into the doorway. But he even liked it.

It was Christmas Eve. Old Scrooge was busy in his office. There was thick fog. It didnТt have light all day.

ScroogeТs clerk worked in a small room on the other side of the street. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerkТs fire was even smaller. It was because Mr. Scrooge was a real scrooge and took all coal to his room.

ScroogeТs nephew Fred wished him a Marry Christmas, but Scrooge said that it was humbug. Fred was surprised by ScroogeТs answer. Scrooge asked Fred what right he had to be merry and what reason he had to be merry. And Fred answered what right he had to be sad and solemn. And Scrooge had no answered better than УBahФ and УHumbugФ. Fred asked him not to be angry and Scrooge answered that he couldnТt be other in such fool world.

Then Scrooge said all he thought about УMerry ChristmasФ. Fred listened to him and invited him to the dinner, but Scrooge refused to come. Then Fred wished Scrooge УMerry Christmas and A Happy New YearФ and went away. On his way he wished УMerry ChristmasФ to ScroogeТs clerk.

After that two well-dressed gentlemen came in. In their hands were papers and books. They wanted to talk to Mr. Scrooge or to Mr. Marley. They said that they were trying to help poor people who had no food to eat and a house to live in. And they asked Scrooge to give them some money to buy food and drink for poor people. Scrooge gave them nothing but wished them Уgood afternoonФ and they went out.

Clerk put on his cap and put out his candle. He asked Scrooge to let him stay at home all day the next day once a year. Scrooge agreed, but promised to pay him fifteen pounds less. The clerk smiled.

Scrooge closed the office and went home. In his house there were rooms where Marley used to live. ScroogeТs rooms were uncomfortable and dark. All the rest rooms in that house were offices. He went in, lit a candle and went upstairs to his room. He went in his room, shut the door and locked it. There was noise as if some person was pulling a heavy chain. The noise went to his room. Scrooge, as always, said УHumbugФ. Something came into through a heavy door. It was MarleyТs ghost. The chain was wound round him. And the conversation between Scrooge and Marley was started. At first, Scrooge didnТt believe that it was really Marley, but thenЕ

It took off the cloth which was tied round its head, and its mouth fell open like mouth of a dead man.

Еhe believed him.

Scrooge asked the ghost why he was chained. The ghost answered he had made this chains for himself during his life. And then he was wearing it. The ghost told Scrooge a lot about life after life. And he said that Scrooge would be visited by three spirits that night. The first spirit would be the spirit of Christmas past. He would come at one oТclock, the second spirit would be the spirit of Christmas present, he would come at two oТclock, the third spirit would be the spirit of Christmas future and he would come at three oТclock.

Then MarleyТs ghost got out.

At one oТclock as MarleyТs ghost said, the first spirit came.  It was a small figure, like a child, but it was not a child. They were speaking and they were in ScroogeТs home country. They saw that little Scrooge was sitting alone in the school and reading a book on Christmas Eve. Only his sister came to talk to him and to calm him down as he was so lonely!

Then they were in a busy city street. They stopped at the door of a big store. There was working a man-old Fezziwig and his clerk- Dick Wilkins. Fezziwig sent his workers home. Then Scrooge and the spirit saw a party in a Fezziwig house. Then he was in his own room alone again.

Since the churchТs bell rang one Scrooge started to wait for the next ghost coming because he didnТt want to be taken by surprise. Then he heard a voice called him. The voice was in the room like ScroogeТs own but greatly changed. There was a ghost near the table. All around him was funny. The ghost said that he is The Ghost of Christmas Present and the room disappeared. They were standing in a city street. The ghost showed Scrooge the life of his clerkТs family. The clerk had two sons, a wife and a daughter. They all waited for him. Scrooge saw that the clerkТs poorness didnТt make him sad. He learned that they thought little about him. Then the spirit moved on through the darkness. They were in FredТs house. His family was talking about ScroogeТs words and about him. And they also thought that Mr. Scrooge was a bad man. Then FredТs family had a very good party. They drank for ScroogeТs health.

Scrooge thanked the spirit and they were again on their travels. The spirit was becoming older and older. Then they saw some children whom the spirit brought with him. And then Scrooge was in his room.

The last of three spirits was the most awful. He said nothing. The ghost led Scrooge to the centre of a big city, to the part that he had never seen. It was the worst and the poorest part. They were in the shop to which the very poor brought things they wanted to sell. The woman came to the shop and another woman carrying a bag came in too. They all sold things of dead relatives. Then they were in the graveyard and the saw tombstone of Scrooge. Then they were again in ScroogeТs clerkТs home where the smallest son could die because Scrooge didnТt give money for his healing, but Fred gave money and Tiny Tim was saved.

After all these events Scrooge changed greatly. Next morning he woke up and at first he learned what day it was. Then he sent a boy for the man with a big turkey and he put on his best clothes and went out from his house. In the street he met an old gentleman. He talked to him friendly and gave him money. Scrooge went to the church. Then he went to the nephewТs house to the dinner. Fred was very surprised and they had a very good party with Scrooge. Tim didnТt die and Scrooge became the second father for this family. He became as a good friend as any man in the city. And they always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well. So, as Tiny Tim said, ЂGod bless us all, every one! ї

             I liked this book very much. It showed me how bad it is to be so scrooge as Scrooge; you should share your joys and sorrows with your relatives, understand and help people whose isnТt going on well.

Anchutina Elizavetta

Private School є 1

Form 6A

ЂSeven-Day Magicї by Edward Eager.

      Edward McMaken Eager (June 20, 1911 Ц October 23, 1964) was an American lyricist, playwright, and author of books for children. Eager's works for children were distinctive in their use of the theme of magic making an appearance in the lives of ordinary children. His magic series consist of 7 magic stories. The last one, УSeven-Day MagicФ, was written in 1962, two years before his death.

      This story is about 5 friends, Barnaby, Abbie and their little sister Fredericka, and John and Susan who were a brother and a sister. At the beginning of the story all of them were in the library, choosing what book to read. To their minds, the best kind of book was a magic book, and the best kind of magic book was a book where the magic has rules. Exactly that kind of book they were looking for. During the conversation about real magic the children chose the books and came up to the librarian to stamp the books. But at the last moment Susan looked back and saw a book that sat by itself at one end of the bottom shelf. It was a thick red book, not very big and quiet old. The gold letters on its back were rubbed off, so Susan could not read the name of the book. Why she took the book from the shelf she could not say. She put it on the pile of books in her arms and took her place at the end of the line. The librarian warned her that it was a seven-day book and it should be returned in a week. When all the books were stamped, the children left the library.

           In the street the children decided to find out, what the book was about. When they opened it, the magic began. Susan began to read the first lines. The words which were written there were their own words, all their conversation in the library, word for word! The book told about them, and their parents, and even their Granny. Certainly they were afraid of that book. They understood that the book was full of adventures and they were just at the beginning. Another surprising thing was that the whole rest of the book didnТt open. When were in the library they wanted a magic book. They made a wish and their wish came true. And now the book was like a wishing ring. Children were going to make wishes about their next adventures. And then their ventures would fill up the pages of the next chapter in the book.

        And then a week of magic began. Every day one of the children made wishes about their adventures. They saw wizards and dragons, visited Dragon land, which became the Country of Oz. They began the famous story of The Wizard of Oz. The children visited the end of Half Magic, another tale written by Edward Eager. They were in the past and saw their Granny when she was young. Their adventures were sometimes difficult, sometimes dangerous, some of the children could even die. But all children stayed real friends. They helped each other, saved, supported. They showed how important it was to stay friends in any situation. Together they could overcome all the difficulties. They were strong till they were together.

          But childrenТs wishes were not only about extraordinary adventures. They understood how powerful the book was. And they wanted to use its strength to help other people. Abbie wanted to help her father. She loved him very much. He was a singer, but he sang in a quartet. His voice was good to be a soloist, but no one wanted to notice it. The girl asked the book for help and everything ended luckily.

        But when their magic week was coming to end, a terrible thing happened. Magic is not always good. It can make bad things. So happened to our heroes, John and Barnaby. They couldnТt decide how to make a wish and torn the book. Barnaby refused from his friends and left them. He stayed alone. And certainly misfortune happened to him. In a magic country where he went he saw a pool with clear and bright water. He saw his own face in the water. It was very handsome and smiling. He fell on his knees by the pool to see it better. As he looked and looked at his face in the water it began to change. Soon it became a different face. It was mean and wicked. All his bad words and bad things he had ever said and done were written on that face. Something held his eyes there; he began to forget his name, his relatives and friends. He couldnТt do anything, only watched. But the magic brought the four children to the pool just in time.  John ran forward, picked up the book and put the few last pages into it. The book was whole again. The magic that held Barnaby was broken. The friends again were together. But the wonderful week was over. They had to return it to the library. There they saw the last wonder of magic book. On the bookТs back new gold letters were shining brightly! And the children read: Seven-Day Magic.  

           I liked this book very much. It showed me how important it is to have friends. Real friends can help you to do everything. And real difficulties can make friendship stronger. I like books about magic. And in future I am going to read some other books which were written by Edward Eager.

   Skomorokhova Marina

Private School є1

Form 10B

 УThe Halloween TreeФ by R. Bradbury.

                 Ray Bradbury is one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed the way people think. My first novel by him was УSomething wicked this way comesФ and it was just amazing experience of 12-year-old girlТs life. After reading УThe Halloween TreeФ description, I felt that it would be a marvelous book. And it is. Telling the story about the evolution of Halloween from the dawn of history author shows a gift for capturing the spirit of the fantastic. There's also a wonderful theme of friendship throughout this book and that's a theme that is seen in everything I've read of Bradbury's. He writes such heartwarming stories in the midst of such creepy stories. The ending to this book is quite endearing and well worth to read just for that. So, let me start.

The story begins in a small town near a small lake in the Middle West of the USA. There was autumn and fallen leaves burned on the ground in brick red, golden and orange. There was a Halloween night when bleak draught strived to fill every street, every hollow of a tree trunk, every soul in the town.

Bang! Eight doors were shut up with a bump. It should be nine of them, but even being disguised they felt that there was no Pipkin, the greatest boy who ever lived. Anyway Halloween without him would be a rotten pumpkin with light died out. Skeleton, Witch, Beggar, Mummy, Ghost, Gargoyle, Apeman and Death hurried to the PipkinТs house. A pile boy, who always had ants in his pants, then responded their call sluggish. Friends were at a loss. After some hesitation only eight scorching hearts rushed to the mysterious House on the far side of ravine, which breathed with darkness and fear, with night rustles and dampness.

They plunged into ravine losing town with its sweets and parental love. It turned out that the House was more tremendous than they could expect. The moonlight lapped in its windows and a hundred of snakes coiled up in its downpipes. Tom knocked the door. There was a pile-faced man in black mantle behind it. Looking in his green eyes children realized that it would be no treat, but only trick. Boys were within an ace of running away but suddenly saw a Tree, The Halloween Tree. It was shining with thousands of candle lights inside of thousand of jack-o-lanterns staring in the emptiness of night. Either wind or rusty pipes, or the children themselves started singing a song about monster Tree. Е..   From the pile of autumn leaves appeared the master of a house, Mr. Moundshroud, who wondered if boys knew the meaning of their costumes or meaning of the Halloween. He was inviting friends for a journey through the time and space to tell the history of all HalloТs Eve, when PipkinТs cry was heard. The boy ran through the ravine but something dark and wicked carried him away. It was death.

Thereby boys had not only to unlock a secret of Holiday, but save PipkinТs life. Moundshroud made a pterodactyl-kite out of circus bills and our heroes tore off in the sky. Where and when they found themselves? It was ancient Egypt. TombТs frescoes rounded boys and they understood how much attention Egyptians had paid to the death.  There was a story about Osiris, the Sun-God, who was born every morning and died every sunset. It was RalphТs costume secret.

In a second tomb turned into prehistoric cave. Moundshroud said that even in the apemanТs head had occurred a scary thought about death. It was Gee-GeeТs costume secret.

From the birdТs eye view by the instrumentality of giant lens Moundshroud showed traditions of Greek and Roman culture with its Hot Food holiday, day for reverence of spirits. It was GeorgeТs costume secret.

Moundshroud changed into whirlwind and carried yelling children to the British Isles, where Samhain raged turning sinful souls into animals. It was NibleyТs costume secret. Druids were trying to propitiate Samhain, when roman legionaries cut venerable oaks down and spread new religion. By this way Moundshroud showed how one God changes another.

The ground spun like a top and boys moved to the heart of witches' Sabbath in Medieval Europe. It was GenryТs costume secret. From the height of the sky they saw million of lights throughout Europe. Howling in delight they greeted witches and magicians, persecuted by the Inquisition. So, eight boys came to be in France. Brick by brick they built Notre-Dame de Paris. Swarm of monsters of ancient legends and mankind sins climbed up the wall hardening and turning into stone. It was Wally and FredТs costume secrets. A giant lightning sent children to Mexico, the last point in the journey. The town was empty, because all the citizens were in the cemetery to commemorate deceased. El Dia Los Muertos (The DeadТs Day) was a key to the secret of TomТs costume. The guitar strummed, wax candles and crystal sugar candy skulls lied on every gravestone.

But where were Pip all that time? He was everywhere. He was a dog, fallen prey to SamhainТs scythe; he was a little mummy in golden sarcophagus, he was a statue on cathedralТs wall and he was miraculous air surrounding boys on broomsticks and then he was in Mexico at the bottom of catacombs. Pipkin was crying alone because he couldnТt get out. Was anyone able to help hip? CouldnТt our brave hearts rescue him from the death? Every one of all eight boys ought to give one year of his life to save Pipkin. Without any doubt friends made an agreement with Moundshroud. You shouldnТt think that they havenТt realized value of the time being alive, they really have. But much more was value of his friendТs life, value of friendship, because boys consider their relationships as only thing to breathe for. Emancipated from the departure to the deadТs kingdom Pip flew like an arrow to home.

Moundshroud picked up children and carried them like snips of paper to his ominous House in Illinois. The town tower clock was striking midnight. Was their excursion trick or treat? It was both and simply breath-taking adventure.  But was Pip alive? DonТt worry my dear reader. He was in hospital after ablation of appendicitis. There would be no more words to describe fantastic emotions boiling inside friendsТ hearts on the day of PipТs discharge. But what was about Moundshroud? No one said him goodbye, as many years later he would come to get a debt. But there was no need of thinking about it then. The tower clock struck the twelfth time. Bang! Eight doors were shut up with a bump.

Among beautiful gothic landscapes and characters of book see I some philosophical context. Should we be frightened by death that will come first or last or should we enjoy every moment of our blood streaming through the veins? Should we clutch at something materialistic in this world or should we appreciate shining of our nearest smile? ItТs up to us.

СWhen you reach the stars, boy, yes, and live there forever, all the fears will go, and Death himself will dieТ.