The Giraffe Blog

  I read Turtles All the Way Down by John Green for this blog post. Turtles All the Way Down is about a teenager named Aza who seems to have anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. She has an intense fear of germs and getting sick and is constantly worrying about washing her hands and being clean. Her father also recently died, which is a major stressor in her life. The plot of the story centers around Aza’s search for Mr. Pickett, a billionaire that went missing after being accused of fraud. At the beginning of the book, Aza and her best friend Daisy decide to break into the billionaire’s house to look at his security cameras and see how he disappeared. There is a $100,000 reward for anyone who can help find Mr. Pickett.  Aza meets Mr. Pickett’s son, Davis, who is in her class. He becomes the love interest in the story, and their relationship is also a major cause for anxiety for Aza. She wants to hold his hand, but she is terrified that this will make her sick and die....

  Tessa      This month, I read the old classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson . The story and its characters have been referenced in many books, TV shows, and movies that I’ve watched or read, but I had never read the original novel until now. It has the same feel as a Sherlock Holmes book, or any book from the late 1800’s; very wordy and rich with luxurious language and detailed settings. The characters have fascinating personalities and dynamics, and I enjoyed reading it. It makes you compare yourself with the main characters. The story overall was just creepy enough for me. It wasn’t outright scary, it’s more of a psychological thriller. I would recommend reading this book if you don’t know the story yet, or even if you do, because it’s a quick read that feels cozy and pretty seasonal.      The story’s genre is between mystery and horror. The plot is about this creepy man, Mr. Hyde who is somehow involved with a well-liked...

Treasure Island  I finished reading Treasure Island, and it was a fun experience. The book is about a boy who sets sail, looking for treasure, but in the crew are pirates that want the treasure for themselves. The book also uses terminology that is not present in today’s world but still is filled with adventure. Reading this book is not only interesting, you learn a lot about people in the 1700s lived like, talked like, and what their currency was. In the book, Jim lives with his mother and father and they own an inn. One day, a pirate comes in and decides to live there, always keeping a box around him and asking Jim to look out for a one-legged man. One day, the pirate bumps into one of his former accomplices, which they seem to be very nervous around. Jim thinks that the pirate is after the box, because he thinks that there is lots of money in there. The other pirate stabs the pirate staying at the inn and runs away, and the pirate at the inn dies, leaving Jim with the box. After...