The Room On The Roof And Vagrants in the Valley

Image by ShayarGautam via Flickr

Title: The Room On The Roof And Vagrants in the Valley

Author: Ruskin Bond

Main Characters: Rusty, Somi, Ranbir, Kishen, Meena, Mr.Harrison, Kapoor, Mr.Pettigrew, Sudheer, Dhevendir

Description of one of the main characters: Sudheer is one of Rusty’s favourite friends. He is a strong boy. He is a good wrestler. He is a young lad of fourteen. He travels with Rusty everywhere. Sudheer is kind and helpful.

Whom I like and Why:  I like Somi as he is the only one who cares about Rusty so much. He gives his dress and whatever Rusty wants. He finds a job for Rusty in Kishen’s house.

Whom I Dislike and Why : I dislike Ranbir as he left Rusty and went away.  After going away, he never cared about Rusty. He is a wrestler like Sudheer. He is one of Somi’s best friends. 

Setting/Theme of the story : Rusty runs away from his guardian Mr. Harrison. He becomes friends with Indians like Somi and Ranbir. He begins to work as an English tutor in the house of Meena and Kapoor. He teaches English to their son Kishen. But unfortunately Meena and Kapoor die in a car accident. Kishen starts living with Rusty. They both start on a walking tour. One day Kishen’s relatives ask Kishen to come back to them. His relatives do not allow him to be a vagrant. Rusty leaves Kishen and makes friends with Sudheer and Dhevendir. They become his best friends forever. Rusty meets his father’s friend Mr. Pettigrew. Mr. Pettigrew suggests that he meets his aunt in Rishikesh to get some money which Rusty’s father has left for him. But when Rusty goes to his aunt’s house he finds that his father had left only books to read. He brings those books to Mr. Pettigrew. Mr. Pettigrew asks Rusty to go to England. Rusty has always wanted to be a writer. Mr. Pettigrew tells Rusty that he could possibly become a writer in England soon. So Rusty goes to England and other countries to spend rest of his life. 

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Rusty plays Holi with Ranbir and becomes one of the Indians. He becomes Ranbir’s best friend.

Different ending : Rusty starts writing many stories and becomes a great writer in India. Somi and Ranbir return back to Dehra when they hear about their best friend becoming a great writer. Kishen comes back to Rusty. Everyone start calling Rusty  “ The Great Writer of Dehra”. Rusty leads a happy life.

Famous Five : Five Run Away Together

Title : Famous Five : Five Run Away Together

Author : Enid Blyton

Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Jennifer Mary Armstrong, Mr. Stick, Mrs.Stick, Edgar, Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny.

Description of one of the main characters : Uncle Quentin is George’s father. He is a great scientist. He likes insects. He is a short-tempered man. He is brilliant and intelligent. He always seems to be a part of the adventures of Famous Five. 

Whom I like and Why : I like Jennifer as she is tall and cute. She gets kidnapped while playing with her friends. She is brave. She is not afraid when the kidnappers kidnap her in the middle of the night.

Whom I Dislike and Why : I dislike Edgar as he is a coward. He gets frightened for everything. He is afraid of Timmy, George’s dog. He is also a wicked. He once tries to poison Timmy by adding poison in Timmy’s food.

Setting/Theme of the story :  Aunt Fanny is sick. She is admitted in the nearby hospital. Uncle Quentin has to take care of her in the hospital. Joanna, the cook, has gone to her house to take care of her mother who is ill. Aunt Fanny sends a new cook from the Stick family to take care of the four children and the dog, who have come here to spend the vacation. They get bored and irritated by the Stick family in their own house and decide to stay in the Kirrin island till Aunt Fanny and Uncle Quentin return. They pack all their things and go to Kirrin island. They find a new trunk box in the old wreck. They try to open but fail. The Famous Five keep a watch all the time at the wreck. They find out that the Sticks are in their island. One night when George and Julian are watching they hear a scream in the island. It is a loud shrill scream. They find out that a girl is being kidnapped and the Sticks help them in the kidnapping. They save the girl and lock Edgar instead. When Mr. and Mrs. Stick search for their dear child Edgar, they find him in the place of the little girl. The police catch Mr. and Mrs. Stick and put them to jail. The Famous Five have another exciting adventure.

Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when George makes noises like horses, cows and sheep in the echo room and scares poor Edgar.

Different Ending :  Jennifer stays at the house of the Five for the rest of the vacation. She enjoys herself in the Kirrin island. She stays with the Famous Five in the Kirrin den. She becomes overjoyed by hearing the adventures of the Five. The girl says good-bye and returns home. The Famous Five have an exciting adventurous vacation.

Learning French : Alphabets

Learning French : Salutations

A Trip To Thiruneermalai

                   



Yesterday we went to Thiruneermalai. It is around 17 km from our house.There are two sannadhis. One at the top of the hill and one at the bottom. It is not a big hill.There are 170 steps. The temple  is being renovated. I took some pictures. The city view from the top of the hill is wonderful. Thiruneermalai is not far from the city, but it is quiet and peaceful. I enjoyed the drive to Thiruneermalai.
         

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia

Image via Wikipedia

Title :
The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia
Author :
Sir  Arthur Conan Doyle
Main Characters :
Sherlock Holmes, Dr.Watson, Irene Adler, The King of Bohemia and Godfrey Norton
Description of one of the main characters : Sherlock Holmes observes very keenly and finds out even the slightest clue. He is cold and precise. He has a balanced mind. Sherlock Holmes would make a fine actor or a very good reasoner in science. But he is deeply attracted by the study of crime. He lives in Baker Street. He solves mysteries which has been abandoned as hopeless by the police.
Whom I like and Why : I like Irene Adler as she is smart, quick and intelligent. She notices Sherlock Holmes watch her taking the photo out of the sliding shutter. She does not mean to create any problem with the photograph but she wants to keep herself safe with the help of the photograph.
Setting/Theme of the story : The King of Bohemia comes to Sherlock Holmes with a problem. When the king was a young prince, he had made an acquaintance with a girl named Irene Adler. There was a photograph of them together. Now the King is thirty and going to marry. Irene Adler threatens to send the photograph on the day of the King’s betrothal. The King wants the photograph back. Sherlock Holmes probes and finds out that the King had tried and failed to take the photograph back even after ransacking Irene Adler’s house and waylaying her. Sherlock Holmes makes a plan and finally finds out where the photograph is hidden in Irene Adler’s house. But when he goes next morning to take the photograph away from Irene Adler, he finds her house empty. Irene Adler had noticed Sherlock Holmes watching her the previous day. Hence she escapes with her husband  Godfrey Norton. She tells Sherlock Holmes through a letter that she will keep the photograph only for her safety and would not send it on the day of the King’s betrothal. The King thanks Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson who has also helped to solve this great problem.  
The Part I enjoyed the most : The process of finding out all details about Irene Adler is the part I enjoyed the most. When Sherlock Holmes goes to the church along with Irene Adler and Godfrey Norton, instead of finding information he becomes a witness for their marriage.
A different ending : Sherlock Holmes goes and takes the photograph. Irene Adler sees this and catches him. Sherlock Holmes says that he has come on behalf of the King. He threatens Irene Adler that he would show the photograph to her husband. Afraid that he would show it, Irene Adler promises Sherlock Holmes that she would not send the photograph on the day of Betrothal. Sherlock Holmes burns the photograph in front of Irene Adler. He tells the King that he has burnt the photograph and there is no more trouble and makes the King promise that he would not harm Irene Adler.
Six New Words I Learnt :
Deduce : Infer logically
Lounged : Stand or move about idly
Veil : A piece of transparent fabric attached to a woman’s hat
Vile : Disgusting
Gibe : Jeer, mock
Sardonic : Bitterly mocking or cynical

Famous Five : Five Get Into Trouble

  

Title : Famous Five : Five Get Into Trouble

Author : Enid Blyton

Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Richard Kent, Aggie, Hunchy, Mr. Perton, Rooky and Weston

Description of one of the main characters : Aggie is a poor, miserable and scared old woman. She takes care of Mr. Perton’s house. She is very kind with the four children and the dog. She works under Hunchy, a hunch back and short-tempered man. She is the cook and the maid.   

Whom I like and Why : I like Anne as she is kind and brave. She sometimes gets scared. She is helpful. She is one of the Famous Five. I like Timmy as he is clever. He knows what to do, where the children are and everything else. He can carry messages. He too is one of the Five.

Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Mr. Perton. He helps the thieves to change their prison clothes. He arranges for escapes. He hides them safely in the secret sliding room. He sends them safe abroad. He earns a lot of profit through these activities. He does a very cunning job.

Setting/Theme of the story : The Famous Five plan to go on a cycling tour on their own. On their way, they meet Richard Kent, a rich boy. Richard tells a lie to The Famous Five and comes with them to the cycling tour. He lies that he would go to his aunt’s house which is in Middlecombe Woods. They drop him and ride away. After some time, Richard comes running and yelling in his top voice. He tells Julian that some men are after him. Meanwhile, the chasing men think that Dick is Richard and kidnap Dick. They kidnap Dick because Dick is short for Richard and the kidnappers think Dick is trying to fool them. So they drag Dick to Owl’s Dene in Owl’s hill. The Famous Five find secrets and save Dick. Richard goes and calls the police. The police hand-cuff the thieves and kidnappers including Mr. Perton, Weston, Rooky and the others. Aggie and Hunchy are no more slaves. They thank the four children. Julian scolds Richard for his foolishness of telling lies. Their cycling tour is unfinished but they had a wonderful adventure.   

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Julian found Weston snoring in the secret sliding room when he was exploring. The secret sliding room is in the study room.

A different ending : Julian goes to the police station to tell the police the whole adventure properly. He thank the police for saving them from the ruffians. He tells that they got into a trouble just because of the lies foolish Richard Kent told them. Anne, Dick, George, Julian and Timmy go home excited and tired.

Famous Five : Five Go Off To Camp

Title : Famous Five : Five Go Off To Camp

Author : Enid Blyton

Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Jock, Mr.Andrews and Mr.Luffy

Description of one of the main characters : Mr.Luffy is the head of the boys school. He has a good sense of humour. He is fond of insects. He has many insect specimens. He is always kind with everyone. He goes early in the morning searching for insects. 

Whom I like and Why : I like George as she is brave. She is a hot tempered person. She is independent. She save the lives of the three boys Julian, Dick and Jock by cutting the rope and finding a way of escape from a dark lonely railway yard. 

Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Mr.Luffy as he is fond of insects (I don’t like insects). He has unusual insect specimens. He always goes early in the morning in search of insects and  returns late at night.

Setting/Theme of the story : Anne, Gorge, Dick,Julian and Timmy plan to camp with Mr.Luffy   in the moors . They all go in Mr.Luffy’s car. The four children and the dog find an unused railway track in which spook-trains run in the night without anyone driving it. They become friends with Jock , the moorland farm boy. He has a step father. His step father warn the children not to go to the railway yard. But the children do not listen and they go. They find that Mr.Andrews, Jock’s step father and his company are black marketers. They steal goods and sell it to the black market. Anne goes and tells the police. The police catch the black marketers.Jock is happy. He is rid of his troubling step father.Jock and the Famous Five have an exciting adventure.

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when the Famous Five find the unused railway yard and explore it. It is very exciting.

A different ending : The Famous Five tell Wooden-leg Sam that there are no spook-trains. Wooden-leg Sam becomes a good friend of theirs. He does not live in the old railway yard anymore. The yard is used for transportations. Anne, Dick, Julian, George and Timmy go back after the holidays. Wooden-leg Sam is kind to Jock. Jock is happy and no more lonely.

Navaratri, Kolu, Golu, Dussera 2010

   

Pictures Taken @Ayodhya Mandapam #Kolu #2010

Famous Five : Five Have Plenty Of Fun

Title : Famous Five : Five Have Plenty Of Fun

Author : Enid Blyton

Main Characters : Jo, Anne, Dick, Julian, George, Timmy, Mr. Elbur, Berta, Aunt Fanny, Uncle Quentin and Sally

Description of one of the main characters : George is a brave girl who likes to be a boy. She is independent. She is a hot tempered girl too. She has short curly hair which makes everyone think her as a boy. Her real name is Georgina.

Whom I like and Why : I like Jo because she is good and loyal to the famous five. She helps Dick and Julian catch the kidnappers and save George. She is good at climbing trees. She is odd and funny in behaviour. She has joined in two adventures of the Famous Five. She is jolly and trust-worthy.

Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Sally, the dog as she is proud of herself and always make George feel angry. She also does pranks which upset the plans of the Five for the day.

Setting/Theme of the story : Anne, Dick, George, Julian and Timmy are again at Kirrin cottage. They expect to go on adventures. Suddenly, Berta, Mr. Elbur’s(scientist like Uncle Quentin) daughter, is going to be kidnapped. So Berta is planning to stay at Kirrin cottage for three weeks. Berta has a cute proud dog Sally. Timmy becomes friendly with Sally. One day kidnappers mistake George for Berta and kidnaps George. Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny feel worried. Anne helps Aunt Fanny in her work. Julian, Dick and Jo save George and also catch the kidnappers. George is safe. Timmy is happy that George has come back. Everybody is happy. The Famous Five has had another exciting adventure. 

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Jo, Dick and Julian save brave George out of the old nasty house.

A different ending : Julian tells Mr. Elbur where the kidnappers are trapped. Mr. Elbur goes to the kidnappers and asks them to free George. He promises to tell them the secrets of the invention if they did what he says. The foolish kidnappers open the door and find police with arms. They apologize and beg for mercy. The police warn them and leave them free. They never kidnap anybody from now on. Poor George is safe. Everyone is happy.

The Enchanted Wood

Title : The Enchanted Wood

Author : Enid Blyton

Main Characters : Jo, Bessie, Fanny, Moon-Face, Silky, Mr. Whatzisname, Saucepan Man and Mrs. Dame Washlot.

Description of one of the main characters : Mr. Whatzisname does not know what his name is. Hence he is called Mr. Whatzisname. He gets angry if anyone disturbs him while sleeping. But he is a kind man too.

Whom I like and Why : I like Saucepan Man the most as he is funny. He wears a saucepan for a hat and have kettles and pans all over his dress. He sometimes hears everything wrong because of the sound made by his kettles and pans.

Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Mrs. Dame Washlot as she always pours her soapy water down Jo, Bessie, Fanny and anyone who climbs the faraway tree for the first time.

Setting/Theme of the story : Jo, Bessie and Fanny move to a new house near the enchanted wood. They explore and find the faraway tree. They become friends with Moon-Face and Silky. They go to exciting lands like “The RoundAbout Land”, “The Land of Ice and Snow”, “The Rocking Land” and “The Land of Birthdays”. They have fun. The fantastic adventures with Jo, Bessie, Fanny, Silky, Moon-Face, Mr. Whatzisname and Saucepan Man make the story the Enchanted Wood.

The Part I enjoyed the most :I enjoyed the part when clever Moon-Face captures the red goblins using his slippery slip.

A different ending : The Land of Birthdays moves away from the Faraway tree. Bessie and her friends have not yet started eating the wishing cake. So Bessie, the birthday girl, wishes “The Land of Birthdays” to go to the top of the Faraway tree once again. It goes and everybody thank Bessie. Jo, Bessie and Fanny return home happily. They have had an exciting birthday party.

Sanskriti Express-On Rabindranath Tagore

Indian Railways launched Sanskriti Express to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Throwing light on the life and works of the versatile genius Rabindranath Tagore, this mobile museum is visiting all parts of the country. The Sanskriti Express is at Chennai Central Railway Station between 3rd October and 6th October. On Sunday, I visited Chennai Central to see the mobile museum. There are 5 coaches. Rabindranath Tagore lived between 1861 and 1941. He was born on 7th May in Kolkata. He is fondly called Gurudev. When he was 8 years old, he started writing poems and published his first substantial poetry when he was 16. Rabindranath Tagore was a versatile person and explored various art forms. He was a poet, novelist, playwright, painter and musician who reshaped Bengali Literature and music.

He has to his credit

• Over a thousand poems
• 8 volumes of short stories
• Almost two dozen plays
• 8 novels
• Books and essays on Philosophy, Religion, Education and Social Topics
• More than 2000 songs and Composed music for them
• Many paintings

Other interesting facts include

• His offering of songs(Gitanjali) was introduced by W.B. Yeats.
• He was the only litterateur who penned the national anthem of two countries-Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem of India and Amar Shonar Bangla, the national anthem of Bangladesh.
• He won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• He was knighted by King George V, which he renounced later.
• He founded the school which is now famously known as Visva-Bharathi University.
• His meetings with Albert Einstein and H. G. Wells are evidence of his brilliance.

Source: Sanskriti Yatra Mobile Museum hand-out by Indian Railways. Photos: taken by me from the display.

I also bought a handbag and a mobile pouch from the souvenir shop in the last coach of the train.

Swami and Friends

 

Malgudi is a fictitious town in India created by R.K. Narayan in his novels and short stories. It forms the setting for most of Narayan's works. Starting with his first novel, Swami and Friends, all but one of his fifteen novels and most of his short stories take place here. Narayan has successfully portrayed Malgudi as a microcosm of India. Source: Wikipedia

Title : Swami and Friends

Author : R. K. Narayan

Main Characters : Swaminathan, Rajam, Mani, Swami’s father, Rajam’s father, Granny and Swami’s mother

Description of one of the main characters : Swami is a 10 year old mischievous boy who thinks of running away when he makes a mistake. He is a good bowler in the MCC.

Whom I like and Why : I like Rajam because he is responsible and studies very well. He is kind to his friends. He is a clever boy like his father who is a police superintendent. He is the captain of MCC.

Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike nobody as no one is rude or has any bad character. I like everybody but I like Rajam the most.

Setting/Theme of the story : Swaminathan, a 10 year old boy, is studying in a school in Malgudi. There is a new comer named Rajam. Swami and Mani become friends with Rajam. Rajam, Mani and Swami start the MCC(malgudi cricket club). Because of Swami’s pranks he is expelled from the only school in Malgudi. Swaminathan is afraid that his father would punish him and runs away. He misses the match between YMU(Young Men’s Union) and MCC. He is the best bowler for MCC. Swami returns home. Finally Rajam’s father is transferred and Rajam is going away. Swaminathan feels unhappy and presents him a story book as Rajam likes to read very much. Mani and Swami feel sad. They never forget their dear old friend Rajam.

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Swami and Mani becomes Rajam’s friend.

A different ending : Swami and his friends win the match with YMU. Rajam’s settle in Malgudi. Malgudi Cricket Club wins matches and gets more fame. Swami scores good marks and everybody is happy.

Four New Words I Learnt : 

• revolver : type of pistol
• triumphant : joyful after a victory
• ecstatic : intense happiness
• wrench : pull or twist violently

Famous Five (Five On Kirrin Island Again)

Title : Famous Five (Five On Kirrin Island Again)
Author : Enid Blyton
Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Aunt Fanny, Uncle Quentin, Martin and Mr. Curton
Description of one of the main characters : Aunt Fanny is a good-tempered woman. She is George’s mother. She cooks and packs the foods neatly and quickly for the four children and the dog to Picnic.
Whom I like and Why : I like Timmy because he is a brave dog. He is loyal to the children and helpful to George’s father, Uncle Quentin, who is a scientist. He helps the great scientist to make one of his experiments successful.
Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Mr. Curton as he is wicked and selfish. He treats his son cruelly. He pretends to be friendly but in reality he is not as friendly as he acts. He plans to take away Uncle Quentin’s notes and diagrams so that he could make a huge profit with those papers by selling it.
Setting/Theme of the story : George’s father lives in Kirren Island for the holidays to do one of his experiments. But Curton and two more of his friends try to steal the notes of the experiment and get money by selling it. But Timmy, George, Julian, Dick, Anne, Aunt Fanny and some fishermen stop the thieves. They send the three thieves to the police. The thieves are sent to jail. George saves her island from the thieves.
The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when George finds Timmy and saves him from the dark cave which is closed by a rock.
A different ending : The Kirren Castle gets burnt after Uncle Quentin, George, Timmy, Julian, Dick and Martin comes out. The three thieves die inside the castle. George feels sad. Her own dear castle burns but she soon becomes cheerful. She and her cousins plan to build a tower instead of the castle for the next holidays.

PS: My father thought George is a “he”. I suppose this should make George happy.

Famous Five( Five Go Off In A Caravan)

Title : Famous Five( Five Go Off In A Caravan)
Author : Enid Blyton
Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Nobby, Barker, Growler, Pongo, Tiger Dan, Lou-the acrobat, Farmer Mackie and Mrs.Mackie 
Description of one of the main characters : Pongo is a funny chimpanzee who is a friend of Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy and Nobby. Once when the Famous Five(Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy) and Nobby are stuck in the middle of the confusing hill Pongo helps them to find  their way.
Whom I like and Why : I like Anne because she is responsible. She takes care of her three cousins and her pet dog Timmy. She is a kind and well-mannered girl too.
Whom I dislike and Why : I dislike Tiger Dan as he is selfish. He always wants everyone to listen to  him. He thinks he is very strong. Pongo beats him once and he never plays any trick on Pongo again.
Setting/Theme of the story : Anne,Dick, George, Julian and Timmy plan to spend their holidays in the hills. They are going to go off in a caravan on their own. They go to the Merran hill. They find a camp. They become friends with Barker, Growler, Pongo and Nobby. Lou and Tiger Dan always does some trouble to the Famous Five. Later the Famous Five find out that those two short-tempered man ( Lou and Dan) are smugglers. They smuggle valuable things. The Famous Five complain to the police and the smugglers are put into prison. The police thank the Famous Five. The Famous Five return home happy. 
The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Pongo smacks the two smugglers, Dan and Lou. 
A different ending : The smugglers escape from the police and come to the children. They request the children not to tell the police and promise them that they would no more smuggle anything. Instead, they would be clowns or acrobats in a circus. The Famous Five are happy that the smugglers became good men. Nobby lives with them happily. Anne, Dick, George, Julian and Timmy have a very good holiday.
Five New Words I Learnt :

• nuzzle – rub or push against gently with nose
• muzzle – the nose and mouth of an animal
• gorgeous – beautiful
• trot – move at a pace faster than a walk
• ledge – narrow horizontal projection

Foreign Language Programme(FLP) Series : How I chose French

I am going to learn French taught by FLP teachers. They gave me an option to choose among three languages French, Japanese and German. I told this to my father. He asked suggestions from his friends. One of his friends told me that it is a golden opportunity to learn French when I am young. My father asked suggestions through Facebook. There were many comments. My father also suggested French. Finally I chose French. 
Today we all assembled in a big hall. Many had chosen French and Japanese. Only a few had chosen German. They read out the names of the students assembled there and divided us into groups for convenience. For French, they divided us into two groups A& B. I am in the B group. Our French teacher introduced herself.  We sat quietly for sometime. They gave details about the dates and timings. We dispersed. I think it was a good orientation about the FLP classes.
I am looking forward to learn French and sharing my experience through my blog.

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm

Title : Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm

Author : Kate Douglas Wiggin

Main Characters : Rebecca, Mira, Mirandy, Jane, Aurelia, Mark, Mr. Cobb, Uncle Jerry and Adam Ladd.

Description of one of the main characters : Aunt Mirandy is a short tempered lady with sharp tongue. Sometimes when Rebecca irritates her aunt Mirandy starts scolding and Rebecca has to get some comfort from Uncle Jerry or Aunt Jane. Mirandy is also disciplined. 

Whom I like and Why : I like everyone in the story. I like Rebecca the most. I like her as she is good at poetry. She is friendly with everyone. She is helpful to her aunts Mirandy and Jane. She is cheerful and enthusiastic.

Whom I dislike and Why : I do not dislike anyone in the story as everyone were good and generous. Everybody were kind to each other. There were no problems between them.

Setting/Theme of the story :  Aurelia has seven children. One of them is Rebecca Rowena Randall. Rebecca is sent to the brick house in Riverboro. She is carried from Maplewood to Riverboro by Mr. Cobb in his stage-coach. She arrives at the brick house and find her aunts Mirandy and Jane. She is friendly to everybody. Sometimes Rebecca wantedly irritates her short-tempered aunt Mirandy. Everyone in the town love her including Adam Ladd who Rebecca calls Mr. Alladin as he bought 300 soaps at a time at an enormous price. When Rebecca finishes her school at Riverboro she goes to Wareham to study more. Her study at Wareham ends. When it ends, suddenly, her mother Aurelia falls sick and she has to go to Sunnybrook. When she is staying at Sunnybrook with her mother, aunt Mirandy dies. Rebecca has to run to Riverboro to attend the funeral of her aunt. Aunt Jane gives the brick house to Aurelia and her children. So, it is time for Rebecca to say good-bye to the old Sunnybrook farm. 

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Rebecca helps the Simpson family to buy a lamp for Christmas by selling 300 soaps at a time to Mr. Alladin.

A different ending : Aunt Jane and Aunt Mirandy invites Mark and Mira to make them educated like Rebecca. Rebecca starts working and begins to earn quite a fat sum. Everybody were healthy and happy in the brick house.

Treasure Island

Title: Treasure Island
Author: R. L. Stevenson
Main Characters: Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney, Jim Hawkins, Billy Bones, Black Dog, Long John Silver and Ben Gunn .
Description of one of the main characters: Long John Silver is a one-legged sea man. He is a former pirate. He is a brave man. He is friendly with Trelawney’s men but when they are not present, he plans to kill them in Treasure Island with the help of his own friends. He is cruel and hard hearted.
Whom I like and Why: I like Jim Hawkins as he is a shrewd boy with sharp ears. He collects information and tells his friends the truth about Long John Silver and the other pirates in their ship planning to kill Mr. Trelawney’s men and also to steal the treasure.
Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike Squire Trelawney because he doesn’t know to keep a secret. He tells everyone that he and his friends are going behind treasure. Some pirates hear this and board on Hispaniola, the ship which is going to sail after treasure.
Setting/Theme of the story: An old sea-man named Billy Bones arrives at Admiral Benbow Inn. He is a pirate. Jim Hawkins helps him to stay comfortably. One day another pirate named Black Dog arrives at Admiral Benbow Inn. Then another pirate who was the mate of Billy Bones in the pirates' ship comes and gives Billy Bones the Black Spot(a paper in which pirates write a note to the pirate they are eliminating). Finally, Bones dies. Jim Hawkins takes a map and some money from Billy Bones. He shows the map to Mr. Trelawney and Dr. Livesey. The map shows them the area of Treasure Island. They plan to go behind the treasure. Squire Trelawney goes to Bristol to buy a ship. He buys one named Hispaniola. They start sailing. In their ship, there are some pirates. Jim Hawkins overhears the pirates’ plans from the Apple Barrel. They reach Treasure Island. There starts a big fight between the pirates and Mr. Trelawney’s men. Jim Hawkins again helps his friends by finding help from a former pirate but now a good trustworthy man. He is Ben Gunn. Ben Gunn takes the treasure before anyone could take and hands it over to Dr. Livesey. The pirates loose the battle. Many of the pirates die. Silver still escapes with 500 pounds. They are not unhappy in the loss of money but happy to get rid of that cruel man. They all sail home happily.  
The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Ben Gunn cheats the pirates by shouting Flint’s last words: “Darby M’Graw! Darby M’Graw! Fetch me rum; Darby!” in Flint’s voice.
A different ending : Squire Trelawney gives Ben Gunn an equal share of money. He helps the poor people and repairs the destroyed buildings with the rest of the money. He advises the pirates not to be cruel and instead be useful citizens. They obey Squire Trelawney. Trelawney gives them each 500 pounds and sends them off. Jim Hawkins returns to Admiral Benbow Inn to take care of his mother. The pirates turn good and the problem is solved.

The Curse

 

Once upon a time there were three adjacent bungalows in a village. The people in the village feared to go near them. They believed that ghosts lived there. In the same village there lived three friends called Lina, Tina and Rina. Rina and Lina had faith in ghosts. Tina did not believe and challenged them that she will prove that there are no ghosts by going to the ruined bungalows that midnight. Her friends were afraid of her life and said that they would accompany her. That midnight Tina’s bag was loaded with torches. She had a look at the bungalows. An old ghost had heard her challenge and decided to teach her a lesson. The bungalow was tall and wide. It had a great wall preventing people from getting inside. Tina was excited. When she went near,the wall vanished and she went in. She lit her torch and had a look again. She stepped into the house which was open. The house was not painted. There were some paint boxes kept in a corner. The paints started to paint the house on its own, but Tina was least afraid. She went on inside. The ghosts got angry and played another trick on her. The ghosts rattled the chains of the house and made a frightening noise. Tina did not bother and continued to explore the hall. There was a big carpet full of blood stains. All the stains suddenly vanished and the lights turned on.Tina was surprised to see this but still she continued to go and explore. Then she found a board in which a message was written.She was curious to read it. She read it and the message was

“To the one who finds us, if you pull our chain, we will be released from the curse. We will be grateful to you.”

She realised that it is because of a curse they had become ghosts. So she sat down and started saying a fairy tale. The story became so interesting that the ghosts drew near to her. She was waiting for all the ghosts to come nearer. When all the ghosts came near she pulled the chain and slowly ghosts turned to young and old people. Everybody were happy and praised her for the brave act.  

The Indian In The Cupboard

Cover of THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD (MTI)

Title: The Indian In The Cupboard
Author: Lynne Reid Banks
Main Characters: Little Bear, Omri, Boone, Patrick and Bright Stars
Description of one of the main characters: Patrick is a tall boy with a rough nature. He is actually not fit to have the little living creatures. He doesn’t keep a secret to himself. He is one of the best friends of Omri.
Whom I like and Why: Even though small in size, Little Bear is brave and fierce. He has black eyes. I like the way he fights and how he talks. He is friendly to Boone and makes Boone as his brother.
Whom I dislike and Why: I do not dislike anyone in the story as everyone are good at something. Even though Patrick is rough in nature, he gives good food to Little Bear and Boone.
Setting/Theme of the story: Patrick presents Omri an Indian on Omri’s birthday. Omri does not like this present. His two brothers give him an unusual cupboard and a magical key which turns lifeless toys into real ones. Omri does not believe his brothers first. Then when he puts the Indian in the cupboard it turns to a live little creature. It is fun having the live Indian but the Indian needs food and shelter which is difficult to provide. He tells the secret to Patrick. Patrick wants to have one for himself. It is Boone the cowboy he has. The Indian’s name is Little Bear. Little Bear becomes a chief and wants a wife. An Indian girl named Bright Stars is his wife. The adventures with Boone, Little Bear, Omri and Patrick is the story of The Indian In The Cupboard.
The Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Omri takes Little Bear and Boone to school and gets caught and how he escapes from the school headmaster.
A different ending: Little Bear does not become a chief. He doesn’t want a wife. Boone goes to Little Bear’s time and all the brothers of Little Bear kill him. Little Bear can no more bear it. He goes to Omri and Patrick and tells them the whole story. Patrick feels sad. Little Bear is owned by both of them after Boone had gone.

First Term At Malory Towers

 
Title: First Term At Malory Towers
Author: Enid Blyton
Main Characters: Darrell Rivers, Mr. & Mrs. Rivers, Sally Hope, Mr. & Mrs. Hope, Gwendoline, Mrs. Lacey, Alicia, Betty and Mary-Loe.
Description of one of the main characters: Gwendoline is a student who leads a sheltered life, who is arrogant and jealous of others. She hates Darrell, Sally and Mary-Loe. She does pranks and put the blame on Darrell. Once she smashes Mary-Loe’s favourite fountain pen and blames Darrell Rivers for the mistake. She never asks sorry to anyone for her mistakes.
Whom I like and Why: I like Alicia because she is talkative, smart and clever. She is good at swimming and other sports. I like her smart mischief which she plans carefully. She is good and a loyal friend of Betty.
Whom I dislike and Why: Mary-Loe is so afraid of things and is a coward. She is fit for nothing. She takes no interest in sports. She is afraid of water and sometimes talks rude to people. Hence I dislike Mary-Loe.
Setting/Theme of the story: Darrell Rivers joins a new boarding school, The Malory Towers. There are two more new girls, Sally and Gwendoline. Sally is a quiet, serious girl with twinkling eyes. As for Gwendoline, she is a pampered child with long golden hair and brown curious eyes. Malory Towers is huge and fantastic. The pranks done by Darrell and her friends make up the story First Term At Malory Towers.
The Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed one of the pranks done by Alicia and Betty by acting like a deaf hearing everything wrong. For example, if someone says cold, they heard it as gold. They act like deaf during Mam Zelle Dupont’s French class.
A different ending: Gwendoline goes to another school suggested by her governess. Darrell thinks she would get spoiled more. Darell is good at swimming and both Sally and Darrell become thick friends. It is all happiness again. But now they cans no more play any tricks at Mam Zelle Dupont’s class. It is all fine once again at Malory Towers.