Off The Shelf

The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien 233 pages “Stories are for joining the past to the future. Stories are for those late hours in the night when you can't remember how you got from where you were to where you are. Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story.”    (page 36) In Vietnam, Tim O'Brien and the other members of Alpha Company carried dog tags, two or three canteens of water, and love letters. They carried pocket knives and canned peaches. Plastic ponchos and comic books. An M-60 machine gun and an illustrated New Testament. Grenades and M&Ms. They carried fear, they carried each other. They carried what they could bear, and then some - including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried  (page 7).   The Things They Carried is a fictional story based on O'Brien's experiences during the Vietnam War. The novel is broken into short story-like chapters, with titles ...

the perks of being a wallflower Stephen Chbosky 213 pages Just as a reminder, "Thin Yet Thick" reads are books thin from cover to cover (around 200 pages or less), but have a thick and deep meaning. These reads will leave you feeling great and I think might even change your life. These books should take three days or fewer to read, and most likely are of an easy reading level. The perks of being a wallflower is written through letters from Charlie, a fifteen-year-old incoming freshman with a lot on his mind. Once he enters high school, he becomes close friends with two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who teach him how to let loose on the dance floor, stick up for himself, and how to feel infinite. Although we don't know where Charlie is writing from, or who he is writing to, we do know his letters are unique, funny, and devastating as he learns not only about himself, but about the difficult world we live in. Without giving to much away from the story, there is a pie...

The Giver Lois Lowry 179 pages As a reminder, "Thin Yet Thick" reads are books thin from cover to cover (about 200 pages or less), but thick and deep in meaning. The Giver by Lois Lowry is definitely one to touch your heart. Jonas lives in a futuristic Utopian community. There are no choices and everyone is assigned a life to live. At the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas is chosen to receive special instruction by The Giver. The Giver is the only person in the community with memories from the past. Meaning, he is the only one to know war, peace, pain, family, and most importantly, love. One quote I especially like from this book is: "There could be love." While spending time with The Giver, Jonas learns what love is. After reading that chapter, I began to think about what it would be like if our world had no love, and I guess I started to appreciate how much love I receive from people. My family and friends love me, and I love them. I could not imagine what it wou...

Hope Was Here Joan Bauer 186 pages "Thin Yet Thick" are books thin from cover to cover (around 200 pages or less), but have a thick and deep meaning. "Thin Yet Thick" reads will leave you feeling great and I think might even change your life. These books should take three days or fewer to read, and most likely are of an easy reading level. Sixteen year-old Hope, and her aunt are about to make their biggest move yet. When they pack up their things and head from New York City to a small dairy town in Wisconsin, Hope is not quite sure what she's in for. At the local diner that she and her aunt help run, Hope meets G.T, a middle-aged man battling leukemia. G.T inspires Hope with his big dreams and positive attitude. Together, they help bring everyone a little more hope during rough times. Although Hope Was Here is a Newbery Honor Book, I feel a little disconnected from Hope throughout the book. I really enjoy books where I feel I know the character...