Stormbreaker is the first book in the Alex Rider series by Anothy Horowitz. Fourteen year old Alex Rider is the main character in this book. Alex's parents died when he was very little and since then, he's been living with his Uncle. Since his Uncle is out on business a lot, Alex has a nanny named Jack. Jack is from the United States and if anything were to happen to Alex's uncle, Jack would have to go back to the states from Britian, where they live. So when the police show up at Alex's door one night, saying his Uncle has died in a car crash, Jack will have to return to the States, and Alex will become an orphan. All seems lost until Ms. Jones (the herald of the story) arrives to tell Alex his Uncle didn't actually die in a car crash, but was a spy for the Agency Ms. Jones works for, and ended up being shot on a mission. Ms. Jones tells Alex that if he comes and works as a spy at this agency, in replacement of his uncle, Jack can stay in Britian and remain Alex's caretaker. Ms. Jones is most definately the herald in this story because she offers Alex the journey into the "special world". Alex is then forced to decide, will he become a spy, or lose Jack.
Harry Potter and the Philospers Stone shows an excellent example of a transfer from an ordinary world to the new world. Harry Potter always thought he was just an ordinary boy, living with his evil Aunt, Uncle and Cousin, Dudley. His parents died when he was young, and so he had to move into his Aunt's home, and live in the closet under the stairs. At the beginning of the Philospers Stone, Harry lives in a gloomy, dull, ordinary world, with no hopes for the future, because of his relatives, who limit him to everything and anything. When Harry turns the age of twelve, a giant person, Hagrid comes to retrieve him to tell Harry that he's a magical wizard, the best that ever lived. Hagrid tells Harry that his parents were wizards and were really killed by the darkest wizard in the magic world, Voldemort. When Voldemort came to kill Harry and his family, he was the only one to survive Voldemort, making him the most powerful wizard. Hagrid tells Harry he must travel into the magic world to go to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. Hagrid and Harry use the majical portal in a British bar to travel into the majic world to get to Hogwarts. I chose this video because in order to get to Hogwats, Harry must start in his ordinary world, and run through a portal to get into the magical world, to travwel to Hogwarts.
I have just began a new book called Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka. This book is an interesting read because it shows the story in three seperate points of view, all from main characters. The first perspective is from Celeste, a fourteen year old girl who lives in community where you are married at the age fifteen to a man that has wives already. These girls that are being married at the age of fifteen then become sister wifes to the man the prophet has chosen for them. Any girl that challenges this custom, or thinks "impure" thoughts about not wanting that life are frowned upon. Almost at the age fifteen, Celeste does not agree with the idea of sister wives, and wants to choose her own life. Another side of the story is told by Tavianna. Tavianna is a teen brought into the community by the elders, saved from her terrible life on the street in the village, Springdale. Since Tavianna has not lived in Unity (the community Celeste lives in) for her whole life, she does not follow all of their customs and is a bit of a wild card, a well needed one though in this strict place. The last perspecitve is from Nanette, Celeste's younger sister who is thirteen. Nanette is everything Unity looks for in a young girl; honest, brave, and most imortantly, she agrees with and follows all of the customs in Unity, even the marraige rule. When Nanette finds out about her sister's impure thoughts, she is challenged in making the right desicion of what to do about this. Should she tell the Prophet, or let her sister live her own life. I really don't know what I would do if I had to marry at the age fifteen. I mean, for me, that would be like marrying a man next year about three times my age. Reading this book had been really eye opening for me, because I've heard stories of sister wives before, but I have never heard from points of view that have/are experiencing it. What I am wondering is if Celeste will find a way to esacpe her arranged marriage because hearing from her perspective, she is very much so against the idea. Will this mean Celeste will have to escape Unity, or find a way to convince her parents not to give her away? An even bigger question though, will Celeste be the hero to her story and save herself from marriage, or will she be rescued by something or someone? How do I recognize if she is or isn't? It is hard to tell, considering I just started into this book, but I think Celeste will be the hero of her own story. I think this because Celeste has shown from right off the bat, she does not agree with the culture surronding her. Celeste doesn't seem to shy down from stating her opinion, she openly shared what her community would call "impure" thoughts with her sister about how she disagreed with the idea of sister wives, making her brave. This makes her brave because even thinking thoughts against the culture in Unity is considered impure, and you can be punished. Celeste is different from the other women/girls in her community because she thinks for herself. These are some traits that are valued in a hero. I know that if you feel strongly enough about something, you can put up a good fight about it.
