Book Review

Title: The Spellgrinder's Apprentice

Author: N.M.Browne

'The Spellgrinder's Apprentice' is a book about magic powers that certain people have. The magic is called 'Inward Power', and is also known as 'thaumaturgy'. There is a branch of this magic called 'secret sight', which is the ability to see into the future.

The main character of this story is a young boy named Tommo and a feisty girl called Akkena. Tommo was an orphan who worked in a spellstone grinding factory. He worked there, carving spellstones for the spellstone wielders' use. He was covered in grind dust, remnants of spellstones that had magical properties. However, this grind dust was fatal. No one lived through its effects. Thus, Tommo ran away, hoping to live.

On the way, he met Akkena. She captured him at first, and made him do labour in turn for giving him food. However, after they were on the run from Akkena's father, they became friends, and depended on each other's survival.

King Fallon however, had heard that Tommo sought sanctuary in the name of Gildea, the greatest thaumaturgist that had ever lived. Gildea was Fallon's enemy, thus he sent Haver-snatcher to capture Tommo. Queen Vevena was Haver-snatcher's daughter, and she was at Fallon's mercy, so Haver-snatcher had to play along.

I will not tell you the end, so if you want, you might want to check it out. I personally feel that this book is a fantastic book. but sadly, it has no sequel. I personally feel that this book could have been developed into a series of books. The idea of spellstones is very good material for a series of novels. I really recommend this book to my friends.

Reflection

In this year, I have learnt quite a few things. Here are some of them:

Term 1:

Studied 'Lamb To The Slaughter' by Roald Dahl.

Learning Points:

I have learnt a new way in which an exam can be set, and realised that the expectations in Sec 1 Language Arts are much higher than Primary school English. Writing such a long piece of writing in such a short period of time is not a problem in Primary school compositions, but in Secondary school, we have, if I might say, ridiculous questions to answer, and seemingly impossible situations that we are never going to be landed in, thus bringing the composition difficulty to a whole new level.

Term 2:

Taught 'Village By The Sea' and literature test answering techniques.

Learning Points:

Learnt that a talented author could incorporate a very significant problem in the society into a interesting story. Also, literature is a very hard component in LA, as a long piece of writing had to be produced in a short period of time. I think that refering to the passage time and again to answer our questions is very troublesome.

Term 3:

Taught poetry and analyzing techniques.

Learning Points:

Learnt that there was more types of poetry than haikus and limericks. Also, I found a new appreciation for poems and had fun composing them in the blog posts before. The art of writing a poem cannot be grasped immediately, and takes a talented person to write a poem that hass a lot of of meaning embedded in it. The 10 step analysis process is very useful.

Overall

I feel that this year, I have learnt a lot more things about the English language, and a lot of new skills in life, such as patience when rushing the literature test, and an open mind when analyzing poems.

Digging

Q2.

a) Soil

b) Uncovering buried things

c) Dirt

d) Treasure hunt

e) Planting trees

f) Memories

Q4.

a) Pen - seems to not go along the theme of digging

b) Toner's bog - unusual sounding name for a place

Q5.

a) Run-on-lines

My father, digging, I look down (2nd stanza, last line)

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds (3rd stanza, first line)

b) Metaphors

NIL

c) Similes

snug as a gun

d) Personification

NIL

e) Alliteration

spade sinks

gravelly ground

squelch and slap of soggy peat

curt cuts

f) Assonance

NIL

g) Onomatopoeia

Rasping

Sloppily

Slicing

Squelch

Slap

Soggy

h) Symbolism

Living roots --> Thoughts

Pen --> Educated

Q6.

Theme --> Digging

Spade

Gravelly ground

Flowerbeds

Potato drills

Heaving sods

Soggy peat

Q8.

The author wants to follow in his father's and grandfather's footsteps.

Q9.

a) Poet

b) Everyone

c) Sincere

d) Same

e) Organized because of stanzas, and forcing you to read on, because of run-on-lines.

f) Makes it easier to read, and forces you to read.

Q10.

The author was an educated person, judging from the fact that he has a pen, and that does not fit into the whole theme of digging. The author keeps talking about his father and his grandfather digging the earth. Thus, in the last two stanzas, the author has thoughts of following in their footsteps by applying his knowledge, even though he does not have the skills.

Snapshotland

Q1.

Done

Q2.

i) Description of a person
ii) A moment in time
iii) A photograph of something
iv) Memories
v) A memorable place
vi) A place of old

Q3.

Done

Q4.

Kodachrome - weird name
Sepia - unusual word
Gingham pinafores - profound sounding
Permanent - strong word

Q5.

Metaphor, Simile, Assonance, Personification, Onomatopoeia, Symbolism - NIL

Alliteration - Smooth sand by a flat sea and smile and smile and smile

- sun shines
- sepia on sandboys and sandgirls

Q6.

Theme - Outing at the Beach
i) people sit with flasks of tea on smooth sand by a flat sea
ii) sandboys and sandgirls
iii) pleasure boat
iv) deck chairs on the beach
v) buckets full of pebbles on the same sea shore

Q7.

They are all about a day at the sea shore and describes all the sights that is there.

Q8.

Photos can show what happened before. It can capture memories, and allow you to reive those happy moments whenever you feel like it. Also, the author is trying to say that memories are forever.

Q9.

a) Unidentified speaker
b) Public in general
c) Persuasive, hopeful attitude
d) NIL
e) To make it organized and take the poem step by step
f) It makes it easier to understand the poem itself and lets you understand what the poem is trying to express.

Q10.

The poet is trying to make readers understand how important memories are, and they can preserve it by taking pictures to capture the moment, so the poet is trying to get people to do that.

Parody

Crazy Prisoner

Will you eat this satay

That fell into the bin

Even though you will lao sai

You must be pok kai liao

Will you eat this poh pia

That fell onto the mud

You are confirm gila

Time to go IMH

Will you try to be like normal

Will you blend into the crowd

Will you buy some decent clothing

And change it for you prison clothes

So... will you take take this challenge

Will you be prepared

Will you do anything

Will you dare to fight your way?

And will you take out your guards?

Will you seize their guns

Will you run for your life

Will you dare to shoot people?

Will you take this city

And hold PM hostage

For a massive ransom

That the country must pay

Will you try to be like normal

Will you blend into the crowd

Will you buy some decent clothing

And change it for you prison clothes

So... will you take take this challenge

Will you be prepared

Will you do anything

Will you dare to fight your way

And will you take out your guards?

Will you seize their guns?

Will you run for your life

Will you dare to shoot people?

Dare to shoot...

Dare to shoot...

Dare to shoot... people!

Adapted from NDP Song 2007 'Will You'

Limericks

Madman Jack

There was a madman named Mack

Who thought he was a lumberjack

He cut down the trees

With only his knees

And soon his legs he would lack

Dog and Cat

There once was a dog named Bobby

Who played in the yard with a tabby

They tore up the magnolias

Leaving only the dahlias

And was sent to SPCA for being crazy

Sound Poem

This is the sound poem continued from the worksheet. The first two lines were given.

I heard the owls hooting in the dark

I heard the sheep bleating beyond the hill

I heard the wolves howling at the moon

I heard the dogs barking in its kennel

I heard the horses whinnying in the stable

I heard the bulls bellowing beyond the pasture

I heard the bees buzzing above the flowers

I heard the frogs croaking on the lily

I heard the mice squeaking in a frenzy

I heard the roosters crowing at the dawn

I heard the turkeys clucking while gobbling seeds

I heard the pigeons squawking whilst pecking bread

I heard the ducks quacking when swimming

I heard the pigs snorting in the mud

I heard the cats meowing in the night