A novella - Chapter One - Puppy possibilities

"Exciting news!" I give my mum a withering look as she practically bounces around my bedroom, "At work today Adam told us that his cocker spaniel is about to have puppies!" Mum has always wanted a dog but up until now, the opportunity has never arisen. I must say, I'm quite eager too. I ask, "Really? I didn't know he had dogs."
"Yes, he has four adult dogs already and they're expecting a big litter of puppies. The mum is absolutely huge and Adam's emailed me a picture of her and the dad. Do you think you would be interested?"
"Of course! It would be so nice to have a puppy. Our only trouble is persuading dad."
"Yes, I was thinking that. Let's mention it at dinner and see what he says. We can keep working on him until the puppies are born and ready to be visited." As my mum leaves the room, I can't help but jump around a bit myself. It's so exciting! Visiting the puppies, choosing one, naming it, taking it for walks, the list goes on.

I look up some pictures on my computer of cocker spaniels just as my dad calls me to lay the table for dinner. I wonder what he will say when we break the news . . .

Poem - #itsaGirlThing

I heard about the campaign to promote girls' rights when watching one of Hazel Haye's videos on the channel ChewingSand.

In the run up to International Day of the Girl on the 11th of October, Plan International have started a campaign to "highlight injustices and challenge the world to make changes to ensure all girls access their rights".

I felt that I should do my bit by writing a poem about girl's rights. After you've finished reading, why not play your part?

Are you proud to be a girl?
You should be.

Do you feel equal with boys?
You should do.

Has anyone ever told you how lucky you are?
They should have.

Are you in school?
You should be.

Do you have freedom of speech?
You should do.

Has anyone ever reassured you that you're safe?
They should have.

But what if you're not proud, equal or lucky?
What if you don't go to school, aren't allowed to say what you think or don't feel safe?

Then something has to be done.
Until all girls are proud, equal and lucky to be who they are, we cannot rest.

Stand up.
Shout out.
Make a difference.

I hope this poem has made you realise how important equality is and if all you do is go onto the Plan International website, that is enough to raise awareness and start making a change.

#itsaGirlThing

Watch Hazel's video

Book Review - The Help

I watched the film adaptation of The Help quite a while ago and after seeing it on my bookshelves recently, I decided to give it a go.

It was written by Kathryn Stockett and is set in Jackson, Mississippi during 1962. The chapters have varying narrators throughout, the first being Aibileen. She is black and works for a white woman called Miss Leefolt, raising her child, cooking and cleaning.

Chapter three is told from the point of view of Minny who is quite like Aibileen in the sense that she also earns money from working for richer white families, yet Minny has more of an outspoken nature and is no stranger to being fired. In the beginning, she works for Miss Walters - an old lady who is either deaf or pretends not to notice Minny's rudeness. However, when Miss Hilly (Miss Walter's awful daughter) annoys Minny, she does something terrible to Miss Hilly which causes her to be fired. After this, Minny goes to find another job and the only woman who will take her is the desperate Celia Rae Foote.

Miss Skeeter tells chapter five and we learn that she is a white lady trying to fit in with the others, yet failing because she disagrees with the shocking way black people are treated. She still lives with her parents and their maid is called Pascagoula. Previously, a lady named Constantine was their maid, but for a reason unknown to Miss Skeeter, Pascagoula took her place whilst Skeeter was away at university.

For the whole book, these are the only narrators. However, when all of the characters go to 'The Jackson Junior League Annual Ball and Benefit' in chapter 25, narration is in the third person, which means you only receive the story from an onlooker's perspective. 'The Benefit' as it is more concisely known is a night of fundraising for starving children in Africa.

The key theme in the story is the horrible way black people (maids in particular) are treated by white people. Miss Skeeter seems to be the only white person to want to do something about this and persuades many of the maids to tell her their stories so she can write a book about it. The book is eventually published anonymously and causes a commotion in not only Jackson, but all over America.

I would recommend this book to ages 16+ as it has adult themes such as racism and abuse. However, I wouldn't say the style of writing was too complex for younger teenage readers.

Overall, I think this is my favourite book so far! If you are thinking of reading any of the books I have reviewed, definitely try this one first.