Potter Pantagraph

April 2009 Morton Junior High School Potter Pantagraph Disclaimer Student work in the Potter representative of the school but simply representative of the writer. Pantagraph is not Inside this issue: Book Reviews Easter Short Story Ask Annie Cartoon Interesting Facts Easter Word Find Word of the Month Student Poll 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 School Play By Haley A. This year's 7th/8th grade play was A Mid Summer’s Night Dream, directed by Maggie McMenamin, and co-directed by Ms. Pillman. Maggie is a student at Eureka College, and Ms. Pillman works within the junior high in the mornings. As a cast member in the play, I can personally say that it was a great experience. Here is what Abbie F. (Tom Snout A.K.A. The Wall) had to say: HA: Was it hard to memorize your lines? AF: Not really because we went over the script so many times. HA: Did you make any new friends during the play process? AF: Yeah; the play was a great way to meet new people. HA: What was it like working with the director, Maggie McMenamin? AF: Ms. Mc was really fun and funny. It was great to get to know her. Potter Pantagraph Staff: • • • • • • • • HALEY A. BEKA B. JASON H. SOPHIE K. JACK L. RACHEL L. SAMI W. MRS. ANDREWS, Sponsor Potter Pantagraph Page 2 Book Reviews By Sami W. Looking for a great book that appeals to YOUR interests? Here are some suggestions. History Buffs: You are one if you love stories about all sorts of people that lived through the greatest or hardest times. - The Redheaded Princess by Anne Rinaldi ***** Think you know it all about Queen Elizabeth I? What about the time before she became queen? Don't know anything about this famous English lady? Princess Elizabeth will take you back in time on a journey that shows you her hardships and trials throughout her life that may relate to your own experiences! - The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis **** This book brings out the humor and adventure of a family's life, much like the book 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.' A great Sunday-night read. Sports Fans: Love hanging around the baseball fields and stuffing that extra book in your duffel? These might be for you! - Heat by Mike Lupica *** A great read for you baseball fans out there. Heat is a fast-paced, tightly written novel with believable characters. Mike Lupica is a well-known sports columnist and his experience in this particular field is quite evident in the action-packed sports scenes. Heat has heart and will appeal to sports and non-sports fans alike. Fantasy Freaks: OK, all of you Twilight/Harry Potter fans. Looking for something that matches up to J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyer? Never read either of these, but love faeries, trolls, ogres, or princes in disguise? This might be your book type! - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke ***** Curious Meggie and her father, Mo, set out on a journey when Mo makes the pages of a mysterious book come to life. Literally! Fast-paced and action-packed, Meggie, Mo and Dustfinger send you on a wild adventure that will keep you going until the end. - Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson***** Did you ever wonder how Peter Pan ended up on Never Land? Wished you knew why Captain Hook hated him so much? Do you know who Wendy Darling's mother is? Find out in this magnificent trilogy. - The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley*** For Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, fairy tales don't show up in their lives a lot. They are living with their grandmother who they thought to be dead after their parent's mysterious disappearance. Granny reveals the Brothers Grimm (writers of common fairy tales) to be their ancestors, whose collection of fairy tales is actually a collection of mischief. Read to find out the rest. Diary Divers: - The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot**** Mia Thermopolis is just like every other girl. Except her mom is dating her algebra teacher, her cat, Louie is just way too fat and, oh, ya, she happens to be the Princess of Genovia. Hilarious Read. - Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Colonita**** Ever wonder what REALLY goes on in Hollywood? Dying to sneak a peek into a celeb's diary just to see? Hollywood life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Take it from Katilin Burke; never EVER going to school isn't all it's cracked up to be. Mystery Magnets and Creepy Crimes: - Wanted by Caroline B. Cooney**** Suspense-filled from the very beginning, Cooney sends you on a wild run for your life! Fifteen year old Alice receives a disturbing phone call from her father one night telling her to come to an old burger joint and ride his convertible. Alice doesn't have her license, but her father yells "It doesn't matter!" into the phone. The next morning, her father is found dead. Everyone thinks Alice has committed this crime. Even her mother thinks so. Find out what happens as this crazy creepy novel takes a plunge. Continued on page 6 Page 3 Easter Short Story By Rachel L. I hadn’t gotten an Easter basket ever since I was a little kid. I thought I had grown out of the colorful jellybeans and chocolate bunny “phase.” This year, it was different. I saw a commercial for a Russell Stover chocolate bunny and my mouth watered. This commercial was different than those other random and boring commercials you always see on TV. I was hooked. At that moment I decided that I need an Easter basket with THAT chocolate bunny! After dropping the usual clever hints that kids often do to get what they want, my mom “surprised” me with a big white basket Easter morning. It contained an ITunes card, orange jellybeans in a bag shaped like a carrot, PEEPS, and the coveted chocolate bunny. I thanked my mom and whisked my basket back to my room where it would be safe away from my brother. He is the biggest candy thief! Later that night, I had already eaten the jellybeans and I fed the me, I looked down to see chocolate bunny tracks on my floor leading toward the door. Is this still a dream? Could the chocolate bunny know what I was thinking and had escaped from his fate of being eaten? I had to investigate. I followed the tracks and they led straight into my brothers’ room. There he was, asleep on his bed, shreds of gold foil surrounding him and smudges of chocolate on his lips. The thief had struck and I vowed revenge. I shook him awake and gave him a piece of my mind! He had eaten my entire bunny and dropped pieces along the way to his room. Next year, I’m getting that bunny and it’s the first thing I’m going to eat! PEEPS to my dog (I hate Peeps). I had saved the best for last and wanted to reserve the delicious chocolate bunny for a spot in my stomach after I had a good nights rest. Sleep well bunny. I have plans for you in the morning. As I slept, I had ‘Willy Wonka’ like dreams. I traveled through a forest of gumdrop trees while it was raining chocolate sprinkles. As I woke, I glanced over at my Easter basket to see my bunny was gone! As the anger boiled up inside of Page 4 ASK ANNIE Ask Annie offers an opinion on a variety of subjects. It is not an expert or professional opinion, but rather the advice from a peer. If you have any personal concerns that you need help with, please tell your parent, teacher, counselor, or other trusted adult. Dear Annie, There is this guy that I REALLY like. A lot of people think we are going out and I think we should but it will ruin our friendship. What should I do? Anonymous Dear Anonymous, I think you should tell him how you feel because there is always the chance he feels the same way about you. Don’t worry about a broken friendship because things that are broken can always be repaired. Annie Now where did that egg go? Jason H. Interesting Facts By Jack L. 1. One of the holiest Christian holidays is named after a pagan goddess. The word Easter derives from the AngloSaxon goddess, Eostre, who governed the vernal equinox. 2. The Bible is the most shoplifted book in the world. 3. Ice skaters skate on water, not ice. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, ice has a liquid surface measuring 40 billionths of a meter thick. 4. You can in fact get cooties. Cooties are lice. 5. The infinity sign is called a “lemniscates.” 6. E T A O I N S H R D L U C M F G Y P W B V X J Q Z: the alphabet in order of its frequency of use in written English. 7. 25% of all vegetables consumed in the Untied States are French fries. 8. 1 out of 5 American meals are eaten in a car. 9. Lyndon B. Johnson enjoyed Fresca so much that he had a special soda-pop tap installed in the White House. 10. A fetus acquires fingerprints by the end of the first trimester. Page 5 Easter Word Find Find these words that have to do with Easter and Spring. F B H E Z S K C I H C U W Q B B N E H E Z S K C I H C U W Q B B N E I E I E U L Q G M N L S G H H D N I S U Z W Q G M N L S G H H D N I S U Z W Y E Y E F N O G V A C A T I O N A G L G N B O G V A C A T I O N A G L G N B K T K T I E L W P S Z D X Z N X K C I X D N L W P S Z D X Z N X K C I X D N A Q A Q X S A G E P H B W A A R L W D K K G Y S O T M V N R M F E J O Y O W O D S N Q E F U B F V Y S B L T D L D A F M E I U E P Y U B A Q Y C E Q L J M N F H M R A R Q N RQ DN ER LD ZE ZL CZ AZ MC JA PM TJ AP MT RA PM CR TP C T Z W NZ LW LN CL GL WC MG OW IM XO NI DX DN CD PD SC KP DS K D D U VD EU KV PE CK HP EC EH LE DE OL ED PO RE RP QR UR PQ U P S U J J Q C S H D Q H O T U S J A C M E S U J J Q C S H D Q H O T U S J A C M E R M C M H R K A O A H E R S W R B Z D E R M C M H R K A O A H E R S W R B Z D E D O M K A U R Z V C K P A A E P B P Y P D O M K A U R Z V C K P A A E P B P Y P Y K J YM KS JA MN SL AS NS LO SR SL OT RZ LL TI ZI LE IS I T O K TP OP KV PZ PT VA ZO TG AL OS GH LP SL HT PA LD TQ A P M Z Q H U H B I S G A A D R L E D I Q P M Z Q H U H B I S G A A D R L E D I Q E P A S D R I B O Q E Y Y T A A R I L D E P A S D R I B O Q E Y Y T A A R I L D D L I DA LT IN AO TT NT OO TC TR OE CT RE EP TP EZ PU PY Z L U J LL UK JU LT KU UL TI UP LF IR PO FL RL OO LH LN OU H F U F I B L N E E S D Q Solution on page 6. U Y N U Basket, Birds, Bunny, Candy, Chicks, Chocolate, Color, Daffodils, Duck, Dyed, Easter, Egg, Flowers, Fun, Grass, Hunt, Jellybean, Lamb, Marshmallow, Nest, Parade, Peeps, Peter Cottontail, Quack, Rabbit, Roll, Spring, Sunday, Trees, Tulip, Vacation Word of the Month By: Jason H. Magnanimous- Noble of heart and mind, especially generous in forgiving Solution F U F I X O F P Q Z D S R D Y T P E D L B L N E S T U Y N W U U M O K O M P L U H Q O L A M B U R N V J C M J K Z A I J E G G W G V F B D L E J M K M P Q S A L Z M V P E N V A E L K Q H A S P H D T K S N A S P R Y Q L C P C R U A V U R N U K L C Z H M S Y Z G C S K R N Z H I O T C S A D B F B C Z W H H A Z L T B B T U I G T X W E L E C M E D O V S A I O T L H H I Z A J T Q A O E Q A C S O S Q O I C H O N A O D L M I L H H K O G G E C P U D N X R Y L J J X D O E P R L A Y R F W N A K L O D M P N O T R A L S A Y E R Q I G C W W A N T D E U S A T H D T T O B S L I D O F F A D P S W E Z P R A E L B U G X K D M H M C R J R P L L L A P L N Z N D K S E M R P R A B B I T E R P O E W B N G N I R P S Q C Z P I A D I Z H I Y K A Y Q U A C K U M D Y E D I L U N E E T Q S E E R T D P E E P S Q Q D Y U Page 6 It's A Great Day To Be A Junior Potter! Student Poll By Sophie K. What is the Best Thing in Spring? Being outside—Walter J Biking—Mitch L, John L Everything’s growing—McKenna H Flowers—Shelby T Garage sales—Quinn K Ice cream—Jeff R Knowing that school is almost out— Courtney D More time to hand with friends— Cassidy M Parties/Cookouts—Kenzi S Playing tennis—Jonah L Rain—Alli I Riding ponies—Erika F Spring Break—Taylor R, Ashley G, Micha M, Nikki A Spring weather—Katelynn W Swimming—Ryan F Sunlight—Tori M The Easter Bunny—Aly S Thunderstorms—Jen D Warm temperatures—Kayla M, Ben M, John S, Alex T Book Reviews (continued) Cool Covers (Even Better Reads): - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick***** This book is like nothing you've ever seen before. The cover appears to be a lengthy fantasy book. When you open it, it even seems similar to a graphic novel. But lengthy sections of wordless illustrations (284 pages of drawings!) illustrate a story that can be easily comprehended. Brian Selznick's brilliant hybrid is put in service of a complex and heartfelt story that involves a plucky orphan, the history of early cinema, the mechanics of clocks and other intricate machinery, and a little bit of magic. The whole is a work of great beauty and excitement, with breathless pacing ramped up even further by the wordless sections. Selznick has created an entirely new art form that succeeds as art, literature, and entertainment. More to look for: - The Mysterious Benedict Society - Adam Canfield of the Slash Morton Junior High School 225 E. Jackson Morton, IL 61550 Phone: 309-266-6522 Fax: 309-284-5033 http:\\mjhs.morton709.org