"Don't Eat This Book"

            In America, obesity is big problem. There are many ways of becoming obese.  When you are at the point of being obese it is hard to get back the way you were before. The book “Don’t Eat this Book” by Morgan Spurlock describes how we got to this epidemic.  American life style is a path to becoming overweight, unless we diligently avoid certain distractions

            This country is set up to be attracted to unhealthy foods. In grocery stores, the cheapest foods turn out to be the unhealthiest ones. For example, soups that are packaged in cans are full of unhealthy ingredients. The people who are most impacted are the ones with limited money or who rely on food stamps. When you walk down the street and you are looking for something to eat, most of the places you would pass are fast food ones. In fact, in America, there are more fast food locations than regular restaurants. No wonder obesity is such a big problem.

Our lives are very busy. We work. We eat. We sleep and we do the whole routine all over again the next day. We start our day with waking up, getting ready for school or work and hop into a car or take other public transportation. When we get to work or school we sit down for the rest of the day looking at computer screens or listening to a teacher. Our brain gets so tired by the end of the day that we just want to go home and rest. But, did we exercise at all today? No. When we get home we want to go to the gym. But we decide to lay down on the couch instead. We get so caught up that we forget that we wanted to go to the gym. Procrastination is a big deal with obesity. Sedentary jobs tire our brain and our body. This life style makes us lazy.

Obesity is getting out of control in this country. Certain distractions are a major factor. There are too many fast food places; we have to stop them from growing. The American life style is set up for becoming overweight. We need to diligently avoid these distractions.

Blue Willow By Doris Gates

                                            Blue Willow

Blue Willow by Doris Gates tells the story of a 11 year old girl named Janey whose family moves a lot. It was set during the Great Depression. The title refers to the “willow plate,” which is Janey’s prized possession. The willow plate has been in her family for generations. It was passed from her grandmother to her mother to her, and after her mother’s death it represents a piece of her mother. Janey loves the plate, more than anything and it helps her feel less lonely.

In one key moment in the book, Janey shows the willow plate to her new friend Lupe and is disappointed by Lupe’s reaction. Lupe is very different from Janey. Her family is more stable and Janey is envious that Lupe has siblings. Lupe always wants to be right and thinks that the willow plate is not that special. The incident with the willow plate made Janey and Lupe argue, but throughout the book their relationship changes.

The girls become closer and when Lupe asks about the willow plate,  their friendship has grown stronger. In the end they are so close that Janey moves In with Lupe so she doesn't have to leave her friend.

I liked this book because it shows a friendship evolving and shows two different classes during the Great Depression. Janey’s family has to move around to find work while Lupe’s family is well off and can stay put. The girls are still able to be friends, which show that friendship endures.