I would like to invite so many people over for dinner, but these are my top three. I would like to invite Taylor Swift, my Aunt Molly, and my new baby cousin, Birdie.

In case you don’t know who Taylor Swift is (which is pretty impossible by now!) she is an American songwriter and singer who is one of the most influential pop artists of all time. I would like to invite her over to dinner because I absolutely love her music so much! She is my favorite musician by far because she has an amazing voice and writes incredible, powerful music. She also believes that girls can do anything that they put their minds to even though you have to overcome obstacles a lot of time. I look up to her and it would be a dream to meet her.

Secondly, I would like to invite my Aunt Molly over for dinner. I would like to invite her over for dinner because I have not seen her in a very long time! I really miss her and I would really love to see her. She is really nice and funny and I would be so grateful to finally get to visit her after almost two months of not seeing her. She has recently had her new baby and has been really busy!

Finally, I would like to invite my new baby cousin over for dinner. She is so cute, but I have only seen pictures of her and I would love to see baby Birdie in real life! I really love babies because they are so adorable and lovable. It would be so exciting to meet her, and this dinner party would be a perfect time! Who would you like to invite over for dinner?

For this month’s rad reading, I read Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone. This book is about a girl named Samantha in high school who has OCD. This is a secret who she has hidden from everyone at her school, including her best friends (the popular girls.) Every day, she tries to layer up all her problems behind perfectly applied makeup and fashionable outfits so that she can maintain the delicate friendship that she has with them. But one day, she meets this quirky, unfashionable, funny girl who shows her a hidden place called Poets Corner below the theater. It is a secret poetry club that meets in the old janitor’s closet twice a week where everyone reads poetry and has lunch together. There is one boy, AJ, who she is particularly fond of, but he is awfully cold to her for some reason that she will eventually figure out.

This is a great book about love, sadness, dealing with your emotions, and discovering your true friends. There are so many different things that I didn’t know before reading this book about what people who have OCD struggle with in their everyday life. I learned how it’s so hard to control obsessions and anxiety that people with this disorder have over certain things. In the book that I just read, the main character Sam has this obsession over the number three. She doesn’t feel safe or content until certain things that she does are done in patterns of three. For example, she won’t get out of her car until the odometer is at a three, or if the elevator number is pressed three times.

Caroline was my favorite character because she was a great friend, but also didn’t care what other people thought of her. One of her character traits was reliable. On page 233 the book states, “‘Can you keep a secret?’ I ask her. Caroline rolls her eyes. ‘Of course I can.’” This quote shows that she is reliable because she is a loyal friend that won’t share her friend’s private information. This is a great characteristic that Caroline has because it is good to have someone to talk to who won’t share what they hear from you.

My favorite quote from the book is “No. It’s not perfect. But it’s me.” (page 352) I really liked this quote because sometimes the things that we like best about ourselves aren’t always the things that are viewed as good or perfect, but sometimes that is what we like the most. A lot of people try to hide these things to fit in better with everyone else, but you can feel happier when you let this free. This is what Caroline taught Sam with her funny outfits and practical hiking boots. You shouldn’t have to care what others think, because your true friends will like you no matter what. 🤍

For my dream job, I would like to be a makeup designer for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour!

I would want to do this for many reasons. First of all, I would be able to travel the world for free! Taylor Swift tours the world because everyone just about everywhere loves her beautiful music and thinks that she is an amazing artist! I would get to travel anywhere from Tokyo, Japan to Italy!

Second of all, I would do something that I love to do everyday. I really like makeup because it is really cool and is a way to express how you feel. It can exaggerate certain emotions that you feel and can get people to act a certain way. If that isn’t enough, get to do it on Taylor Swift who is my favorite artist of all time!

Finally, I would have the privilege to hang out with Taylor every single day! I have always loved her so much from a very young age and she inspires me everyday to be a good person and to help others. Her music shows so much emotion and the struggles that she has had as a female artist, a person, and as a musician. I feel I could learn so much from her experiences and I really like her so much!

For this month’s reading, I read Rebel With A Donut by Chrissy Q Martin.

Emma is a nobody back at home in her school. She is sent away to her grandmother’s house in Florida to break her habit of following the rules at all costs, and to branch out a little and make some friends. Her grandmother has also invited her friend’s kids who are also in high school along with her. The five teenagers began their habit breaking adventures as they go on trips with their grandmothers together. She begins to take particular interest in a boy named Tyler, who he unknowingly went to school with her in their freshman year. As she begins to make friends with him, she soon realizes that you can’t always be scared and run from the truth!

What I liked about this book was its simple, sweet storyline that is very cute and easy to follow. Sometimes it is nice to just read a book that is happy and makes you feel good inside. I liked how all of the characters at the beginning seemed like such a mixed batch of people – Ravi is the ultimate nerdy school guy, Tyler is the popular people pleaser, Cole is the ‘scary’ one who wears gothic clothing, Hannah is the popular girl who wears fancy makeup and is constantly on her phone, and Emma is the nobody. But together, they all find ways to bond with each other in ways that they never knew before and built lasting friendships in their grandma’s retirement community in Florida! It made me feel warm inside and said that friendship can be found everywhere.

Grandma was my favorite character because she loves and cares for her granddaughter and wants to show her that change is good and can make you happy! One of her character traits is open-minded. A quote that supports this is on page 28, the Grandma states sincerely, “You’re so afraid of what people and of getting in trouble that you hide and run away. That’s why breaking some small rules might be good for you.” This quote demonstrates that Grandma truly cares and wants Emma to have a happier life and build some strong friendships.

My favorite quote from the story is “‘and you’re worth breaking the rules for.’” (Page 357). This is my favorite quote because it is really nice and shows how friends and relationships can sometimes make you feel uncomfortable and make you do things that you may not want to do. For Emma, this was breaking rules. She always focused on being obedient to everyone because she doesn’t want to do something wrong, and because of this she missed out on so many things. Sometimes it just takes someone to push you out of your box so that you can break habits and experience o many amazing new things the world has to offer.

The possibilities are endless when you are invisible for 24 hours! With my invisibility, the first thing that I would do is sneak into Knott’s Berry Farm! Once I make it swiftly past security, I will speed through the line at GhostRider and hop aboard. I quickly switched off my invisibility just ion time so I don’t get sat on by someone. “Whew!” I said, just as a lady almost sat on me before I appeared in the seat. This ride was so much fun! The exhilarating twists and turns caused me to scream with delight! Before leaving the park for my next activity, I grabbed a cinnamon churro which I ate contently. Yum!

The next thing that I would do is go on a free shopping spree for myself! I went to Irvine Spectrum and kicked off my shopping in the Apple Store, where I secretly smuggled a new phone without anyone even noticing! I will admit that I did feel a little guilty for taking phone, but a new phone is too good to pass up for my invisible self. After this, I went to Nordstrom Rack and got some new clothes. Finally, I finished off my time at the mall at Sephora. I tested out all of the free samples – from lip gloss to blush to lotion!

The last thing that I would do is go on a relaxing hike through the woods. Without all the people noticing me, I was able to have a calming, uninterrupted hike. I walked through the elegant winding path and listened to the peaceful birds chirp in the trees. Even though all of the other activities that I had done previously through the day were really exciting, this was my favorite because it put my mind at ease and I was able to just be myself!

Being invisible was so much fun, but it is nice to now be back to myself so people can talk to me!

When I woke up, the taste of hot sand lingered in my mouth. I had so many questions as I lay there face first in the sand! Where was I? Who had brought me here? I opened my eyes to see a beautiful scene. The elegant clear water splashed softly against the soft sand. Pink seashells were laden across the shore. A warm breeze tickled the back of my neck. Palm trees bursting with coconuts were dancing in the breeze above me. As soon as I saw this picturesque place, I knew this was going to be my home.

That was how I remembered my first day on the deserted island, and its magic still stays the same. Everyday I wake up in my hammock bed between the two biggest palm trees on the island beside the little freshwater pond, filled with colorful rocks and plants. I have my breakfast, which consists of mangoes, coconut milk, and some eggs that I get from the wild birds on the island. After this, I tend to the plants in my garden. These plants are sweet potatoes, passion fruits, and other edible plants that are easy to grow on the island. Then I get my daily exercise in by surfing in the small, tropical waves. Then I go fishing for my lunch in dinner. After this, I take a quick nap in my hammock before sunbathing. Finally, I eat my dinner and fall asleep underneath the stars. I love this island so much, and intent to stay here forever!

For this month’s reading, I read Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow. This book is a fictional story about a girl who’s “already lost more than most people do in a lifetime.” She says she has lost her best friend and her mother. To relive her depression, she breaks things and sadly uses them to cut herself! With each painful cut comes a new scar and a new bad memory that’s almost impossible to forget for most people. One night, when she goes too far, she is taken to a hospital where hopefully she will learn that causing pain won’t change anything.

I thought that this book was ok, but I think it was WAY too sad for me! But if you like deep books that leave you with a very emotional feeling, then this is the perfect fit for you. It is really well written, but I personally would not read it again. Although I didn’t love this book, the author did do an amazing job making all of the characters feel real like they are right next to you. The characters will definitely take you into their emotional life!

Casper the nurse was my favorite character. Even though she was sort of a background character, she dedicated her life to helping the girls in every way she could. One of her character traits is kind. A quote that demonstrates her kindness is on page 6, when the author says, “Casper always tells us to breathe…don’t we feel better when we just breathe?” This demonstrates her kindness because she wants all of the girls to be happy, calm, and at ease.

My favorite quote from this story is “I’m willing to fly you all the way here just so I don’t have to fly back all by myself.” (page 382) This is my favorite quote because it is really sweet. you will have to read this book to understand what I mean. This quote happened at the end of the story, when she is flying on the airplane for the first time. I interpreted it as showing that even in the darkest of times, everything can still work out in the end. This part of the book is where she finds a job and starts her life back up, without having to cut herself. Because hurting yourself won’t change anything, and Charlotte finally learns to enjoy life while we have it.

Once, there was a puppy named Fred. One day, he woke up to a loud noise in his home. He was just adopted recently, so he wasn’t used to loud city sounds! He was very startled and perplexed about what he was hearing. There were loud whooshing noises in the house. Could it be a giant vacuum cleaner? Or maybe just the wind. He tried to ignore his thoughts and fall back to sleep, but his curiosity began to overtake his mind. With this, he was up on his feet. As he looked around, his house looked like it had transformed into a circus tent. There were blue and yellow stripes across his whole house. The puppy imagined a creepy clown with a feather popping out from behind the door, and instantly regretted thinking of that! This must be a bad dream, thought the puppy. He closed his eyes and opened them again. It wasn’t! This could only mean one thing… The circus just came, (which didn’t seem right), or his house was being fumigated! The little puppy was up on his feet. He stumbled out of his house just as the toxic mist started to spray everywhere. He burst through the doorway, coughing and dizzy. He took a few more steps forward and fell into a hole! He was to tired to move, so he settled for this to be his subterranean resting place. Poor Fred was tired and lonely. He wondered if his owners ever remembered where they left him…

The Dumbledore quote that relates to me the most is the one that says, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.” This quote is very special to me because a lot of times when people find themselves lonely or sad, they need to remember that there is lots of good in everything, you just need to make the choice of whether to look for it or not. Sometimes the joy may seem impossible to find, and I think almost everyone can relate to that in some point in their life. Remember that there is beauty in everything, and when you feel lost you can always step into the light and help it guide your way out of the darkness. This quote relates to me very much because during the 5th grade I was going through a lot of friend issues and sometimes I didn’t really know who to be friends with and who to trust. But then I remembered that this was my last year, and that I should make the best of it! I started talking to some new friends, and I was so much happier.

Somebody that I look up to as my hero is Taylor Swift. I look up to her because she has great music and she is a powerful figure for all women.

I really like her music because all of her songs are really cool, unique, and well written. Taylor writes almost all of her songs on her own and plays a lot of the instruments that she uses in them. Also, she has an all around amazing voice that is very nice to hear! My favorite song from her albums is Anti- Hero because it is so different from any other song that I have heard before and she also puts al lot of emotion and passion into the songs she writes.

Another reason that Taylor Swift is someone that I look up to is because she is a powerful person and represents women. Her music, actions, and success prove that women can do anything that they put their mind to! She also encourages women all over the world to make sure that their voice is being heard and that their thoughts and feelings matter just as much as anyone else’s!