Outside Reading Post- Week 3- Post #2

Happy Birthday or Whatever by Annie Choi

Journal Entry

Over all, I really enjoy this book. It is very well-written and includes several new vocabulary words for me to learn. Annie Choi, the author of this book, is amazing at making the reader visualize the situation and setting of the situations and conversation that occur in her life. It’s as if I, as the reader, am actually part of the story. The author is also quite talented at expressing the humor of her family and their beliefs. I often find myself laughing in my room by myself while reading this book. It is absolutely hilarious. The conversations are so engaging, yet so real. I was upset and angry when her mother got breast cancer; I was embarrassed when her mother went out to eat with her decked out in plaid galore. I truly feel the emotions being expressed by Annie in the book, and while reading it, I find myself “lost” in Annie’s world. I personally can relate to the book as I have a similar relationship with my mother. Although, we, like Annie and her mother, fight the most out of our family, we probably do get along the best, if that makes any sense. A weakness I find in this book is that it doesn’t really follow only one stories; it has multiple stories, which is kind of hard to follow because the chapters don’t really fit together. I think though at the end of the book, the last chapter, all loose ends will be tied up, and there will be a reason, or a lesson-learned, from this book rather than just being about funny situations with the Korean family; I at least hope so.