Martens' Diary by Kaitlin

Dear diary,

Today me and my Grandpa had some alone time. We went down to the small, dirty pond (which has no sign of life) in the morning. It is mine and grandpa’s favourite place to go. Whenever we go there he tells me our family stories. Today we had a lot of free time so that means he could tell me a lot of stories. The first story he told me was my great grandma’s (whose name is Marie).

When your great grandma was a little girl (which was when the First World War was on). She used to go to the field hospital every day. She would take her little handmade basket - which was full of eggs - down to try and get some money for her family. On her way to the Field Hospital, she would collect some freshly bloomed bright red poppies. It was the same every day, then one day she had not made a lot of money. On her way home she came across a lonely Tommy. In the middle of a field, he was sat on a small, broken, oak wood chair. Writing in a note book, he was using a tree stump as a table.

She went up to him and asked him if he wanted anything. Instead of answering all he did was throw a piece of paper into a puddle. She asked what it was; he told her everything about it (in the end it turns out it was a poem). She bought it home and now we still have that exact poem by the front door.              

Martens' Diary by Harley

Dear Diary,

                    Today, I got out of bed hoping for a tasty breakfast. As I was travelling down the stairs I could smell: eggs, baked beans, bacon and fried bread (tasty). I sat at my table and then grandpa exclaimed, “I have a surprise for you!”

I replied with, “Is it a fried breakfast?”

“Yep just how you like it.”

I was now eating a fried breakfast and my grandpa came in to sit at the table. When he sat down he was starting to tell me a story about Marie - I had never heard the story before but it sounded interesting - so I listened.

Grandpa told me that Marie used to be a little girl your age and she sold eggs to an Essex Farm. He went on to say - one day when Marie was selling eggs she came across a man sitting on a chair with is notebook on his lap so Marie shouted, “Eggs Tommy!” (the only words she knew in English). The first time she shouted the man didn’t hear so she repeated and the second time the man tared a piece of paper out of his notebook and threw it into a nearby puddle. Grandpa says Marie picks up the paper and the man just lets her take it (I didn’t believe that part). Grandpa goes on to say that Marie took it home not recognising it had a world-famous poem on it and as soon as she got home she put it on her wall (she touched it just thinking every day for luck).

I went on that day just thinking how my grandma met one of the most famous writers in the world, John McCrae. That night I could hardly sleep (Marie didn’t even know his name.) because Marie had a big chance of actually knowing one of the most famous writers in the whole world.

From that day forward, whoever I met I had to ask for their names. That was one of the best stories I had ever heard through my entire life.

Martens' Diary by Roxanne

Dear Diary,

                  Today I’m going to tell you one of the best, or maybe AMAZING, stories I know! Honestly – it’s sort of one of my favourites, but maybe that’s because my Grandpa tells them…?

Anyway, let’s get started!

This story was held in 2004 – On Christmas Day – when I was just a tiny baby (Meaning that I didn’t have a clue what was going on!) Apparently, my Papa had gone out for a walk, out beyond the Poppy-Field. – Grandpa always tells me how my Papa LOVED it there….it was his favourite place to go.

So, my Grandpa and Mama were waiting for my Papa – sipping and drinking their tea, and all that ‘posh’ stuff – but when he got back, he looked like he had just seen a ghost! His cane was gripped tight in his left hand, whilst his grey hat was swerved around the back of his head! (He was also breathing quite heavy, so I think he ran home.)

He sat down, near the edge of the table – next to Mama – whilst he took his coat and hat off – he also put his cane away at the exact same time. Since he was shivering out of his right mind, my Mama gave him a toasty mug of water to heat him up. (Well, we don’t want to waste the logs for the fire do we? That was valuable back then!)

After a couple of sips, he began to tell us what had happened, his story was in great detail – each sentence was about 10 breaths long, as his lips were quivering as-well.

He told them both that he had gone to the Poppy-Field, but the thing is that he had no exact clue why – he thinks that he was just suddenly drawn there – but the most important thing he said that he’d saw figures, and that they were talking, shaking hand, and even smoking!

He managed to figure out that they were army soldiers. –By their uniform, but they both looked like darker shades from one another, so he knew that they were on opposite sides.

He stared at them for a couple of minutes – and even watched them walk away from one another – at this point, he obviously knew that this clear of fog he saw was on Christmas Day… or was it the Christmas Truce…?

But just to finish off this story, my Grandpa always likes to imitate my Papa when said this;

“It happened, honest to God! – Right before my eyes….’’

Martens' Diary by Ruby

Dear diary,

Today grandpa told me about my first ever Christmas. I almost cried because Christmas was the day when my papa died. Grandpa told me he went out in the morning fog and heard men’s voices but when he walked towards them he found they had gone. After that mum made papa a nice hot drink papa hopped on his tractor and went to plough the poppy field. Grandpa said, “I watched him drive into the mist and that was the last time I saw him again.” As for me I was fast asleep inside the house I didn’t find out my papa had died until I was older, I guess I was too young to understand then.

I wish I could have met my papa but nothing can stop the shell that killed him. Yes, a shell killed my papa he drove over a shell (from world war one) and boom he was dead. It was so sad, my mum and grandpa never set foot in that field again they were too scared to.

I always go past that poppy field on my bike and I think about my papa as I cycle past. I hope grandpa will tell me another story soon. Grandpa does tell me another story I will make sure I write it down.

Martens' Diary by Jaydon

Dear Diary,

Today, Grandpa remembered it was a special day because it was Remembrance Day so we have a minute silence to remember those in the war.  He started to tell me the story about how my father died so my grandpa helped me to remember him.  Grandpa told me, that my dad put on his boots after breakfast one morning and got on his tractor.  Then Grandpa helped him to hitch up the plough in the farmyard onto the tractor.  Then they watched him ride into the mist then that was the last time they saw him alive because he drove over a World War One bomb shell, BANG, he was gone.  That was how he died.  Even though it was a very said day we will still talk about him now.                 

Martens' Diary by Bradley

Dear diary,

Today, my grandfather told me a story about my great-grandmother (Marie) getting married to my great-grandfather (Pete) let me tell you how it went. Marie was out in town, shopping, until she noticed a service at the Menin gates. There were people playing the bugle, surrounding her.

Beside all the soldiers, a man, a soldier- reciting the poem that Marie had on her wall since she was a girl. The poem read:

In Flanders fields the poppies grow,

Between the crosses row on row

And in the sky, the larks

Still bravely singing,

Fly Scarce heard admits the guns below.

Short days ago,

We lived, felt down, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved,

And now we lie in Flanders.

After the service, Marie started to head home, until suddenly the Tommy reciting the poem ran over and asked, "How do you know the poem? You were saying it at the same time as me?”

“I met the person who wrote it and now I know it off by heart,” she slowly replied. Before they knew it they were sharing a drink at the town café. Chatting. Chatting a lot.

The two started to feel a lot closer as time went on and Marie told him about how she got the poem in the first place. She took him to her house - where the poem sat and before they knew it they were husband and wife.

So that’s the story about my great grandparents, Marie and Pete, let's hope grandpa tells us another inspirational story tomorrow…

Letter to a soldier by Joshua D

Walter Dewey

Private 17966

2nd Battalion

Bedfordshire Regiment

Dear Mr Dewey

I am your great-great grandson and my grandad, Roger Dewey, has been telling me all about you. I know you volunteered in November 1914 and after completing a period of training at Felixstowe was later drafted to the Western Front. I imagine that you were sad to leave your family at home and especially your wife and 5 children, who were under the age on 10. I am writing to thank you for fighting for our country during the First World War. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if everyone didn’t fight and the Germans won the war.

I know that after only 8 days active service you were killed in the La Bassée sector on the 16th June 1915. Despite having no formal grave, you are commemorated on three war memorials, at each of Somersham, Witchford and the Le Touret in Pas de Calais, France. My grandad and dad have both been to one of the war memorials in France where you are commemorated. One day I would like to go with my dad and see where your name is. Our family will never forget that you bravely gave your life for the country.

Yours sincerely

Joshua

Letter to a soldier by Lilly-Ella

Dear Soldier,

I am writing to thank you for serving us in the country, and the dedication to our great nation.

I feel safe knowing you have fought so hard to save our country and appreciate your bravery helping to protect all of our people. You risked your own lives every day to help make the world a better place so we could all live-in peace.

I can’t imagine what fear went through your minds every single day and the not knowing who was going to survive or die. The horrific things you must have seen upset me greatly. I now have a few questions if you don’t mind.

What did it feel like every day when you had to risk your life for our country? How did you get in contact with your families? Did you get in contact with your families?

On Remembrance Day and every other day, we will remember the fallen soldiers and the surviving soldiers who fought in world war 1.

Yours sincerely,

 Lilly-Ella

Letter to a soldier by Jessica

Dear Denis Baker,

I am writing to you to ask you some questions and talk about the war. Was the war scary to you? Did you get much sleep? Did you ever fall out with anyone? Did you miss your family? Did you score a goal in the Christmas truce? How old were you when you went to war? And finally, did you lie about your age so you could go to war?

At school we have been learning about the war and it is very interesting. It must have been hard work. I would like to say a huge thank you for fighting for us in the war. You must be willing, kind, helpful, and most importantly brave. It takes a lot to go to war and potentially get killed. War was a horrible thing and it shouldn't have happened. You are a great person.

Your sincerely,

 Jessica

Letter to a soldier by Joshua

Dear Mr Henry Atkins

I am writing this letter to you to say thank you for signing up to be a soldier In the First World War and also thanking you for trying to protect our country in doing so. I bet when fighting in the war you saw some, or many horrendous, sights as a young man? I also bet you lost quite a few friends and comrades fighting at your side?  We will all remember and thank them for all they have done for us in our country.    

I am sorry to hear you lost your life fighting for our country in France and that you died so young at the age of 29. I will remember you every Remembrance Sunday and all you have done for us and your comrades also fighting for our country.

Yours Sincerely

Joshua 

Letter to a soldier by Oliver F

Dear Charles Burrows

I am writing to you to say thank you as you made the ultimate sacrifice of giving your life so I can live mine. You died in battle only nineteen years old in the 1st world war. I cannot imagine what your family and loved ones went through losing you at such a young age, the pain you must have gone though.

Know that you will you always be a hero to me and everyone else we are proud of you and forever grateful for a soldier who lived in Skegness. May your soul be never forgotten.

yours always

 Oliver

Letter to a soldier by William F

Dear George William Cook

I'm writing to say thank you for fighting for my country in the first world war. You lost your life on Christmas eve I will be forever grateful for the sacrifice you made. I can only imagine the pain and heartache your family went through. You will never be forgotten my hero.

yours sincerely

William

Letter to a soldier by Anissa

Dear Henry,

Thank you so much for fighting in the war for our country (England), without you and your team then we would loose and England wouldn’t be the same as it is now. When you died you were ready for action and to fight and you died in a very young age only twenty-nine years old. It was just like a year and a couple of months before the war ended when the guns fell silent. Everyone will remember you and all of those who took place and were fighting in war because we will see your names at church. Thank you for fighting for England Henry.

Your sincerely, 

Anissa

Letter to a soldier by Tom A

Dear Soldier,

I am writing to you to say thank you for fighting for our country. You must have been really brave to fight the Germans and end up surviving it. It must have been hard, especially when there was a chance you could be shot or blown up every second. I wonder what your relatives would have felt knowing there was a chance you were dead or seriously injured. If I were them I would have been worried sick!

Now, these are the questions I would have asked you. What did you eat? What would you do if your eyesight started going bad? Did some of you go deaf from the whistling of the bombs as they came down? How did you feel when you heard the call to start fighting? They are all the questions I would have liked to ask you.

Thank you again for saving our country. I hope you lived and died with glory.

Yours sincerely,

Tom

Letter to a soldier by Emerson

Dear John William Hardy,

My name is Emerson and I am a 10-year-old boy who is currently living in Skegness with my mum, dad and my three younger brothers. Today it is Armistice Day in the year 2018; 100 years after the end of the First World War. Today has made me think about all of those soldiers, like yourself, who sacrificed their lives fighting for their country.

I have the upmost respect for you and wanted to write this letter to you to thank you for everything you have done to make the world I live in a better place. You gave up so much for us; your family, your job, your friends and ultimately, your life - something that can never be repaid. You did all this and didn't expect anything back which is very selfless.

I need to thank you for all your hard work and dedication as I know that you would have been expected to do lots of challenging tasks (both physically and mentally) to enable you to prepare for the circumstances of war. I cannot imagine how exhausting it must have been.

I would also like to thank you for your bravery and being strong, both physically and mentally. I realise that I am lucky to live the life that I do because of you. Yes you! You are the good - selfless, hard working, dedicated and much more. Without you and your comrades, I would not be able to live the life that I currently do. Therefore, I am ever in your favour for what you did for me and my country.

Yours Sincerely,

                             Emerson

Book Review - Faith P

Book review of ‘The boy in the dress’ by David Walliams

The story is of a 12-year-old boy named Dennis and his 14-year-old brother John. The boys lived with their dad, he eats a lot after his wife leaves him. Dennis is good at football and is one of the best on his team. Dennis misses his mum, who left about five years ago, he keeps remembering a yellow dress his mum used to wear in an old picture.

One day, Dennis sees the same dress on the cover of a magazine, and buys a copy from Raj, the shop owner. His dad finds the magazine and is not happy. One day, at school his brother John teases him and calls him "Denise". Dennis is given detention for kicking a football through a window. When he is in detention, he talks to a girl named Lisa James, the prettiest and favourite girl in the school. Lisa takes him over to her house and dresses him up in girls’ clothing. Dennis puts on a blue dress and they both go out, he now is known as "Denise", a French student who doesn’t speak much English. They go to the corner shop and Raj does not recognise Dennis, now they know he can be Denise, he goes to school with Lisa - as "Denise".

Dennis kicks a football and falls which now shows him as a boy. He gets expelled from the school for being in a dress. When he gets home his dad sends him to his room. Dennis’s best friend Darvesh, comes to see him, but Dennis’s dad won’t let him see him. Dennis goes to a football match on Saturday, where his entire team tells him to play in a dress and team wins. Dennis's dad watches the match and forgives Dennis. On a Sunday morning, Raj tells Dennis that Mr Hawtrey's the headmaster’s sister, Doris, buys the newspaper now instead of him. He also tells him that there was something funny about her. Lisa and Dennis go to Raj's shop and find out that Doris is actually Mr Hawtrey in a skirt. The two threaten Mr Hawtry that Dennis should be allowed back to the school, if not they will tell everyone of Mr Hawtrey's different dressing, he agrees to let Dennis back.

At the end of the story, Dennis, his dad, and his brother have a better family life and remember the happy times of their mum. Dennis and Lisa stay friends.

Book Review by Ellie

Review of L.P. Tom Gates 'EPIC Adventure'

The story is about having two sets of grandparents, turning out to be very good for Tom Gates.

The WRINKLES: mums’ parents, are keen on giving me presents and they're planning a family outing too, which is going to be EPIC. Delia (my sister) wants to come as well. (Why?) I can always ignore her.

What happened was unusual because Tom went to a lady’s hairdresser, to get his hair cut.

The events didn't really follow on from each other because once one event had ended another one started.

Tom Gates, Mum, Dad, the grandparents, Derek, Amy, Marcus, Delia are the main characters because they get mentioned the most.

Tom Gates: In the story was a kind and caring person like most people are, but inside him is something mysterious and cheeky about him too.

Mum and Dad: Well they are embarrassing mostly throughout the story but in some parts, they are curious about what's going on.

The grandparents: Act like they are some sort of spy in someways then just a normal human in other ways.

Derek: Is a good friend for Tom when he needs it. He sticks up for him when Marcus is being annoying.

Amy: Is a sweet girl and caring and kind to everybody.

Marcus: Is jealous of how many friends other people have got, and is an annoying little brat.

Delia: Is just a normal teenage girl who is always in her room.

The character didn't seem to be described at all in the story.

The story is written in the first person throughout the whole book.

The story is that important but it is funny and hilarious in most parts of the story.

The setting wasn't detailed that much as it wasn't focused on the setting it was mostly focused on the characters.

They didn't describe the feeling at all throughout the story.

Yes, it was a very good story because it had detail and it just pulled you into it as soon as you started reading it.

My favourite moment in the story is when Tom goes to the hairdressers he was messing around outside on the way to school with Derek.

I wouldn't change any of the story or characters in the story.

I think he had experienced some of the stuff in the story, so I think that is why he wrote it.

It made me feel happy inside as I was reading it, then sad when I had finished it because it was really good.

I don't feel like I had learnt anything from the story.

I would recommend this book to people who like art because there is a lot of amazing art and because it is funny.

I will definitely read more by this author, this is my second Tom Gates book.

Book review - Fatima

The book today is:

Dork diaries - Party time

In the story there’s this girl called Nikki and she thinks of herself as a dork when she really isn’t. The book is just about her and her high school and how bad she thinks her life is, she meets her new real friends and secret crush and of course her worst enemy. There was a Halloween dance and Nikki got gutted because her worst enemy (Mackenzie) was bragging about taking Brandon (Nikki’s crush) to the dance so she would rather go to her little sister’s party.

The length of time that covers the book is just one year of high school and she hates it it’s just

all ruined because of Mackenzie. The actual happening of the book was usual it always happens she always gets made fun of and bullied by Mackenzie and her friends but Zoey and Cloe (Nikki’s best friends) always cheers Nikki up, such good friends.

The opening of the story is dramatic she was panicking about starting high school and was really upset because she was really worried if she wouldn’t find any friends and she was totally FREAKING OUT!

The story was about lots of different bits formed to make this story it’s like day after day after day that’s why each chapter counts as each day but the story line doesn’t change completely it just follows on in a different way.

The main characters are: Nikki, Mackenzie, Brandon, Jessica, Chloe and Zoey. Nikki: She is the main character because this book is about her. She is really nice to people but she doesn’t get the same respect back only with her friends there nice to.

Mackenzie: she is the school popular kid that shows off and nobody says no to her they all have to admire her she is just pure evil!

Brandon: he is really nice to everyone and he doesn’t show off and Mackenzie takes him away from Nikki so that she can’t talk to him at all but what Nikki doesn’t know is that he actually doesn’t like Mackenzie and likes her.

Jessica: she is really mean like Mackenzie because she’s her best friend and together they are the worst she absolutely humiliated Nikki at the dance and still does.

Chloe: she is one of Nikki’s best friends at high school and is super funny all the time and is weird as well but as a good friend does, she always sticks up for them and makes sure they are alright.

Zoey: she is really protective for her friends and never backs away from their problems and is always smiling like she never stops. EVER!

The characters weren’t described that much when they were first introduced into the story but as the story was going on little bits about them appeared so now at least I know what they are like.

I found Nikki the most interesting character in the story not just because she is the main one but she is the only one that is described the most in all ways not just what she is like.

Nikki is not changing as he story is developing she is just one ordinary person made into this story I am not saying the story isn’t good it is still very nice.

The story is presented in first person because it is a diary that she is writing and doing it in first person. I know it is in first person because it says I, me and she.

The setting was not described that much but there were pictures so you could see what the setting is but there wasn’t pictures in every new scene, there was still some little descriptions on what the setting looked like.

The feelings of the characters were described in a good amount of detail and you could really tell what the characters were feeling whether if they were happy or sad.

The story was brilliant it had a bit of everything like comedy a bit of sad times and a lot of happy times! I really enjoyed reading that story and I could read it a million times more. If I wanted to. Which I don’t. I can’t be bothered to. Any way I really enjoyed that story and it really tells me not to be afraid of high school. Never was. Never will be. My favourite moment

in the story is the bits where there was dramatic silence because I just think to myself if I were there I really wouldn’t be that dramatically silent. At all, so those moments made me laugh.

I think an improvement for the story is they should not mix the story up because in one or two bits there are just completely different lines and it doesn’t follow on to the story.

Book Review - Anissa

A book review about Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Wonder, is about a young boy that has a facial disfigurement, he is ten years old and he lives with his sister, mum and dad. His name is August, sometimes he gets really upset because people give him different looks only because he has something wrong with his face. At the start of the story August was saying that he does ordinary things but his face isn’t the same. He is going into 5th grade [year six] but he didn’t really go to school because of his face and the surgeries he had. At first it was a happy story but then it started getting sad.

The main characters are August, his mum, his dad and his new school principal. August is a very kind and thoughtful boy, his dad is very funny because he always tells funny jokes, his sister is very thoughtful and helpful because she always helps August with anything and the principal is very nice and kind he can help at all times. Some of the characters were described like August about the way he looks like. I found August’s sister [Via] is the most interesting because she always tells people to stop and I could feel like I was her because it just gets in my mind. She didn’t change, she was the same all through. Their mum and dad are the only relationships there.

It was written in first person just like it was happening now. It was important because it made it feel like it was happening now and it would get in your mind. The setting wasn’t really in detail because it didn’t really give much information about it. The feelings were described in detail because they tell you how they feel. It was a very good and marvellous story because it has all the details and what happened. My favourite part of the story was when they came in to August’s new school and he went looking round because he was so scared about it but then got happy.

I think that the author had a particular reason of telling this story to show to some children to not judge people or a book by its colour or look. I felt really sad at one point because these older kids started picking on him and making him get upset but after I read it I felt happy that he found a lot of different friends to play with. I learned that you can’t be mean to people with disabilities or anything else. I would definitively recommend this book to a lot of people. I would read other books by this author because his books always tell true stories that people learn to be nice to others.

Book Review - Taylor

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In the prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter) there is loads of magic. They find a giant bird and fly through the sky in order to free Sirius Black.

The story is about wizards and witches, magic and a boy that is a in the school of magic and adventure.

The length of time is over a school year and mostly night time because of the dark magic.

It is very unusual because they fly in the sky on a giant bird and there is ton of magic and death.

The opening was exciting because of all the detail so it makes you want to read on.

It started with loads of detail then to the next paragraph and more story for about 3 more pages and then the same on the rest.

The main characters are Ron, Harry Potter, Hermione, Sirius and Voldemort.

Voldemort is very horrible but the rest are nice and they have to kill him.

They were described in lots of minor details like Harry, the boy who lived.

I found Harry most interesting because he is the only person that survived the killing curse.

Ron Weasley turned on Harry because of a horcrux and ran away.

There was a big disagreement with freeing Sirius Black because everyone thought that he was a villain.

The story was written in third person because it said he and she plenty of times. It is very important because you can only use one of them, you can’t switch between them.

The setting was described in detail because it said he got forced to do it in secret at the dead of night.

The feelings were described in detail because in the story Harry shouted with anger and his words were in bold.

It was a good story because the detail made me want to read on.

My favourite part was when they were heading to the castle because of all the speech.

The ending because it ended really fast and I wanted to read on because I liked the story and all the fighting. I would put some more writing and I would but to be continued.

No, I don’t think JK Rowling had a particular reason to write the books.

I felt like I could be a wizard so I was excited and fell asleep because I read it before I went to bed.

Not really because I already read the fest of the books before.

I would recommend this book because it has fighting witchcraft and wizardry and people like that.

Yes, because the other books are amazing and magical so if there is some more, I will read them.