History does repeat itself; especially when it comes to mass murders in London. The Name of the Star is a part of the series “Shades of London”. Maureen Johnson visited London. That is where the idea of the series was born. While vacationing, she learned about Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper was an unidentified murderer in 1888 in London. The book is a mysterious novel about a girl named Rory who goes to London with her parents for a semester. While in London, Rory attends boarding school where she develops a strong bond with her roommate Jazza. But Rory arrived at just the right time, the time of the Ripper’s killing spree.

Jack the Ripper was a man who killed went on a killing spree in 1888. It is now 1988, and someone is mimicking the Ripper’s agenda. The police are scattered across the city but they have no suspects. There are no witnesses, except for Rory. Rory is the only person who has seen the Ripper.

The book explores different obstacles that Rory goes through regarding school, love, and finding herself, the normal teenage experiences.  One of the major themes in the book involves Rory trying to finding herself. She questions her abilities, thoughts, and actions. Rory is a teenager, and every teen goes through that phase. Johnson portrayed this phase in an interesting way because at the time Rory is trying to figure herself out, continuous murders are happening around her, she becomes a target for the Ripper, and she has friends and family who are worried about her.

Rory and all the other students are innocently in school while the murders are getting closer to campus. The police camp out in front of the school for days to make sure the students and staff are safe, and also because the most recent Ripper victim was murdered nearby. The police have no leads because no one has spotted the Ripper, not even the dozens of security cameras that surround the area. “The white tent was there all day Sunday. It glowed at dusk, when it was illuminated by dozens of high-powered work lights. The press was there too, hovering on the edges of campus, watching. The school sent around an e-mail saying how really, really safe it all was, even though there was a homicide investigation going on on the green at that very second, and several psychologists were being called in to talk to anyone who felt like they needed support.” The reason I picked this quote from the book is because of the content behind it. Without knowing what is going on in the book, you can have sympathy for the staff and students because the killing spree is happening right around them. A lot of the students were also very interested in what was happening. The students were having “ripper watch-parties” to hear about the latest update on the news, they were kids staring out the windows of their dorms, etc. As anyone of us would. The book is narrated by  Rory too, so everything that you learn about in the book is from the ins and outs of Wexford school.

I enjoyed this book. It was definitely a page turner! Johnson doesn’t reveal who the murderer is until very close to the end but it isn’t the very last thing you read so it does show you the aftermath of all that has happened. My favorite thing about it, is the fact that the Ripper targets Rory and goes after her. She saw him but didn’t rush to the police because she didn’t think seeing him was important to the investigation. It was a random guy, that doesn’t mean he’s the Ripper, right? So now it makes me wonder if she would have never reported to the police about the man she saw, how would that change the book. I think it’d also be interesting to hear the story from someone else’s point of view, like Jerome, her crush. Or Jazza, her roommate. Or, the Ripper himself. That’d be really good! This book makes me also want to read a few other Maureen Johnson books because I like the way she takes personal experiences and makes them so exciting and mysterious.

The Name of The Star was nominated for an Edgar Award. This book would be enjoyed by those who love a good mystery. It is different because of the fact that the narrator is a schoolgirl and how all of a sudden, she becomes a target of a serial killer. The book is set in the late 1980’s so the language is not hard to understand. The book would also be enjoyable to those who appreciate a good young adult book. You have the opportunity to connect to the different characters because the author gives background and talks about different obstacles they had to overcome.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. Published by The Penguin Group on September 11, 2011. The novel consists of 372 pages plus acknowledgements. The book falls under multiple genres which are young adult, mysterious, and fiction.

Philadelphia

City of Brotherly Love

peace v. war in the streets

crimes washed away in the streets of West Philly

but there’s hope

sightseeing, liberty bell, constitution center, it’s all here.

best cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, lemonade

clean, tranquil neighborhoods for everyone

Philly

Philadelphia is a pretty amazing city. Born and raised here, Philadelphia will always be apart of me. I go to school here, I had my first date in this city, my first job and soon I will have my prom here too.

Philadelphia has a lot of great amenities, it’s mostly just a city with tall building and busy streets, but if you wander around, you might find a little pocketful of nature. Besides all the building, and the big city lights, Philly has creeks and woods. One of my favorite spots is the Wissahickon Creek. Trying to find sanity in life, I go to the Wissahickon and climb to the tallest rock to oversee the city… I don’t see much of the city because it’s covered by tall families of trees… just the way I like it. It gives you an opportunity to take your eyes off your sinking feet and the “devil himself”, technology. It directs your senses to the trees whispering, the wind blowing, and the birds singing. In the Wissahickon, you find innocence, that innocence that you once had as a child, when nothing in the world mattered but dancing with the bountiful trees. You’re stepping out of a dream and realizing how wonderful it.   

Philadelphia also has a lot of exposure for cool things. There are a bunch of events and opportunities for you to grow and to gain experience. Small organizations such as “Public Workshop” where it gives you an opportunity to figure out what you want to do in life. Through Public Workshop, I decided that I want to be an Architect and Industrial Designer. I’ve collaborated with some really amazing people to gain lots of experience which colleges LOVE!

When I think of Philadelphia, I think of a Nat King Cole song called “You Stepped Out of a Dream”. It goes a little like this:

You

Stepped out of a dream,

You are too wonderful

To be what you seem.

Could there be eyes like yours?

Could there be lips like yours?

Could there be smiles like yours,

Honest and truly?

You

Stepped out of a cloud,

I want to take you away

Away from the crowd,

And have you all to myself,

Alone and apart.

Out of a dream

Safe into my heart.

Philly is truly unique, there’s no other city really like it. It’s like a dream that came to….

Unfortunately, I do plan on leaving Philadelphia simply because I want to experience all the world has the other. I think I have had enough of the city life and I want to move on to more down to earth places, like India or Hawaii or Thailand. I want to meet new people, get to know their struggles and testimonies. I want to become “one with nature”, and live life a little bit not in a concrete jungle but an actual jungle that will never leave me unsatisfied.  

Sunrises peeking over the skyline to say good morning,

sunsets dipping under Boathouse Row to say good night.

The row is illuminated without warning,

the eyes of every child reflect the sight.

Drivers rush passed, dismissing the glow that it's adorning,

But we all know here in Philly, the beauty is true beholding.

#writemycommunity

Philadelphia

I live in the city of Philly with a community that is much like family,

We love, laugh, struggle, and cry together,

Closely knit like the yarn of a sweater,

The home of many firsts,

Universities, libraries, and even the first school of anatomy,

And mouth-watering delicacies from around the world to indulge yourself in,

A melting pot filled to the brim,

We speak what’s on our mind,

By protests and strikes against “unfair” treatment for our teachers and students alike,

We lay down the road for education of our future generations,

Multiple opportunities to find myself,

Multiple opportunities to experience,

I have been given the paint by the city,

Now it is time to start my picture.

If you walked through Cherry Street or the side streets surrounding it, you’d come face to face with rows and rows red brick homes pressed together tightly, decorated with tiny plants, road bikes, and election signs.

Stroll just a block or two north, and you’d get explore the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. You could visit the Central Library, the cornerstone of a gigantic free library system or the Franklin Institute, a world renowned hands on science museum. Or let yourself be amazed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art- home to artistic and architectural achievements from the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

From there, just a SEPTA (the public transit system) ride away is South Street. The long street the divides Center City and South Philadelphia is always teeming with animated hipsters, somber artists and everyone in between. If you like shops or restaurants with character, South Street is full of both.

Finally, yet another short walk or ride east is Olde City, an area highly concentrated with national historic landmarks. Visit Independence Hall to see where the US first established its values. The Constitution Center will teach you about the document that governs the supreme courts and Liberty Places houses the well known Liberty Bell. All of these historic gold mines are situated on cobblestone streets where horse-and-buggies crowd the intersections.

#writemycommunity

There is a little part of every city known as Chinatown. Within the Chinatown in Philadelphia, there is a little Chinese American community. I am a Chinese American, so I feel like Chinatown is a very important part of who I am and my culture. There is non-profit organization that I am very proud to be apart of that is based in the Philadelphia Chinatown area. This organization is called the Philadelphia Suns, which was established in 1972. The Philadelphia Suns started as a basketball team of youths in Chinatown, which brought the community together. The Philadelphia Suns is a very community based organization. Their goal is to build character within their members. The Philadelphia Suns want to spread positivity within the community, so those people could take it to their personal and professional lives. They want to encourage volunteerism and sportsmanship. Their mission is to advocate athletics, cultural and educational opportunities. As being a member of the Philadelphia Suns I get to, learn so many new things and meet new people inside and outside of the Philadelphia area. I feel like personally I have become a better and more well rounded person every since I have joined the Suns. I feel more than a part of an organization, more like a community that I like to call my family.

You say coffee, we say ‘cawfee’. You call it a sub, we call it a hoagie. You say “water” we say “wooder”. “Hey! Get that jawn for me over there? No the other jawn”. The thing is, you really can’t experience or understand real “Philly” unless you’ve lived here yourself. Outsiders may be alarmed at how different our lives are from their own. For example, It’s easy for Philadelphians to take SEPTA (public transportation) everywhere, or knowing where to get the best pizza in South Philly, and finding the nearest Wawa to demolish those certain cravings you have throughout the day. With all the social and historical events that went and goes on in the City of Brotherly love, Philadelphia is my home and I’m proud to live here.
All year round, Philly people are so hype whenever our sports teams are playing. Either watching it on live television, tailgating in the parking lot of the stadium, or actually having season tickets, we are the most proud fans and outshines any other fans. Whether we’re cheering for the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, or the Sixers, we go to the extreme and probably voted the best fans any sports team can ever have. When watching a Philly team on t.v with a Philly person, expect to have many snacks, loud voices at the television, and a lot of team spirit.
Historically, Philly is where it’s at. Having the Declarations of Independence signed, to the first post office and university. Greats like Benjamin Franklin resided in Philadelphia and made it a better place to live. We also have a bell, a very cool bell. The Liberty Bell in fact, basically symbolizes our city.

People have many misconceptions about Philly residences, but it’s hard to judge what you don’t know. Philadelphia is an amazing city and should be on everybody’s places to visit list one day in their lives. We love our city and you should too.

Philly is LOVE Park..home of the most beLOVED actors, rappers, artists..

It is a place that is not usually seen for what it is by it’s own community unless we are in the spotlight, which we usually are...for good or bad.

To know Philly is to love Philly, cheesesteaks, South Street, Penns Landing.. is usually where our “magic” happens. We are THE most dedicated fans to our sports teams. The Eagles, Phillies and The Sixers. We look forward to our free coffee after a good win.

Philly is where you’ll hear the most slang used for the simplest things, but we have to add our own kick to everything.

Philly is SEPTA. Like it or not, from The Frankford EL Train to the Broad Street Line Subway. It’s how most of us get around.

Yes, we have our bad reputations from gun violence to a crappy school district but we shut Center City down in a heartbeat because we are passionate about what we deserve.

People still come from all over to observe the famous Art Museum and watch us shut it down for Made In America or Fourth of July at The Ben Franklin Parkway. We know how to throw parties big time!

To know Philly is to love Philly. Philly is home and home is where the heart is.