Articles by Catherine Cianfrani

Books, News & Features, Opinions May 28, 2014

“Will Grayson, Will Grayson,” “Daylight Saving,” and “Beautiful Creatures”

“Catherine and Claudia’s Top Spring Reads” will be a recurring feature in the final months of the 2013-2014 school year. If you’re looking for your next independent reading book for Language Arts or are in need of a good read for summer, look no further! Summaries and ratings of three books will be published every two weeks. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan is about two boys named Will Grayson. Will Grayson 1 is trying to go through life unnoticed. Will Grayson 2 goes through life without anything to hold on to except an online relationship with a boy named Isaac. Both characters go on a trip and find out that neither of them are the only Will Grayson in their city. Stars: 8/10 Rating: PG-13 Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan is about a boy named Daniel. Daniel’s dad takes him on a vacation to a sports complex, where Daniel meets Lexi,…

Books, Opinions May 2, 2014

“Hate List,” “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” and “Paper Towns”

“Catherine and Claudia’s Top Spring Reads” will be a recurring feature in the final months of the 2013-2014 school year. If you’re looking for your next independent reading book for Language Arts or are in need of a good read for summer, look no further! Summaries and ratings of three books will be published every two weeks. Hate List by Jennifer Brown is about a high school junior named Valerie Leftman. On May 2nd, 2009, Valerie’s boyfriend, Nick Levil, open fires on their high school because of a “hate list” they made containing kids from school. Valerie spends the rest of the book trying to convince herself, and everyone else, that what happened was not her fault. She also tries to find ways to make amends with the families of the victims. Stars: 9.2/10 Rating: R It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is about a 15-year-old named…

Books, News & Features, Opinions May 1, 2014

“Okay? Okay.”

Book Review by Claudia McLendon The Fault in Our Stars is about a girl named Hazel Grace, 16, who has been battling thyroid cancer since age 13. Only through the use of experimental medicine is she still alive. Hazel meets a guy named Augustus at a cancer support group, and Hazel and Augustus continue to see each other at the support group. Brought together by his reckless driving and her love for books, the two become good friends. When they go to Amsterdam to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, they have some difficulties. However, once the plots start to get better, the story takes an unexpected turn. This fast-paced, heart-wrenching, tear-producing, laughter-inducing book was one of the funniest and most real love stories I have ever read. It is filled with suspense and excitement. YOU NEED TO READ IT! Okay? Okay. Trailer Review by Catherine…

News & Features, Photos February 25, 2014

Profile: Kristen Johnson, Class of 2019

During the months of December and January, The Phoenix Inquirer hosted a Middle School-wide photography contest. Students were asked to submit original photos and a short caption explaining their photo (or photos) to the staff of The Phoenix Inquirer. Beginning on January 15, a team of photo editors evaluated all of the entries to choose the first, second, third, and fourth place winners. Then, the editors announced the top four winners in an assembly soon after. In this article, an interviewer talked to the first place photographer, Kristen Johnson, to get all the details on where, when, and how she took her winning photo. Kristen said she took the photo of a Tufted Titmouse through the window of her house, where she could see she the birds in their bird feeders and bird baths. She told us that she “started taking pictures of the birds that came to the bird feeders…