Jing Ting's

1. I find the book engaging. I will not have the feeling of putting the book down, instead I would be curious to find out the ending of the story and anticipate it as I read.
2. The author is trying to emphasize that no matter how we look, or what kind of race we belong to, we still have the right to be respected and be treated nicely.
3. The characters seemed real and believable.Yes, I am able to identify them. Lily reminds me of my friend in primary school. She used to crack jokes on Indians, going on about how uncivilised they are. I hope she will not continue to tease, instead learn how to appreciate Indians for who are they.
4. No. It lead me to understand that everybody is special in terms of looks, personality, religion, language and the race they belong to. Everybody is also given the right to show themselves.
5. I have learnt that everybody has equal rights and should be accepted instead of being looked down upon based on their religion.

Xin Ying's
1. I find the book quite engaging. Whenever I read it, I have the urge to flip immediately to the back and read the ending instead of slowly reading it from the front to the back.
2.The author is trying to get across the reader that we as humans, we are different and should be respected for what we are, no matter what type of skin colour or what kind of race or religion.
3.The characters seem quite real to a certain extent.No I was unable to identify them. Lily somehow reminds me of myself. When I was young and immature, I used to think it was very painful to be an Indian as on their festival involved the piercing of needles into their body and walking around their temple. But now, after learned about ancient Indian history, I think that Indians are very smart and they are also very good leaders.

4.No, there wasn't. It lead me to understand that people are different and that everyone should accept everyone for who they are, and not due to their skin colour or religion.

5.I have learnt not to judge people based on their race and religion. Everyone has the right to be accepted in the human community, despite their skin colour, language, religion and their race.

The Secret Life of Bees is the story of Lily, a fourteen-year-old girl who runs away from her unloving father to search for the secrets of her dead mother's past. The setting of the novel is South Carolina in 1964, a time when racial tensions were inflamed by the civil rights movement and white racists' frequently violent responses to it. Against this backdrop, Lily and her house-keeper, Rosaleen, find shelter in the home of the eccentric Boatwright sisters, three African American beekeepers who worship before the statue of a Black Madonna they call "Our Lady of Chains." In the Boatwright household, Lily finds love and acceptance and begins to come to terms with the guilt she feels over her mother's death.

In the novel, Kidd addresses the sometimes painful divide between races and generations through a rich tapestry of religious symbolism, imagining for the Daughters of Mary (as the Boatwrights and their small circle of fellow worshipers call themselves) a nurturing, personal alternative to the Catholic faith.

1.Yes, I found the book engaging because it tells you what did Lily did to find out more secrets about her mother which has passed away and also follow her through the whole journey when she begins by running away from her unloving father to when she finds love.

2. It shows how irrational racism was. The book shows the black and white personanality with compassion. The Secret Life of Bees also tells you how Kidd overcame racism. Even though Lily is not racist in the same way as the men who harassed Rosaleen, she thought that all African Americans are dumb, coarse and not educated. However, when Lily met August Boatwright, she changed her assumption and prejudice about African Americans. She realized that racism is ridiculous.

The author is trying to tell the reader that we as humans, we are not the same and should be respected for what we are, no matter what type of skin colour or what kind of race or religion. We have a huge variety of characters and all of us have the right to show them.

3. Yes, they seem real and believable to me. No, i cannot identify the characters. It reminds me of my friend because is always racist and she hates some races.

4. Yes. i felt quite uncomfortable when reading some parts. I felt that way because before reading the book, I was racist and dislike some races because of how they smell and what they do. Yes, it awares me to accept people of who they are but not their religion.

5. I learnt to respect everyone despite their religion.

-Valerie

My most memorable childhood memory was when I attended the graduation party when I was primary six. Me and my friends came to school very early as were excited to see our friends. We gathered at the hall and waited for our friends to come. We played ''ice-and-water'' in the basketball court and it was very fun. After around one hour, we went to the canteen to grab a bite. We then exchanged presents and went back to the school hall as the party was starting. Finally, the MC of the day went up to the stage and gave a speech. First up was a video made by the teachers, the video shared our journey through Primary one to Primary six. I think that it was very meaningful and we started pointing to the screen when we saw ourself when we were in Primary One. Second up was a performance put up but the rugby team , accompanied by their teahcer. Aand lastly, they played a song which made me cry. The song was about friendship and how we should treasure it. Everyone hugged their friends and cried when we were about to leave. I took many pictures with my friends and we went to watch a movie after the party. We stayed up until about 2 am. I feel that it was a very meaningful day and therefore, it was my most memorable childhood memory.

JIng Ting's most memorable childhood memory

My most memorable childhood memory was when I was seven years old. That morning, I felt exceptionally excited as it was my first trip to the wet market.

As we were crossing the road, I saw an old man who was wheelchair bound begging. Without hesitation, I gave him a dollar coin. After seeing what we did, more people follow suit. We found out he was deserted by his family after an unusual illness took away his pair of legs.

That incident reminds me not to take comfortable life for granted. I vow to give my parents a good life.

Xin Ying-- most memorable childhood memory

My childhood most memorable memory took place when I was five years old in Tampines Mall when my parents brought me out. I was very excited.

When we passed by Toys-R-Us, I wandered into the store without informing my parents. It was big and crowded. I did not notice that my parents were not with me until I spotted a toy which I liked. I wailed until my parents found me.

I learned that I have to inform my parents when I wanted to go anywhere in a crowded area. The feeling of being lost was unforgettable.