High School Musical performed by Duchesne High School Drama

Last night, I attended a really fun dinner theatre where Duchesne High School's drama department performed High School Musical. Gabriella is new in town, trying to find a place to fit in and make friends. She wants to try out for the high school musical, but is she being pulled in too many directions?

And will Troy a basketball player, and a budding actor, help her find her place, or is he too wrapped up in basketball to care for anything more than that? There are three more performances; one tonight at 6:30 at the elementary, one this coming Monday at 6:30 at the high school, and one this coming Tuesday at the Elementary. Tonight and Tuesday there will be a dinner served before the show. The musical was fun, and I really enjoyed it!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, thirteen year old Harry is getting ready to start his third year at Hogwarts. Despite a bumpy end to the summer where he accidentally put a magic spell on his horrible uncle's equally horrible sister, Harry seems to be forgiven by the Ministry of Magic.

But when he finds out that Sirius Black, a convicted murderer has escaped from Azkaban, the infamous wizards' prison, he realizes that he needs to be careful. Sirius Black, after all, is the one convicted of helping to kill Harry's parents. And everyone is convinced that Sirius is after him! What is Harry going to do this year at Hogwarts? How will he be able to concentrate on his lessons when there's an insane murderer looking for him? And what will he do if he ever does come face to face with Sirius Black? Read the book and find out!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, Harry is eager to start his second year at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His aunt, uncle, and cousin have been awful to him and to his owl Hedwig this summer.

But to Harry's despair, a house elf shows up and tells Harry he mustn't go back to Hogwarts because of danger that will be waiting for him there. But Harry has to go back! Hogwarts is his home, and he doesn't want to be anywhere else. But what is Harry, and his best friend Ron going to do when the portal to Platform 9 3/4 won't let them through to get on the Hogwarts Express? Read the book and find out!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is a wonderfully written story for teenagers and adults about the complexities of human emotions, and dealing with those feelings. Young Conor O'Mally, too old to be a kid and too young to be a man, is dealing with the emotions surrounding his mother's progressing illness.

A terrible nightmare, in which he is trying to pull his mother out of an abyss where a terrible monster is trying to pull her in, plagues him every night. His guilt and shame at finally letting her fall in his nightmare wakes up an interesting and unique friend in a yew tree that morphs into a humanoid shape and comes walking to tell Conor stories and help him deal with the emotions he is struggling to process.The story is sweet and sad, and a great book to read both because it is entertaining, and because it connects to readers by showing them how feeling contrasting emotions is a very human, and normal thing. Conor felt a lot of unneccessary guilt over his feelings about his mom's illness, but with the monster's help was able to learn to process them in a productive way. But how does the story ultimately end? Read the book and find out.