Shelby Phelan

Shelby Phelan
The Mysterious Case of the Albright Academy
Diane Stanley
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
Page: 185

1. In my book right now, Franny, Cal, Brooklyn, and Prescott have figured out that in the brownies served at the albright academy have an unknown chemical in them. The chemical causes the students to become very organized, smart, hardworking, and compliant. The Albright Acedemy is a boarding school designed for leaders and teaches the students all the "life skills" they need to know. But mysteriously, all the students there are absoulutely perfect, from looks, grades, health, and even sports. They stay perfectly organized and all rebellious behavior they might have had before reaching the academy is eliminated. Cal recently had her appendix burst while hiking one day and was hospitalized for over two weeks. During this time, a teacher, Ms. Lollyheart brought her all sorts of food, from green beans, to the "healthy" brownies. Cal obviously doesn't fell well, so doesn't eat the food. The doctors and teachers are begging her to eat, but not the green beans. The brownies. So, since she hadn't been eating the brownies for a long period of time, Cal felt more rebellious, and not willing to do whatever she was told. She was less happy, and found herself becoming very disorganized. After being brought back to the academy, she told her friends of her amazing discovery. At first, the didn't believe her but later realized she might actually not be going crazy. They all agreed not to eat the brownies for one month, and soon found that Cal's statement was proven true. Over Christmas break, the friends switched out the "Variant II" brownie mix from the school kitchen and exchanged it for a normal kind fom the supermarket. Prescott, the science geek of the group did some research and found thet the "Variant II" mix had three unknown chemical compounds.

2. I am enjoying this book a lot because it is very exciting and makes me want to keep reading and reading. Franny, the main character, sneaks into the principal's office to try to find out what is being added to make the students behave so perfectly/abnormally. She overhears a conversation that proves what they know;the brownie mix is spiked. I think that scene proves how facinating the story is to me.

3. The theme in this book is friendship and trust because it is about a bunch of friends solving a mystery. The have to learn to trust each other in doing every little action. They have to trust that one of them won't decide to get them all kicked out and get all the respect from teachers, which would then lead them to a successful life later on. The school even has sudents spouses, colleges, and proffessions all planned out.

4. My favorite character is Brooklyn because he is smart, down to earth, and the first one to come up with plans. For example, he came up with a successful way to get Franny unnoticed into principal Bodemfedder.

5. My least favorite character is Prescott because he is stuck up, nerdy, and too blunt with what he says. For example, while visiting Cal in the hospital room, he asked why she had been so stupid to go on the hike even while she was getting huge stomach pains.

6. I think the group of friends will find a way to elimainate the use of wierd brownies that change how everyone thinks and create a school that is honest, and educational.