Rebecca Freeman

Rebecca Freeman
Peeled
Joan Bauer
Realistic Fiction
Holiday
52

1. In my book right now, Hildy is starting to try to collect facts to help write an article for her high- school newspaper on the haunted house. A man attempted to break into the house and got put in jail. Hildy is trying to find information about the man but the sheriff won't tell her anything. Meanwhile, the town newspaper is making articles that are not based on real information. Also, after the break-in a new sign appeared on the door that read 'you didn't think it was safe, did you?'. The next day a man was found dead in the apple trees behind the haunted house.

2. Right now I don't really like this book very much for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that the book is very cheesy. All of the names in the town are related to apples. Hildy is supposed to be in high school, but the writing style makes her seem like she was in 5th grade. Also, I don't think that the whole 'haunted house' thing would make that many people scared in a real town. Another thing that I did not like was the signs. The last sign (you didn't think it was safe, did you?) doesn't make any sense because no one got hurt or murdered.

3.So far I think the theme of this book is probably being fearless. I think that because although everyone is very scared of having anything to do with the haunted house but Hildy volunteers to write an article on it anyway, even though people are telling her that she will get hurt if you get too involved. Also, Hildy talks to a hostile sheriff even though he is very intimidating. She would be willing to talk to anyone else that is scary also if it would help her article. I noticed this theme when Hildy decided to do the article for the newspaper and throughout the rest, whenever she asked someone about the haunted house.

4. My favorite character so far is Hildy's cousin, Elizabeth, because she is very nice to everyone, especially Hildy. Also, she is always trying to make her feel better. Elizabeth cares a lot about everyone and shows it to. In the book they describe her as "a little flower blooming in a land of weeds." In other words, she is nice, considerate, brave (although she doesn't know it), and pretty. I think that Elizabeth makes a good role model for everyone.

5. My least favorite character is probably Hildy right now because she acts like she is 10 when she is supposed to be about 16 or 17. Also, she is always pestering people for her newspaper, practicing lead questions with people for days on end, repeatedly asking the same question from those who don't want to give an answer- she would make a good paparazzi. She is also ruthless. If someone asks her not to put something in the article, she'll put it in anyway and she narrates the story like it was a newspaper article.

6. I think that Hildy will go into the haunted house to investigate and find some important information- but that would not happen until the end of the book. Meanwhile, I think that they will discover that the body had been murdered and at least one more sign and maybe another incident will appear before the end of the book.