Phoebe W

Phoebe Willett

Chasing Harry Winston

Lauren Weisberger

Realistic Fiction

Holiday

pg. 206

1. Right now in my book, Leigh is feeling very rightfully guilty. She just cheated on her finance Russell. Things were moving too fast with them according to Leigh even though Russell couldn't wait to get married. There was clearly a connection between Leigh and Jesse and I knew that something was going to happen; I now wonder what will happen between Leigh and Russell. Leigh is just leaving Jesse's house now, feeling awful.

2. I still like the book as much as I did before. I'm glad that it finally got a little more interesting because it needed more spice. Though it definitely doesn't compare to The Devil Wears Prada, I still am enjoying reading it and think that Lauren Weisberger does a good job of making you relate to the characters. I think I will read her other book another time.

3. A theme that I have noticed is betrayal. First, Emmy's long term boyfriend dumped her for someone younger which crushed Emmy. Then Leigh's parrot betrayed her and chose to stay with Adrianna after one weekend of pet-sitting. Now with Leigh cheating on Russell with Jesse, betrayal is occurring very frequently.

4. My favorite character right now is Adrianna. I love what she is doing with Leigh's parrot. She is spoiling it to death with "Birdie and Me" spa days and buying it special food along with an expensive new cage. I find it interesting to read about what people who have that much money do. I also like how she is agreeing to try to find a long term boyfriend instead of having non-commitment relationships. I get excited when a chapter starts with her as the focal point.

5. My least favorite character right now is Russell. Though he is always trying to be nice to Leigh, he can’t read the huge red flag warning signs about Leigh not loving him back. He has been with Leigh for a while now and still doesn’t understand that she is the type of person that needs her space, and her time alone. He smothers her and I think that is a huge part of the reason that she has contemplated breaking up with him before.

6. I predict that Leigh will start to feel really badly about what she did and then tell Russell out of guilt. I think that he will be upset but forgive her. Then Leigh will realize that this is a good opportunity to end things with him once and for all and he will be crushed. Eventually I think that Leigh will get over her break up with Russell and realize that she really likes Jesse. I think that Adrianna will keep the parrot and Leigh will be happy to get him off her hands.

2/26/10 Post

Olivia Carr
P.3
2/26/10
Along for the ride
Sarah Dessen
Just Right
I'm on page 200

1. Right now in the book the main character Auden is living with her father, step-mom, and new baby step-sister Thisby. Auden has never had a real childhood so when she meets Eli it is destine to be. While dating Eli brings Auden on many fun childhood memories like teaching her how to bowl, having cookouts, and letting loose and having fun. All of that is very different from what Auden is use to, her older brother Hollis stole all the childhood memories so that when it was her time to have them her parents were already to tiard. Along with the fun of that Auden is also working at her step-mom store, while working there Auden befriends three girls who she quickly starts to hang out with.

2. So far I really like this book. It has great detail, narrated by Auden, and is a special kind of love story. The special kind of love story it is, is like a friendship bond but still in love at the same time. I really like that because it is not like a love story movies or books where the characters dated they fall in love, he breaks her heart, they get back together and live happily ever after. No, its like a secret kind of after hours dating that they do, which I find really romantic.

3. The theme is really family I think, because the book is not just about Auden's life with her friends and boyfriend. It is also about her relationship with her father, step-mom, and step-sister. I think Auden and her sister have a really cool bond which really brings out the family concept in this book.

4. My favorite character is the mother Heidi, because she is kinda like super mom. She handles a store, while taking care of a baby with not a lot of help, and remains to look great after just having a kid. I also really like her because she is not like an evil step mom she is really nice and she is trying to make an effort to become close with Auden. She really reminds me of my mom in a way because she is so nice and caring.

5. My least favorite character would defiantly be Auden's father, because he is so selfish. He does not help Heidi with the baby because he claims to have a sleep disorder. He has the world revolve around him and his book which he has been writing since Auden was little. Also on top of all that he disregards Auden when she came to see him.

6. I predict that Auden will run into trouble when she nears the end of summer. I think she will have to make a big choise whether to stay with Eli or to focus on school.

Taylor Finn

The Enemy I knew
By Steven Karras
Historical Reference
Holiday
Pg 201

Right now in my book I am on the chapter discussing Jack Hochwald
about his story in germany during the Pro-Jewish pressure and how he escapes to american and joins the 6860th HQ detachment assault force, seventh army

I find this a very good book and instead of one main characters its around 27 stories into one
making each chapter a whole new book

I find the theme to not be bravery but to be scared you dont really see it but each theme they are in an opressive place and must fight back against the people that have insulted,hurt and taken advantage of them

my favorite character is Henry Kissinger who really gave a good insight on his life in a nuetral understanding way and described interrogations against the germans

My least favorite Character(s) are the Nazis due to the fact they describe them a lot in the begginng of each chapter I consider them a character since they caused horrid atrocities

In the later parts of the book they will still give storys and there is no clue how I could possibly predict them

Will Gooch
The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
Page 158

1) In my book right now, Amir's father, Baba, has just been diagnosed with Oat Cell Carcinoma and I believe it may be a type of cancer because the doctor says they could try chemotherapy on him to delay the outcome of the disease.
2) I feel that this book was a good choice for me too read. It isn't too long for me to handle but its not short and easy by any means. There is a wide range of vocabulary and the storyline so far flows along to make a very good story.
3) A common theme I have noticed is bravery. Amir has to go through a lot in his life and he isn't exactly a very popular kid or someone with a lot of friends and where his best friend is his slave worker. It takes a good amount of bravery to deal with other kids picking on him and being weaker than others.
4) My favorite character is Amir. He is such a courageous and brave kid that sets a great example of how to deal with situations in life. He is quick witted and knows how to solve a problem when it occurs. Amir is also the main character.
5) My least favorite character is another boy named Assef. He's the kind of tough-guy bullies in the book. He teaches Amir some bad things that aren't true and almost tries to change his beliefs. Overall Assef's a very bad influence on all the kids there in Kabul. He is someone who is the typical big, strong, and dumb bullies.
6) As for what happens next in the book, I can't really say. I believe maybe it will tell more of Baba's illness and what has happened to him. Perhaps some of the public will become involved since they are a very wealthy and respected family.
4) My favorite character is

JP Riedel

JP Riedel
Dracula
Bram Stoker
Horror
Challenge
Page 515

1. Mina Harker has been turned into a vampire and her husband Jonathan is more worried than ever. The team has found out where Dracula is headed. He is heading to his home in Transylvania and is takinga small ship across the Mediteranean to get there. The men have selected a boat and are preparing to make the journey after Dracula. They have decided to take a different in hopes of surprising Dracula at his home to fight him there.

2. So far the book is fairly exciting right now because it is reaching it's climax where the main characters will fight and defeat Dracula. However, it is still somewhat boring and difficult to follow because of the old style language. It is also at a somewhat slow point where the main characters are simply preparing to face Dracula. I do feel that the book is very good overall and enjoyable aside from the old style English.

3. The theme of the book so far is sorrow. There are a lot of slow sad points after an exciting point in the book. For example after an encounter with Dracula they have to deal with the fact that Mina has been turned into a vampire which is very sad because they may not be able to make her human again. There are many other sad points when the main characters deal with the death of a friend or when they are facing a big problem and are unable to solve it.

4. My favorite character is Dr. Van Heilsing, he is the main problem solver of the group and always seems to know what to do or is able to understand the situation. He also seems the most brave of the group and can always see the light at the end of tunnel.

5. My least favorite character is Dracula because he is one of the most evil people that I have read about. He has caused a lot of pain and suffering and he is not like most of the villains in books today. He does not want to launch missiles he just goes around turning people into vampires and makes them suck the blood of friends and people they love.

6. I predict that the men will meet Dracula at his castle and Mina will become a full vampire and try to kill them. In the end I believe that one of the main characters will die as well Dracula.

Amelia Fattore

Amelia Fattore

Charmed and Dangerous

Lisi Harrison

Realistic Fiction

Holiday

I’m on page 118

1. What is going on in your book right now?

Right now, Claire, Massie, Dylan, Kristen and Alicia are trying to soak in the last hours of the year, which has been a struggle due to their current situations. Public humiliation, lost friendships, body image and being grounded are some of the issues the girls face going into the New Year. The book switches views each chapter, giving the background of each girl before the “rise of the Pretty Committee.”

2. How do you feel so far about this book?

I really like this book. It helps me understand the roots of the Pretty Committee and where the girls were before the clique. It does annoy me how slim the chances are that all of these events would occur, leading to the four girls meeting each other. My favorite part of this book is that it explains some things that come up later in the series. For example, the microphone charm Claire gives Massie when she arrives in the first book was given to Claire by the boy band “ThRob” when she won a radio contest to see them. Overall, this short read is very informative, interesting and exciting.

3. What is a theme present in your book?

An important theme in this book is friendship. This story revolves around the fact that friendships are created and destroyed and there is nothing you can do about it. Claire, who is moving to Westchester, must leave all of her friends behind, this New Year’s Eve is her one of her last get togethers with them before she leaves. Also, right when Massie arrives at the party with the Ahannabees, she is excluded as they are all wearing matching dresses. Later in the night, Massie realizes her position in the Ahannabees was bad; she was a beta, though she dreamed of being the powerful alpha. Claire and Massie’s situations on this New Year’s Eve are merely two examples of the friendship theme that is strongly present in this prequel.

4. Who is your favorite character?

My favorite character is Kristen, the hard-working girl of the soon to be formed Pretty Committee. While all of the other girls are having fun on New Years’ Eve, she is stuck being her cousin’s babysitting assistant. When the parents arrive home, she then spends the rest of the night, tracking down the girl named Massie in order to return a charm Kristen found. She is a responsible, caring, thoughtful person, fit to be a great friend.

5. Who is your least favorite character?

My least favorite character is Yasmine, the “fashion advisor” of the Marvils. She replaced all of the mirrors the Marvil girls use with “skinny mirrors” so she doesn’t have to put up with them complaining about their image. Though this may save Yasmine a headache, it is very rude and cruel. The Marvils have been hidden from their image.

6. What do you think will happen next?

Everything is going wrong for the 5 girls. Alicia slipped during her dance number on national television, Dylan realized she doesn’t look the way the skinny mirrors reflected to her, Massie lost her brand-new charm bracelet and clique, Claire was caught sneaking out of the house and Kristen had to spend the night with her obnoxious older cousin. I believe the book will end with Alicia, Dylan, Massie and Kristen will meet together at the party, becoming friends. Claire comes into the story during the first book.

Grant Newman- Crocodile Tears

Grant Newman

Crocodile Tears

Anthony Horowitz

Action-Adventure Fiction

Holiday

p. 263

1. In the book, the main character, Alex Rider, has been taken against his will to a safari camp in Kenya. The people who took him there are the villains of the novel, Desmond McCain, and Leonard Straik. They have been partnering behind a company that Straik runs called Greenfields, which is a genetic modification research facility, and McCain's company, First Aid, to produce a plan called Poison Dawn. Not much has been revealed about it, but from the title, I would guess poison is involved. They have taken Alex here because when he was on a mission for MI6, the British Secret Service Agency, he slipped into the Greenfields facility while on a school field trip, and stole a sample of a solution, and information off of Straik's computer. The partners found out he was there with the help of security cameras, and need him for something. (That's what Alex thinks). The author reveals very little about the situation so the novel is very suspenseful, especially at this point, because so many questions have not been answered.

2. I like the book a lot so far. This is the eighth book in the series and I've read the previous seven. Like its predecessors, this book is very interesting to read, and easy to read as well. It's filled with action and suspense, but it's easy to understand because its language is not particularly complex. The author, Anthony Horowitz, is a great action writer, in my opinion, because he tells the story but still doesn't let you in on all the secrets. He obscures parts of the story until later that provide clues as to what's happening, so you actually find out along with the main character, Alex, what's actually occurring. The book is fast-paced, and takes you around the world, but without confusion, to exotic locations, such as Kenya, Scotland, and England in this novel. Many action novels are filled with confusion, but Horowitz does an excellent job with clearing up any problems (not many, if at all) that a reader may have. It's also interesting to read because the main character is of similar age and easy to relate to for me. So, how he thinks is also very interesting to look at.

3. A theme I've noticed so far in the book is dishonesty. Jack Starbright, Alex's guardian, because his parents and uncle have all died, has been frustrated with Alex's inability to explain himself sometimes, and get into and out of trouble a lot of the time. A journalist who found out about Alex's story, and wanted to make money off of it by writing a book, lied to Alex about a profit in the book, which never actually happens. Alex brought the issue to MI6, who handled it well. MI6, throughout the series, has lied to Alex about the danger and scale of missions he's gone on, and have led him through hoops while he does all the "dirty work" for them. So, many characters are dishonest, or at least have trouble conveying the truth to others, and they run into problems (especially Alex) with people they know.

4. My favorite character is Alex. He's a great person with a good personality. He's nice, and focused on what he does, and tries to stay out of danger as much as possible. He sometimes doesn't tell the truth, but it's for good reason. Many times it's not his fault, like it has been so far in this novel. He's been trained in lots of special skills, like scuba diving, martial arts, etc. to train for being a spy and it's really interesting to hear about. He's expressed an interest in leaving the MI6 organization, but he's never been able to do that. Despite his dissatisfaction with this system, he continues to do what he must for his job, and it's admirable. Some of the feats he's accomplished in this book include breaking into a high-security facility, and winning a game of poker against one of the richest men in the world, are impressive, and he's a character that's easy to relate to. What he's done, and what he may do are impressive, along with having a nice personality.

5. My least favorite character(s) are Straik and Desmond McCain. They're the villains, of course, but their personalities aren't anywhere near friendly. They're filled with deception, trickery, and other nasty qualities that aren't desirable. They're planning what I would guess as some sort of mass-scale terrorism plot, Poison Dawn, and they're planning on using a child (Alex) to help attain money. All of these characteristics are not good, and they don't feel remorse or anything for doing them. They're classic villains, but they're also my least favorite characters.

6. A prediction I have for the novel would be that Alex escapes the Kenyan camp and somehow foils, or lessens the effect of Poison Dawn on the world, and goes back to living a semi-normal life.

Emily Spence

A Walk to Remember

Nicholas Sparks

Fiction

Just Right

229

1. Right now I'm in a very sad part of the book. After New years Eve dinner with Jamie, Landon finally confesses to Jamie that he is extremely in love with her. She starts to cry and he doesn't know why because he thought that she felt the same way. But the truth is that Jamie does love Landon but she is trying to stop Landon from loving her. She finally confesses to Landon that she has leukemia and is dying. Landon's heart and is broken and he and Jamie hold each other and start to cry. Jamie doesn't want Landon to love her because she doesn't want him to get hurt. But it's too late he already loves Jamie with all his heart and is torn that she is dying.

2. I am really enjoying this book. The story has been pretty interesting and keeps me turning the pages. I find this book really unique because in most loves stories a popular boy doesn't fall in love with a girl that is unpopular. I find it really great and you get to see how two characters that knew nothing about each other become best friends and lovers. One thing I don't like about the book is how religion is brought up so much. Religion is defiantly not a bad thing in books, but it's brought up a little bit too much and can make parts of the book boring. But overall I'm really enjoying this unique love story.

3. A theme that I have noticed in this book is maturity. Landon used to be a popular guy who just tried to be cool and hang out with his friends. He didn't care about other people in the world and he didn't care at all about school. But when he starts getting interested in Jamie he grows up so much. He starts doing charity and helping less fortunate people. He tries harder in school and does all his duties as the student body president. He also does an amazing favor to Jamie and takes the part as the lead in the school play because she asked him to. While working on the play he doesn't hang around with his friends as much and he realizes he likes being in the play with Jamie. His friends always make fun of him for hanging around with Jamie but he just ignores them because he realizes he shouldn't care about what other people think. Landon's friend even told him that he had grown up, and deep down Landon had known it was true.

4. My favorite character is Jamie. She is pretty much the perfect child. I wish I could be like her, she is a such a great role model. She doesn't care about what others think, she is always just true to herself. She is the most unselfish person ever and always helps the less fortunate. She always visits the orphanage and sets up many charities. Jamie is also very religious and always refers to God in her life. She carries a bible with her everywhere and always goes to church. She tries to help people and make them more aware of their religion. Every parent in town loves Jamie because she is a wonderful, polite girl. People at school think that she is the oddest person ever, but I think they're just jealous that she can be so nice and generous.

5. My least favorite character is Landon's friend Eric. Eric is such an awful friend and is a horrible person. He makes fun of his best friend all the time just for liking someone who is different. Best friends are supposed to support their friends and always have their back. But Eric just rags on Landon all the time and makes him feel horrible. He is a selfish boy who only cares about popular girls and being cool. He is the type of cocky guy that I would hate in high school.

6. I predict that Jamie is going to die and that I am going to cry. Jamie is the most wonderful person, I don't understand why she has to die. But she has a type of cancer that isn't treatable during this time period so I'm pretty sure she will die. Landon, Jamie's father, and the whole town is going to be absolutely crushed.

Sam Ford

Sam Ford
Double or Die
Charlie Higson
Adventure-Fiction
Just Right
Pg. 216

1. Right now in my book, James is exploring an old factory that he found after he jumped in the car of two criminals that he believes are kidnappers. James has had several encounters with them already and just managed to escape from them while in a cemetary. James was in the cemetary because he was searching for clues that he discovered in a letter from the man who has been kidnapped, Alex Fairburn. They were looking for a clue in the cemetary but so were the two criminals, Ludwig and Wolfgang. While in the factory, James has been captured once again by Ludwig and Wolfgang.

2. So far, I am really enjoying the book. It is very suspenseful and there is lots of action and many chases. James is a very bold character because he jumps in the car of the people who want to kill him right after he makes a narrow escape from them. The constant action and suspense keeps me wanting to read more.

3. The theme I am noticing right now in the book is hidden clues and puzzles. The man who was captured also set crossword puzzles for a newspaper and was very interested in puzzles. The letter he sent warning that he had been kidnapped was full of errors that turned out to be clues telling where to find him. It is very complicated and each clue opens up a whole new world of discoveries.

4. So far my favorite character is James. He is very clever and is very good at figuring out the clues and making quick decisions in tight situations. He is very heroic and is not afraid of the two kidnappers who are trying to kill him. Instead of running, he follows them and lets them lead him closer to Fairburn.

5. My least favorite character is a man named Charnage. He seems to be the one who hired the two killers, Ludwig and Wolfgang and the one who is behind the kidnapping. He always has someone following James around and seems to know where he is at all times.

6. I think tha next in my book, Charnage is going to lock James up somewhere in the factory. Even though James seems to be hopelessly trapped, he is going to find some way to make an amazing escape from Charnage and the factory and continue his mission to find and rescue Alex Fairburn.

Paul Krusell
Ranger's Apprentice II: The Burning Bridge
John Flanagan
Fiction
holiday
p. 36

1. Will, Gilan and Horace are on an expidition to an outpost of an ally country to negociate peace terms for the upcoming war. The enimies are killing all the talented war leaders for Will's country, so war is inevitable.

2 I like this book a lot. It is full of adventure and action. The plot keeps me interested and is full of fun twists.

3. The theme is action. I notice this throughout the book, like when he's fighting the scary animals.

4. My favorite character is Will because he's smart and wily. He seems to know what to do and when to do it.

5. My least favorite character is Sir Rodney. He is the leader of the town battleschool and is grumpy. He is mean to everybody and too strict.

6. I think that the adventurers will find a bad suprise or a sneak attack on the King's Army.

Max Dunn
Catching Fire (italicize)
Suzanne Collins
Fantasy
Just Right
p. 49


1. Not much is going on in this book right know because I am only a very short ways through it. It opens up in the first chapter by telling the reader what is happening right after Katniss and Peeta have won the Hunger Games. Katniss is on her way back to District Twelve were she is somewhat looking forward to wealth and fame with her family. I say somewhat because she is dreading some of it. She said that she will have to go to all of the districts and see people who loath her. Also, she said that it will be awful to look down at the faces of the parents whose children she killed.

2. So far, I feel pretty good about this. I like that I still have no idea what it is going to be about. That makes it much more suspenseful. What would make the beginning of this book a little better for me is if it started out with a really intense scene. I would enjoy this because the beginning is what gets me hooked and that definitely would. The beginning scenes know aren't horrible but they are on the slow side.

3. A theme that I have noticed is drastic change. It is happening everywhere. Katniss and her family are going from almost starved and poor to soon to be wealthy and well fed. I have a feeling that this will soon change though.

4. My favorite character right know is Katniss. The reasons for this is that she has won the Hunger Games and how she is dealing with this outcome. She is not boasting like most others would. Actually she is doing the exact opposite. She is being modest and is almost to the point where she is annoyed because of the little amount of privacy.

5. My least favorite character is President Snow. This is because he is the reason behind most of Katniss' problems at the present time. He is the one that makes her travel the 12 districts and he is the one who most likely sent all of the reporters and photographers to her small home and town.

6. It is anyone's guess as to what will happen in the following pages of this book. My thought is that Katniss won't be able to take the publicity any more and she will do something about it, specifically involving President Snow. She might end up chasing someone or being chased. I am taking this conclusion from the title. Overall I have no idea what will happen. I just have not read enough.

Caitlin Sheehan

Caitlin Sheehan

The Titan's Curse

Rick Riordin

Fantasy Fiction

Just Right

Page 183

1. Right now in my book, the main character Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon is on a quest to find the Goddess Artemis, and Annabeth Chase, the daughter of Athena, both of whom have disappeared. They are in the desert, traveling towards San Francisco to the Mountain of Dispair, where they know that they are being held captive, though they don't know why. When a white limousine pulls up, and Ares gets out, Percy knows that something bad might happen, because Ares hates Percy and wants to kill him, but won't because it would offend Poseidon. At sword point, Percy is pushed into the limousine, where he sees... Aphrodite. What is she doing there?

2. I really like this book because even though it is serious, and sad sometimes, it is really funny. Also, I enjoy this book because the writing style is straightforward, but has a complicated plot. This is a good combination because it is interesting, but not impossible to follow. Also, I enjoy the way that ancient Greek myths are brought back to life, but are placed in places that are real. I also love the way that modern science is incorporated into the myths. Finally, I like the way that Percy somehow manages to get almost all of the gods to hate him. For example, Hades wants to kill him because he is Poseidon's son, Zeus wants to kill him also because he is Poseidon's son, Ares wants to kill him because he defeated him in a fight, Dionysus hates him because he insulted him in public, Aphrodite is bored, so she wants to mess up his life, and Hermes doesn't like him because Percy wasn't able to turn Luke, Hermes's son good again.

3. A theme that I have noticed in this book so far is the theme of bravery. This theme is shown when Percy goes up to see the oracle, even though he could get killed. Also, when he argues with Dionysus about whether or not to go on a quest to save Annabeth, he stands up for his friend event though he could get disintegrated. Another time bravery is shown is when Percy runs away from camp, his only safe haven, so that he can save Annabeth.

4. My favorite character in the book so far is Percy. He is my favorite character because he adds an element of surprise to the book. He is always doing insane, but good things. Most of the time, if one thing went wrong, he would end up dead, but he still survives. Also, he is funny, because it is funny when he gets the gods so angry at him, because of their reaction. They generally start ranting, which is very funny.

5. My least favorite character is Ares. He is my least favorite character, because he is arrogant, and mean. He always starts out by insulting Percy, and he has made it his personal mission to kill Percy. Also, he cursed Percy's sword, Riptide, so that when he needs it most, it will fail him. This is probably what's going to end up killing Percy. Also, he acts like he is a nice person, when he is not. Finally, he is the god of war. He doesn't care what happens, as long as it causes a war.

6. I predict that Ares's curse will either kill him, or Annabeth, or will enable Kronos to rise back from Tartarus. Either way, Ares will probably end up killing Percy.

Jessica N

Jessica Nar
Keeping The Moon
Sarah Dessen
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
p.30

1. A girl named Colie has problems in her school. She can never fit or be part of the popular crew, so she thinks that the reason for that is because she is fat. She is 15 years old. She tries so hard to lose weight, and she succeeds. She realizes that it was a rumor that ruined her reputation, and not because she was fat. When summer comes, Colie is sent to her Aunt Mira. She thinks that she is still going to have a bad reputation, but instead it is the other way around. She starts getting along with everyone in Colby, North Carolina.

2. So far in the book, it is pretty good. Colie has a lot of problems like being fat that she fixes. The book is interesting to read, but it is not one of the best books I have read. I was surprised how Colie thought that reason that she didn't get along with others was because she was fat.

3. The theme I have realized in the book is friendship. The reason that Colie lost weight was because she couldn't fit in with her friends. Her new friends persuaded Colie to lose weight.

4. My favorite character is Colie or Nicole Sparks. She was my favorite character, because she tries really hard to fit in, and she never gives up. She gets persuaded from her peers at school. Colie never gives up. Those are some reasons why Colie is my favorite character.

5. My least favorite characters are the kids in school that don't let Colie fit in. It doesn't matter if she is fat or not. Colie tries really hard to fit in. The kids are my least favorite characters, because they make fun of her and don't let her fit in. Also, even though Colie being fat wasn't the reason that Colie didn't fit in, a reputation shouldn't ruin Colie's life.

6.Next in the book, I think that Colie is going to have a good life in Colby, North Carolina. She is going to meet a lot of new friends there, and maybe get a boyfriend. I think that Colie will live it better in Colby, than in her normal town, so she won't want to go back home, she will want to stay in Colby. Colie will have a better reputation with her aunt Mira.

A.J. Ward

A.J. Ward
Man vs. Beast
Robert Muchamore
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
253

1. Right now in the book James (main character) is in a car with a animal terrorist who is part of the AFM (Animal Freedom Militia). Her name is Jo, and her father was a rich singer/songwriter so she has enough money to fund groups like the AFM. James has successfully infiltrated the AFM and is trying to get the right information that M15 (British Intelligence Agency) needs to bring these terrorists down.

2. Right now I feel good about the book. So far it is very suspenseful and you want to keep reading. Especially the parts where there are action like when James got in a fight with an ex-convict animal rights terrorist. I think these books as a series are very interesting because you can really put yourself in the main character's shoes and feel like what is happening in the book is really happening to you.

3. In the book so far I see the theme of trust. The members of the MFA all trust James because they think that he is one of them. Trust is not always neccesarily a good thing, like in this case it is helping the right team win but at the same time it iis still deceiving a group of people. Also James trusts M15 that they will have his back, if he ever gets in to trouble.

4. My favorite character is James. James is a funny kid, he is always making jokes. Also, like I said before, he is fourteen like me so it is easy to relate to him. James is also very good at being a teenage spy, because he is able to do things like infiltrate the MFA. This also contributes to him being my favorite character because not just anyone could do that job.

5. My least favorite character is Jo. She is one of the heads of the terrorist organization, this makes her pretty unlikable. Also she seems to not be completely under control. Several times she has flipped out and pointed her gun at and even shot someone, because she was angry about something that couldn't be changed.

6. I predict that eventually James will bring the MFA down. I know for a fact that he will make it out of this mission alive because I have read some of the other Cherub books that come after this one. I think pretty soon James will get Jo to tell him where she is hiding all her money and then he will be able to steal it, and or cut her off from it so that the MFA will have no more funding.

Timmy Jaung
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J.K. Rowling
Fantasy
Just Right
Pg. 633

1. Right now, in the story, Harry is competing in the third, and final task of the Triwizard Tournament, which is to find the trophy in the center of the maze. He just took a shortcut, by answering a question from a sphinx. He got it right, so the sphinx let him pass to the trophy. Right when he sees the trophy, another player, Cedric Diggory runs passed Harry to get the trophy. They start racing to get the trophy, until Harry sees a large shadow pursuing them. When he turns around, there is a large spider about to attack both of them.

2. I really enjoy the book so far. It is very riveting and every page has something new in it. It is also a little like a mystery book because Harry, Ron, and Hermione are trying to figure out who put Harry's name into the Goblet, and what keeps happening around the school, like one of the judges goes mad then disappears and they try to find out where he went. I like the mystery part in this book.

3. A major theme right now in the maze is fear because the maze has so many turns, you never know if you are going the right way, it is filled with monsters that try to kill you, and there are just things that are scary, like a fog that if you run into it, the world turns upside down and all the blood flows to your head and your hair sticks up, (or down), but you don't fall towards the sky.

4. My favorite character is Sirius Black. He is Harry's godfather who escaped from prison to help him. He writes to him and gives him tips and helps with the mystery part of the story. He has to hide in a cave and feed off rats, so I feel sorry for him. And he was also convicted for a murder he didn't do, and when he escaped, the law has been searching for him the whole time, yet he still helps Harry by putting himself in danger.

5. My least favorite character is Rita Skeeter. She is a reporter covering the Triwizard tournament. She also writes bad stuff about people, like exposing the fact that the grounds keeper of Hogwarts is half giant, which leads to a lot of hate-mail going to Hagrid. She feels that she has the power to stretch the truth a lot and always write bad things about the one interviewed, and make herself become a little more popular because it is what the readers want to hear.

6. I think they will beat the spider, and then they will fight for the trophy because there can only be one winner, and the two of them are already there. The other two contestants were eliminated for being beaten by the monsters in the maze.

Rebecca Freeman

Rebecca Freeman
Murder At the Manor: The Seven Dials Mystery
Agatha Christie
Murder Mystery
Just Right
128

1) Right now Bundle, Jimmy, Bill and now Loraine are at George's house. Jimmy decided to take turns keeping watch, they 'convinced' Bundle that she should just go to bed and not do anything but once she got to her room she climbed out of the window. Jimmy had the first watch, and he heard someone on the terrace near the library. Jimmy went over there, but did not see anyone so he left and almost immediately came back in he began to fight with someone in the dark, getting shot in the arm. The person left with the million dollar formula, throwing it down to Loraine by accident. The thief ran away, without the formula or being arrested. Later Countess Radzky was found, fainted in the corner. Bundle notices a mole on the Countess identical to one on a member of the Seven Dials.

2) So far I think that this book is okay. It is a very different style from most of Agatha Christie's books. Even though I was expecting something different, with a detective main character who is more focused on using psychological clues and other alibi holes to discover who was the murderer, whereas in this book it is a small group of people trying to figure out the identity of the members of a secret society. This book is good because there is more action and I like the characters, but some of it is a little bit confusing, like what the formula is for.

3) A predominant theme in this book is probably curiosity. Curiosity motivated Bundle to help discover the truth about Gerald Wade's and Ronny Devereux's deaths. Also, if Bundle was not curios she would not have sneaked into the Seven Dials Clubs secret meeting and stayed shut in a cupboard for most of the night. Also, Loraine's curiosity propels her to come to the party during the night and because of that she was right under the window when the formula was thrown down. If she had not had curiosity than the formula would have been stolen and they would lose millions of dollars.

4) My favorite character is Bundle because she is the opposite of a stereotypical girl. She was not fragile, or meek and when she was curious about something she did not just gossip to find the answer she would go out and possibly get in danger to find the truth. Also, she is very stubborn and won't let any guy boss her around. These traits are especially admirable because the book was written in 1929, a time when a lot of those stereotypes were true; making her character unusual, and therefore, more admirable.

5)My least favorite character is probably Bill. I don't like him because he is stupid. He does not understand the situation and allows himself to become infatuated with the Countess, not realizing that she could be dangerous and an enemy. Also, he has no sense of adventure because he does not want to become involved in the 'detective work' that Jimmy and Bundle are doing.

6)I think that they will discover that the Countess is one of the Seven Dials and one of them will run into another member of the group. Also, I think that someone is going to do more investigating of the night that the formula almost got stolen and will find out that many people displayed suspicious behavior, making it hard to tell whether they are lying and had something to do with the thief or if it was an outsider.

Hannah Crowley

Durable Goods

Elizabeth Berg

Realistic Fiction

Just Right

Recently Finished

1. The book Durable Goods was a great read. I finished it a couple of days ago and I'm not yet far enough into my next book to tell you much so I thought I'd fill you in on my last book. In this book Katie, who is twelve years old, struggled with an abusive father along with the fact that the only person in her life that had the power to act as the mother figure in her life didn't want anything to do with their household. Her sister, Diane, is planning to run away with her boyfriend Dickie and she tells Katie that she cannot go with them because she would not be able to take care of her. However, when Katie comes home in the middle of the night from a sleepover she runs into Diane who is sneaking in from a late night with Dickie. Diane informs Katie that tonight is the night she is planning to leave for good, but when she sees the look on Katie's face she invites Katie to join them. When they finally are out safely and beginning their journey to Mexico the only thing that is running through all of their minds is "Can he find us?", "he" meaning their father.

2. I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait for the extra credit booktalks to be open because I want to recommend this to so many people and a booktalk would be a perfect chance to do so.

3. One theme I noticed the most while reading this book would probably be loneliness. Between her mother dying, her father keeping to himself, and her sister always wanting to be out of the family, Katie experiences quite a bit of loneliness throughout this book.

4. My favorite character was probably Dickie, Diane's boyfriend. I liked him because he was really nice and caring towards not only Diane but also Katie. For example, he risked getting in major trouble just to make Diane feel safe and happy by taking to live in Mexico.

5. My least favorite character would have to be Katie's father. Ever since the beginning of the book i have disliked him, I can't believe there are people out there who hit their own children. Child abuse is one of those things that I find to be just unacceptable.

6. I can't really give an answer to this because I read the whole book, but I'm wondering if there will be a sequel or if this was a one time deal.

Spencer Dimmick
Warriors of Camlann
N.M. Browne
Fantasy
Just right
Page 212

1. Right now the two main characters, Dan and Ursula, are prepararing to do war against the Aenglisc, the tribal enemies of High King Arturus who is their ruler. They are both nervous about the impending war and tensions are rising. Preparations are being made and they are both nervous.

2. I sort of like this book. While it has a very good plot, both this book and the one before it have very weak beginnings. They lack information about the characters as they are introduced, and this leaves you rather confused.

3. I'd say a big theme in this is trust. All the characters need to trust each other quite a lot in order to accomplish the things that they have so far. For example, Dan and Ursula swear fealty to Arturus based on their trust in him.

4. My favorite character in the story is Bryn, Dan's squire. He's extremely loyal and has the great honesty of an eight year old kid. He really brightens up the whole story.

5. My least favorite character is Larcius, a duke currently allied with Arturus, but he would probably switch sides for a penny, judging by his character so far. He is greedy and impossible to trust.

6. I think that the war will begin very soon. Also, I have a feeling that the war will be decided in the impending battle, as a ton seems to be hinging upon it. Whatever happens, I am certainly anticipating it to be huge and exciting.

Katie McPherson
The Lucky One
Nicholas Sparks
Fiction
Just Right
Pg. 18

1. In my book so far the deputy Keith Clayton has just caught three nude women in a place where nudity is prohibited. So from behind the trees he took a picture than set the camera down and went to talk to them. He talked to them and let them off the hook and told them to put on some clothes and leave. Then when he was going to receive the camera he heard some whistling so he headed towards it. It was a hippie with his dog so Clayton went up to the man and talked to him he wasn't doing anything wrong but seemed suspicious so the deputy started making conversation with the man. Once he was done talking to the man he went to retrieve his camera which was not there. What Clayton did not know was that the hippie found it and asked the girls if it was theirs. And it wasn't so he took it with him, as he was driving the girls back to their college in Chapel Hill because it was on the way to where he was staying. So Clayton is going to do an investigation in order to find the camera and see if the people he met that day had planned it?

2. I don't like the book i think that there is really no point of it. He is going to try to make a lawsuit out of a missing camera. He will not get anywhere with his pursuit to arrest. This book also just carries on about one thing it took him three pages just to get out of the car and tell the girls to leave.

3. A theme in this book so far seems to be love. When he talks to the girl they are smiling at each other and she is the only girl doing all of the talking. then when he was walking away she was smiling at him and he described her as looking dreamy

4. I like Amy White because she acts all sweet and all sorry to the cop which you should do
in every situation when there is a cop. I also like her because she is having fun for school break which everyone should do.

5. My least favorite person in this book would have to be deputy Clayton because he gives the vibe that something is not right when nothing is really wrong. Also he overestimates everybody that he had met that day.

6. I think that he is going to run into the hippie and then he will ask if he had found a camera and the hippie will give it to him and then the deputy will still think that something is wrong so he will try to prosecute the hippie. And for some other reason i think that he is going to hook up with one of the girls because why else would the book have started off with that info?

Simone Chen

Simone Chen
When you Reach Me
Rebecca Stead
Science Fiction
Holiday
P. 163

1. Right now Miranda's ex-best friend Sal has just gotten hit by a huge truck when he accidentally ran out onto the busy street. A while ago, a kid Marcus hit Sal in the stomach and face for no apparent reason when they were walking home from school, so when Sal saw Marcus running after him he naturally ran away He was looking behind him to see if Marcus was following him, so he didn't realize that he ran out onto the street. The crazy old man that sleeps next to the mailbox suddenly runs out onto the street and kicks Sal away, and the truck hits the old man. Sal was injured badly, but not dead. The old man died when he saved Sal's life. Earlier, Miranda got 3 anonymous notes that refer to things nobody should know about. She doesn't know who is leaving these notes, and she finds it very weird that they talk about things that haven't happened yet, and they do end up happening.

2. I really like this book so far because it talks a lot about A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'engle and is based off of it; a big part of the book is about time travel. The concept of time travel is usually part of a fantasy book, and I don't usually enjoy reading fantasy. I liked how the book seemed like realistic fiction but still included time travel, without making the book a fantasy book. Every little detail the author includes is there for a reason because at the end it all ties together and the whole plot makes sense. I could tell this was not an easy book to right because she had to include very specific details scattered throughout, but without giving the resolution away. In some books you can predict what the ending is going to be, but not this one.

3. A theme that I've noticed is racism. The only character I see this is in is Jimmy, the sandwich shop owner, but it is a dominant theme in the book. When his prized Fred Flinstone shaped piggy bank gets stolen, he automatically assumes Julia stole it because she is black. He calls Julia "Swiss Miss" (the instant hot chocolate company) because of her skin color. Also at the beginning when Miranda and her friends first meet Jimmy he puts on a fake-Chinese act. His behavior shows that he is racist, and the author clearly points this out.

4. My favorite character is Marcus because he doubts what people call "common sense" by talking about time travel and how it could happen. He thinks the opposite of how "normal" people think by looking at the universe and what is really holds. He says that common sense is just a name for the way we are used to thinking. He is really smart and actually really nice, even though he punched Sal at the beginning and just walked away.

5. My least favorite character is Sal because for no reason at all, the day he got punched by Marcus he slammed the door in Miranda's face and stopped being friends with her, even though they'd been best friends before that. At the end they become friends again, but he never clearly explained why he'd suddenly decided to stop being friends with her. All he'd said was that he felt they needed a break, which in my opinion is not a very good and honest reason. Even though they are friends again at the end, their friendship never was the same again.

6. I think Miranda's mom will end up winning $20,000 on the game show that she got accepted into, The $20,000 Pyramid. Miranda will end up writing the letter that the anonymous note-sender asked her to, but she will probably never send it because it is no use now that he's dead. Marcus will explain the real reason why he punched Sal that day, and Sal, Julia (who used to be Miranda's enemy, but now they're friends), and Miranda will all be friends. And it will be explained why the crazy old man stole the Fred Flinstone piggy bank from Jimmy.

Ashley deluca

HEADING:

Ashley Deluca
Marley A Dog No Other
John Grogan
Realistic Fiction
Just Right
42

BODY:

1. Right now in my book Marley just got adopted from the Grogan family and is going to his new home. He is causing alot of trouble by chewing up lots of stuff and it is annoying the family.

2. I feel this is a Good book because of the way that they author is telling the story. I also think this because it helps to picture the book and the characters when I have already seen the movie.

3. I think the theme to this book is frustration. I think this because Marley is annoying the Grogan family. I also think that their is happiness in here because Marley is always happy and Jenny is happy that she got Marley.

4. My favorite character is Marley because he is happy and full of energy and I love dogs.

5. I don't have a least favorite character yet because it is hard not to dislike most of the characters right now in the book.

6. My prediction for next time I read is that Marley is going to do something that is going to make Jenny or the whole Grogan Family mad at him.

Lauren white
Shutter Island
Dennis Lehane
Mystery
Just right
Page. 25

1) Right now in the book teddy a U.S marshal is going over the see to shutter island. Teddy and another guy named chuck are telling the people aboard the ship that the island was used for military use.

2) Well I just started the book so I can’t say much about it. but right now the book is great because I want to no what happens. The movie has already came out so I no a little about the book so I no more then I should. But after my I.R reading I had a lot of questions.

3) A theme I have noticed so far with in a couple pages of reading is mysterious because a boat that Teddies dad fished on suddenly showed up on the shore of a beach and no one knows what happened to the fishermen. Also its kind of a mystery because the island was used for the military but it’s an insane institution and I'm not sure whets going on.

4) So far my favorite character would have to be teddy. He seems normal and I think he is a responsible marshal who is doing the right thing.

4) My least favorite character would be chuck, he just seems like every thing is about him because he has big muscle and has the tough guy. But its not

5) I think that once teddy gets in the island he will find out something bad has happened between one patient and another that will lead so something bad,

Tommy Hynes

Tommy Hynes

The Battle of the Labyrinth

Rick Riordan

Fantasy/ Greek Mythology

Just Right

Page 62

Right now in my book Percy is in a dream. In this dream Percy sees a boy spattered with mud, who looks very beaten up like he had been dragged around on the ground. He sees this boy tossed like a rag doll by two guards into a chamber full of marble and wooden boxes. Inside the chamber the boy sees a man that is his father. That is where I am right now.

I feel as though this book is one of the best in the series. I feel this way because the plot

in this isn’t very straight forward and as soon as you think you know what is going it changes. Also that this book has some very intense action sequences like the recent one where Percy, Grover, and Annabeth fight giant ants that are poisonous that are protecting a very powerful machine made by Daedalus one of the greatest inventors ever. This machine is a dragon that the camp can use to protect itself from monsters that like to feed on the half blood. That is how I feel about the book so far.

The theme I have noticed so far is heroism. I have noticed this in the parts of the book like the one with the poisonous ants. I thought that this stood out to me because the campers risk it all to try to help the camp. They risk it all because their former form of protection was removed. This leaves the camp wide open to attack. The campers are heroes in the way they fight the ants because one bite/sting by the ants and your dead. That is why I have noticed that theme so far.

My favorite character so far is Annabeth. She is my favorite character because the uses her wits as a way to get out of situations. She is also not the kind of person that uses only her strength. She uses both which makes her very useful in a fight. That is why Annabeth is my favorite character.

My least favor character is Clarice. I do not like Clarice because she is a bully. She likes hurting other campers even though they are on her side. I also do not like Clarice because she thinks she is better than everyone else. She thinks this because she is the daughter of Ares and she thinks no one can beat her in a fight. That is why I don’t like Clarice.

I predict Percy will help the boy he saw in his dreams by being granted a quest. I predict this because Percy is the kind of character that Can’t stand to see people in pain. Also I think the older man that is his dad could possibly be a powerful Demi - god or a important minor god. That is why I think that.

Jessica N

Julia Pearson

Julia Pearson

Ramses

Christian Jacq

Historical Fiction

Just Right

Pg. 124

1. Many things have happened already in Ramses. Every page is filled with a new adventure or plot line. This book is one of 5, and it is an epic following the life of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses. In this book, Ramses is still fourteen. He is not in line for the throne; his pampered and greedy brother Shanaar is. The current Pharaoh, Ramses's father Seti, has gotten Ramses's hope up more than once by testing him against a bull, asking him to make a sacrifice, and sending him all throughout Egypt to learn the ways of fishermen, quarrymen, and others. Ramses is not sure if his father wants him to be the next Pharaoh or not, but whatever his decision, Ramses is always trying to find himself. Meanwhile, some mysterious things have been going on, such as an attempt murder of Ramses. Ramses knows that Shanaar does not want him to be Pharoah. And though Ramses doesn't know it, the readers do know that Shanaar is behind these attacks.

2. I really like this book so far. I think that it is a very exciting book and I am never bored of it. It is also interesting because most of it happened, thousands of years ago, though all the characters seem very real. It has got everything- adventure, action, even romance. The one annoying thing is that the writing style seems a little choppy at times, possibly because this book is french and translated into english. On the whole I would give it a 9 out of 10.

3. The theme of the book right now is finding yourself. Ramses is always trying to find his "true path", or his meaning in life. He has found satisfaction in many jobs he has tried during his journeys, like rowing boats and working in the quarry. But he hasn't yet been able to quench "the fire inside", his un-satisfaction, or need of something he can't place his finger on. This has reappeared throughout the whole book- at the very beginning at school, during his journey, when he visits his friend Moses, and other times as well.

4. My favorite character is Ramses's mother, Tuya. Tuya is the queen of Egypt, and very respected. Ramses goes to Tuya for advice, and Tuya always gives it wisely. She is very good and has empathy for everyone, because she was not born into any kind of royalty, but was born poor and found for her talents. She remains humble and respected by all.

5. My least favorite character is Shanaar. Shanaar is very lazy, greedy, and conniving. He is pampered all day with massages and is obsessed with look, and has never experienced work or labor. He walks nowhere, always being carried. He wants the power of the throne, so he will kill his own brother to have it.

6. I predict that Ramses will become Pharaoh, and find his true path in doing so. Also, Shanaar will show his true colors and will be brought to justice. Lastly, Ramses will marry Nefertari, not his current "girlfriend" Iset.

Shannon Rush

Shannon Rush
The Scarlet Stockings
Charlotte Kandel
Historical Fiction
Just Right
Pg. 357
1. Right now in my book Daphne is hideing a huge secert from her parents. I don't know what it is because the auther writes the book in a way that you have to guess too. She is deciding weather or not to tell. But she does not know that her parents are thinking that she is hiding something.

2. So far in the book I like it. One reason that I like the book is because the auther always keeps you guessing. In the book now you have to guess what her secret is. Another reason that I like the book is because it is a topic that I can relate to.

3. I think that the dominite theme in the book so far is trust. The main charecter does not trust alot of people, but when it comes to her family she is totaly trusting them. Also she trust the oppion in dance.

4. My favorite charecter is Maria, Daphne's mom. She is my favorite because she is so caring for Daphne and always what what is best for her. Also she let her follow her dream of ballet.

5. My least favorite charecter is Carlo. He never wants anything to do with anything. He does not like that Daphne is dancing and does not like how she is adoped.

6. Since there is only a few pages left in the book I thought that she would become a amazing balerina, and my predeciction was correct.

Elisabeth Oglevee

Elisabeth Oglevee

Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson

Realistic Fiction

Just Right

Page 55

1. In my book right now Melinda Sordino the main character has just started high school (ninth grade). She is having a lot of trouble in school because over the summer there was some party and Melinda ended up calling the cops. The whole story hasn't been told about what happened at the party but I am guessing that will come in the near future. Since Melinda called the cops a lot of people in her grade got in trouble and even some of her friends because I am guessing they had drugs of beer at the party. When Melinda comes into the first day of school she really has no one to hang out with because her friends are really mad at her because of the party incident. Melinda feels that they have no right to be mad and that she did the right thing and also that her friends didn't give her time to explain what actually happened. On the first day of school Melinda meets a new girl named Heather and they become sort of friends. Heather is the perfect person for Melinda because she hasn't heard anything about her so she has no reason to dislike her. Melinda and Heather hang out for a while and then Melinda realizes that they really don't have a "group" as they call it and that they should strive harder to make there way into one. Heather find a way into a group that Melinda doesn't really like because there not really about her type of thing so Melinda kind of lets Heather go into the group while she still waits to find her own.

2. I really think I am going to like this book when I find out what exactly happened at the party. I feel that right now I don't have a side to take because I haven't heard the whole story yet so once I do ill be able to tell for myself what my reaction would have been.

3. I see the theme of friendship in this book so far because of Melinda really trying to find her place that she fits in and feels comfortable. I hope Melinda realizes that her old friends weren't really friends if they wouldn't allow her to tell her side of the story.

4.My favorite character is Heather because I feel like even if she did know about the party she would be a person to listen to the whole story and even if she thought Melinda did the wrong thing I feel that she wouldn't just give up on her like the rest of her friends. Also I think Heather doesn't really care what people think about her I just think the reason she wants a group is because she is new and she kind of wants a security blanket.

5. I really have only met two characters in this book so it is hard to name my least favorite character because it is not Melinda. My least favorite characters are probably Melinda's old friends because they didn't really give her a chance and if they were actually really close and good friends they would have forgiven her and listened to what she had to say. Also even though I haven't heard the whole story I feel that what Melinda did couldn't have been to bad because she did call the cops which is a very hard responsible thing to do when surrounded buy people who would be mad at you forever.

6. I think that Melinda will find a group and really believe that she has friends and then her old friends will realize that what she did wasn't that bad and they will try to get her back and she won't allow it. Also I think I will figure out the whole party story.

Charlie Friesen

Charlie Friesen

Pirate's Passage

William Gilkerson

Memoir/Historical Fiction (it is based on his childhood, but some parts are fiction)

Just Right

pg. 269

1. Right now in my book, Jim and Captain Johnson are in Boston, trying to sell their pewter wares they found in Jim's cellar. They have pretty much taken on aliases, they are all dressed up in fancy clothes, trying to make them seem like some one a dealer would like to buy antiques from. Both are speaking with a British accent, the captain's is real, but Jim's is fake. So far they have sealed a deal with their first dealer, which they have called "Mr. Bow-Tie". The money they are collecting they will send back to their inn in Nova Scotia. They need that money to make repairs on the inn, or else the Board of Public Health will deem the house unfit for serving food and will close it down. Their inn is not actually dirty, it is just the family that wants to buy the inn, the Moehners had probably bribed these officials into doing what they are doing now.

2. So far I am really enjoying this book. It is quite different from anything that I have read before. It is really interesting to see what Gilkerson is going to throw at you next. It is not really the plot that makes this book interesting, but all the little things that happen, and all the mini-adventures the captain and Jim get themselves into. I do not know how much of this story is actually true, I suspect that very little of it is actually true, so Gilkerson has not limited himself to sticking with the facts. At the beginning of this book, I thought it was all real, and I thought that all these things were too amazing for someone to do, and I thing that some of that is still stuck in me, which is why I like it so much.

3. A theme that I have noticed in this last section of the book is quite a lot of cunning. The captain was able to talk himself into leaving his boat that he and Jim had sailed from Nova Scotia to Boston, right on the wharf next to the USS Constitution! He pretty much forced the antique dealer to buy his pewter, but not buy force, but with his words. In fact, throughout the entire book, the captain has seemed to make everyone see his way, and do what he wanted them to. And it has really shown in this section, he has manipulated everyone, even Jim, by making him talk with an English accent.

4. My favorite character would have to be Captain Johnson. This is mainly because of the reasons stated above. But he is such a rich character, the story is not so much about Jim, but about the captain. There would be no story without him, he spices up every one's life and makes the story more interesting. He is the leader of this story and everyone seems to follow him wherever he goes. Jim does not have a father, and Johnson seems to fill that role. But he goes beyond that, not only is he a father, but a very close friend. Gilkerson holds him in a very high regard and I think that is why he is my favorite.

5. My least favorite character in this section of the book would have to be Mr Bow-Tie. To confess, there is a shortage of characters in this section, and there is not any one that I despise more than any other, but Mr Bow-Tie is close enough. It seemed as if he was quite snobbish, and I really do not like people who are snobbish. I thought that Jim and the captain were only getting dressed up to see Mr Bow-Tie, so that made me think of him as snobbish as well. He also did not want to buy their pewter, and so that is somewhat annoying and could mess up their plans. So although I do not despise him, Mr Bow-Tie is my least favorite of about three characters.

6. I think that because I am close to the end of the book, things will start to wrap up quickly. the captain and Jim will probably end up selling all their pewter, but maybe not all at full price, since there is so much of it. Then the will wire home the money they got from selling the pewter and they will save the day. Jim's mother will be able to pay the contractors to do the renovations. Jim will then sail home with Captain Johnson. Unfortunately the captain will have to leave to go and do whatever he had in mind in the first place.