Dicey's Song

Justine Regan
Dicey's Song
Cynthia Voigt
Realistic fiction
Holiday
pg. 200


1. Right now in My book, All the Tillerman children are getting their report cards back. James has just figured out a new way to help Maybeth learn to read- it's the way we learn in school. Sammy has recently gotten a detention and he got into a fight on the busride home from school, what about I'm not sure. Dicey also got her report card back. She failed home ec class. Even though she didn't like this class and didn't put much effort into it she was still mad that she got an "F". I'm not sure why though she saw it coming. Dicey got a c+ in english class, which she thinks is an honest mistake because, according to her she is one of the smartest ones in the class. Other than that Dicey got all A's which she didn't even seem to notice. Gram has gotten one more letter from the hospital where Dicey's mother is. This letter was only one page long and Gram didn't say anything about it. Gram also took Dicey to the mall with her to get some clothes for the winter. Gram even bought Dicey some new dresses to wear to school, which is such a huge change from the boys clothes she's been wearing. Right now Mr. Chappelle is about to read Diceys English paper because Mina's and hers were the two best papers. I can't wait to see what Dicey wrote.




2. All along I haven't really been enjoying this book because, I feel like it is really repetitive and maybe not what I'd generally be interested in, but lately this book seems to be getting better. I'm glad that all the Tillermans are begining to make friends and I'm really glad they're helping Maybeth. I felt really really bad for Maybeth, when she started crying because all the kids in her class laughed at her reading ability. I think I mostly felt bad because, in reading this book you can tell that Maybeth is not only really she and sweet, but she works so hard to learn how to read- it just doesn't come easily to her. I'm also really glad that James is trying to help her. I think Dicey should also try to go over it with her.




3. I think the theme in this book is balance. Everyone is trying to balance what they want with what they need and what everyone else needs. James is trying to balance his new friends with helping Maybeth suceed. Maybeth is trying to balance learning how to play the piano and learning how to read. Every character in the book is trying to balance something, while trying to make everyone around them happy at the same time. I can understand how this can be really frusterating for people because, they all seem to feel as if they arn't doing enough and that's what they're focusing on. I also think another main theme in the book is acceptance. The Tillerman children all want to be accepted by the other kids at their school and fit in. They also want to be accepted by Gram because, they feel like if they arn't accepted by Gram then she will get rid of them.



4. My favorite character is Mina. She is my favorite character because, she is always really friendly. Mina is always reaching out to Dicey in search of a friend, which is what Dicey really needs. Even though Mina has other friends, she still wants to be friends with Dicey. It's not just because Mina feels bad for Dicey either, Mina likes Dicey the way she is- even if she is so different from all the other kids. Mina accepts Dicey which, in the future could help(s) Dicey make more friends. I love that Mina is so open about her feelings, she doesn't seem to care what people think of her which results in her bieng accepted by everyone else. The english paper Mina wrote was a great insight to how she felt and I like that she wrote that.



5. My least favorite character is Dicey. I feel like every time Mina tries to make friends with her, Dicey just pushes Mina away. I think Dicey is afraid to try to make friends, she's afraid that she won't be accepted and she wants people to know that she doesn't care what they say. Even when Jeff tries to talk to Dicey, she does the same thing she does to Mina. She gives him short answers and then leaves saying barely anything. I also don't like that Dicey never wants to hang out with her siblings. When Sammy tries to help her on her boat she refused him. I understand that Dicey didn't want Sammy wrecking it, but she was really mean about telling him "no". She could have let him be her assistant and let him help get her tools and such.



6. I think everyone is going to love Dicey's paper which will make her feel good. I think Dicey will accept Mina and they will become friends. I also think that at the rate Maybeth is going she will soon catch up with her class and she won't have to worry about reading the words in the book wrong anymore. I'm not quite sure about Sammy, I think he will tell Dicey what he was fighting about. I think it had to do with his dare and kissing the girl in his class. James will probably go over to his friends house again to hang out, and I think Maybeths piano teacher will go to their house again. Maybe this time he'll have an idea for helping Maybeth.