Joey Pigza Loses Control-May.4,2010

The book I just finished it called "Joey Pigza Loses Control" By Jack Gantos. This book made me feel bad for Joey and his mom because his mom worked so hard in helping Joey become better but his dad is not being nice to Joey and he is not helping Joey become into a better person, instead he throws away all his meds. This is why Joey's dad doesn't live with Joey and his mom. A connection I had was when Joey was feeling very worried and scared about his dad, I felt like that too.because when Joey started running away from the baseball field, he started thinking about bad things, and when I felt the same way, I also started having bad thoughts in my head. This is a just right book for me because I understand the book well and I can have good thoughts about the book.

The main character, Joey, is a very wild person. He is caring and he is thoughtful. That's because in the beginning of the book, he had always wanted to visit he's dad because he has never seen him before. And when he does go to and visit him, he notices that he wasn't that comfortable with him. And so every day he calls his mom. But one day when it was the baseball game, he acts really wild, so his dad keeps shouting at him. That's how Joey ran away to call his mom to pick him up. Another main character is Joey's dad. He was a mean person, and when he was a little bit younger, he was a bad person. And now, he says he will become a better person but he is not helping Joey take his meds. And instead, he think it is better for him not to take it, so he throws it into the toilet.

In the end of this story, Joey runs off with his mom back to where he really lives. And he decided to live with his mom rather than his dad. I agree with the end and I am happy with the end but I am also upset about the. Because I like the end because it is a good choice to leave his dad because his dad is very mean. But I also don't like the ending because he never did tell his dad he left. One thing I would like to change in this book is instead of the visit to Joey's dad house was bad, I would like the visit to be happy and fun. And I wish that Joey's dad wasn't a bad person. I think that the author's message is even if you think that you are a bad person, inside you are always a very good person.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key - April 22

The book I just finished is called "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" by Jack Gantos. This book made me feel bad for Joey and sometimes this book made me feel surprised. It was surprising when Joey changes a lot during the whole story and how as he changes he knows what to do to become a better person. A connection I had to this story is that when Joey was trying to become a better person, he also felt worried and scared because he thought he was a bad person. And in real life, sometimes that happens to me when I am trying to become better at something. This connection helped me understand this book more because it made me understand more about how the character felt. This is a just right book for me because it made me think a lot and it made me make a lot of connections.

Joey Pigza was a very wild person. He would always want to jump around and go wild. And during this book, he tries to control him self and become a better student and person. Joey's mom, another main character in this story, also really changed during the story. Because in the beginning of this story, she would always be worried about Joey and how he would be too wild sometimes. But through out the story, she becomes more calm about things.

The problem in this story was resolved when Joey knew he had to calm his self more and he knew he had to be more careful in doing things. He always listens to his mom and understands what she says to him. Before Joey didn't remember his mom when she came back after trying to look for Joey's dad. So that time when his mom was gone, he felt really lonely even if his grandma was there. One thing I would change about this book is instead of Joey's dad leaving, he would stay with Joey and his mom. I would like to change that because it must be really hard to stay with just with your grandma until your mom or dad would come back. I think the author's message is even if you think you are a bad person, you actually may be a good person at heart.

#5 Reading Response Journal Entry

The Civil War book I just finished is called "Gentle Annie" by Mary Shura. This book made my feel sad and happy. That's because there was a lot of dying of family members but there was a happy ending. One connection I had with the book was one of my friends really wanted to do something that she had dreamed of doing but then her parents thought it was a bad and dangerous thing to do but in the end she ended up doing it anyways. And in "Gentle Annie" Annie really wanted to enlist in the Civil War to be a nurse. But her friend's parents don't want her to sign up because they think it is dangerous but in the end she anyways does it. This connection helped me learn more about the main character like about how they act, feel and act to others. This is a just right book for me because almost every word in the book I know what it means and I got a lot of connections about he book.

Annie was a very brave person especially because she is a woman. She was brave enough to sign up and become a nurse who would go around during war and help wounded soldiers. She was also a very kind person and smart person. Annie helped soldiers write letters to their home and she makes the soldiers feel more better when a soldier is wounded really badly. Annie changed during the story by becoming more braver. Sophie is Annie's best friend. Sophie really loves and cares about Annie. Like when Annie was signing up for being a nurse, she didn't want her to leave and she wrote letters to her almost every day. What made these characters change was during the Civil War a lot of people special died and a lot changed during the Civil War.

The solution was solved because Annie helped a lot of wounded and dying men and that really saved and helped the Unions. One thing I would change in this book is that instead of Edwin dying, I want the book to end like Annie goes back to her friend's family where her friend Sophie is and the she would meet Edwin and Will back at Sophie's house. I think the author's message is that you can do what ever you have dreamed of doing and don't let anyone tell you what to do.

#4 Reading Response Journal Entry

The book I just finished is called "The Rumpelstiltskin Problem". The Author is named Vivian Vande Velde. This book made me feel happy, sad and surprised because some parts Rumpelstiltskin was really mean and sometimes he was really nice. One connection I had was sometimes I blab about things that I shouldn't have said because then I get in trouble. And in this book a father just said that his daughter could spin straw into gold but his daughter couldn't even do to the king so then she was sent to the palace and was forced to spin straw into gold or else the king would have to chop her head of. This is a just right book for me because I had really deep questions to the story and could tell a very clear summary.

A main character named Katya in this story was really rude and mean. And another character which is her father was not very helpful. And he was the one who made his daughter into the mess. Through out the story, Katya was forcing Rumpelstiltskin to take her stuff. And Rumpelstiltskin was just trying to make her feel happier. But in the end, it wasn't a happy ending for Rumpelstiltskin because in the end he was so upset with Katya and the king so he left the castle. Katya's father In the end wasn't able to get back his daughter because in the end she married the king.

This story was solved all because of Rumpelstiltskin. He was the one who really spins straw into gold and he was the one who made Katya feel a lot better. What I would change in this book is I would make Katya change and become a more nice and kind person because she was being really mean to Rumpelstiltskin and he was being really nice to her and he saved her life. I think the author's message is that don't just blab something out to someone that really isn't true because then it can never come back and things can get into a disaster.

#3 Reading Response Journal Entry

The book I finished is called Master Piece by Elise Broach. This book made me feel very adventurous because the beetle (Marvin who is the main character) who is suppose to be staying in his home, he doesn't listen but just goes off to save a very famous drawing at a art museum. One connection I had was was the beetle (Marvin) and my sister (Georgia) because Marvin was really adventurous (For a beetle) and Georgia is a really adventurous person too. Because Georgia would do any challenge. This connection really helped me understand this book because that way I knew what kind of beetle Marvin is. This was a just right book because I understand the book and I was able to tell a summary about it.


Marvin, through out the story, in the beginning he wasn't really brave at all. When his cousin and he went out to the turtle tank, Marvin didn't want to even see it. But through out the story leading into the end, he became more proud about his self and brave. And James, (not a beetle but a human) in the beginning he was very sad because his birthday wasn't fun and his mother and father got divorced. But through out the middle and the end of the story James was happy that he had saved a drawing from getting stolen. Marvin really helped James.

In the end of this book, Marvin and James finds all of the famous drawings that were stolen. But the one thing I would change about this book is instead of james breaking his arm, his father and mother would get back together. I think ther author's message in this book is to help your friends when ever there is a problem or if your friend is not feeling well.

The Sign of the Beaver\December 1th

In the colonization of America, Matt, a boy was left alone in a forest because his father was off on a long journey to get the other half of the family. Right now he is stuck in the cabin. But one day he meets a Native American in a troop called "the Beavers". One day he goes to a honey hive to get honey. But it wasn't so smart to do that. Bees chased him to the river as a Native American (Attean's grandfather) saves Matt. They have an agreement that since Attean's grandfather saved Matt, Matt would teach Attean to read and the Native Americans will bring food to Matt. Days passed and Matt and Attean went through a lot of adventures as Attean teaches Matt new things about the nature. Months have passed and now "the Beavers" have to leave to another land to live where Attean has to find his Manitou (spirit). Matt waits until his family comes. One day he sees his family coming and they settle in the cabin as Matt tells the story about the Native Americans.

Summary of the Whipping Boy

Back in the olden days, two boys Jemmy ( the whipping boy ) and Prince Brat escape. Hold Your Nose Billy and Cut water two horrible people kid-nap the two boys, but Jemmy and Prince Brat get away. They meet a couple of new friends on their adventure leading back into the town. With the changing of friend ship, Jemmy and Prince Brat try and escape again from Hold Your Nose Billy and Cut water who try and capture Jemmy and Prince Brat. This was taken place in the sewers where Jemmy and Prince Brat pour all the rats onto Hold Your Nose Billy and Cut water. This is how they get away. But Prince Brat wants to go back to the castle and asks Jemmy to go with him ( this was an order from a prince so he had to go ) So when they get to the castle, Prince Brat stops his father ( the king ) from whipping Jemmy from escaping with his son. Then something changes, Prince Brat's father says that when they escape again, bring him with them.