Welcome!

Making connections between the books you read and your own life is an essential component of reading comprehension. In this blog, students in Ms. Stewart's reading development class will deepen their connections to their books by putting themselves in their characters' shoes.

Below you will read journal entries written by students as if they are the characters they are reading about. Journal entries describe the events taking place in the novel, as well as the students inferences about the ways their character feels about those events.

Please enjoy reading the students' thinking about their books, and feel free to share some of your own or respond to posts that interest you!

March 8, 2010

Kate the Not-So-Great

Hey,


My name is Jenny. Since I am older now, I thought I was old enough to babysit. This girl named Kate was moving on to high school. She was so popular in our school. We use play with each other all the time. But, now that she is in high school, there is none of that anymore. One day, a family called Weinmans, asked me to babysit, while they went for dinner. I said okay. But, I wondered why they would ask me instead of Kate because Kate lives nextdoor to the Weinmans. When I got there, they told me everything I had to do while I was babysitting. The Weinmans said " Do not let Kate come over." I ask why, but they would not tell me. When they left, I got a coke and went on the couch and started to watch HBO. I heard the doorbell, it was Kate. She was with a boy named Bob. She pushed me out the way and came in the Weinmans house.

Uh Oh! Now I am going to be in big toruble.

(Stephen)

Babysitting

Hi Im Jenny

I got my first babysitting job and im about to go there. I've been wanting to baby sit and i got a job. Im at my job babysitting and it doesant seem really hard right know. But, there is someone outside the house. I open the house door and there is Kate outside. I told her to leave and she doesant listen so i might get in trouble in my first job.The baby is crying and kate doesant leave. But the i told her to leave and we fighted and then she left. Then i called the baby parents. Babysitting is harder than i thought.

(Brian)

January 21, 2010

Drinking

Dear Diary,



This is when I drunk beer with my best friend Aaron. Aaron asked me if I wanted to drink some beer and I said yes. We were in the pool drinking beer. Aaron started to act really crazy after he drunk the bootle of beer. Then he fell asleep. I wet a rag and put it on Aaron's face. He woke up and I dragged him to the living room couch. He fell straight asleep once I put him on the couch. I also fell asleep on the other couch. Then the next morning I went home and had a great day.

(Dorsey)
Its Dean (brian)

Today I went over Aaron house and I started to drink with him and stache. I dint think that the beer taste good but Stache was going to say im a little kid so I just drunk the beer. When I got home I didnt fell well. I had to take a shower and my mom came in the bathroom when I was taking a shower and my mom came in the bathroom asking for my clothes and it stink like beer. So I had to make and excuss.That is what I did today at Aarons house.

fighting

Hi my name is Dean,

When me and my brother got in a fight, I kicked a hole in the wall. My mother had told my sister "don't tell or else you will get in troudle." Then when my mother and father got back from the store I tried to cover up the hole that I kicked in the wall. But, Guess what? My sis ter told anyway! But, she did not tell, she drew it on a sheet of paper. Then she gave the sheet of paper to my mother and my mother told me to come here and I got in trouble.

Some times I hate my sister!

From Dean (Dorsey)

FEELING GUILTY

Dear diary,

My name is Polly Kemp and today I felt really guilty because I riped Agatha's bow on her dress but all I wanted to do was just to feel the dress and I did not mean to do it. Then when I was trying to say sorry she slapped me really hard on my face. Tomorrow I will try to say it again but I did not mean to. I hope she accepts my apology...

SINCERALY, Polly kemp.(Kelly)

I Can't Believe my Birthday!

hi it's Dean,


It all started when I got a journal for my birthday. When I got a journal, my mom made me write about all the things I do in my life, like when me, Aaron and my dad got back from the pizza palace mom made me write about what I did and where I went and I realy just wanted to play my new game with dad and Aaron, but I couldn't because of my mom. I realy wish I just got socks from her!

THE END,
DEAN (TARIQ DARNELL)
Dear diary,


Hey i came to chat with you because i have been having problems. I do not like to argue with my best friend sense forever! It should not be like this we are best friends. I love you like you are my best friend. I want you to know that. But, Aaron and I are having problems. He keeps hanging out with Stach. Everytime Stach is with Aaron we get in trouble. I told Aaron I don't want to be friends with Stach but he got mad at ME! Can you believe that? Stach gets him in trouble but he is mad at me? I wish Aaron would just get rid of Stach and be my friend again.

---- From Dean

(Andrea)

January 20, 2010

The boy in the woods part 2

Hey its sam again,



One nightI saw three deer around the Baron weasel. They were reaching toward the smell of salt. The Baron weasel jumed at my pants, and gave my leg in an awful nip. I guess I had grown some;my pants and socks did not meet anymore. I going to leave now. Bye!

-Sam (Modesto)










yours truly sam

Me my self and i

Dear diary,

My name is Lenore . I been having lot of trouble geting polly to know that she shouldn't be press to be Agatha friend or Eunice . But every time I tell her that she gets mad and snapped at me. If she keeping acting like that im not going to help her figure out who's the right friend for her . And I know for a fact that if I was her I would not be that excited to go to someone house and be there friend and dress like them . OMG! Polly is doing to much. She will find out sooner or later . Then she will be so suprise and relize that they was not all that at specially Agatha she the one who tried to turn Eunice against Polly , and Eunice really like polly .

sincerly lenore,
your best friend (Ricale)

January 19, 2010

Skinny Bones

Dear Diary,
Hi my name is Babara Park. I found out that Alex Frankvitch is a liar. He said that the cat knocked down to food, but really he did it.\

(Charles)

January 17, 2010

I can't believe the things that people make me do.

Dear Dairy,


My name is John tomorrow will be my birthday.(Saturday,August 1 my birthday) Today is my birthday I open my dad gift first it was a black x-box 360 limit .Then I open my mother gift seconded and it was a journal .Dad seen the look on my face and said"I will take him and a friend to the ESPN Zone to eat and play arcade game". Then dad took Josh home then we went home .After I took off my coat I told mom about my day then she ask me to abou it in my journal. Dad just stayed there and did not say nothing , so I went up stairs in my room. Until one I went down stairs and told my mom that I wrote about what Josh and I did at the ESPN Zone.
THE END
TRULY YOUR FRIEND,
John (Anfernee Bryant)

January 15, 2010

Hello, Sam here.



Found a deer today. I am taking it back to camp.Its very heavy so I am hiding it in leaves

before the hunter comes to clam his prize.I made a device to catch deer using salt to lear

them close to me. I need to get back to the deer before the hunters discover it!

More later.


(Modesto)

The Wish Giver

Dear diary,

I been feeling wrong about how I trick all these people thinking I have magic.But I enjoy having a laugh once in a while. Quite harless, right? I know . I can't give up now and stop doing what I do best. I love my job. And if I do, all the kids and grown ups will think I'm a sell out. But one day I will come clean and be truthful.

yours,

Thaddeus Blinn (Ricale Moore)

The boy in the Woods

Hey Sam here again.

A poacher killed a deer but did not retrive his prize. So I found the deer carcass and took it back to camp. I covered with leaves and branches I found in the woods. I also made a little leach for frightful it is called jesses. I made a device that catches deer it uses salt and a rope to catch the deer.


That's all for now,

Sam (Modesto)

Ninja Sam

Dear Diary

I feel so tough. I, Sam, got a baby bird from it's nest while being attacked by it's mother. I am a ninja.


p.s. i need food :(

yours,

Sam (Hector Ventura)

Ra'kayla As Summer

Dear Diary,
Hello My name is Summer.I am a character in the book Missing May. My Uncle Ob was very upset when my Aunt May died.Aunt May died when she was gardening.Im not sure how she died when she was gardening.I was very sad.I came to live with Aunt May and Uncle Ob because my parents did not want me.Although I had a tough life time I still was a wonderful child.Thank your for reading my story!.

Yours Truly

Summer (Ra'Kayla Winslow)

Missing TaNia

Dear Diary,

Hello my name is Summer. I would like to talk to you about a story i'm reading name Missing May. My Uncle Ob is having a very bad time with my Aunt May. She died and now we are missing her. My life has been tough my mom did not want me so now i'm here with my Aunt and Uncle. They told love me so much. My Uncle and I were just talking about my Aunt May saying how half of her body wants to stay here and half of her body wants to leave. I miss my Aunt and I know she miss me!!!!!!!!! I love you anutie!

Yours Turly,
Summer (TaNia Strong)

Me and my side of the mountain

It was not easy for me to catch food I had a lot of ways to catch food.I had to catch the fish,clean the fish, and cook the fish.Some of the food I caught was easy like catching trout .That was easy for me because trouts had big mouths. I had to find a way to catch food instead of wasting my breath. Every day I had to go through the same process. It was tiring, but it is good to have food!

So long for now,

Sam (Emmanuel)

January 9, 2010

Sam Gribley: Mountaineer

Dear Diary,

It's time to set out on my own. I'm leaving New York with just a penknife, a ball of cord, an ax, some flint and steel, and 40 bucks. It doesn't sound like much, but I have more determination than you're likely to find in another boy my age. I'm headed to the Catskills to a land that is mine by birthright. Somewhere out there is an old beech tree with the name Gribley carved in it, and I'm going to find it.

I'm a little nervous about moving to the wilderness, but mostly I am excited about testing out my survival skills. I read several library books about survival, so I know that I have the knowledge, I just need to put it to the test. I've got my flint and steel, now how hard could starting a fire really be?

To the Catskills! Wish me luck!

Yours,

Sam (Ms. Stewart)