October's Reading Assignment

7th Grade Language Arts
Brookside School

October's Reading Assignment

10/24/2013

Writer's deepen their understanding of a character by getting inside their heads, and writing from their point of view. Using your suspense novel, choose one of the activities below to best show your understanding of point of view in the story you are reading. Your entry should be no shorter than one paragraph, but no longer than three paragraphs.

Option 1:
Write a letter from one character to another about a specific important event or development in the story. Your letter does not have to be long, but it should showcase the thoughts and feelings that the character has related to the event you are highlighting. It should be easy to see how this character views the situation.

Option 2:
Write a diary entry from one character's perspective about a significant event/detail in the story. Explain how this event impacted you. Did you realize something new? Did you solve a problem? The diary entry should show how you (the character) is dealing with something very significant to the story. (Thoughtshots would be great in this entry!)

*Include the title of the novel and the author at the top of your post!

24 Comments

Justin young

10/29/2013 01:11:18 am

I Know What you Did Last Summer
By Lois Duncan
Dear Diary:
Today, Barry was shot, and the person who "called" him was his friend. He is now paralyzed, and the effect might be temporary. The key suspects to the shooting would be Megan, the kid who we ran over's older sister, or it might be Elsa, Helen's sister. Megan was peppy, yet looked like she would not harm anyone. Elsa however, was and still is jealous of Helen, and might have shot Barry since she was so jealous. "When Julie insisted on going into the house of the kid’s parents, I felt regretful, and did not want to go in, since the parents might recognize us and maybe call the cops". Instead, we saw that the parents were in a hospital, and that the mother had a mental breakdown over her kid's death. We still haven't figured out who shot Barry, but we know that anyone related to the kid was not the shooter, since they were away or were in the house. The key suspect might be Elsa, since she also hated Barry. The one thing we noticed, however, was that Megan was drying men's clothes, and the clothes were too big for her, and that may imply that there might be someone else in the house, or it could just be for her. There might be someone else that shot Barry, and the person might be still around, trying to make us miserable for what we did.
I am terrified, since the killer tried to murder Barry, yet the succeeded in paralyzing Barry. Helen, Julie and I was afraid, since the killer could come, and kill all of us. The killer might be someone we know, or someone that is a complete stranger, yet he is coming after us, trying to pick us off, one by one. Sometimes I could envision the killer coming up and slaughtering me, and that keeps me awake, besides the fact that we killed the boy. I do have hope that we can figure out who keeps haunting and trailing us, since we ruled out Megan, and that Elsa may be the prime suspect. I am still scared, yet there is still hope inside me in figuring out the killer.

milestorkelson

10/29/2013 01:12:30 am

Oh good lord! In less than an hour the lord hast changed our destiny forever! With my own eyes did I observe the fearful Indian attack on Deerfield! Hundreds taken with me in the bitter cold, with the savages to march 300 miles to Canada in the dead of winter! Oh, if they had not jumped the stockade! Why has the lord wrought such a horrible catastrophe on us? Forgive us, Lord! What shall become of my babies? Scalped by the savages or Tomahawked?
At least I have figured out how to carry my toddler that is scarcely older than 2 years! In my light pack I now can safely carry him. But we have not been fed for nearly three days! What shall become of us? I can only hope for ransom from the lord to save me from the savages!
Now I am rationing my small supply of food and warmth with the little children, and if they fall behind the cruel savages Tomahawk them! So now I stand in the back of the line guiding the slow children that were left orphaned by this most cruel attack! I helped cook food on the fourth day so that we wouldn't starve to death. I can only hope for ransom.

milestorkelson

10/29/2013 01:13:42 am

oops, didn't copy that the novel is THE RANSOM OF MERCY CARTER

Jake Garbar

10/29/2013 01:13:27 am

Down A Dark Hall
By Lois Duncan

Dear Sandy,
Hi, its your friend Kit. Have you noticed something strange in this house? It seems like we aren't the only ones in this house, like an evil presence is among us. That night when a voice was screaming and your bedroom door was locked, I felt and heard someone else in your room with the two of us. And when I turned the lights on it was gone. It just disappeared into thin air. You were sitting upright in your bed, and your whole body was crisp, cold, and covered in a blue hue.
I was up writing my friend back home a letter and heard a scream in the darkness of the hallway outside. I hesitantly ran to your room with caution, wondering what was inside your dark room. The door was locked tight, as though you locked yourself in, even though though the door only locks from the outside. When I stepped into your room, I heard someone else breathing heavily as though it was a hot breath on the back of my neck. I knew that the two of us weren't the only things in the room. When I ran and turned on the light, it disappeared. You were telling me it was your mother, who died in a plane crash with your father, that was standing with you next to your bed. I was shocked and frightened at what had happened and at the background information you provided me with. The two of us have to figure out what demonic figure is in this school.

Your Friend,
Kit

Natalie D.

10/29/2013 01:13:33 am

Dear Diary,
Last summer, I did something terrible. I was on my way home with Barry, Helen, and Ray coming from and party. We had flipped a coin to see who would drive, and Barry was chosen. He began to drive really fast, just like he always does. I had zoned out, tired from the party. But the sound of a piercing scream for Helen brought me right back to reality. A bicycle had been in front of the car, caught in the glare of the headlights, and a little boy was pedaling his way up the steep, windy road.
“ We hit him!” I yelled, I wanted to go back, but it was too late. Barry raced away and wouldn't give turning around even a second though. I was scared, I admit it.
Ten minutes later, Ray called 911. He didn’t mention his name, only where it took place and what had happened. Being the oldest one there, at eighteen, Barry didn’t want to risk going to court since he no longer ranked as a juvenile. He also really did not want to face a prison sentence. They all voted against me saying that they were not going to turn back. I was devastated, and now I have found out that someone knows! What am I supposed to do!

~Julie

Christina Boniello

10/29/2013 01:13:43 am

Christina Boniello 10/29/13

Language Arts Groosham Grange

David’s Perspective Period 2

Dear Diary,

1:15 p.m

This place is so weird. How am I going to spend my life stuck in this tiny island where no one knows this school and island exists. All the classes are so weird, especially the stuff they are teaching. Sometimes I feel like I am living in an army camp, but this is a school. The first teacher I had was even weirder. When I was at lunch, a kid named William told me about Monsieur Leloup who was our french teacher. When it is a full moon, he never teaches. Mis Pedicure was our English teacher, she had perfect teeth, but if only she didn’t keep them in a glass at the corner of her desk. Mr. Creer was our modeling, but he made weird choices to start with like making figures out of wax. Eww.

4:30 p.m

For sports we had to play soccer with a pigs bladder which was inflated, imagine touching that thing for a whole game. The gross thing was that for dinner we had to eat the rest of the pig. The good thing was the pig was turning under a light with a real apple in its mouth, so at least I managed to get it and eat it for dinner instead. Good luck to me as my first day is still not over, but one thing is that I know for sure is that this place is crazy and I hate it here. Great now I just remembered that I am going to be stuck here for the rest of my life.

Megan McCarthy link

10/29/2013 10:41:49 am

Megan McCarthy
“I Know What You Did Last Summer”
Lois Duncan

Dear Ray,
I’m worried. I know now that the note I got wasn’t a joke. Barry was trying to convince me that it was you, but I know you couldn’t have sent me the note that says “I know what you did last summer” because you and I feel worst of all. I mean we could have stopped them, Helen and Barry, from forming the pack, but we didn’t. Then Helen got a note also, I was a picture cut from a magazine of a little boy, like Danny, on a bike! And then Barry was called down to the football field by the person who knew and was shot, almost paralyzed. And worst of all you got that year old newspaper clipping sent in the mail.
I can’t stand this Ray. I hate walking outside and feeling like I’m being watched, I hate lying to my own mother that everything is ok, because it isn’t, somebody is out to get us. The hairs on my back stand up when I hear news of that poor little Danny. And Meg is all alone in that little cottage up in the mountain. What if the person who tried to kill Barry strikes again? What if this time Barry’s dead? What if the next time it’s me or you? This isn’t going to end when I go to college, or when you leave to go to California again. We can’t run or hide from it any longer, because this hide and seek game has gone on long enough.
Barry will kill us if we turn his in. We can’t con that. What can we do? We have to face the consequences I know they’ll be harsh, but we’ll get through them. I hate saying all this in the mail, but this is what we had to do to communicate, if somebody is listening to our conversations.

Sincerly,
Julie James

Eric Kim

10/30/2013 08:21:33 am

The Calder Game
Blue Balliett

Perspective: Calder
Dear Diary,
I approached Alehouse Lane earlier today with my father to find the magnificent sculpture, that looked so wild and bright, made by the great Alexander Calder, creator of mobiles. As me and my father got closer, we found a young girl quickly glancing through all the angles of this sculpture. My father and I didn't step in anymore because we knew that we'd intrude if we stepped in. This girl had been taking non-stop pictures with a small camera and she had then began to measure it. All of a sudden, a pub door opens with a heavy thump, followed by a loud closing of the door. The girl probably knowing who was coming, began to draw. A giant man, who appeared to be this young girl's father, yelled at her saying, "You're not to be near here!" She continued to draw. Soon, she stood up and left, her father behind her. That must have been one of the worst dads I've ever seen.

I began to realize that these mobiles lead to many people doing rebellious things. I had not solved any problems, for I had been watching with my father almost dumbfounded. I thought that maybe this was personal between father and daughter. I also thought that the mobiles of Alexander Calder were supposedly for inspiring people, not to make people wander off without their parent's permission. I had done nothing but watch this young girls dad scold her basically for her leave. Maybe this was a sign that her father disliked these mobiles and thought they waste valuable time where she could be studying instead. I didn't want to interfere with her and her dad so I stood still listening with my dad who I had barely noticed had been standing next to me because he had been quiet as well.

Victoria Winters

11/3/2013 04:23:14 am

All the Lovely bad Ones
By: Mary Downing Hahn

Dear and Corey,
First of all, I just want to say, welcome to Vermont! We are going to have loads of fun here at the inn this summer. I’m glad you two decided to come to the inn instead of going to camp. There’s so much for you guys to do here. There’s a pool, tennis courts, bikes for the guests. And if it rains, there’s a library, computer, TV, DVD player, and many old-fashion board games to play. I don’t think you guys can ever get bored here.
Anyways, it has been a couple of days since you have been here and in those few days there have been so called ghosts roaming around during the night. I’m not saying that is you guys pulling a prank on the inn, it’s just that I think you are doing it. But I hope that you aren’t because you are scaring all of the guests. I don’t care if the “ghosts” are bringing in people. I don’t want for this inn to be famous for having ghosts here because that’s not what we are about. I would like to stop this now before it gets too far. And it’s already starting to get too far. There have been numerous people coming in JUST to see the ghosts. Also, some of the staff, including Tracy, have been scared half to death so far by these shenanigans. If it’s not you guys doing this then I want to apologize, but take this as a warning.
If any of you two find out something that may help us about this then please tell me immediately. The last thing I want is someone suing us or shutting us down. Anyways, enough with my problems. After all, you’re only kids. I hope we can have a fun filled and ghost free summer together. Love you two!

With all my love,
Grandma

Lauren Cooney

11/3/2013 07:06:20 am

The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore
Joan Lowery Nixon

Dear Diary,
Today was as horrible as every other day has been, trapped inside this dingy basement. I do not believe that one should be happy to be trapped inside some unknown place without any comfort. The least bit of light shines inside this prison, making it as dark and eerie as the people who have enslaved me here are. I always think to myself, “Hey, it could be worse than this,” but I often remember that that is not a true, but rather a false statement. I have already been kidnapped. How much worse could this be? Today was the same as every other day. Sit downstairs in my own misery and wait for my kidnapper to bring me some food. I have learned many things after being trapped in this basement. I have learned to always appreciate your life and your family because you never know what may be coming. I was never really connected with my mother. Of course I love her, and I would do anything for her, but it seemed as though we both had trouble showing are emotions to each other. I have learned to appreciate her and all that she has done for me. I long for a warm hug from her making me feel as if I was safe and back at home. But I am not safe. I am the farthest thing from safe. I am trapped. With no way out.
Sunday, 12:00 pm:
Today was the day. My kidnapper told me that I would be set free because he had got the money he had wanted from my grandmother, Cristabel. They made me touch everything in their house today for some reason. Then I was forced to take a bath and clean myself up. The lady was supervising me with a gun in case I tried to make any “funny moves”. Today I thought was the best day of my life, but it turned out to be the worst. The police came! They came! I was positively sure that they would arrest those criminals who kidnapped me, but they did not! Right as they barged through the door the women threw the gun on my lap and my natural instinct was to pick it up. Sure enough the cops so me with the gun in my hand and told me to drop it so I did. Now they are running tests and trying to find out clues as to who is innocent and who is guilty. This exact thought runs through my mind like a carousel, What an idiot I am for holding that gun when the police came through!!! Uhhh… If I had only been more intelligent about this whole thing I would be out of this horrible house and in my own house trying to adjust to normal life!! They are still searching this place for clues and I am telling them everything I have. I am thinking so hard my head is about to burst. Until next time. If there is one for me. Who knows...I may be in a prison cell.

Goodbye Diary,
-Christina

Aedan Lorfink

11/3/2013 07:29:28 am

The Scorch Trials
James Dashner

Dear Diary,

After I was shot with the rusty bullet, I was very ill. WICKED knew I was going to die. They could not afford to have that happen. Im am very valuable to them. If I figured it out correctly my friends and I might be their only chance to stop the flare from destroying Earth and find a cure for the deadly disease. They came in on some spaceship and took me there. I was scared out of my mind. People from WICKED were talking about me and the other possible candidates for the cure. They took care of me very carefully. There must have been so much rust and disease on that bullet that WICKED needed to save me.

I also feel bad about the situation. I've seen so many of my friends die right before my eyes in the maze, in the storms, in the scorch and from those death balls in the hallway leading to the scorch. WICKED didn’t even bother to help them. I just hope this doesn't affect the relationship between the Gladers and me. The last thing we need is to fight. That won't help us cross the Scorch. There is also no way we can get the cure for the flare when fighting. It will only hurt us. I realized that I can't fight with them about the importance of me. With me being saved and the signs around the city that say I’m the real leader, we only have a week left maybe less to cross the Scorch. We need to stick together if we have any chance of making it out alive. Wish me luck.

Thomas

Allen Park

11/4/2013 04:59:41 am

Dear Diary,
There goes another day of no improvement. My information still doesn’t fit together. Rachel got shot, but she never heard her mom die from the gunshot? Scarface looks for drugs, but how is Rachel’s dad involved? Then how come Rachel isn’t dead yet, if she is always around her dad, who is supposed to have shot Rachel’s mother? And why is Chief Taylor always around Rachel’s dad if he wasn’t the person assigned for the job? The process of elimination isn’t working.
There are three suspects, which are Chief Taylor of the police department, Rachel’s dad, and Scarface, who is currently locked up. But why would these people shoot the family? None of these people have have a good reason. And what does this have to do with the Abeona Shelter and the Butcher of Lodz, who killed my dad? The world has a lot to explain that I don’t understand. However, the world will come to explain themselves, just like what happened in finding Ashley. Who knew Ashley was protected by Rachel, who I didn't know was part of the Abeona shelter until a few days ago? However, with the small evidence I have, I am planning on interrogating Rachel's dad tomorrow. He might know some things I don't, and hopefully I will have a better day tomorrow. I really want to figure out what happened to Rachel. There are many reasons to why. Some are that I want to humiliate Troy, and also because I want to repay Rachel of all she has done for me saving Ashley. I will not fail.
From,
Mickey

Breanne D

11/4/2013 05:33:24 am

The Body of Christopher Creed
Carol Plum-Ucci
Dear Chris,
What happened to you? The note. Was that from you? Did you mean to leave or did something actually happen to you. Chris, we all are missing you especially your mom. She is a nervous wreck. During school she was hanging up poster and she would go to church to pray that you would come back. Your mom was literally asking everyone she saw to see if they knew where you where. Trust me on this one, many people that you don’t think would care about you do. So Chris all I am trying to say is.. just come back. I do not believe that someone took. I am just hoping you didn’t take your life. I am very curious if you meant to leave? Did someone influence you to leave? As long as you come back we won’t be searching for you with. You better come back. We miss your life and your appearance everywhere. Hopefully one day at school we will see you again.

Your friend,
Torey

Erik Diedrichs

11/4/2013 06:16:23 am

Dear Diary, 10/29/13

The events that took place today still fill my mind as I lay in the hospital bed with a cast around my arm. I remember the headless horseman’s cold dead hand gripped around my throat, not letting in any air to my brain. In the background my brother was franticly looking for any weapon that would bring the horseman’s attention to him. With this I realized that he has always protected and covered for me whenever I needed help. I should not have yelled at him that night. He is my hero and I need him. Hopefully he will forgive the things I said to him and go back to being my great big brother.

Why is it when the group splits up the one person alone gets attacked first? At least we now know that we are descendants of Ichabod Crane. Anyway at least the Headless Horseman won’t be bothering us anymore. I got his head and gave it back to him so that creep will stay away from us now. His bloody stump where his head should have been still cuts into my soul. I cannot hold this inside of me, but if I go to a psychiatrist they will think I’m crazy. Hopefully I can talk to my brother about the events that unfolded this scary night. Everything is going to be alright, I know it is. This is my happy ending.

~Aimee.

Chloe Levy

11/4/2013 06:35:08 am

Chloe Levy 10/29/13
Language Arts Period 2
Option 2: Diary

Dear Diary,
That box held secrets. Ones I was never supposed to know about. Ones that should have been kept from everyone. Ones which were never meant to be found out. But I found out. No one will tell me anything. It’s all a big secret. A secret waiting to be revealed.
Today, I opened the box. It was just an ordinary box to me with not that much meaning. The box was packed away ever since my grandmother died. No one had opened it for five years. It just sat in the attic awaiting someone to open it. The box contained books and pictures, all of my mothers and grandmothers. I pulled one of those pictures out. It had a tear in it.
What does this mean? I then looked closely at the tear. A small girl was three quarters torn off the picture. Who was this? Is there someone I’m not supposed to know about? I am wondering who this could be. Maybe it’s one of my mom’s old friends. Maybe it’s a family member I never met. Maybe it’s just some random girl. But why was she torn off?
I want to know who it is so I look at the back. “T’ is all I could see but the rest was gone. I swiftly ran downstairs to my mother. Without hesitation I put the photo up to her face and asked her who the girl was. Mom gets emotional a lot so it was no surprise when she didn’t want to talk about this. She suddenly began to get mad at me for asking. I could tell she knew who it was. I now knew that this person was someone important but mom just wouldn’t budge. I asked her many times about the picture but she kept saying she didn’t remember anything. I know she’s lying because I can see it in her voice.
Now, all I want to know was who that was. I bet that if I ask my aunt she will know. Dulcie would tell me. She’s not like my mom who overreacts about everything. She is also so overprotective. She lets me go nowhere! Not even to my friend’s house to sleep over. Plus, my best friend is away all summer so what will I do. I just hope my mother let’s me go SOMEWHERE over the summer. I definitely don’t want to spend it alone in my house watching TV all day.
Maybe, just maybe I can try to find out who that girl in the picture is. All I know is that my mom is either not fond of her, or just doesn’t want me to know. I can tell she knows who it is though. If anyone knows my mom well enough to know that, it’s me. I can tell she’s hiding something from me. Something big. Something new. Something extraordinary. Something unknown. A secret that has never been told. One that not even I can be told. But I do know one thing for sure. I will find who it was on the picture.
Love,
Chloe Levy

Maryam Skairek

11/4/2013 07:25:17 am

Groosham Grange
By:Anthony Horowitz

Dear Mr. and Mrs.Eliot,

This is David, your son. I don’t even think you remember me after threatening me to disappear or not even exist after receiving bad grades. I can’t even call you mom or dad or else Mr.Eliot (dad) will lock me up in a cupboard for a week without food.To tell you the truth I don’t even belive this letter will make it to you both because Groosham Grange is a weird island. And I mean Weird, weird. On the train to Groosham Grange I met two of my newest friends. Jeffrey and Jill. Although Jeffery had told me that he tried to locate Groosham Grange for a while and found out that it wasn’t located in Norfolk like it said…There is not even one island known to man in Norfolk. Not only that, each of the letters my friends received including me were like three different places for example, remember how the headmaster of Groosham Grange stated that I was going to an old fashion all boys school. Well Jill received a letter stating she was going to Groosham Grange to an all Ladies school. Even Jeffery received a letter stating he will go to an educational assault course, in Groosham Grange.I’m confused. Strange just strange, I wonder what Groosham Grange really is and what it’s scheming. Anyway, all i’m saying is i’m curious about Groosham Grange and as long as i'm with my new friends I don’t have to worry. Although, when we arrived to the next stop we met Jimbo or father percival who literally flushed his jolly face into a pale person, when I mentioned groosham Grange. And we met Gregor the most peculiar chauffeur.He’s a hunchback and to me personally reminds me of Hugo from the disney movie. He’s creepy and disoriented, and calls himself a freak...This makes me more anxious as we get closer towards Groosham Grange. Am I just dreaming or is this really happening, thanks to you i’m getting almost annoyed traveling from place to place meeting more freaks.That’s all for today I guess i’ll write a letter sometime...or maybe not, like you guys would care, well maybe mom would..I mean Ms.Eliot but not you Mr.Eliot.
Sincerely,David Eliot

Caroline Martin

11/4/2013 07:39:55 am

Don't Look Behind You- By Lois Duncan

Dear Lorelei,
I miss you, Grandma!I haven’t seen you in forever and I can’t wait to hear your voice again. I would give you a call but Max says too many people can track it. We’re still in great danger. I am not sure if Max told you but we got moved to Florida. It all happened so fast. We have new names, all new clothes, a new house, and new everything. We are starting over. Florida very different than Norwood. I trying to see the positive but it is really hard with this run-down house. Its so hot here, plus we have no air conditioners or fans, so we have a lot of restless nights here. Hopefully we can come home soon. Bram wants to check up on Porky. According to him he says Porky would love it here. But personally I don’t see how anyone could like this place. They have a tennis court here, so hopefully I can start playing again. I’m a little rusty though. I really miss everyone back home. I would do anything to be back in Norwood right now but truth is that I’m scared. I been scared ever since Mike Vamp murdered our bodyguard, right in front of our eyes. But we couldn’t do anything about it. I feel powerless, like an ant under a huge foot running for its life. This will all be over soon though. I love you so much. I wish you the best.
Love much,
April (or Valerie)

Breanne D.

11/4/2013 07:43:08 am

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

Dear Chris,

The note. Was that from you? Did you mean to leave or did something actually happen to you? Chris, we all are missing you,especially your mom. She is a nervous wreck. During school she was hanging up posters and she went to church to pray that you would come back. Your mom was literally asking everyone she saw if they knew where you where. Trust me on this one, many people that you don’t think would care about you do. Chris all I am trying to say is.. come back. I do not believe that someone took you .I am just hoping you didn’t take your life. Did you mean to leave? Did someone influence you to leave? We will be searching for you until you show up. You better come back. We miss your life and your appearance everywhere. Hopefully, one day at school we will see you again.

Your friend,

Torey

Lauren Bernstein

11/4/2013 10:32:26 am

Lauren Bernstein 11/5/13
L.A. Per.2

Weebly

Dont Look Behind You by Louis Duncan

Dear Diary,
I can't belive people are out to get my inocent father. Just because dad is witness of the drugs, doesn't mean he had anything to do with them! Dad is in Washington, D.C. He is in court as a witness... and only a witness. One of his work parners was involed with a drug scene while they were on a buisness trip. But everyone needs to stop thinking my dad was involed. He was a bystander, an observer, an eyewitness.

This mishap makes me want to go insane! Believe me, I know my dad, and he did not do anything!!! Now my dad will be in Washington for even longer now! I haven't seen him in... well, it seems like.... FOREVER. I miss my dad. These people can't just take my dad like it means nothing to our family. Do they even have a soul? To me it seems like they don't. What are they going to do now to my dad, send him life treats? Because based on what is happening now... it seems 100% excpected if they would.

What if somthing really bad happened, that is why he is there so long. Maybe he is really isn't in Washington D.C. Maybe he is lying to us.... EHHHHH I dont think that would happen, knowing my dad. He is a trustworthy, honerable man. He always tells the truth, no matter what! But... what if somthing bad really is going on and he just won't tell us. Maybe somthing is wrong and it is affecting our family.... Maybe if he tells us what is going on, we both will be haunted by someone. But, we will never know -sigh- oh well.

Melissa W.

11/4/2013 11:23:59 am

Dear Diary,
Why is my family so corrupt? I am a target, where everyone aims at me. Just one person. After my grandpa died, my whole family has been toppling down like a tower, and I am the only one looking for a solution. Its my mission to solve the mystery of Grandpa Portman’s life, his legacy. And while I am trying to be a successful detective, the world comes caving in on me, and apparently, everyone around me thinks I am going insane. Like I belong in a mental hospital. Even my only friend, Ricky, just abandoned me. Talk about being loyal.
Thankfully, I have found a location to help me uncover my grandfathers past. Just right off the coast of Wales, lays an orphanage where my grandpa once lived. But once my father and I had arrived, I realized I wasn’t just walking into an orphanage. It looked like an abandoned insane asylum. There were gashes throughout the walls, vines crawling throughout the floors. But worst of all, the house was almost unkillable, withstanding everything mother nature had thrown at it. I couldn’t even believe my eyes when I first walked in. Grandpa depicted it as a cheerful and bright house, where no one ever stopped laughing. But it had changed, almost transformed into an eerie area, where no one ever entered. My head could have exploded. Why was it in such awful condition? Where was Miss Peregrine? A couple of years ago, a letter departed from the island, and landed on my doorstep in Florida. It was addressed to my grandfather, and from the lovely Miss Peregrine. But everyone on the island had said the house had been vacant for ages. Where could she have gone? I came to Wales to see her. I came to ask her about my grandfather. How did she disappear? Somehow, the puzzle pieces didn’t all fit, and I needed to find Miss Peregrine.
My mind is still rumbling with countless ideas about my grandfather. All I have are theories. Thoughts about all of the different possibilities. Maybe she never existed and Grandpa Portman went crazy. Maybe even Miss Peregrine had a top secret orphanage. But I don’t want theories or lies or possibilities. i want the truth, a correct conclusion of my grandfathers life, that I will find.
From,
Jacob

Brielle Wiener

11/4/2013 08:13:35 pm

The Witches of Worm
Zilpha Keattey Snyder

Dear Diary,
Worm is going mad. He’s been getting angry at me, hissing, and making terrifying faces. He resembles a devil when he looks at me now. It all started when he got of the the apartment and outside to where Mrs. Fortune’s cats were. Worn seemed very interested in them, and he didn’t want to go back inside. Once I finally got him inside, he continued to look out the window at the other cats. I thought this was very strange, so I tried to get his attention by making noises at him. This made him furious. He turned to me, his large pointed ears were twisted outward and shifted back on the sides of his head until they formed a horned crescent - like the horns of a devil. The long tufts of pale hair at their tips quivered in the light like thin blades of electric fire, and the pupils of his mossy golden eyes had narrowed to slits of darkness. At this point I was truly frightened, until Worm said something. And he actually said it, I swear. Worm said, “Mrs. Fortune knows more than she tells,” I did NOT know he was going to say this! This put me over the line, this made me want to know more.

-Jessica

Claudia Mischler

11/4/2013 08:50:05 pm

Novel: First Shot
Author: Walter Sorrells

Dear Diary,
What would you do if your dad was a murderer? Last night was the most scary of all nights I have been living in my house. I woke up in the middle of the night with a feeling that I have never felt before. When I knew something wasn’t right I went into my father's bedroom and I all I saw was clean, fresh, made sheets. I knew he was up to something. That night I headed downstairs to find out what my dad was doing. I saw a shadow of my dad with a shovel in one hand and something in the other hand. Was it a gun? Was it my mom’s body? Was it a knife? What was it? I have been very suspicious with my father ever since my mom passed away. I kept thinking day by day if my father killed my mother. Did he actually? If my father killed my mother I don’t know what I would do. Am I supposed to go the police or find out myself. Although, I definitely need to do something about it.
That night I followed him to the Barrens, where he brought the shovel and something in the other hand. He went 100 miles left of the athletic fields. There he was digging and then I knew it was my father that killed my mother. What am I supposed to do next? This might haunt me for the rest of my life. I think the best decision I should make is going straight the police and tell them what happened and how I feel. This makes me feel angry because my dad took my mom away from me for no reason at all. Unless something happened that made him to do such a horrible thing…?

-David

Noah Levine

11/4/2013 09:13:24 pm

Dear Diary

Im very sad and discouraged that my mom died because of a murder and I want to find out who murdered my mom. My mom means the world to me. I solved a problem when Mr Entwhitole said there was a rumor that my dad killed my mom. Mr Entwhitole also says we may never know who murdered my mom. I think Mr Entwhitle murdered my mom because he said that we may never know who murdered my mom and I think he made it obvious. I'm really discouraged over his mom being killed. I wish my mom was still alive. I think about my mom everyday in biology class and I want her to be living.

Danielle Vitti

11/5/2013 09:47:52 am

Dear Grandma,
Lately I have been missing you so much. I know you are not here and you won't be able to read this, but I still need to let out my feelings. I was searching through boxes of your belongings, looking for books, when I came across a picture. On the back, it read, Claire, Dulcie, and T, and the rest was torn off. I turned it over to reveal the image it held. Half of the mystery girl's body was torn off. I was asking mom about it, but she got angry and started to cry. Mom has a tendency to cry a lot when something happens unexpected. She cried when when Aunt Dulcie and her got into a fight (like normal sisters would). She cried when I asked to go to the lake with Aunt Dulcie. She cried when I asked about the picture. It is so annoying when she cries because it makes the situation worse! And, I was wondering about the lake house, but mom got even more emotional. Mom said it was a dangerous place that I would never get to experience. But, I didn't care as much about the lake house as I do about "T". I want there to be someone to tell me who she is. I know if you were her, you would tell me, but you aren't. Writing to you makes me realize how much you meant and still mean to me. I love you and miss you! I will see you in heaven, but until then, I love you.
Love,
Ali<3

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