The Year Without Michael, by Susan Pfeffer is about a sixteen year old girl named Jody. In September her brother Michael disappeared. Jody and Michael had a small fight before he disappeared. She was the last person to see him. He was supposed to go to a friend’s house but he never got there.
“She said that my life is being subsumed by yours and that it’s as though I’ve joined some sort of eco-cult and you are the cult leader” (Beaven-75). When Colin contacted his family, he received a similar reaction. His plan was “instead of two three-day trips at Thanksgiving and Christmas” they would “take one weeklong trip for one holiday and stay home and relax for the other” (Beaven-82). His mother did not understand because “the train will run whether you are on it or not” (Beaven-82) and that his sister would be devastated that they would be missing his baby shower. I can only imagine what my family would do if I said something to them like Colin and Michelle did to theirs.
Gault’s mom came home that day from work and could not find her son anywhere. She then sent Gault’s oldest brother out to look for him. With no luck, they went to Gault’s friend Lewis’ house where they found out the dreadful news. The Lewis family also told them that they had a hearing in the Juvenile Court the following day. (Gerald punishment) The Supreme Court made their decision.
The neighbor’s wife never mentioned the best friend being there, or any other vehicle. When I was interviewing the best friend of the victim, she immediately began blaming the boyfriend. She began to sob hysterically and was unable to answer my questions. She claims that she saw the victim just the night before, when the neighbor’s wife claims nobody was home. Gabrielle “the sister of the victim” says that she and the victim were very close.
In her mind, she'd become a young mother again with a three-year-old boy and a younger sister. Russell's father, who she met when his car broke down leaving the local moonshine distillery, had not yet died in his early thirties from diabetes because insulin wasn't available.
I ran out to our shelter and there was our mum and sister sitting in there but my dad wasn’t. I looked at my mum and she said, “He’s gone.” Suddenly the ground started to shake and then a massive bang, the lights went off and everything was silent. I was clutching onto my sister’s hand, terrified. It’s been a week now since the bomb, we haven’t been outside yet and we have a little bit more food between us since our dad is dead. Our only hope is for the army to save us.
Rebecca Wagner Book Report One English 9 Block 4 9/14/11 Ride Like The Wind True Colors by Kristen Hannah is about a crime that shocks a small town, a terrible mistake made by our legal system, sisters who have lost their way, a boy who doesn’t know how to be a man without his father, and true love. I went on a journey to a corner of Washington State, 1992 where girls look forward to the County Fair and sleep in a dusty stall every once and a while. I loved this book and I could relate to a lot of the characters. It was compelling, passionate, and inspiring. It shows that even through hardships, your family will always be there for you.
In “To Sleep under the Stars,” by Carol Shaw Graham, Cecilia is unable to attend her class fieldtrip to the planetarium, but she learns how important family is. First, Cecilia knows that she cannot go to the first fieldtrip for 7th grade because her uncle and aunt need a break for taking care of her grandmother, so they drive over to grandma’s house. Then, when Cecilia arrives to grandma’s house, her grandma makes Cecilia felt better. Later, her grand takes her into a room. Then, her grandmother talks with her, they laugh and cry.
My mother told me that she layed on the floor for what felt like weeks (she doesn’t quite remember), and doesn’t even know who took care of my brother, my sister, and I. They went from drinking iced tea in the front yard looking at the stars one night, to living in separate homes and desperately searching for excuses as to why Dad’s snoring didn’t boom through the house the next night, or why Mom never carried the huge muddy boots outside in the morning mumbling to herself anymore. My father became an alcoholic after that, and my mother went to church. My mother finding what she believes in, was the best thing to ever happen to my family. She is the most loving, caring, accepting, and hilarious person I have ever met because of that place and those people.
The scene, which touches me the most, is the scene where Cole (Haley Osment) tells his mother (Toni Collette) that he see dead people. In this particular scene, there is a car crash and Cole and his mother are stuck in traffic. Cole then pursues to tell his mother that someone died in the car crash and he could see her standing outside of his window. When Cole mother does not believe him he said he had once talked to his grandma and said something that only his mother would know. It is a very moving scene between mother and son.