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    Interview Questions


    2011 - 05.25
    1. The plot of This lullaby is mostly about a teenage girl growing up and every time something bad happens or Remy is just sad she plays the song her dad wrote to her when she was born. This song is very important to Remy because this is the only thing that reminds her of her dad and gets her through the rough times of being a teenager and growing up to go into the real world. Remy plays the song a lot when she is planning her mothers 5th marriage and has to do all the work because her mother needs more time to work on her book she is writing. This is not the only thing going on her brother is also engaged and Remy meets a guy named Dexter. The major conflict in the book is that Remy’s mom really believed this would be her final marriage but then she finds out Don her husband has been cheating on her. I believe what caused this to occur is that they kind of rushed into marriage and just wanted everything to work out right away. The most exciting part of the plot is when Remy figures out she really does like Dexter I found this exciting because she try’s to hide it and doesn’t really want to find love because of what her mom has been through. The conflict of her mom is resolved with a divorce and I did see this coming.
    2. The setting in this book was a small town I believe with a court house in the middle of town. I also can picture Remy’s car when she drives Dexter to his band practice he was not allowed to eat in her car and he said it still smelt like a new car and was very clean. This relates to my world because I picture there town to be kind of like ours in a way but a little bit bigger but not by much.
    3. I thought an important symbol in the book was the song that her dad made her because everything always leads back to the song so this is why I believed this was the symbol. I think the symbol represents freedom.
    4. I believe Remy changes the most in this book because at the beginning she was looking for relationships but wanted just a summer fling but now she found Dexter and thinks it could be more I also believe she matured a little because in the beginning she smoked and drank but now she does not. I believe some characters do not change in this book like Remy brother because the whole time he is in the back round and just does not seem to change very much. The questionable action that happened is Don cheating on Remy’s mom because it is the wrong thing to do. I believe it was wrong of him because no one should cheat on anybody. Comparing Remy to her brother I believe that Remy is very outgoing and he is quieter and left behind.
    5. “She takes on husbands the way other people change their hair color: out of boredom, listlessness, or just feeling that this next one will fix everything, once and for all.” This shows how much her mom falls in love and goes through a lot of husbands.
    6. I read one book similar to this and it was That Summer because they are both kind of love stories leading up to something else.
    7. I knew all the words in this book because none of them were really hard words but if I did not know them I would have looked the definition up.
    8. There was a part of the book when I was surprised it was when Don cheated on her mom because he seemed like he cared about her a lot and they were only married for a little bit not long at all.
    9. I found the wedding kind of the confusing because it would just jump from parts to parts like they would be talking at the table and the next sentence would be dancing and having her mom talk to her.
    10.  One question I would ask the author would be why would you write about two weddings why not two different situations?

    Yes I would because it was very good and explained things very clearly 

    1. The plot of This lullaby is mostly about a teenage girl growing up and every time something bad happens or Remy is just sad she plays the song her dad wrote to her when she was born. This song is very important to Remy because this is the only thing that reminds her of her dad and gets her through the rough times of being a teenager and growing up to go into the real world. Remy plays the song a lot when she is planning her mothers 5th marriage and has to do all the work because her mother needs more time to work on her book she is writing. This is not the only thing going on her brother is also engaged and Remy meets a guy named Dexter. The major conflict in the book is that Remy’s mom really believed this would be her final marriage but then she finds out Don her husband has been cheating on her. I believe what caused this to occur is that they kind of rushed into marriage and just wanted everything to work out right away. The most exciting part of the plot is when Remy figures out she really does like Dexter I found this exciting because she try’s to hide it and doesn’t really want to find love because of what her mom has been through. The conflict of her mom is resolved with a divorce and I did see this coming.
    2. The setting in this book was a small town I believe with a court house in the middle of town. I also can picture Remy’s car when she drives Dexter to his band practice he was not allowed to eat in her car and he said it still smelt like a new car and was very clean. This relates to my world because I picture there town to be kind of like ours in a way but a little bit bigger but not by much.
    3. I thought an important symbol in the book was the song that her dad made her because everything always leads back to the song so this is why I believed this was the symbol. I think the symbol represents freedom.
    4. I believe Remy changes the most in this book because at the beginning she was looking for relationships but wanted just a summer fling but now she found Dexter and thinks it could be more I also believe she matured a little because in the beginning she smoked and drank but now she does not. I believe some characters do not change in this book like Remy brother because the whole time he is in the back round and just does not seem to change very much. The questionable action that happened is Don cheating on Remy’s mom because it is the wrong thing to do. I believe it was wrong of him because no one should cheat on anybody. Comparing Remy to her brother I believe that Remy is very outgoing and he is quieter and left behind.
    5. “She takes on husbands the way other people change their hair color: out of boredom, listlessness, or just feeling that this next one will fix everything, once and for all.” This shows how much her mom falls in love and goes through a lot of husbands.
    6. I read one book similar to this and it was That Summer because they are both kind of love stories leading up to something else.
    7. I knew all the words in this book because none of them were really hard words but if I did not know them I would have looked the definition up.
    8. There was a part of the book when I was surprised it was when Don cheated on her mom because he seemed like he cared about her a lot and they were only married for a little bit not long at all.
    9. I found the wedding kind of the confusing because it would just jump from parts to parts like they would be talking at the table and the next sentence would be dancing and having her mom talk to her.
    10.  One question I would ask the author would be why would you write about two weddings why not two different situations?

       11.   Yes I would because it was very good and explained things very clearly

    Just Listen you don’t always know the truth


    2011 - 03.30

    I am currently reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I created a playlist of the songs that reminds me of this book. The first song I choose was Ridin’ Solo by Jason Derulo. I decided this song related to the book because Annabel just moved to a new town so she has no friends and is lonely at the pool in the summer. The second song that reminds me of the book Just Listen is Whip My Hair Back and Forth. Whip my hair back and forth reminds me of this book because it is showing that Sophie wants to be alone and act older than she really is. Sophie does not want to hang out with her age group she wants to go hang out with older kids. The third song that reminds me of this book is What’s My Name? This is because Annabel goes to school and everyone was mad at her because she ignored them over the summer so now she is lonely at school. Then Annabel’s mom calls her and says that there is a modeling job she wasn’t very excited because she had to go right after school. The forth song that reminds me is Tonight I’m loving you because it seems like every once in a while her new friend will like her and sometimes not so it’s just a guessing game. Annabel kind of has to stay on her good side because other wise she will make everyone in the whole school hate her. The fifth song that reminds me of the book is we are who we are because everyone is different and has there own unique style. Everyone is different in there school and there is different styles and emotions going around. The sixth song that reminds me of Just listen is Only Girl  Annabel ends up being alone and sitting at lunch by her self and having no friends because Sophie thinks she cheated on Sophie’s boyfriend. The seventh song that reminds me of Just Listen is Tonight I’m loving you because Sophie’s boyfriend rapes Annabel but she does not tell anyone but Sophie walked in on them thinking Annabel wanted him to do that to her which started a huge fight. The eighth song that reminds me of Just Listen is Grenade. This is because after Annabel got raped she felt like a grenade hit her because everyone was talking about it and she never got to tell her real story and Sophie kept calling her horrible names when they actually saw each other.

    Dear Abby


    2011 - 03.17

    Right now I am reading Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. It has to do with a new girl moving into town and not having any friends. She try’s to look cool by following the older teenagers but they think she is kind of creepy and way to you’re for them to hang out with. But Annabel would love to be her friend but the new girl Sophie wants to be friends with Annabel sister to seem way cooler.

    Dear Abby,

    My name is Sophie I’m the new girl in town, and I just want to make friends with the older classmen so I seem cooler, but they don’t want me around what do I do?

    Sophie, maybe you should try making friends with some of the people in your grade or around your age group you will have much more in common and have so much more fun. Go and just talk to different people and see who you could see being friends with and have more in common with you don’t need to seem cool.

    Dear Abby,

    Today I went to the pool and someone my age talked to me but I blew her off for the others. It ended up the teenagers I was following was her sister and she saw me being mean to her. She came over and started yelling at me and telling me that I should be nice and that were in the same grade. I didn’t know what to do so I ran away now what should I do?

    You should go back to the pool and say your sorry to the girl you were mean to. Running away from your problems wont help you will run into them sometime you won’t just stay inside for ever. Apologize to the girl and her sister and ask the younger one if you can hang out with them at the pool sometime.

    That summer wasn’t fun for everyone


    2011 - 03.01

    I am reading that summer by Sarah Dessen which was about a girl named Haven who is 15 and everything seems to be going wrong in her life. There was one scene in the book that I think was the turning point in the book. “Do what?” I said “Go to your father’s wedding” my mother said. “Lorna sent me an invitation.”  I found this really interesting and I don’t understand why Lorna invited the kid’s mom to the wedding. This is because the father cheated on the kid’s mom with Lorna also known as the weather pet because the father and Lorna work together for channel 5 news. The father Mac is the sports anchor and Lorna is the meteorologist. I believe this was the turning point so far because if the mother would have gone to the wedding she could have spoken up when the pastor asked if there were any last words. Then she could have told the father how she really felt and that she wanted him back and maybe they could work things out. I think the father would have came back and this would of changed the whole book I don’t know which way would be better because if the father would have came back his old house is all filled with stress and probably wouldn’t have been the best time to come back. Havens house is filled with stress because her sister Ashley is getting married in August which is two months away to Lewis. This is really hard for Haven because even though her and her sister argue a lot they are still close and once the wedding comes Ashley will be moving out.

    Character Journal


    2011 - 03.01

    I have just finished reading That Summer by Sarah Dessen. For my genre piece, I wrote a character journal that shows all of Havens problems. Through my Journal you will understand that Haven was having a hard summer with all the weddings.

    Dear Journal,

    Today is my father’s wedding and I’m not too excited about it. He’s marrying Lorna also known as the weather pet she’s not my mother’s favorite person since she was the one that broke up their marriage. It’s really hard for my mom because my dad cheated on her with Lorna and decided to tell her last year now today is the wedding day. I’m a bridesmaid along with my sister and Lorna’s sister. My mom got an invitation to the wedding she isn’t going to go though I can’t blame her I wouldn’t either I don’t even want to go but I guess I will just smile and get it over with.

    Dear Journal,

    I got a summer job at little feet it’s not the best job but its money. But the best part of the day is I get to see Sumner, I haven’t seen him in a long time. He is one of my many sisters ex boyfriends I don’t remember most of their names because there is too much but Sumner was different. Sumner was really nice to me and made me and my sister get along. My dad and I saw him when we went to are Thursday night dinners at a pizza place last week. He also has another job as a mall security man at the mall so I get to see him all the time! He always seems to have the right thing to say to calm me down through this horrible summer. 

    Dear Journal,

    Yesterday I got my dress fitted to be a bridesmaid again for the second time this summer. While Ashley my sister was getting her dress fitted my mom and I went out to lunch to talk about what will happen after. My mom talked about selling the house and moving somewhere smaller but I don’t want to. Today is my sisters wedding day me and my sister had a talk about how we would miss each other even though we fight I am going to miss her I like Lewis so its not to bad I will just miss her. The worst thing just happened I found out Lorna my dads wife is pregnant.

    Humor always helps


    2011 - 01.09

    Humor is a huge part in the book Angels in Pink because during the hard parts of Mary Ellen Kathleen’s mother’s life with MS sometimes that’s the only thing that helps. When Mary is sad and thinking she can not make it another day Kathleen brings her right back up with her sense of humor and company. Kathleen is not the only one in the book with a little humor Carson Kathleen’s boyfriend “how about me treating you and your mother for dinner tonight?” This is exactly what Mary Ellen need so she could just relax and not think about how bad the MS was getting. Irony is also in Pink Angels and it usually is dramatic irony. Sometimes Kathleen says something and her mother takes it the wrong way like she doesn’t want to be with her or she is just annoyed of her and it becomes into a dramatic situation. Most of the time Mary Ellen does understand what her daughter is talking about but it is hard because Kathleen’s father died when she was little so it is just her and her mother so it is always something in her head about what will happen to me if my mom passes away. Humor always brings this situation back up but so does Carson who is a popular rich guy from a different school and Kathleen doesn’t have a lot a money because she needs so much for her mom with the wheelchair hospital expenses for checkups so she goes to original school.

    Characters changing


    2010 - 12.23

    The characters in Angels in Pink are very realistic and I can see the image in my head. Carson really likes Kathleen but Kathleen is jealous of his friend Stephanie because she and Carson use to go out. Kathleen is a developing character she went from being kind of shy and thinking that she is ugly. Now Kathleen does not think she is ugly and is happy that she has a boyfriend. This change is believable and she only changes a little not dramatically she still hangs out with her normal friends and has the same life besides volunteering at the hospital and going out with Carson. If it was not for Kathleen the whole book would be nothing because the book is based on her story and how her high school life was. Kathleen tries to hide that fact that Stephanie and Carson went out but when she shows up and she is there that makes Kathleen a little mad. Also when Carson doesn’t call Kathleen for a day or two she gets upset and is worried that she is not pretty enough or that he went back to Stephanie. Carson may be a developing character also because he went from being a bad kid getting into trouble but now he has Kathleen to help him with his problems and now he volunteers at the hospital just like she does and her friends. There is some problems with there relationship and how Kathleen can not trust him but she will change and they will end up together until they have the problem of where they are going to college if they are going to separate or not.

    Volunteering


    2010 - 12.09

    The book I am reading is angels in pink and the book is very much like the title. Angels in pink in the book means volunteering at the hospital. They are called the angels in pink when they volunteer and get shirts that say that on them. The setting sounds very familiar to a normal city and high school life. It is summer vacation and the main conflict is that Kathleen never gets to go out on her own because her mother is in a wheel chair and she has to take care of her. Kathleen is use to it and does anything for her mom and will come right home if she needs anything but her friends think this is unfair. Kathleen loves her mom a lot but doesn’t think she can always be right there and her mom is always on her mind to make sure she is safe. Kathleen’s mom will not eat without her there either so she has to make sure she is home for her mother to eat. There is one other main conflict going on right now and that is Holly and her dad. Her dad does not like how she dresses and will not let her out of the house the way she dresses with low cut shirts and short shorts. Holly finds this unfair because her friends can wear that and not get yelled at. I find that argument as a normal teenage fight with there parents because they want to belong and wear what everyone else is wearing. They also don’t want to get yelled at and just wish there parents understood but I don’t think the fight will last long because tomorrow in the book is father’s day.

    Pink Angels


    2010 - 12.07

    I love reading books where it can relate to me. I like these books because I can always see what is happening in my head and I can image the characters. I image the characters as having the same personality as some of my friends. When I image there personalities as my friends in my head the characters end up sort of looking like my friends.

    Some of the characters I can relate to as my friends and that would be Kathleen, Holly, and Raina.  I relate to Kathleen the most because she is a brunette and doesn’t care what people think of her. Raina makes me think of my friend Ashley because she always picks where we should go because no one else can decide and is trustworthy. She also speaks her mind and is really good friends with everyone. Holly reminds me of my friend Manda because she is always ready and is up too do what ever anyone else wants to do. She always does the right thing and gets good grades. I think Kathleen, Holly and Raina remind me of me, Ashley and Manda because we were always together in the summer just like they are in the book.

    They were going to volunteer at the hospital but were kind of upset because it wouldn’t let Kathleen, Holly and Raina to be together all the time. “They should have been heading to the pool at Raina’s townhome complex for some sun worship instead of to volunteer orientation at the hospital”. This passage states that Raina was getting her orientation at the hospital to volunteer there but Holly and Kathleen were upset because they would rather be getting sun at the pool. I can relate to this because last summer I went to the pool a lot with my friends and when we had to do something else we weren’t always happy about it.

    McDaniel, Lurlene. Angels in Pink Kathleen’s Story. Bt Bound, 2006. Print.

    Angels


    2010 - 11.20

    I love reading books where it can relate to me. I like these books because I can always see what is happening in my head and I can image the characters. I image the characters as having the same personality as some of my friends. When I image there personalities as my friends in my head the characters end up sort of looking like my friends.

    Some of the characters I can relate to as my friends and that would be Kathleen, Holly, and Raina.  I relate to Kathleen the most because she is a brunette and doesn’t care what people think of her. Raina makes me think of my friend Ashley because she always picks where we should go because no one else can decide and is trustworthy. She also speaks her mind and is really good friends with everyone. Holly reminds me of my friend Manda because she is always ready and is up too do what ever anyone else wants to do. She always does the right thing and gets good grades. I think Kathleen, Holly and Raina remind me of me, Ashley and Manda because we were always together in the summer just like they are in the book.

    They were going to volunteer at the hospital but were kind of upset because it wouldn’t let Kathleen, Holly and Raina to be together all the time. “They should have been heading to the pool at Raina’s townhome complex for some sun worship instead of to volunteer orientation at the hospital”. This passage states that Raina was getting her orientation at the hospital to volunteer there but Holly and Kathleen were upset because they would rather be getting sun at the pool. I can relate to this because last summer I went to the pool a lot with my friends and when we had to do something else we weren’t always happy about it.

    McDaniel, Lurlene. Angels in Pink Kathleen’s Story. Bt Bound, 2006. Print.