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Week 2 Exposition Letter Adult: Sarah Kinkade Student: Payton Kocher "A Corner of the Universe" Pages: 1-59 The exposition of a story gets the ball rolling. We learn the setting of the story, are introduced to the characters, and discover the major conflict. Summarize this week’s reading. Please include information about the setting, basic conflict, and the characters that have been introduced.

The setting of the story is in the 1950’s. They live in Millerton, but I don’t think they said the state. The characters in this book are 12-year-old Hattie, her mother and father, and the people in her family’s boarding house, including: Mrs. Hagerty, Mr. Penny, and Angel Valentine. There is also their cook, Cookie, and Hattie’s grandparents, Nana and Papa. The newest character is Adam Mercer, Hattie’s uncle who has just moved back to Millerton.

This part is the summary of what we have read. Hattie is a 12-year-old girl who lives in a big house in Millerton, which they use as a boarding house. There are three people, who live in the boarding house, and Hattie likes Mrs. Hagerty the best because she doesn’t care what they do, she just likes to talk to her. Hattie’s father is an artist and her mother helps people around the house cook and clean. Hattie’s best friend, Betsy leaves every summer to go to Michigan, so Hattie goes to different businesses in town and helps them to keep busy. Hattie’s grandmother, Nana, comes and Hattie hears Nana tell her mother that something will be the death of Hayden, and Hattie does not know what it is or who Hayden is. Then, Hattie’s mother and father take her into the kitchen and explain to her that she has another uncle named Adam, but Hattie wonders why they did not tell her this before then. Then, they go and meet Adam at Nana and Papa’s house, and Hattie is surprised about how he acts. Adam then comes over to the boarding house while Nana and Papa go to church because he did not want to go. This point of the story is where we stopped reading for the week.

Directions: This section is for you and your partner to discuss your reading. Include responses, opinions, etc. //You may also chat about other things beside the book.//

What do you think will happen next? What is your favorite part of the book so far? Who was your favorite character? Why do you think Hattie’s parents did not tell her that she has another uncle?

Next, I think Hattie will learn to get used to Adam. I think she will take him to that fair thing that they are having in Millerton because at the end of the point where we were reading, he was telling her that he was going to a carnival. My favorite part of the book so far was when Hattie went to talk to Betsy before she left for her summer vacation. But, I thought it was strange that she never wanted to go with her, as many times as Betsy asked her to go, and as much as Hattie misses her while she is gone. My favorite character so far is Hattie. She seems like a nice, caring-for-others type of person so far. I don’t know why Hattie’s parents did not tell her she had another uncle. Maybe to keep her from wondering what he was like while he was away at his school.
 * __My answers:__**

Thanks again for participating in the Reading Rocks Program!

Talk to you soon, Payton Kocher

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=Week 3 Adult: Sarah Kinkade =  Student: Payton Kocher Book Title: “A Corner of The Universe” Pages Read: 59-122

 Character -Please focus on the protagonist, the main character, or antagonist, who is another important character.

To be included in your response…  v Summarize this week’s reading, focusing on a description of the character. v Does the character remind you of yourself or someone else you know? Why? v What personality traits of this person would you like to acquire? Why? v Would you want to be friends with this character? Why or Why not?

This week, we read about Hattie and the Fred Caramel’s Fun time Carnival. Hattie and her mother and father go to this carnival on opening night, Monday night. There, Hattie sees a girl about her age working there, and she wonders why an 11-year-old would be working so early in age. The next day when Hattie goes on her walk, she decides to go to the Carnival and see if that girl was there. She soon sees her and they start to talk and Hattie learns that the girl’s name is Leila and her mother is Pretzel Women in the sideshow act and her father and uncle Fred own the Carnival. Hattie tells Leila about her life, including Adam. Leila tells Hattie that she should bring Adam to the carnival one day, and that he would really like to come see it. Hattie then ends up coming to the carnival everyday to talk to Leila. They play games, eat lunch, and ride rides for free. In the next couple days, Hattie decides that she could take Adam to the carnival, and when she offered, he was so excited. Hattie introduces Adam to Leila, and Adam tells Leila that Hattie’s birthday is that coming Saturday, so they decide to set up her birthday party there. When Hattie gets home, she tells her mother about the party and that is when she realizes that Nana is having a cotillion that day and would be upset if she missed it, even if she did not want to go at all. Hattie and Adam go to Nana’s house and try to explain to her why she would miss her cotillion. When Nana starts to tell Hattie why she couldn’t go to her own birthday party, Adam gets upset. So, Nana gives in to Adam and then Hattie was glad because she did not want to go to the cotillion. When Hattie arrives at her birthday party, Leila tells her that anything she wants that day is free. Hattie, Adam, and Leila have a great time at her birthday party.

The main character is Hattie. She is a caring and kind 11-year-old, especially to her new uncle, Adam. She is a friend with Betsy and the people in her parents’ boarding house, including Angel and Mrs. Haggerty. She likes to meet new people and help others. Her newest friend is Leila.The secondary character is Adam. He is Hattie’s uncle and he is always very happy. He is always kind to anyone even if they make fun of him.


 * Directions**: This section is for you and your partner to discuss your reading. Include responses, opinions, etc. What do you think will happen next?

I am glad that Hattie went to the birthday party Adam and Leila set up for her. Even though it was only the three of them, I think she had more fun than what she would have if she went to the cotillion. She did not let Adam down when he did her a nice thing, and I think this helped him to not be so upset and proud of himself that he could pull off something like that. Another part of the book that I liked was when Hattie met Leila. Now, Hattie has a friend around her age to hang out with instead of the people who live in their boarding house and her parents. I think that when Hattie goes and sees Leila, she is happier than being at home all day with her parents and “family.”

What parts of the story did you like? Is the character that was your favorite in the first part of the story still your favorite now? I think I have changed my favorite character to Leila because she is so kind and she accepted Hattie as her friend right when she first met her. I don't think that I'm liking this book as much as I thought because I think it is a little weird and kind of boring at the point we are at.


 * Please word process your response and email to Mrs. Shull. I will distribute to the students. Thanks!**

Thanks again for participating in the Reading Rocks program!

Talk to you soon, Payton ___ = = = WEEK 4 = = Adult: Sarah Kinkade = Student: Payton Kocher Book Title: A Corner of the Universe Pages Read: 122-189 (end of book)

EVALUATION LETTER -Express your opinions about the book

To be included in your response…

v Summarize this week’s reading. Include your response/reaction to the book. v Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not? v Who else should read this book? Why? v How does the main character change in the story? v What lesson about life (theme) do you think the author was trying to express? v What questions would you like answered after reading this book? v How would you change the ending of the book?

This week, we read the end of the book. Hattie had her birthday party from her parents. Then, Hattie goes to the carnival to visit Leila. She tells Leila about Nana and Papa making Adam stay in his room during their dinner party so he doesn’t mess things up. Leila tells Hattie that she thinks she should have him sneak out of his house and come to the carnival with her when she goes that night. So, she does. Adam meets Hattie at the corner by the stop sign and they walk off to the carnival. When they get there, they eat, play some games, and then Adam decides he finally wants to ride the Ferris Wheel, which he has not done in the many times he goes to the carnival. When they get to the top, the Ferris wheel gets stuck, and Adam freaks out. He tries to jump out, and he is really scared. The people at the carnival called the police and when they got the Ferris wheel fixed and Adam to the bottom, the police took Adam to a hospital because they knew there was something wrong with him to do that and be ready to jump out of the top of a Ferris wheel. And then, at the worst time to show up, came Nana, Papa, and Hattie’s parents. Hattie was in huge trouble for sneaking Adam out and Nana told her it was the circus girl’s fault because she was changing Hattie into a troublemaker. Nana told her she could never go back to the circus for her punishment, and Hattie was really upset because she thinks that Leila will think she is mad at her for not coming back. After a few days, Hattie just decides that she will sneak off and go see Leila, but when she gets there, they are tearing down the carnival and getting it ready to move it. Hattie sees Leila’s uncle and she goes to ask him where Leila is, and he told her that Leila’s family left already to prepare for the circus somewhere in Michigan. Then, Hattie is really upset because she can’t call Leila, or write her a letter because she does not know where their family is staying. When she gets back home, Adam is coming to see Hattie and then Henry is there with Angel Valentine and he gets upset, and then he dies. They have a funeral for him and then Betsy comes home and Catherine Strowsky from the boarding house and Betsy and Hattie all are in the same class and they become friends.

I did not expect Adam to die. I don’t know whether or not I liked the book too much. I don’t know why but I just thought it was a little weird. I also thought that the beginning of the book was way better than the ending. Did you like the book? What was your favorite part of the whole book? What did you think of Hattie by the end of the book? My favorite part of the whole book was when Hattie meets Leila, and they become friends. I liked this part because Hattie will not have to sit around at home during the summer because Betsy, her friend who went to Michigan for the summer, is not there in Millerton with Hattie. She then would have had someone to hang out with and not be alone when she goes on walks and stuff. But, in the end, Leila moved away before Hattie could get a chance to say goodbye to her, so they may of not been able to be friends after all. What do you think will happen next if there was a second book to the story? Do you think Leila would come back to Millerton and ever see Hattie again?

Reminder: Reading Rocks party May 11th from 5-6 pm

Thanks again!

Payton Kocher