Caleb+Chesnut-Alexandria+McDaniel

= = = Week 4 Adult: Alexandria McDaniel = Student: Caleb Chesnut Book Title: __Tangerine__ Pages Read: 197-294

I thought that there was a lot going on in this last section. It was really good. And now for a quick summary…. (deep breath)… First, Arthur Bauer kills Luis, with the orders coming from Paul’s brother, Erik. Erik and Arthur get caught stealing their neighbors’ possessions. Erik and Arthur get beat up in front of the whole school by Tino and Victor. Paul attacked the coach who was trying to stop Tino and Victor from running away. The Lake Windsor Seagulls lose all of their football team records and statistics because their star quarterback, Antoine Thomas, was ineligibly playing for the team. Erik Fisher no longer holds any sort of records at the school. They have all vanished into thin air. Paul remembers how his vision was impaired. When he was little, Erik sprayed white spray paint into his eyes because he was mad at him. Case closed. Erik is insane. Erik and Arthur are arrested for the murder of Luis, and Paul is expelled from all Tangerine County schools for tackling a teacher. Paul gets a new start at a local private school called St. Anthony’s. In the end, Paul decides that he is coming back to Tangerine Middle School next year to play soccer. The coach told him that he would be able to have a starting spot. (exhale) I thought this section was very entertaining. I couldn’t believe that Erik would spray paint in his younger brother’s eyes. I also couldn’t believe that Paul’s parents didn’t do anything about it. They just kept acting like Erik was a “good boy.” I was glad that Paul’s dad finally admitted what kind of kid Erik really was. He just gave up on the “Erik Fisher Football Dream.” I thought that this was a great book. I enjoyed the book because there was so much going on. I like a story that has a good main plot, but then it also has little branches of the plot that extend out of the main plot to keep the reader interested. I also liked that this story threw in many twists and surprises. I think this book is great for anyone who can’t find a good book to read. Reluctant readers would find this book very intriguing. Even though most of the main characters are boys, I think that girls would also like this book. (I’m pretty sure you enjoyed it!) Paul changes in the story. I guess I would say that he discovers more about himself. He meets new friends and changes the way he lives. He goes from being “pampered” at Lake Windsor, to being rougher at Tangerine. He also learns more about his past. He learns the answer to the question that he has had for so long. What happened to his eyesight? He learns that he had been living with his problem all of his life. His problem was Erik. And Erik wasn’t a solar eclipse. Erik was his brother. Erik was his brother who sprayed paint in his eyes. Erik was Paul’s handicap, and at the end Erik was in jail. I think that the theme of this story is to stay strong. Erik stayed strong throughout his school year at Tangerine. He survived and made new friends that he thought he might never connect to. You have to put yourself out into the world and try new things if you want to learn new things.

Alexandria, I thought that this section of the book was great. We were right! Erik did have something to do with Paul's vision problem. In fact, he had everything to do with it. I couldn't believe how much Paul had changed. He got the guts to tackle the coach. That was pretty cool. But he never got the girl. I don't know if it was just me, but I was predicting that Paul and Kerri would "go out" as we 8th graders call it. The author just seemed to stop with that part of the plot. Bad news. :( We lost Scholastic Bowl. We had to play a team full of.....umm....highly developed students of intelligence. They were really smart. Chicago was fun. Blue Man Group had to be one of the coolest things that I've ever seen. I've made up my mind that I am going to be in the Blue Man Group when I grow up. haha. I wonder what kind of degree that would take. Navy Pier was also pretty neat. The tour guide on the boat was crazy! He taught us how to sing in some kind of bird language. Chicago has some pretty cool buildings. How was Springfield? Welp, that's all I got this week. Thanks for reading with me!

Your pal, Caleb

Your pal, Caleb

. = Week 3 Adult: Alexandria McDaniel = Student: Caleb Chesnut Book Title: //Tangerine// Pages Read 95-194

In this section, Paul goes to his new school, Tangerine Middle School. Paul finds new friends in some of the kids that play soccer at Tangerine Middle. One of them is Victor, the captain of the soccer team. Victor is tough on Paul for a while just because Paul is “the new kid.” Paul’s friend from Windsor, Joey, transfers to Tangerine to play soccer with Paul. Joey soon finds out that he doesn’t like the conditions at Tangerine Middle. Things are too tough there. Paul develops a relationship with many of the kids on the soccer team. Although he doesn’t get to start he is still pleased with his playing time. At the end of the section, the Tangerine War Eagles beat Windsor Middle School and win the county soccer championship. I think that we get to know Paul better in this section. I see him as being afraid. He is willing to do anything that the kids at Tangerine tell him to do. I think he is just trying to adjust to the new school. Maybe I’m wrong in calling him afraid. Maybe that’s just what new kids have to do for a while to fit in. I really don’t know because I’ve never been a “new kid.” I also got to see how much Paul really loved the game of soccer. After he won the championship, he cried on the bus ride back to the school. He also stayed on the team, unlike Joey, just for a chance to play a little bit every game. He had been denied the right to play soccer at his old school. At Tangerine, he wanted to make the most of his time because there were no other options. I trait that I like about Paul is his drive. He has a never give up attitude. I like that in a person. I would say that I have that same kind of attitude when it comes to sports or school. Paul’s soccer coach told him that he wouldn’t be starting on the team since he is just temporarily at Tangerine Middle. That would have been enough for a lot of people to give up. Paul just said ok, and he didn’t worry about it. I think that it would be nice to have a friend like Paul. I don’t think he would be my best friend, but he sounds like a good kid that I would be able to rely on, and he would be good to have around. I really like humor in a friend, but I have yet to see many signs that Paul is a funny guy. He seems like he is serious most of the time. All in all, I would say that Paul is a very normal kid, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.


 * Hey Alexandria, **
 * Did you like this section of the book? I thought that it was a little dull compared to the first section, but that’s just me. Maybe I was just spoiled by the first section. I really liked it so it made the middle just seem “o.k.” I thought it was pretty cool that Paul’s team won the soccer championship. To tell you the truth, I thought that they were going to lose, just so the author could make the story go a different route. Every time I read this book I keep thinking that Erik is getting more and more evil. Something is up with him, but I don’t know what. I’m starting to think that he has something to do with Paul’s vision problem. The other day when I was reading I noticed something about the character’s names. The author, //Edward Bloor,// uses many of the same names for the antagonists as he does in some of his other books. I realized this because I just finished reading his book, //Crusader.// **
 * // Not talking about the book, I am having a really exciting week this week. Tonight I have a track meet, tomorrow I have scholastic bowl regionals. We are pretty good so I think we have a chance to win. On Thursday the band is going to Chicago to see the Blue Man Group. We are also visiting Navy Pier. I am pretty excited about that. Friday I have another track meet, and afterwards I am going to a friend’s house. Next week I am going to Six Flags for our 8th grade class trip. The week after that I am going to Holiday World for student council. I think I am going to have a great end to the year. //**
 * Well that’s all I have for this week. I am looking forward to finishing this book and finding out what happens. I’m really not sure where the story is going to take us now since Paul’s soccer season is over. **


 * Your pal, **
 * Caleb **