Red = Response questions group number.
Blue = Question. ( Blue = Question we have to do. Blue = Question we get to choose. )
Response Questions A
Q: Copy down a quote from a character and explain why you think it's meaningful. What does it suggest about this character's personality? Personal qualities? Etc. Explain your thinking.
A: Denyse to Bridget and Thomas. Located on page 41 "Really. He(Jamar) won't even play me in twenty-one any more because he got tired of losing." This quote shows that Denyse is very confident in her basketball playing. It also shows that she knows being tall doesn't make you the best player. In the quote she is stating that when Jamar shoots from a certain distance back, he isn't very good. She earlier stated he's only good inside the key. While Denyse knows she's the best outside of that area. It shows that she is very knowledgeable of her opponents in a game.
Q2: Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
A: The characters are real and very believable. Like most kids in middle school, these kids are just figuring out about things. When you get into high school problems start to seem more clear since you experience tough situations. In middle school, your community is very diverse. But once you get older and more out in the world, problems that you have never faced will come at you. Thomas, hasn't experienced racism so if he were to since he is friends with Denyse, it would be an odd concept. I think everyone who has met someone of a different race wondered about them and why people don't like them. Later in life you begin to understand that everyone is all the same. This is what I'm predicting is happening with Thomas and Denyse. They are learning about what racism is and how it affects others. This is very relate-able to kids today.
I can relate to some of their situations. When I was younger, I didn't know why people with a different race were the way they were. I kind of thought they were weird for being different from me! But soon I learned like I hope others do, that everyone is equal no matter what race.
Q3: What were your feelings and first impressions after reading the opening chapters of this book? Explain
A: The first few chapters weren't very appealing to me. I thought to myself while reading, "Are they only going to talk about basketball?" Throughout the first few 2-3 chapters all the characters talked about was basketball. All they did was play basketball. It seemed like the only thing they did was something related to basketball! But when I got to chapter 4, the characters seemed to do something else. They went to the movies and talked about things other than basketball. My first impression was that I thought the characters could have more interests than just basketball. But after those moments, I started to be very tied to the book.
