English 4B Winter 2026

  Of the three books you read this trimester, which was your favorite and why?  Please give specific examples as to why this book was your favorite.  Was it the characters?  The plot?  The theme?  The conflicts?  The interest level?  Which was your least favorite, and why?  (You do not need to respond to two classmates for this entry)  I hope you found the class enjoyable, and I wish you nothing by success in you future!    

Each novel has a setting or multiple settings.  How does your author create images of the setting?  If you had to describe the time/place of when your novel takes place, how would you do this?  Does the author use the setting to help develop the plot in your book?  What particular images does the author create that are memorable?  Is there a particular scene you can visualize, and why is this image so vivid? **In response to the blogs, try to make connections with your novel's setting.  How is your setting similar to that of other books?

    Take a moment to introduce your new book.  What book did you choose?  Why did you choose it?  What process did you go through to find your book?  Was there a specific reason why you chose this book?  Share with the blog you initial thoughts about your new book.  How does it start?  Are you hooked?  When responding to other blogs, if you have read the book, share your thoughts about it without giving away too much.  You could also respond on the way in which the person chose the book, or if this is a book that you would like to read and why?

   Upon completion of reading your novel, what have you learned about a different culture?  What shocked you?  What seemed strange to you?  What couldn't you believe?  Take time to give specific examples from your novel that share what you learned about history and a different culture.  Share your feelings about what you read.

  Imagery is key to capturing the reader's imagination and taking him/her on the adventure within the book.  All 4 authors use several different techniques to paint a picture in your mind of the scenes within the plot of the book.  Share two or three images that have been captured in your mind through the author's word choice.  Why are these images so vivid, and how did the author manage to accomplish this task?  Be sure to include  specific details  of what you envisioned through the author's words.

     In all five novels, the main character or characters face adversity in one way or another.  Describe how you view the character's challenges in your book, and talk about how your character handles the hardships and struggles.  If you were in your main character/characters situation, how would you handle yourself?  What would you do?  

  With the introduction of the new novel, share in your blog what attracted you to this novel.  What is the primary focus in your novel, and how are the main character or characters handling this situation? After reading the first few chapters, what are your initial thoughts about the book?  Slow start?  Jumps right in?  Share your first impressions.

  The endings of  Chinese Handcuffs, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Running Loose,  and  Stotan!  leave the reader with some unanswered questions. Chris Crutcher assumes the reader knows the ending, but he doesn't come out and say it.  You take control and write the overview of one more chapter to these books.  If there was one last chapter, what would it be about.  How would you tie up loose ends, if you were the author?

    Stotan!, Chinese Handcuffs, Running Loose, and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes  all involve intense topics that add to the plot.  Talk about the point in which you became hooked into your book.  What did Chris Crutcher do to hook you? Describe any moment or moments in the book where you didn't want to put the book down.  What will you always remember about this book?

  Choose a character from your book.  How do you envision this character?  Use your words to describe how this character looks, acts, and behaves.  Also, discuss the impact this character has had on the story up to this point. Would you be friends with this character, or would you avoid him/her?  Why? What role does this character play in your book?  If this character was not in the book, would the book change?  Why or why not??  (Remember to give  specific details  and a complete blog entry, and  don't forget to comment on  two  other blog entries!   Happy Blogging! :)

   Now that you have received your book and have started to read it, please share the reasons why you chose  Running Loose ,  Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes ,  Stotan!  or  Chinese Handcuffs.   Please give specific reasons as to why this book was in your top 3 choices.  Are you happy with your choice so far?  Also, please include your initial thoughts on the book, as you have started to read it.  Are you finding the book enjoyable? Is the reading interesting?  Are you making connections? **A Reminder.   Please remember to include your name within your blog, so I can give you a grade. Please respond not only to this blog topic, but also please write a comment or a response to  two  of your classmates' responses.  You may respond to those students who are reading the same book as you are, or you can try to make connections between your book and the other books that students are reading in this class or my o...