Loser 5/12/14

Pages Read: 109-End

Prompt: After reading, I wonder…

     I wonder what happened afterwards. When the end was nearing fifth grade also ending. So, Gary Hobins, the fastest runner in the school, told Donald Zinkoff to get off of the Yellow team. Gary got stuck with Donald on field day in fourth grade and he lost it for them. Donald didn't get it because when he got the only A on a geography test everybody was high fiving him and calling him the Zinkmeister and other nicknames, including Gary Hobin. So, when Field Day came around Donald ditched school. He went to the old lady's home and told her everything. Then the story progresses through middle school and during Winter, the old lady's daughter got lost. He went out searching for hours until he saw a light and blacked out. He awoke to find that he was being searched for himself. The little girl was found at 8 pm, Donald was found freezing cold at 1-2 am in the morning. He got grounded and after that things went to normal. It ended with a football game and the leaders picking people and one of the leaders was interested about Zinkoff's story so he picked him.

     I wonder whether Donald was cool and popular after that. Maybe not popular and cool was intended to be a pun because it was in Winter. But seriously, since his story was spread around a lot of people might've gotten interested. I think Donald was popular to a point, than forgotten. Which is really sad to think about. One day he's so cool high fiving everyone. The next, he's treated like a nobody, confused as to why it happened. But he'll most likely gain at least 1 distant or close friend.

     Another ending, I guess you could call it that, would be that Donald gets sick of the attention. Don't get me wrong, everybody loves attention. But, maybe he's just sick of it. Or maybe Donald realizes that the people are only interested in his adventure and not him. I'm thinking Andrew might become his friend again. Or maybe just wants to hear the story which is more likely. It even said in the end of the book. The only reason why He called Donald to his team was because he was interested in hearing what happened. When you really think about the ending to a book, sometimes you find that the main character will still struggle one way or another.

40 Book Challenge

     I did not finish the 40 book challenge but got close. I really liked doing it because it gave me an excuse to reread all of Harry Potter again. Also, most of the books I have read counted as 2 if i was going by the certain amount of pages rule. But, to be honest, I didn't count them as 2 because that would involve me to find all the books I've read and see if it was 2 or not. But I still got pretty close with 32 books read overall. I think the most challenging thing about the 40 book challenge is probably expanding to different genres. Of all the books I've read, I think that they were a pretty good level/caliber for me, excluding some books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and some others. 

     I think the 40 Book Challenge should continue. it really is a good experience and kind of motivates you to read more books. Also, I liked the reminders so no kid could say that he or she had forgot about it. It's also nice to try and explore with new genres. So you can describe your experience or maybe even get a new favorite genre. It was definitely interesting trying to read new books even if you think they're boring at first. The 40 Book Challenge was fun, I'd do it again.

Loser 5/6/14

Pages Read: 50-109
Prompt: Describe the most important event. Give at least three reasons why you think it
is the most important event.

     I think that the beginning and end of fourth grade was the most memorable for Zinkoff. For one reason he finally gets discovered. The fourth grade teacher is the first male and his name is Mr. Yalowitz. Whilst assigning everyone their seats he notices Donald's last name, Zinkoff. Mr. Yalowitz tells Donald about how he was always been last and now he'll make it reverse alphabetized so he doesn't have to feel like the teacher felt.

     Another reason is that the kids are getting their "big eyes". Which basically mean that kids are getting more emotional depth and can pay attention to detail. They start to notice that Zinkoff isn't as funny or cool as they thought him to be. They find him to be clumsy, too giggly, and messy. Then as activities and other thing start to go on during fourth grade, they start to find him annoying. Which is really what provked them on Field day.

     Speaking of Field day, that's the last reason I'm giving. During Field day all the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, graders play for fun. But fourth and fifth graders play for winning and losing. So when Donald is slow, and clumsy. Well, running races isn't very productive. The purple team, the one Donald was on, was barely winning because of their last player, Gary Hobin. When the last normal running race occurs, Zinkoff is the last one, or anchor. So, when Gary finds this out, he gets mad and tells Zinkoff not to lose the lead he's giving him. So when they lose all gary gets mad and calls him a loser. Then everyone else joins in and asks why he had to participate in all the activities and called him a loser. Which is the title of the book.

Loser 5/1/14

Pages read: 1-50
Prompt: Describe what you just read.

     In the beginning we read about a kid, who describes Donald Zinkoff. Since he's seen him anyways. Donald is a kid who likes to play and has a lot of freedom. He was always outside and playing with his friends. Donald was a crazy, easygoing kid. He was always smiling or laughing though.

     After 6 years he goes off to school, on the first day his mother demands him to wait for her. When Donald's mother leaves and comes back she find the giraffe hat Donald owns gone and also Donald gone. She looks off into the crowd and sees Donald's giraffe hat. She realizes she's too late and just lets him go like that. When he arrives the teacher tells them how much days of school they have in total until they leave high school. At recess they take his giraffe hat and try to bully Donald. When Donald just smiles and goes along with it, the bullies are discouraged. Also, he has a tendency to laugh lot and doesn't stop.

     In second grade Donald gets a new teacher who doesn't like kids. She gets really mad at Donald for having sloppy handwriting and laughing for minutes. In the Summer Donald gets a new neighbor. His name is Andrew and he doesn't like the new neighborhood he's in. So, his mother baked a cake and gave it to the neighbors. Donald saw the miserable kid and baked him a big snicker doodle. So when he took it next dorr it broke and than, Donald gave him a piece and took everything else and ran. So, he gave everyone in his neighborhood a piece.