Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Blog Response 1

Now that you have chosen your book and have started to read it, please share the reasons why you chose Running Loose, Staying Fat for Sarah ByrnesStotan! or Chinese Handcuffs.  Please give specific reasons as to why your chose the book you did.  Why was it one of your top three picks?  Are you happy with your choice?  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.  Try to respond to those students who are reading the same book as you are, and remember you can respond to students in the other English 4B class.  Blog response is worth 20 points, so please answer accordingly.  Happy Blogging!!

196 comments:

  1. Stotan is a great book so far. I chose Stotan because its about a group of high seniors on a swim team, and i can completely relate to the sports and group of friends aspects. I am happy with my choice. The more i keep reading the book, the more it gets interesting. I have made connections with the book, one of the main connections i have is the sports aspect. I like reading his book, and i am glad that i picked this in my top 3.

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    1. Are there more than just sports included in this book or does it only revolve around them?

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    2. I agree that Stotan is a good book so far. I like how they talk about sports a lot throughout the beginning of the book. Do you think you would volunteer for Stotan week?

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    3. If you could choose another book, would you?

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    4. this book is way more than just sports, its about building relationships in the process. I think that i would volunteer for stotan week. I like this book so far so i don't think i would change it.

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    5. How would you comfort you friends if you learned as much information about their past as Walker did? Would you act as he and the rest of the group did or would you do something?

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    6. If you had to choose, who would be your favorite character at this point, in Stotan?

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  2. I chose Running Loose, because I'm not a fan of swimming competitively. I am more of a land sport type of person to be honest. It was my number one mostly because of it sounding the most interesting to me and boi was I right. YEAH BOI I AM. At the start it was sort of slow then it picked up. It is a very enjoyable book. When he goes to burger joints I get hungry.

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    1. I agree about the swimming. I don't like swimming competitively. And the book definitely started out really slow, but then it picked up really fast.

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    2. Stotan is also about a swim team. I think that there might be more to the story than just swimming. Is there any life lessons involved with swimming? I would think looking at the cover of your book, that it would be about track or a running sport.

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    3. I think his narration style makes for the slow start. Louie likes to tell us everything that is going on, and then some. The first couple chapters just have so much past information that it takes forever for things to happen. Now, we're cooking with gas.

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    4. Can you relate to the book any more than just getting hungry when they go to get burgers?

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    5. @Alex Theisen, Yes, they live in a small town and i relate to that as well because i too live in a small town

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  3. I never got to choose my book because I switched classes

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  4. I chose Running Loose because the title sounded like it was a book about kids who had freedom to what they want and had fun. It was my top pick because it sounded better then the rest. I am happy with my choice I feel that Louie is easy to connect to because he has many aspects that someone could connect to. When I first started the book I did not like that each chapter was a different little story. Then it started to fall into order so now its all good. I think the book is the best book I've read in over a year. I do see a lot of connections with me and Louie both working and with other situations in high school.

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    1. How do you feel about the characters boomer and carter?

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    2. What connections did you make throughout the book so far. I really seem to like the book so far. I made the connections of living in a small town and having a job.

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    3. Boomer is a ding-dong and Carter is a stud.

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    4. I made the connection of working the jobs.

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  5. Running Loose is a very interesting book. So far I have been enjoying this book. I chose this as my number one choice because I figured reading a book about football would be the easiest to understand and that it would be the most interesting. Up to chapter 10, a lot of events have happened that you wouldn't think would happen in a small town. This is a very interesting book. Louie, the main character, got himself involved in many things that he probably wished that he never got involved with.

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    1. Boomer is not the smartest person. He definitely needs to stay in school.

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    2. What connections can you guys make to Louie, or anything else in the book?

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    3. I played football once. That's a connection. And like Louie, I also enjoy driving t-rucks and calling my parents by their first names.

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    4. I also, like Nathan, like to drive trucks like Louie does and like Louie i usually never get in trouble in school and have to go to the office.

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  6. I chose the book running loose because the review of the book sounded good and appealing to read about. Running loose was a book that sounded like it would have been easy to relate for being in high school and the book being taken place during high school. Yes I am happy with my choice of the book that pick out to read. I like the book so far as i am reading it. The book is easy to follow along to and is easy to connect to. The book is really enjoyable to read about and can be easily connected to.

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  7. I chose the book Running Loose because out of the four choices we were giving Running Loose Stuck out to me. From what I read on the back of the book I felt that this book was going to be able to make connections with myself. This book seems to be keeping me engaged in reading with a good diversity of Louie playing sports and still being a hard worker. I really like the book I was given because it is a well flowing read. This book is always changing keeping one involved. I think this book has more good things to come with more connections to be made.

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    1. What kind of connections are you able to make to the book?

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    2. I made a few connections throughout the book so far. I made the connection of living in a small town and growing up having a job while being in school.

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  8. I also relate to the small town connections in this book.

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  9. I feel the same about the small town aspect of the book and I think that many people in this class could relate to this aspect of the book.

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  10. I chose the book Running Loose because the back cover left me interested. there are many life decisions that have to be made by the main character and i wanted to see how he handled it. i am happy so far with this book because it includes sports and emotions and life struggles. when i first started reading i was immediately entertained because the author got right into it. i really enjoy this book and hope it gets better!

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    1. The emotions coming from this book have kept me interested.

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    2. This seems like a great book. Can you relate to any of the main characters, and if so are they some life learning lessons.

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    3. i can relate to carter because he is an all star athlete and im pretty used to that so i know what hes going through

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    4. I'm also interested in this book because its about football and I played football so I can relate to the book.

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    5. I picked the book for the same exact reason Booden! Do you agree with Louie"s decision to quit the football team after they played Salmon River?

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    6. @kenji1105.... i agree with his decision because it was the right thing to do

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  11. Although the book Stotan was my third choice it's a very interesting book so far. I find this book interesting because I am able to make connections through the sports included in the book.Throughout the beginning of the book the characters are all introduced and we learn about Stotan week.

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    1. So far what is your favorite part in the book?

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    2. I didn't read Stotan, but I thought it seemed interesting. I am maybe thinking about reading it after Running Loose, so could you give me 5 reasons this book is worth reading?

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    3. @Kenny My favorite part of the book so far would have to be the part where Nortie quits his job. This is my favorite part so far because it is really the only exciting part so far.

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    4. @Max 1) The characters are interesting
      2) I enjoy swimming
      3) You can make connections with our High School
      4) This book keeps you interested in reading
      5) They talk about sports a lot

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  12. Kevin Specht,

    although my first choice for this reading assignment was to read Running Loose I got placed in a Chinese Handcuffs group. As I began reading I'm glad that I put Chinese Handcuffs as my second choice. Some reasons I chose Chinese Handcuffs was that I thought it was going to be an interesting story about an athlete in high school going through the normal confusion that many teenagers face. Another reason why I chose Chinese Handcuffs was because my brother read this book last trimester and really enjoyed it. I am very happy with this book it is really interesting to see how each of the character's complex problems are convening and making the relationships with each other more complicated, I am very excited to finish the book to see how all the character's unique problems connect. Overall I am very pleased with my choice and am excited to continue reading this book.

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    1. Chinese Handcuffs was my first choice! I am glad you are enjoying it. I too got put into a group of my second book choice. I like books where the character's lives intertwine with the others. Is it hard to follow, or quite simple? I hope the book gets better!!
      ~Cat Sears

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    2. Why was Running Loose your first choice? Do you still wish to read Running Loose or keep with Chinese Handcuffs?

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  13. I chose to read the book Stotan! because when we were given the reviews in class, reading this certain review had me intrigued. It sounded like we as high school students could relate because it is in a high school setting! It was one of my top three because like I said the summary and review of the book was very good and had me sold. Some of my initial thoughts on the book is that it is very easy to follow and not as challenging as I thought! Sure you have to go back and reread some things, and an example is stotan week itself. Stotan week is very fast paced part in the book and you really have to understand what is going on. It's not impossible to do, but just take your time. This book is a very interesting book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes an action book or just an easy read. It is very interesting and I can't wait to read even more and making connections is very easy to do. I hope that all of you might give Stotan a try because you won't regret it!

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    1. What connections have you made between the book and yourself so far?

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    2. What was your favorite part of your book?

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  14. I chose the book Stotan! because I felt that it would connect to high school fairly easy. When I read through the reviews I thought it would be exciting and eventful. So far not much has happened in the book, but I am happy with my decision so far. The book is easy to follow and not as challenging as I expected it to be. I thought when I first started reading the book that it was slow paced, but now that stotan week has started the plot has gotten more interesting and eventful. As the characters are developing throughout the story, I learn that they have extreme backgrounds within their families. I am enjoying this book because of the connections to my age and how easy of a read it is. The backgrounds of the characters makes the plot interesting. The story connects to a typical high school and the issues of a teenager. But most teenagers don't go through a stotan week.

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    1. Macy I would have to say I agree with everything you have said, but what are some of the connections you have made between the book itself and your own life?

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    2. I agree that the background of each character makes the book interesting. It has made each character unique such as Nortie and his troubled childhood.

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  15. How did you feel about the part when Louie threw fit at the football game when Leadnecky and Boomer teamed together and took out the player?

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  16. I got stuck with chinese handcuffs it was not my first pick but its a good book. chinese handcuffs is not that bad of a book at first its kinda hard to follow along but after reading a couple of chapters it gets less confusing and easier to follow along with.

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    1. Have you made any connections to the book

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    2. Is the book easy to connect to yourself?

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    3. that's great that you are actually enjoying the book, even though, it was not your first pick. GRIND THROUGH IT! and hopefully it gets easier to read as the book goes on!

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    4. What was your first choice?? I wanted Chinese Handcuffs. Is it any good?? How relatable is it? I hope it is a good read. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes was also hard to follow in the beginning. Maybe that's just how Chris Crutcher writes his books. I wonder if the two books are slightly similar. When choosing the books, I thought they were kind of similar.
      ~Cat Sears

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    5. now that you started this book and know what its about would you still rather read a different one or stay with this one?

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    6. What was your favorite part of the book so far?

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    7. You mention that it became less confusing. Why? You need to go a little deeper.

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  17. I chose the book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. I chose this book because it featured a girl struggling within a mental hospital. I felt it would be extremely relatable. I too spent time in the hospital for a 72 hour observation. It wasn't exactly my top choice, but it was my second choice. I put it in my top three because it wasn't too much about sports, so I wouldn't get bored. I don't really enjoy sport books. It started off really well, and wasn't exactly about sports. It did start talking about their swim practice, but the author kept it very interesting. the author uses ways to spice up the story, using language and descriptive scenes. It certainly isn't a dry read (mind the pun). I am so far enjoying it, but it in't very suspenseful and it does jump around a little bit. It goes from Eric at swim practice, to him at the hospital, and then to him in the principal's office. It may be hard to keep track, but it's a fun read, so it's worth it. I highly recommend it!
    ~Cat Sears

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    1. I also think it is hard to know what is going on. The setting jumps around between middle school, high school, just before high school, and when both Sarah and Eric young. I was confused for the first couple chapters, but know I am starting to figure out where and when the setting is. I also enjoy reading this book.

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    2. What is your favorite part of the book so far?

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  18. I chose this book for just one reason, it was a lot about football and I enjoy watching it or reading it. It was my number one pick, it sounded very interesting and i felt like i could make a connection with the main character. I am very content on my pick of book, i'm enjoying not only the football aspect to it; but also the side characters and side conflicts within this book. This book has kept me tied into it the entire way so far. so connections i have made is when i played football, i do not disagree with Louie quitting the team after the Washington incident.

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    1. why do you disagree with louie? Jackie need to get take out. HE WAS THE THREAT!

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    2. I agree, that hit on Washington was pretty bad.

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    3. if you could pick another book, would you?

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    4. I agree with you Kenny I think the hit was dirty and unnecessary. Coach Lednecky should not be teaching them to play dirty.

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    5. He might have been the threat Brandon, but even Carter said they could have won with Washington in.

      I would pick Stotan, Blake

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  19. I chose Running Loose because it caught my attention right away when reading the summarys of all the books. Overall im really happy with my choice because its easy to connect to having played football in high school. This book started out slow and boring but now i find myself not wanting to put it down. I like all the heat between Boomer and Louie it makes it more interesting. I hope carter puts boomer in his place and puts a whooping down on him. And that coach Lednecky lets Louie back on the team.

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    1. Nice Pick chase, im glad you enjoy it. what is youre favorite character

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    2. I would have to say carter because hes hard working, calm, and wise. I also like boomer even though he wouldnt be a good friend in real life, but because he makes the book funny.

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    3. what conflict does Louie and boomer have with each other? Im happy you like the book chase. :)

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    4. Boomer doesn't like Louie because of what happened at his party a couple years ago. And hes always rude to Louie to this day because of it.

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  20. I choose the book Running Loose because I flipped a coin for my number one book and Running Loose was heads. That aside I'm glad that the coin flipped to heads because running loose is a great book full of drama and keeps me reading.

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    1. What type of drama do you like in the book?

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    2. Do you like the book so far?

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    3. The tension between Boomer and Louie and the wait for one to pull the trigger

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    4. What has been your favorite scene in the book?

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    5. SAME BRO but whats your favorite part of the book lol.

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    6. What kind of drama? Why is it a good choice? Entry needs more.

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  21. i chose running loose because the summary on the back seemed interesting and so far it has been a pretty good book. At first I wasn't a fan of each chapter being a different but its getting easier to follow and I'm starting like it. Its fairly easy to relate to being in high school and from a small town.

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    1. Have you made any connections????

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    2. can you relate to it in any other ways besides being in high school and a small town?

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  22. I think Chinese handcuffs is a fairly good book so far. One of the reasons why I chose this book as my third pick is because it didn't look as good or interesting as the two I picked before it. And I thought it would be boring and I wouldn't like it. But now that I have started reading this book it is better than I thought. I like it more than I thought I would and it is a fairly good book so far because there are parts that get interesting. But some of the things that I don't like is that sometimes it jumps around. This book also had flashbacks and letters written to other characters in the book. that can sometimes be confusing or long.

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    2. The book is better than what I thought it would be for me too. while I agree the flashbacks and letters can be confusing I think that they give a good insight into what the characters are thinking and why they do the things they do. they also reveal more about the conflict by telling the characters backstories.

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    3. The book is definitely better than what it seemed to be, and it can get very confusing because of the random bits of backstory mixed with Dillon's letters to Preston, and the author constantly switching characters so far in the book.

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    4. In some parts of the book does get really confusing when Dillon is wrighting his letter to Preston to it being a flashback then it would jump to Jennifer but what makes the book good is that it's so vivid and it's like your there.

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    5. I also think the flashbacks and letters can make the book a tad confusing. But I think they help me understand the book more than they end up confusing me. I also think they keep the book interesting. I also agree that sometimes when he writes the letters to his brother they do get a little long.

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  23. I choose the book Stotan because it sounded like the novel had an interesting plot and i liked the cover. I am happy with this book because it has some suspense which makes you want to figure out what is coming up next. At the beginning of the book I thought it was kind of boring but the more you got more eventful. This book is enjoyable because it has a lot of twist and turns in it which makes it interesting. While I as reading the is book I related it to wrestling because of the training, talking about their weights, how they bind, and the meets.

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    1. What do you think the biggest twist and turn is in the book?

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    2. I agree that the book was boring at first but became more eventful as stotan week started. What has been the most surprising event that has occurred in the story so far for you?

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    3. What made to the book more eventful as it went on? What is your favorite part about the book? I like that during the whole book it gives more and more information about each characters past.

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    4. I think the most surprising thing in this book is Norties background and I think the biggest twist in the book was when he hit the kid.

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  24. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes stuck out the most for me when i was looking at the other books. So fare I haven't made many connections when i was reading, but its still fun to read. My favorite part about the book is that how he charters have to over come there probables. Its hared to put the book down the more I read it. I am very happy with my choice.

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    1. how did it stick out the most

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    2. I also enjoy reading abut the obstacles they need to overcome. The fact Sarah's face is completely burned and she faces the world everyday shows that anyone can face anything. Eric also has problems with his weight. He makes sure that everyone knows that he is fat. He makes jokes about himself, which can't be good for his self esteem. I am looking forward to seeing how he deals with his weight problem in the future.

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    3. Do you have any regrets on picking the book?

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  25. I chose running loose because im a retired football player and i know what its like for the GRIND to start. I actually thought it was a book about running, but i found out it was football. I wasn't upset about it because i got into the book because there's a lot of conflict on the football team. Boomer is a savage and creates the drama. I also really like carter as a character because he is calm and smart and knows what hes doing.

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    1. i agree because Carter is the one of the steadiest things in Louie's life. he is always there for him and genuinely cares

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    2. I also thought it was going to be about running track or something. I am not disapointed at all that it is about football though

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    4. I agree, I like Carter as a character he is motivational and handles the football situation well.

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    5. I agree with you Alex. Carter is very wise and knows what to say in do in stressful times.

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    6. I also agree with you Allison. Carter doesn't freak out like some other people during football games. hes very calm and collective.

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  26. I picked staying fat for Sarah Byrnes because I thought I could relate to it the most. I can relate to it because I would never give up on someone just like Sarah will never Give up on Moby. I also can relate to this book because I like to swim just like Moby does. The book is a little different than what I was expecting.

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    1. I was hoping that it would be mostly swimming

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    2. Do you think if the book was more about swimming that you could make better connections?

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  27. -Nick Botts-
    I am reading the book "Chinese Handcuffs", and I chose this book because I was intrigued by the psychological aspect of the book. I am happy with my choice, because a psychological adventure is exactly what this book is turning out to be. Initially I thought that the book would be focusing more around the sports, running and basketball, than the psychological connections between Dillon and Jennifer, due to the prologue being about him winning his triathlon for his age class. After the prologue you are instantly hit with the fact that Dillon's brother, Preston, lost both of his legs in a motorcycle accident and committed suicide afterwards. I'd say that there is a pretty large change of pace, which is a good thing. I do find the book enjoyable because of the suspense in each "scene" or chapter of the book, although the surplus of detail can drag a chapter on for quite a long time. I have noticed that in the vast amount of detail there seems to be a lot of redundant and/or useless information that you have to get through to get on with the story.

    The story is very interesting, because it makes you deeply contemplate the morals and decisions of the main characters. For example, there is a scene where Dillon and his bother Preston are torturing a neighborhood cat when they were very young(8 years old and 10 years old respectively), it really makes you wonder about how they must have been thinking. On one side you want to hate the characters because they are killing an innocent cat just because it was messing with their dog, and on the other hand you feel sorry for them because you know that they didn't know the repercussions of their actions, and you know that they will have to live with the memory of Charlie the cat for the rest of their lives.

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    1. lol did you write a book? I'm just kidding. lol Dillon and Jennifer should d8! OH MY GAWD! THAT POOR CAT!!!! Rest in Pepperonis Charlie.
      (Don't Grade PLz)
      ~Cat Sears

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    2. I agree that there can be an excess of detail in some parts of the book especially in letters to Preston but I feel the letters are very integral to Dillon's motives and why he acts the way he does.

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    3. I think it's great the Dillon is wrightting letters to Preston since that's the only way he can cope with his brother suicide but it's a terrible thing that's he had to witness what was happening with his brother. Same thing with Jennifer she shouldn't be afraid of being home or having her sister be home alone with there dad and step-dad. I think it's sick what her dad, her mom boyfriends, and her step-dad did to her she shouldn't have to go through that and being scared for the rest of her life.

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    4. I think all the excess of details in some parts of the book keeps this book so enjoyable. It just makes you want to laugh at how these teenagers act.

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  28. I am reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. I chose it because I enjoy reading books that are relatable and mysterious. I also had to know what happened to Sarah in the past and how she got her burns. I am okay with my choice; the book is a little bit dry of a read, but the humor makes up for it. It is hard to make connections sometimes because I have never had to deal with what the characters are going through.

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    1. I agree the humor does make up for some of the boring and dry parts. I actually catch myself laughing at some points in the book. Even though I have not encountered problems like Eric and Sarah I still can make connections to simple highschool drama like they do about Crispy Pork Grinds.

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    2. I also really wanted to know if she was lying about how she got burned. And i really enjoy the humor in this book.

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    1. I agree the start of the story line was very slow but i think the more you got into the more it got much more interesting.

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  30. Although I wasn't able to choose my book, and I was assigned to read Stotan. It didn't phase me because after reading the descriptions of the other novels, Stotan left me in a suspense. "What is Stotan week? Is it something to do with swimming?" are only a few questions that I thought to myself. After reading the first few chapters there are events within the novels that are leaving me in shock. The characters are in high school and compete on the swim team. With the characters being in high school the novel is easy to connect to myself. So far I am enjoying this book and want to continue reading it not only because I have to but because I am interested in the plot, and what will happen throughout Stotan Week.

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    1. If you would have got to choose your book would've you still chosen Stotan?

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    2. I would have still chosen Stotan.

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  31. I chose the book Stotan! because when I first read the summaries I felt that it connected a lot with high school. The book summary seemed interesting because I could possibly relate to something about high school. The begin of the book starts out at a very slow pace which is hard to get into it. After Stotan week happened the book becomes easier to follow along with at a more interesting events happening. More details about the characters past or background pop up during the book which helps understand more about them. But I am happy with the book I chose so far. This book is enjoyable because it has connections I can make and it is a easy read, I may not be able to connect to the swimming part but the high school connects are being made.

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    1. I enjoy how the backgrounds of the characters are spaced out. It really makes things interesting whenever you learn a bit more about someone like Nortie.

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    2. I agree with the novel starting off slow, but it is now starting to pick up farther into the reading.

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  32. Mark Maas
    I did not get to choose my book but I ended up reading Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. I am actually enjoying this book because it relates to a lot of highschool kids who have trouble and problems and are just trying to make it through high school. I can make a connection of the type of relationship Eric and Sarah have with one of my friends. That no matter what we stay by each others side. Eric and Sarah both has problems like Eric is fat,and Sarah has burns on her face from hot spaghetti as a child. Even though these are a tough thing to live with they still have eachother no matter what. I really enjoy reading about their newspaper they write. I think this is funny but yet creative. My initial thoughts were that the book was going to be dumb but as a read about all the things that Eric and Sarah go through I started to make connections and actually enjoy the book and even laugh at times. This book is very intresting and I would recommend people to read this book

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  33. I chose to read Chinese Handcuffs because it seemed like an interesting book to read and it is a very interesting book of the two characters who one is keeping an awful secret to her self and won't tell anybody about what happened and the other character is fighting the pain away of his brother suicide and trying to cope with it. I'm happy with choosing this book and putting it in my top three; there is a lot of drama going on between the two major characters dealing with pain and trying to cope with everything that's is or that has happened to them. I'm really enjoying the book so far even thought in some parts in confusing when Dillon wrights his letter to his brother who died. at first the book was a little bit confusing, but the more I got to reading it the less confusing it became.

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    1. I agree that some of the letters that Dillon writes to his brother may be confusing. Mostly because they jump around and he is explaining to his brother what is going on in his life. However some of the flashbacks that are included in the chapters that he writes the letters really clear things up and help me understand what is going on.

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  34. I chose Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes because I was intrigued by the title. Who is Sarah Byrnes, and why does someone feel the need to stay fat for them? The description of the book also included that the main protagonist competitively swims. I myself don't swim, but I compete in many things daily, so I can relate to him on that level. I wasn't very pleased with the book i received during the first couple of chapters, but then it started to pick up the pace a bit and things got explained more in depth. It pulled me right it and now I really enjoy reading this book.

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    1. I agree, as I read more the book started making more sense and everything got explained more. Also the book did get more interesting as the more I read.

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  35. I choose Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes because it was one of the more interesting books I got to choose from. The book itself is kind of hard to follow around in because it jumps back and fourth from the past and to the present. Other than that the book is interesting and has a bunch of odd characters.

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    1. I agree that this book can get confusing because the timeline jumps around a lot. I also agree that this book is very interesting.

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  36. I chose Running Loose as my book. I put it in my top three because it sounded the most interesting and said that there was humor in it. I figured the humor would make it a bit easier to read rather than a completely serious book. I am very pleased with my choice of Running Loose. Louie's constant sarcasm and smart remarks make it enjoyable to read. The book is easy to relate to due to the conflict with his coaches decisions.

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    1. dude i tots agree. the humor has to be one of the best parts of the book. i also agree that its a light-hearted book and the conflits are easy to relate to

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    2. I agree 100% with you this book is so easy to read because of the humor and its not so serious plus it is so relatable to ever ones life.

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  37. I chose the book Staying Fat for Sara Byrnes. I chose this book mainly because the title sounded funny. I have really enjoyed this book because it is funny and has an interesting plot line. I actually enjoyed this book so much I have read farther than I had to, to just stay up to date. Which is saying a lot because I haven't read a book since last school year. I haven't made to many real connections because I don't have to deal with a lot of what the characters in this book have to deal with. Even still I really am enjoying this book.

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    1. I agree the humor in this book is kind of funny, makes you want to read more.

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    2. low key starting to wish i chose this book. It seems like its a great book just by reading all the replies about it.

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  38. I chose Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes because it seemed interesting on why someone would stay fat for a woman such as Sarah. Sarah isn't quite someone that you'd want to be friends with at first. Once you'd get to know her, she seems like a very smart person. When the co-character, Eric first met Sarah he thought that she was the ugliest human being outside of the circus. From the reading it seems like she is. There is a lot I don't understand about the novel, it seems that it goes back and forth throughout the past, back to present and future. Eric has flashbacks of some sort and then the plot goes to that story. Is all of Chris Crutcher's books like this? Cause its just a little confusing and hard to understand when it comes to the whole plot setting in the novel.
    This novel is truly one of the most confusing novels I've ever read. It's also disturbing in some ways. Why would Eric talk about his mom sexually? Isn't that wrong?
    Other than all of that, I am enjoying this novel. I get a kick out of Dale who thinks he's tough and loves to bring down other people just because his own life sucks. Sarah just knows what to say to royally piss Dale off. Which I think is funny :) Even though Sarah might be ugly and fat, she's still a caring person. She deserves to have friends. All of us do.
    If you like books that are disturbing or which in one's that have bullies in them. You would love this novel.

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  40. i chose to read Running Loose. i really enjoy this book because of all the twists it has in it. just when you think something is going to happen, the opposite happens. i enjoy the relationships that Louie has with all the other characters. i also enjoy Louie's sarcastic comments. his personality really puts the book on a whole new level.

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    1. I agree. His sarcastic comments make the book enjoyable to read

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    2. How do you feel about the inappropriate jokes that Louie makes?

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    3. Ya agreed bro it is a great book that keeps you on your toes and it jumps around keeping you in. And i like the sarcastic tone of him.

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    4. I like Louies sarcastic comments too, but when he talks to his mom about his underwear and what he does to them it gets a little weird. But on the other hand, it shows that he is an open person and can share his feelings to people.

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  41. I chose the book Running Loose. I chose this book, not only because it sounded interesting, but because it sounded the most relatable. I have found the book to be quite interesting and quite good, surprisingly. So i would have to say that I am happy with my choice. The book is quite relatable due to the fact that its setting is a small town and i grew up near a small town. What i enjoy most about the book so far is Louie's sense of humor and his character(ethics/morals) for sticking up for what he believes in.

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  42. I chose the book running loose because i tend to relate to them a lot more and like to read them. The biggest thing that drove me to it i don't like to read depressing books and swimming books so. i am very happy with the chose of my book cause it keeps me on my toes as in it jumps from problem to problem and keeps you pulled in. I am also happy for it being so diverse that anyone can find a character to relate to. But I absolutely love how he and his friend have such a tight bond right now

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  43. I decided to read running loose due to the summary of the book. I felt like i can relate to the story a bit. Im glad i chose this book because its really good and its better then what i expected it to be. i use to be in the main charter shoes when i was out for football an i had to buss my a$$ so i know how the Louie felt. Another person who inspired me to check out the book was Mrs. LUKES and Mr Kurt. They told me hey i think that a good book to read so i went with it. NO REGRETS!!!!!!

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    2. Did you ever feel like the character of Washington? Being the big dawg on the opposing team and being targeted so you cant play.

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  44. Running Loose intrigued me from the beginning, mainly because of its more simplistic title compared to the other choices. Running Loose is a very good piece that has actually been more enjoyable to read than I had anticipated. Louie, our narrator, reminds me much of me with his style of telling the story. He tells the audience every single thing they need to know and doesn't leave a detail out. This can make some parts of the story slow, but enhances others. Overall, the story is easy to read and keeps the reader entertained. I'm only about a third of the way done with the book currently, but I can't wait to read the rest.

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    1. same bro i love the back and forth fights with boomer and louie.

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    2. Louie's sarcastic comments are what kept me interested.

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  45. Bryce Droullard
    I don't remember exactly why I chose Running Loose. From what I can remember I think the other books where not appealing to me and the conflict of Running Loose peaked my interest. I am not unhappy with my pick, but I don't know how good the other books are so I don't have any reason to dislike it other than the book being bad. When I first started reading the book I was not bored to sleep like many other books do to me. However I was far from wanting to continue reading it every chance I got. To better put it, I can read the book but I would never read it on my free time currently. I imagine many other people would enjoy the book a lot more, but the book does not relate well to me. For instance a large portion of the book revolves around football. I never got into football ever. It was one of those things that people would gather at my house for, but I would go into my room to play video games instead. I think I remember not being relate-able was one of my main problems when picking a book to read. None of them sounded like me and how I live my life.

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    1. I share your disinterest in football (during the part where they were playing a game I barely understood what was happening), but for me at least, the humor and the books focus on the conflict made up for it.

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  46. Running Loose was in my top three and the book I am reading. When I was reading the summary of Running Loose it sounded interesting and something I would enjoy and have connections with. Also the book took place in a teenagers perspective which was another reason why I decided to have it in my top three. I found this the most interesting book although I do not play football; I am a competitive person just like Louie is in this book. As I started reading the first few chapters of the book, I was not sure if I was going to like it. As I kept reading I started to really enjoy it. I have made many connections like how Louie and his mother interact (pointless arguments). I can to relate to Louie on how he wants to beat Boomer so bad to when I am competing with someone who I really want to beat. The book is very interesting because there are many conflicts within the football team and it is interesting the way Louie reacts to Boomer hurting Salmon River during a intense game.

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    1. What part of the summary interested you the most?

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    2. When it says Louie takes a stand against his coach. I was really curious as to what had happened and what the outcome was.

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  47. I am reading Chinese Handcuffs. I chose this book as one of my top three books because I was interested in the fact that he is writing letters to his dead brother. I am also very draw to book that involve romance. So far I am enjoying this book. However there is parts of this book that make me uncomfortable and I don't see how someone could ever do what they did. It is a very interesting book. The unanswered questions at the end of each chapters keep me wanting to read more.

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    1. I agree, there are many times that I feel uncomfortable while reading this book and I always look forward to reading more of the book because it is very interesting.

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    2. I also read this book and when I read some parts of the book I find some of the things they did to be odd or confusing.

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  48. The book im reading is Running Loose and so far I've really enjoyed the book. This book was my number one choice and that's because I read the back of the book and it looked like a book I would enjoy reading.The book is really easy to read and I'm not bored when I read it. The book I'm reading is about a guy and his high school football team and playing football myself helped me make a lot of connections to the book. I have really enjoyed the book so far and I'm excited to see whats going to happen later in the book.

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    1. Yes it brings back a lot of great memories out on the battle field!

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  49. Stotan! was my first choice in book by Chris Crutcher. It talks alot about a small group of friends that are always there for each other, and want to have a memorable senior year. I connect a bit, because I have a small-close knit group of friends that i talk to everyday. The characters know from the very beginning of the story that they will have a tough time breaking apart after the school year ends. It is a great book so far, and I am looking forward to seeing how everything turns out in the end.

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  50. I technically didn't pick my book, but instead wrote down the same ones my friend did, in the hopes that we would end up in the same group. That wasn't because I wasn't taking it seriously or anything like that, but because I found all the books to be of equal interest to me. Anyway, I ended up with Running Loose and I am thoroughly enjoying it (thanks in no small part to how much of a smarta$$ the main character is). Going in, I thought the book would focus mostly on football, but I was pleasantly surprised when revealed itself to be about the social suicide that results from taking a stand about something you know was wrong even when everyone else disagrees.

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    1. Yeah, Louie's sarcastic comments are one of my most favorite parts of the book.

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  51. Andrew Hayes
    The book I chose was running loose, I liked the title of it because it sounded cool. I also read the back of the book to see what it was about after I read the reviews, it seemed like an interesting book so I thought this would be a good book to start on. I liked how it said that Louie took a stand against his coach when he wanted the team to hurt one of the opposing players, that shows a lot of inner strength to be able to stand up for yourself in that situation. I can relate to this because I will stick up for what is right and not have a problem with what others think of it.

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    1. Have you found anything interesting with the book

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  52. I am reading the book Chinese Handcuffs. This book luckily happened to be my first choice to read! I chose this book because when I was reading the back summary it sounded the most interesting and relatable to what teenagers face during their high school career. I am happy so far with my choice of reading. I think something that keeps this book so fascinating would be the journals Dillon writes to his late brother Preston. There's always something weird/strange that keeps them interesting.

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  53. I also thought this book was going to be hard to understand, but now it is not so bad! I think the flashbacks and journals Dillon writes is what keeps the book enjoyable to read

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  54. I selected Running Loose as my #1 book because football books are very interesting to read to me and I am happy that I got this book. I also read the back of the book and it just seemed like the main conflict between Louie and his coach would be worth reading. The first chapter grabbed my attention so I knew I would enjoy reading it, and it is probably the first school related book that I actually like.

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    1. I like it MAX! this book seems intersting. can you name your 3 favorite characers and something about each of them?

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    2. I didn't choose this book to read but think i might choose to read this book later. Can you give me a summary of what the book is about?

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    3. Its very very interesting Beardly and my favorite 3 characters are... Louie- Main character, Becky- Louies girl(smoke), and Carter- great athlete.

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    4. Well Hefel it starts out really good and it basically talks about Louie and Carter working out for the football season. Louie and a guy named Boomer dont get along well so it goes into detail about the incident. I dont want to give away to much but Louie quit the football team so that part of book was awesome! I recommend this book for you eightis!

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  55. I picture Holy Cross in the 80's for the small town setting they talk so much about. Smaller population, and they actually had a high school

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  56. I picked Stotan to be my number one book, and it has offer a great plot and some twist to it to be a number one book. At the beginning, it was slow, but worthwhile, because I learned so much about those characters as now I can relate or understand the conflicts they may have. Stotan is also a great book for swimmers or a sport fans, it tells you all of the adversity they go through and being a small school like us we can relate to it, because they have 4 swimmers, and others have a whole team of swimmers while are school doesn't even have a swim team, but compete any ways at a different school, being still small.

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    1. In what ways can you relate to the conflicts that the swimmer's face in the book?

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    2. How can you relate to the characters now? What conflicts do you understand? Do you like the way the book gives more information about each characters past a little at a time?

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  57. I chose Stotan because the other books seemed weird, and I wanted to read a book that wasn't a common choice. Stotan is also the coolest title. Not sure yet if I am happy with my choice of the book Stotan. It has started really slow just informing us about the characters background.I do like the people in the book as they can be sometimes funny. I believe it will pick up soon because I don't know what else can be said about seniors that are members of the swim team. Even though the book has a lot to do with swimming I can relate to the seniors and their high school and the problems that they face.

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    1. Once you get farther into it, the book will get a lot better.

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  58. I can relate to living in a small town too.

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  59. I chose Stotan and so far it is an incredible read. I chose it because it sounded like something I could kind of relate to from an athletic standpoint. I also chose it because I enjoy swimming, and once I discovered what the title of the book meant, I assumed there would be difficult situations for the characters to overcome. I am really happy with my choice, because it seems every chapter draws me in more and more and I just want to keep reading. As the book began I felt it explained all the characters well, and you get a personal connection like you are one of the guys in the group. Very good read, and intriguing book to connect with.

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    1. Do you think anyone should read it even if they don't relate from an athletic standpoint like you did?

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  60. Nice quinn Nicee! this book looks great! im glad you enjoy it

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  62. I chose to read the book stotan as it seemed the most interesting of the three books. So far i am enjoying the book and find it quite interesting.

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