Book Title: click here
Author: Denise Vega
Main Characters:
Erin Penelope Swift—a seventh grader, her mom was a web designer.
Chris—Erin’s brother.
Jilly (Jillian Gail Hennessey)—Erin’s best friend since kindergarten.
Mark—Erin’s classmate, the cute boy.
Rosie—Erin’s classmate and a very good friend.
Tyler—computer club friend.
Serena—Erin’s rival since kindergarten.
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Summary: This novel tells about how a shy girl survived her seventh grade and found her self–confidence and solved problems by her wisdom and courage.
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Several good things about this book:
I. Details about the process of designing the school website.
p. 142
“I need your opinion on this layout,” Mark said, pointing to his screen.
“Do you think it looks better with photos vertical down the left side and the text next to it?”
“Are you kidding?” I said. “You should have had this done a week ago. Hello? We’re launching in one week.”
“This is one of the last things I have to do,” Mark said. “Chill out and check it out.” He clicked the mouse a few times and the images loaded. “Or horizontal.”
… My eyes jumped from the images to the text, taking in the whole effect.
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1. The web designers are the editors of the web pages. They need to re-arrange the images and the texts several times before making the final presentation. The most important thing is that they need to consider “the whole effect” on the layout of the web page.
2. People need to work very hard and work long hours before the web is launched.
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II. The author is very good at describing the main character’s feeling and action at the same time in a funny way and with lots of humors.
p. 141
I, on the other hand, was trying to figure out how I could go to both the dress rehearsal and the computer lab, because my team was counting on me to help them get everything ready.
… When our song was over, I shuffled off the stage and down the hall.
Participating in two school activities (the drama play and the computer club), with lots of schedule conflicts, Erin tried very hard to focus on her priority – the activity at the computer lab.
p. 141
[At the drama, A Harvest to Remember, Erin was dressed up as an ear of corn.]
Our costumes were amazing – they were made out of foam rubber and looked real. But the ear of corn costume was like being inside a toilet paper tube. I could only take small baby steps, though I did have my arms free, which helped.
... [When walking down the hall,] I had no peripheral vision so I kept knocking into lockers when I go too close to one side. I finally figured out that if I kept to the middle of the hall, I would be okay….
“Hey, look! Corny’s here!” Steve shouted as I shuffled into the lab a few minutes later.
“Erin the Corncob!” said Tyler. “Get your kernels over here and help me.”
I smiled inside my costume.
***********************************************
It’s fun to read this part—it’s like an ear of corn is walking, stumbling, and acting vividly in front of readers’ eyes.
***********************************************
Author: Denise Vega
Main Characters:
Erin Penelope Swift—a seventh grader, her mom was a web designer.
Chris—Erin’s brother.
Jilly (Jillian Gail Hennessey)—Erin’s best friend since kindergarten.
Mark—Erin’s classmate, the cute boy.
Rosie—Erin’s classmate and a very good friend.
Tyler—computer club friend.
Serena—Erin’s rival since kindergarten.
***********************************************
Summary: This novel tells about how a shy girl survived her seventh grade and found her self–confidence and solved problems by her wisdom and courage.
***********************************************
Several good things about this book:
I. Details about the process of designing the school website.
p. 142
“I need your opinion on this layout,” Mark said, pointing to his screen.
“Do you think it looks better with photos vertical down the left side and the text next to it?”
“Are you kidding?” I said. “You should have had this done a week ago. Hello? We’re launching in one week.”
“This is one of the last things I have to do,” Mark said. “Chill out and check it out.” He clicked the mouse a few times and the images loaded. “Or horizontal.”
… My eyes jumped from the images to the text, taking in the whole effect.
***********************************************
1. The web designers are the editors of the web pages. They need to re-arrange the images and the texts several times before making the final presentation. The most important thing is that they need to consider “the whole effect” on the layout of the web page.
2. People need to work very hard and work long hours before the web is launched.
***********************************************
II. The author is very good at describing the main character’s feeling and action at the same time in a funny way and with lots of humors.
p. 141
I, on the other hand, was trying to figure out how I could go to both the dress rehearsal and the computer lab, because my team was counting on me to help them get everything ready.
… When our song was over, I shuffled off the stage and down the hall.
Participating in two school activities (the drama play and the computer club), with lots of schedule conflicts, Erin tried very hard to focus on her priority – the activity at the computer lab.
p. 141
[At the drama, A Harvest to Remember, Erin was dressed up as an ear of corn.]
Our costumes were amazing – they were made out of foam rubber and looked real. But the ear of corn costume was like being inside a toilet paper tube. I could only take small baby steps, though I did have my arms free, which helped.
... [When walking down the hall,] I had no peripheral vision so I kept knocking into lockers when I go too close to one side. I finally figured out that if I kept to the middle of the hall, I would be okay….
“Hey, look! Corny’s here!” Steve shouted as I shuffled into the lab a few minutes later.
“Erin the Corncob!” said Tyler. “Get your kernels over here and help me.”
I smiled inside my costume.
***********************************************
It’s fun to read this part—it’s like an ear of corn is walking, stumbling, and acting vividly in front of readers’ eyes.
***********************************************
