Antonia

Hi Antonia,

I'm thrilled that you have enjoyed participating in the Literature Circle. Discussing what you read with others is a great way to develop better appreciation and understanding of a book. It is interesting and worthwhile listening to other perspectives of events and characters.

Your analysis of //Unknown// is thorough and insightful. I like the way you made a connection between the fire in the story and the Victorian fires. Do you think Colin Thompson based his dog characters on human characteristics and reactions?

You selected a wonderful simile - well done.

Ms Webster

=__Unknown__=

By Colin Thompson
The book I chose to study is Unknown. It is a great book with beautifully illustrated pistures. I chose this book to read for a number of reasons. Firstly I wanted a book to do with animals and this book is about dogs. When Mrs Webster was showing us every book, Unknown was the only one that caught my eye. It has a catchy title matched with an amazing title page. The books short summary that Mrs Webster read to us made Unknown the book I was looking for!
 * Friday 20th of Febuary: **

So far I am finding the literacy circles a lot of fun. I love my group and of course the book. It was a very smart idea to make these circles and I am deffinitly learning a lot. The activities are great. It is a great subject.

During this process, I have thought a lot about the book and learnt to look a lot deeper into a book that I am reading. From then, this has made reading for me a lot more interesting a whole lot more fun. The book I am reading is about a little puppy dog who is in a pound. He is the only dog in the whole of the pound who sits back when a customer comes in until one day there is a fire and he becomes a hero. Colin Thompson is an amazing author. I have never read one of his books before and am finding them very good.
 * Tuesday 24th of Febuary: **

Unknown has really got me thinking about all of those poor puppies and dogs who are taken to the pound abd never to be seen again. I feel deep sorrow for these puppies as they are living as well. Unknown also reminds me of the unfortunate Victorian Bush Fires. The discribing words are extremlly realistic and make you feel like you are really there. A great load of similes are used in this section of the story which makes the story a lot more interesting to read. The book is filled with amazing adventures ans surprises and is great fun to read.  **Wednesday 25th of Febuary: **  In class we have been studying the climax, resolution and problem of the story. It has been a lot of fun to explore the book and really come familiar with the story line. It is so much fun working as a group and studying a book. It is so enjoyable and has been a blast. I have really learnt so far, to explore each layer of the book and to not just scan over it. During class in libary, my group and I have put all of our infomation into a format of a book review which will be posted onto our wiki soon. Our group is now working on our play which has been a lot of fun.
 * Sunday 8th of March: **

For our groups project, we are doing a brochure which includes much of the infomation that we have created and collected during this project.
 * Wednesday 31st of March**

The illistrations of the story are extremely effective. They each portray the scene in a way they makes you think you are really there. A truly amazing scene that really appeals to me is the sene of the blazing fire. Throughout this scene, it portrays exactly how the dogs would be feeling and the emotions are displayed exceptionally. It makes you feel like you are really there, in the situation. It makes you feel terrified.

Throughout the artwork, it displays the damage of the fire and the feeligs of each dog individually. It makes you feel like you are expeiriencing the fire and the heat and flames are righ tinfront of you.

The paints that are used are extremely effetcive and are what makes the illistrations so appealing to me. I beleive that water paints are used to illistrate this artwork.

Secondly the similes, as said before are enormasly effective and help you to understand the story a lot better as they portray what the scene is about.

A simile that really apeals to me is a one in the storm scene of the story. "There rain poured on the tin roofs of the cages drumming like wild horses" This simile portays the scene and helps you to picture it a lot better. It makes you feel like you am there and that you can almost hear the noise that is surrounding the pound.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone present there stories so I can get a better idea of Colin Thompsons stories and illistrations and see if they are as great books as Unknown. A special thank you to Mrs Webster for making this project so much fun and for putting so much time and effort into it. It has been so much fun with you supporting us all.



Antonia.
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> <span style="color: rgb(250,5,92); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">P.S. Read the book to find out more. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"><span style="color: rgb(250,5,92); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">"Unknown" By Colin Thompson.