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TypeSUMMARY
Ama is Lakshmi’s mother. Gita is Lakshmi’s friend. Lakshmi’s family is a poor family in Africa. They can’t afford a good tin roof like all the contentother families do in their village. Lakshmi wants to help provide support for her family so badly by going to work for a rich family and doing a servants job. Unfortunately she can’t because she needs to finish her schooling like all the other kids do. We find out that her father has died a while back. To replace him Ama marries another guy. They are lucky to have him because mothers are disgraced with out a man in the house. Lakshmi’s step father though is very selfish and only thinks about him self. Life changes for Lakshmi when Gita leaves the village. Gita is like her only friend that lives near by. She was sent to a rich family to do work and supply her family with money. Lakshmi goes from playing hopping on one-leg game, brushing hair, and throwing mud to only doing chores now and hanging out with her goat. Tali is her goat. She follows and does what ever Lakshmi does, except for when Lakshmi goes to school than Tali has to stay home. One day Tali did follow Lakshmi to school. It wasn’t a big deal though and Lakshmi took her home at the end of your page here.the day. The people of the town and Lakshmi’s family worship the goddess of the swallow-tailed peak.
We find out that Lakshmi’s step-father has a disability and can’t work even though he’s still considered of age and young. He has a withered arm and is considered useless. The reason his arm is withered is because when he was young he broke is arm and couldn’t afford medical attention. Sadly he can’t leave the town like most men do to go work in factories and make a substantial income to live on. Instead he goes up to the top of the hill with the elders of the village. There they play cards, talk politics, and drink tea. Some nights he even gambles and loses more money then he takes.
At Lakshmi’s school they count the days on a calendar. At home however they count the days by women’s work and her woes. Like cold months, dry months, rainy months, and cool months. Lakshmi has a garden and names all her cucumbers she ahs in it. She treats them as if they are kids and rewards them for growing. The next day though she feels her body change. She lets Ama know of a first blood. Quickly Ama takes her to a shed and conceals her and tells her she needs to stay in the shed for a week before she is pure again. The next night Ama visits Lakshmi and gives her rules and instructions about becoming a woman. Like she has to do as her husband says. In the shed she stays with Tali as her only company.
While in the shed Lakshmi day dreams and wishes of her future to come sooner. The dry season comes and blows dirt all over turning water in to mud. They go 50 days with out rain Lakshmi says when it’s the dry season it’s also the hottest. Ten more days pass and there’s no water in the river anymore. Lakshmi’s family is getting desperate and might need to sell some precious items to make it through. The next day Lakshmi waters her plants. She finds that some are missing. She doesn’t question but understands her step-father sold and gambled all the money away. The rain finally comes. It rains so much that it leaks through there weak roof. Though it’s sad it brings joy and laughter because the baby laughs and claps at the sound of the rain hitting the pots and pans set out. That night when Lakshmi’s step-father leaves Ama pulls out corn kernels and one of her husbands cigarettes. Lakshmi sees her self in Ama’s mischievous ways. They discuss what they will do but first their debts need paid. Themes nothing but rain for days. It rains so much that Lakshmi’s crops are washed away. Ama goes to sell animals and her husband goes to his brother to take a loan. A day later Ama returns and find out that she has sold her precious earrings.

connections {http://www.nassaulibrary.org/YABookLog/SOLD%20COVER.jpg}
Review
I would recommend this book to anyone thats over the age of 14. This is so they can handle the drug and sexual references. This would be a good book recommended for mainly girls. This book tells of how it is for a girl growing up in Africa. She even goes through puberity and tells of some customs they do there.
Questions
1 If the author had the choice to use a guy character in the book instead of a girl how would it alter the book?
2 Why did the author choose to have the story take place in Africa?
3 Where did Patricia get the inspiration to write this book?
4 Did she have any actual experiences or visits of thew country to help her get inspired?
5 If she could go back and change any of the characters which one would it be and why?connections
summary
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TypeConnections
Pg 5 paragraph 1 when Likshmi does a ton of chores this reminds me of my house now. Sense my dad moved back in mom has stopped doing some of the contentthings she used to do. Now my dad tells us to do the things she used to do. He expects a lot out of my brother and I. It takes a lot of energy to not rebel and listen.
Pg 8 when Lakshmi’s step father jokes about how marrying off a daughter. That it is like selling a goat. The goat is only good for milk and butter. When its time to eat it cause your page here.family is starving you don’t cry when you kill it. This reminds me of my uncle Mark he buys pigs and raises them. They slaughter them when they become of age and weight. So they don’t get attached to the pigs they name them after foods they will make. Like bacon and ham.
Pg 11 the way they count the seasons. They do it just like we do. They check of days that go by at school and count the days like our average calendar. At home though the seasons are marked by women’s troubles like of child death and born. We name out seasons though.
Pg 16 when Ama tells Lakshmi about how she needs to suffer. All women in the village suffer for the man of the family. The men work but the women slave at home. This reminds me of living on the farm and TV shows. On the farm our horses did all of our work for us. On TV The Fresh Prince of Bellaire they treat Jeffery not well at all. Yet he works for them still.
Pg 25 When it finally pours. This reminds me of a song we play in church. It’s called let it rain. Ama turns her face towards the heavens. She accepts the rain and enjoys it. In the song it says “open the flood gates of heavens, let it rain”

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Pg 5
The way the goat thinks Lakshmi is her mother. This makes me see and animal adopting another animal. Like in the picture the dog is taking care of the cat. Like when the fatherly or motherly instincts kick in. The older animal then takes care of the younger one as if it was their own.
{http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:X7N08fOKkhpL0M:http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa08/brennab/Media/marylamb.jpg}
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Pg 5-6
When Tali follows Lakshmi to school. Tali is Lakshmi’s goat and one day follows her to school. This makes me visualize the story of “Mary had a little Lamb.” The Lamb followed her every where shed ever go. When I was young this was a story read to me.
{http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:QO5_3akSCPGf0M:http://badroco.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/superman.jpg}
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Pg 7
In the book they all have their god or goddess. The goddess they worship mostly is the Goddess of the Swallow-peak. They pray and ask for her to save them from too much heat and sun or too much rain. In a way she is the village’s superman. But to Lakshmi her Ama is her superman. She sees her as greater then the goddess.
{http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:hFjD-QFXBpFBZM:http://therootscause.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/peter1.jpg}
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Pg26
In the book the rain doesn’t stop and soon leaks through the roof of Lakshmi’s house. Her mother Ama puts buckets down to catch all the rain this depresses her. The baby laughs though from all the different noises. In my mind I visualized the water glasses being played as musical instruments. I have seen it on TV once and was amazed by the magnificent noise being played.
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http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/03/01/alg_tomato-riot.jpg
pg36

Type
http://www.sophilacca .org/images/cat_and_dog.jpg
Pg 5
The way the goat thinks Lakshmi is her mother. This makes me see and animal adopting another animal. Like in the contentpicture the dog is taking care of your page here.the cat. Like when the fatherly or motherly instincts kick in. The older animal then takes care of the younger one as if it was their own.
http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa08/brennab/Media/marylamb.jpg
Pg 5-6
When Tali follows Lakshmi to school. Tali is Lakshmi’s goat and one day follows her to school. This makes me visualize the story of “Mary had a little Lamb.” The Lamb followed her every where shed ever go. When I was young this was a story read to me.
http://badroco.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/superman.jpg
Pg 7
In the book they all have their god or goddess. The goddess they worship mostly is the Goddess of the Swallow-peak. They pray and ask for her to save them from too much heat and sun or too much rain. In a way she is the village’s superman. But to Lakshmi her Ama is her superman. She sees her as greater then the goddess.
http://therootscause.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/peter1.jpg
Pg26
In the book the rain doesn’t stop and soon leaks through the roof of Lakshmi’s house. Her mother Ama puts buckets down to catch all the rain this depresses her. The baby laughs though from all the different noises. In my mind I visualized the water glasses being played as musical instruments. I have seen it on TV once and was amazed by the magnificent noise being played.
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/03/01/alg_tomato-riot.jpg
pg36
When all the people come to Lakshmi to collect debts and barrowed money. Lakshmi’s family is poor and needed to barrow a lot of money for other people in order to pay rent and even have crops to grow for money. When Ama sells her earrings everyone comes and flocks around her house to get there debts back. This made me visualize when money is thrown in a crowd. Everyone freaks and tries to grab what they can.

Review
with his habits.connectionshabits.
Questions
1. If the author had the choice to have Jake have a different addiction or problem what would it be and why?
2. Elie has no major parts through out the book if so all his part are minor or mean nothing why is this so?
3. Toby suffers ether from a dieses or just hair color change which is it and why?
4. There mom suffers the most out of the entire family member why did his dad leave?
5. If so many people know what Jake is doing why does nobody do anything especially his coach?
connections
summary
visuals

connectionsReview
I think the book would be suitable for anyone in their teenage years or older. There is drug reference through out the book and could not be suitable for kids of younger age. The book shows that a struggle within a family can be handled with or ignored in certain ways. Even though Toby does have a condition he still covers for his brother with his habits.connections
summary
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{http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/content/pictures/homer/HomerSimpson9.gif} Homer Simpson
This is the picture that came to mind when Jake looks like he is looking in to the distance. Toby says its because he is high or drunk. Jakes eyes get that glazed over look when ever he’s like that. I thought of someone that’s in a blank stare because you can’t tell what they are looking at.
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This is the some where.
http://newsblog.projo.com/archives/2007/12/
{http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/suslick/pokemon/charizard.jpg}
This is the picture that came to mind when Toby gets his really rare baseball card. This reminds me off when I was little and we collect any card we could. We always pretended to know what we were talking about but we never did. It was just to look cool even if we made up the rules as we went by. Like saying it can’t be beat or revives another card.
http://www.pokeweb.zoomshare.com/3.html
{http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:QdjBhGOsrZJPYM:http://www.robbinssports.com/sporting-goods-store/images/ez-baseball-catcher-gear-pack.jpg} See full size image
This is the picture that came to mind when Toby is putting on the catcher gear for try outs. This reminds me of when I used to play baseball. I played every spot on the field but my favorite spots were pitcher and catcher. I played in a Ymca league and I was 1 year older then all of the kids my last year and I was the best.
http://www.robbinssports.com/sporting-goods-store/wilson-baseball-catchers-ez-gear-kitlarge-p-4097.html
{http://rlv.zcache.com/i_have_cdo_its_like_ocd_except_the_letters_ar_bumper_sticker-p128771048540310733trl0_400.jpg}
This is the picture that came to mind when Toby has nothing to do at home and decides to organize everything in his room. He doesn’t know why it bothered him but he does it anyways. This reminds me of myself some days when I am like that and everything has to put a certain way. If it isn’t then I am un happy.
http://www.zazzle.com/i_have_cdo_its_like_ocd_except_the_letters_ar_bumper_sticker-128771048540310733

Type
This is the picture that came to mind when Jake looks like he is looking in to the contentdistance. Toby says its because he is high or drunk. Jakes eyes get that glazed over look when ever he’s like that. I thought of someone that’s in a blank stare because you can’t tell what they are looking at.
http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/pictures/homer
This is the picture that to mind when Toby decides to go out for a little while before dinner. He leaves Elie in the yard and just ride off under the highway. He could hear the cars whoosh by and see them speed a long. I thought of Pittsburgh because it is nothing like that highway. I remember getting stuck in it and having to wait for ever just to get some where.
http://newsblog.projo.com/archives/2007/12/
This is the picture that came to mind when Toby gets his really rare baseball card. This reminds me off when I was little and we collect any card we could. We always pretended to know what we were talking about but we never did. It was just to look cool even if we made up the rules as we went by. Like saying it can’t be beat or revives another card.
http://www.pokeweb.zoomshare.com/3.html
This is the picture that came to mind when Toby is putting on the catcher gear for try outs. This reminds me of when I used to play baseball. I played every spot on the field but my favorite spots were pitcher and catcher. I played in a Ymca league and I was 1 year older then all of the kids my last year and I was the best.
http://www.robbinssports.com/sporting-goods-store/wilson-baseball-catchers-ez-gear-kitlarge-p-4097.html
This is the picture that came to mind when Toby has nothing to do at home and decides to organize everything in his room. He doesn’t know why it bothered him but he does it anyways. This reminds me of your page here.myself some days when I am like that and everything has to put a certain way. If it isn’t then I am un happy.

TypePage 5 paragraph 2 when Toby talks about his gray hair and how he hates it. This reminds me of the time I went down to Florida for vacation when I was little. We stayed out in the sun for a really long time and my hair turned white after about a week in the sun. My mom said I looked like a little old man with my white hair.
Page 11 paragraph 12 Mr. D. hands Toby a really rare baseball card and les him keep it. This is a big moment for Toby and the excitement on his face makes Mr. D. cry. This reminds me the first time that I saw my dad after 7 years. It was such a big moment and the only people crying where my mom and dad. They missed each other so much and my dad missed us a lot. That was the first time I have seen my dad cry like ever.
Page 26 paragraph 2 Jake pins Toby faster then he can even react. This reminds me of when I was younger and my older half brother and sisters lived with us. All of them are about 6 through 7 years old than I am. So when we were younger they were a lot stronger then I was. They were able to tackle and pin me any time they wanted.
Page 29 paragraph 10 Jake punches Toby in the arm playfully. This reminds when I hit Zach playfully he doesn’t like I so much. He always whines and says I hit to hard just so that I will get in trouble. He never does though even if he hits back but its worth hitting him back.
Page 35 paragraph one Toby is combing his hair a ton of different ways so he doesn’t look like he is a senior citizen. This reminds me of my dad because he had gray hair when he was in his early 20s. Now he is 43 and he has a big bald spot in the contentmiddle of your page here.his head. He used to be able to comb his long hair over it but he got a hair cut. Now it shows really easily.