To kill a mockingbird From the perspective of Tom Robinson

Dear Journal,
It’s hard for me to understand why all of those prejudice white people treat me different just cause I am black. It would have been obscure if I had won the case. I would have felt better about the white people in Maycomb maybe there not all hypocrites.In court I probably should not have said I felt bad for Mayella Ewell but I’d be lying if I said that I did not feel bad for her. She doesn’t seem to have much of a life. What she’s done to me is shameful but it’s hard not to pitty her because I’m not sure if her father was forcing her to lie. I think she wanted someone to love but she wasn’t sure what love was or how to get it. That’s because Mayella Ewell had never been loved she’s only been taken advantage of. I can say for sure that Bob Ewell is an evil man but I can’t say it about Mayella Ewell she is a lost soul.
I always had apprehension but I never in my wildest dreams would have thought it was this bad. I think dieing would be better than being in a jail cell all day at least I’m sure if I died it would be better because I know I would be going to heaven because I’ve done nothing wrong unlike a lot of white people. I’m pretty sure that heaven will be great but I miss My family and I would do anything to see them again just once more. I’m going to plan my escape. There is always the possibility that I will make it out without being caught , no matter how improbable. I must stay positive I can’t sustain being here any longer.
At meal time I will hide in the bathroom until all the guards and prisoners have gone to the meal room. I will sneak over to the back door open it and run as fast as my feet will take me. I think that’s a pretty good plan. Hopefully it works.

Chapter 15 from the perspective of Atticus

Dear Journal,

These past couple of months have been really difficult because of the case. Alexandra is really getting on my nerves and the children and their behavior hasn't made it any better.

Dill has arrived and I think the children are pretty happy about it. I don't really care one way or another. This evening Sheriff Tate and his mob of men came to the house. They informed me that Tom Robinson will be potentially moving to Maycomb jail. There's a group rising up against me, they think I'm a bad man because of what they've heard and probably the fact that I'm a black man. They're a prejudice group of paupers that I for one don't care to have around. Their concerns are irrelevant.

I've been in quite the predicament. Should I defend Tom Robinson or should I not? I have to think about what is best for the children as well as what's best for the community. I feel like the people in this town are stealthy as they quietly gang together and create rumors and fraud against me. Their subsequent actions show their true hatred toward me and all blacks.

With that group of men here at my home, I did not want the children present. Scout decided to speak to Mr. Cunninghamm and I ended up glad that she did as it seemed to soften the situation.

And now, another night of little sleep as I worry about this whole thing...

Chapter 10 from the perspective of Calpurnia

Dear Diary,

This afternoon I was going through my regular daily routine of making food for Scout and Jem, cleaning up after them kids and making sure everything is just how Mr Atticus likes it when he gets home from work.

Scout and Jem came running inside the house, makin' all kinda noise and telling me that a mad dog was barreling down the street. (A mad dog is a dog with rabies, one you don't want around, with children around especially). I yelled at the kids to come inside right then, none of them better contradict me today.

I immediately ran inside the house as I was in considerable peril. I called Atticus to come take care of that mad dog. I didn't know what he was gonna do, being such a quiet man and all. It seemed like days were passing by waiting for him to get there. It was quite cantankerous. He arrived finally with a rifle and Sheriff Heck Tate by his side.

I felt nervous and held onto the kids with my sweaty palms. I couldn't believe it, Heck Tate got ready to shoot then he slowly handed the gun to Atticus. I couldn't imagine what such an educated white man would do with a rifle. His contemporaries were much younger than he and didn't have near the smarts.

In one shot, the dog was down. They got into Heck Tate's car as if nothin had happened. Their father told them not to go near that rabid dog, that it was just as dangerous dead as it was alive. I hoped to the Lord that his instructions weren't inaudible to those kids!

Today was quite the crazed, scary day. I wanted to make myself inconspicuous during that whole matter with the dog, but I had to be there for them kids and I'm glad they got me and I got them.

If I had my way, he wouldn't shoot the dog.

Chapter #10 From the perspective of Scout

“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Dear Diary,
Atticus Finch confuses me I've always seen him to be old, wise, smart and not a regular man. Most of the men in Maycomb Hunt Fish and drink alcohol at all hours of the day because that's all there really good for. Atticus would much rather put his glasses on and read a book. I thought I new everything there was to know about Atticus but he surprised me today.
A mad dog came barreling down our street and Calpurnia gets scared so she calls Atticus. Atticus comes home with Heck Tate (The Sheriff of Maycomb)and a rifle. Heck asks Atticus to shoot the the dog. I thought this is probably Heck trying to embarrass him. Surprisingly Atticus grabs the Rifle and shoots the mad dog in one shot.My mouth dropped to my toes.
Miss.Maudie gave me an interesting history lesson on Atticus. When Atticus was young his nickname was "One shot Finch". Jem wouldn't let me tell anyone because Jem says Atticus would have told us if he wanted us to know. So why wouldn't Atticus want me to know?

Journal entry #2 From the perspective of Jem Chapter 6

Dear Journal,

Today Scout, Dill and I planned to sneak over to the Radley place tonight. It was a sunny afternoon in Maycomb and it was perfect time to get into some trouble with my pals. Atticus wouldn't have wanted us to do what we was gunna do, but we were going to do it anyway.

We were just going to peek into the loose shutter and see if we could get a good glimpse at Boo Radley. I was thinking it would be perfect since no one could see us at night. Plus it's easier to see inside one of those dark houses at night than in the daytime. I was worried that Scout wouldn't shut her trap about our plan. She's getting more like a girl every day!

Dill and I agreed it would be better to go under the wire fence than the gate. I told everyone not to make a sound.

When we came to the shutter we saw a crisp shadow move across the porch toward me. It was of a man wearing a hat. It was as big as a tree...but trees don't walk toward you. He stopped an arm's length from me then walked along the porch and back into the house. I of course ran away and then before I could get far enough, heard a loud gun shot. Not only did the booming sound stop me in my tracks, but my pants did too! I got caught on the wire fence and couldn't have gotten out of the situation if it weren't for my buddies.

When we got back, huffing and puffing, we eased in and were asked what happened and if we'd heard about all the commotion. Apparently a negro was shot at by Mr. Radley in his collard patch.

Atticus was suspicious that we were somehow involved in the ruckus and asked where my pants were. Dill explained that I had lost 'em in a game of strip poker. Miss Rachel went off about the whole thing like there was no tomorrow!

Dill was a smart one, coming up with that fib. He was pretty good at that. Dill offered to give me some of his pants but I didn't take 'em.

Later that night I headed back to the Radley place and got my pants.

Journal Entry: Scouts Perspective (Chapter 2)

Today was Jem and I's first day at school. I was so happy that Jem showed me where my class was. I was offended when Jem told me I couldn't talk to him until after school. I understood I was to leave him alone which made me sad.

When I entered the class I was pleased to meet my teacher Miss Caroline. I would be surprised to hear if she liked me though. She started to become very mean and cruel. She hit me with a ruler made me stand in the corner. She was having fun picking on me. Miss Caroline even accused me of lying about knowing how to read. She should get more information. She even told me to tell Atticus to stop showing me how to write. I could not wait to tell Atticus and Jem. Hopefully tomorrow will go better than today. I can't believe that she treats people this way!

Bud Not Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy Book Review
Written by Christopher Paul Curtis
Reviewed by Isabella Martin

The book I read, Bud, Not Buddy, written by Christopher Paul Curtis, was surprisingly great. It was very sad and emotional, but hilarious at the same time. The book is set in the time of the Depression (around the 1930s) in the United States. Most people during the Depression were unemployed, and the people who were employed did not have much. Most people who were employed were white. The main character, Bud, is a poor African-American orphaned boy who recently lost his mother. He is forced to live in a horrible orphanage, then sent to a foster home, which proves to be even worse.
Poor Bud lives in the town of Flint, in Michigan. He has never met his dad, so he is determined to use the only clue he has--a flyer advertising a jazz band performance--to find his father. He takes a journey to another city to find him, and faces many obstacles and hardships along the way.
My favorite part of this book is the way the author (Christopher Paul Curtis) writes about the Depression. He makes me feel like I am living in Flint, Michigan during the 1930’s. He really brings this story alive, and illustrates what happened during the Depression. The Depression forced the people in America to change their lifestyles in a big way, and Curtis paints a good picture of this change. He describes the poverty that people lived in in detail. He also describes specific aspects of people’s daily lives, like the freight train-hopping (which people did to get to different places for free), and the long lines in the city that families waited in to get free (spoiled) food, because they could not afford to buy food.
Throughout the book, Buddy faces many obstacles, such as being taken in as a foster child by the Amos family, an evil family that blames him for everything. He eventually escapes the Amos family and begins the adventure of finding his father.
The main thing I didn’t like about the book is that I was confused by certain parts. I was confused about how Buddy knew that the flyer he found at his mother’s house was a clue to finding his father. Also, at the beginning of the book, it seemed boring and slow, but eventually it got better and more interesting. Once I got into the book, it was hard to put this book down. I give this book a four-star review, because it was very descriptive and interesting.