Furry Fury?

Lotti Getts’ latch is an interesting contrast to the others. What is the key difference between this latch and Billy Bismo and Mongo’s latches? Why do you think that Lotti has made that choice?

Lotti Getts does not seem intimidated by Lanaya at all. Instead she sets the terms that will allow Spaz to visit his sister. What do they need to do?

Lanaya feels very secure wherever they go because she does not think any normal would do anything to a proov. Do you think she is right?

When I first read the Chapter 17 cliffhanger I thought they were being checked out by ‘furies’ – as in a furry animal. I believe they are properly called ‘furies’ – as in ‘the storm rolled through in a fury’ or the root of furious. Which do you think is correct?

Things imProov?

The Latches seem to be getting worse with each one that Spaz arrives at. In Chapter 14 they help the do-gooder proov Lanaya, but she does not seem convinced that they actually saved her life. Why does she beleive that? What does Spaz think? What do you think?

Lanaya gives up a brief description of how the Urb is laid out. Where is Eden? What is keeping the normals out? (What is 'normal' anyway? I have yet to see too much behavior that I would consider 'normal'. )

I like Ryter more with each chapter. In 15 he 'probes' Lanaya with questions that clearly irritate her. Yet, he does not stop. I think he already has a pretty good idea of the answers to the questions he asks. Why does he keep asking them?

Another cliff hanger! Lotti Getts? Do you think Lotti will get whatever she wants?

Odyssey Continues

Just one chapter (13) today.

As Spaz, Ryter, and Little Face are walking the pipe after escaping the Monkey Boys latch, Ryter references a poem by Robert Frost. Ryter states that only one line of the poem has survived. Find and read the entire poem. Extra Credit: what rhyming scheme is this poem written in.

There is another literary reference in the chapter. Ryter explains the source for the term ‘Odyssey”. What can you find about this story?

Magnificent?

In Chapters 11 & 12 Spaz will meet another Latch Boss – Mongo the Magnificent, the leader of the Monkey Boys. This latch seems to have developed in different way then Billy Bizmo’s latch. How are the Monkey Boys different then the Bully Banger’s?

Ryter sizes up the situation in this latch pretty quickly. Spaz has no idea what each step will bring but Ryter does not seem surprised by any of the events that unfold. What clues did he see that allowed him to diagnose the situation in the Latch? (I am wondering where Ryter gets all his wisdom from. What was he before he became a ‘gummy’? Why has he not been more successful in using his intelligence for a better outcome for him personally?)

I am not revealing to much to say that Spaz, Ryter and Little Face will make it safely out of this latch. The latch they leave behind is different then when they arrived. Are things better or worse or about the same there? More important, do you think the answer would be the same a year down the road? (I would be very interested to here Ryter's answer.)

Down the Pipe

In Chapters 9 & 10, Spaz and Ryter begin their journey across the latches. I think that Spaz knows that the success of his journey is dependent on Ryter's help - which makes Spaz all the more resentful of Ryter and his wisdom. (Some of Ryter's philosopical statements have been included on the left.) Why do you think that Spaz is not able to show much gratitude for Ryter's help?

Review the text for Ryter's list of other famous people with epilepsy. Write them down and find out when/where they lived and what they are famous for. Are there other traits that many or all of them share?

In addition to the 'real history', we learn some more about the events that got to world to the state that it is in. What do we know so far?

Chapter 10 ends with quite a cliffhanger. Since we are so early in the book I think it is safe to assume that Spaz and Ryter are going to get out of this tough spot - and I am interested in finding out how!

Bad News

Spaz gets bad news in Chapter 7. I thought the method that it was delivered was almost as interesting as the news.

The canvas painted for me by this book so far is all in gray and black and shrouded in a fog. I hope that some “Why’s” will be answered soon. I would even appreciate some simple clarifications, like – what is a latch? (I understand that a latch is a gang territory but why do they call it a latch?)

The news is going to start Spaz off on a mission. Do you think ‘daunting’ (my word not the authors) would be an appropriate adjective to describe it?

After learning a little about Epilepsy yesterday (see the link on the right), it was interesting to read Spaz’s account of the seizure he has in Chapter 8. Are his descriptions of what happened before and after the seizure consistent with what we learned?

Questions, Questions, Questions

(Ben and I are writing this together after reading Chapters 5 & 6)
Today's reading added to our list of questions.
What is the source of Billy Bismo's power? He clearly is a strong leader. Why do people respect him? How does he intimidate them? Billy has three rules:
- Always beleive Billy.
- Always obey Billy.
- Always speak true to Billy.
It seems like everyone follows the rules. Why?

We were both intrigued by Spaz's family story - at least the little of it we know. We are anxious to hear the details.

I (Dad) confess that I did not connect his name 'Spaz' with his epilepsy, even though he talked about it in the first paragraphs of the book. Ryter suggested that the Epilepsy might actually not be a 'curse' (as Spaz sees it) because it prevents him for using the 'Probes'. Ben agrees with Ryter.

Past, Present, and Future

In Chapters 3 & 4 things do not get clear but we start to learn more about the world that Spaz lives in. We heard about 'proovs' in the first chapters and now we meet one. That encounter raised as many questions as it answered. What questions do you have regarding 'proovs'?

More interesting to me though were the issues of past and future. Rhyter helps Spaz to see that he has a quality most of his 'peers' do not have. What is it? What are the consequences of a society lacking in the ability? (That could be called a 'philisophical question'? We do not have enough information to answer it in the context of the book but it is interesting to think about.)

Rhyter also has Spaz think out his view of the 'future'. Find the text that explains Spaz's view. Do you agree or disagree with his defintion?

Start your reading engines....

Time to get going. Lets read the first couple of chapters and see what is going on. It might be good (teacher highly recommends) that you read the first two chapters with a highlighter in hand or pencil and paper by your side. Character names and traits, new words, invented words (how do you tell the difference?) - make note of them and we will figure out how the blog can help us keep track of them.

We have talked about the difference between Fantasy and Science fiction. Which one is this book? Why?

Predictions for Chapter 3?

Reading the Last Book?

We are about to dive into science fiction. Can there be a character more manipulative than Piper in this book?

Get your copy. We start reading The Last Book in the Universe on monday, February 11th, 2008 (the fourth day of the year of the rat).

Al Capone Does My Shirts - Archive

We have finished reading Al Capone Does My Shirts and are moving on to a new book. Before doing so, I am capturing a few of the sidebars on this page for future reference. There is probably a better way to do this but I do not know what it is.

Characters
• Mathew "Moose" Flanagan, 12, brown eyes, tall
• Natalie Flanagan, 10 (always), older then Moose, green eyes
• Piper, 13, 'a looker', freckles, long dark hair
• Mr. Flanagan, Guard & Electrician, shorter then Moose
• Mrs. Flanagan, ?
• Annie, 12, yellow hair, 'big girl', good baseball player, part of Piper's gang
• Scout McIlvey, 12, small, "hair grows up instead of down", baseball captain
• Theresa Mattaman, 7, black curly hair, missing teeth, pushy

Wardens Rules
1. No Contact with Convicts
2. Do not go into Fenced Areas
3. No visitors without prior request
4. Do not speak to outsiders about what goes on in Alcatraz
5. Always walk through Snitch Box

Links
Virtual Tour (Find Alkatraz)
Alcatraz History (nice Map)
Al Capone Museum
Authors Website

Big Questions
1. How does a person become part of a group?
2. How does a person decide who to trust?
3. What makes a person powerful?

Now on to the "Last Book in the Universe"