Double-Entry Diary from Tovani

Double-Entry Diaries

Direct Quote and page Number                                                                This reminds me of…

1.       “Someone is chasing me. ‘Stop! Thief!’ I run.” (1)      When Aladdin runs through the streets because                                                                                                                      he stole food

2.       “At last we plunge into a dark hole” (2)                          In Maus, some people hid in the garbage holes.

3.       “Soon it won’t be ladies chasing you” (2)                       In Maus, in Auswitz there were female KAPOs

4.       “Runt is good.” (5)                                                                   In Newsies, Jack decides the new guy’s                                                                                   little brother would help them make profits selling                                                                                          papers because he is small and cute

5.       “He reached down and fingered the yellow

Stone hung around my neck… ‘I always had it’” (7)   In Anastasia, the princess does not remember                                                                                    who she is but has a necklace since before her                                                                                                          memories.

6.       “Stupid. Stupid. They take everything. Just to

take it” (13)                                                            The boys remind me of Oliver Twist because                                                                                       they steal money and valuables as a game.

Quote and page                                                                       I visualize….

1.       “He was dragging me, running. He was much

bigger.” (2)                                                                                 the person is a bully like                                                            Goyle in Harry Potter.

2.       “I gave him my name. ‘Stopthief.’”  (3)                          A pre-teen who never knew family, only                                                                                                        stealing for food.

3.       “He took me to meet the others. We were in

a stable.” (4)                                                                  a bunch of raggedy dirty kids but warm enough.

4.       “’Tonight you sleep on the floor,’ he said.

‘Tomorrow I’ll get you a bed.’” (9)                                    Uri treats Stopthief like a little brother. I can                                                                                                see Uri patting him on the head.

5.       “We walked to the shopping district, where

the big stores were.” (10)                                                    the big department stores in Chicago.

6.       “And then a woman in a fox fur came down the

aisle and reached over the seats and drew down

the window on Uri’s hands.” (14)                                     an awful woman like the witches on Hocus                                                                                                                  Pocus

Quote and page                                                                       I wonder….

1.       “He stared at me. ‘Who are you?’” (3)                            is the narrator a girl or boy?

2.       “The boys who were not smoking were

eating... All sorts of other things glittered

in the pile.” (5)                                                                Did the boys steal items so they could sell it?

3.       “’A tiny smelly stupid Jew’” (6)                                       will the other boys accept him and make him                                                                                                              important in their group?

4.       “’A Jew is an animal. A Jew is a bug’” (7)                        Why doesn’t he say what a Jew really is?

5.       “A strange music filled the air: the sirens’ wail

And the thump of exploding shells.” (14)                      Are they near a battle front? Why can they hear                                                                                                       war?

6.       “We smashed into a restaurant, plowed through

a field of red tablecloths…” (15)                                         Will the Destruction hurt the restaurant                                                                                                owner or is it abandoned like the barber shop?

                       

Quote and page                                                                       I am confused about….

1.       “Sometimes it is a memory in the middle of

The day as I stir iced tea or wait for soup…”                  Is it a delusions, a memory or past life?

2.       “Jackboots?” (2) “What’s a Jew?” (6)                              Why doesn’t he know what Jews and                                                                                                       Jackboots and artillery are?

3.       “’We’re in for it good.” (7)                                                   What exactly do they think they are in for?                                                                                                                  Poverty? Death?

4.       “’Strawberry babka’” (7)                                                       What is strawberry babka?

5.       “’A Jew is an animal. A Jew is a bug’… Others

cheered and clapped.” (7)                                              Why are they celebrating being as low as bugs?

6.       “’You’re a Gypsy, ain’t you?’… I nodded.”                     Is he really a Jew or a Gypsy?

So far I’ve learned that this book is about homeless Jewish boys during a time of war. I predict that the boys are near Germany and will be captured as Jews. This story is about poverty, war and racial identity.