Reader's Journal #14

   Dear Orly,
Last week I read the BEST book I ever read in my entire life. It's called "Tuck Everlasting". The author is Natalie Babbitt. She wrote a phonemonenal book and I definately recommend you and everyone else to read it. I garuntee you guys will really enjoy this book and hopefully suggest it to other people to read it too!
   The characters in the book are Winnie Foster, (the girl who gets kidnapped by the Tuck family), Mae Tuck, Angus Tuck, Jessie Tuck, Miles Tuck ( The family who kidnapped Winnie), the man in the yellow suit, (the man who met with Winnie in the begginning of the story and saw exactly where she got kidnapped and went to tell her parents), the constable ( the man who owns a  jailhouse and went with the man in the yellow suit to search for Winnie), and finally, Winnie's mother, father, and grandmother who's names weren't mentioned it the book.
    The setting of the story first takes place in Winnie's cottage, where Winnie and her family lives, in the wood, where Winnie there got kidnapped, in the Tuck family's farm, and in the jailhouse where Mae Tuck went to. The time of year is August and the climate is very sunny and hot.
     The plot of this book is about a girl named Winnie Foster. She lived in a cottage with her mom, dad, and grandmother. Winnie didn't exactly like living with her family because they were so protective and always watched her, never giving her space. Winnie sat out of her house, against a fence, talking to a toad. She talked to him about how she wants to run away and she will prove it to him by running away to the woods.(Throughout the story, the toad became Winnie's "friend" because when ever she saw him, she talked to him.)
      The next day, Winnie kept her promise to the toad and went to the woods. She started to walk around there, and suddently, a boy with wrinkled clothes who was very dirty, walked over to Winnie and they started to talk. The boy's name was Jessie Tuck. Winnie saw how Jessie drank the water from the ground and decided she also wants to drink because she was thirsty. Jessie told er not to drink from it because it was very dirty. She asked him how come he drank from it and he answered back that he already drank too much that it's not going to affect him. Than, surprsingly, Jessie's mother,Mae Tuck, showed up, and saw that Winnie saw the Spring water and she immediately kidnapped the girl.
       When Mae, Jessie, and Miles Tuck arrived to their house with Winnie along with them, they introduced the girl to Angus Tuck, Jessie and Miles' father. They did that so Angus will know that she's the first person who knew about the Spring water. The family explained Winnie that the Spring water was liquid that once you drank it, you would be stuck at the age your currently are and live forever.The Tuck family by accident drank the water along time ago and didn't know it affected you, until they realized they were didn't grow or change at all.
        The Tuck family treated Winnie like family. She really started to open up to them. Jessie and Miles really liked her too. Miles had a wife and a daughter but the wife ran away with the her girl because of the Spring Water that changed Miles. The dad and the mom are supposed to be 104 years old and the boys 87 years old.
        The Tuck family were to bring Winnie back home as soon as they told her everything about the Spring Water. Before they even had a chance to do that, the man in the yellow suit saw where the family took Winnie and he also heard everything about the Spring water. He decided to go tell Winnie's family. He told Winnie's family that he will tell them where their daughter is but as a return, they would give him their wood. They had an agreement and the man in the yellow suit and a constable( a man who's like a police officer) went off to get Winnie back.
        Both man road to the Tuck family's house by stealing their horse. The man in the yellow suit told the constable that he will go ahead to get the girl faster and they will met each other there. When finally the man in the yellow suit arrived at the kidnapper's house, he knocked on the door and went inside. He saw Winnie sitting there and knew he made it. He told the family that he knows everything about the Spring water and that he knew always knew about it from his grandmother when he was little.
        The yellow suited man told the Tuck family that he will now take Winnie home. Mae didn't want him to take away just like that, but he didn't listen and grabbed the little girl with him. Mae was so upset that she took a shot gun and shot the man on it's back. She did it on time for the constable man to see her. The police man was more tough and took Winnie right with him. He also took Mae because he's going to put her in the Gallows.( where you get killed after you managed to kill a person).)
        Winnie arrived home safely but was worried about Mae. She then went outside , laid against the fence and started to talk to her toad again. Right before she went back to her house. she saw Jessie. He told her that they figured a way to escape Mae. Winnie liked their plan and told them she will pretend to be Mae in case the constable man came to check on her. Their plan was to 12:00 at midnight. Jessie also gave Winnie a bottle of Spring water so she can use it when she's 17 so she and Jessie could get married. They both liked each other a lot and wanted to get married.
         When it was midnight, Jessie waited outside for Winnie and when she came out, they went to the jail house and saw Angus and Miles waiting for them. Miles opened the window so Mae can escape and Winnie could replace her. When Winnie was inside and Mae was outside, Miles closed the window and the Tuck family ran away so they won't get caught. The next morning, the constable man showed at the room and saw the blanket on top of Winnie. He still didn't know it was her until she took the blanket off of her and he saw Winnie there instead of Mae.
         Winnie was sent home at the moment the constable caught her and her parents were very disappointed in her, but were glad to see at the same time. Winnie saw her toad again and felt comfortable talking to him. Then Winnie spotted a dog next to the toad, wanting to eat it. Winnie screamed at the dog and told him not to eat her friend. She than went to her room and bought outside the water Jessie gave her. She poured the spring water at the toad and knew that now he could live in peace- FOREVER!
          The ending of the story is that Winnie and her whole family died because their house burned down and there wasn't the woods anymore. The whole area was changed and knew buildings were built. Jessie and Winnie also didn't get married, but he and his family were still living their lives forever too!
           The conflict of the story is that Mae went to the Gallows for killing the man in the yellow suit. She only killed him because she didn't want him to take Winnie right away from her and the rest of the family.
            The conflict resolution is that The rest of the family and Winnie had a plan to save Mae which was to first go to the jail house and escape her and then put Winnie in there to pretend to be her. That was Winnie's idea to be in the jail instead of Mae. Unfortunanilty, Winnie was caught but Mae did escape safely with ther family and that part did succeed!
             My opinions about the book is that it was an extrodinary story and I truly enjoyed reading it. I think the author wrote a successful book and if I could meet her, I would definately let her know that!
I would try to find more books by this author because I she wrote this book in a proper format and probably other books she published!
             My favorite part about the book is that Angus, Miles, Jessie, and Winnie managed to get Mae out of jail and be brave enough to do that! I think Mae was lucky to actually have family who cares about her! I think Winnie did the bravest thing which was to pretend to be Mae in case the constable figured she escaped because that showed the Tuck family that Winnie truly cares about them and they are like family to her.  I'm remarkably glad both the Tuck family and Winnie made it out safely from the jail house!:)
             My least favorite part was when Winnie and her whole family died because their house burned down. I think that was very sad because I actually thought Jessie and Winnie are going to get married and will live together forever! I think Jessie was probably very upset, but will positively find himself another girl to spend their WHOLE lives together!:)
Orly, that concludes my summary! I know, it was very long because in order for my reader to understand what happened in the book, you needed to explain every detail that occurred! I hope you understood what happened and that you're interested to read this book yourself! I love you Orly!<3
                                                                                  Love,
                                                                                        Adi<3