Edmunds Elementary School - Burlington, Vermont

Will's Reading Journal Entries on the David Budbill Books

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                                                                         October 26, 2006

The Bones On Black Spruce Mountain -David Budbill

            I am very disappointed that Seth and Daniel told their parents that they were going to Black Spruce Mountain.  I am disappointed because it would be really cool if they spent part of their time on the mountain getting away from their parents.  It would add a lot more interest to the book. 

        I am glad that they brought some rope to repel down the cliff.  Even though they could get hurt I am still glad that they did it because if the rope broke, the story could get interesting fast (not that it isn’t already).

        I hope they find the kids bones because then that could confirm the rumor that the kid was even up there on Black Spruce Mountain in the first place.  I am guessing that they will find the bones because then they could confirm the rumor and they would be really glad.  I also think that they will see some kind of phantom of the boy.  That would be really scary!

        I was really disappointed when Seth and Daniel got into a fight like that because they are friends and are going on a five-day hiking trip together and if they kept bickering they wouldn’t have a much of fun as they could have if they were happy with each other.  I wonder what is going on with them?  Whatever it is I hope they get over it

        I have a connection to Seth and Daniel because I love to go to backpacking with my dad and they like to go backpacking with each other.  I am really surprised that their parents even let them go; my parents would never let me go by myself.  Though admittedly I wish they would!

        I think that Mr. Bateau is a really good guy because he warns the boys about the dangers of Black Spruce Mountain and not to go near the bones.  This is really nice of him to do because they might not get hurt because of his advice.

        David Budbill is a really good author and this is a great book.  I can’t wait to read on!

                           

Bones on Black Spruce Mountain   10/30/06

        It was awesome when the boys found the kid’s bones.  It was cool because they confirmed the rumor about him running away from home to the mountain.  It was also cool when they found the jars, blankets, and the hoe, because then they could confirm that the boy had stolen things from Mr. Bateau's house.

    I wonder what that wail was when the boys were going to sleep that night.  It could have been a coyote or a big cat but I think it was a phantom of the boy.  I hope Seth and Daniel actually see the phantom (if there is one).  It would be awesome if they saw it because then they would have a chilling tale to tell the towns people when they get back.

        I thought Daniel’s deduction about the hoe and seeds, was a good one.  It would make perfect sense if they were both there that the boy had garden.  It also makes sense with the man made water hole that they found because he would need some thing to drink up there all by himself.

        I think it was compelling when Seth got hurt.  It was interesting because it added a lot more adventure to the story.  I hope he is okay because then he could keep hiking.

        I really hope they see the bear because then they could interact with nature a lot more.  It would be good because they could interact with nature without killing it.  It would be good for them to not kill an animal for once. 

        This is a interesting and very compelling story.  

 

Snowshoe Trek to Otter River - David Budbill

It is awesome that Seth and Daniel know so much about the outdoors.  I would never be able to learn all that in a couple years like Daniel did from Mr. Bateau.  It was cool when Seth caught a trout with a grub, a reed, and a stick all put together.  But what really amazed me was that he cooked it without a frying pan, butter, or a fork and knife.  It also was cool when Daniel falls through the ice and nearly died but came to his senses and saved his own life.  Also when they were trying to catch that huge trout and they couldn’t get their hooks low enough in the water because the other fish in the lake were getting the bait before the trout they simply added weights to their lines and caught the big fish.  This shows that they both know a lot about the outdoors. 

        It was cool when the boys caught that 18-inch trout.  It must have been huge!  It was cool because it took them a half-hour to get it to the dam and out of the water.  That would be really hard.  I loved how the boys caught it because then they could tell Mr. Bateau that he was right about the giant fish that he told them about. 

        I was really scared when Daniel fell through the ice in the lake.  He could have died from hypothermia.  It must have been really brain numbing to think about it after.  If I fell through the ice I would have been really freaked out but Daniel kept his cool and saved his life. 

        Seth and Daniel are really mature kids.  They never lose their cool and endanger themselves or others.  This is a really mature thing to do because if they did they might kill someone.

        I think that Seth and Daniel are each really smart in a lot of ways.  One way they are smart is that they know all the good plants and all the bad ones.  This is really important because if they need food badly and they can’t tell the good food from bad they could save their lives.  They also know a lot about making shelter.  This could also save their lives, because if they needed shelter they whip up a lean-to in 4 minutes flat. 

This is a great book.