Passage One
A boat, I think. It’s a boat, but I’m seeing it from upside down and it looks quite different. That’s why i didn’t know what it was. I’m looking straight up through the water at its hull. The boat is about the size of a fishing boat. I can see the rudder and the propeller. A small boat that wouldn’t hurt me even if it passed right over me. But the engine isn’t running. The boat is drifting silently.
I picked this passage because it was very descriptive. The author uses repetition at the beginning. By describing the boat, the reader can get the sense of what Sapphy is looking at and can actually feel like they’re there.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Book Review
Ingo
Helen Dunmore
Fantasy
Thirteen year old Sapphire Trewhella lives a very interesting life in Cornwall, England. Sapphire and her brother Connor love to swim and explore down by the cove by their cottage where they live. Sapphire’s Father Matthew and Mother Jennie have many fights about Matthew going out to sea. He loves the sea just like his children, but there is something about it that Jennie does not like. After a heated argument, Matthew heads off to sea. In the morning he had not returned. Jennie becomes very worried when he does not come back and assumes he has died. They did not find his body or boat. Sapphire and Connor still believe that their father is out there, but one day Connor and Sapphire discover an underwater land called Ingo.
The two main characters in the novel are Sapphire and Connor. Sapphire and Connor are described to have a very good relationship. They both take care of each other and lookout for each other. Sapphire and Connor are realistic characters since they behave the same way as regular brother and sisters do. Connor is described to be calm and sensible and Sapphire is a little less mature. In the novel, there are two more main characters. They are Elvira and Faro. Elvira and Faro are brother and sister as well but the only difference is that they are Mer who live in Ingo. Elvira and Faro are less realistic than Connor and Sapphire since they are Mer. Elvira and Faro is described to have a human like upper body, but their legs are like a fish’s tail. Although they are still human like, the way they are described and act is less realistic. In Ingo, I do like the characters because the conflicts they face are very interesting and I think they handle them well. They are also interesting because they all can travel to Ingo. The importance of Elvira and Faro is key in the story because without them Connor and Sapphire will not be able to travel to Ingo.
In the novel, the main conflict is due to family life and relationships. Matthew and Jennie had many arguments mainly about the sea. After a major fight Matthew does out to sea and does not return. This causes Jennie to assume he has died. Sapphire and Connor still believe he is alive which causes a major conflict. Another big conflict is Ingo. Ingo calls Sapphire and Connor to come back and it is very hard to resist. It mainly affects Sapphire the most. It is a huge temptation to go, but Sapphire and Connor have to resist so they do not go missing for days. This causes a big conflict between them and Ingo.
I really enjoyed the book Ingo. If you like fantasy novels you would like Ingo. Since I like reading fantasy that is probably why I liked it so much. Also the story line was very good and in each chapter there was a suspension of not knowing what was going to happen next. This made me want to keep on reading.
Helen Dunmore
Fantasy
Thirteen year old Sapphire Trewhella lives a very interesting life in Cornwall, England. Sapphire and her brother Connor love to swim and explore down by the cove by their cottage where they live. Sapphire’s Father Matthew and Mother Jennie have many fights about Matthew going out to sea. He loves the sea just like his children, but there is something about it that Jennie does not like. After a heated argument, Matthew heads off to sea. In the morning he had not returned. Jennie becomes very worried when he does not come back and assumes he has died. They did not find his body or boat. Sapphire and Connor still believe that their father is out there, but one day Connor and Sapphire discover an underwater land called Ingo.
The two main characters in the novel are Sapphire and Connor. Sapphire and Connor are described to have a very good relationship. They both take care of each other and lookout for each other. Sapphire and Connor are realistic characters since they behave the same way as regular brother and sisters do. Connor is described to be calm and sensible and Sapphire is a little less mature. In the novel, there are two more main characters. They are Elvira and Faro. Elvira and Faro are brother and sister as well but the only difference is that they are Mer who live in Ingo. Elvira and Faro are less realistic than Connor and Sapphire since they are Mer. Elvira and Faro is described to have a human like upper body, but their legs are like a fish’s tail. Although they are still human like, the way they are described and act is less realistic. In Ingo, I do like the characters because the conflicts they face are very interesting and I think they handle them well. They are also interesting because they all can travel to Ingo. The importance of Elvira and Faro is key in the story because without them Connor and Sapphire will not be able to travel to Ingo.
In the novel, the main conflict is due to family life and relationships. Matthew and Jennie had many arguments mainly about the sea. After a major fight Matthew does out to sea and does not return. This causes Jennie to assume he has died. Sapphire and Connor still believe he is alive which causes a major conflict. Another big conflict is Ingo. Ingo calls Sapphire and Connor to come back and it is very hard to resist. It mainly affects Sapphire the most. It is a huge temptation to go, but Sapphire and Connor have to resist so they do not go missing for days. This causes a big conflict between them and Ingo.
I really enjoyed the book Ingo. If you like fantasy novels you would like Ingo. Since I like reading fantasy that is probably why I liked it so much. Also the story line was very good and in each chapter there was a suspension of not knowing what was going to happen next. This made me want to keep on reading.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Journal Three
Sapphy is a thirteen year old girl. She is not described too much but, she is described to have long hair. She also wears a blue watch her father bought for her. By mistake she goes into the water with it and it breaks. Sapphy loves the sea and loves to swim. Sapphy and her brother Connor go swimming down at their cove. Sapphy also loves playing with Sadie one of Connors friend Jacks puppies. Sapphy still thinks that her father is still alive and really wants to find him. Sapphy is important in the novel because she is the main character. The story is about her. She is also important because she can enter Ingo. I would like to be the main character because I think it would be really interesting to go down to Ingo. It would also be interesting to have Sapphy as a friend because you could go to Ingo with her.
Summarizer
This Week I was summarizer.
Chapter 6
In chapter six, Sapphy goes down to the cove to see what Conner has been up too. She in climbing down the rocks and almost slips when a boy asks her if she needs help. He says that his name is Farro. His appearance is a lot different than a human. He is a merman. He explains to Sapphy that her brother comes down here a lot and is with his sister. At the end of chapter six he is taking her to Ingo.
Chapter 7
In chapter seven, Faro takes Sapphy down to Ingo. Sapphy explains to the reader what she is feeling when she is going down. When they get down to Ingo Faro and Sapphy surf currents. Faro explains to Sapphy that Conner is with his sister Elvira. He tells Sapphy that they are talking to the sun fish.
Chapter 8
In chapter eight, Faro and Sapphy are swimming around when Sapphy spots a shark. She is very scared but Faro informers her it is a Little Feeder. A little feeder is a shark that only eats small things that are barely visible. He also tells her that there are sharks who eat seals, but they do not come by them.
Chapter 9
In chapter nine, Sapphy comes back to the shore. She comes back with Faro and a seal, but tells Faro to stay back because she knows it’s hard for him to breathe on the human land. When Sapphy comes to shore she sees Connor sitting there waiting for he. He tells her that he has been waiting for 24 hours. He told her that their mom could not come home because her car would not start. Their neighbour came to check on them and Connor told her Sapphy was in the bath.
Chapter 6
In chapter six, Sapphy goes down to the cove to see what Conner has been up too. She in climbing down the rocks and almost slips when a boy asks her if she needs help. He says that his name is Farro. His appearance is a lot different than a human. He is a merman. He explains to Sapphy that her brother comes down here a lot and is with his sister. At the end of chapter six he is taking her to Ingo.
Chapter 7
In chapter seven, Faro takes Sapphy down to Ingo. Sapphy explains to the reader what she is feeling when she is going down. When they get down to Ingo Faro and Sapphy surf currents. Faro explains to Sapphy that Conner is with his sister Elvira. He tells Sapphy that they are talking to the sun fish.
Chapter 8
In chapter eight, Faro and Sapphy are swimming around when Sapphy spots a shark. She is very scared but Faro informers her it is a Little Feeder. A little feeder is a shark that only eats small things that are barely visible. He also tells her that there are sharks who eat seals, but they do not come by them.
Chapter 9
In chapter nine, Sapphy comes back to the shore. She comes back with Faro and a seal, but tells Faro to stay back because she knows it’s hard for him to breathe on the human land. When Sapphy comes to shore she sees Connor sitting there waiting for he. He tells her that he has been waiting for 24 hours. He told her that their mom could not come home because her car would not start. Their neighbour came to check on them and Connor told her Sapphy was in the bath.
Journal Two
The point of view or mode of narration is in First Person. The point of view is effective because you actually feel like you’re in the story.
Connors Point Of View
“Connor, CONNOR!”
I look up startled and see someone in the distance.
“Connor, it’s me! Connor!”
I look again, its Sapphy. Did she see Elvira? Does she know about Ingo?
I raise my hand and wave back.
“Connor, come back! Tea’s ready!”
I get up and walk back to where Sappy is. Is it time for tea? I quickly ask her why she is here.
She says she is looking for me. But it’s not time for tea. I look down at her watch and see that the time is all messed up.
“Oh, Saph. You went into the water with it on,” I say.
I notice that it is all wet. I see tears start to form in her eyes. I comfort her. I know how much that watch means to her.
All of a sudden she confronts me about Elvira. I pretend not to know what she is talking about. I tell her it’s all in her imagination.
I tell her that I went swimming after I cleaned the shed.
“But Connor- it was this morning that you cleaned out the shed. It’s way past seven o’clock in the evening now.”
I grab her wrist to look at her watch. I explain that it could not be too late.
“Get off me, Connor. It’s evening, can’t you see that? Look at the sun. Look how low it is.”
I tell her that I fell asleep, but she still is bugging me about Elvira. I still tell her she’s imagining it.
We walk back to the cottage in silence and I go straight to bed.
Connors Point Of View
“Connor, CONNOR!”
I look up startled and see someone in the distance.
“Connor, it’s me! Connor!”
I look again, its Sapphy. Did she see Elvira? Does she know about Ingo?
I raise my hand and wave back.
“Connor, come back! Tea’s ready!”
I get up and walk back to where Sappy is. Is it time for tea? I quickly ask her why she is here.
She says she is looking for me. But it’s not time for tea. I look down at her watch and see that the time is all messed up.
“Oh, Saph. You went into the water with it on,” I say.
I notice that it is all wet. I see tears start to form in her eyes. I comfort her. I know how much that watch means to her.
All of a sudden she confronts me about Elvira. I pretend not to know what she is talking about. I tell her it’s all in her imagination.
I tell her that I went swimming after I cleaned the shed.
“But Connor- it was this morning that you cleaned out the shed. It’s way past seven o’clock in the evening now.”
I grab her wrist to look at her watch. I explain that it could not be too late.
“Get off me, Connor. It’s evening, can’t you see that? Look at the sun. Look how low it is.”
I tell her that I fell asleep, but she still is bugging me about Elvira. I still tell her she’s imagining it.
We walk back to the cottage in silence and I go straight to bed.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Discussion Director
This week, my role was Discussion Director.
How would you feel if your dad went missing, but knew he was still here somewhere? Explain.
Where do you think this mysterious girl Connor was talking to comes from?
If you were Sapphy, would you follow after Connor too see who she was?
Do you have a favourite something like Sapphy’s watch? How would you feel if that broke or went missing?
What do you think will happen next?
How would you feel if your dad went missing, but knew he was still here somewhere? Explain.
Where do you think this mysterious girl Connor was talking to comes from?
If you were Sapphy, would you follow after Connor too see who she was?
Do you have a favourite something like Sapphy’s watch? How would you feel if that broke or went missing?
What do you think will happen next?
Journal One
Journal One
1. Describe the setting in the novel – Time, Place and Circumstance. Please use quotations to support your answers.
The Setting of the novel Ingo is in Zennor, located on the Cornish coast in England. Most of chapters one and two take place in Sapphy’s home, a cottage by the sea. “I’m away down to the shore,” Dad calls to her. “I can’t settle to sleep yet.” The main event in the novel happens when the family comes back from the Midsummer Night Bonfire. Jennie and Matthew (Sapphy’s parents) get into an argument. Matthew decides to go out to his boat and does not come back. Everyone thinks he is dead, but Sapphy does not believe it. They have a memorial service for Matthew in the church.
2. Which characters have you been introduced to so far? What are they like? Is there any conflict between characters?
3. Find a quotation that helps describe each of the characters you have been introduced to.
Sapphire (Sapphy)
Sapphire is the main character of the novel. She is the younger sister of Connor. Sapphire loves her father very much and looks up to him greatly. Sapphire describes her relationship with her father as; “We flare up like the Midsummer Bonfire, lose our tempers and say things we should never say. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re going to do until we’ve done it. ” (Page 6) When her father goes missing, everyone believes he has died in a ship wreck. Sapphire still believes he is still out there somewhere, and is determined to find him.
Connor
Connor is another one of the main character in the novel. He is the older brother of Sapphire and takes good care of her. Connor is said to take after his mother Jennie because they both share the trait of being calm and sensible. Sapphire also describes him as being very honest. “And sometimes I tell lies when I need to, which Connor never does. Connor tells you the truth straight out. You just need to get used to it.”(Page 7)
Matthew
Matthew is the father of Sapphire and Connor, and the husband of Jennie. He loves his family very much, and also loves boating in the sea. Matthew and his wife Jennie argue a lot which is one of the main conflicts. One night after the Midsummer Night Bonfire, Matthew and Jennie have a heated argument about Matthew going out to the sea. He ends up going out to the sea and does not return. This has Sapphire, Connor and Jennie very worried. Jennie thinks he has died and holds a memorial service for him but, Sapphire and Connor still think he is alive.
Jennie
Jennie is the mother of Sapphire and Connor, and the Wife of Matthew. Jennie is described to be a lot like Connor, Sensible and calm. When Matthew disappears, Jennie becomes full of grief. Even though Jennie and Matthew would always fight, they still loved each other. “Not like this,” says Mum. Her lips barley move. I know that she’s right, and so does Connor.
1. Describe the setting in the novel – Time, Place and Circumstance. Please use quotations to support your answers.
The Setting of the novel Ingo is in Zennor, located on the Cornish coast in England. Most of chapters one and two take place in Sapphy’s home, a cottage by the sea. “I’m away down to the shore,” Dad calls to her. “I can’t settle to sleep yet.” The main event in the novel happens when the family comes back from the Midsummer Night Bonfire. Jennie and Matthew (Sapphy’s parents) get into an argument. Matthew decides to go out to his boat and does not come back. Everyone thinks he is dead, but Sapphy does not believe it. They have a memorial service for Matthew in the church.
2. Which characters have you been introduced to so far? What are they like? Is there any conflict between characters?
3. Find a quotation that helps describe each of the characters you have been introduced to.
Sapphire (Sapphy)
Sapphire is the main character of the novel. She is the younger sister of Connor. Sapphire loves her father very much and looks up to him greatly. Sapphire describes her relationship with her father as; “We flare up like the Midsummer Bonfire, lose our tempers and say things we should never say. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re going to do until we’ve done it. ” (Page 6) When her father goes missing, everyone believes he has died in a ship wreck. Sapphire still believes he is still out there somewhere, and is determined to find him.
Connor
Connor is another one of the main character in the novel. He is the older brother of Sapphire and takes good care of her. Connor is said to take after his mother Jennie because they both share the trait of being calm and sensible. Sapphire also describes him as being very honest. “And sometimes I tell lies when I need to, which Connor never does. Connor tells you the truth straight out. You just need to get used to it.”(Page 7)
Matthew
Matthew is the father of Sapphire and Connor, and the husband of Jennie. He loves his family very much, and also loves boating in the sea. Matthew and his wife Jennie argue a lot which is one of the main conflicts. One night after the Midsummer Night Bonfire, Matthew and Jennie have a heated argument about Matthew going out to the sea. He ends up going out to the sea and does not return. This has Sapphire, Connor and Jennie very worried. Jennie thinks he has died and holds a memorial service for him but, Sapphire and Connor still think he is alive.
Jennie
Jennie is the mother of Sapphire and Connor, and the Wife of Matthew. Jennie is described to be a lot like Connor, Sensible and calm. When Matthew disappears, Jennie becomes full of grief. Even though Jennie and Matthew would always fight, they still loved each other. “Not like this,” says Mum. Her lips barley move. I know that she’s right, and so does Connor.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Role- Vocabulary Enricher
This week I am the Vocabulary Enricher.
Wriggle
“You can wriggle yourself down narrow passages, not too far in case you get stuck and the tide comes in and drowns you.” (Page 10)
To twist to and fro; writhe; squirm.
Mermaid
“I thought it was mermaids that sand, Dad?”(Page 2)
1.(in folklore) a female marine creature, having the head, torso, and arms of a woman and the tail of a fish.
2.a highly skilled female swimmer.
Pig Bin
“He sees me looking at them, and he picks up the pan and scrapes it into the pig bin.” (Page 17)
A garbage pin.
Quarrel
“No quarrels, no loud voices...” (Page 5)
An angry dispute or altercation; a disagreement marked by a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations
Shivery
“I’m tired and cold now and my legs are starting to feel shivery” (Page 7)
Inclined to or characterized by shivers, quivers, or tremors.
Wriggle
“You can wriggle yourself down narrow passages, not too far in case you get stuck and the tide comes in and drowns you.” (Page 10)
To twist to and fro; writhe; squirm.
Mermaid
“I thought it was mermaids that sand, Dad?”(Page 2)
1.(in folklore) a female marine creature, having the head, torso, and arms of a woman and the tail of a fish.
2.a highly skilled female swimmer.
Pig Bin
“He sees me looking at them, and he picks up the pan and scrapes it into the pig bin.” (Page 17)
A garbage pin.
Quarrel
“No quarrels, no loud voices...” (Page 5)
An angry dispute or altercation; a disagreement marked by a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations
Shivery
“I’m tired and cold now and my legs are starting to feel shivery” (Page 7)
Inclined to or characterized by shivers, quivers, or tremors.
About The Author
Helen Dunmore
Helen Dunmore is the author of Ingo. Helen was born in December 1952 in Yorkshire. She was the second child out of four. Her father had a large family. His extended family had a large influence on her life. Poetry was a big part in her life. She studied english at University of York. After, she begain to write poems which formerd her first poetry collection; The Apple Falls. She also wrote two novels which did not survive. It was more than ten years before she wrote another book.
During that time she wrote various short stories and poems. Helen has writen many books, short stories and poems. Her most recent books are the Ingo series. The books are Ingo(2005), The Tide Knot(2006), The Deep(2007) and The Crossing of Ingo(2008).
Other Books she wrote are:
Going to Egypt (1992)
Zennor in Darkness (1993)
Zennor in Darkness (1993)
A Spell of Winter (1996)
The Seige (2001)
House of Orphans (2006)
Counting the Stars (2008)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Reviews
I don’t know whether it’s memories of idyllic childhood holidays or the hypnotic and untameable power of the sea, but Cornwall has always had a magical hold over me; a hold which Helen Dunmore captures so brilliantly in her latest children’s book, Ingo ... Though the first in a series, this book works perfectly as a standalone title, with a satisfying resolution but enough left hanging in the air to make the characters and situations live on in the reader’s mind. Ingo has a haunting, dangerous beauty all of its own.’(Philip Ardagh in The Guardian)
The electric thrill of swimming with dolphins, of racing along currents and of leaving the world of reason and caution behind are described with glorious intensity ... the lyrical writing and Dunmore’s intense sympathy for all she describes make this a perfect book with which to wind up the summer holidays, or to recollect them.’ (Amanda Craig in The Times)
The electric thrill of swimming with dolphins, of racing along currents and of leaving the world of reason and caution behind are described with glorious intensity ... the lyrical writing and Dunmore’s intense sympathy for all she describes make this a perfect book with which to wind up the summer holidays, or to recollect them.’ (Amanda Craig in The Times)
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