READER’S RESPONSE JOURNAL
A Reader’s Response Journal is a notebook in which a
student writes about a book he/she is reading
independently to a teacher, friend, or parent in
specified format.
Reader’s Response Format:
o DATE
o SALUTATION
Dear Mom and Dad,
Dear Mrs. Stubbs,
Dear Stephanie,
To Whom It May Concern,
Dear Diary,
o INTRODUCTION SENTENCE
Title of Book (Caps & Underlined)
Author of the book (Caps)
Pages Read
o SUMMARY- RED
Story Elements- setting, characters, problem,
complications, solution
Main Ideas and Details
o CONNECTION- BLUE
Text to Self- Reader connects text to own
experiences
Text to Text- Reader makes a connection to
content, genre, author, illustrator, plot,
structure, theme, language,character or some
other piece of text.
Text to World- Reader connects the text to BIG
issues, events, or concerns of society and the
world at large.
o FEELING- GREEN
Reader reacts to the reading, a feeling must be
expressed along with an explanation.
o PREDICITON-ORANGE
Reader must make a prediction about what may
happen next.
o CLOSING
Love,
Best wishes,
Sincerely,
Yours truly,
Your student,
Your friend,
Until we meet again,
May 7, 2008
Dear Diary,
Today I read pages 3 to 43 from Holes by Louis Sachar. In this part of
the book, I met the main character, Stanley Yelnats. Bad luck seems to run
in Stanley’s family. Stanley’s great-grandfather (also Stanley Yelnats) lost
his fortune to an outlaw called Kissin’ Kate Barlow. Stanley’s father is a
luckless inventor whose experiments keep failing. Stanley’s luck has just run
out, he is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. He was accused of stealing a
pair of sneakers. Stanley is actually hauled off to a detention camp for bad
boys in the middle of the Texas desert. Stanley arrives at Camp Green Lake
which is run by a sinister person called the Warden. The number one rule at
the camp is “Don’t upset the Warden.” When Stanley arrives, he meets Mr.
Sir who is a counselor to the boys. Stanley learns that everyday they must
dig a hole that is 5feet deep and wide. Mr. Sir says punishment builds
character, but Stanley realizes the real reason for digging is that the Warden
is searching for something.
The connection I have made to this part of the book is a text to world
connection. Stanley being sent to a boy’s detention center really makes me
think of our present detention centers. It seems to me that young adults who
break the law need punishment. I believe that hard work will build
character. I also think that while they are locked up, they should have harsh
conditions so they can appreciate having freedom.
I am very sympathetic to Stanley. I can only imagine what it feels like
to be in a different place that you really don’t belong. I think that he feels he
is destined to be there because of his bad luck. There are some days I know
that my day is destined to be a bad day.
I predict that in the upcoming pages that Stanley will fit in with the
other boys in the detention camp. It also seems as if him and the Warden
will cross paths, especially since Stanley is new, and has such bad luck; it is
inevitable. I have enjoyed what I have read so far, and look forward to
learning more about Stanley’s adventures at Camp Green Lake.
Until next time,
Erika