Sara+F.

​ Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg

Operator: Epiphany 911. Hobson speaking. SILENCE. Operator: Epiphany 911. Hobson. May I haelp you? SILENCE. [Voices are heard in the background.] He was my lifelong friend changing before my eyes.


 * He droped her. She won't wake up!**

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Konigsburg also investigates the dynamics of step-families, preadolescent sexuality and other knotty subjectsDthe extraordinary achievement here is that she joins every element so seamlessly in the service of her gripping story. Ages 10-14. (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. Publisher Weekley.

"Part detective and suspense story, this multilayered novel is much more, touching on themes of communication, relationships in blended families, being different, friendship, adolescence, and shame." Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. School Library Journal

As in Laurie Halse Anderson's Printz Honor Book, //Speak// (1999), the mutism is an eloquent part of the narrative. Like his silent friend, Connor comes to know the power of keeping quiet, that "the cruelest lies are often told in silence." //Hazel Rochman// //Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved// Booklist

Picture of alphabet. I chose the alphabet because to get Bran to speak Connor had to write the alphabet on the back of the note cards. The way Connor would know what letter was first was when Connor would point at a letter he would blink two times with his left eye. That is how he figured out which people Connor needed to talk to to figure out about Vivan's smoking habit and how she is actually the one that hurt the baby. While using the alphabet he learned that a pizza delivery guy actually was over with Vivan a lot and he told Connor that if the baby want quiet and such then she would abuse it. That is not a good thing for a baby. He learned that the pizza guy was there on the day of the call and didn't know why Bran wouldn't speak. Connor also learned that he needed to tell Maragaret that she needed to write a paper to the au pair place to get her fired. All this worked out and she got sent back to England where she can no longer be an au pair ever again.

Picture of note cards. I chose the picture of the note cards because every day that Connor would go see Bran he would bring them with him to try to make him talk. He would write specail names and places that they could talk about. The first note card he chose was Margaret. Margaret was Connor's older sister and he went to talk to her. She told him that he knew that Bran felt unwanted by his dad because he just all of the sudden got married and didn't really ask for his say in it. Margaret was the same way so she knew how he felt. Connor would always bring the note cards and they were definetly a success. He found out everything that he needed and got the au pair fired. GO CONNOR! :)

I chose the video because it is pretty much just the story but put into a video. He doesn't spoil the ending but it kind of gives you an idea of what is happening in the story, or what is going to happen in the story. It shows a lot of pictures that allows you to picture what you are going to read and to me it really makes you want to read and find out exactly what is going to happen. It makes you want to just pick up that book and read it til the last page and then once you are finished you get disappointed but are still grateful that you got to read the story.

I chose my first quote, the one that is in purple because it is at the very beginnign of the book. It is what the operator is hearing at the other end of the phone line.The operator has absolutely no idea what is going on and no body really does. There is no voice on the other end and at first it gets you a little worried. At this time Bran has stopped speaking and no one knows why til the end. He doesn't know what he is suppose to say because he is ashamed for what he has done. I wouldn't blame him either. I would be very worried too. Bran is a different a smart kid and for him to stop talking was like the end of the world to most people. It was a very terrible time. His best friend though goes and tries to get him to talk about the 911 call.

I chose the second quote, the one in bold because it is when Vivian is trying to blame Branwell for dropping his baby sister Nikki and that is why she isn't waking up. I cannot believe that she would blame such an innocent young boy for a terrible mistake that she made. She took advantage of him and made him like her a lot. Therefore; he would do whatever she wanted him to do which is really bad and cold-hearted. It is just a mean thing to blame someone else for someone elses mistake. It's just a terrible thing as I said before.

I chose the third quote, the one in green, because it was a very rememberable quote. Connor is saying it and his best friend Bran is changing before his eyes. He cannot believe it. One day while they were at the park and they always use to watch the couples walk past, Bran didn't want to because he wanted to hang out with Vivian and his baby sister. To Connor that just wanted right and he was really missing his best friend a lot.