Aly

The Great Good Things.

This scene is very important to the book for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that Sylvie and her family all live in the mountains a through out the book. In the beginning of the book the castle that they lived in was sourrounded by mountains, lakes, woods, and an ocean. This is why Sylvie starts to disobey her father. Since she is the princess in the book she isn't allowed to go explore outside of the boundries. She starts to disobeys her father by sneaking into the mountains because she is bored, and no one reads their book anymore. The mountains are important because that's where she meets an owl who ends up saving her life many times throughout the story.



In the book the castle is a the main setting. Slyvie doesn't like living in the castle because her parents trap her inside so she won't get hurt. Sylvie starts out very anxious in the book. She wants to do the Great Good Thing in life. For that reason she wants to leave the book, the caste, and her family so she can accompish that.. When the book gets burned the family travels into their new reader's mind (Claire) where they can live till the reader forgets them. As they start out in the readers mind, they travel to a place where they rebuild their castle and live the life of the book again. Sylvie doesn't like it but she goes along with it because the castle made her parents happy, they loved the home/castle. Everyone else in the book starts going out of their lines and elects a new king. Sylvie saves her parents and the has the Lily make them a new book. Sylvie finally excepts living in the castle inside of the book. Sylvie learned many lessons from the castle, that's why it is an important setting in the story.

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This music video discribes Sylvie perfectly. Sylvie goes through a drimatic adventure. Not only did Sylvie save everyone in her kingdom but, she also changed herself. Sylvie starts out very selfconsided in the beginning of the book. As she goes through all these changes like the book being burned, the dangerous adventure to Claire's mind, going into Lily's mind, and getting her family safe. Sylvie risks her life for others and her perception of life changes. She isn't just think about herself anymore. I think this video shows how Sylvie is "still alive" after everything she as been through and it shows how she changed her attitude for herself, the kingdom, and family.

"Keep your eye on the shape." This quote was said by Sylvie's wise math teacher Mr. Fangl. The math teacher helped Sylvie study and learn but he also told her quotes, like this one to help her think differently. He opened her eyes past herself and into everyone else. He thought her the meaning of adventure and life. Without him Sylvie would of had a harder time looking past herself and helping others. He also helped her to be strong and save her family, (everyone in the castle). He told her this quote when everyone started acting up in the caste and everyone refused to say the lines that they got from the book.

"Tell me the story! You've got to tell me!" This quote was said by Lily to her mother Claire. this quote is very important for two reasons. First, Claire was going to die soon and if she didn't tell her daughter the story all the characters from the story would die along with. The characters can only live and transfer into a readers mind if some reads or dreams about them. The second reason this quote is important is because this is Sylvie second time going out into the world and its her job to help Sylvie remember the story. this was a very moving part for Sylvie because the last time she went of the story she meet Claire and now this time she helps Claire remember the story and she saw how sick Claire was. Since Sylvie got Claire to remember the book she and her family could in Lily's dreams/mind until Lily remade the book for them.

"Nor want one. I don't want anything," she said, her green eyes flashing, "except-" This quote is said by Sylvie to her dad. She is in a fight with him because in the book she is supposed to marry Prince Riggeloff. Sylvie didn't want to marry him or be trapped in the castle, Sylvie wanted to be free more than anything. She wanted to explore the book and then the outside world, but her father always shut her down. Sylvie argued with him in the beginning of the book. She only thought about herself and no one else. This quote is important because in the end of the book you see how she has changed attitude wise.

From the opening of this book-- Sylvie lived an intresting life, but she didn't get to live it very often-- the wonderful central subject of what characters in a book do when the book is closed is clearly drawn. I do not think young readers will have any trouble with this concept-- in effect it's no different from wondering what your dolls do when they're not in the room-- and older readers will appreciate the many layers of the book, and the somewhat melancholy depiction of how fast life goes by and how quickly the various Readers age and die, in the "real world." and yet the story is eternal!

Although listed as a children's book, this book should be read by anyone who's interested in the wonderment of books. It's a delightful story about real characters in books who are alive - and not just in the reader's mind. When the book isn't open, they lie around getting bored but when a 'Reader' comes along, they scramble for their places and take up the story. So what happens when one of the characters actually meets the Reader and helps her with her problems? That's what you'll have to read the book to find out. This one is a must read for writers, readers, and anyone who's in love with the written word. It is a unique, new way of looking at fairy tales.

I expected a fun romp with one little gimmick, I got instead a work of philsophy expressed through humor, dialogue and fairy tale-- almost in the tradition of The Little Prince.