Thursday, June 30, 2011

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

I just started reading Wendy Mass’s Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. I am immediately drawn to the two main characters, Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy. Jeremy is great! Who can’t love a guy who names his fish Dog, Cat, Hamster, and Ferret? Told through Jeremy’s point of view, Mass writes, “All my fish are named after other animals because Mom won’t let me have real pets due to the fact that she is still mourning her childhood rabbit.” (p. 19). It’s clear from page one that Jeremy is a true worrier and afraid of a lot of things. “Honesty, I don’t see any reason to leave my neighborhood. Everything I could ever want or need is within a few blocks in any direction.” So how does Lizzy get him to do such crazy things? (p. 19)
And why do we often choose friends that are so different from ourselves? Lizzy is “a notorious troublemaker” with “a lot of opinions, usually negative.” (preface) She gets Jeremy to do all kinds of adventurous and crazy things. And here’s the best part: their friendship is so real! They are completely and utterly themselves with each other, accepting each other’s differences (aren’t we all different?), and always looking out for each other. I love when a book reminds the reader about true friendship. What makes their friendship so strong when they are so different? What defines a true friend? Could the answer be as simple as loyalty and unconditional love? And is that really so simple?
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life is turning out to have so much more! Jeremy and Lizzy are facing a true mystery. Together they are on a search to find the four keys that will unlock the strange box that Jeremy has just received for his thirteenth birthday. Supposedly inside the box is the “meaning of life.” Something tells me that the search itself will unravel the true mysteries of life. And I, for one, can’t wait to find out the answers. I’ve got to go now; I have a great book to finish!
Mrs. K. Smith

6 comments:

  1. Don't forget to check out Wendy Mass's blog where she discusses her new ideas and shares insights with fans!

    http://www.wendymass.com/blog/?p=92

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  2. Hi guys! Mr. Higgins kindly invited me to your blog, so i thought i'd pop in and say hi! I hope you all enjoy the book this summer and i'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. Soon I'll have an example of the movie poster to share with you! As soon as i get the go-ahead on the final version, which should be this summer. I hope everyone has a great time reading and relaxing! I'll be finishing writing 2 books and hopefully reading a few, too!
    Cheers!
    Wendy

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  3. Mrs. Smith,
    Thank you for such a fabulous introduction to Jeremy Fink! I plan to meet these evoking characters very soon, and since I've read your post I can't wait to do so.
    -Mrs. Domenick

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  4. Hi guys! What a great post Mrs. Smith. I was planning on starting to read Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life this weekend. Now, after reading your post I am really excited to start.
    What makes a true friend? This question is one that I often ponder. I am hoping that after reading Jeremy Fink I too might have something to add about Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.
    Happy reading all!!!!!
    Mrs. Albano :)

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  5. Loved your questions! I find it interesting that I am a lot like my best friends. What does that say about me??

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  6. What a great blog Mrs. Smith. I was planning on starting Jeremy Fink and now I can not wait. You have asked some great questions. The one I love the most is, What defines a true friend? This is a question that I have often pondered myself. I am hoping that Jeremy Fink will help me answer this question and more. Looking forward to some great reading. Happy Reading all!!! Mrs. Albano

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