Title: Homecoming

Author: Cynthia Voigt

Publication date: 1981

Page count: 318

Type: Fiction

Started on: 10/3/07

Finished on: 11/2/07

Grade: A

1. Why did I decide to read this book?

I decided to read this book because I wanted a book simular to the last book I read. It also looked like a good book to read. I read the back and it sounded like a good book to read. Also the libraian told me it was a good book. She alsl told me that everyone that read this book liked it.

2. Plot summary

The story is about four children and their mother. The childrens names are Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy. Their mother took them on a trip and they stop at a mall their gets out and nevers comes back. After two days they relized their mother is not coming back and they start to walking to Brigdport were their aunt lives. They have no money or any food and it is a week long walk to Bridgport. On the way they find some money on the ground for food. When they get to their aunts house they found out that she had passed away. They had a cousin they did not know about that still lived there. Their cousin took them in and a mounth passed and she decided to adopt them. They did not like it there so they ran away to live with their grandmother that they just found out about. They took a bus half way to thier grandmothers and they ran out of money. They walked for about two days and them they stoped at a farm and offered to pick vegtiables for money. The man let them but when they wanted to leave he would not let. They ran away from him and ran in to a circus and the circus people protected them from the man and his dog. After two days The people from the circus took them to their grandmothers in Crisfield. When they get there their grandmother told them that they can not live there but they can stay for the night. The next day they did a lot of work to her house and Dicey would tell their grandmother there is a lot more work to be done for a excuss to stay an other night. After a couple of days of doing work their grandmother told them they could live there because during the couple of days she started to like them being there so she told them they could live there with her.

3. What is the setting and why is it important to the novel?

The setting of this book is on the eastern cost. They follow the ocean down to Bridgport from Provence town. The setting in Bridgport was not what they expected they wanted to live next to the ocean like the did in Provence town. They did not like it there and one reason was because they were not next to the ocean. When they went to Crisfeild to live with thier grandmother they lived next to the bay and they were happy with that.

4. Describe the main characters and what roles do they play in the novel?

The oldest is Dicy and she is thirteen her role was to get her family to Bridgport and then to Crisfeild. She also had to keep her family together. The second oldest is James he is ten and his role was to help Dicy with the youger ones. The third child is Maybeth and she is nine her role was to look cute so people would give them money for food. The yougest is Sammey he is six and he made problems for the rest by not wanting to go with them and also he complained every day because he did not want to walk anymore.

5. What is/are the main conflicts in the novel?

The main conflicts are their mother left them in a parking lot with nothing. They have no money and they try finding money on the ground. An ohter conflict is they have to sleep outside at night and some nights it was raining. When they get to their aunts house they find out that their had passed away so cousin was going to take them in but they do not like her.The last conflict is they want to live with thier grandmother and when they get there she tells them they can not stay

6. Describe the climax of the novel?

The climax is when they get to Crisfeild. They want to live with there grandmother but she will not let them. She let them stay until them found a place to go. During that time they showed her by working on her farm that they were good children. One day they went to the store with her to help and on there way back to the farm she told them that they can live with her. She also told them to call her Gram.

7. What is the significance of the book title?

The significance of the title is they do not realy have a home. They are trying to find a new home. The first family member they went was going to take them in but they did not like it there. The second family member they went to said they could not stay. Finally the second family member thier grandmother said they could stay and they found a new home.

8. What is my opinion about this book?

My opinion is I liked it. It was a very interesting book. I also liked it because it was a sad book at the beging and it had a happy ending. It was interesting because of how they got money. Also it was interesting because of how them got some of there food.