The Guardian

1. Include the following pieces of information:

• Title: The Guardian
• Author: Nicholas Sparks 
• Genre; Love story
• Number of pages read this week / total number of pages in the book (Ex: 50/250) 60/382

2. Report Section

Describe: Briefly summarize what you have read over the past week

Consider the following questions and use them to guide your response: 

• What is happening at this point in your reading?
• What have you learned or discovered in this section of your reading?
• How have these developments affected the characters, relationships, situation OR your understanding of the issues presented withing your reading?

   I just started reading this book and so far I really like it. The book talks about a woman names Julie who suffers a loss of a husband and now tries to get back to world and maybe find a new love. When her husband dies from a tumor she couldn't get over it for more than three years. On Christmas Eve a year after he has died, he sends her a letter saying that he will always love her and always be her guardian. He asked her to promise him two things; to take care of the dog he gives her and to be happy again. He dog that her husband gave his is named Singer. He is everything to Julie and she treats him as a human being itself. After she recived this letter, 6 months later she got back to the dating world. She started dating a few men but nothing really worked out until she started dating a good looking rich guy named Richard. So far she really likes him and they seem to get along very well. Another important man in Julies life is her husband and hers best friend Mike. They are very close but she doesn't know that Mike haves feelings for her. He really likes her and the fact that she is dating another guy hurts him a lot. This situation affects the relationship between Mike and Julie. While Julie thinks of Mike as a friend Mike shares feelings for her which makes him think differently and that is why to Julie he acts "weird". While reading this I learned how much Julies husband meant to her and how much pain she had to go through. 

3. Response Section

Reflect: On what you have read over the past week

Consider the following questions:

• What do you think about what you have read?
• Has your recent reading fulfilled your expectations?
• What do you expect for your continued reading?
• How satisfied are you with what you have read?

Add: Any concerns, questions, additional comments on this reading
So far I really like the book and I think it has some really good character and the plot seems really good and understandable. I expected the novel to start well and that is what happened. I think that the start of the book is one of the most important parts because it makes the reader continue reading the book. I cannot wait to continue reading and see if Mike will tell Julie that he likes her and if Julie will chose Mike or Richard. I think that she will chose Mike because he truly cares about her but there is a lot more to read. 

4. Passage Section

Copy: Select a passage (1-4 sentences) that you believe to be significant or representative of the reading, or that is otherwise meaningful to you. INCLUDE page number.

Explain: What does this passage reveal about the book--its theme, focus, characters? In what way(s) does this passage trouble / intrigue / delight / frustrate / reward / challenge you as a reader?

"Singer stood from the blanket and nearly followed her, but she held up a hand to stop him. He froze and stopped growling."
"Hey there" Richard answered "I guess he's getting used to me, huh?"
"Julie glanced toward Singer" "Him! OH, we had a talk. I think he's fine now.
"A talk?"
"He gets jealous"
(page 31)

This passage made me laugh and at the same time think deeply of the value of animals. I think that Singer is one of the most important things in Julie's life after her husband died and she kind of thinks of him as a human being and best friend. Richard on the other hand doesn't seem to fully get that so he just finds it cute and charming but to Julie it is more than that. I also have a dog and sometimes I feel the same. Animals, especially dogs, are humans best friend. You can share anything you want with them and know they will understand it and keep quiet about it. I think Julie thinks the same way.