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But it really is a great book! Jul 05, Reading is my Escape rated it liked it Shelves: Her mother died years ago and her father has been raising her alone.
Since she was six, she has been helping her father with his job - he fixes cars in the garage. Her real name is Rachel, but no one calls her that. Her dad gave her the nickname because she reminds him of a ratchet, the way she helps make all his jobs easier. Ratchet doesn't like being different. She doesn't like that her father doesn't have a job where he wears a suit and goes to an office. She doesn't like being homeschooled. And she doesn't like never having any friends. This year, Ratchet has decided her life is going to change.
She is going to make a friend. This is a enjoyable story about a young girl trying to find her way. The story is told via entries in Ratchet's homeschool writing journal. Ratchet's voice is believable and quite relatable. She worries constantly that she is different and her father is different. She wonders about her mother. She wants to know more about her mother to maybe find out more about herself. And most of all she wants to find a friend.
Since she doesn't go to school, making friends is harder than usual, but she is determined. I enjoyed reading Ratchet's story and I was rooting for her all the way. I wanted her to realize that people will like her for who she is and that she doesn't need to change for others. Middle grade girls 5th-8th. This is a fun story that I think young girls will relate to and enjoy. A quick, fun read with a positive female character.
Jun 03, Denise Monegato rated it liked it. Middle school realistic fiction more often than not these days is like "child abuse light. As parents and families change, so does the character of childhood. Rachel "ratchet" Vance is a lonely 11 year-old girl being raised and home-schooled by her loving but eccentric father.
A devout, nature-loving conservationist, he takes thin Middle school realistic fiction more often than not these days is like "child abuse light. A devout, nature-loving conservationist, he takes things to extremes and takes his crusades public. All of this affecting Rachel's social life in middle school, a sensitive time if ever there was one.
Rachel was 5 when her mother died, and despite her close relationship with her father, the subject of her mother has never been an open topic. Her dad repairs cars out of his garage and Rachel is his assistant, thus her nickname. Cavanaugh writes a touching, and ultimately uplifting story that many students will be able to relate to. The fact that the underdogs come out on top is an added bonus.
It will tug at your heartstrings! Jun 06, Mariyam rated it it was amazing. This was a great book. It was funny and relatable at the same time and truly touched me.
I cried twice while reading it. The part that was so great about it was that Ratchet experiences something that many children have felt, but the way she describes it is so touching. Ratchet is a very inspirational heroine and I very much recommend this book to everyone. May 26, Benji Martin rated it really liked it. This book was pretty good. It has one of those perfect endings in which everything works out very nicely in a slightly unbelievable way. I already know at least 3 of my students who are going to love it.
They are always asking me for books that will make them cry, but end happy and I think this one will be perfect for them. Oct 02, Mary Mckelvin rated it really liked it Shelves: It was a great book!!! I know it took me sometime to read but the holidays are here!!! I love that it all ended well I was worried about Ratchet mental state and Moss Park. I'm really happy Rachel aka Ratchet learned to appreciate her weird quirky dad and was able to make wonderful friends. Apr 01, Juliette rated it liked it. It was a refreshing way to get back into middle grade books. Feb 11, Alfredo Valdez rated it really liked it.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. How would you feel if you grew up with no mom and a crazy environmentalist Dad who embarrasses you every were you go at would you do? Well in this book Rachel or better known as Ratchet has to face those circumstances in life and she wishes to have a much more normal life and father.
The genre of this book is realistic fiction because the characters and names are made up BUT the events that happen in this book can happen in the real life. My overall opinion on this book was a good book were the How would you feel if you grew up with no mom and a crazy environmentalist Dad who embarrasses you every were you go at would you do?
My overall opinion on this book was a good book were the problem and solution scenario was easily found by the reader with some very suspenseful moments throughout the whole story.
The setting of this book takes place in a small town named Blainesfield. The setting of the story is a factor to the story because it is an average town with Groceries stores,parks but wants to add more buildings to attract more people by destroying a park and replacing it with a Strip Mall. The members of the council want to replace the local park with a Strip Mall.
However, this park was donated by a man named Mr. Moss who had donated all his parks around the world before he died. The dad wants to find the paperwork that clearly states that the parks he donated were for entertainment purposes. The dad does find the paperwork,but then suspiciously loses is it and there is nothing that can stop the city council from tearing apart the park into a strip mall. The dad spends the next month or so trying to find the papers again but failed.
Additionally, while this is happening Rachel is trying to make new friends and helps a couple of boys who used to bully her, make a go-cart to race in the park that will be teared down. The type of conflict of this story is Person vs Society because Rachel has multiple people that she has to against, the council, his dad, Hunter, and sometimes even her self which could turn this into a Person vs Person situation for the story but only occurs in small parts distributed through the story. The theme of the story is always be yourself as Rachel learned when she wanted to be all pretty and fancy but then learned from Hunter, a boy that she had been helping build his go-cart, that she was fine the way she was.
In the text it states that " I didn't need to be in "Get Charmed" class all I needed was a crazy dad and a great friend. The first person point of view affects the story because the reader only knows what Rachel knows and therefore may contain some opinions of people she likes or doesn't like.
The author uses words like " I" and "me" do symbolize the first person point of view. A major event that changed the story was when Rachet found out that her mom did not die, she left the family. Rachel had been brainwashed by her father that her mother died in a car crash to not make Rachet think she was worth sticking around for. In the text it states that " Inside the Mystery Box was a folded note that was from Mom to dad explaining why she left the family. This crucially changed the scenario of the story because at first Rachet wanted to find out more about her mother so she can be more like her, but after this event it made her love her father more for all he has done for her and now she wants to be more like her dad.
The title relates to the story because the title of the book is " this journal belongs to Rachet" because through out the story Rachet must express her feelings in special assignments assigned from her dad. The narrator is reliable because she has been educated to be honest from her father since a young age. My favorite part of the story was when Rachel and her father hot to save Moss Tree park beside that was but hit them with goals throughout the whole story.
I was shocked when Rachet found out that her mom did not die, she left her and her dad, that was like a curveball to the reader NO ONE Expected it. I like the way the author used home schooled assignments to express the journey with the reader which is not an easy task to perform and requires a good author. If I were the author I would have made the mom return and turn out to be the person who stole the papers from the father which stated that the parks he donated around the word were meant to entertain and no be destroyed for other purposes in this case the strip mall.
In conclusion, I would give this book a 4 out 5 stars because it contained very interesting bits throughout the story. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story that contains sad moments but will always have a happy ending because that is what happens in this book. I think that Ratchet learned that sometimes there is a meaning to people's behavior such as her dads.
Mar 13, O Williams rated it really liked it. Loved this book about a tomboy homeschooler can't remember most of it bc I read it so long ago, but I remember liking Ratchet's character as well as her relationship with her dad. Mar 06, Mary Kim rated it it was amazing.
Best book about life. I seriously think this book is a great book. I think I would really recommend this book to anyone even adults.
I love this book so much!!! This book helps me understand the different perspectives of kids who don't have a mom, and how they feel. I think this book is so funny, and enjoyable! Cavanaugh for writing this book! Apr 06, JennRenee rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book caught my eye in Barnes and Noble.
Having never heard of the book, I picked it up and instantly knew I wanted to read it. So I bought it. I was so excited to get home and read this book, I pushed aside the other million books I have been reading and dove in.
I was hooked from the first page and devoured the book. It is full of comedy, cuteness, and coming of age goodness. It was right in the middle of light read and realistic issues.
I loved the characters, the relationships, an Review: I loved the characters, the relationships, and the journal entries. Ratchet is just starting her teenage years. She is home-schooled by her hippie mechanic father who she helps fix cars in between her studies. Her mother died when she was young, she has no friends, and she gets everything second hand.
She wants a new life. She wants a new look, friends, and to know more about her mother. None of these things she sets out to accomplish are easy. She only has money to buy from Goodwill, all the kids in town think she and her dad are nuts, and her father keeps everything about her mother a secret. One of her assignments for school, is to keep a journal, in this journal she has a multiple of different writing assignments from free writing to poetry.
In this journal she makes a plan Get a new look, find a friend, and find the box of secrets of her mom. I absolutely adore this book. It was non stop fun. First off the book is written in very interesting journal entries. Free writing, plays, poetry, interviews, memos.. Every entry tells the story of Ratchet. I found the tone to be fun but filled with the undertone of a lost girl who has a lot to discover about herself.
There were moments I got teary eyed, but for the most part it was full of laughs for me. I really loved Ratchets story. I couldn't help but feel for her. She was very lonely. Her father is always in the garage working on cars, barely even looks over her assignments, and he doesn't understand Ratchet at all. She really wishes she had a mom, but since she doesn't she just wants to know about her.
Ratchet was also missing friends. Her story was a bit of a sad one, but there were also many great things in her life that she missed out because she couldn't see past the bad stuff. It was a great journey watching Ratchet grow. I think Ratchet is the best part of this story. I had no problem connecting to her at all. From the beginning I loved her. She was written well and her character was full of emotions, easily seen through her journal entries. She was smart and sneaky, misunderstood, and loyal. She was a wonderful character.
There was a handful of wonderful characters in the book and a handful of not so great characters, villains in a sense. There was a clear line between those that were full of goodness and those out for no good. I loved that the great characters won out in the end. The story really is heartwarming, a very quick read, and just so much fun. If you like cute, heart tugging, coming of age books.. Mar 25, Rachel Reinwald rated it liked it Shelves: Oh, and her mom left when she was a baby.
Rachet vows that this year, something will change. This book was really good! It's about Ratchet she is homeschooled so she wants to make her life change! This book was very good and it was very spot on. Ratchet has no friends. Her dad is weird and homeschools her. She has a journal in which she keeps her writing assignments a. Will she be normal and make friends? My sister says this book is good so read it. I like how this book is written by the protagonist, Ratchet, in an actual journal because it stands out.
This Journal Belongs to Ratchet is very emotional and surprising because Ratchet is trying to change her life. I liked this book because it was kinda of like dork dairy. But i would only recommend this book to people who like dork dairy. Copy and Paste the code below to your website or blog. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Book 1 10 reviews. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules 4 reviews.
Oh how hard it is. Thanks for sharing a special title.
She really wishes she had a mom, but since she doesn't she just wants to know about her. Like her main character, Abigail, Nancy often struggled while growing up to find the courage to do the right thing. My sister says this book is good so read it. Ratchet is now more embarrassed than ever and realizes that the boys only noticed her when they needed her. She is trying to be a new person change how she looks not be dirty anymore have friends and blend in.
You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Sitting next to an elderly man with a cowboy hat, I cried, and cried, and cried my way through Ms. In some ways I was Ratchet as a kid.