I picked Sorta Like A Rock Star because it sounds like great book when i read back of the book. everyone in this book has hope and heart. Amber's moms boy friend kicked them put. they have a loyal dog named bobby big boy. this book really seems like its the type of book that is very inspiring and heartwarming. I have a feeling that this book is going to make me laugh and smile a lot.
This book is really good so far. when I saw this book I thought it was going to have something about a girl that wanted to be a rock star. It has nothing to do with a girl wanting to be a rock star. Its about a girl named Amber Appleton, her Mom and her Mom's boufriend and Ambers dog named Bobby Big Boy, they call him Triple B for short. Amber's Mom is a bus drver and her boyfriend is a truck driver. Amber and her Mom go with him a lot on road trips and would be gone for days. After one trip when they got home and he had to leave again Amber's Mom found out her boyfriend hasnt paid two months of rent like he said and turns out he never came home. Amber and her mom became homeless and had to live at Hello Yellow which is the bus Amber's Mom drives.
This book is good, Amber Appleton tells one of her friends that her and her Mom is liveing on Hello Yellow. Hello Yellow is the school bus her mom drives. Well a few days later Amber had some studends from school come up to her and ask her if it was true she was homeless and lived on the bus her mom drove. So she left school early because she was upset that people knew what is really going on in her life. She went to Franks house which is her moms boy friend. He cheers her up by talking about how all the students want to be just like her.
blog #1 Jones This books setting is in a school bus(Hello yellow) which is where Amber Appleton lives, for now. I think this will be important to the novel because it's a big part of her life right now and she's embarrassed by it. Imagine what Amber might do if someone were to find out that she's homeless. The main character is Amber Appleton. She has black hair and pale skin, she's also a self proclaimed freak. Then there is Donna, she's smart, tall and, naturally blond. Then there's Triple B, amber's dog. his breath stinks, he's a total flirt(even though he's in a monogamous relationship with Ms. Jenny), he's also very dependable.
blog 2:comment I like how you explained the significance of the bus in the book. However, I felt that the setting was set in many more places then the bus. I also like how you talk about Thrice B as almost human, like Amber does. John M.
blog #1 Jones The setting of Sorta Like A Rockstar would definitely be on the bus. Hello Yellow. The main character, Amber Appelton, her mom, and Triple B her dog are homeless amd find themselves living there for now as her mother is the bus driver. The setting is important because you get a feel of how they are living each day & you can compare your life to theirs. Amber is a very nerdy person as she is described to having long black hair and pale skin.
I was curious on the importance of the setting and how we "get a feeling how they are living each day". Yes, we get a feel of what Amber does through her day and her feelings on where she lives, but I'm not understanding how that is making the setting importaint. If you could go a bit more in depth so I can get a better understanding?
Throughout the novel until about halfway, amber appleton is living with her mother unexpectedly dies. Donna takes her in and she starts loving the normal life like she should growing up as a teenager. The setting usually changes throughout novels, but it pretty much stays the same so far.
The Setting of Sorta Like A Rockstar is based in a small town with a ghetto “across the tracks”. Her home is a school bus that she calls Hello Yellow that Amber Appletons mom and she have lived for a few months. The setting of the book is important to the novel because when we compare Amber to the ghetto, they are similar. Amber’s life is kind of sad because she is poor and living a struggling life with her mom. When you think of ghettos, you usually think of a poor area with little hope of being fixed. However, with Amber going in to the church in the ghetto and to Private Jackson’s house, she is giving the ghetto a sort of hope. Just like Donna is giving Amber hope by helping her out when she comes over. Amber Appleton is the main character in the story and she characterizes herself as being “Sorta Like A Rockstar to these people” because she is always going places to help people and give them hope. Indirectly Amber puts others before herself. Donna is Amber’s rockstar in the book and gives Amber hope. Private Jackson is a lonely man that has a friendly relationship with his dog. Bobby Big Boy is Amber’s dog whom she looks to for comfort and confines in. She loves this dog more than anything and Bobby also gets terrible separation anxiety when she leaves him alone.
I really like how this hope chain works throughout the book. We have a girl who secretly lacks a sort of confidence, yet still finds it within her to give hope to others and spread optimissom around everything she does. I like to think that Amber gets that hope from Donna, and her aspiration to be just like her. Even though Amber isn't the most well liked person at her school, she still finds time to spread the hope that stems from many places, but mostly her dreams of a better future.
I agree with Matt. The way Amber can spread hope wherever she goes, even in the ghetto you describe, is one of my favorite things about her. Its a quality you miss in the next part of the book (no spoilers though). Nice job incorporating the title into the description of Amber by the way.
Blog 1: Setting and characters. Jones 3rd hour "Sorta Like a Rockstar" takes place in a small town. Major locataions include the main character's, Amber Appleton, home, a bus called "Hello Yellow", her friend Donna's house, and her school. The setting is important, I believe, because it gives a feeling of a jaded lifestyle for the towns residents, which makes the life of Amber even more important and interesting.
Speaking of whom, Amber Appleton is the protagonist of the book. She is more or less homeless (as was explained earlier) and lives with her mother and dog, Bobby Big Boy. Being in 1st person, the book rarly gives direct characterization of Amber, but instead is full of indirect characterization. At one point, as her mom is trying to assure her that their current lifestyle is only temporary, Amber replies "'I like it. It's like camping, only on a school bus, and without fattening marshmallows, a cancer-causing campfire, or the pesky Kum-Ba-Yah singing.'" This shows how Amber, despite being poor, still is hopefull and looks at things in a optimistic light.
Another important character is Donna Roberts, a friend of Amber's and single mother of Ricky Roberts, a boy with autism. Donna is essentially Amber's second mother, although she does not know about Amber's home life. Donna is described as "...model tall with naturally blond shoulder-lenght hair. She wears these very cool business suits that are sexy in a serious womanly way, and she sports these killer heels every day." Donna, who obviously is very beautiful, has no interest in getting married, and instead devotes her time to her son, showing just how much she loves him.
I agree with how the town being boring and a sort of lifeless gives Amber more importance. By giving the story this setting you can see Amber pops more and make it seem like she has a lot more hope than it would seem if she lived in a town that was pulsing with life. I am confused when you say she is "more or less" homeless. Do you mean that the bus provides some shelter, or are you reffering to Amber going to Donna's house every morning?
I like how Amber doesn't really tell alot of details about herself because she wants the audiance to understand that for her that doesn't really matter. she doesn't ever really tell much or dote much on physical apperance, which is why I appriciate Amber so much. She is one of few people who looks on the inside.
After Amber's mom dies, we see her go into a depression. During this period after the death, Amber isn't as hopeful and starts to give up. She talks to her pastor, Father Chee, about this; "Why didn't Good turn the other cheek when Adam and Eve ate the apple? Why did he punish all of mankind for eating a damn apple?"(Quick 230). Amber seems to be losing her faith in God because he took her mother away. We later can see that she is on a path to rediscover herself, even though she claims she will never be the way she used to be. I think she will find her happy, optimistic self again, but she willbalso look to give back to the people she has taken from.
The mood I get from this section of the novel is very pessimistic. The author creates this ood by placing short, choppy chapters here. I like this section of the book because before, the mood was very optimistic, so the drastic change in the mood gives us as readers a deeper connection to Amber.
Blog 4 comment 1: I agree that the mood changes drasticaly. However, I personaly dislike this section. While it definitly was interesting to see such a large change, the "short, choppy chapters" made it alot less interesting to read. I also agree with your prediction of Amber returning to her normal self. John M.
I agree with it being a large change. Amber goes from very optimistic to just blank to a sense of lost hope. You get the feeling that she will never be able to pick herself up after this even though she still has a wondrous mind when she asks Father Chee about God.
Blog 4 Comment 1 I also agree to a certain extent that this is a huge important part to this novel because the image it paints in your head seems to stay there throughout the book whether the mood is happy or sad. After Amber tries getting over the situation and finally decides to get happy again she finds out about her dog & she just never seems to get a break.
Blog 3:Internal and external conflict Jones 3rd hour
An external conflict that Amber faces is the death of her mother. Initially, Amber is shocked and confused, then angry, and then almost lifeless. She lies in solitude in the room that Donna has given her, only speaking to those who enter. Her sense of hope and innocence is shredded. To quote Amber: "I'm not a kid anymore." Making a prediction, I believe that Amber will get better eventually, but I don't think she will be as optimistic as she once was.
The mood the author creates is optimistic in the beggining, and then takes a nosedive into depression. The reader feels almost a sense of NEEDING Amber to recover from her depression. Getting the reader to feel this emotion is an amazing accomplishment of the author
Blog 4 Comment 1: I like the quote of Amber not being a kid anymore that you used, it really does bring out her sense of giving up. I also like the way that you put that she has a sense of need to recover because she needed to get back up and help BBB. I agree with you saying she wont get all the way back to herself. I think that after being through all of what she has been through, it would be hard for anyone to be as uplifting as she once was.
Ambers external conflict is her dealing with the death of her mother and her falling into depression. This depression leads to Ambers internal conflict where she fells she is "not a kid anymore", and can no longer have an optomistic outlook on life. These conflicts allow the author to change tones from a hopeful, spirited tone to a pesemistic, mournful tone.
I predict that Amber will over come her pain and change the world the way she used to and be a better person for it.
Blog 4: comment 2 I definitly agree with everyting here. I like how you incorporated the quote in, making it flow with the rest of the comment. Your prediction is pretty hopeful, but i wish you could have gone in depth with it a bit more, either explaining why or simply being more specific.
I was very satisfied with the ending. I think Sorta Like A Rockstar was chosen for a Gateway Book Award because Matthew Quick shows that no matter what may bring you down, you can always get back up. He gives the reader an optimistic view of a bad life and it really helps people see with a broader perception of life and what we should be thankful for.
I was extremly happy with the ending to "Sorta Like a Rock Star". This book is perfect for anyone no matter what age and it teaches a strong lesson dealing with life and its ups and downs. Matthew Quick developed the characters in such a way that the reader will remember them without even having to try.
The book i am reading is called Sorta Like a Rock Star. I think this book will be about a little girl living on a school bus. It says that there will be a fatal tragedy whom I assume is the mother.
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Jesse H.
ReplyDeleteWalters 2
I picked Sorta Like A Rock Star because it sounds like great book when i read back of the book. everyone in this book has hope and heart. Amber's moms boy friend kicked them put. they have a loyal dog named bobby big boy. this book really seems like its the type of book that is very inspiring and heartwarming. I have a feeling that this book is going to make me laugh and smile a lot.
Jesse H.
ReplyDeleteWalters 2
This book is really good so far. when I saw this book I thought it was going to have something about a girl that wanted to be a rock star. It has nothing to do with a girl wanting to be a rock star. Its about a girl named Amber Appleton, her Mom and her Mom's boufriend and Ambers dog named Bobby Big Boy, they call him Triple B for short. Amber's Mom is a bus drver and her boyfriend is a truck driver. Amber and her Mom go with him a lot on road trips and would be gone for days. After one trip when they got home and he had to leave again Amber's Mom found out her boyfriend hasnt paid two months of rent like he said and turns out he never came home. Amber and her mom became homeless and had to live at Hello Yellow which is the bus Amber's Mom drives.
Jesse H.
ReplyDeleteWalters 2.
This book is good, Amber Appleton tells one of her friends that her and her Mom is liveing on Hello Yellow. Hello Yellow is the school bus her mom drives. Well a few days later Amber had some studends from school come up to her and ask her if it was true she was homeless and lived on the bus her mom drove. So she left school early because she was upset that people knew what is really going on in her life. She went to Franks house which is her moms boy friend. He cheers her up by talking about how all the students want to be just like her.
blog #1 Jones
ReplyDeleteThis books setting is in a school bus(Hello yellow) which is where Amber Appleton lives, for now. I think this will be important to the novel because it's a big part of her life right now and she's embarrassed by it. Imagine what Amber might do if someone were to find out that she's homeless.
The main character is Amber Appleton. She has black hair and pale skin, she's also a self proclaimed freak. Then there is Donna, she's smart, tall and, naturally blond. Then there's Triple B, amber's dog. his breath stinks, he's a total flirt(even though he's in a monogamous relationship with Ms. Jenny), he's also very dependable.
Lindzey P
blog 2:comment
DeleteI like how you explained the significance of the bus in the book. However, I felt that the setting was set in many more places then the bus. I also like how you talk about Thrice B as almost human, like Amber does.
John M.
blog #1 Jones
ReplyDeleteThe setting of Sorta Like A Rockstar would definitely be on the bus. Hello Yellow. The main character, Amber Appelton, her mom, and Triple B her dog are homeless amd find themselves living there for now as her mother is the bus driver. The setting is important because you get a feel of how they are living each day & you can compare your life to theirs. Amber is a very nerdy person as she is described to having long black hair and pale skin.
Brianna T.
I was curious on the importance of the setting and how we "get a feeling how they are living each day". Yes, we get a feel of what Amber does through her day and her feelings on where she lives, but I'm not understanding how that is making the setting importaint. If you could go a bit more in depth so I can get a better understanding?
DeleteBlog 2: Comment 1
Carrie Flood
Throughout the novel until about halfway, amber appleton is living with her mother unexpectedly dies. Donna takes her in and she starts loving the normal life like she should growing up as a teenager. The setting usually changes throughout novels, but it pretty much stays the same so far.
DeleteBlog #2 Brianna T.
Blog 1 Jones 3rd hour
ReplyDeleteThe Setting of Sorta Like A Rockstar is based in a small town with a ghetto “across the tracks”. Her home is a school bus that she calls Hello Yellow that Amber Appletons mom and she have lived for a few months. The setting of the book is important to the novel because when we compare Amber to the ghetto, they are similar. Amber’s life is kind of sad because she is poor and living a struggling life with her mom. When you think of ghettos, you usually think of a poor area with little hope of being fixed. However, with Amber going in to the church in the ghetto and to Private Jackson’s house, she is giving the ghetto a sort of hope. Just like Donna is giving Amber hope by helping her out when she comes over.
Amber Appleton is the main character in the story and she characterizes herself as being “Sorta Like A Rockstar to these people” because she is always going places to help people and give them hope. Indirectly Amber puts others before herself. Donna is Amber’s rockstar in the book and gives Amber hope. Private Jackson is a lonely man that has a friendly relationship with his dog. Bobby Big Boy is Amber’s dog whom she looks to for comfort and confines in. She loves this dog more than anything and Bobby also gets terrible separation anxiety when she leaves him alone.
Carrie F.
Blog 2 Comment 1
DeleteJones 3rd Hour
I really like how this hope chain works throughout the book. We have a girl who secretly lacks a sort of confidence, yet still finds it within her to give hope to others and spread optimissom around everything she does. I like to think that Amber gets that hope from Donna, and her aspiration to be just like her. Even though Amber isn't the most well liked person at her school, she still finds time to spread the hope that stems from many places, but mostly her dreams of a better future.
Matt M.
DeleteBlog 2 Comment 2
DeleteI agree with Matt. The way Amber can spread hope wherever she goes, even in the ghetto you describe, is one of my favorite things about her. Its a quality you miss in the next part of the book (no spoilers though). Nice job incorporating the title into the description of Amber by the way.
John M.
Blog 1: Setting and characters. Jones 3rd hour
ReplyDelete"Sorta Like a Rockstar" takes place in a small town. Major locataions include the main character's, Amber Appleton, home, a bus called "Hello Yellow", her friend Donna's house, and her school. The setting is important, I believe, because it gives a feeling of a jaded lifestyle for the towns residents, which makes the life of Amber even more important and interesting.
Speaking of whom, Amber Appleton is the protagonist of the book. She is more or less homeless (as was explained earlier) and lives with her mother and dog, Bobby Big Boy. Being in 1st person, the book rarly gives direct characterization of Amber, but instead is full of indirect characterization. At one point, as her mom is trying to assure her that their current lifestyle is only temporary, Amber replies "'I like it. It's like camping, only on a school bus, and without fattening marshmallows, a cancer-causing campfire, or the pesky Kum-Ba-Yah singing.'" This shows how Amber, despite being poor, still is hopefull and looks at things in a optimistic light.
Another important character is Donna Roberts, a friend of Amber's and single mother of Ricky Roberts, a boy with autism. Donna is essentially Amber's second mother, although she does not know about Amber's home life. Donna is described as "...model tall with naturally blond shoulder-lenght hair. She wears these very cool business suits that are sexy in a serious womanly way, and she sports these killer heels every day." Donna, who obviously is very beautiful, has no interest in getting married, and instead devotes her time to her son, showing just how much she loves him.
John M.
DeleteBlog 2: Comment 2
DeleteI agree with how the town being boring and a sort of lifeless gives Amber more importance. By giving the story this setting you can see Amber pops more and make it seem like she has a lot more hope than it would seem if she lived in a town that was pulsing with life. I am confused when you say she is "more or less" homeless. Do you mean that the bus provides some shelter, or are you reffering to Amber going to Donna's house every morning?
Carrie Flood
I like how Amber doesn't really tell alot of details about herself because she wants the audiance to understand that for her that doesn't really matter. she doesn't ever really tell much or dote much on physical apperance, which is why I appriciate Amber so much. She is one of few people who looks on the inside.
DeleteMatt M.
Blog 3: Internal and External Conflict
ReplyDeleteAfter Amber's mom dies, we see her go into a depression. During this period after the death, Amber isn't as hopeful and starts to give up. She talks to her pastor, Father Chee, about this; "Why didn't Good turn the other cheek when Adam and Eve ate the apple? Why did he punish all of mankind for eating a damn apple?"(Quick 230). Amber seems to be losing her faith in God because he took her mother away. We later can see that she is on a path to rediscover herself, even though she claims she will never be the way she used to be. I think she will find her happy, optimistic self again, but she willbalso look to give back to the people she has taken from.
The mood I get from this section of the novel is very pessimistic. The author creates this ood by placing short, choppy chapters here. I like this section of the book because before, the mood was very optimistic, so the drastic change in the mood gives us as readers a deeper connection to Amber.
Carrie F.
DeleteBlog 4 comment 1:
DeleteI agree that the mood changes drasticaly. However, I personaly dislike this section. While it definitly was interesting to see such a large change, the "short, choppy chapters" made it alot less interesting to read. I also agree with your prediction of Amber returning to her normal self.
John M.
Blog 4 Comment 2:
DeleteI agree with it being a large change. Amber goes from very optimistic to just blank to a sense of lost hope. You get the feeling that she will never be able to pick herself up after this even though she still has a wondrous mind when she asks Father Chee about God.
Carrie F.
Blog 4 Comment 1
DeleteI also agree to a certain extent that this is a huge important part to this novel because the image it paints in your head seems to stay there throughout the book whether the mood is happy or sad. After Amber tries getting over the situation and finally decides to get happy again she finds out about her dog & she just never seems to get a break.
Brianna T.
Blog 3:Internal and external conflict
ReplyDeleteJones 3rd hour
An external conflict that Amber faces is the death of her mother. Initially, Amber is shocked and confused, then angry, and then almost lifeless. She lies in solitude in the room that Donna has given her, only speaking to those who enter. Her sense of hope and innocence is shredded. To quote Amber: "I'm not a kid anymore." Making a prediction, I believe that Amber will get better eventually, but I don't think she will be as optimistic as she once was.
The mood the author creates is optimistic in the beggining, and then takes a nosedive into depression. The reader feels almost a sense of NEEDING Amber to recover from her depression. Getting the reader to feel this emotion is an amazing accomplishment of the author
John M.
Blog 4 Comment 1:
DeleteI like the quote of Amber not being a kid anymore that you used, it really does bring out her sense of giving up. I also like the way that you put that she has a sense of need to recover because she needed to get back up and help BBB. I agree with you saying she wont get all the way back to herself. I think that after being through all of what she has been through, it would be hard for anyone to be as uplifting as she once was.
Carrie F.
Blog 3: Internal and External conflict
ReplyDeleteAmbers external conflict is her dealing with the death of her mother and her falling into depression. This depression leads to Ambers internal conflict where she fells she is "not a kid anymore", and can no longer have an optomistic outlook on life. These conflicts allow the author to change tones from a hopeful, spirited tone to a pesemistic, mournful tone.
I predict that Amber will over come her pain and change the world the way she used to and be a better person for it.
Matt M.
Blog 4: comment 2
DeleteI definitly agree with everyting here. I like how you incorporated the quote in, making it flow with the rest of the comment. Your prediction is pretty hopeful, but i wish you could have gone in depth with it a bit more, either explaining why or simply being more specific.
John M.
Blog 5:
ReplyDeleteJones 3rd
I was very satisfied with the ending.
I think Sorta Like A Rockstar was chosen for a Gateway Book Award because Matthew Quick shows that no matter what may bring you down, you can always get back up. He gives the reader an optimistic view of a bad life and it really helps people see with a broader perception of life and what we should be thankful for.
Carrie F.
Blog :
DeleteJones 3rd
I was extremly happy with the ending to "Sorta Like a Rock Star". This book is perfect for anyone no matter what age and it teaches a strong lesson dealing with life and its ups and downs. Matthew Quick developed the characters in such a way that the reader will remember them without even having to try.
Matt M.
Andrew J
ReplyDeleteSpencer
2nd
The book i am reading is called Sorta Like a Rock Star. I think this book will be about a little girl living on a school bus. It says that there will be a fatal tragedy whom I assume is the mother.
Thank you for your informative post!!!
ReplyDeleteVillage Talkies a top-quality professional corporate video production company in Bangalore and also best explainer video company in Bangalore & animation video makers in Bangalore, Chennai, India & Maryland, Baltimore, USA provides Corporate & Brand films, Promotional, Marketing videos & Training videos, Product demo videos, Employee videos, Product video explainers, eLearning videos, 2d Animation, 3d Animation, Motion Graphics, Whiteboard Explainer videos Client Testimonial Videos, Video Presentation and more for all start-ups, industries, and corporate companies. From scripting to corporate video production services, explainer & 3d, 2d animation video production , our solutions are customized to your budget, timeline, and to meet the company goals and objectives.
As a best video production company in Bangalore, we produce quality and creative videos to our clients.