*Partners--Abdi+and+Ms.+Looney

Partners: Abdi and Ms. Looney Book Title: //Chasing Vermeer// Author: Blue Balliett

Hi Abdi, I'm so excited to be your reading partner. I think that you made a good book selection, and I'm sure that we're going to have some great online discussions. After reading the title and back cover of the book, I realize that __Chasing Vermeer__ is a mystery involving a stolen piece of art, a priceless Vermeer painting. I love mysteries. How about you, Abdi? I also noticed that the book received several awards, including the Edgar Award. I bet that award is given to the best mystery book. The name Edgar leads me to believe it's an award honoring Edgar Allen Poe, the master of suspense! What do you think, Abdi? Let's read chapters 1-2 by tomorrow. Ms. Looney
 * Wednesday, April 27, 2011**

hello ms.Looney I'm also excited to work with you on this book and to be your reading partner. I saw the cover of the book and i new that it's the type of book that has mystery involved. the title "Chasing Vermeer" is what also made the book more mysterius, i can't wait to work with you tomorrow

I wonder why these three people, a man and two women, received the letter. It's interesting that all three people lived alone and couldn't sleep that night. Who sent this letter? I wonder if it's a trick, or maybe it's for real. Either way, the letter was very mysterious. Who do you think sent the letter? I noticed that the author chose words which created a mysterious mood. One example is, "Another woman lay awake under the moon, listening to the wind and the occasional whine of a police siren." (p. 4) Another example is, "A lone cat yowled in the alley below her bedroom, and she jumped, her heart pounding." (p. 4) Can you find any other passages from the text that create this mysterious mood?
 * Wednesday, April 27, 2011**
 * Ms. Looney: Chapters 1 p. 1-5**


 * Abdikarim Egal Chapter 1 p.1-5**

I don't understand why these people have been getting these letters. But the bigger question is who gave it to them and why? I to like how the author started with the story but there was one part i don't understand//" If you show this to the authorities, you will most certainly place your life in danger"// (pg 4). I really like the suspense in the book i think the author came out with a good start.


 * Monday, May 2, 2011**
 * Ms. Looney Chapter 2 p. 6-17**

Ms. Hussey is certainly an unusual teacher. I wonder why she's asking the class to write her a letter that she won't be able to forget. Maybe she received one of the mysterious letters, or maybe she was the one who wrote them. Either way, I think she's involved somehow. I'm wondering why she would be looking at art books at the book store. Didn't the mysterious letter have something to do with an artist? I predict that Calder and Petra are going to get involved in trying to solve the mystery. I wonder if the Calder's pentominoes will help solve the mystery. I can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter. What do you think about Ms. Hussey? Would you like her for a teacher? Why do you think Petra was so interested in finding out what book Ms. Hussey was buying?


 * Tuesday,May 3, 2011**
 * Abdikarim Cpt 2 p.6-17**
 * The sixth grade teacher ms.Hussey has been acting weird lately and i think she was one of the people who got the letters but I think she's one of parinoid teachers. i kinda knew that Calder and Petra were going to solve the mystery letter. I really do think that ms. Hussey is one of the people who got the letters.**

I find the author's description of Petra and Calder quite interesting. Petra's family is so disorganized. She was one of many children. "Petra's household was a tornado where life swirled in noisy circles." (p. 19) On the other hand, Calder's family was different. Everything was organized and planned, and he was an only child. I wonder if Ms. Hussey's class field trip to the museum had anything to do with the letter. I wonder why Calder always caries around the penominoes. Each pentomino is shaped like a letter. Every time he drops one, he think of the meaning for that letter. Do you think the pentominoes have anything to do with the mystery? Do you think that the book that the man from Powell's dropped in the giveaway box outside the bookstore was meant for Ms. Hussey? Since Petra took the book, do you think she'll discover something?
 * Friday, May 6, 2011**
 * Ms. Looney Chapters 3-4 p. 18-42**
 * Friday,May 13, 2011**
 * Abdi Egal Chapter 4**
 * I'm not so sure what the field trip ms.hussey plan on going but it dose seems like she going to to try to solve the letter or just to bore her students, I'm not so sure but I'll find out when I continue with the book.**

What do you think of the book that Petra took from the library giveaway box? Do you agree with what Charles Fort, the author, was saying? What do you think of his thinking: "Depending on how you looked at things, your world could completely change?" Petra is really interested in the book? What kind of person do you think Petra is? How do you know?
 * Thursday, May 19, 2011**
 * Ms. Looney Chapter 5 p. 43-49**