Also Known As Harper

1. Also Known As Harper By: Kristian Johnson • Fiction • Author: Ann Hay Wood Leal • Year Published: 2009

2. Setting: The sun was shining on the bright green grass, in Harper Lee’s neighborhood. The only thing Harper could hear was the sound of Winnie Rae sniffing and wiping her nose in the inside of her wrist like a monkey. Harper ran to her front door to notice the white eviction note taped on to the door.

3. Characters: • Winnie Rae- Winnie is the enemy of Harper who lived right next door to Harper’s old home, Winnie Rae is the most sneakiest character in the book. Harper Lee- Harper is the narrative of the story. Harper loves to write poems about her life and family, Harper is very creative with her poems. She inherited her love for writing from her mama. • Hemmingway- Hemmingway is Harper’s little brother, and all he wants is for his daddy to come back. Hemmingway is very much a daddy’s boy. • Mama- Mama’s kids are Harper and Hemmingway, the only thing she cares about is her kids and keeping a roof over their heads. Mama is a very clean freak, and loves to write. • Lorraine- Lorraine is a great friend of Harper. They both met each other from around the hotel. Lorraine was in a fire and she lost her word after that. • Daddy- Daddy is Harper and Hemmingway’s father. Daddy started having a lot of issues after he started drinking, so he got up and left with out saying good-bye. • Dorothy- Dorothy is an older lady that pushes a wheel chair around the hotel. Dorothy loves to help other people such as Harper and Lorraine. • Randall- Randall is Lorraine’s little brother that translates some things for her. He loves to play with Hemmingway.

4. Conflict: Life is giving Harper and her family a lot of problems just about now. Daddy up and left them with little money and a lot of bills to pay. Then Harper’s family gets evicted and has to move into the Knotty Pine Deluxe Motor Hotel, which is not nearly nice as it sounds. With Harper’s Mama scrambling to make ends meet, Harper has to stay home from school to take care of her little brother Hemmingway. Harper would not be able to participate in the poetry contest that she has been waiting for, for months.

5. Resolution: At the end of the book Harper Lee and Lorraine’s good friend Dorothy was found under a tree dead. Lorraine was so worried/depressed that she finally found her words. Lorraine and her family had to move, because her mother wants to live by expert doctors to make sure Lorraine does not loose her words again.

6. My Opinion: I’m totally in love with this book! I would give this book how ever many stars in could get. I so recommend this book to everyone that loves poems and likes to read. I think that Miss. Ann Hay Wood Leap (authors name) did a great job at writing this awesome book! am surely going to read more books from her.

7. About the author: • Ann Hay Wood Leal’s real name is Annie not Ann. • She lives in Connecticut. • Her occupation is writing. • She is author of middle- grade novels. • She wrote another book titled A Finders- Keepers place.

8. Questions: • Why did Harper lie about having an appointment? • Harper lied, because she saw HER favorite dresser that had been sold with out her permission in somebody else’s home. • Why was Winnie Rae crying in the bathroom. • Winnie Rae was crying, because her baby sister died before she even left the hospital. • What color does Lorraine take out of the crayon box? • Lorraine takes the orange crayon out of the box. • What was Harper’s Mama’s favorite book? • Mama’s favorite book is To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee. • What did Dorothy always push around the hotel? • - Dorothy always pushes a wheelchair around the hotel.

9. Summary: Fifth grader Harper Lee Morgan is named after her mother’s favorite author. Harper writes poems and knows that the poems she writes are good. However, circumstances beyond her control take precedence. When Harper and her family lose their, home it is up to Harper to watch her younger brother while their mother tries to find extra jobs to make some money and be able to find a real home. Harper is devastated that her family situation will prevent her from being able to read her poems at her school’s poetry competition, but with the help from unexpected places, new friends, and old enemies Harper realizes that poetry can be performed in any environments.