Letters My Mother Never Read pgs (1- 30)

By: Jerri Diane Sueck


This book is about a girl named Jerri who has a cleft palate. She has twin brothers Tyler and Trevor. She also has a brother named Billy and a step sister Alice. Her biological father was very abusive to them. Jerri's mother eventually remarried a man in the Air Force. They move to Seymour Alabama where her mother's family lives.
Jerri's mother dies at the trailer from a gas explosion. Jerri doesn't want to beleive it and thinks she is going to come back. Jerri and her brothers will now be living with grandma and granpa Resuba in Pennsylvania. Jerri starts to write letters to her mother. Grandma Resuba is very mean to Jerri and her brothers. She is constantly telling Jerri that she is ugly. They are not allowed to talk in the house and they have to stay in the coal cellar. Daddy is never around, he spends his time at the Air Force base. They also live with Uncle Resuba who is also mean. The police are at their house because Billy told them how they are being treated. But the police do nothing about it.

Grandma and Daddy argue about what to do with the children. Grandma Resuba says that no one will want Jerri because of the way she looks. Jerri wants to go to Indiana where her mothers family lives but doesn't know their phone numbers. On Christmas Eve Daddy takes the children to an Orphanage and tells them that no one wants them and that he cannot keep them. This is now their new home.

How do you think Jerri felt to be unwanted and just dropped off at an orphanage?

Shattered Pages (83-123)

Darcy is feeling like she is being lied to and betrayed. Darcy is mad at her sister for being in her business. She doesn't like how all the freshman are gossiping about her. Darcy is worried from seeing a red Toyota that looks like Brians. She knows Brian Mason has returned. Darcy and Tarah didn't talk to eachother in class. After class Tarah gave Darcy an apology letter from Hakeem saying how sorry he was. Darcy wrote him back telling him to meet her after school. Darcy tells Hakeem how she met someone while he was gone. She tells him how Brian wouldn't stop, and she doesn't know what would have happened if her dad hadn't come over. Hakeem is furious and tells Darcy that Brian needs to be taught a lesson. Hakeem rushed off and Darcy is worried of what he might do. Darcy rushes home not knowing what to do. When she arrives, Tarah called Darcy to let her know that Coop and Hakeem were going after Brian.

Darcy storms out of her house on her way to Brians apartment. When she gets there she sees Hakeem and Brian arguing. Hakeem punches Brian in the face and Darcy starts to scream. Darcy tells Coop to help her break up the fight.
When Darcy gets home, Jamee is on the phone looking for her dad. Her mom hurt her back at work and needed a ride from him. They are worried that he is not working and out drinking. When their dad gets home, they tell him how their mom is hurt. They rush to the hospital to go pick up Mattie. Darcy tells her mom how she will work more to help out since her mom couldn't work anymore. Darcys father tells her and Jamee why he wasn't at work. He tells them he was at a meeting for people with drinking problems. He promises to get better for them. Darcy hears her dad shattering the beer bottles into the trash, a sound sweeter than any music.

Do you think that Darcy's dad is comitted to going to the meetings and that he will quit drinking once and for all?

Shattered Pages (48-82)

Stephanie Arteaga

Author: Paul Langan

It was hard for Darcy to pay attention in class. All she kept thinking about was what Brisana told her about Hakeem. Darcy is anxious to talk to Tarah about what is going on with Hakeem. Darcy is worried that Hakeem might have met someone else during the summer. Tarah tells her that they just need to talk and that everything will be ok. Tarah basically admits that she knows Hakeem met someone. Darcy was mad at her friend Tarah for knowing something all along. Tarah and Darcy had a huge arguement in class about Hakeem. Darcy couldn't beleive that Darcy could keep something like that from her. Tarah tries to apologize to Darcy but she walks out of class with tears in her eyes.

Brisana tells Darcy that she warned her about Hakeem. Darcy thinks she is trying to rub it in but Brisana just wants to know how she is doing. Brisana tells Darcy that she needs to move on. Darcy was so hurt that Hakeem had already replaced her. Darcy rushes after school to confront Hakeem. Just when she is about to speak to Hakeem, a girl she has never seen walks right up to him and gives a him a big hug. But Darcy was sure it was the girl Brisana told her about. Everything Brisana told her was true. Hakeem didn't know what to do, he looked like he was sick to his stomach. Darcy interrupts their conversation and tells Anika that her and Hakeem need to talk. Anika tells Darcy how her and Hakeem met in Detroit and he kissed her during her first guitar lesson. Darcy couldn't even speak she was so hurt.

Darcy walks away and goes to the cemetary. She needs to see her Grandma. Darcy begins talking to her grandmother about the trouble with her friends. When Darcy gets home she finds a note and money from her dad. Darcy and her sister find an emty bottle of beer. Darcy remembers how much her dad used to drink. She hopes he isn't starting to drink again. Jamee doesn't want to tell her mom about what they found. She is scared of what she might do. Darcy knew that the truth would destroy their family.

Do you think that Darcy and Jamee made the right decision by not telling their mother about the empty beer bottle?

Shattered Pages (24-47)

Author: Paul Langan

Darcy was shocked to see her dad Carl yelling at her mother Mattie. They were arguing about Mattie working too many hours to make ends meet. As well as how Darcy's father walked out on his family for another woman in the past. Mattie doesn't want Carl working as a nighttime cab driver because she thinks it's too dangerous. Carl stormed out of the house furious at Mattie. Jamme was worried that their father was going to leave them again. Darcy comforted her sister and told her that everything was going to be ok. Darcy was worried because her father never came back home that night. Darcy wants to help her mother by giving her some money she had been saving up. Her mother refused the money and just wants to be left alone.

Darcy talks about her old best friend Brisana Meeks. Darcy remembered how Brisana had a pregnancy scare by an older guy she fell for. Brisana tells Darcy how she saw Hakeem at the mall with another girl. Darcy didn't beleive her and thought she was lying. Darcy refused to hear what she had to say about Hakeem. Darcy wanted to scream and started to hear voices of doubt in her head.

Does Darcy have reason not to beleive a word Brisana says?

Shattered Pages (1-23)

Author: Paul Langan

Darcy Willis is on the phone apologizing to her friend Tarah about why she is late meeting her and her boyfriend Cooper Hodden at Niko's Pizza. But, Darcy is too busy worrying about telling Hakeem Randall what had happened to her during the summer. Darcy lied to her friend telling her that her manager made her stay late at work but instead Darcy was sent home early after arguing with a customer who said she was shortchanged. Hakeem's father was battling cancer, and his family was broke from medical bills. Their only choice was to move in with relatives in Detroit. Hakeem and Darcy broke up just before they left, Darcy was crushed by the loss. Then a miracle happened, Hakeem's father's health improved and he let his son live with Cooper. Darcy was worried about telling Hakeem that Brian had gone too far with her.

Darcy finally arrived at Niko's to meet her friends and Hakeem. Darcy felt uncomfortable and tense around Hakeem. They all talked about how they all changed in just one year. Darcy was worried that her and Hakeem were finally over for good. Tarah told her friend to give it some time, that things will get better. Darcy was dreading the first day of school.

Do you think Darcy should have told Hakeem about what happened to her when she saw him at Niko's Pizza and why?