Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Author Post (Ellen Raskin)
Author Post
1. Ellen Raskin was born in March 13, 1928
2. She received the 1979 Newbery Medal for her 1978 book, The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin).
3. She married Dennis Flanagan, editor of the Scientific American, in 1965 (Ellen Raskin).
4. Raskin died at the age of 56 on August 8, 1984 because of complications with connective tissue disease.
5. Besides The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin has written other books. Some of these are Figgs and Phantoms, Moose, Goose, and Little Nobody, and A Child's Christmas in Wales.
6. She also wrote Nothing Ever Happens on My Block, which was named one of the 10 best illustrated children’s books of the year by the New York Times.
7. Besides being a very famous writer, Raskin is also a very famous illustrator and designer.
8. Raskin designed and illustrated more than 1000 book jackets. Including the famous book, A Wrinkle in Time.
9.Ellen Raskin describes herself as a "self-critical, running-scared, compulsive perfectionist" since the age of ten (Ellen Raskin: Notable Wisconsin Author).
10. She majored in fine arts and received a disciplined education in the fundamentals of anatomy, perspective, light and shade, color, and techniques of painting and sculpture(Ellen Raskin: Notable Wisconsin Author).
View my updated blog! Click Here!
Works Cited:
Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game. New York, N.Y.: Speak, 2008. Print.
UW-Madison School of Education. Web. 22 Apr. 2010.
"Ellen Raskin Biography Dictionary of Literary Biography Biography." BookRags.com: Book Summaries, Study Guides. Web. 22 Apr. 2010.
"Ellen Raskin Scholastic.com." Teaching Resources, Children's Book Recommendations, and Student Activities Scholastic.com. Web. 22 Apr. 2010.
"Ellen Raskin - Books, Biography, Contact Information." JacketFlap.com - Children's Books, Teen Books, Writers, Authors, Illustrators, Librarians, Agents, Editors, Publicists, Publishers, and Blogs. Web. 22 Apr. 2010.
Picture taken from: http://www.mokena159.com/staff/MJH/MartinusC/webpage/novels/authors/raskin.jpg
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Character List and Description
View my updated blog! Click Here!
1. Madame Sun Lin Hoo, cook
Partners with Jake Wexler.
Bad English grammar. Knows little English.
We latter find out she is the thief that's been stealing everyone's things.
She steals things because she wants to buy a plane ticket back to China.
Age: 28 (Raskin 101)
Lived in China
Gossip says that James Shin Hoo married her just for her 100-year-old sauce.
2. Jake Wexler, "Standing or sitting when not lying down."
Partners with Madame Sun Lin Hoo.
Age: 45 (Raskin 116)
Podiatrist
Has two Daughters. (Angela and Tabitha Ruth (Turtle) Wexler)
A Bookie (117).
3. Turtle Wexler, "Witch"
Partners with Flora Baumbach.
Excellent businesswoman.
Very good with stocks.
Very stubborn
Kicks shins when someone touches her braids or if she gets frustrated.
Takes all the blame for being the bomber for her sister, Angela.
Real Name: Tabitha-Ruth Wexler (Raskin 116).
Very Smart
A good lawyer.
Age: 13
Flora Baumbach calls her Alice.
4. Flora Baumbach, Dress Maker
Partners with Turtle Wexler.
Age: 60 (Raskin 104)
Dressmaker
Has a Retarted Daughter, Rosalie
Turtle Wexler Called Mrs. Baumbach “Baba” (Raskin 104)
She made the wedding gown for Violet Westing, but sadly Violet never had the chance to wear it.
5. Christos Theodorakis, Birdwatcher
Partners with D. Denton Deer.
Has a speech impediment
Age: 15 (Raskin 121).
Has a brother (Theo Theodorakis)
Disabled; confined to a wheelchair
His dad was a childhood sweetheart with Violet Westing, but was broken up by Mrs. Westing (Berthe Erica Crow).
6. D. Denton Deere, Intern, St. Joseph Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery
Partners with Christos Theodorakis.
Age: 25 (Raskin 107)
First Year Intern, Plastic Surgery
Engaged to Angela Wexler.
7. Alexander McSouthers, Doorman
Partners with J.J. Ford.
Also called “Sandy.”
Later we find out he is actually Samuel W. Westing, Julian R. Eastman, Windy Windkloppel, and Barney Northrup (Raskin 182).
Age: 65 (124)
Was a Mill worker, union organizer, prizefighter, and a doorman.
He worked for Samuel W. Westing, but got fired by him for organizing the workers. No pension.
8. J.J. Ford, Judge, Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court
Partners with Alexander McSouthers.
Age: 42 (Raskin 125).
Never Married
No children
Lived in Westing house.
Played Chess with Mr. Westing and that’s where she learned about Mr. Westing famous move, The Queens Sacrifice.
Sam Westing payed for J.J. Ford’s Education (126).
When she received her inheritance, she was out of debt and in return paid for Chris Theodorakis’ college.
9. Grace Windsor Wexler, Heiress
Partners with James Shin Hoo.
Maiden Name: Gracie Windkloppel (Raskin 116)
In the latter portion of the book, we find out that she really is Samuel Westing’s granddaughter.
Age: 42
10. James Shin Hoo, Restaurateur
Partners with Grace Windsor Wexler.
Age: 50 (Raskin 101)
Added “Shin” to his name when he went into the restraunt business because it sounded more Chinese.
Bitter
Stubborn
People think he is the bomber because he didn’t like the competition of the coffee shop.
11. Berthe Erica Crow, Good Salvation Soup Kitchen
Partners with Otis Amber.
Is actually Mrs. Westing.
She arranged Violet Westing’s Marriage (not Mr. Westing).
Age: 57 (Raskin 113)
Ex Husbands Name: Windy Windkloppel (Samuel W. Westing)
Works as cleaning woman in Sunset Towers
Mrs. Westing is to blame for violets death.
12. Otis Joseph Amber, Deliverer
Partners with Berthe Erica Crow.
Private Investigator (Raskin 161)
Age: 62 (Raskin 107)
“Delivery Boy” (or so we thought)
He was disguised as a delivery boy to privately investigate people.
A Bachelor
He was hired by Sam Westing, Barney Northrup, and Judge J.J. Ford (161)
13. Theo Theodorakis, Brother
Partners with Doug Hoo.
Had a crush on Angela Wexler (Raskin 115).
Age: 17 (121)
Wants to be a Writer
Plays chess
Has a brother (Christos Theodorakis)
14. Doug Hoo, First in All-State high school mile run.
Partners with Theo Theodorakis.
Age: 18 (Raskin 101)
High School Track Star
Is competing in Saturdays track meet against college milers.
Comes in first place
Win’s Two Olympic Gold Medals
Hoo sued Sam Westing over the Invention of the disposable diaper.
15. Sydelle Pulaski, Secretary to the President (of a sausage company; Sholts).
Partners with Angela Wexler.
She was the mistake that Samuel W. Westing made, but actually the private investigator made the mistake of getting Pulaski as an heiress.
Age:50 (Raskin 108)
She "needs" crutches.
She paints her crutches.
16. Angela Wexler, None (Later changed to Person).
Partners with Sydelle Pulaski.
The Bomber
Age: 20 (Raskin 116)
Engaged to D. Denton Deere (who is also an heir)
Doesn’t really like being “The Perfect Child.”
Victim of third Bombing
Gets a scar on her beautiful face because of the bomb.
Looks like Violet Westing
17. Samuel W. Westing, Famous Millionaire, Uncle Sam
Has been called an “Insane.”
Faked his own death with a Wax Dummy.
Also known as Alexander McSouthers (Sandy), Julian R. Eastman, Windy Windkloppel, and Barney Northrup.
18. Violet Westing, Samuel W. Westing’s Daughter
Was Engaged to a crook politician that she did not like.
According to gossip she drowned herself because she did not want to marry the guy.
Looks like Angela Wexler
Her dad wanted her to take over the company but she wanted to be a teacher.
Never got to wear the dress that Mrs. Baumbach made her.
Her mom arranged her and the crooked politician together.
Mrs. Westing wanted her to be somewhere important in life.
Mrs. Westing is to blame for violets death.
19. Ed Plum, Lawyer
The lawyer who was the one that had to read the will.
The police wanted to arrest him after Sandy died.
Was one of the answers that Grace Wexler and Mr. Hoo gave.
Works Cited.
Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Puffin, 1992. Print.
View my updated blog! Click Here!
Clues
1. Madame Sun Lin Hoo, cook
Jake Wexler, Standing or sitting when not lying down.
Original Clues: Of America And God Above
2. Turtle Wexler, Witch
Flora Baumbach, Dress Maker
Original Clues: Sea Mountain Am O
Turtle sold Sandy a striped candle for his wife’s birthday (Raskin 130).
3. Christos Theodorakis, Birdwatcher
D. Denton Deere, Intern, St. Joseph Hostpital, Department of Plastic Surgery
Original Clues: For Plain Grain Shed
4. Alexander McSouthers, Doorman
J.J. Ford, Judge, Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court
Original Clues: Skies Am Shining Brother
Alexander McSouthers name has the word/direction “South” in it.
J.J. Ford use to live in the Westing House and play Chess with Mr. Westing, which is where she learned the famous move of Samuel W. Westing (The Queens Sacrifice)(Raskin 125).
5. Grace Windsor Wexler, Heiress
James Shin Hoo, Restaurateur
Original Clues: Purple Waves Fruited Sea For
Grace Wexler maiden name was Gracie Windkloppel
6. Berthe Erica Crow, Good Salvation Soup Kitchen
Otis Amber, Deliverer
Original Clues: Thy Beautiful Majesties With
Berthe Erica Crow Ex-husbands’s name was Windy Windkloppel (That means Berthe Erica Crow is actually former Mrs. Westing)
Mrs. Westing arranged Violet Westing’s marriage(Raskin 120).
7. Theo Theodorakis, Brother
Doug Hoo, First in All-State high school mile run.
Original Clues: On(No) To Thee For His N (NH3NO4=ammonium_nitrate)
8. Sydelle Pulaski, Secretary to the President
Angela Wexler, None
Original Clues: Good Hood Spacious Grace From
Miscellaneous Clues
The Queens Sacrifice (Which was a famous move that Windy Windkloppel made).
Sam Westing’s body was just a wax dummy(Raskin 129).
Samuel W. Westing got in a car crash and needed plastic surgery on his face.
July 4th
America the Beautiful
Sandy McSouthers, Julian R. Eastman and Barney Northrup and Samuel W. Westing all had Directions in their name.
Sandy McSouthers, Julian R. Eastman and Barney Northrup’s Shin was bruised.
The Clues In His Will
The First part of the will says, I returned to live among my friends and my enemies. I came home to seek my heir, aware that in doing so I faced death. And so I did.
When he wrote that he meant he would actually literally live among them as Sandy McSouthers and he would seek who his heir would be.
Works Cited.
Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.: Puffin, 1992. Print.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
