Brooklyn's Journal Entry #4

The novel "Where the Heart is" reveals a lot about life. It reveals that life is short and precious. That life is something that we don't appreciate enough and something we should appreciate more. It really reveals quite a bit about life
In this book, some lives are lost, and new life is created. Americus is the first example of new life in this novel. Americus being born was something that changed Novalee's life. It made her a different person and she was much better off after Americus came into her life. The author is proving that small things can change our lives in a huge way.
When Sister Husband dies in this novel, it is very sad and emotional. Even though it may have been her time to go, Novalee still needed her. So did mr. Sprock, Americus, and everyone else she had touched throughout her life. Sister Husband's character had changed so many lives and helped them in so many ways. She was also proof that little acts can change a life. She changed Novalee's life just by meeting her.

Brooklyn's Journal Entry #3

The novel "Where the Heart is" had many effects on me. It made me feel sad, scared, angry and so many other emotions. It is such an amazing book, and an emotional roller coaster.

In the beginning of the book, I was intrigued. I liked Novalee's character right away. She has such a positive outlook on life and is a generally happy person. But Willy Jack was never a character I liked. He is nothing like Novalee. He is a rude and negative person.
When Willy Jack left Novalee at the Wal-mart I felt so bad for Novalee. A great person like her did not deserve to be abandoned while she was pregnant at a Wal-mart on the side of the road. I also felt immediate hate for Willy Jack
Throughout the book I was always interested and excited to turn the page. I thought it was so amazing that Novalee had gotten so much out of one little town. So many people from around the world sent her encouraging letters, she met so many amazing people like Sister Husband, Lexi, Forney, all her neighbors, Moses and more. She made an amazing life for her and Americus right there in that little town, which is amazing.
The saddest part of the book was when Sister Husband died in the tornado. She was so loving and caring and she meant so much to Novalee. She was one of the best characters in the novel. This part of the novel was quite upsetting even though Sister husband was old and it was her  time to go.
I found that this book had a strange ending. Novalee decided to drive Willy Jack back to where he belonged despite everything he had done to her. At first i was confused, but after thinking about it I understood. Willy Jack had ditched Novalee at the Wal-mart and if he hadn't she would never have met all these amazing people and created an amazing and perfect life for herself. His actions were a blessing in disguise so she decided to help him out one last time.

Brooklyn's Journal Entry #2

After reading this book, many of my thoughts and outlooks on life are now different. My thoughts on what it means to be happy, what it means to be loved, and how to appreciate what you have in life have changed a lot. 

The topic of "what it means to be happy" is explored quite a bit in this book. I don't think anyone can ever really understand or know the answer to this question, until you are truly happy. Before reading this novel i didn't really know what to make of this question. I thought you needed the perfect life, like the lives people have in movies, to be completely happy. A beautiful house with a perfect family, with everything you could ever ask for. But after reading this book, I realize that that's not the case at all. To be happy, you just need to do what makes you happy. It can be as simple as that. Novalee shared the same outlooks on happiness as me at the beginning of this novel, but as the novel progresses, Novalee realizes that she's happy with what she has. As long as she's with Sister Husband, Forney, Americus and everyone else she cares about, she can be happy. She realises that she doesn't need the big picture perfect house with a perfect family and all those material items to be happy, she just needs to be around the people she loves.

This book made me appreciate life, and what I have in life much better. Sometimes I get greedy, just like everyone else in the world does, and I forget to appreciate what I have. But after reading this novel, I realize that I have so much more than I thought to appreciate in life. I have a family who loves me and I'm not pregnant, and much more. Novalee didn't even have these things, but she is still so happy and thankful and appreciative of everything she has. If she can be so incredibly happy with what she has, then I should have the same attitude towards my life. 

Katie Journal Entries #4

               This book had many different effects on me. I felt many different emotions while reading this book. In my opinion it started off very slow. I was bored because her life until she gave birth was very boring. She had a daily routine that consisted of doing pretty much the exact same thing every day in Walmart. Once Novalee had her baby and was getting ready to leave the hospital her mom showed up and tricked Novalee into giving her mom all her money. At this point in the book I was extremely mad at Novalee’s mom. After that point the book began to excite me. Novalee and Americus started their new life living with Sister Husband and spending lots of time with Forney. Once Sister husband passed away I felt very sad for Novalee because it was like she lost her mom. I felt her sorrow because I am very close with my mom. I also felt Novalee’s joy when she succeeded to build her own house. She saved up all of her money and succeeded to have enough to build her dream house for her and Americus. I know the joy that she felt because I just bought myself an iPad that costs 1000$. Near the end of the book it was getting very exciting. Novalee’s photography career was taking off and so was her romance with Forney, finally.  Then suddenly she got a call from the hospital saying Willy Jack needed her. Willy Jack had no legs and was far away from his home town. I was very upset at this point in the book because he basically left her to die. She did not even know 1 person in the town when he left her. Novalee was such a caring person that she drove Willy all the way back to where he came from. I was very mad at this point because Willy Jack did not deserve this kindness. Overall this book had many different effects on me, but I loved it.

Katie Journal Entries #3

                Where the heart is, opened my eyes and made me realise how important my family is to me.  This book made me think of where I am in my life right now and how lucky I am compared to Novalee. Novalee did not have even one family member that stood by and helped her. The only family member that went to see her was her mom. Her mom took all of Novalee’s money she was given from the owner of Walmart and left. I don’t know what I would do if I did not have my mom to guide me. It is extremely important to have a supportive mom. If Novalee would have even had one family member that actually cared about her she would not have had such a rough time. I know that no matter what I will always have many people in my life to love and support me. I see life differently by noticing all the little things my family does for me. My mom makes my lunch for me every day and I took that for granite. Novalee did not even have a family member to buy or give her food, which shows how lucky I am. My step dad drives me anywhere I want to go whenever. He takes time out of his busy schedule to drive me where I need to go. I used to think that was just what he has to do. Then I look at Novalee and she didn’t even have a place to live for a few months and lived in Walmart. There are many kids in the world who have a lot more to worry about than if their lunch is already made for them.  Overall this book taught me to appreciate everything I have in life because I am very lucky.

Katie Journal Entires #2

Where the heart is, is a great book and there are certain aspects that make the book. One of the aspects that this novel has is its extremely unpredictable.

At the very beginning of the book I was very surprised when Willy Jack left Novalee. I figured that Willy Jack would return out of guilt because what monster could just leave a pregnant woman stranded. He never returned which made me dislike him very much. On the day that Americus turned seven months she was kidnapped. There were no clues leading up to this it just suddenly happened. Novalee ended up finding her in a nativity scene. I love reading books that are unpredictable. I also figured that Sister Husband would be in the entire book because she was very important to Novalee. Suddenly there was a tornado and Sister Husband passed away. I did not see this coming at all. I would say that the most intense part of the book was when Lexie’s children were molested by her latest boyfriend. Novalee was called by Lexie’s second oldest child and Novalee found them all traumatized and Lexie in need for severe medical attention. This part of the book was so intense and not expected at all. Lexie had only mentioned how great it was to have a guy who cared for her family. Then he turned around and scarred her children for life. This was not expected. One evening Benny Goodluck showed up at Novalee’s doorstep crying.  He was explaining how has never kissed a girl and did not have a prom date. Novalee went up to him and kissed him right out of nowhere. It was very surprising. I figured she would give him advice and hope that someday he would find someone to kiss him. Since they have such a big age difference I did not figure she would actually kiss him.

If a book is predictable it is very boring to me. I like being surprised while I read and left wanting to continue. That is why the unpredictability of this book makes it.

Katie Journal Entries #1

Where the heart is, is a novel about how Novalee Nation overcomes a series of difficulties which shows how the kindness of certain individuals completely changes her life and makes it livable. This book is saying that in life everyone needs a little help sometimes. No matter who or what happens help is always needed.

 At the beginning of the book Novalee is left at a Walmart store with only 7.77$, and nowhere to go. Novalee went from being homeless and poor to having a job, and building her own house for her and her daughter. Novalee would not have survived without the help she had and the people who grew to love her. A woman by the name of Sister Husband takes Novalee and her new born child into her house barely knowing them. Without this kind gesture of help Novalee and Americus would not have had anywhere to go but the streets. Sister Husband took Novalee in as her own daughter and in my opinion saved Novalee’s life. A kind man by the name of Moses Whitecotton took the time to teach Novalee everything he knows about photography. This kind gesture made it possible for Novalee to have a photography career. It was something that she absolutely loves and without Moses, would not have gotten the chance to learn this skill that she becomes successful doing. A kind man by the name of Forney started admireing Novalee the first time he saw her. If it were not for Forney Novalee would have died giving birth. Forney’s help was unrepayable and his kind gestures changed Novalee’s life.

Novalee went from being dropped off in a town where she knows not a soul, to finding her one place she calls home. She would not have been able to overcome all of her challenges without the help from the outstanding people she got.