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Summary: Ellen Foster
Review: Ellen Foster was an outstanding novel written by Kay Gibbons. An eleven-year-old orphan experiences hardship throughout the story from her close relatives after the death of her mother. Interesting characterization was developed by the author.
Rating: 
Summary: Ellen Foster
Review: This is a fantastic novel written by Kaye Gibbons about a foster child. The book is a flashback story about Ellen who's mother overdoses on pills and she's left with an abusive father. GO BUY THIS BOOK!
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Summary: The Chocolate War
Review: This is a great book about a boy and his confrontations with violence, friendship, and peer pressure. I highly recommend this because of Cormier's great style of writing incorporated with teenage politics. The character's analysis in the book is outstanding making Cormier seem like he totally understands teenagers. GO BUY THIS BOOK!
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Summary: Left me Smiling at the End
Review: Made me want to hug Ellen and all the other children like her. I liked it much more than A Virtuous Woman, but it still left me with the feeling that I would have liked to see a longer timeline. What happens to Ellen?
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Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: I loved this book. It is easy to read yet is full of "story" and emotion. It is a good example of how cruel life can be but how the human spirit can thrive beyond adversity. Very sweet story.
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Summary: Ellen Foster a foster child
Review: I am in a Women's Lit class at Washburn University and this was the first book that we read for the class, I was amazed by this book. The children in this book in one way or another have been suppressed by an adult. First off Ellen by her mother, father, and then later her grandmother and aunt. However Ellen was not the only one Starletta was also suppressed not only by her mother but society, and poverty. Then there is the Aunt who's mother ahas effected her in the long term way that she feels she must give her daughter everything under the sun. But I don't want to give the book away, but it tis a must read, it jumps back and forth, however I feel that is because most 11 year olds jump back and forth when they are telling a story.
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Summary: Excellent even after a style class
Review: I read this book originally for a style class at a university. I did not think I would like it. However, even after I have taken it apart bit by bit for an analysis, it is a great book. She does an excellent job moving from adult, academic writing, to the open mind of a pre-adolescent girl.
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Summary: Ellen Foster is a must read
Review: Ellen Foster is definitely a 4 stars book. I thought it was a shame that an 11-year old girl would be shuffled around to different family members after her mother passed. Especially to family who really didn't care either way about her. I'm sure there are alot of children in our country that seem to get lost in the system. Ellen is a trooper. She hung in there and had a plan that in the end paid off for her. The writing style was somewhat confusing, but after reading A Virtuous Woman first I knew what to expect. I figured if Ellen Foster could come through all of her trials then I could surely muttle through the whole book. For a short book it sure packs a big punch. Ellen Foster made me stop and think that maybe the trials we have in our lives aren't quite as bad as we think they really are. A book worth taking your time to read.
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Summary: Ellen Foster Review
Review: Ellen Foster is most likely one of the most emotional stories ever written. It depicts the life of a young girl named Ellen. Agirl that is much smarter than most children. Also, a girl that lives through things that most little girls should not have to see. Yet, she copes with her life and decides to fight her way through it and make the best of it. Kaye Gibbons really went into depth in the plot. I loved the style she used to put together someone speaking because it would basically be Ellen restating what was said. That is so because the story is in first-person format. Sentences would end in things like, "and that is what she said," which I liked because it was new, different, and a bit intriguing. Ellen must fight the pain of her mother's death, as she must live with an abusive father. Then, she proceeds to live with a couple of hippies that she really likes a lot. Soon, her Grandmother gets ahold of her and she is truy a wicked perosn. She puts poor Ellen to work in the cotton fields. Following this, when her Grandmother dies, she moves on to live with her phony Aunts. When she cannot take any more of that lifestyle, she gets kicked out on Christmas Eve and moves into a Foster Home. That was just the basic outine of the story. The real drama lies within the outer shell. Ellen was a girl that could make mountains out of mole hills. She perspires though many hardships to fins love and happiness. This book sets a girl example for young readers. It tells them to keep pushing and working for how they would want things to be. Bad things can happen to a person and he or she could still turn out okay. That is the biggest aspect of the story that touched me. I decided to give this book four stars. It was very good for the most part as described before. Sometimes, during the course of the story, it began to get a little drawn out. Besides that, it was a great story that is for everyone.
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Summary: The life of a troubled child
Review: Ellen Foster is a story telling about the life of a very troubled little girl coincidentally by the name of Ellen Foster. On a scale from one to five this story would stand at a three. It was a very good story but very difficult to follow. The way the story goes back and forth can be extremely confusing to some people. Aside from the story jumping back and forth it was a very well written story. The author well described each situation. Always telling why it had happened, where it happened, and when it happened. She never held back on what was going on in the story. The only thing that kept this book from a five is it being so difficult to follow. it skips back and forth from her being at her home with her daddy to living with her new mommy. to some this story would have just been like a big mess all put together. As long as you realized where she was at in the story you would be ok. It was just not the type of book that is easy to read and follow. In conclusion, the writing of this book seemed to be a well though out process. although the author skipped around a lot they still had the general idea of Ellen and how her life was. this book deserves nothing less that a three. Besides the skipping around it is a very good book. It is also highly recommended.
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