Title: Telling Christina Goodbye



Author: Lurlene McDaniel



Publication Date: 2002



Page Count:



Type: fiction



Started On: 10/30/07



Finished On: 11/3/07



Grade: A











1. Why did I decide to read this book?



- I decided to read this book because my friend read it and thought I would like it. She really liked it and said I should give it a try. I looked at it and it looked like something I would read. I like books that deal with kids my age and this book is a true story about kids my age. So after reading the back cover, I realized I would like it and decided to read it.

2. Plot Summary.

-Their are two couples that are really good friends. They are seniors in high school and they thought their year would be great. The two girls are really good friends and always look out for each other. The one couple always gets in fights, but claim they love each other and the other couple is always nice to each other. The two couples go to a basketball game where Tucker and Christina get in a fight. They hurriedly get in the car with the other two, Thrisha and Cody, along the way they hit ice and wreck. The wreck left two severely injured, one in a coma, and one dead. Now everyone has to face all the new challenges coming after the wreck and how to deal with them.



3. What is the setting and why is it important?

- This story take place in Mooresville, Indiana. It is during basketball season at first. Then the story continues throughout the rest of the school year and into the summer through the beginning of the next school year. Taking place in basketball season was very important because on their way home form the game when they wrecked. When they wrecked they slid on ice and basketball season is in the winter so that was also an important factor. The fact that it happened throughout the school year was also significant because it shows how hard it was for the people to get through the rest of the school year.



4. Who are the main characters and what roles do they play in the novel?

• Christina- Tucker's girlfriend and Thrisha's best friend. She was the girl killed in the wreck.
• Tucker- Christina's boyfriend that was driving the car. He now has to deal with killing his girlfriend and hurting his friends.
• Thrisha- Christina's best friend that was severely injured in the wreck. She has a very hard time dealing with the aftermath of the wreck.
• Cody- Thrisha's boyfriend that is left in a coma after the wreck. He can't really remember anything that has happened.
• Abby- A friend from school that has helped Thrisha through her loss.
• The parents of the kids- They helped the kids get through it the best they can.

5. What was the main conflict?

- The main conflict was the wreck. The conflict is both how it happened and how they dealt with it afterwards. When Cody got out of his coma he didn't remember anything, not even his girlfriend Thrisha. So, she has to deal with the death of her best friend and trying to get her boyfriend to remember and love her again. While all this is going on she has Tucker, who she never like that much because of the way he treated Christinia, who is trying to stick with her because they are the only two that are going throughout the same thing. Tucker has always had conflicts. He had little feuds with Christina when she was alive, now he fights with himself for the wreck. He now has to deal with how everyone looks at him, especially Christina's parents who blame him up until the end when they realize it was an accident.

6. What is the climax?

- The climax of the story is also the wreck. The wreck changed everything up until that point. The story goes from being happy and normal to very sad and as far from normal as you can get. From the point of the wreck on all the people involved lead totally different lives. It also changes everyones outlook on life.

7. What is the significance of the title and why is it appropriate?

- The title is very appropriate for this book. It explains everything after the wreck. Everyone has to tell Chrisinia goodbye sooner then they thought. Thrisha has a hard time letting go. She has to get through a whole year of "firsts" without her. So, I think the title is perfect because the situation that the characters in this book have to go through.

8. Opinion.

- I really liked this book.Even though it was really sad and I pretty much cried throughout the whole story, I loved reading it. I really liked to read books about kids my own age and this was one of them. It also made me realize that something like this could happen to anyone. I honestly couldn't put the book down. I really liked it.