January 20, 2010
Let’s Talk about Teddy
Teddy makes mistakes in the book? What are those mistakes? Have you ever made similar mistakes? Does Teddy learn anything from his mistakes? Does he grow and change as the book progresses? What kinds of things do you think Teddy learns?
Trevor Cross said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:00 pm
This was a great book!! It is definetly in my top 3. Divided Loyalties should be a book every child should read. I think Teddy made many mistakes in this book but he learned from all of them. One thing i noticed in this book is while i was reading i felt like i was in the book and i, personally, felt like Teddy. Thanks for writing this entertaining and informal book!
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Hi Trevor,
I agree every child should read my books!
I was especially glad to hear that you felt you were “in the book” that you were Teddy. Our own lives tend to be limited by the time in which we live and our life span. One way we can expand our experience is through reading.
See you soon!
Phyllis
jacob Littlefield said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:00 pm
i really enjoyed this book my favorite part was when teddy locked his dad in the bathroom. this was one of the top ten books. but why does teddy have to join the wrong regiment? And did you make any mistakes like in the book? And why did Matt fowler have to be the one to take his fife? Why not grum? I hope you come out with another book like this one.
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Hi Jacob,
If you check out my reply to Hannah, you will see that yes, I make mistakes!!! I’m not sure why Matt Fowler took the fife and not Grum. Sometimes I can’t control my own characters!!!
Yes, I have more books like Divided Loyalties. Check your school library. And I have just published my first ebook.
See you soon!
Phyllis
Mackenzi Wellman said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:04 pm
His mistakes are that he joins the wrong regiment. i have never made a mistake like that. yes , he did learn from the mistake becuase he learns responsibility and friendship.
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Hi Mackenzi,
I’m glad to see you mention that Teddy learns “responsibility and friendship.” Some readers don’t realize that Teddy and Josh are friends again at the end of the book and are able to resume their old relationship.
See you soon!
Phyllis
Hannah said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:06 pm
The mistakes Teddy makes in the book are getting his dad trapped instead of Grum and he joins the wrong regiment. It was a careless mistake that he meant to do to someone else. My mistake that I have made is sort of similar. I was mad at my mom after she’d blamed me for something my sister did (this was about 5-6 years ago). I slammed my door, which had my mom’s favorite glass heart on it. I slammed the door so hard that the heart flew off and broke. I was so ashamed in myself. My mom is very caring since she forgave me later. I think that Teddy does learn from his mistakes because how harsh it was when he was at camp. How they had to ravish for food, and how he had gotten shot in the side of his head. Yes, Teddy does grow and change as the book progresses I think he does become more grownup and mature. I think Teddy learns that he should be more responsible but to also think more about the people around you and how their feelings will react when you do certain things. This was such a great book Ms. Haislip. You are an insparation.
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Hi Hannah,
I am glad to hear that you have made a mistake because even adults make mistakes. In fact, I made one recently. Sometimes adults call their mistakes “errors in judgement.” I got an e-mail from a young friend who was doing a kind of a chain letter on the Internet for holiday recipes. I didn’t want to disappoint my young friend so I sent the chain letter on to 20 friends. As soon as I did it, I knew it was a mistake because those who got the e-mails from me, would be in the same awkward position I was in: Should they ignore it or not?
See you soon!
Phyllis
Noah Smith said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Divided Loyalties is a great book. I really liked when Teddy locked his dad in the necessary. The dog ears was cool too. I can’t believe that Teddy joined the wrong unit. I really liked this book.
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Hi Noah,
It took me a while to realize that in the Continental Army there were different kinds of soldiers, the regular army and the militias. I think Teddy’s confusion reflects my own as I began to learn more about the military at the time of the Revolutionary War.
See you soon!
Phyllis
Kyle Bowen said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I really liked your book.One of Teddy’s mistakes was that he locked his father in the necessary. Another was that he joined the wrong side. I did something close to that once i went on the wrong bus.
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Hi Kyle,
Believe it or not, I took the wrong bus once in High School returning from a baseball game and the bus I was on went off the road in an ice storm and I didn’t get home until about two o’clock in the morning. The other bus got home okay at the regular time. My dad was furious!!!!!
See you soon!
Phyllis
Austin Tomlin said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:08 pm
one mistake is when he accidently locked his dad in the necessary.No i have never made a mistake like teddy because i am not that stupid.He learns to not make traps any more because he will probably get a whooping if he does it again.No.He learns to not make traps.
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Hi Austin,
I agree setting traps, pranks, are never a good idea!
See you soon!
Phyllis
Trevor Kiser said:
on December 3, 2010 at 5:08 pm
one mistake teddy was when he locked his daddy in the necessary. No I have never made a mistake like teddy because my daddy would have shot me. I think teddy will never lock his daddy in the necessary again because he might get killed this time
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Hi Trevor,
When I was your age, I was afraid of making mistakes since my dad was tough, too!
See you soon!
Phyllis
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Hi Hunter,
So glad you liked my book!!! See you soon.
Phyllis
Phyllis said:
on December 6, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Hi Hunter,
Please read my comment to Trevor. I love to hear that readers are “in the book.” I work very hard to make those little squiggles on paper into real people and Teddy and the others became very real to me. I am happy to hear they become real to readers, too.
See you soon!
Phyllis