| Melanie Martin is in fourth
grade. Her family is taking a trip to Italy, so she will be missing some school and
will be away for nine days. When Melanie informs her teacher about her trip, she's
surprised when her teacher tells her, "Well, while you're away, I want you to
think about your place in the family, write a thirty-line poem, and bring in postcards to
share with the class." Melanie starts thinking right away. About a week later Melanie and her parents board the
airplane. Melanie doesn't realize it, but there is an eight hour difference
between New York and Italy. When Melanie and her family arrive, they are all
extremely jet-lagged. They arrive in the morning, but it seems like night to her.
While they are there they visit the leaning tower of Pisa,
the city of Rome, the city of Florence (where she and her family see the statue of David),
the villages in Cinque Terre, the Sistine Chapel, and many other places. The whole
time they're there Melanie is scribbling down short poems or writing in her diary.
Melanie realizes that her annoying little brother, Matt, isn't that bad, even though he
gets himself lost a couple of times. On the last day, when Melanie and her family are
boarding the plane again, Melanie has one problem ... her poems are not done.
To find out whether or not Melanie finishes her poems on
time, and what happens to her in the end, you'll have to read The Diary of
Melanie Martin.
Winter 2002 |
