Status Updates From Down Sand Mountain

Started out interested in this story because I grew up during this time period. It just moved too slow and was going nowhere so I stopped and started a different book.

"...there was this thing he had figured out in the war and he guessed I didn’t understand it just yet — a lot of people didn’t understand it — that there might be hundreds of categories for the living, but there wasn’t but one category for dead."

Plenty of racism, sexism, bullying and more, and also poignancy, in this coming-of-age story set in the U.S. South in the '60s. A fast read, thought- and feeling-provoking.

Dewey's dad lost the election. Everybody has their own theory, but I think it was because that he was helping the colored people. no one likes them. In december, there was a local play at the church. Dewey was originally going to be a Shepard, but the girl who was the angel got sick. He was picked to fill in the role because he was so small! I thought that was hilarious!

This book is really good! It is full of drama and suspense. Dewey was called to the principle's office and they said he poisoned Moe when David really did! The principle said he needed to go to the psychiatrist! I thought that was really weird! Later, David eventually comes to their house one night and Wayne explains that David piosened Moe. Dewey was not talking for the entire time this was happening! I was amazed!

David and Wayne poisoned the kid who was bullying Dewey with rat poison! They put in Dewey's roll, Moe ( Dewey's bully) picks it up and eats the roll! Dewey and wayne have an argument, because Dewey thinks he'll get blamed. On saturday, when they are handing out flyers, they did all the work for him, bought him a milkshake after, offered to do Dewey's chores! I was confused why they did this. T o make him less mad?

Dewey played his bugle at a funeral. It was a funeral for a colored soldier, so only colored people were there. it was awkward for Dewey. Darla and Dewey searched for the howler again. This time they went on top of the Skeleton Hotel, but found nothing. I thought they were crazy for doing that! Dewey's brother got in a fight with the guy that was bullying Dewey. If I was Dewey, I would feel really bad!

Dewey, David, and Wayne went to the colored people town to hand out flyers, but a bunch of colored people chased them! I thought that was crazy! Then a huge area filled with tires caught fire! Dewey said the colored people did it. I thought they could have.

Dewey, David, and Wayne started handing out flyers for Wayne and Dewey's dad's campaign. I couldn't believe that Dewey was scared of handing out flyers. Darla invited Dewey to ride her horse. Her horse ended up to be really old and ugly. I couldn't believe it when I read what Darla's horse looked like. He was missing clumps of hair, could barely trot, and a substance was oozing out of his eyes! I feel bad for him!

Dewey went on a Scout trip over the weekend. The seniors tricked them into thinking there was a snipe hunt, but they ended up tying the other kids ti trees. They also branded them with irons! sooooooooooo cruel. I thought that was really mean! Totally unnecessary! They were probably mean because they're so much bigger and stronger.

Dewey is really crazy, yet amazing! Himself, Wayne (Dewey's brother) who ended up following them, and Darla were hiding in a gas station and a cop car came by and Dewey screamed, "RUN!!!" and he took off, when Darla and Wayne stayed put. The next day Wayne and a friend, David are talking while they should be painting the fence, Dewey poured paint on them! Hilarious!

Dewey climbed up Sand Mountain. He met Darla there and said something that made her mad at him. Now she is friends with him after a week. Darla talked about a howling ghost in Skeleton Hotel, a hotel that wasn't finished because it is haunted. Dewey and Darla are now looking for a howling ghost in the Skeleton Hotel at midnight. I was really when Dewey and Darla are searching for the ghost at midnight! Really crazy!

Dewey is taking dance lessons because he wants to be a part in a minstrel show. He went to his brother's JV football game and got all his homework done! I couldn't believe it, teachers give out so much homework in high school. Dewey rode his bike all the way to sand mountain. It is a man- made mountain of sand and phosphate rock. He planed to climb up it, which would take 30 minuets, and ride down in 30 seconds!