Chapter 3

What happened in the chapter

This chapter really highlights how much Josie dislikes her grandmother for the way that she treats Josie and her mum. It also tells us about the traditional rituals which Josie, her mama and her Nonna have followed for years. We find out that Michael Andretti didn't know that Josie is his child and Nonna doesn't know that Michael is Josie's father.

What is revealed about the characters?

This chapter reveals that Michael Andretti is the father of Josie and Josie finally meets him. He doesn't realize that Christina kept Josie and that he has a daughter who is in year 12. He doesn't know how to react as he never really had to think about meeting her.
  Important quotes
"My heart began to pound at one hundred miles per hour and I could feel the hairs at the back of my head standing up on end" Page 38

what did I like/dislike about this chapter?
I like the fact that Josie sticks up for herself and her mother when her Nonna starts to put them down and starts to explain how Christina is such a bad mother and how she didn't bring Josie up the right way. But I dislike how Katia doesn't know that Michael is Josie's father and she invites him in to their house and treats him nicer than she treats her own daughter.

Define 3 difficult words
estranged - to turn away in feeling or affection, make unfriendly or hostile
pester - to bother consistently with petty annoyances
flibbertigibbet - a chattering or flighty, light-headed person

Chapter Q&A
1. Josie does not like nor agree with the rituals from her Italian background. She believes that she is old enough to stay at home on her own and should be trusted to study at her own house. Yet because of her Nonna and the things that Nonna believes, Josie has to go to her Nonna's house every afternoon and follow the rituals that her Nonna has.

Chapter 2

what happened in the Chapter

In this chapter we learn a lot about how the schools interact with each other and how they feel about each other. In this chapter there are a lot of issues talked about that open your eyes up to some issues that teenagers use to face and still face today.

What information is revealed about the characters?
This chapter reveals a lot of information about a variety of characters. We learn a lot about Josie's friends and how they ended up being friends in the first place, we also learn a lot about Jacob Coote who is the school captain of Cook High.

Important Quotes
"I think that if you're an outcast with your own kind you'll never be accepted by anyone" Page 19-20

what did I like/dislike about the chapter?
I really like the idea of so many different people and schools coming together and sharing their issues with each other. Even though most of the schools are so different and there is so much jealousy between them.

Define 3 difficult words in the chapter
incredulously - expression of disbelief, skeptical/disbelief
apathetic - Showing a lack of interest or no emotion
orators- a skilled public speaker

Chapter 1

what happened in the chapter 

In this chapter we find out a lot about the background and life of Josephine Alibrandi who is the main character and narrator of this story. We find out that she was granted a scholarship to St Martha's high school, through an English competition that she entered in primary school. Josephine really feels like an outsider at her school due to being Italian and on a scholarship. When she first started at St Martha's she was judged due to being on a scholarship and many of the parents and students believed that she didn't deserve to be at the school because she didn't have enough money to pay for the fees.

We also find out a lot about her relationship with her Mama and Nona Her mama does not have much money and they live in Glebe in a townhouse. Josie and her Nona do not have a great relationship, Josie's Nona gets on her nerves a bit and she tries any excuse to get out of visiting her Nona after school.

What information is revealed about characters?
This chapter reveals a lot about the characters and their relationships to each other. It shows us a lot about Josie and her Mamas personality's and how they view their lives and other people.


Important Quotes
"My biggest, though, is being stuck at a school dominated by rich people" Page 6

"My mother was born here so as far as the Italians are concerned we weren't completely one of them. Yet because my grandparents were born in Italy we weren't completely Australian." Page 7

what did I like/dislike about the chapter?
In this chapter I didn't like how Josie was made to feel like she didn't belong because of a decision that her mum and dad made before she was even born. Josie really wanted her friends to be able to have a sleep over at her house but she was never allowed as her friends mums didn't believe that Josie's mum was a good person and didn't want to leave their kids in her care.

Define 3 difficult words encountered in the chapter
Anglo-Saxons - An Anglo-Saxon is a member of the Germanic people who settled in Britain in the fifth and sixth century.