Dear Mrs. D.,

May 14/02

i am writing to you about a true story, called Paddle to the Amazon by Don Starkell and Charles Wilkins. It is about a man and his two sons paddling all the way to the Amazon in only a canoe. Because they wrote the book they obviously survived the journey. Right now, in the book, they are just approaching the Gulf of Mexico. They were from Winnipeg and started in Winnipeg. While they were traveling across the USA they encountered many generous people who shared all that they had with them. But they ran into some not too nice people who mugged them and stole their supplies. They have taken the Red River to the Mississippi and are entering the high seas of the Gulf of Mexico.

I predict that they will encounter even more tough times on their journey when they entered big water, the ocean, which at times can be unpredictable and dangerous. I also think that their boat will not hold up and they will have to go through the trouble of getting a new one.

The only way that I can connect with this story is that my dad an I sometimes go on long hikes, canoe trips things like that. I sometimes do not enjoy them but I know that it can be really rewarding in the end if you conquer something that you did not think you could. You can achieve victory if you set your mind to it and if you work hard.

When I compare the characters to classmates I would compare the father Don to Jayne because they are both born leaders. I would compare Dana (one of the sons) to Matt M. Because they both share a love for music and have a lot to offer. As for Jeff, I would compare him to Liam because they are both shy but once you get to know them they become very interesting.

This story was written in first person and it was suitable because it was easier to follow the events and it made good sense because Don's journal was written in first person as if he were telling the story.

This book has been really long and if the author took out a bit here and there it would keep the reader's attention and they would want to keep reading it and not stop. Compared to deathwatch this book was slower in starting off because all they said was that they were getting anxious and worried.