Kiki’s Letter Essay #10: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

I have just finished half of the book Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. This 289 page realistic fiction book is about a 12 year old boy named Jeremy who has to find the meaning of life that is hidden inside a box left by his father who died many years ago. He is open the box on his 13th birthday.  The problem is that the box has 4 locks with a different key for each box and the keys are missing. Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy go on adventures looking for the keys. I chose to read this book because the title was a very interesting and when I read the back of the book I wanted to read the book.

The main character in this book is very interesting. He only eats certain foods and he is very careful. Throughout the book Jeremy becomes more and more daring and he learns to try new things that he usually wouldn’t do.  This one part of the book was very suspenseful, the author writes:

“Before I can stop myself, I reach in and lift the wrapped object out of the box. The tissue paper slides off and falls to the floor. I am holding a smooth wooden box with keyholes on four sides. A clear varnish makes the wood seem almost alive. The first thought that strikes me is how pretty it is. I had never thought that a wooden box could be pretty. Heck, i don’t think I’ve ever even used the work “pretty” before, and if Lizzy ever asked, I’d deny using it now.

Lizzy bends down to pick up the piece of tissue paper at my feet. She stands up slowly and says, “Um, Jeremy?”

“Hmmm?” I’m unable to take my eyes from the box in my hands. i shake it gently and hear some muffled objects shift and knock against each other. It can’t weight more than two pounds,

“Um, you might want to turn that over,” Lizzy says. I just keep shaking the box back and forth,  mesmerized. She finally grabs it from my hand, flips it over, and hands it back. Staring up at me are the engraved words

The Meaning of Life: For Jeremy Fink to Open on his 13th Birthday. 

I’d recognize my dad’s handiwork anywhere. “(pages 12-13)

I chose to quote this passage because it makes you want to read on to find out when and how Jeremy is going to open the box. I would rate this book a 9 out of 10.

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3 thoughts on “Kiki’s Letter Essay #10: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

  1. I liked how you chose a quote from the book that helped you really prove that the book was suspenseful.

    1. I really liked the letter essay. I remember someone from the media center talking about this book for a recommendation.

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