Julia Balder 808                                                                                       October 27, 2014

                                       Young Adult Book Reading Response

            "Susannah was like a second mom to me." In the book, The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han, Susannah is the parent you wished you had.  The character Susannah, otherwise known as Beck, has the role as the main characters mothers’ best friend.  She owns the beach house where her kids and the main characters family live during the summer.  The main character has always gone to the beach house for every summer of her life, Susannah has always been there waiting for them to arrive.  Susannah is an important character in people’s lives.          

            Susannah is always kind and caring towards her family, friends, etc. In the book it says, "When did you go and grow up? When did you turn into this phenomenal women?" Susannah shows love and compassion to every one and compliments people. It says something about your personality when you compliment everyone, with Susannah her personality is so nice and fun.  The book describes her as a friendly person always doing right by her children. The book takes place over the summer and the main character doesn't know winter Susannah and she always imagines Susannah like the summer but with down coats and hot chocolate rather than shovels and buckets. The story also says, "I'm offering up moral support to my best friend in the world," after being caught by her children smoking. This shows how Susannah is kind to her friends and loves them. This also shows how Susannah would do anything for her best friend and offers any type of moral support (in this case smoke pot).  This shows Susannah is a loving person and will do what is good for her and her family and friends around her.  Overall Susannah is caring to her family, friends, etc.

            Susannah is a warm loving and selfless person, she is a great person to be around.  The text says, "Summer doesn't start until our friends get here, Susannah said, reaching across the table touching my hand."  This shows how inviting and warm it would to be around Susannah.  The main characters family has always looked up to her, to Susannah Isabel once told her I wish you were my mother.  This shows how caring Susannah is and how she loves her friends.  The story says, "Susannah even tried to get one for the summer house, so I could practice (practice piano)."  Susannah was willing to get Isabel a piano just so over the summer she wouldn't fall behind.  Susannah really cares about the well being of other people before herself. This shows how she puts people before her and try’s to make everyone feel okay and at home at the summerhouse in Cousins.  Susannah would do anything for anyone if it meant their personal happiness.  This shows everyone that Susannah is a great person always putting others before her.

            Overall Susannah is a warm important character because she can bring out the best in people.  Susannah always wanted for people to be happy even if she didn't know them. I believe that Susannah would be a great teacher, always caring about the students, wanting them to be happy and have a fun way of learning.  The story always describes her so well and the author did that to make the character Susannah the mom you never had.  Susannah is the warm, friendly, kind character that you always knew would be something great.