Fiction: Apartment 713

Annotation:

Jake Simmons hates The Regency, the decrepit old apartment building he has been forced to move into with his mother. Nothing works at The Regency, it’s a dump and despite his mother saying it is only temporary, even living in the dump for a short period of time is too much! Jake also hates what The Regency means – leaving behind his old house, his old life, and his old friends. Despite his hatred of the old building, boredom and a trail of lost kittens brings Jake into a relationship with the building’s caregiver, Larry, who claims The Regency is “full of much more than meets the eye”.  Slowly as Jake begins to appreciate the people in The Regency, he learns the city is planning to demolish the building. Sadly, Jake trudges to Apartment 713 – an apartment he was told is off limits – and he is transported into the past and on an adventure to  save the building, its history, and the inhabitants who have called it home throughout the years.

Questions:

  1. When Jake first moves to the Regency he hates it. What changes his mind?
  2. What words does Jake use that Beth thinks are strange and has never heard before?
  3. What famous baseball players do Jake and Beth play with?
  4. In the story Beth is going through a lot of grief from losing her dad, how does Jake try to make her feel better?
  5. There are many famous people that Jake spends time with at the Regency, who are they and what are they doing at the Regency?

Curriculum Connections:

  • Personal and Social – Social Awareness and Responsibility

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