Footprints in the Sand by Bracha Goykadosh

853 Words2 Pages

Footprints in the Sand, by Bracha Goykadosh, is a story of friendship and hope, of secrecy and bewilderment. Rena Cohen, the narrator, is the typical twelfth-grader whose only concerns are school and friends. Malka Koenig is one of Rena’s closest friends, but after eleventh-grade her life changes drastically and her friendship circle is affected by the change. Though twelfth grade is supposed to be a carefree year, it turns out to be a year learning of life’s true values.

Rena Cohen had returned from camp high-spirited, anticipating her long-awaited senior year of high school. With only two days left to catch up with her friends, Rena called Malka Koenig and Lizzy Zimmerman and set up to see them at Cafe Bonjour. She couldn’t wait to hear how Malka enjoyed her lessons in computer programming and how Lizzy enjoyed her stay in camp. At the cafe, Rena realized something was wrong. Lizzy and Malka looked uncomfortable around each other and after just a few minutes, Malka got up and walked out. Lizzy refused to tell Rena what was wrong, so Rena got up and left too. When school began, things only got worse. Malka insisted that Rena was her best friend, Lizzy insisted that Rena was her best friend, and Rena wasn’t so sure she was friends with either of them. One thing was for certain: they were no longer the inseparable threesome everyone envied. As her year progressed, Rena grew more and more distant from her once undisputed friends. Their silence baffled her and she felt lost in the crowd; by twelfth even the loners had found their place in the grade. Malka became close friends with Tzipporah since they were both G.O. heads. Lizzy became friends with a girl named Riva. One day Malka approached Rena and told her she wanted to tell ...

... middle of paper ...

... because studying for so many tests each night was an impossible task for her, the answer she gets is startling. “There are much more difficult things in life”, is what Malka says. Although at first Malka’s answer seems mean and selfish, towards the end of the book we find out that she has leukemia. Rena realizes that her friends’ fight is rather trivial, and Ayelet understands what could indeed be more difficult than an abundance of schoolwork. When Malka unfortunately passes away, her classmates are shocked and sad, but they know they have gained from Malka the understanding of what life is really about.

I really enjoyed reading Footprints in the Sand. It is written with such excellent imagery that i almost cried when I found out that Malka had leukemia. Also, many great messages are woven into the tale. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!

Show More
Related

  • Pashtana's Lesson Summary

    1519 Words  | 4 Pages

    There is a slight glimmer of hope when the school year ends and the girls all receive their report cards. They stand eagerly in the hallway, none of them can break their gaze at the slips of paper in their teacher’s hands. Pashtana finishes 15th in her class and in this moment looks forward to a new year in the 8th grade. Unfortunately, Pashtana and her family were living off of $7 a week, a dollar to spend a day. She soon got married to her cousin and has not been back to school since their last day.

    Read More

  • How Does Spencer Morgan's Character Change Throughout The Novel

    845 Words  | 2 Pages

    What I liked most about it was reading from two different perspectives and how those different perspectives met through the book.

    Read More

  • Tigers Child

    1152 Words  | 3 Pages

    Torey always wondered how and where Sheila was, so just before her 14th birthday, Torey located Sheila and went to see her. She was living in a small house with her father who had supposedly gave up alcohol and drugs. Their reunion was akward for both of them and not quite what Torey had been expecting. Torey had been assuming that Sheila would be just like she had left her seven years ago. However, instead she had wild clothing and blazing yellow straggly hair. After the first visit, Torey made frequent visits to see Sheila in hopes that they could rebuild their friendship. They went to the movies, shopping, out to dinner, and many other things like that. When summer began, Torey asked her if she'd like to help out in a summer school program with herself, her friend Jeff, and a teaching aide, Miriam. This worked out well. She was able to work with children with many various disabilities. She befriended a young boy who had been adopted from Columbia. He didn't talk and was...

    Read More

  • Thoughts on THE GIFT

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    This story is about the friendship of too girls from very different families. Carlotta is a darker skinned girl whose family is "new money".  She wants to go to Scared Heart Academy for her high school education.  Scared Heart does not let in girls of her skin tone. The school has been financially struggling and Carlotta's father donates money to the school, which in turn get her accepted in to the school.  Since she is new money she was not "locked up" in her home her whole life. She knows the town and tells her friend Merceditas all about the way things are there.  The other girl, Merceditas come from a very wealthy family who has been this way for gene...

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: The City Girl

    1351 Words  | 3 Pages

    Masten. What are your names?” the new teacher greeted when he saw Maya and Farkle enter the classroom. He was a bit concerned that the girl was hiding her face and using her friend as a guide. “I am Farkle Minkus, and this is my best friend, Maya Hart.” Farkle introduced while motioning with his free arm. Mr. Masten nodded. The former teacher, Mr. Matthews, had left detailed notes on all the students especially these two. “Pleased to meet you. If you want to take your seats, we will get started in a few minutes.” Mr. Masten suggested before turning his attention to another group of students entering the classroom. Farkle led Maya and deposited at her desk. The fourteen year old had yet to uncover her eyes. Maya slowly lifted her head and looked at Farkle. “Sit in Riley’s desk.” she whispered. Farkle felt funny as he obeyed Maya’s request; he had become accustomed to sitting in the desk behind Riley. It was almost felt like a violation of friendship by sitting in Riley’s old

    Read More

  • Crow Lake Analysis Essay

    768 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book can be used as a metaphor for education as a whole. For example, Kate can represent modern institutions and companies. Due to education inflation and credentialism, all they look at is your educational experience and what knowledge you have. This can be applied to Kate as she originally believed your educational background will represent your success in life. In comparison to this, you have Kate’s family, who can relate to students in society. Kate’s family understands that there is more to life than education and knowledge. The same applies to students, who argue there is more to people than their education and years in

    Read More

  • Rayona’s Growth in A Yellow Raft In Blue Water

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a teen, Rayona is in a confusing period of life. The gradual breakdown of her family life places an addition burden on her conscience. Without others for support, Rayona must find a way to handle her hardships. At first, she attempts to avoid these obstacles in her life, by lying, and by not voicing her opinions. Though when confronting them, she learns to feel better about herself and to understand others.

    Read More

  • Transformation of Carl in A Bridge to Wisemans Cove

    942 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... then meets Joy Duncan and Justine who just like him the way he is, they are not concerned with his social status, they like him because he is a kind, genuine boy. As the text goes on, we watch Carl and Justine?s relationship flourish into something bigger. This helps him with his self esteem. Justine shows him the true meaning of friendship and shows him that he is loved and worthwhile. There is also Carl?s relationship with Maddie. At the beginning of the story, Carl follows Maddie around because he notices her, she stuck out from a crowd. He then helped her on New Years Eve. Maddie was quite cruel to Carl but he never gave up and near to the end of the novel, they form a true friendship. Maddie, Carl and Justines friendship was very important because they all leaned on eachother through hard times, like the hard times Carl and Maddie were going through.

    Read More

  • Karen Russell's St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised By Wolves"

    1181 Words  | 3 Pages

    The story follows three girls- Jeanette, the oldest in the pack, Claudette, the narrator and middle child, and the youngest, Mirabella- as they go through the various stages of becoming civilized people. Each girl is an example of the different reactions to being placed in an unfamiliar environment and retrained. Jeanette adapts quickly, becoming the first in the pack to assimilate to the new way of life. She accepts her education and rejects her previous life with few relapses. Claudette understands the education being presented to her but resists adapting fully, her hatred turning into apathy as she quietly accepts her fate. Mirabella either does not comprehend her education, or fully ignores it, as she continually breaks the rules and boundaries set around her, eventually resulting in her removal from the school.

    Read More

  • Maedchen In Uniform

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    First, there is the setting of a strict military like boarding school where the students, all females, are craving the love and affection that they are missing from their family. One particular student, Manuela von Meinhardis, had just recently joined the school after the recent death of her mother. She is particularly vulnerable to the love and care that is provided by the only caring teacher in the school, Fraulein von Bernburg.

    Read More

  • The Road To Chlifa Summary

    493 Words  | 1 Pages

    The story begins in Montreal, giving us a view of karim from the outside. he gets worked up the interest of girls, and the boys displeasure at this is tinged with give importance to divisions., however, we learn that the sustentation of these teaching room friends is

    Read More

  • Island Of The Blue Dolphins

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Pacific there is an island shaped like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea elephant and birds abound. A young Indian girl lives and waits for her people to return for her, from the land to the east. Karana with her long black hair and her dark skin, held her own on an island after her people had left for a new place. She was sure they would come back the next spring, but after two springs she learned to live on her own. I really admire her strength and her will power. She faces so many different adventures that you can relate to your life in a different fashion.

    Read More

  • An Abundance Of Katherines Analysis

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton, the protagonist of the story, is into girls with the name “Katherine.” And when it comes to dating a Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Ironically, the day that Colin graduated high school, Katherine XIX had dumped him. Colin was beyond upset. Katherine XIX was the only Katherine he had truly ever loved out of the other eighteen he had dated in the past. Just as any other dumpee, (the person being dumped), Colin spends his days locked in his room, doing nothing, but think of Katherine XIX. One day, Colin’s best friend, Hassan, comes over to visit him since he last saw Colin on graduation day. He sees that Colin is depressed and Hassan does not like the idea that his best friend thinks his life is over just because of a break-up. While trying to cheer Colin up, Hassan says that there is one simple solution to solve his sorrow. But before Hassan could say anything, Colin interjected “What about a road trip?” Hassan found it to be a great idea, but his parents were not liking the idea. His parents had tried to talk him out of him by saying that if he wanted to become smarter, he needed to stay home. Colin still didn’t budge and before he knew, he was already packing his stuff and heading to Hassan’s car. Hassan too, needed to inform his parents about the road trip. Hassan was afraid that if he tried to persuade his parents to let him go, they would still not allow. Colin insisted that he just lie to them and say that he was g...

    Read More

  • Challenges In I Am Malala

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel I am Malala written by Malala Yousafzai shows that Malala has many challenges throughout life. However she works hard to overcome them and at the end of it all there is a positive change. One challenge Malala faces is that a student named Malka-e-Noor competes with her to see who does better in class. Malala sometimes falls behind Malka however she is determined and at the end she does better than her. Malala’s challenge was that during school one day a new girl had come to school. Her name was Malka-e-Noor. Malala did not think she could be as bright as her but however she was wrong. During the last day of school the teacher was passing out awards. When this happened Malala became stunned because “She had gotten first place and I had gotten second...I burst into tears.” (Yousafzai 35).

    Read More

  • The Body by Stephen King

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    For my book I chose to read The Body by Stephen King. This novel is about four young boys taking a journey to find a body somewhere in the woods that is at the county line. This story is about more than just four boys going on an adventure its about them becoming closer to each other and learning real life lessons along the way. The four boys are all going into their first year of middle school so this is a time in their life when they learn things that will help them in life.

    Read More

More about Footprints in the Sand by Bracha Goykadosh

Open Document