The Room On The Roof And Vagrants in the Valley

Image by ShayarGautam via Flickr

Title: The Room On The Roof And Vagrants in the Valley

Author: Ruskin Bond

Main Characters: Rusty, Somi, Ranbir, Kishen, Meena, Mr.Harrison, Kapoor, Mr.Pettigrew, Sudheer, Dhevendir

Description of one of the main characters: Sudheer is one of Rusty’s favourite friends. He is a strong boy. He is a good wrestler. He is a young lad of fourteen. He travels with Rusty everywhere. Sudheer is kind and helpful.

Whom I like and Why:  I like Somi as he is the only one who cares about Rusty so much. He gives his dress and whatever Rusty wants. He finds a job for Rusty in Kishen’s house.

Whom I Dislike and Why : I dislike Ranbir as he left Rusty and went away.  After going away, he never cared about Rusty. He is a wrestler like Sudheer. He is one of Somi’s best friends. 

Setting/Theme of the story : Rusty runs away from his guardian Mr. Harrison. He becomes friends with Indians like Somi and Ranbir. He begins to work as an English tutor in the house of Meena and Kapoor. He teaches English to their son Kishen. But unfortunately Meena and Kapoor die in a car accident. Kishen starts living with Rusty. They both start on a walking tour. One day Kishen’s relatives ask Kishen to come back to them. His relatives do not allow him to be a vagrant. Rusty leaves Kishen and makes friends with Sudheer and Dhevendir. They become his best friends forever. Rusty meets his father’s friend Mr. Pettigrew. Mr. Pettigrew suggests that he meets his aunt in Rishikesh to get some money which Rusty’s father has left for him. But when Rusty goes to his aunt’s house he finds that his father had left only books to read. He brings those books to Mr. Pettigrew. Mr. Pettigrew asks Rusty to go to England. Rusty has always wanted to be a writer. Mr. Pettigrew tells Rusty that he could possibly become a writer in England soon. So Rusty goes to England and other countries to spend rest of his life. 

The Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when Rusty plays Holi with Ranbir and becomes one of the Indians. He becomes Ranbir’s best friend.

Different ending : Rusty starts writing many stories and becomes a great writer in India. Somi and Ranbir return back to Dehra when they hear about their best friend becoming a great writer. Kishen comes back to Rusty. Everyone start calling Rusty  “ The Great Writer of Dehra”. Rusty leads a happy life.

Famous Five : Five Run Away Together

Title : Famous Five : Five Run Away Together

Author : Enid Blyton

Main Characters : Anne, Dick, George, Julian, Timmy, Jennifer Mary Armstrong, Mr. Stick, Mrs.Stick, Edgar, Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny.

Description of one of the main characters : Uncle Quentin is George’s father. He is a great scientist. He likes insects. He is a short-tempered man. He is brilliant and intelligent. He always seems to be a part of the adventures of Famous Five. 

Whom I like and Why : I like Jennifer as she is tall and cute. She gets kidnapped while playing with her friends. She is brave. She is not afraid when the kidnappers kidnap her in the middle of the night.

Whom I Dislike and Why : I dislike Edgar as he is a coward. He gets frightened for everything. He is afraid of Timmy, George’s dog. He is also a wicked. He once tries to poison Timmy by adding poison in Timmy’s food.

Setting/Theme of the story :  Aunt Fanny is sick. She is admitted in the nearby hospital. Uncle Quentin has to take care of her in the hospital. Joanna, the cook, has gone to her house to take care of her mother who is ill. Aunt Fanny sends a new cook from the Stick family to take care of the four children and the dog, who have come here to spend the vacation. They get bored and irritated by the Stick family in their own house and decide to stay in the Kirrin island till Aunt Fanny and Uncle Quentin return. They pack all their things and go to Kirrin island. They find a new trunk box in the old wreck. They try to open but fail. The Famous Five keep a watch all the time at the wreck. They find out that the Sticks are in their island. One night when George and Julian are watching they hear a scream in the island. It is a loud shrill scream. They find out that a girl is being kidnapped and the Sticks help them in the kidnapping. They save the girl and lock Edgar instead. When Mr. and Mrs. Stick search for their dear child Edgar, they find him in the place of the little girl. The police catch Mr. and Mrs. Stick and put them to jail. The Famous Five have another exciting adventure.

Part I enjoyed the most : I enjoyed the part when George makes noises like horses, cows and sheep in the echo room and scares poor Edgar.

Different Ending :  Jennifer stays at the house of the Five for the rest of the vacation. She enjoys herself in the Kirrin island. She stays with the Famous Five in the Kirrin den. She becomes overjoyed by hearing the adventures of the Five. The girl says good-bye and returns home. The Famous Five have an exciting adventurous vacation.