The character, Rosie, a young girl, loves to go to the rollerskating rink. The rink closes at 4:30 pm, yet rosie always gets home after her 5:00 curfew. Her father one day reminds her to be home by her curfew. Rosie is in conflict after going to the rink that day, and decides trying her best to be home on time is the best thing to do. She rushes home past all of the distrations she normally occurs to be home on time. When she gets home, she tells her parents she made it home by trying her best, yet the clock is past 5. Her parents realize this, and the next day give her a watch as a gift.
This story is a good relation to realist characters in society. It is a good representation of person vs. person in the context of child vs. parent. Sometimes we try our best to do as our parents ask, yet come up a little short of the "rules".
Doing clock activities in the class would be a good extension idea for this book. Also, having students write a "contract" of rules that they are going to try their best at following would help reinforce students to do their best. ( )