Why does each member of the Winterbottom family react differently to Mrs. Winterbottom's departure?

Each member of the Winterbottom family reacts differently to Mrs. Winterbottom's departure because of their different personalities. Mr. Winterbottom tries to think things through coolly and tries not to show how he really feels on the outside. However he does break apart a few times, like when Phoebe says that her mother loves her, and he started crying. Prudence likes to not think about bad things, and is more worried about getting her work done. She tells Phoebe that her mother is not kidnapped and was more focused on making dinner than worrying about where her mother went of. Both Prudence and Mr. Winterbottom were more mature and logical about Mrs. Winterbottom's disappearance than Phoebe. She thought that the lunatic had kidnapped her, or that Mrs. Cadaver had chopped her up. Phoebe looks at everything from a more ludicrous point-of-view. She seems the most outwardly worried and wants to take action. She is emotionally effected by her mother's disappearance in ways that Prudence and Mr. Winterbottom seems to not be in. Either way, Mrs. Winterbottom's departure left an empty hole in their family.

Why does the reading of excerpts from journals cause such a stir in class? Do you think that Mr. Birkway should have done this? Explain.

The reading of excerpts in the journals cause such a stir in class because Mr. Birkway is reading the students' private thoughts about their own personal matters. He shouldn't read out everyone's own thoughts out for everybody else to hear and listen. I don't really think Mr. Birkway should have read those journals. It hurt other peoples' feelings even though he changed the names of the people discussed in them. He read out loud most peoples' personal feelings about many things and embarrassed (in Sal's case definitely) many people immensely. He, himself was hurt when he read out loud Phoebe's feelings about Mrs. Cadaver, his twin sister.

Why does Phoebe's father tell her that her imagination is running away with her? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Phoebe's father tells her that her imagination is running away with her because she considers unrealistic concepts like her mother being kidnapped or chopped up, even when it was obvious she wasn't. Her mother would never be allowed by her kidnapper/murderer to write notes make dinner for them. I also agree with Mr. Winterbottom. Phoebe is definitely going through a hard time but its better if she tries to look at things more logically, it would be better for everyone, even if it might be her way of missing her mother of worrying about her.