The Great Gatsby

In the spring of 1922, a young man named Nick moved to a place called West Egg. He rented a tiny little house squeezed between huge fancy mansions. His neighbor lived in the biggest house of all, with a swimming pool and beautiful green lawns. This neighbor was named Gatsby, but Nick had not met him yet.

One evening, Nick drove across the bay to visit his cousin Daisy. She lived in a grand white house with her husband Tom. Daisy had a lovely voice that sounded like music. Her friend Jordan was there too, and they all had dinner together. But something felt a little strange and sad in that big beautiful house.

Later that night, Nick came home and saw someone standing outside Gatsby's mansion. The man was looking across the dark water at a tiny green light glowing far away. Nick almost said hello, but the man seemed lost in his own thoughts. Then, just like that, the mysterious neighbor disappeared into the night.

Between West Egg and New York, there is a strange gray place called the valley of ashes. Everything there looks dusty and tired, like it needs a good rest. A big old sign shows a pair of giant blue eyes behind glasses, watching over everything like a sleepy owl. One day, Tom made Nick get off the train to visit a little garage in this gray valley. A quiet man named George Wilson lived there with his wife Myrtle. Myrtle was friendly and bold, and she decided to ride into the city with Tom and Nick. In New York, Myrtle bought a magazine and some nice things that smelled pretty. She even got a little puppy from an old man on the street! They all went to a small apartment where Myrtle invited her sister and some neighbors to visit. The afternoon got long and lazy, with grown-ups talking and the summer sun shining through the windows.