Meet the Characters
Who is James’s mother?
A. Ruth
B. Frances
A. Ruth. She raises James and his brothers and sisters.
What does Ruth ride after Hunter dies?
A. A motorcycle
B. A bicycle
B. A bicycle. Riding keeps her moving while she is grieving.
How does James feel when Hunter dies?
A. Sad
B. Relieved
A. Sad. Hunter’s death is a painful loss for James and the family.
A theme is a lesson about life. Ruth wants her children to do well in school. Which lesson fits?
A. Learning is only for adults.
B. Education can help people build a better future.
B. Education can help people build a better future. Ruth believes school can give her children more choices.
What is an interracial couple?
A. Two partners who are different races
B. Two partners who are different ages
A. Two partners who are different races. Ruth and Peter are an interracial couple.
Who does James call Daddy?
A. Sam
B. Hunter
B. Hunter. He is James’s stepfather and helps care for the family.
What kind of store does Ruth’s family run?
A. A grocery store
B. A shoe store
A. A grocery store. Ruth and her siblings must work there.
Why does Ruth feel lonely at school?
A. She wants more homework.
B. Other children reject her because she is Jewish.
B. Other children reject her because she is Jewish. This unfair treatment makes it hard to feel accepted.
Frances is kind to Ruth even though they have different religions. Which lesson fits?
A. Friends can accept each other’s differences.
B. Friends must have the same religion.
A. Friends can accept each other’s differences. Frances shows Ruth kindness and friendship.
What does segregation mean?
A. Bringing racial groups together
B. Keeping racial groups apart
B. Keeping racial groups apart. For example, Black and white students were forced to attend separate schools.
Who is Ruth’s kind friend at school?
A. Frances
B. Helen
A. Frances. She accepts Ruth even though they have different religions.
Where does Ruth grow up?
A. New York City
B. Suffolk, Virginia
B. Suffolk, Virginia. Much of Ruth’s childhood story takes place there.
How does Frances help Ruth feel?
A. Accepted
B. Left out
A. Accepted. Frances treats Ruth as a friend instead of rejecting her for being different.
Ruth keeps caring for her children during hard times. Which lesson fits?
A. Problems always go away on their own.
B. Love can help people keep going.
B. Love can help people keep going. Ruth continues working to meet her children’s needs.
What does deportation mean?
A. A government forces someone to leave a country.
B. A person chooses to take a vacation.
A. A government forces someone to leave a country. Deportation is not a vacation.
Who is Sam?
A. James’s father
B. Ruth’s brother
B. Ruth’s brother. They grow up in the same family.
Why does Sam leave home?
A. His father treats him harshly.
B. He finishes college.
A. His father treats him harshly. Sam wants to get away from that treatment.
James asks why he and his mother have different skin colors. What does he want to understand?
A. His schoolwork
B. Himself and his family
B. Himself and his family. He is trying to understand who he is and where he belongs.
Aunt Betsy listens to Ruth and helps her. Which lesson fits?
A. Support can help someone through a hard time.
B. People should face every problem alone.
A. Support can help someone through a hard time. Aunt Betsy’s help gives Ruth someone to turn to.
What does racism mean?
A. Treating people fairly, whatever their race
B. Treating people unfairly because of their race
B. Treating people unfairly because of their race. Racism can include hurtful actions and unfair rules.
Who helps Ruth when she is in trouble in New York?
A. Aunt Betsy
B. Tateh
A. Aunt Betsy. In Chapter 13, Ruth tells her about her pregnancy and receives help.
Why do Ruth and Peter hide their relationship?
A. They attend different schools.
B. Racism makes it dangerous.
B. Racism makes it dangerous. Other people may hurt them because they are a white girl and a Black boy.
Why does James worry about his mother during racial tension?
A. He fears someone may hurt her because she is white.
B. He thinks she wants to leave him.
A. He fears someone may hurt her because she is white. His worry shows that he loves her and wants her to be safe.
The book tells both Ruth’s story and James’s story. Which lesson fits?
A. Family members always have the same experiences.
B. Learning someone’s past can help us understand them.
B. Learning someone’s past can help us understand them. Ruth’s childhood helps explain some of her actions as a mother.
What does identity mean?
A. Who you are, including your background and beliefs
B. Only what you look like
A. Who you are, including your background and beliefs. James is learning about himself and his family.