Plot
What is the setting for the story, as the book begins?
rural Iowa during the 1950s
Why did Katie cry nonstop on moving day?
Katie couldn't find her favorite stuffed animal Bera-Bera
Why did Lynn cry nonstop on moving day?
Lynn had lost her favorite sweater
What is the meaning of Kira-Kira?
glittering and shiny
What FAMILY event happened when Katie was in first grade.
Her mother gave birth to a son, Samso Ichiro Takeshima.
After Lynn arrived home from the hospital, what "medical treatment" did Katie give Lynn several times a day?
Katie fed her rice, liver, and iron pills.
How does Lynn save Katie from a mean dog one day?
When a large dog burst from a cornfield and grabbed at Katie's pants, Lynn pulled the dog away by his tail so that Katie could get away.
Why did Katie fear she would be the one blamed for the problems caused at the picnic?
Lynn was too sick to blame and Sammy was hurt by the trap.
What illness does Lynn suffer from?
anemia and malignant lymphoma
Who were thugs?
They were men who worked for the chicken plant owner and discouraged workers from organizing a union.
How much money had Lynn and Katie saved up for their parents?
$100
What did Katie steal from the nearby store and why?
She stole nail polish because Lynn looked sad one day and told Katie she wished she had some glittery pink polish.
What game did Lynn repeatedly beat Uncle Katsuhisa at?
Chess
Why did Katie and Sam sleep in the living room?
Katie's parents feared that Lynn's sickness was contagious. Also, she needed rest and wasn't to be disturbed.
Who is Lynn's first best friend?
Amber
What are two reasons that would support joining a union?
Better working conditions
Better pay
Work as a group to bring change to the workplace.
Where did Katie meet Sylvia Kilgore?
Katie met Sylvia while waiting in the car at the Chicken factory.
What are two reasons that Katie and Sam are jealous of Lynn?
Lynn was taken to the doctors who gave her suckers and she got to miss school.
What type of work did Katie's parents do in Chesterfield and who got them jobs?
They worked in a chicken hatchery where Uncle Katsuhisa also worked.
Why did Katie faint when they went camping with Uncle Katsuhisa?
Her Uncle had killed rabbits with his bow and arrow. The sight of a bloody rabbit was too much for her.
What are the two things in the world that Lynn wished for?
She wished to live by the sea and go to college.
As Katie wrote her book report on Call of the Wild, what two themes did she give for the book?
Loyalty and friendship between man and dog
How did Katie and her mother cheer Lynn up when she didn't feel so well?
They placed Lynn on a sheet and carried her outside to lie on the grass and have her look at the sky.
What disturbing news did Lynn learn about Gregg?
Gregg was moving away.
Why were Katie and Lynn sent to bed early the night their Uncle arrived to help them move?
The girls punched him in the stomach just like they always punched their dad. However, their punch actually hurt Uncle Katsuhisa.
While Lynn was in the hospital who took care of Katie and Sammy?
Her dad did, as he took the children to his hatchery job with him.
Why was Katie so embarrassed when she awoke from her car nap near Chesterfield, Georgia?
Katie had wet her pants.
What did Katie's parents, mostly her dad, talk about behind closed doors?
He was talking about all the things he could do for us -- and, more often, all the things he could not.
What are two of Uncle Katsuhisa's weird habits?
Uncle Katsuhisa's turned his ears inside out, he was loud, he would stand and clap his hands loudly, he would ofter clear his throat and spit.
What happened at the hatchery when a storm hit in the middle of the night? How was the problem resolved?
power went out
Mr. Lyndon had a police escorted handyman sent to the hatchery to fix the generator immediately.