Quotes
Theme
General
More General
100

"It must have been a very long time since Esperanza and Estevan had been in a place where they looked just like everybody else, including cops; And Turtle fit right in too; this was her original home. I was the odd woman out

Taylor when they arrive in the Cherokee nation

100

“The Cherokees believed God was in trees. Mama told me this. When I was a kid I would climb as high as I could in a tree… ‘That’s your Indian blood,’ she would say. ‘You’re trying to see God.’”

Religion

100

Turtle's first word

Bean

100

Taylor is from this state

Kentucky 

200

"Beans"

Turtle, first word she says

200

“‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘It’s awful, awful sad when people die. You don’t ever get to see them again. You understand that she’s gone now don’t you?’”

Goodbyes

200

Estevan and Esperanza's new names

Steven and Hope
200
The name of Estevan and Esperanza's daughter

Ismene

300

"It was one of the many times in Turtle’s and my life together that I was to have no notion of what to do. I remember Mattie saying how it was pointless to think you could protect a child from the world. If that had once been my intention, it should have been clear I’d never had a chance.”

Taylor after finding out what happened to Turtle's parents

300

"Here was a mother and her daughter, nothing less. A mother and child – in a world that could barely be bothered with mothers and children – who were going to be taken apart. Everybody believed it. Possibly Turtle believed it. I did."

Motherhood

300

 Taylor's biggest fear

Exploding tires

300

Taylor's childhood nickname

Missy

400

“‘You know what’s funny?’ I said. ‘I just can’t picture you without an iron or a mop or something like that in your hand.’”

Taylor, Near the end of the book when talking to Mama on the phone

400

‘I always thought, ‘If I really get desperate I can call 1-800-THE-LORD.’ I just wanted to tell you, you have been a Fountain of Faith.”

Hope

400

The blind neighbor

Edna Poppy

400

The fake name that Estevan takes up during the adoption process

Mr. Steven Tilpec Two Two

500

“The rhizobia are not actually part of the plant, they are separate creatures, but they always live with legumes: a kind of underground railroad moving secretly up and down the roots.” What plant is Taylor talking about in this quote?

Wisteria vines

500

“I could see the relief across Estevan’s back and shoulders. He held Esperanza’s hand. She was still dying tears but her face was changed. It shone like a polished thing, something old made new.”

Catharsis 

500

Esperanza gives Turtle a gold medallion of saint Christopher, the patron saint of what

Refugees

500

At the end of the adoption, Mrs. Cleary needs a second witness to the signing. What was the witness’ name?

Miss Brando

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