What's in a Name?
Who was "the stranger who rode in from the east?"
Cruz de la Cruz
Who is Alabaster Jones?
The bank president.
Who said, "Like the cracklesnap of a cottontail running over twigs. You smell all the brush, the pine trees, your horse, the leather. It's like - I don't know - it's like you're hyper alive."
Cruz de la Cruz.
Give several examples of alliteration from your copy work passage on pg. 1. (You may use your copy work notebooks, but not your books.)
weird and wild, tall the tale, Blackjack Buck, could've cooked up, wild and woolbacious, keyboard clicking kids
Hollis B only speaks in _______ on a _________.
Hollis B only speaks in poetry on a fake cell phone.
What is the name of Dillontown's baseball team?
Dillontown Wildcats
Where did Dante del Gato live?
By himself on top of Rattlesnake Ridge.
What did Doc mean when he said he was "the most popular and the least popular man in town at the same time?" pg. 4
Some people loved that he would sell his land to the developers, some people hated it.
From your copy work, what do you think "mind-whacking brain-snapper" means? (You may look at your copy work notebooks.)
mind-whacking: adj. mind blowing
brain-snapper: n. an idea or story that is so far-fetched, it hurts your brain to think of it!
What is proposed to be built on Doc Altenheimer's land, and how will he decide if he will agree to it?
New developments - houses, stores, roads, etc. If the baseball team wins, Doc won't sell his land. If they lose, he will.
What is the name of Cruz's horse?
Screwball.
Why is Dante Del Gato a hometown hero? Why is he not a hometown hero?
He was from Dillontown and became MLB's MVP and batting champ. He disappeared and the Padres lost the World Series.
"At that moment, Tom's whole world shifted." How did Tom's feelings about the ball game change after Cruz showed up and spoke about it? pg. 27-28
Tom had been scared of the pressure and considered quitting the team. Now he felt inspired and emboldened.
From your copy work, what does "el civismo" mean? What language is it? (You may NOT look at your copy work or book to help you on this one.)
"The very spirit" of the town. What the people stood for, what they were really about. It's Spanish.
What was Cruz's plan to win The Big Game?
Ask Dante Del Gato to coach their team and teach them the secret of hitting.
What is the name of the team that Dillontown will face?
Lake View Vikings
How did Tom's Mom feel about the land deal? How did his dad feel?
His mom was against it - she wanted to see mountaintops, not rooftops. His dad was for it - he felt it would be good for the town.
Who said it, and what did it mean? "Gallagher says he's got the chops, says he'll pull out all the stops. His team'll be ready to take the crown. And I say, boys, lay your money down. On Dillowntown. I gotta go!"
Hollis B was predicting a Dillowntown win in the big game.
Our author admits to making up words when none exist that suit his purposes. From your copy work, what is the made-up word? What do you think it means? (You may look at your copy work notebooks.)
Woolbacious. A combination of the "wild and wooly west" and bodacious, which means overly outrageous.
Give a description of Tom's character so far in the book, and an example of why you think this.
One possible answer: Not confident, shy. He steered clear of people, kept to himself, didn't want the pressure of the game, and he didn't talk to girls.
What does Tom call his book that he keeps in his pocket, and what did he do with it?
Dreamsketcher. He wrote interesting words he heard, he doodled and drew pictures, he made up stories, he jotted down thoughts. It was not for writing "what is," but "what if."
Who was Blackjack Buck, and what did he do?
Legend says he was a prospector who would have visions and make predictions. He wrote the Dillontown Prophecy of Doom and Gloom.
Name three things stated in the Prophecy. pg. 55-56
A stranger from the east will appear during days of gloom in Dillontown, and he will "spur a great man's death." The dead man's secret will be learned before the town falls. There will be a double cross and a double loss on the same day.
From your copy work, what two things are we told that Cruz saved? What might they have to do with one another? (You may NOT look at your copy work or your books to help you on this one.)
He saved "el civismo" and baseball. Answers may vary on what the team thinks the two have to do with one another. Any reasonable answer is accepted.
One reason the townspeople think Mr. Gallagher shouldn't be team's coach is because, as a science teacher, he isn't qualified. What is the other reason they give?
He supports the land development deal, so he could be the double-crosser spoken about in the Prophecy.