Chapters 1 and 2
Lolly says young kids can go anywhere in Harlem. However, Once you grow up to be his age, around 12, what things "start to change"?
"You can't go anywhere. You got to start worrying about crews." And you can't go to other crew's territories in the neighborhood without the threat of violence.
Page 4-5
Why does Lolly say he hates Christmas?
He is sad, because it is the first Christmas without Jermaine.
Who is Vega?
Lolly's best friend.
Contrast how Lolly’s father acted with his own kids, versus how he acts with other children when he is Rocky the Clown.
Once at a child’s Birthday party, Lolly sees his father (Rocky the Clown) run and chase and laugh. “He hadn’t been any kind of clown toward me and my brother. I always remember him being real quiet and kind of irritated. Not fun.” Page 53.
Describe how Lolly felt when he was walking with Jermaine (in the past).
“I had felt safe around Jermaine. Just walking down the block with him, I knew couldn’t nobody touch me.” Page 62.
Describe why Lolly says the St. Nicholas Houses are like a big family.
"Just like in a real family, you got some relatives you're cool with and others you can't stand, or who act up all the time. St. Nick Houses was just like that. It was home.
Page 6
State the Christmas gift that Yvonne brings to Lolly, and explain how she got the gift.
Yvonne works as a custodian at a toy emporium and saw some workers about to throw away “millions and millions’ of Legos. So she put them in garbage bags and brought them to Lolly. Page 30-31.
Explain the custom behind Three Kings’ Day
Children leave small boxes of grass to feed the three wise men’s camels. In the morning, they would find presents at the foot of their bed. Page 32.
What was the House of Moneekrom?
Who is Tuma and What does he own/sell?
Tuma has a tiny shop on 125th. His shop owned all kinds of stuff; from hair-care products to body oils to bootleg clothes to African statues.
State the number of Lego kits that Lolly currently owns.
He has forty-six kits so far.
Page 9
State the gift that Jermaine left for Lolly, and describe how Lolly feels opening it.
Jermaine gives him a new fancy video console (worth about $400) and Lolly says, “This console felt like it was a gift for another kid. I wasn’t even into video games.” Lolly was hoping to find something more sincere and genuine to remember his brother by, like a note from him. Page 25.
List some of the activities that take place at the St. Nick after school program.
”It was mostly about forcing us to do our homework, and getting help studying. But we sometimes did fun things like go on trips or learn to make things like homemade wind-mills or different types of recipes.” Page 36.
Summarize the advice that Mr. Ali gives to Lolly about his father.
Mr. Ali tells Lolly that parents aren’t conditioned to burying their children and that his dad is probably also having a hard time adjusting to life without Jermaine. Lolly should use this as an opportunity to build a closer bond with his father. Page 59-60.
Although Tuma tells Lolly he reminds him of his own son, how do we know he can’t be trusted?
Tuma tried to charge Lolly extra money twice and tells Lolly it’s his last hat. After Lolly leaves, he unloads another box of the same hat. Page 64.
What is the difference between the paths Jermaine and Steve Jenkins took with their lives.
“Jermaine went in one direction—staying out more, running the streets–and Steve went another way, spending more time in after-school and art programs. Now Jermaine was gone and Steve made movies.”
Page 12.
What does Ma collect?
Describe Lolly’s reaction when Mr. Ali mentions his brother’s death in his office.
“Hearing this made my knee jerk. I kicked the metal front of Ali’s olive-green desk so hard that I left a dent in it.” Page 42.
When his father was working in Trinidad part-time as a clown. What was his clown name?
Rocky the clown.
What did Tuma's shop not have?
No AC, No Heat and No door.
Complete the quote from Steve: "If you only expose yourself to whatever everybody else does....
YOU’LL NEVER CREATE ANYTHING NEW.
Page 14
Predict why Lolly suddenly feels the urge to destroy his Lego kits and make them into something else.
The chapter focuses on him wanting to “make them into something else. Something different.” The reader can assume that he wants to create something new, like Steve suggested earlier, and not have the same fate as his brother. He no longer finds joy in meticulously copying the Lego kit’s instructions on how to build.
At the end of chapter 5, Lolly tells the reader that he had done something to Jermaine before his death, “and yeah—it was bad”. Make a prediction about what happened right before his brother’s death.
Student answers will vary.
Who all lived in the House of Moneekrom?
What color was the hat that Lolly bought from Tuma's shop and how much did it cost?
White and Blue hat for $10 dollars.