Chapters 1-3
What did Kenny's father remind his mother about why Birmingham was not friendlier than their hometown?
There is segregation in the south (segregated bathrooms and water fountains)
“Momma’s eyes got slitty with the eyeballs shooting around from side to side.” This line suggest that Momma is…
angry
How does Byron react to the death of the bird in Chapter 6? What does this say about him?
buries the bird with a bird funeral.
Her heart is stone
Metaphor
Who's POV (point of view) is the story told through in this line? "“If Momma just gave Byron some stupid punishment, then maybe it would be worth to me to flush some Nazis down the drain myself.”
Kenny
When Byron's teacher says he should emulate his brother he means he should...
be like him
Describe Joey as a sister
She is very protective of her brothers but also a little naïve
What is Momma's initial reaction to Bryon's new hairstyle?
she is upset and angry BUT very calm and says that dad will take care of it later
The Living Dead
Oxymoron
What is Kenny's catch phrase? What does this mean?
"Ready, aim, fire!" Something bad will happen.
Why does Mr. Alums (Byron's teacher) tell the class how "vital it is that one be able to read well"?
because the world is cruel and literacy will help them
What does Larry steal from Kenny? Why does he still this?
his leather gloves; because he doesn't have a lot of money
Why does Dad fix up the car in Chapter 8?
They have been planning to drive from Michigan to Alabama as a family to take Byron to live with Grandma Sands. The Brown Bomber is an old car, so they needed to try to fix it up for the long drive.
I'm a big fan of whiteboards. I find them quite re-markable
Pun
When Momma says, “No, dear, Momma doesn’t want to hurt Byron, but I don’t want you going to school smelling like smoke either, and I don’t want to see you or Kenneth or Daddy or Blackie or Tiger or Flipper or Flapper get burned up either,” what does it tell the reader about Momma?
Momma is trying to look out for Byron and seems to have survived a house fire
In the Chapter "The World's Greatest Dinosaur War Ever", who is involved the most significant conflict in this chapter?
Kenny vs. Rufus
Why does Byron lie about the garbage trucks?
he does it to mess with his siblings but also to help Kenny a little bit so Joey will be easier to put in and out of her winter clothes
Why are Byron and Kenny embarrassed to get groceries at the store?
they think by picking up groceries without paying for them it means they are receiving welfare food. They are embarrassed to get welfare food because they think that other people will make fun of them.
"If I had two million dinosaurs, he stole a million of them"
Hyperbole
In Chapter 6, it states, “By was signing up for stuff that Momma and Dad didn’t even know about!” What does this reveal about Byron’s character traits?
Byron likes to make mischief and get away with things. He can be sneaky and break rules, especially if he has more fun or enjoys himself more.
Describe how Rufus and Byron are both "savers"
Rufus pulls attention from Kenny because he is new and stands out to be made fun of. Bryon is in charge and tells the other kids to leave Kenny alone
Kenny keeps calling Byron “Daddy Cool” in Chapter 5. Explain what makes this nickname funny.
Kenny is used to seeing Byron be a tough guy, but in this section, Byron is terrified and in trouble with his Momma. Kenny sarcastically calls him “Daddy Cool” since he usually acts really cool, but in this section, he isn’t cool at all.
What are some of the reasons Momma and Dad decide to send Byron to live in the South with Grandma Sand?
Skipping school, setting fire to tissues, getting hair straightened, signed for food on store credit without asking
"Byron's mouth was frozen on the mirror! He was stuck as a fly on flypaper!"
Simile
“Hel’ me! Keh--ee! Go geh hel’!” (p. 13) “I’ma tell you, there ain’t nothin’ more horrible than seein’ hundreds of dead, froze-up Southern folks...” (p. 54) Why does the author include misspelled words in the dialogue between characters?
Helps make the characters come to life and sound more realistic