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Copywork
About This Passage
Gloria's sentence is one of the wisest things any character says in the book. Notice the phrase 'in a roundabout way.' A roundabout way is when somebody goes the long way to get to where they want to go — instead of walking straight up to a person, they tease, they whisper, they hover. Gloria is teaching Opal a hard truth: some people who seem mean are actually trying to be friends, but they do not know how to say so directly. Copying this sentence teaches a writer how a single phrase ('in a roundabout way') can capture an entire kind of human behavior.
I think they're just trying to make friends with you in a roundabout way.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell the chapter. The Dewberry boys keep following Opal and saying things she cannot quite hear. Why does Gloria think they are trying to be her friends? What does she see that Opal cannot?
Discussion Questions
- The chapter is mostly about Opal's daily routine — sweep the pet store, listen to Otis play, visit the library, visit Gloria. Why does DiCamillo spend a whole chapter showing us the routine? What is the routine teaching us about Opal's life?
- Gloria thinks the Dewberry boys are trying to make friends 'in a roundabout way.' Opal thinks they are just being mean. Both could be right at once. What would it mean for both to be true at the same time?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
a regular pattern of daily activities, often making a person feel anchored or safe
Item 2
a performance of music played for an audience to listen to
Item 3
to restore energy or comfort after being tired
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Critical Thinking
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