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Copywork
About This Passage
This is one of the quietest, most surprising sentences in the whole book. Miss Franny is telling Opal and Amanda that the candy her great-grandfather made has a hidden taste — the taste of sorrow, which means sadness. The word 'sorrow' is a special word for sadness, older and more serious. Notice how Miss Franny says 'there's a secret ingredient' and then waits, then says 'sorrow' like a single small answer. Copying this passage shows children how a writer can put a big word alone at the end to make it land.
There's a secret ingredient in there, Miss Franny said. Sorrow.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell the rest of Litmus's story. He lost everything in the war, and then he made candy. Why candy?
Discussion Questions
- Litmus wanted 'something sweet' after losing his family. Why does the chapter say this? Why did he want sweetness after losing everything?
- Litmus decided the world had 'enough ugly things in it' and he would 'concentrate on putting something sweet in it.' Is this a good way to live after losing everything? What in the story makes you think so?
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Critical Thinking
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