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Copywork
About This Passage
This passage is worth copying for how John Peterson builds a character in a single line of dialogue. Uncle Pete does not just comment on the amount of yarn — he exaggerates it into a joke ('a knitting factory'). The exaggeration tells us he is the family teaser, the uncle who uses humor to be present without being the center of attention. Peterson establishes an entire personality in one joke.
Uncle Pete, holding his cane, leaned against the fireplace. 'You have enough red yarn there, Granny,' he said, 'to start a knitting factory.'
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell the chapter, paying special attention to the moment the Littles learn that new people are coming to stay in the Big house. How does each family member react differently?
Discussion Questions
- Chapter 2 shows us all five Littles in the same room for the first time — Mr. Little, Mrs. Little, Granny, Uncle Pete, Tom, and Lucy. Pick one character and explain what the chapter tells you about them that Chapter 1 did not.
- Chapter 1 was mostly description. Chapter 2 is mostly dialogue. Why do you think John Peterson switched modes for the second chapter? What does dialogue accomplish that description cannot?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
spun thread made of wool, cotton, or synthetic material, used for knitting, weaving, or sewing
Item 2
an unnecessary display of concern or annoyance — used for reactions that seem out of proportion to the situation
Item 3
a large building where things are made in great quantity, usually by machines — used humorously here to describe Granny's big pile of yarn
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Critical Thinking
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