Lily's Crossing
Chapter 12 — Teaching Companion
Patricia Reilly Giff · Trailblazers 4th–6th
Coaching, not a script — and not an answer key: every question here has more than one defensible answer.
This chapter's big question
Lily “had never thought” about how Albert crossed the ocean. Why not?
The tension On the fire escape Lily is the bold one, daring Albert up the rickety stairs; in the balcony, when the sailors go under, neither of them can watch, and Lily realizes that Albert, not she, has actually crossed the ocean on such a ship: “She had never thought of that.”
Today's focus
What the movie stirs up in Lily and in Albert, and what she notices about him once the marquee lights show his face.
Two core ideas
- The ships on screen are not just a story to either of them: Lily thinks of Poppy going overseas, and Albert has made that crossing himself.
- Albert's fear on the fire escape and his tears at the movie sit beside his jokes and his laugh, so Lily sees far more of him than the boy she spied on.
The shape at a glance
The chapter opens with a plan put off: Lily and Albert can’t watch for ships that night, because Mr. Colgan has borrowed Gram’s rowboat and Mr. Orban is caulking his. Lily asks Albert to the movie instead. They will sneak in, she says, and when he looks worried she adds, “Unless you’re afraid”. The picture is Action in the North Atlantic, about troop ships and German submarines, and Lily shivers, thinking of the new poster in Mrs. Sherman’s bakery: SOMEONE TALKED, over a sinking ship and sailors swimming in huge waves. She tries not to think about it. Through an alley of itchy weeds they reach the fire escape behind the Cross Bay Theatre. Albert says the steps could pull off the wall; Lily dares him with “Three stories,” and he says he is not afraid, he is just telling her. She has climbed it every summer since she was six, though she has to admit the stairs are rickety. Albert holds the railing for dear life, stopping to close his eyes, until she calls a race to the top and he opens them. In the empty balcony, out of breath, he says that was so simple. During Bugs Bunny he does “What’s up, Doc?”, Lily laughs at his voice, and he calls it a Hungarian Bugs Bunny. She likes the way he laughs and talks. Then the picture starts with a destroyer blown up in the water, the noise deafening. Lily watches a ship sink and sailors trying to hold on or swim, just like the poster, and she thinks of Poppy’s latest postcard, found in the door slot by Gram: he has never been so tired or worked so hard, to be ready to go overseas, and thinking of them in Rockaway makes it all worthwhile. When a sailor goes under, Lily stops watching, and Albert isn’t watching either. She asks if he doesn’t like the movie; he shakes his head, and she starts to say they could leave. As the matron’s flashlight comes up the stairs, Albert says he was on a ship like that. Lily blinks: of course, how else had he gotten here? She had never thought of that. The matron scolds her for sneaking in again, and the two slip out past the candy counter. In the marquee’s light Albert’s eyes are full of tears. Lily wants to ask about the ship and what made him cry, but the church chimes ring nine, and Gram will have a fit. They run, just missing an old Chevy, past Mrs. Sherman’s, where Albert says “Same cookies”, and by the back road he isn’t crying anymore: they are both laughing, and he grabs her hand and pulls her to her back door. Lily calls “See you tomorrow”, and he says yes. Gram, making iced tea, says she was getting a little worried. Lily says she was with Albert, and Gram says she is glad. In her bedroom Lily runs her fingers across her mother’s stars, still thinking about tomorrow and all the things she wants to ask him.
A way in
Before reading, ask the student about a time a friend dared them to do something, and whether they did it. Then read aloud from the start to the line where Albert says he is not afraid, he is just telling her. Ask what Albert might do next, and how they can tell. Read on to the end, and have the student listen for each time Albert surprises Lily.
Lesson plan
Retell The student tells the chapter back in four parts: the plan, from the borrowed rowboats to the poster Lily tries not to think about; the climb, from the itchy alley to the race to the top; the balcony, from the Hungarian Bugs Bunny through the sinking ship and Poppy’s postcard to “I was on a ship like that” and the matron; and the run home, from the tears under the marquee to Gram’s iced tea and the stars. Look for the order, and for Albert’s line told in his own words, with no reason added for his tears.
Imitate the author After copying, the student writes two or three sentences of their own about hurrying somewhere: home for dinner, to the bus, across a field. Ask for one long sentence with a single main verb followed by phrases set off by commas, the way Giff writes “They started to run, crossing the street diagonally, just missing an old Chevy”. Then ask for one short sentence with the writer’s own thought tucked in after a comma, like “The stairs were rickety, she had to admit.” Look for a comma before each added phrase, and for the tucked-in thought set off by its comma.
Debate Take sides on the last written question. First list from the chapter what Lily thinks about ships tonight: the shiver at the poster, trying not to think about it, Poppy and his postcard. Then list what she notices about Albert: his worried look, his shut eyes on the stairs, his Hungarian Bugs Bunny, the way he laughs and talks. The student argues one reason she never thought of his crossing and you argue another. Look for a student who uses both lists and weighs them against “Of course. How else had he gotten here?” Keep the talk off what happened on Albert’s ship and why he cries; the chapter tells neither.
Purpose Close with the last paragraph. Lily sits in her bedroom with lukewarm iced tea, running her fingers across her mother’s stars, still thinking about tomorrow. Ask why Giff ends the night there, in Lily’s room, rather than with Albert at her back door. Leave open what Lily will ask him and what he will tell her; the chapter tells neither.
Easier Read aloud together from “And then it was time for the picture.” to the end of the chapter. Retell what Lily and Albert see on the screen and what Albert says. Talk through the third and fourth discussion questions, then answer the last written question aloud.
On level Talk through all four discussion questions in order, then have the student write answers to the two written questions in complete sentences, each with a reason and a line from the chapter.
Harder The chapter begins, “They couldn’t watch for ships that night after all.” Ask the student to write a paragraph on how that first sentence sounds after reading the whole chapter, when Lily and Albert end up watching ships go down on the screen. Use only this chapter, and claim nothing about what happened on Albert’s crossing or about the night they do go out.
Discussion
- Albert keeps stopping on the stairs to close his eyes. “Race you to the top,” Lily says. What is she trying to do?Character
What it asks It asks about the climb up the fire escape. Lily has dared Albert all evening: “Unless you’re afraid”, and “Three stories,” said to dare him. At the foot of the stairs he says, “I am not afraid,” and then, “I am just telling you.” Partway up she looks back. He is holding the railing “for dear life,” stopping each second to close his eyes and take a breath. Then she calls the race, he opens his eyes and says “Sure”, and she grins at how tough he is. The student decides what the race is for. Albert is frightened and climbs anyway; the card treats him as neither a coward nor simply brave. It feeds the last written question: here Lily is the bold one, and she reads Albert closely enough to see his fear.
One reading
One more dare. Lily has been pushing Albert all evening, and a race is the next push. She wants him to keep going and not back down, and she grins when he does.
“Three stories,” she said, daring him.
She grinned. He was a tough kid, that Albert.
Another reading
A way to help him. Albert is frozen on each step with his eyes shut. A race gives him something to think about besides falling, and it works: he opens his eyes.
He was holding on to the railing for dear life, as Gram would say, stopping each second to close his eyes and take a breath.
He opened his eyes. “Sure.”
Listen for
- Tells what Albert is doing on the stairs when Lily calls out.
- Says what the race is for, with a reason from the climb.
- Uses what Albert does right after: he opens his eyes and says “Sure.”
- Keeps Albert both scared and climbing, not a coward and not fearless.
If stuck
- What is Albert doing each second on the stairs?
- What has Lily said to Albert before this? What is she doing when she says “Three stories”?
- What does Albert do the moment Lily calls the race?
A strong answer A strong response might say the race is one more dare: Lily has pushed him from “Unless you’re afraid” to “Three stories,” and she grins when he keeps going. Another might say it is a way to help: he is stopping each second to close his eyes, and the race makes him open them and say “Sure.” A thoughtful student may notice that it can be both, and that at the top Albert, breathless, says, “That was so simple,” as if he has decided to make a joke of it. Look for a reason from the climb, and for Albert kept frightened and climbing.
- Lily laughs at Albert’s Bugs Bunny voice. “Hungarian,” he says, before she can find the word. Why is he the one to say it?Character
What it asks It asks about the cartoon before the picture. In the empty balcony Albert grins and says “What’s up, Doc?” Lily starts to laugh, and he asks, “What?” She says, “It’s your voice. It sounds so . . . so . . .” and cannot finish. He finishes for her, “Hungarian,” and adds, “It is a Hungarian Bugs Bunny.” Then the page says she liked the way he laughed and the way he talked. The student decides why the word comes from Albert and not from Lily. It feeds the last written question: Lily hears where Albert comes from in every word he says, as a funny voice, minutes before she learns how he came. The card says nothing about Hungary beyond the word he says.
One reading
He is easy with it. Albert is in a joking mood after the climb. He makes his accent into a joke of his own, and the two of them laugh together.
He grinned back. “What’s up, Doc?” he said.
She liked the way he laughed, the way he talked.
Another reading
He gets there first. Lily is laughing at his voice, and he asks “What?” before he knows why. If he says the word himself, it is his joke, and nobody can laugh at him with it.
She started to laugh.
“What?” he asked.
Listen for
- Tells what Albert says in his Bugs Bunny voice and why Lily laughs.
- Notices that Lily cannot finish her sentence and Albert finishes it.
- Gives a reason for why he says the word, from the balcony.
- Uses what Lily thinks of his laugh and his talk afterward.
If stuck
- What does Albert say in the Bugs Bunny voice? What does Lily do?
- What does Lily try to say about his voice? Can she finish?
- How might Albert feel when someone laughs at the way he talks? How does he seem to feel here?
A strong answer A strong response might say Albert is easy with it: he grins, does “What’s up, Doc?” and turns his own accent into “a Hungarian Bugs Bunny”, so they laugh together. Another might say he gets there first: Lily is laughing and he has to ask “What?”, so by saying the word himself he makes the joke his before it can be one at him. A thoughtful student may say he is simply helping her out, since she is stuck on “so . . . so . . .”, and may notice that Lily ends up liking “the way he talked”, the very voice that came from far away. Look for a reason from the balcony and the word “Hungarian” used.
- While the ship sinks on the screen, Lily thinks of Poppy and the postcard he sent. How do his words sound to her right then?Tone
What it asks It asks about Poppy’s postcard, which comes into Lily’s mind in the middle of the picture. The movie opens with a destroyer blown up in the water, and the noise is deafening. Lily watches a ship sink and the sailors holding on to pieces of wood, just like the poster in Mrs. Sherman’s bakery that she tried not to think about. Then she thinks of Poppy. The family has heard from him again, but only a postcard; Lily missed the mailman, and it lay in the slot all morning until Gram spotted it. The card’s words are given in full. The student decides how those words sound to Lily while the ship goes down. It feeds the last written question: every ship in Lily’s mind tonight is Poppy’s. The card does not say Poppy is at sea; his postcard says he is getting ready to go overseas.
One reading
They comfort her. Poppy is happy thinking of her and Gram in Rockaway. It makes it all worthwhile for him. In the noise of the explosions, his words are something warm to hold on to.
Thinking of you both in Rockaway makes me happy . . . makes it all worthwhile.
Love, Poppy.
Another reading
They frighten her. Poppy is working hard to go overseas, and the ships on the screen are the way soldiers cross. He sounds worn out, and he sent only a postcard. The sinking ship shows her what “overseas” could mean.
Never so tired. Never worked so hard, to be ready to go overseas.
They had heard from him again, but only a postcard.
Listen for
- Tells what Lily sees on the screen just before she thinks of Poppy.
- Uses one line from the postcard, word for word.
- Says how the words sound to her, comforting, frightening or both, with a reason.
- Keeps Poppy getting ready to go, not already at sea.
If stuck
- What is happening on the screen when Lily thinks of Poppy?
- What does Poppy’s postcard say? Which line sounds happy, and which sounds tired?
- Where is Poppy getting ready to go? How would he get there?
A strong answer A strong response might say the words comfort her: Poppy writes that thinking of them “makes it all worthwhile”, and in the deafening noise that is something to hold on to. Another might say they frighten her: he is working hard “to be ready to go overseas”, and the ships on the screen are how he would go, with sailors going under. A thoughtful student may notice the card was written before the movie, so Poppy could not know how it would sound to her here, and that it is “only a postcard”, a few short lines where a letter would say more. Look for a postcard line used, and for Poppy kept getting ready, not at sea.
- All evening, Lily goes first and Albert follows. On the back road, he grabs her hand and pulls her along. Who has changed, Albert or Lily?Character
What it asks It asks about who leads on the way home. All evening Lily is in front: she walks down the street in front of Albert, rushes through the itchy weeds while he lifts his skinny legs, starts up the fire escape first and looks back at him on the railing, and circles the matron with Albert following. Then come the tears under the marquee, the chimes, and the run past the Chevy and Mrs. Sherman’s. By the back road Lily has a pain in her chest and a stitch in her side, Albert isn’t crying anymore, and he grabs her hand and pulls her along to her back door. The student decides who has changed, Albert, Lily or both, with a reason from the chapter. If a student says only that Albert isn’t scared now, ask what is different about Lily on the back road. It feeds the last written question: on the stairs Lily is the bold one leading him, and in the balcony she learns that he is the one who has already crossed. The card does not say what made Albert cry, or what happened on his crossing.
One reading
Albert has changed. On the stairs he held the railing and shut his eyes. Now his tears are gone, he is laughing, and he is the one who reaches for her hand.
He was holding on to the railing for dear life, as Gram would say, stopping each second to close his eyes and take a breath.
They were both laughing, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her along until they reached her back door.
Another reading
Lily has changed. She is the worn-out one now, with a stitch in her side. She is quiet, too, holding questions she has not asked. Since the balcony she knows he is more than the boy she dared up the stairs.
By the time they reached the back road Lily had a pain in her chest and a stitch in her side
She stood there for a moment, wanting to ask him, wanting to know about the ship, wanting to know what had made him cry.
Listen for
- Tells one time earlier in the evening when Lily goes first: the street, the weeds, the stairs or the matron.
- Says who has changed, Albert, Lily or both, with a reason from the run home.
- Uses something from the back road: the stitch in Lily’s side, the laughing, or the hand he grabs.
- Makes no claim about what made Albert cry or what happened on his ship.
If stuck
- Who goes first on the street, through the weeds and up the stairs? Who follows?
- What is Albert holding on to as he climbs? What does he hold on the back road?
- How is Lily feeling by the back road? What does she still want to ask him?
A strong answer A strong response might say Albert has changed: on the stairs he held the railing “for dear life”, and on the back road his tears are gone, he is laughing, and he is the one who grabs her hand; he even jokes, “Same cookies,” as they race past Mrs. Sherman’s. Another might say Lily has changed: she has “a stitch in her side”, she is carrying questions she has not asked, and since “I was on a ship like that” she knows he is more than the boy she dared up the stairs. A thoughtful student may say both, and notice that the night began with Lily daring Albert up the stairs and ends with Albert pulling Lily home. Look for one moment from earlier in the evening and one from the back road, and for no reason given for Albert’s tears.
Critical thinking
- At home, Lily keeps thinking about asking Albert all the things she wants to know. Should she ask him tomorrow, or wait until he tells her?
What it asks It asks the student to take a side on what Lily should do next. Outside the theater she stood wanting to ask about the ship and what made Albert cry, and the chimes cut her off. She calls “See you tomorrow”, he answers “Yes,” and she goes in thinking about tomorrow and about asking him all the things she wants to know. She tells Gram only, “I was with Albert”. The student argues for asking or for waiting, with reasons from the chapter, and answers the other side. It goes a step past the last written question without asking it: this is about what Lily does now that she knows, and the last one is about why she never thought of it before. The card does not say what happened on Albert’s crossing, or that the two have talked about it.
One reading
She should ask. Albert brought it up himself. Nobody asked him about a ship, and he said it anyway. By the end of the night he is laughing, he holds her hand, and he says “Yes” to tomorrow.
“I was on a ship like that,” Albert said.
“Yes,” he said, going down toward the Orbans’.
Another reading
She should wait. The ship made him cry. When she asked about the movie, he just shook his head. Asking might bring the tears back. It may be his to tell when he is ready.
in the marquee’s light she could see Albert’s face, his blue eyes swimming in tears.
He shook his head.
Listen for
- Takes a side, ask or wait, and gives at least two reasons from the chapter.
- Uses something Albert says or does in the balcony or on the way home.
- Answers the other side: someone who would choose the other way.
- Writes in complete sentences, and claims nothing about what happened on Albert’s ship.
If stuck
- What does Lily want to know? When does she almost ask?
- Did anyone ask Albert about the ship, or did he say it himself?
- How does Albert seem when they say good night? How did he seem under the marquee?
A strong answer A strong response takes a side and answers the other one. A student might argue she should ask: Albert said “I was on a ship like that” without being asked, and by the end he is laughing, holding her hand and saying “Yes” to tomorrow. Another might argue she should wait: the ship left his eyes “swimming in tears”, and when she asked about the movie he shook his head. A thoughtful student may say how she asks matters as much as whether: the run home shows the two of them can be close without a word. Look for Albert’s own words and his tears both weighed, and for no claim about his crossing.
- Lily “had never thought” about how Albert crossed the ocean. Why not?
What it asks It asks the whole question of the chapter. In the balcony Albert says, “I was on a ship like that,” and Lily blinks: of course, how else had he gotten here? She had never thought of that. All evening the ships in her head are the ones going over: she shivers at the poster in Mrs. Sherman’s, and at the movie she thinks of Poppy getting ready to go overseas. And all evening she has watched Albert closely: his worried look, his eyes shut on the stairs, his Hungarian Bugs Bunny. The student explains why the thought never came to her. If a student says only that Lily is selfish, ask what she was thinking about instead. The card does not say what happened on Albert’s crossing, why he cries, or that Lily asks him about it.
One reading
Her own worry filled her head. Every ship Lily pictures is a ship Poppy will cross on. She tries not to think about those ships at all. There was no room for a ship coming the other way, with a boy on it.
She shivered a little, thinking about those ships.
And she thought of Poppy.
Another reading
She saw what Albert does, not where he has been. To Lily he is the scared boy on the stairs and the funny voice in the balcony. She likes the way he talks, but she hears the accent as a joke, not as a long trip across the sea.
She grinned. He was a tough kid, that Albert.
She liked the way he laughed, the way he talked.
Listen for
- Takes a position and gives at least two reasons from the chapter.
- Uses what Lily thinks about ships tonight, or what she notices about Albert.
- Answers the other side: someone who picks the other reason.
- Writes in complete sentences, and claims nothing about Albert’s crossing beyond his one line.
If stuck
- What does Albert say in the balcony? What does Lily think right after?
- Which ships has Lily been thinking about all evening? Who is she thinking of?
- What has Lily noticed about Albert tonight? Is any of it about where he came from?
A strong answer A strong response takes a position, gives reasons and answers the other side. A student might argue Lily’s own worry filled her head: she shivers “thinking about those ships”, and at the movie she thinks of Poppy, so every ship is one going over, not one bringing a boy here. Another might argue she saw what Albert does, not where he has been: he is the tough boy on the stairs and a funny voice in the balcony, and she likes “the way he talked” without hearing in it a trip across the sea. A thoughtful student may notice the page’s “Of course. How else had he gotten here?”: once said, it is so plain that not seeing it shows how full her mind was. Another may say Lily is so used to being the bold one, leading him up the stairs and asking after him in the balcony, that she never pictured Albert as the one who had already crossed. Look for both Lily’s thoughts and her view of Albert weighed, and for no claim about his crossing.