Lily's Crossing

Chapter 18

Patricia Reilly Giff · Trailblazers 4th–6th

Teaching Companion Print Adapt for your student

Copywork

She poked Gram’s manicure scissors into the collar seam, trying to slide the points under the tiny stitches. Albert was leaning over her shoulder, and Paprika was playing with her sneaker lace. Lily could feel the perspiration running down her back, the metal scissors sliding in her slippery fingers, when Albert began to talk, grinning.

His eyes were so blue, and she knew it was never going to happen the way he wanted, and it was all her fault . . . all because of her wild stories.

Giff puts three dots before “all because of her wild stories.” What is Lily doing in that pause?

For the educator Two passages, four sentences, in story order: the first lines on the kitchen floor, then the moment Albert holds Lily’s arm. The first passage is three sentences, and each one adds a picture after a comma. The first ends with an -ing phrase, “trying to slide the points under the tiny stitches,” which tells what Lily is doing while she pokes. The second joins two things happening at once with a comma and “and.” The third keeps adding: the perspiration, then “the metal scissors sliding in her slippery fingers,” then the time, “when Albert began to talk,” and last a single word, “grinning.” The cutting is slow and fiddly; a student may feel the heat and the slippery scissors. The vocabulary words manicure and perspiration both stand in this passage. The second passage is one sentence. It starts with what Lily sees, his blue eyes, and each “and” takes her one step further in: she knew, and it was her fault. Then come three spaced dots and “all because of her wild stories,” which says “all” again. That pause is the talk. One student may say Lily stops to admit it to herself; another may say she does not want to finish the thought. Either is good if it points to the dots. Claim nothing about whether Lily will tell Albert, or what the stories said beyond what the student remembers.

Discussion

Narration Tell back the chapter, from Gram’s scissors at the coat collar to the last time Lily marches out the door.

Albert says Lily’s playing sounds “Like terrible. Like Ruth plays.” What makes Lily swallow? Inference
Of all the food at Nagymamma’s restaurant, why does Albert end with plain, cold pancakes? Inference
Lily can tell Albert is ready to cry. Why does she push the coat to him without looking? Character
Lily remembers that her mother died “not in prison, but at home.” What does that difference mean to her? Theme
Lily is sure Albert knows what “ridiculous” means. So why does he say he doesn’t? Character
When Albert says he could take Paprika to Canada, Lily says, “Good.” What is she glad about? Inference

Make a Connection Think of a story, or a time in your own life, when someone could not reach a person they loved. What did they do to feel close to that person?

Vocabulary

manicure: She poked Gram’s manicure scissors into the collar seam, trying to slide the points under the tiny stitches. Care of the fingernails; these small scissors are made for trimming nails.
perspiration: Lily could feel the perspiration running down her back, the metal scissors sliding in her slippery fingers, when Albert began to talk, grinning. Sweat; the wet drops skin makes when a body is hot, nervous or working hard.
duets: Ruth likes to play duets. Pieces of music played by two people together.
scramble: She unwrapped his hand from her arm and scrambled to her feet. To move fast in a hurried, untidy way, like Lily getting up off the floor.

Critical thinking

Lily thinks of Eddie on a beach in Normandy and whispers to his picture, “Be just a little lost.” Why does she ask for only a little?
Lily knows her story about the ships is why Albert begs to learn in the ocean, but she keeps it to herself. Is her silence kind to him, or unkind?