Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks

CHAPTERS 1-2

Reading Check

1. Water booger bears (Chapter 1)

2. Stealing change (Chapter 2)

3. They met in a support group for kids whose parents have cancer. (Chapter 2)

Short Answer

1. Recently, Jasmine had a sickle cell crisis, which led to her hospitalization. It affected most of her body, including the muscles in her hands, back, and feet. She could hardly move and missed school for a month. Now, she is figuring out how to make up missed work. TJ was very worried about Jasmine and seems to still worry about her, swapping backpacks so that he can carry Jasmine’s heavier one for her. (Chapter 1)

2. Bit drops his tough exterior as he gives the ice cream he and his friends spent much of the day securing to his mom. He reveals how deeply he cares for and is scared for his mom, whose cancer has returned. (Chapter 2)

3. The students in both chapters attend the same school and focus mainly on the time after school. Both examine different friendships and family dynamics. Chapters 1 and 2 also involve illness in some way. (Chapters 1-2)

CHAPTERS 3-4

Reading Check

1. Skateboarding (Chapter 3)

2. A boy who was jealous of Santi’s skateboarding skill pushed her, and she fell into traffic. (Chapter 3)

3. A list of what has changed or not changed (Chapter 4)

Short Answer

1. Though Stevie does not want to hurt Pia, he is with the boys who do. He feels he should have said or done something to try to stop the others from taking her skateboard. Telling his mother later and trying to make amends reveals his compassion. (Chapter 3)

2. For a while, Benni disrupts Fatima’s careful planning. Then, something shifts, and Fatima decides to try seeing the world from Benni’s point of view, to engage in imaginary play, and to imagine an answer to Benni’s question: “How you gon’ change the world?” (Chapter 4)

3. The title “How To Look Both (Both) Ways” develops the idea in the chapter of seeing the world from another person’s perspective. Fatima has a homework assignment to write about being something else, and she decides to try this by viewing the world as Benni does, beginning with playing one of her pretend instruments. (Chapter 4)

CHAPTERS 5-6

Reading Check

1. Video games (Chapter 5)

2. A blue ball (Chapter 6)

3. Chestnut Homes (Chapter 6)

Short Answer

1. When some boys are teasing Ty at school for his sexuality, Bryson asks them why it matters to them and kisses Ty on the cheek to emphasize how it should not matter. (Chapter 5)

2. Simeon carries Kenzi through the halls at the end of the day because Kenzi, due to his small size, is often accidentally knocked around in the rush. Kenzi stands up for Simeon at the store when the owner makes fun of Simeon’s size; Kenzi takes the man’s paper to support his friend. (Chapter 6)

3. Kenzi’s brother is in jail. He took the blame for Simeon’s brother, who stole a car. (Chapter 6)

CHAPTERS 7-8

Reading Check

1. He was bitten by a dog, which left a scar. (Chapter 7)

2. She tells five minutes of jokes. (Chapter 8)

3. Cynthia’s “hero” is her mom, and her “superhero” is her grandfather. (Chapter 8)

Short Answer

1. Satchmo fears another dog attack and intricately plans multiple escape routes should another dog attack on his route home. This planning, with multiple contingencies, occupies much of his mind. (Chapter 7)

2. Mr. Jerry’s new dog does come out of the house on Satchmo’s walk home, which he predicted. The difference is the sweetness of the dog. Instead of attacking, it comes safely with Mr. Jerry to greet Satchmo. (Chapter 7)

3. Cinder starts to forget things, and this increases to the point where Cynthia and her mom are worried. They move in to help him. (Chapter 8)

4. Cynthia’s grandfather used to tell jokes. Now, with the way his mind is working, it is difficult for him. Cynthia writes jokes and gives them to her grandfather as “mail,” knowing he will forget where they came from and later think he wrote them. Later, she tells him how much his jokes are making people laugh at school. She ensures his success in this way and enjoys sharing laughter with her grandfather. (Chapter 8)

CHAPTER 9-EPIGRAPH

Reading Check

1. To tell Sandra, a girl he has a crush on, how he feels about her (Chapter 9)

2. Canton’s mom and the school crossing guard (Chapter 10)

3. An emotional support dog made out of a broom (Chapter 10)

Short Answer

1. Gregory’s friends help him by bringing him products to get ready to see Sandra. For example, Joey brings him balm for his lips, which turns out to be Vick’s. Candace brings lotion. Remy brings body spray. (Chapter 9)

2. Not revealing Sandra’s response to Gregory leaves the chapter focused on him. No matter what she says, Gregory accomplished his goal of sharing his feelings. The chapter illuminates his courage and determination. (Chapter 9)

3. She ran in front of the bus to save Kenzie from being hit. The bus could not stop in time, and it hit her, injuring her shoulder and hip. (Chapter 10)

4. The Epigraph focuses on the journey of a foot. The individual nature parallels Reynolds’s presentation of the different characters in their separate journeys, while the word “our” emphasizes the universality in the journey, as Reynolds’s connections between chapters also illuminate. (Epigraph)