Chapters 5 and 6 Summary

In chapter five, Lina arrives home several days to find Granny continuing to search for something. Most days Mrs. Murdo is there though Granny complains that she doesn't want her company. Lina rushes about all day, delivering messages. She hears worries about the lack of supplies and fears for the future of the city and its inhabitants. One day Lina learns that a storekeeper named Looper has pencils for sale. She goes there with Poppy and discovers that he has sever colored pencils though they are very expensive - five dollars each. Lina knows that Granny needs a coat and she can buy one for seven dollars but she desperately wants some of the pencils. She wrestles with her conscience and decides she'll buy a couple of pencils now and a coat for Granny soon. Lina chooses a blue pencil and...