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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is one thing different about Natalie?

2. Where does Dreenie guide Tuli and Willie?

3. What causes Tuli to fall?

4. Why are there decorations on the buildings where Dreenie and her sister are walking?

5. What school do Dreenie and Willie attend?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Dreenie convince her mother to let her do about her father?

2. What kind of action does Bluish take to teach the other children about her?

3. What does Tuli want to do at Dreenie's house, how does Dreenie feel about that and what does Dreenie want in a friend?

4. What does Dreenie's father say about Bluish?

5. Why does Dreenie have an argument with her sister as they are walking?

6. Where is Dreenie and her sister at the beginning of Chapter 1 and what does the place look like?

7. What does Dreenie think she is and how does she feel about her sister's status with others? Where do they go to school?

8. What does Dreenie notice about Bluish's attendance in school?

9. What does Bluish do at school and what does she ask Dreenie? How does Dreenie mistake her question?

10. What does Dreenie say is the reason she is writing a journal and what does she admire about Bluish?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bluish's mom Rita confronts Dreenie and Tuli about what she perceives as Bluish's derogatory nickname. This episode foregrounds the importance of ethnic and cultural identity, with Rita defending her daughter against what, to her mind, is an attack on her heritage.

1. Do you think Bluish's mother was right to feel the way she did about Bluish's nickname from the children? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

2. Why do you think an awareness of one's ethnic and cultural identity is important? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. How does Bluish's mother's idea about her daughter's nickgame illustrate the statement don't assume? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The Christmas tree itself is an amalgamation of all the major holidays, with Christmas ornaments, a Jewish menorah, and a Kwanzaa candelabra. Multiculturalism and its associated virtues of tolerance and unity are clearly values the author wishes to celebrate.

1. Why do you think it is important to have many different cultures holidays acknowledged? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

2. Why do you think tolerance of others is important in the world? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. What do you think humans could accomplish if instead wars humans were united across the world? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The journal is an intimate, informal record that the young reader may strongly relate to, considering the young reader might also write in this manner, and might also feel many of the same things Dreenie does around those who are different.

1. Do you relate to Dreenie's journal? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think that the feelings Dreenie writes in her journal are ones that other children her age might feel? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. If you decided to keep a journal what would be your major focus as far as subject matter? Why? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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