“The Treasure of Lemon Brown”
Walter Dean Myers
“We need to teach family
caretakers that language is a gift
that they possess, and that it is
their duty to pass it on to their
charges.
We need to create a demand for
reading by reengaging the affected
communities. And, yes, we have to
go to where the children are and
address their needs.
Walter Dean Myers
August 12, 1937-July 1,2014
I want to reach the children we
are so clearly missing and hope
you will join me in this pursuit. So
read to them, read with them, and
let them read to you because
reading is no longer optional.”
What can you infer about his life
experiences based on the above quote?
Myers wrote over 100 books!
“Every man got a treasure. You don’t
know that, you must be a fool!”
What is treasure?
What is your treasure?
Dialect

A dialect is a version of a language
spoken by the people of a particular place,
time, or social group. It is different than
standard language. Authors use grammar,
vocabulary, cadence, and phonics to show
dialect. One reason for doing this is to
make the characters appear more
authentic.
Dialect Examples (Story)
“You ain’t one of them bad boys looking
for my treasure, is you?”
 “What you doing here? How come you
don’t go on home when the rain come?
Rain don’t bother you young folks none.”
 “Had them big eyes like you
got”…“Didn’t give it up,”… “Used to feed
them good, too”…”Broke my heart, it
truly did.”

Parallels-Myers and the character of
Greg Ridley
•
•
•
•
•
Where did they live?
Describe the area.
What did their parents have in common?
How did they perform in school?
What did they both grow to appreciate?
SWBS
Somebody… wanted…but…so…
Character
Greg
Goal or
desire
wanted to
play
basketball
Conflict
but his
father
thought
Greg
needed to
spend his
time
studying
Resolution
so Greg
wasn’t
allowed to
play
basketball.
Explain Excerpts

“Every man got a treasure.You don’t know
that, you must be a fool.”

When Greg first meets Lemon Brown, Greg
tells him he’s not looking for Lemon Brown’s
treasure even if he has one. Greg doubted
that Lemon Brown could have a treasure
since he was homeless. Lemon Brown is
stating that treasures are not always related
to monetary wealth.
Explain Excerpts

“His father had been a postal worker for
all Greg’s life and was proud of it, often
telling Greg how hard he worked to pass
the test.”
Explain Excerpts

“All I know is that I heard him talking
about some kind of treasure.You know
they found that shopping bag lady with
that load of money in her bags.”
Explain Excerpts

“He thought of the lecture his father
would give him, and smiled.”
Mood
In literature, mood is a literary element
that gives the reader certain feelings or
vibes through words and descriptions.
 (Hint=Think ME for mood. It is how the
author wants me to feel.)
 Mood is developed through the
setting, theme, tone, descriptive language
and dialect.

Mood Examples
Exuberant
 Cheerful
 Depressing
 Scary
 Reflective
 Hopeful
 Heartbroken

Mood Examples
“The river, reflecting the clear blue of the
sky, glistened and sparkled as it flowed
noiselessly on.”
 Mood: Peaceful, relaxing, idyllic, refreshing

Select the Mood!

“The dark sky, filled with angry, swirling
clouds, reflected Greg Ridley’s mood as
he sat on the stoop of his building. “
Amused
Energetic
Hopeful
Discontented
Aggravated
Annoyed
Select the Mood (Choices on desk)

“It was beginning to cool. Gusts of wind
made bits of paper dance between the
parked cars. There was a flash of nearby
lightening, and soon large drops of rain
splashed onto his jeans.”
Select the Mood

“He reached the house just as another
flash of lightening changed the night to
day for an instant, then returned the
graffiti-scarred building to the grim
shadows.”
Select the Mood

“Nothing that ain’t been hurt before,”
Lemon Brown said. “When you get as old
as me all you say when something hurts is,
‘Howdy, Mr.Pain, sees you back again.’
Then when Mr. Pain see he can’t worry
you none, he go on mess with somebody
else.”
Select the Mood

“Greg pushed the button over the bell
marked Ridley, thought of the lecture he
knew his father would give him, and
smiled.”
Select the Mood

“The night had warmed and the rain had
stopped, leaving puddles at the curbs.”
Select the Mood

“Him carrying it around with him like that
told me it meant something to him. That
was my treasure, and when I give it to him
he treated it just like that, a treasure. Ain’t
that something?”
Select the Mood

“His stomach tightened as he held himself
still and listened intently. There weren’t
any more scraping noises, but he was sure
he had heard something in the
darkness—something breathing!”
Text Evidence
Text-Dependent Question
Reread paragraphs 1-5. What is
meant by the sentence in paragraph 5,
“His father’s words, like the distant
thunder that now echoed through the
streets of Harlem, still rumbled softly
in his ears”?
Evidence-Based Answer
Greg is recalling the argument he had
with his father two nights before. He
uses a simile to compare his father’s
words to “distant thunder” meaning
that his father’s voice still resonates in
his head; Greg cannot forget his
father’s lecture about his poor efforts
in math.
In other words: Greg is still
hearing the words of his father
“thundering” in his mind.
Comprehension Questions

1. Why does Greg smile at the thought of
the lecture he will get from his dad?

2. In your opinion, why does Greg decide
not to tell his father about Lemon Brown?

3. What do you think Greg has learned
from Lemon Brown?
Comprehension Questions

4. What does Lemon Brown mean when he
says that everyone’s got a treasure?

5. Lemon Brown says, “If you know your
pappy did something, you know you can do
something too.” What does he mean?

6. Now that you’ve read the story as well as
Walter Dean Myer’s own words about his
life, how is the writer’s background reflected
in his story?
Comprehension Questions

7. How does the weather serve as a
metaphor for Greg’s mood?

8. Greg recognizes Lemon Brown. What
do you think he thought of him before?
Has that changed?

9. Describe Lemon Brown’s treasure. Why
is it so important to him?
Comprehension Questions

10. How does Greg’s encounter with
Lemon Brown change his point of view
toward his problem with his father?

11. How did Greg’s feelings toward his
father change at the end of the story?