Plot
Early spring,
a season of
dangerous
skies
There was
something
very special
and secret
about being
quiet in the
kitchen
before
sunrise
Obie drew in
his claws and
puffed up the
pads on his
feet
Tunes Smith
was Buck’s
best friend
ever since he
can remember
They grew
together from
infancy
Tune’s dad
was manager
of Buck’s far
Tune’s mom
worked in
Buck’s house
cleaning and
cooking
When Tunes
was born,
Tune’s mom
brought her
along and
looked after
Buck and
Tunes
together
When Tunes
mom died
after two
Character
Trait
Buck’s mom:
caring
Vocabulary
Connection
Snoothfulenough
p.128 Cherelle
is like an ayi
in China.
Gran: caring
p.44
disorientedmake someone
feel confused
p. 142 I always
felt
uncomfortable
talking about
my privacy or
even how my
parents thinks
about me.
Tunes:
positive
p.46
rosemaryscented
Buck: caring
p.46
bustled-move
with energy
Jumbo: hates
dog
p.50
aislepassage
between rows
of seat
p.87
Restash
Buck’s mom:
always
corrects Buck
Buck: care
about Obie
p.111
Maneuver
Jumbo: evil
p.111
Rearview
Emmett
Timmonsgreedy & mean
p.111
Maddening
years, Gran
and Mama
looked after
Buck and
Tunes
Buck and
Tunes turned
13 in the
summer of
1991
Retired folks
would call
Tunes “Negro”
instead of
saying
“African
American”
Tunes can
find fish
better than
any living
thing on the
Eastern
Shore, better
even than
Obie
Jumbo’s drink
a snootful of
whiskey and
sometimes get
into fights
on a Saturday
night.
p.44 Buck
says “We
goin’ to
church?”
Buck’s mom
corrects him.
p.44 Buck
likes corn
pancakes with
Gran’s
blueberry
preserves.
p.45 Obie is
waiting for
pancake to
drop beneath
the table
when Buck is
Buck: Curious
p.114
perennial
Buck:
Friendship
more
important
than laws.
p.114
dilapidated
p.136 inletinserted
piece of
material
p.144 Padlock
p.144 breeze
p.144
aputtering
p.147
pickerelweed
eating.
p.45 Buck
slips two
pancakes for
Obie
p.45 Gran
turns around
and arch her
eyebrow at
Buck.
p.50 Mama,
Gran, Dad,
and Buck,
passed by New
Bethel
Hungars .
p.50 Church
was a stout
brick
building
p.50 Jumbo
Rawlin was
showing Miz
Thales to her
pew.
p.59 Kneebone
not answering
Buck’s
question
p.82 Obie
snuffled in
the bushes
while Tunes
was shooting
the gun.
p.83 Buck was
near the
target to
keep Tunse
information
of her
accuracy.
p.83 A red
flash of fur
exploded out
of the bush.
p.83 A fox
hesitated a
moment, black
nose working
and eyes
leaping to
find way to
safety.
p.83 Tunes
motioned Buck
and Obie
toward an
ancient oak
with branches
that traveled
low and far.
p.84 They
heard a voice
behind the
barn
p.85 Emmett
Timmons
whistled for
the pack, but
no one cared.
p.87 They
headed toward
the shed to
restash their
slingshots.
p.94 Emmett
Timmons told
Sheriff that
his chickens
were gone and
that he saw
Tunes out in
the woods
behind the
barn.
p.94 Timmons
always let it
be known if
something is
missing and
thinks others
are
responsible
for it.
p.107 No
progress in
investigation
into Jorge’s
death.
p.107 Knee
bone was busy
plowing and
laying
irrigation
lines.
p.107
Itinerant
labors began
planting
cucumbers and
quash in
Buck’s
fields.
p.108 Gran
always fussed
Sheriff
because he
lost so much
weight.
p.108 Tunes
and Buck
spent time
fishing and
crabbing off
the end of
their dock.
p.109 Tunes
often helped
Kneebone
around the
farm weekends
and sometimes
baby-sat
Mazie’s
grandbabies
after school
and evenings.
p.110 Buck
bumped bang
into Jumbo
Rawlin.
p.111 Buck
wondered if
Miz Parson
knew Sheriff
was going to
arrest Tunes.
p.114 Buck
picked up a
flat seedling
and carried
it out to
perennial
boarder
p.115 Tune’s
cousin sister
DanDan comes
out.
p.120 Buck is
mad about dad
taking Mr.
Rawlin’s word
over Tunes
p.121 Jumbo
told Sheriff
he saw Jumbo
and Tunes
together
Friday night.
p.124 Buck
notices he
caused some
of Tunes’
difficulties
by lying.
p.135 Dad
praise Buck
for his good
behavior.
p.135 Buck
had a strong
hunch where
Tunes was
hiding.
p.136 The
mouth of the
inlet was
hidden by
overhanging
branches
p.137 Mama
relaxed a
little after
school let
out for the
summer.
p.137 Buck
thinks his
dad can be so
vigilant is
because he
was afraid
for him.
p.137 Buck’s
dad wearing
work clothes
means he was
fixing to go
somewhere.
p.141
Kneebone
stood on the
back of the
tractor,
letting Buck
drive.
p. Kneebone
tells Buck,
“Your daddy
wants to do
best by you,
and I want
you to do
best by
tunes.”
p.147 Tunes
propped up
shutter on
one side just
a bit to let
in some air
and light.
p.150 The
shame Buck
felt talking
to Kneebone
came over him
again.