Chapter 10, “The Broom Dog,” begins with the statement, “A school bus is many things.” The next paragraphs list what a school bus can be to different people on different days. How does this three-page introduction to Chapter 10 build connections to other chapters throughout the book? How is this section significant? You might consider these questions as you develop your answer.

• Where and how does repetition build meaning?
• How is syntax important? How does using incomplete sentences develop the mood and messages?
• What moods can be seen in this section?
• What kinds of struggles and understandings do these paragraphs illustrate?
• In what other stories in the book do the characters and situations evoke similar moods or struggles?

Teaching Suggestion: This discussion asks students to analyze an excerpt and make whole-text connections, giving readers the opportunity to apply their observations to larger meanings in the novel. One way to approach this close reading task can be to annotate the three pages individually and then share larger meanings with a partner or small group. After this analysis, students could look for connections and share in the whole-class discussion. Another approach might be to discuss large messages, motifs, and themes in the novel first. Then, students could analyze the ways in which the three pages of Chapter 10 address those key ideas.