Bibliographic Information:
Cushman, K. (1996). The ballad of Lucy Whipple. New York: Clarion Books.
Readability Level: 5.5
Audience Level: 6-8
Suggested Delivery: read aloud or small group read
Summary: "In 1849 a twelve-year-old girl who calls herself Lucy is distraught when her mother moves the family from Massachusetts to a small California mining town. There Lucy helps run a boarding house and looks for comfort in books while trying to find a way to return 'home.'" -Amazon.com
Cushman, K. (1996). The ballad of Lucy Whipple. New York: Clarion Books.
Readability Level: 5.5
Audience Level: 6-8
Suggested Delivery: read aloud or small group read
Summary: "In 1849 a twelve-year-old girl who calls herself Lucy is distraught when her mother moves the family from Massachusetts to a small California mining town. There Lucy helps run a boarding house and looks for comfort in books while trying to find a way to return 'home.'" -Amazon.com
Curriculum Connections:
Taken from KarenCushman.com
Taken from KarenCushman.com
- What do you think of Lucy's mother's decision to move the family to California? Do you agree or disagree with Lucy's reaction? Why?
- How does the author portray the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of 1880s California? Why do you think she included Butte's death?
- Compare and contrast Lucy's feelings about California at the beginning of the story and at the end. Why do her feelings change?