Crazy Loco

Crazy Loco
Pages 13–46 Answers for Before You Move On
Pages 13 – 46
PAGE 28
1. Narrator Who is the narrator? What does he want?
Romero is the narrator. He wants to date an older girl.
2. Character Romero does not get Veronica to be his
girlfriend, but he seems happy at the end of the story. Why?
Romero got to kiss Annette on the hayride.
PAGE 46
1. Sequence What events occur that lead to Tommy meeting
Catalina’s sons?
Tommy’s parents sell their house, so Catalina doesn’t work
for them anymore. Then Catalina’s grandson dies, so Tommy
goes to the funeral.
2. Cause and Effect Reread pages 42–45. What causes
Tommy’s opinion of Emiliano and Guillermo to change?
Tommy didn’t know much about them before visiting their
home. Now he cares about them because he realizes how
much they care about him.
Respond to Pages 13–46
Student Journal, page 5
1. Personal Response The school in “Sugarcane Fire” holds special
events for high school students, such as dances and a hayride. What
events does your school have? Which do you enjoy the most? Why?
2. Cause and Effect In “Her Other Son,” how does Tommy experience
maturity when he visits Catalina’s family in Mexico? Use the word
maturity in your response.
3. Irony In “Sugarcane Fire,” what is ironic about Romero and Annette’s
relationship?
4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for someone
else reading this book. Exchange questions with them. Do you agree
with their answer?
Teacher’s Guide page 4 of 15 © Hampton-Brown
Crazy Loco
Tommy realizes for the first time how much his family
means to Catalina and her family. Tommy feels guilty
because Catalina has made him part of her family, but
Tommy doesn’t know anything about Catalina’s family.
This reaction shows that Tommy has a growing maturity.
It is ironic that Annette is attracted to Romero because
Romero likes Annette’s sister Verónica. Romero thinks
Verónica would never notice him because she is a year
older than he is. It is ironic that Annette flirts with Romero
because she is even older than Verónica is.
Respond to Pages 13– 46, continued
5. Comparisons In “Her Other Son,” Tommy remembers crossing the
border when he was young. At the end of the story, he crosses the
border again. Write his feelings and actions during these crossings.
T Chart
Student Journal, page 6
Tommy’s First Crossing Tommy’s Second Crossing
is afraid of crossing the
border
is nervous to answer the
agent
does not answer because he
is afraid
Crazy Loco
Compare Tommy’s border crossings. Why is Tommy’s second border
crossing so different from his first?
___________________________________________________________________________________
When Tommy is young, he is too nervous to answer. He is
___________________________________________________________________________________
afraid of authority and is willing to do as he is told. As he
___________________________________________________________________________________
gets older, he realizes that life is unfair, especially Catalina’s
___________________________________________________________________________________
life ___________________________________________________________________________________
in Mexico. At his second border crossing, his awareness
of ___________________________________________________________________________________
the problems in the world affect him. He does not
answer the agent out of defiance.
is distracted by thoughts
about Catalina
is not afraid or nervous
about the agent
does not answer because
he is conflicted