Across the Bay by Carlos Aponte
Age Range/Grade: 3-7, Grades PreK-2nd Grade
Theme: Dealing with loss, what is a family
Carlitos is on a search for something he thinks he is missing. He learns a lot about what he thinks he needs and what he actually has.
Introduce the Cover
Describe the picture. Describe the picture. It looks like the title is hanging from lines that criss-cross the picture. What does that make you think of? Describe where this story takes place.
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Predict: What do you think this book will be about?
Pause at...
Pages 2-3
Point to...
"...the bay…”
Ponder...
What is a capital? How is it different from Cataño?
Talk about...
What is a bay?
Pause at...
Pages 4-5
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All the other people drawn in black and white
Ponder...
How is Carlitos’ family different from the other families?
Talk about...
What are some ways the author made Carlitos’ family look different from the other families?
Pause at...
Pages 6-7
Point to...
Carlitos’ face; the man with the gray hair
Ponder...
What are chores you do with your parents? Why doesn’t Carlitos like the barbershop?
Talk about...
Who is Francisco? What is a barber?
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Pages 8-9
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“But he always wondered about his father.”
Ponder...
What are you wondering about Carlitos’ father?
Talk about...
Who are the members of Carlitos’ family?
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Pages 10-11
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The photo on the wall.
Ponder...
Whose picture is hanging on the wall in the house? Whose picture is in a box? What is a ferry? Who do you live with? Do you have family members who don’t live with you?
Talk about...
How does the author show you that Carlitos is outside?
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Pages 12-13
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“The ancient city of Old San Juan grew bigger and bigger.”
Ponder...
Was the city actually growing? What was happening?
Did you learn what a ferry is? What were your clues?
Talk about...
Why did the author use words like whoosh and splash?
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Pages 14-15
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“...it looked like a maze.”
Ponder...
What is a maze?
Talk about...
What does the author want you to know about the city?
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Pages 16-17
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The orange cat
Ponder...
Who does the orange cat belong to? What color was Carlitos’ cat back home?
Talk about...
What clues did the author give you that the lady likes cats? (Hint: How is she dressed? What is the shape of her glasses?)
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Pages 18-19
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“On San Sebastian Street…”
Ponder...
What is happening on the street?
Talk about...
Is it easy to find someone in the city?
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Pages 20-21
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Rain clouds on the left; “His spirit felt as high as the kites in the sky.”
Ponder...
How does Carlitos feel?
What is on the ground under Carlitos’ feet? Did he notice?
Talk about...
What else is in the sky besides the kites? What does the author want you to think about?
Pause at...
Pages 22-23
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“Somehow, the photo was gone!”
Ponder...
How does Carlitos feel now? How do you know?
Talk about...
What happened to the kites? Does the weather match Carlitos’ feelings?
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Pages 24-25
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“Rain poured down in buckets.”
Ponder...
How hard is it raining?
Talk about...
What is the job of the ranger? How is the ranger like a parent? Why is the ranger a good person to talk to?
Pause at...
Pages 26-27
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The picture of the cat
Ponder...
Why is the orange cat now just an outline?
Talk about...
What did the ranger’s advice mean? Was he right?
Pause at...
Pages 19-20
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The flowers; “His family was calling from across the bay.”
Ponder...
Why did he buy flowers for his grandmother?
Talk about...
What was across the bay at the beginning of the story? What is across the bay now?
Pause at...
Page 30
Point to...
The beach
Ponder...
Why did Carlitos’ mother offer to take him to the beach earlier in the story?
Talk about...
What does Carlitos think about his family? Is it different from or the same as how he felt at the beginning of the story?
Furthering the Conversation
Why do you think this story was called Across the Bay? What did Carlitos search for? What did he find?