Read Ricochet River
HOMEWORK: Finish chapter 7 (page 74)
Questions:

The New York publisher of this book surprised the author by saying what he liked best about Ricochet River was “the Oregonness” of it.What could a New Yorker have meant by that?

Ricochet River has been described by some as a book about place, about how a place—its rivers, its woods, its natural setting—shapes its people.
Does Wade fit into this place?
Does Jesse?
How, in Wade’s view, is his mother out of place?

Contrast Lorna’s view of Calamus to Wade’s.
Jesse has big money coming. The government compensates native people for lost lands and fishing sites. Ricochet River is fiction, but that part is true. Do readers see any problem with money for place?








BEAN TREES AND WHERE THE HEART IS ESSAY: FAMILY REDEFINED
Brainstorm: What is a family? Write seven things. Think about the book and the movie to generate your ideas. Be specific.

1. Families communicate and discuss life.
2. Families do things together--camping, making crafts, etc.
3. Protect you. Provide for your basic needs of shelter, food, . . .T takes Turtle; M takes T; S. Husband takes in N
4. They're there for you--they listen and support you, especially when you're sad
5. They make sacrifices (Estevan and E, T took risks to make adoption happen).S. Husband dies taking soup to AA member. Opens up her home to N.  N opens her home to L and 9,000 kids
6. Support you in your dreams and aspirations.
7. Love and accept unconditionally (but nobody's perfect)
8. Push you to excel. L says, "You never thought you were good enough for him" but you are. LouAnn helps T when she feels she can't be an adequate parent. Mattie does same thing.
9.  Eat dinner with your family. S. Husband, Mr. S, Nov have dinner together and hold hands; Estevan tells story of "How they eat in Heaven."
10.  Trust you and have faith in you
11.  Help you when you need it. E and E pretend to be parents
12.  Teach you things
13.  Stick up for each other

1. Protects you--Turtle was so abused that she might have been killed
Dr. Pelinowski says she had many broken bones when she was little. "Failure to thrive" (165).
Turtle clings to Taylor for protection and comfort.
2. Love and care for you--Taylor decides to take Turtle. Esperanza and Estevan are willing to risk their lives to help her become adopted; Mattie takes takes them in
3. Teach you lessons--you have to adapt to change, like people dying. If you have someone to love you, it makes it easier.
Other examples of family:
Mattie makes sacrifices to take care of refugees.
Where the Heart Is
1. Protects you--Novalee protects Lexi and her kids.
2. Love and care for you--Forney babysits her; Sister Husband takes them in; during the tornado Novalee is more concerned for Americus than for her own life.
3. Teach you lessons--
Other examples of family:
Novalee protects Lexi and her kids.
Forney makes sacrifices to take care of his sister.
Sister Husband risks her own life to help an AA member.

Ricochet River Vocabulary

Ricochet River Study Guide, by Robin Cody himself

Ricochet River Discussion Questions, by Robin Cody