Our Military Life Blog

The Great Brain – Week 3

John knows how hard it is to be the youngest, but he has no idea the next surprise that is coming for them! When a young immigrant boy shows up in town, it is just a matter of time before the rest of the kids are picking on him. Basil is pretty lost when it comes to American customs, and there is really no one that is going to teach him. At least until Tom decides to help him out. Leave it to Tom to figure out how to turn a profit from helping a kid fit into the new area he has moved to. He decides to help make Basil more American, and in order to that he is going to need some toys, and a few other things. One of the first things is learning a few words of English. He has to be able to communicate a bit with the other boys. Tom takes the money that Basil’s father gives him, and then sells him some of his older toys. When John questions this method, Tom explains that if Basil shows up with brand new toys, they are going to make fun of him and either break them or take them away.

When the time comes, Tom knows that Basil is going to have to learn to fight his own battles. Tom and Sweyn are not going to be able to fight for him forever. So begins a new way of making money for Tom. He is going to teach Basil how to fight, and stick up for himself, but of course, there is a reward in it for Tom at the end.

But as summer wears on, there seems to be something amiss in town. Abie seems to be getting sick, but he refuses to see a doctor. What could be causing his illness?

This week we are reading Chapters 5-6

Questions: 

  1. Tom has always figured out how to turn a quick penny. What do you think of his latest schemes?
  2. Basil is a new kid, how would you treat a new child that moves into your neighborhood?
  3. Abie has kept a big secret from the entire town. Could it have been avoided?

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Rebecca