Illustrated by Jos. A. Smill
Dell, 1992

Summary: Jake Bannock appears to be an orphan at the age of twelve. Jim Ugly is Jake's father's wolflike dog. The boy and the dog follow an adventure-filled trail of diamonds, bounty hunters, and theater actresses. The trail takes Jake and Jim Ugly from a small chicken farm in Nevada to a mining town in the High Sierras, to Sacramento, California.

Level: RL: 4 IL: 4 - 6

Themes: greed; dogs

Activities

1. The book opens with Jake hiding in tall weeds in the desert. Most people think of the desert as a flat, sandy place with only cactuses. What are the deserts like in the Southwest? Develop a visual to show the variety of desert scenery that the author could have used. (Poster, mural, journal illustration, diorama etc.) Write in your reading journal about the importance of setting to this story. Could it have happened in Alaska? Or Florida? Why or why not?

2. On page 2, Jake wonders if birds of prey grieve. What birds are considered "birds of prey"? Do any of them mate for life? What does happen to the spouse if their mate dies? In what ways might a bird of prey die or be killed? Are there any on the endangered animal list? What kind of an environment does a bird of prey need to stay alive? What concepts or ideas have birds of prey come to symbolize?

3. Jake's story takes place in 1894. What was Nevada like between 1880 and 1900? What are the differences between Nevada then and the same time period of where you live? Include people, what they did for a living, transportation, communication, recreational activities, plants and animals, and weather.

4. Jake's father was an actor. What were the early theaters of the West like? How were they different from theaters of today? Design a model showing what kind of stage was likely used in the 1890's. Discuss how actors and actresses were regarded during that time period.

5. Jake tried to disguise Ugly Jim with burnt cork and rice powder. What else did early actors use for makeup? Are these items still used today? What other makeup is used for disguises in today's theaters?

6. What is the true tale behind the William Tell story? Why would it be a good story for early Western theaters to use? Find another tale (folktale, fairy tale, tall tale) and present it to your class using just three people as the actors.

7. What was the job of the bounty hunter in this story? What other kinds of "bounty" are there? Does Maine still use "bounty" on anything? Do you feel that offering "bounty" on anything is right or wrong and why?

8. Jake rides in a baggage car of the train. Research trains of that era. Design a model showing a baggage car and a passenger car to show the similarities and differences. Label all parts.

9. Design a colorful visual to show the styles of dress that women wore during the 1890's. Include clothes worn to travel, to the theater, to a wedding and to work on the farm or a ranch.

10. Jake was in towns with these names: Sunflower Creek, Red Sky, Smoketree Junction, Truckee, Roseville and Sacramento. Draw maps of Nevada or California showing where these towns are or might be. What clues does the story give to help you place these towns? (What is a "smoketree?")

If you can't find the actual town Fleischman mentions, locate the geographical inspiration and add it to the map.

Jake visited these places: Do they exist?

Sunflower Creek

Red Sky

Smoketree Junction

Truckee

Roseville

11. People in the Western towns often had someone do their laundry. What nationality usually worked at that task? What was life like for these people? Compare the way laundry was handled in 1890 to how it is done now.

12. Diamond mine "salting" was often used to get money from Eastern newcomers. What forms of tricks are being played today to bilk people out of their money? How can you tell if an offer is legitimate (legal) or a "con?"

13. Mining was, and still is, common in the Western states. Research mining and compare the differences between the early mines and today's mining industry.

14. Jake's story of a search for a parent is a common story plot. Can you think of other stories that use this plot? Name one and describe the differences between it and Jake's story. Watch the video of Natty Ginn. How is it similar to Jake's story?

15. [WARNING: This question might spoil the ending, if you haven't read the book.] The diamonds were fed to the chickens. Why would chickens eat such hard material? What are chicken gizzards and why would the diamonds be in the gizzards.

16. Jake notices the climate and the vegetation change as he goes into the High Sierras. Compare and contrast the differences between plants of the desert and the high Sierras. Why would the weather change between the desert and the High Sierras and Sacramento?

17. Ugly Jim is part wolf and part elkhound. Which of Jim's characteristics are from the wolf and which come from the elkhound? Research the wolf/dog? Would you want a combination wolf and dog? Why or why not? Ask someone who knows about dogs and tracking to read p. 32. (You may need to fill in the background.) Does he or she believe that this is accurate and believable? Does a dog need to be trained to track someone?

18. Several people in this book are greedy. How does the author show you this? Would you like to have a "keg of diamonds?" What would you do with them? How does the way you would use them demonstrate your values in life?

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Prepared by Nancy Grant, S.A.D. #4, Guilford

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