| A | B |
|---|
| Tess Brooks | main character, 11 years old |
| Libby Brooks | Tess' little sister |
| Aaron Spinney | foster child, age 13, redhead |
| Bethsaida island | in Maine, where the Brooks live |
| Natalie | Aaron's caseworker |
| 3 books Tess has read with foster children in them | Bud Not Buddy, Anne of Green Gables, The Great Gilly Hopkis |
| author of Touch Blue | Cynthia Lord |
| Amy Hamilton | Tess's best friend who moved off the island last summer. |
| Tess and fishermen | these people are superstitious |
| ferry looks like this | Tess says it looks like a birthday cake |
| each chapter title starts with this | a superstition |
| Eban Calder | island bully |
| foster children | brought to save the school |
| state of Maine wants to do this because too few children attend | why is the school in danger of closing? |
| Reverend Beal | organizes the foster children plan |
| Jenna Ross | wants to better friends with Tess |
| Grace | foster child the Ross family takes in |
| Mrs. Coombs | says Aaron looks like a juvenile delinquent, asks him to play trumpet at 4th of July picnic |
| Phipp's Gas and Groceries | only one on island, where gossip and news are exchanged |
| Mr. Moody | postmaster |
| Tess Libby | name of the Brooks' boat |
| Jacob Brooks | Tess' dad, lobster fisherman |
| Kate Brooks | Tess' mom, teaches at school |
| "today's your lucky day little one" | what fishermen say when they throw too-small lobsters back |
| Mrs. Varney | neighbor, loves the song taps |
| trumpet | instrument Aaron plays |
| Dead Man's Island | named for drowned sailor, Aaron says his grandmother also drowned |
| the Three Sisters | 3 islands that are separated at high tide |
| Beloved Songs of the American People | songbook Mrs. Coombs gives Aaron so he can practice for the picnic |
| The Great Gilly Hopkins | in this book the real mom took Gilly away from the foster mother who loved her, Tess is afraid the same will happen with Aaron |
| Tess writes "please come" where? | On the letter to Aaron's mother what does Tess write beneath the stamp? |
| "I'll try." | This is what Aaron's mother writes back to Tess |
| blue lobster (very rare) | Tess catches this and lets it go. |
| Tess learns this lesson. | Stop trying to control things and be satisfied with the way things are. |
| what happens to Aaron at the end on the book? | he stays with the Brooks, may call his mother sometimes, invited to play the organ at church |
| what happens to Tess at the end of the book? | she releases her blue lobster, dumps all her good luck charms in the water, gets to drive the boat |
| Uncle Ned | dad's brother, fisherman, they talk on VHS radio that everyone can hear |
| copycat fishermen | the Calders are these, they follow more successful fishermen and put their traps in the same places |
| VHS radio | everyone on the island communicates with this, so everyone hears everything |
