crystal

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Turtle sings what Taylor calls her “vegetable-soup song.” Along with vegetable names, Turtle adds the names of her friends, Lou Ann, Esperanza, Mattie, Dwayne Ray, and Taylor, “the main ingredient.” #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Taylor tells turtle that her name is now April Turtle Greer #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Taylor and Turtle have their “second real conversation”

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

After leaving Estevan and Esperanza, Taylor calls her mother from a pay phone and tells her she lost her love. #BTCharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Chapter 17: Taylor takes Estevan and Esperanza to the church where the reverend and his wife will provide them with shelter. #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Esperanza gives Turtle a St. Christopher medallion to Turtle and tells Taylor she knows Turtle will grow up happy. #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Watching Esperanza hold Turtle, Taylor realizes that if Esperanza said she wanted to keep Turtle, Taylor could not deny her. #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Esperanza says they love their daughter but cannot care for her. She says that someday, when they have a home, they might have more children. #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Chapter 16: Esperanza begins to cry when Mr. Armistead asks them to confirm the adoption and Taylor realizes that she is not acting. #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Chapter 16: Estevan and Esperanza pose as Steve and Hope and say they are Turtle’s biological parents. #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Taylor, Estevan, Esperanza and Turtle picnic by the lake and Turtle amuses them all. #Btcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Esperanza comes to life at the little cottage #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Turtle and Esperanza have bonded over the course of the trip and Taylor feels somewhat jealous of the connection that these two have built #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Turtle points out the window and shouts “MAMA” at a cemetery #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Chapter 15: Estevan and Esperanza start to feel more comfortable as they drive closer to the heart of Cherokee Nation because they’re surrounded by people of similar skin color #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Taylor describes hownher father abandoned her mother before she was born #socialinjustice

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Taylor learns that Estevan and Esperanza actually speak dialects of Mayan #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Taylor and Estevan talk as Taylor drives. He tells Taylor about the quetzal bird that is the symbol of the Guatemalan Indians #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

The officer asks Taylor who Turtle’s parents are, and Taylor hesitates but Estevan jumps in and says that Turtle is his daughter #BTcharacter

[crystal @crystalp7B20]

Chapter 14: near the New Mexico border, Taylor, Turtle, Estevan and Esperanza are stopped at an immigration check point. #BTcharacter