The Reunion Kathy Hufford
1 David was really looking forward to summer vacation this year. He didn't mind working hard in school but he was impatient for summer vacation
because he would get to see his Midwest cousins this summer. That's what he called his cousins from Kansas and Missouri. Since David and his
family lived near the gulf coast, the Midwest cousins traveled south for a family reunion on the beach every other year.
2 The crowd was going to be bigger than usual this year. Grandma told David they were expecting over 50 aunts, uncles and cousins for the week at
the beach. Some of his dad's cousins had gotten married or had new babies since he saw them two years ago.
3 David wasn't sure there would be anyone close to his age at the reunion this year. David had always enjoyed tagging along with the older boys
while swimming or playing ball on the beach. Now that he was almost twelve, some of the older cousins were finishing college. Some cousins were
getting married. David wondered if they would still want to hang out with him. Would they be acting like the rest of the grown ups now?
4 David decided that maybe it was his turn to introduce the younger ones to games on the beach. He reminded himself that's how family traditions
are carried on. No matter what, David knew that the reunion would be fun and he looked forward to seeing family members both old and new
Which narrative technique does the author use most often to develop the characters and story?