Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Panda Puzzle

The Panda Puzzle

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Fiction; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0

There's pandemonium in Green Lawn! The town is building a new park for a panda and her baby. But as soon as the pandas arrive, the baby is stolen! All the panda-nappers want in return is a million dollars...Can Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose collar the culprits before Green Lawn has to cough up the cash?

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What did the kids come to the petting zoo to see? A mama panda and her baby p.1
  2. What strange behavior did Ping show while the crowd was outside her cage? She ran into the fence p.6
  3. What’s missing from the panda cave? The baby panda, Winnie p.8

Chapter 2

  1. What did the kidnappers want in exchange for Winnie? A million dollars p.11
  2. What did Pal find the in the bamboo forest? a fishing knife p.13
  3. Why would the kidnapper have a knife? To cut down bamboo stalks to feed Winnie p.14

Chapter 3

  1. Why do the kids watch Ruth Rose’s video at the petting zoo? It might give them ideas who stole the panda p.19
  2. Who does Ruth Rose think suspects are? Irene Napper, Flip Frances, or Tom Steele; the people standing by the microphone p.21

Chapter 4

  1. Why did the three kids want to interview each of the three people that stood by the microphone? To try and get some answers p.23
  2. What was Irene doing when the kids found her in the park? Feeding the ducks p.24
  3. Who has a key to Ping’s gate? Only Irene p.28

Chapter 5

  1. Why does Josh think Irene kidnapped Winnie? She has large hands p.31
  2. Why does Josh think Tom Steele did it? He has a cut on his hand that could have been from Winnie and has a fishing pole p.37 & 38
  3. What was another clue Ruth Rose saw on Tom’s desk? There were newspapers all cut up; the ransom note was put together from newspaper clippings p.38

Chapter 6

  1. Where did the kids find Flip? At the fitness center p.40
  2. What made Josh think the kidnapper was Flip? He was great at doing flips; he would have easily been able to get over the fence of the panda enclosure p.45
  3. What’s another clue Flip could have kidnapped Winnie? He fishes p.46

Chapter 7

  1. What piece was missing when the twins were completing a puzzle together? The baby grizzly bear’s face p.50
  2. What did Ruth Rose realize they should be looking for? Winnie, not the person who took her p.51
  3. Why did the kids think the fitness center would be a good hiding place for Winnie? It’s smelly and loud p.53

Chapter 8

  1. What did the kids find when they slipped into the unmarked door? A wooden staircase p.60
  2. What explained the sounds of thunder they heard? The bowling alley was on the other side of the wall p.62
  3. What did the kids find under the mat they were sitting on? A trap door p.64

Chapter 9

  1. Who was in the room under the trap door? Winnie p.66
  2. How did the kids get locked in that room? Someone shut the door and locked it p.66
  3. What did the kids find that may help them get out of the coal room? A coal chute that leads to the outside p.71

Chapter 10

  1. How did the kids break the wood that blocked the chute? Dink found a shovel p.72
  2. Why did the boys choose Ruth Rose to go get the police? she was the smallest to fit in the chute p.76
  3. How did the boys find Winnie? She crawled up into Josh’s lap p.78

Chapter 11

  1. What is Flip’s consequence for kidnapping Winnie? Community service p.83
  2. What did the kids suggest could be Flip’s community service? Free gymnastics lessons for kids; do exercises with the old people in the senior center p.83
  3. How did Officer Fallon treat the kids for solving the mystery? He bought them ice cream cones p.85