Comprehension Questions – The Boxcar Children #14 The Tree House Mystery

The Tree House Mystery

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Grades 6-8; Genre - Fiction; GRL O; AR pts 2.0

New neighbors move in next to the Aldens.  Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny help the new young boys build a tree house and work together as they solve the mystery about a hidden room in the big house.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What was going on with the house next door?  Family moving in  p. 8
  2. What’s the family’s last name?  Beach  p. 10
  3. Why did the Alden children make dinner for the Beach’s?  they’d be tired from moving in  p. 15

Chapter 2

  1. What did the Alden’s want to do with the Beach boys?  Build a tree house  p. 22
  2. Why do the Beach boys just lie around?  They think, not much to do  p. 25
  3. Why did Mr. Beach and Uncle Max fight?  They thought the other person had the spy glass.  P. 30

Chapter 3

  1. Whose tree house plan was the best?  Mr. Beach’s  p. 38
  2. Why doesn’t Mrs. Beach want the Beach boys to ride their bikes?  They could get hurt  p. 24
  3. Who do they Beach boys want to visit?  Uncle Max  p. 45

Chapter 4

  1. Tell me about Uncle Max’s restaurant?  Dark,  empty, smelled good  p. 50
  2. Did Uncle Max remember Jeffrey and Sammy?  Yes  p. 51
  3. What did Uncle Max think the boys came to see him for?  Spyglass p. 53
  4. Who helped Mr. Beach and Uncle Max build their tree house?  A man visiting the people of the house the Aldens live in now.   P. 54
  5. How did Uncle Max feel about the house?  Spooky  p. 57

Chapter 5

  1. What did Sammy hear in the night above his room?  Rocking noise  p. 62
  2. What was in the hole in the tree?  Spyglass  p. 67
  3. Who put the spyglass in the hole?  The man who help Uncle Max and Mr. Beach build their tree house.  P. 67
  4. What did the children see as they looked through the spyglass?  A round window on the house  p. 68

Chapter 6

  1. What are some clues that led the children to think someone lived in the attic?  Nail holes, wallpaper  p. 73
  2. How did the wall sound when Benny tapped on it?  Hollow  p. 75
  3. What was underneath the wrapping paper on the wall?  A door  p. 76
  4. What did they find when they opened the door?  Red slippers, rocking horse, toys, books, bed, a little boy’s room   p. 80

Chapter 7

  1. Why doesn’t Uncle Max get very many customers?  the restaurant’s not on a busy road  p. 84
  2. How did Uncle Max remember the name of the family who lived in the house before them?  Going through the alphabet  p. 87
  3. What were some suggestions the children had to help Uncle Max’s restaurant?  New name, more windows, do something special that would make people want to come  p. 89

Chapter 8

  1. What did Sammy and Jeffrey find written on the pillowcase?  W and C   p. 92
  2. How did the children learn the name of the boy who lived in the room?  It was carved on the desk   p. 93
  3. When the children lifted off the saddle to the rocking horse, what did they find?  A little book  p. 94
  4. What were the two clues the children found out about the boy?  His name, came to visit his grandmother  p. 96
  5. Why did the children talk to Mrs. McGregor about the clues?  She remembers going to a little boy’s party at that house when she was a little girl.   P. 98

Chapter 9

  1. Where did the children go to get more information about the house?  Library  p. 101
  2. Where was Willy from?  England  p. 105
  3. Why did Sammy think Mrs. Carver closed up the room with Willy’s things in it?  So no other children would play with his things.   P. 106
  4. What did Sammy suggest Uncle Max should name his restaurant?  The Rocking Horse  p. 109

Chapter 10

  1. Who does Uncle Max remember came to visit the house when he was a child?  Willy, someone with a British accent  p. 111
  2. What was the man looking for?  His room, rocking horse  p. 112
  3. Who came over to see the tree house?  Uncle Max  p. 114
  4. In the book Uncle Max found, what did it say about Willy’s room?  His grandmother hid it so strange children wouldn’t play with Willy’s toys.   P. 119
  5. Was Sammy right about the room then?   Yes  p. 119

Chapter 11

  1. What did the children do to help Uncle Max get ready for The Rocking Horse’s opening day?  Wrote a story about the rocking horse, made curtains, put flowers on the table, took toys to the restaurant   p. 121
  2. How did the customers feel about the restaurant?  Wanted to come back, loved it   p. 123
  3. What did Benny learn from Sammy and Jeffrey?  To think  p. 126