Comprehension Questions- Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #14 A Good Night for Ghosts

A Good Night for Ghosts

By Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 3-5; Genre - Historical Fiction with Fantastical Elements; GRL N; AR pts: 2.0

Jack and Annie travel to New Orleans to help Louis Armstrong see the importance of sharing his musical gifts with the world.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Where did Merlin want Jack and Annie to go this time?  New Orleans p. 7
  2. What did Kathleen turn the Wand of Dianthus into?  A trumpet  p. 8
  3. Why do you think she turned it into a trumpet?  There are lots of trumpets in New Orleans.  P. 7
  4. Who did Merlin want Jack and Annie to help?   Louis Armstrong  p. 9

Chapter 2

  1. Tell me about jazz music.  Type of music that began in early 1900’s, made up on the spot, has a strong beat, lots of feeling, played first by African Americans  p. 14
  2. How did Jack and Annie find out what year it was?  The newspaper boy told them  p. 17
  3. What is All Saints’ Day? November 1, celebrates all those saints that have passed away   p. 20
  4. Why is New Orleans considered the most haunted city in the United States?  Lots of ghost sightings  p. 21

Chapter 3

  1. What is Louis Armstrong’s nickname?  Dipper  p. 26
  2. How did the waiters treat Jack and Annie?  Rudely, called them beggars  p. 28
  3. What was Louis Armstrong doing when Jack and Annie first met him?   delivering coal  p. 29
  4. What is Louis Armstrong like?  Friendly  p. 30

Chapter 4

  1. How did Jack and Annie get to spend time with Dipper?  Worked his jobs with him  p. 33
  2. What was their first job?  Shoveling coal  p. 34
  3. Why is Dipper working and not playing music?  He can’t earn as much money playing music/ he’s got a family to take care of  p. 39
  4. How much did Dipper try to pay Jack and Annie for helping him shovel coal?  Five cents each  p. 40

Chapter 5

  1. What did Dipper teach Jack and Annie about music?  It’s everywhere  p. 49
  2. What job did Jack and Annie help Dipper with next?  Hauling bananas  p. 51
  3. What scared Dipper and made him drop his last box of bananas?  Rat  p. 53
  4. What’s Jack scared of?  Ghosts  p. 54

Chapter 6

  1. What did Dipper get for Jack and Annie as a payment for helping him?  dinner  p. 59
  2. Why was Dipper in the restaurant washing dishes?  To pay for the dinner  p. 61
  3. Why does Dipper say he’s got a rich life?  He doesn’t have everything, but he gets to feel everything  p. 62
  4. Where did Dipper, Jack and Annie go to get out of the rain?  Haunted blacksmith shop  p. 66

Chapter 7

  1. How many matches does Dipper have?  Four  p. 72
  2. What did they light with his last match?  Lamps  p. 73
  3. What did Jack sing when he couldn’t think of any words?    Nonsense sounds  p. 75
  4. Who did the magic trumpet reveal the ghosts were?  Dipper’s friends  p. 76

Chapter 8

  1. What real ghosts appeared to the kids? Jean Lafitte/ pirates  p. 80
  2. What was Dipper able to do with the trumpet? Make music  p. 81
  3. What did the pirates do when Dipper’s friends sang?  Danced  p. 83
  4. What did Jack and Annie do while Dipper played and his friends sang?  Made a drum beat  p. 82

Chapter 9

  1. Where did Dipper get so good at playing the trumpet?    At the Waif’s home      p. 88
  2. What treat did Dipper bring out for Jack and Annie?  Doughnuts  p. 92
  3. Why doesn’t Dipper want to play music anymore?  He shot off a gun once and had to go to prison  p. 94
  4. Why do Jack and Annie need to show Dipper their research guide about his success?  He doesn’t believe he can earn money playing music.  P. 95

Chapter 10

  1. Why did Dipper recognize the picture of himself when he was older?  It’s the picture he’s had in his heart  p. 98
  2. Why did Dipper get teary when he saw the book?  Playing music is his dream  p. 99
  3. Why did Jack and Annie need to go back?  Curfew at 13 years old  p. 100
  4. Why didn’t Dipper want to go on the streetcar with Jack and Annie?  They’d sit in front, he’d have to sit in back  p. 102

Chapter 11

  1. What did Jack and Annie see out the tree house window? the river boat  p.105
  2. How do they know Dipper was on the boat? They could hear his trumpet  p. 106
  3. What kinds of feelings did Jack and Annie share as they walked home? Sad, mad, good, scared  p. 107
  4. What would Jack and Annie hear all around them that would help them remember Dipper? Music in everything  p. 108