About
Nancy and her friends are excited about the Fall Festival and can't wait to enter the pumpkin decorating contest. But right before the contest begins someone has created mischief in the pumpkin tent. Nancy and the Clue Crew have to solve the mystery of who made the mess in the pumpkin tent before the end of the festival or there won't be a pumpkin decorating contest.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
What contest is Nancy and her friends entering during the Fall Festival?
Page 1 — Pumpkin decorating contest
1
Who is the new girl in Nancy’s class at school?
Page 5 — Emma
5
What does Emma think of the Fall Festival?
Page 7 — It’s stupid
7
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Who is Audrey?
Page 10 — Emma’s little sister
10
Who do Audrey and Emma live with?
Page 11 — Their aunt
11
Why doesn’t Emma like the festival?
Page 12 — Her aunt’s in charge and never has time for her
12
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What was Mr. Drew’s advice when Nancy told him about Emma and how rude she was?
Page 19 — Be patient and keep trying to be nice
19
What did the girls turn in when they went downtown?
Page 20 — Entry forms for the contest
20
What did the Clue Crew help Emma and Audrey carry out to the pumpkin tent?
Page 24 — Art supplies for the contest
24
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What yummy traditional treat did the girls buy and eat at the Fall Festival?
Page 31 — Apple fritters
31
Why did everyone want to win the pumpkin decorating contest?
Page 35 — So their pumpkin would be the design of the posters for next year’s Fall Festival
35
When the Clue Crew went to go begin decorating their pumpkins, what did they find when they went into the pumpkin tent?
Page 38 — Paint spilled everywhere, some pumpkins had fallen onto the ground and split
38
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
After finding the pumpkin tent a mess, why was Aunt Claire upset the contest entries were gone?
Page 40 — She wouldn’t know who signed up for the contest
40
When Nancy found the bracelet, why did she think it might belong to who messed up the tent?
Page 45 — It was covered in paint and was dropped accidentally
45
Why did Aunt Claire think Emma and Nancy had made the mess?
Page 46 — They were in the tent before the festival began
46
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What are the five W’s the Clue Crew used to help organize their case?
Page 49 — Who, what, when, where, why
49
How did Nancy’s dad know she’s not lying when she said she didn’t mess up the pumpkin tent?
Page 52 — Her right eye twitches
52
What did the Clue Crew rummage through to find the application for the art school Madison wanted to go to?
Page 57 — The garbage can
57
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why was Madison’s application for the summer art school in the garbage?
Page 61 — She was upset the pumpkin decorating contest was canceled and ripped it up
61
How does Aunt Claire feel about the Clue Crew helping out with the case?
Page 62 — Doesn’t like it/ wants them to let the adults handle it
62
Who took the headband and thought it was theirs?
Page 67 — Deirdre Shannon
67
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
How did Deirdre know the headband wasn’t hers?
Page 69 — It didn’t have the right shimmer
69
Why did George want to win a stuffed animal at the festival?
Page 71 — To keep her other stuffed animal company
71
Where did the sweet smell come from that Nancy smelled at lunch and at the festival?
Page 73 — Emma
73
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Did Emma ruin the contest and take the design entries?
Page 74 — No
74
How did Nancy know that Audrey messed up the pumpkin contest?
Page 78 — Her doll has the same bracelet that was found in the pumpkin tent
78
What really happened to the pumpkin tent?
Page 79 — Audrey was mad she couldn’t enter the contest and wanted to still decorate a pumpkin, but the paint spilled and she knocked off the pumpkins
79
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Who did Nancy notice was missing a gold headband like the one she’d found?
Page 85 — A dancer
85
Who did the box of entry forms?
Page 87 — Tommy Sassano
87
Why couldn’t Tommy enter the pumpkin decorating contest?
Page 88 — He’s Rick’s nephew. Family can’t enter the contest
88
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Worksheets
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