About
The Magic Tree House has taken Jack and Annie back in time to England in 1944. England is fighting for its life in World War II. Before long, Jack and Annie find themselves parachuting into Normandy, France, behind enemy lines. The date is June 5. Will the brave brother and sister team be able to make a difference during one of the darkest times in history? They don't know, but they have to try!
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
How did Jack feel when Annie interrupted his reading?
Page 5 — He was frustrated; impatient; mad
5
What was so interesting about the pigeon Annie found?
Page 7 — It had a canister to carry messages; it was a carrier pigeon
7
Who sent the message for Jack and Annie?
Page 10 — Teddy
10
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Describe the setting of the area Annie and Jack traveled to.
Page 14 — Hazy; ducks on the pond; sheep grazing in the field; broken down buildings, stone pillars and crumbling archways; Glastonbury, England; 1944
14
Why is Teddy concerned about Kathleen?
Page 21 — She went on a mission, but hasn’t returned and sent a carrier pigeon with a message in a secret code, but Teddy can’t figure it out
21
Explain why the times Jack and Annie traveled to were dark.
Page 22 — Teddy is limited in his magic; Kathleen is missing; the war is going on and many people are affected
22
How were Jack and Annie going to travel to Normandy?
Page 26 — By jumping out of a plane with parachutes
26
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Who would Jack and Annie need to find to help send a message to Teddy?
Page 30 — Someone from the French Resistance
30
Demonstrate the ways Jack and Annie can make the Victory sign.
Page 30 — Holding up two fingers that make a V; drawing it on a piece of paper; scratching it in the dirt; or any other way you can think of
30
Tell me three of the supplies Teddy gave Jack and Annie for their mission?
Page 31 — Old fashioned pack; Flashlight; clothes; boots; parachutes; goggles; helmet; identity cards with French names
31
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What was Annie’s attitude when she found out they didn’t have the magic wand?
Page 44 — Positive; determined; looking on the bright side; but then she got scared and Jack had to encourage her
44
Why did Jack and Annie hide in the barn?
Page 50 — They heard dogs and men searching for them
50
Why did the German shepherd barking at them calm down?
Page 51 — Annie used her “making friends with animals” skills
51
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Who are Gaston and Suzette?
Page 53 — A married couple a part of the French Resistance
53
Describe where Jack and Annie stayed the night.
Page 58 — Gaston and Suzette’s home in the cellar that had hundreds of wine bottles and smelled dank and musty
58
What happened to Gaston and Suzette’s twin boys?
Page 60 — They were couriers and got caught by the Nazi’s when they were putting up a message of hope
60
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Why was is so important that Gaston and Suzette had a wireless?
Page 65 — That was how Jack and Annie were supposed to communicate with Teddy once they found Kathleen
65
What were the code phrases the French Resistance used and what did they mean?
Page 66 — Code Purple: destroy communication lines so the Nazi’s don’t find out what’s happening; Code Green: Resistance Fighters need to blow bridges and train tracks to keep enemy troops from traveling to that area
66
Why did Gaston want the children to leave France?
Page 70 — An invasion was happening the next day
70
What did Suzette and Gaston give to the children to help them on their journey?
Page 74 — A compass; hats; bikes and advice
74
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What did Jack do that made people chase them?
Page 80 — Made the V signal to a horse and buggy that passed them
80
How did Jack and Annie escape?
Page 83 — A milk man told them to get into his truck and he took them to Caen
83
Describe the busy town square Jack and Annie were in.
Page 84 — Women with children buying food, cloth and lace; cobblestone streets; quaint buildings; church covered with ivy; small train depot; sidewalk café
84
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Who did Annie mean when she said, “I hate them.”?
Page 90 — The Nazi’s
90
Why did she so strongly dislike the Nazi’s?
Page 90 — they were cruel
90
Why were the Nazi officers going to arrest Jack?
Page 92 — They found Resistance papers in the pack
92
When Jack held up the flyers in the bistro, who did the waitress go get and why?
Page 100 — Her mom; she wanted to know how Jack and Annie knew the twins
100
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What good news did Sylvie give the children?
Page 102 — That Tom and Theo escaped from jail and are safe to the south of France
102
What did Kathleen mean when she wrote knights and small, round cows?
Page 106 — They were types of apples
106
Who do you think was singing the song, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?
Page 110 — Listen to your child’s ideas
110
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Who did Jack and Annie find in the cave?
Page 112 — Kathleen and refugee children
112
Explain how Kathleen has taken care of the children day and night?
Page 114 — In the day the stay in the cave and at night they sneak into the chateau’s attic and sleep while Kathleen goes and looks for food
114
Why do you think the Nazis arrested Sophie and Sarah’s parents for being scientists and Jewish?
Page 115 — The Nazis were sending the Jews to concentration camps. This is a good opportunity to have a discussion with your child about the Holocaust if they’re ready for it.
115
Describe Annie’s plan to get them all to the drop zone?
Page 119 — Sneak the kids out at night, get in a delivery truck, Jack will drive it to the drop zone and Teddy will pick them up in a bigger plane
119
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Describe how Jack began to feel as he talked with Kathleen and felt her hope?
Page 125 — Began to have courage and feel like he could drive the truck
125
Why did Kathleen write a note for the baker?
Page 126 — Because they were taking his truck without asking permission and told him where he could find it
126
On the last page of this chapter, it commented on Jack’s throat getting tight. What does that mean?
Page 132 — He was feeling emotional/ like crying because he really wanted to help the kids find freedom
132
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Why was Jack so nervous they were going to get caught by the Nazis?
Page 134 — They had to go through a checkpoint
134
How did they make it through the checkpoint safely?
Page 140 — Kathleen tricked Jack into thinking she had cast an invisibility spell
140
How did Jack feel about being tricked?
Page 141 — He was confused at whether to be angry at Kathleen or amazed at himself, but just laughed in the end
141
Why did Kathleen sing songs with the young children?
Page 143 — To help them be happy and calm
143
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
What was in the field next to the church as the searchlights scanned the sky overhead?
Page 147 — A large plane with Teddy inside
147
How did Teddy feel when he realized he forgot to send the wand with Jack and Annie?
Page 149 — Terrible; guilty
149
How did the children respond to being in the plane?
Page 151 — Excited
151
Why was Jack confused about the plane?
Page 152 — It was silent taking off; you could open the window; it got passed the searchlights; he didn’t know if spy planes were made during WWII
152
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Now that the children were all safe, what was going to happen to them?
Page 160 — Relatives and friends would be located and would come get them
160
Who was the pilot and what kind of plane did he have?
Page 163 — It was Merlin and he had a magical plane
163
Tell me two things Jack and Annie learned and saw on this mission?
Page 164 — How it feels to live in terror all of the time; how it feels to speak or move about freely; seen cruel people hunt down the innocent
164
How did Jack and Annie feel as they got back to Frog Creek?
Page 167 — Safe
167
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Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
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