The Indian in the Cupboard

By Lynne Reid Banks

Grades 4-6; Genre – Fiction; GRL R; AR pts: 6.0

When Omri's big brother has no birthday present for him, he gives Omri an old wooden medicine cabinet he's found. The cabinet doesn't seem like much of a present to nine-year-old Omri, until he deposits inside it another present he receives for his birthday: a miniature plastic Indian. His mother comes up with a key for the cabinet, and the real magic begins. When Omri turns the key once, the Indian, named Little Bear, comes alive; but turn the key a second time and it's an ordinary plastic Indian again.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. How does Omri feel when Patrick gives him the plastic Indian? Disappointed pg 2
2. What does Omri’s mum give him for the cabinet? A boxful of keys pg. 3
3. What does the Indian do when Omri tries to pick him up? Stab him pg 9.

Chapter 2

1. What does Omri worry happened to the Indian while at school? He dies without food, drink pg 15
2. What did the Indian think was magic? Electricity pg 21
3. Did Little Bear live in a tepee? No, a longhouse pg 21
4. Who is the Indian? Iroquois brave, son of chief, Little Bear pg 23

Chapter 3

1. Omri finds out that Little Bear fought in a war with whom and against whom. With the English against the French and the Algonquin pg 29
2. What did Little Bear say that scared Omri? He scalped 30 French soldiers pg 30
3. Why did Omri not tell anyone about Little Bear? They would make him an experiment in a laboratory pg 31

Chapter 4

1. How did Little Bear hurt his leg? Horse kicked when box was squeezed pg 41
2. What did Little Bear call fire water? Water and Listerine; disinfectant pg 41
3. What plastic figure did Omri grab to help Little Bear’s injury? WW I orderly pg 42

Chapter 5

1. What does Omri tell Tommy so he won’t be afraid? It’s just a dream pg 45
2. What supplies does Omri gather for Little Bear? Seed tray, posts and bark pg 47
3. Where does Omri get an ax for Little Bear? From a knight pg 48

Chapter 6

1. Omri sneaks away at lunchtime at school to buy what? Plastic chief with bow and arrow pg 52
2. How does Little Bear check to see if the chief is dead? Puts his feather in front of his mouth pg 59
3. What does Little Bear take from the dead chief and why? Cape, headdress, bow and arrow and now he’s the new chief pg 59
4. What does Omri’s father make him do? Replace items he used at hardware shop pg 60

Chapter 7

1. When they get to Omri’s room who do they find there? Gillon and Adiel pg 65
2. What did the brothers feel about the longhouse? Admiration at the details pg 67
3. Why did Omri not want Patrick to put a lot of toys in the cupboard? Because they are real pg 69
4. What did Patrick beg Omri for? One live toy of his own pg 74

Chapter 8

1. What did Patrick do when Omri went to get some food for the Indian? Put the cowboy in the cupboard pg 78
2. What does the cowboy do to Patrick? Shoots him pg 80
3. What does Omri promise Patrick to do? Bring the Cowboy to school pg 85

Chapter 9

1. Why does Little Bear do a dance? He is getting a wife pg 89
2. What happened when Omri was a sleep? The cowboy escaped pg 90
3. What does Little Bear want Omri to do? Take him to school too pg 94

Chapter 10

1. What did Omri fix for breakfast? Egg, beans and bread crust pg 98
2. What did Omri make the cowboy and Indian do to eat? Call a truce pg 99
3. What did Boone threaten Little Bear he’d do if he didn’t fight fair? Set his hallucy-nation on him pg 103

Chapter 11

1. How does April taunt Patrick? She says “Lookit he’s blu-shing!” pg 108
2. Why do Omri and Patrick get thrown out of class? Little Bear stabs him in the side  pg 111
3. What does Omri do with the little men? Puts them in the same pocket pg 114

Chapter 12

1. When Omri couldn’t find Patrick where was he? The music room pg 119
2. When Patrick was late to class by 20 minutes what did Miss Hilton do? Sent both boys to the headmaster Mr. Jonson pg 120
3. Why did Omri attack Patrick in Mr. Johnson’s office? He was going to tell him about the little men pg 124
4. Did Patrick show the little men to Mr. Johnson? Yes pg 126

Chapter 13

1. Why did Patrick say he had to show the little men? They would tell his dad pg 128
2. How did Omri feel when the art teacher saw Boone’s drawing? It was fun pg133
3. How did Omri trick Mr. Yapp with the little men? He told them to act like plastic pg 139

Chapter 14

1. Why did Adiel take Omri’s cupboard? He thought Omri took his football shorts pg 142
2. Why was the magic gone from the cupboard? Because the key was lost pg 145
3. Why does Little Bear shoot Boone with an arrow? TV shows portrayed Indians as bad pg 150

Chapter 15

1. Why was Omri worried for the safety of the little men? The rat was loose pg 155
2. What did Omri worry would happen to Little Bear under the floor? the rat would eat him pg 161
3. How did Omri think he could stop the little men from fighting? Become blood brothers pg 167

Chapter 16

1. Why was Little Bears’ wife called Bright Stars? Her shining eyes pg 173
2. Who became blood brothers? Little Bear and Boone pg 176 Little Bear and Omri pg 178
3. Where was Omri’s mum going to keep the key? She was going to wear it on a chain pg 181

Comprehension Questions without Answers

Chapter 1

1. How does Omri feel when Patrick gives him the plastic Indian?
2. What does Omri’s mum give him for the cabinet?
3. What does the Indian do when Omri tries to pick him up?

Chapter 2

1. What does Omri worry happened to the Indian while at school?
2. What did the Indian think was magic?
3. Did Little Bear live in a tepee?
4. Who is the Indian?

Chapter 3

1. Omri finds out that Little Bear fought in a war with whom and against whom.
2. What did Little Bear say that scared Omri? Why did Omri not tell anyone about Little Bear?

Chapter 4

1. How did Little Bear hurt his leg?
2. What did Little Bear call fire water?
3. What plastic figure did Omri grab to help Little Bear’s injury?

Chapter 5

1. What does Omri tell Tommy so he won’t be afraid?
2. What supplies does Omri gather for Little Bear?
3. Where does Omri get an ax for Little Bear?

Chapter 6

1. Omri sneaks away at lunchtime at school to buy what?
2. How does Little Bear check to see if the chief is dead?
3. What does Little Bear take from the dead chief and why?
4. What does Omri’s father make him do?

Chapter 7

1. When they get to Omri’s room who do they find there?
2. What did the brothers feel about the longhouse?
3. Why did Omri not want Patrick to put a lot of toys in the cupboard?
4. What did Patrick beg Omri for?

Chapter 8

1. What did Patrick do when Omri went to get some food for the Indian?
2. What does the cowboy do to Patrick?
3. What does Omri promise Patrick to do?

Chapter 9

1. Why does Little Bear do a dance?
2. What happened when Omri was a sleep?
3. What does Little Bear want Omri to do?

Chapter 10

1. What did Omri fix for breakfast?
2. What did Omri make the cowboy and Indian do to eat?
3. What did Boone threaten Little Bear he’d do if he didn’t fight fair?

Chapter 11

1. How does April taunt Patrick?
2. Why do Omri and Patrick get thrown out of class?
3. What does Omri do with the little men?

Chapter 12

1. When Omri couldn’t find Patrick where was he?
2. When Patrick was late to class by 20 minutes what did Miss Hilton do?
3. Why did Omri attack Patrick in Mr. Johnson’s office?
4. Did Patrick show the little men to Mr. Johnson?

Chapter 13

1. Why did Patrick say he had to show the little men?
2. How did Omri feel when the art teacher saw Boone’s drawing?
3. How did Omri trick Mr. Yapp with the little men?

Chapter 14

1. Why did Adiel take Omri’s cupboard?
2. Why was the magic gone from the cupboard?
3. Why does Little Bear shoot Boone with an arrow?

Chapter 15

1. Why was Omri worried for the safety of the little men?
2. What did Omri worry would happen to Little Bear under the floor?
3. How did Omri think he could stop the little men from fighting?

Chapter 16

1. Why was Little Bears’ wife called Bright Stars?
2. Who became blood brothers?
3. Where was Omri’s mum going to keep the key?