About
Freddy Thresher knows that Max Sellars is the biggest, meanest bully in the whole first grade. The best way to get along with Max is to stay out of his way. He'll push you, he'll punch you, he'll sit on your lunch! So is Freddy crazy to think he can beat out Max and get the one open spot on the hockey team? Now Freddy's friend Jessie has to get him into shape…if it's the last thing she does!
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 did Jessie have that Max wanted?
Page 12 — A jersey
12
What sport does Jessie play?
Page 13 — Ice Hockey
13
What’s a bully?
Page 14 — A person who seeks to harm or intimidate others
14
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
How did Freddy’s mom react when he told her he wanted to play hockey?
Page 20 — She screamed that no child of hers would play hockey; she was really upset
20
How did Freddy’s dad convince his mom that playing hockey would be good for Freddy?
Page 23 — It would help his hand eye coordination; he would learn about sportsmanship; its good exercise
23
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why did Jessie call Freddy?
Page 30 — To invite him over after school to practice hockey in the parking lot
30
How did Suzie treat Freddy when he was talking to Jessie on the phone?
Page 31 — She teased him, sang the kissing song to him
31
What did Freddy’s dad do in response to her teasing?
Page 34 — He sent her to her room, like sending a hockey player to the penalty box
34
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
How did Max bully Freddy at lunch?
Page 36 — He sat on his lunch sack and smushed his lunch
36
Why didn’t Jessie think Max would be good at hockey?
Page 39 — He wasn’t a team player
39
How did Max get sent to the time-out table?
Page 44 — He broke Chloe’s chopstick and she called over Miss Becky the lunch helper, and explained how Max had been a bully
44
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Who watches Jessie after school while her mother is at work?
Page 46 — Her grandmother
46
What snack did Jessie and Freddy have after school?
Page 47 — Tamales
47
What did Jessie teach Freddy, as she helped him prepare for the hockey tryouts?
Page 51 — He needed to get used to people coming at him; how to hold the stick; how to hit the puck to shoot, pass and make a goal
51
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Why did Freddy need to apologize to Suzie?
Page 56 — He was showing his dad how to shoot a puck using a knife and mashed potatoes and flicked mashed potatoes into Suzie’s face
56
Why was Freddy so upset that his family thought Jessie was his girlfriend?
Page 64 — It was embarrassing to him; she wasn’t his girlfriend and just a friend
64
What was Freddy’s nickname and why is it a good hockey name?
Page 66 — Mouse; because mice move quickly, they can move easily in and out of tight spots, and they almost never get caught
66
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Define what bragging means and how does it make you feel when someone else is bragging?
Page 67 — To talk boastfully; it can make you feel bad
67
What did Chloe’s mom teach her to do when Max was bullying her?
Page 69 — Ignore him
69
What did Freddy bet Max?
Page 68 — His snack and dessert for a week
68
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Name Freddy’s two good luck charms?
Page 73 — His shark tooth and great white shark underwear
73
How did Suzie help Freddy the morning of the tryouts?
Page 78 — She made a pinky swear that she wouldn’t tell their mom about Freddy wearing his lucky underwear when they were dirty and let Freddy use her lucky penny
78
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Whose team was Freddy on during tryouts?
Page 80 — Max’s
80
Why was it important for Freddy to skate down to the goal when Max had the puck?
Page 83 — If the puck didn’t go into the goal, he could pick up the rebound; he picked up the rebound and when Max passed the puck to him, he made a goal and they won the game
83
Who made the hockey team?
Page 88 — Freddy and Max
88
Downloads
All the book’s resources, or just the ones you need, ready to read or print.
Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
