The Panda Puzzle
by Ron Roy
Grades 2-5; Genre - Fiction; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0
There's pandemonium in Green Lawn! The town is building a new park for a panda and her baby. But as soon as the pandas arrive, the baby is stolen! All the panda-nappers want in return is a million dollars...Can Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose collar the culprits before Green Lawn has to cough up the cash?
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- What did the kids come to the petting zoo to see? A mama panda and her baby p.1
- What strange behavior did Ping show while the crowd was outside her cage? She ran into the fence p.6
- What’s missing from the panda cave? The baby panda, Winnie p.8
Chapter 2
- What did the kidnappers want in exchange for Winnie? A million dollars p.11
- What did Pal find the in the bamboo forest? a fishing knife p.13
- Why would the kidnapper have a knife? To cut down bamboo stalks to feed Winnie p.14
Chapter 3
- Why do the kids watch Ruth Rose’s video at the petting zoo? It might give them ideas who stole the panda p.19
- Who does Ruth Rose think suspects are? Irene Napper, Flip Frances, or Tom Steele; the people standing by the microphone p.21
Chapter 4
- Why did the three kids want to interview each of the three people that stood by the microphone? To try and get some answers p.23
- What was Irene doing when the kids found her in the park? Feeding the ducks p.24
- Who has a key to Ping’s gate? Only Irene p.28
Chapter 5
- Why does Josh think Irene kidnapped Winnie? She has large hands p.31
- Why does Josh think Tom Steele did it? He has a cut on his hand that could have been from Winnie and has a fishing pole p.37 & 38
- What was another clue Ruth Rose saw on Tom’s desk? There were newspapers all cut up; the ransom note was put together from newspaper clippings p.38
Chapter 6
- Where did the kids find Flip? At the fitness center p.40
- What made Josh think the kidnapper was Flip? He was great at doing flips; he would have easily been able to get over the fence of the panda enclosure p.45
- What’s another clue Flip could have kidnapped Winnie? He fishes p.46
Chapter 7
- What piece was missing when the twins were completing a puzzle together? The baby grizzly bear’s face p.50
- What did Ruth Rose realize they should be looking for? Winnie, not the person who took her p.51
- Why did the kids think the fitness center would be a good hiding place for Winnie? It’s smelly and loud p.53
Chapter 8
- What did the kids find when they slipped into the unmarked door? A wooden staircase p.60
- What explained the sounds of thunder they heard? The bowling alley was on the other side of the wall p.62
- What did the kids find under the mat they were sitting on? A trap door p.64
Chapter 9
- Who was in the room under the trap door? Winnie p.66
- How did the kids get locked in that room? Someone shut the door and locked it p.66
- What did the kids find that may help them get out of the coal room? A coal chute that leads to the outside p.71
Chapter 10
- How did the kids break the wood that blocked the chute? Dink found a shovel p.72
- Why did the boys choose Ruth Rose to go get the police? she was the smallest to fit in the chute p.76
- How did the boys find Winnie? She crawled up into Josh’s lap p.78
Chapter 11
- What is Flip’s consequence for kidnapping Winnie? Community service p.83
- What did the kids suggest could be Flip’s community service? Free gymnastics lessons for kids; do exercises with the old people in the senior center p.83
- How did Officer Fallon treat the kids for solving the mystery? He bought them ice cream cones p.85