A Nest for Celeste
by Henry Cole
Grades 3-5; Genre - Fiction; GRL Q; AR pts. 4.0
Celeste, a mouse longing for a real home, becomes a source of inspiration to teenaged Joseph, assistant to the artist and naturalist John James Audubon, at a nearby Louisiana plantation in 1821.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- Describe Celeste. She’s a mouse; lives in a house below the floorboards; she weaves baskets p.11
Chapter 2
- How did the rats treat Celeste? They’re mean and bully her; they boss her around and eat her food and take what they want from her home p.18
Chapter 3
- Describe the family in the house. Wealthy, live on a plantation; mother, father, and daughter; daughter is named Eliza and is old enough to be courted and is going to learn to dance; the family has hired a dance instructor who has brought along his assistant p.24
Chapter 4
- Summarize this chapter. The rats came to the main floor impatient as they waited for Celeste; the rats went ahead to find the crumbs under the table and didn’t see the cat; the cat caught and killed one of the rats named Trixie p.30
Chapter 5
- What is preventing Celeste from going to her home? The cat; it knows where she lives now p.55
Chapter 6
- Why hadn’t Celeste realized the beautiful place she lived? She always stayed on the ground and near the dining room; now she has ventured on the stair railing and to the upper floor of the housep.58
- Where did Celeste sleep that night? In the boot of the assistant p.64
Chapter 7
- Why did Celeste think the snoring was strange? It wasn’t there the night before; the guest was back from his hunting trip p.75
Chapter 8
- How did Joseph respond when he found Celeste in his boot? He was happy and kind; he put her in a tiny cage for company p.80
Chapter 9
- Why is Celeste confused with Joseph’s behavior toward her? She thinks he’s going to eat or hurt her, but he is kind and sees her as a friend p.87
Chapter 10
- Why did Celeste miss having a home? She couldn’t run, escape, and hide p.101
Chapter 11
- Is Joseph a good friend to Celeste? Why or why not? Yes, he’s gentle with her, feeds her, puts her in his pocket and includes her p.108
Chapter 12
- Summarize this chapter. Joseph took Celeste outside to sketch; hunters came and killed a large number of birds with guns p.118
- Why was Joseph upset by this? the hunters killed so many birds it didn’t feel like hunting, it felt like a slaughter p.119
Chapter 13
- How did Celeste’s life differ now than from the beginning of this story? She had someone who cared about her; she left the house and went on adventures; she didn’t need to worry about food; she saw things that made her sad p.124
Chapter 14
- Why is Mr. Audubon shooting birds? He uses them as a model p.131
- What terrified Celeste in this chapter? Joseph got shot in the head and she thought he was dead p.138
Chapter 15
- Do you agree with Audubon’s or Joseph’s philosophy? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.144
Chapter 16
- Share Celeste‘s history. She lived in a field with her family; she left the nest and a tractor came and killed her family and ruined her home; a groundhog helped her p.159
Chapter 17
- Why was there so much chaos when Celeste went outside? A storm was coming p.170
Chapter 18
- Why was the storm so scary for Celeste? She was so small; raindrops were as large as her ears; the wind blew her into what felt like a raging river p.178
Chapter 19
- How did Celeste feel in this chapter? Exhausted; sore and stiff; tired p.186
Chapter 20
- Describe Lafayette. He’s an osprey; kind; helpful; talkative; wants to help Celeste p.191
Chapter 21
- What’s a gondola? A small, long, narrow boat with a high prow and stern, propelled with a single oar, especially in Venice. A hanging platform or car for transporting people or cargo.
- Which definition matches what Celeste is making? A hanging car for transporting people p.200
Chapter 22
- How did Lafayette react when he saw the gondola? He was impressed and thought it was clever p.206
Chapter 23
- Describe Celeste’s experience flying with Lafayette. It was a wonderful adventure; she loved it; she soared high above the trees and saw gators and rivers p.213
Chapter 24
- What was Celeste’s plan for the thrush in this chapter? She has asked him to stand on the dogwood and sing for Joseph; she knew Joseph would be in inspired by the bird’s song p.224
Chapter 25
- What’s the definition of instinct? an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli
- What was Cornelius’s instinct telling him? To fly south p.238
Chapter 26
- Describe Celeste’s predicament in this chapter? The cat found her, so she ran and escaped p.241
Chapter 27
- What’s Celeste’s plan to help Lafayette? To pose and look more alive p.263
Chapter 28
- Describe the outcome of Celeste’s plan? Audubon was happy; he never got frustrated p.272
Chapter 29
- In what two ways did Celeste help Lafayette? She saved his life and she freed him from the leather cord p.275
Chapter 30
- What did Celeste find and who do you think it belonged to? A dollhouse; Eliza p.282
Chapter 31
- What emotions did Celeste feel in this chapter? Why? Happy to have a new home; sad because she was alone p.291
Chapter 32
- How do you think Celeste felt to see Trixie in her new home? Sad; Trixie wasn’t a good friend p.299
Chapter 33
- Why didn’t Celeste feel like she could ask Lafayette to give Trixie a ride in the gondola? She didn’t know if he’d want to take her p.305
Chapter 34
- How has Trixie stolen Celeste’s home? she’s eaten her food and makes herself at home p.309
Chapter 35
- Whose fault is it that Trixie isn’t coming back? Her own; she shouldn’t have yanked the cord so hard as to break it p.314
Chapter 36
- Do you think Celeste should have gone back to her little house while Joseph was gone to dinner? Listen to your child’s answer; she was followed by the cat and couldn’t get back to Joseph p.322
- Predict what you think will happen. Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 37
- What helped Celeste’s nest feel like a home? Friends p.336