The Whipping Boy
About
A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places.
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.
Phrases
Vocabulary
Mad enough to spit ink
1
Puts my spine a-shiver
23
Catchpenny rogues
25
It’s me that’s in the soup
39
Knockin’ about outside the castle walls
49
Sweat and stew
49
As close as a cow’s tail
75
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
What’s the purpose of a whipping boy?
Page 2 — It is forbidden to whip a prince, so a boy is found on the streets and brought into the castle to be whipped when the prince is in trouble
2
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Why did the whipping boy learn to read, write and do sums when the prince learned nothing?
Page 6 — Jemmy needed to be close by when the prince took his lessons
6
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Why was Jemmy worried to run away with the prince?
Page 8 — He knew he’d be whipped when they were caught
8
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What’s happening at the end of this chapter?
Page 11 — The boys were getting kidnapped
11
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Why didn’t Jemmy want the prince to tell the men who he was?
Page 13 — They’d hold them for ransom
13
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Describe the kidnappers.
Page 18 — Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy; Billy smelled of garlic, was big, thick, and loud with red hair; Cutwater was tall and thin
18
Why is Billy nicknamed, Hold-Your-Nose Billy?
He smelled of garlic
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What do you think Jemmy’s plan is?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What was untrue in the letter Jemmy wrote?
Page 26 — He signed it, “your obedient son”; the prince isn’t obedient
26
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Who’s the whipping boy now?
Page 28 — The prince
28
How’s Jemmy going to free the prince?
Page 29 — Sending the “whipping boy” to the castle with the note
29
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
What decision did the prince make to fowl up Jemmy’s plan?
Page 32 — He refused to go to the castle
32
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Who was to deliver the note since Prince Brat won’t?
Page 38 — The horse
38
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Describe the prince.
Page 40 — Selfish, not very clever or smart; won’t learn to read or write
40
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
How did the boys escape?
Page 41 — Jemmy ran with Cutwater chasing him; a bear distracted Cutwater so Jemmy could hide; the prince found Jemmy
41
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Why didn’t the prince want to go back to the castle?
Page 49 — His dad doesn’t notice him; he doesn’t want to get in trouble; he likes the freedom
49
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Who did the boys run into again?
Page 54 — Hold-Your-Nose Billy and Cutwater
54
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Why didn’t Jemmy get satisfaction when the prince was whipped?
Page 58 — The prince became his friend
58
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
How is the prince’s character growing and developing?
Page 61 — He took a whipping and didn’t cry out; he’s being called brave; he’s not being selfish; he didn’t turn in Jemmy
61
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
What did the prince learn at the fair?
Page 69 — That his subjects didn’t like him and dreaded the day he’d become king
69
What did Jemmy learn?
Page 73 — The king blamed him for the prince’s disappearance and has a reward for whoever brings him in, dead or alive
73
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
How has the relationship between the two boys changed from when they first ran away?
Page 77 — At first, they didn’t care what happened to each other, now they are becoming friends and respect and trust each other
77
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
How does this story end?
Page 87 — Betsy and captain Nips get the reward, the prince promises to do his lessons, behave himself and blow out his night candle; Jemmy stays in the castle and gets acknowledged for helping the prince; Billy and Cutwater get put on a ship to go to an island for prisoners
87
Downloads
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Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
