The Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster
by James Preller
Grades 2-3; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts. 1.0
Wingnut's hamster is missing! Jigsaw and his partner, Mila, are on the case.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- Describe Wingnut. 6-year-old neighbor to Jigsaw: his nickname came from his large ears; his hamster is lost p.2
Chapter 2
- Why does Jigsaw and Mila think Jake’s pet snake is a suspect? Snakes eat hamsters p.13
Chapter 3
- What resources are available if you need to do research like Jigsaw and Mila? Library; internet; people
- Why didn’t Ms. Gleason give Jigsaw and Mila the information they needed? It’s important to learn how to find information
Chapter 4
- What did Jigsaw learn at the pet store? Snakes eat rabbits, mice and hamsters; hamsters can escape if the lid of their cage is off; they can’t climb walls, but they can jump high and hang on to the lid p.23
Chapter 5
- Define the word constricting. To squeeze or wrap around
Chapter 6
- What could be a clue in this chapter. The new vacuum that sucks everything up p.36
Chapter 7
- What happened to Jigsaw when Jake held the snake up to his face? He threw up p.44
Chapter 8
- How is Billy a good brother? He’s kind and supportive; a good friend; takes care of Jigsaw; encourages him p.45
- Find a simile on page 49. “Then it hit me. KLUNK! Like a baseball bat smashed on my head.”
Chapter 9
- Have you used a phone book before? Describe one. White and yellow pages; tiny writing to fit all the numbers; residential and business numbers; used before we had the internet to look things up
Chapter 10
- Why is Wingnut’s mom upset at the end of this chapter? They took apart her new vacuum cleaner; broke plastic on the vacuum and spilled dust everywhere p.62
Chapter 11
- Summarize this chapter. Mila is allergic to fur and because of her sneezing, they found Hermie in the closet; Hermie’s a girl and had babies p.63
Chapter 12
- Why is Jigsaw student of the week? He made the class a nicer place by donating two baby hamsters p.74