Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Quicksand Question

The Quicksand Question

by Ron Roy

Grades 1-4; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts. 1.0

When someone steals the money the town has been collecting to help the ducks, Josh and his friends try to find the thief.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. How did the city come together to solve a problem? The people who were interested met and talked about solutions; they were kind to each other and brainstormed respectfully; people volunteered to help where they were able and a solution was found p.1

Chapter 2

  1. What did the friends find in the meadow? A burned piece of wood with letters written on it p.14
  2. Predict how this piece of wood will tie into the meadow fire mystery. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 3

  1. Summarize this chapter. Josh’s twin brothers took the money and cookies from the barn; the friends and brother had breakfast and then the friends went to the fire department to drop off their change; they saw Officer Fallon there and shared their clues with him about the fire; the collection bank was missing p.16

Chapter 4

  1. What’s a diversion? A distraction
  2. Describe what Mr. Pocket saw. A jeep with two men speeding down Main Street. The passenger looked like a duck p.28

Chapter 5

  1. Why is the man who used the restroom in the fire station a suspect? He could have been checking out the fire station to find out where the duck bank was located when he used the bathroom p.36

Chapter 6

  1. How did Ellie help the kids further their investigation? She knows that the burnt wood comes from a pallet found at the supermarket p.40

Chapter 7

  1. What did Mr. Robb explain and show the friends. Where people can pick up pallets p.46

Chapter 8

  1. What do you think the man in the rowboat was looking for in the water? Listen to your child’s answer p.54

Chapter 9

  1. Were you correct in your prediction? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. Predict how they’re going to get the jeep out of the river. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 10

  1. Was your prediction correct? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What did Ruth Rose find and what did it mean? An apron with a name tag from the grocery store where the friends found the pallets p.71

Chapter 11

  1. How did this story end? They caught Martin and built the duck bridge; the friends waited all afternoon to see if the ducks would use the bridge and they did! p.75