Vacation Under the Volcano
By Mary Pope Osborne
Grades 3-5; Genre - Historical Fiction with Fantastical Elements: GRL M; AR pts: 1.0
After becoming Master Librarians, Jack and Annie help Morgan find a lost scroll by traveling to Pompeii. They get to experience the volcano that destroyed the city.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- What had Jack and Annie finally become? Master Librarians p. 1
- What happens to time when Jack and Annie go on an adventure? No time passes, they would return to Frog Creek the same time they left p. 3
- What should Jack and Annie do in their darkest hour? Ask the ancient story for help p. 7
Chapter 2
- What were Jack and Annie wearing when the tree house stopped spinning? White tunics, belt, sandals, Jack had a leather bag p. 9
- Why didn’t Annie want to get out of the tree house and go find the writing? She felt like something was wrong, the ground shook and rumbled p. 13
- What is a soothsayer? Someone who tells the future p. 19
- What strange things were happening that Annie noticed? The creek was dry, the grove of trees was silent, a woman in a black cloak was calling “the end is near” p. 20
Chapter 3
- What were some of the buildings Jack and Annie saw as they walked through town? The bathhouse, temple of Jupiter
- Tell me two ancient myths Jack and Annie talked about. Medusa, Venus, Hercules, Apollo p. 26
Chapter 4
- Where did the soldiers take the gladiators? Into the amphitheater p. 28
- Why didn’t the guard let Jack and Annie into the amphitheater? No children were allowed p. 29
- What did Annie show the soothsayer? Her Master Librarian card p. 32
- Where was the writing that Jack and Annie needed to find? House of Brutus p. 34
Chapter 5
- What did the dining room look like? Sloping couches, pillows, low table, silver dishes p. 38
- Did Jack and Annie find any books? No p. 40
- What did the Romans use to write? Small reeds, octopus ink, scrolls of paper/ papyrus p. 40
Chapter 6
- Why were Jack and Annie in such a hurry after they found the scroll? The soothsayer told them to hurry, Jack read about the volcano destroying the city p. 43
- What helped Jack and Annie know what time it was? The sundial p. 44
- What does the shadow on a sundial look like at noon? Can hardly be seen p. 46
Chapter 7
- What ruined Pompeii? A great cloud of pumice, ash and burning rock rained onto the city p. 49
- Why did it get dark? A thick black cloud spread over the city like an umbrella p. 50
- What did Jack and Annie use to protect their heads from the falling debris? Pillows p. 51
Chapter 8
- What did it smell like when the volcano was erupting?Rotten eggs, sulfur p. 54
- Where was the tree house? In the olive grove p. 56
- Why couldn’t Jack and Annie get across the dried up stream? The bridge had vanished and the bed was full of pumice rock p. 58
Chapter 9
- What happened to Jack and Annie when they tried to wade through the pumice? They got stuck p. 61
- What did Annie remember to do when they were stuck? Ask the story for help p. 61
- Who appeared from the story to help Jack and Annie? A huge gladiator p. 64
Chapter 10
- What were Jack’s glasses covered with? Ash, dust, filth p. 66
- What story was going to be destroyed by the volcano? The Strongest Man in the World, Hercules p. 71
- Who is Hercules? A hero of the Greeks and Romans, he’s the son of Jupiter/Zeus p. 71
Very Helpful, helped me a lot on my book report:)