Comprehension Questions- Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #15 Leprechaun in Late Winter

Leprechaun in Late Winter

By Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 3-5- Genre - Fantasy; GRL N; AR pts: 2.0

Merlin sends Jack and Annie to Ireland to help a girl find her creativity and imagination.  They meet a leprechaun and with the help of the girl, save the legends of his people.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. When Jack was outside taking notes, what appeared on his paper?  T K  p. 4
  2. What did the letters stand for?  Teddy and Kathleen  p. 5
  3. Where was Merlin sending Jack and Annie?  Ireland  p. 7
  4. In your own words, what does INSPIRE mean?  to encourage, to be filled with desire, to help others be motivated  P. 7

Chapter 2

  1. How did Jack and Annie find Augusta’s house?  Asked a man where the Big House is.  P. 14
  2. How did Jack and Annie get into the Big House?  Said the butler sent for them.   p. 18
  3. How did the butler know Jack and Annie weren’t the ones he sent for?  He sent for a blacksmith and coach driver.   p. 20
  4. Why did the butler want to send them away?  Jack and Annie didn’t know how to do anything they needed.   P. 21

Chapter 3

  1. Where had Augusta delivered cakes?  Poor people  p. 22
  2. Why shouldn’t Augusta have taken Jack and Annie into the parlor?  They were dirty  p. 23
  3. Tell me about the people in the house.  Rich, snobbish, proper  p. 22
  4. How did Augusta, her sisters and her mom react when Jack and Annie said they could read and had been in a Shakespeare play?  They thought Jack and Annie were lying  p. 30

Chapter 4

  1. What did Augusta’s mother do to help her remember to walk straight? Pinched Augusta's shoulders   p. 33
  2. Why is it important to ask yourself: what good am I good for?  so you can help other people, benefit those around you   P. 36
  3. Why did Augusta want to take Jack and Annie to see Mary?  So Mary could tell them that Augusta isn’t a snob  p. 38
  4. Tell me about Mary?  She used to be Augusta’s nursemaid, white hair, blue eyes, missing teeth  p. 39

Chapter 5

  1. What did Mary give the children to help them warm up?  Hot cocoa  p. 41
  2. How did Mary respond when Jack and Annie told them about reading, writing and being in a Shakespeare play?  Happy, believed them  p. 43
  3. Who are the Shee?  Fairies that live in Ireland  p. 46
  4. What did Mary say about Augusta that made her cry?  She’s not happy.  P. 51

Chapter 6

  1. Why did Augusta never find the Shee?  She looked for them with her head, not her heart   p. 53
  2. What kind of danger were Jack and Annie in that made it okay to use the magic whistle? Augusta’s facing danger of losing hope and happiness and won’t share her gifts.   P. 56
  3. While Annie played the flute, what story did Jack tell?  The same one Mary told them.  P. 59
  4. What appeared as Jack told the story and Annie played the whistle?  The Shee  p. 61

Chapter 7

  1. Where had the Shee taken Augusta?  To the hill of the Shee.  P. 66
  2. Tell me about Willy.  He’s a leprechaun, bushy red beard, red cap, big ears, skinny legs, silver buckles on his shoes, loves Mary  p. 67
  3. What was Willy doing when Annie started playing the whistle?   Taking a nap     p. 70
  4. What did Willy want as payment for taking Jack and Annie to the Shee?  They would teach him how to play the whistle.  P. 73

Chapter 8

  1. Why do the Shee turn humans into animals?  When the humans displease the Shee.   P. 76
  2. Why did Willy take Jack and Annie into the hill where the Shee were?  He didn’t want to get turned into an animal for showing them where the Shee were.  P. 78
  3. What advice did Willy give to Jack and Annie to help get Augusta back?  Be honest, polite, direct, simple, talk about friendship and family  p. 79
  4. What did Jack and Annie see inside the hill?  The Shee, dancers, king and queen, Augusta  p. 82

Chapter 9

  1. How did Augusta shrink to be the same size as the fairies?  She went into the hill.  P. 85
  2. Why did Jack and Annie try to be so polite to the fairies?  So they wouldn’t make the fairies angry.  P. 79
  3. What was Augusta’s response when Jack and Annie said they wanted to take her home?  She didn’t want to go home.  P. 86
  4. Why did the queen want Augusta to go back to her family?  So she could write down the fairies’ history and tell their stories.    p. 93

Chapter 10

  1.  Why was Augusta so excited when they were returned to the bank of the river?   She finally saw the Shee and felt she had important things to do.  P. 95
  2. Where did the children find Willy?  At Mary’s cottage  p. 97
  3. Why didn’t Willy hide when the children came into the cottage?  because all of them had seen the Shee.  P. 98
  4. In what way did Annie explain to Willy that she couldn’t teach him how to play the flute?  Simple, direct, honest  p. 101

Chapter 11

  1. What did Jack and Annie use to find out more about Augusta?  Internet/ computer  p. 106
  2. What kinds of things are Jack and Annie good at?  Helping each other, helping other people and animals    p. 109
  3. Tell me three things you’re good at. help your child think of something they do that helps them feel important and special  (ex: doing jobs, reading to younger siblings, doing homework, being respectful, obeying, giving hugs)