Night of the New Magicians
By Mary Pope Osborne
Grades 3-5; Genre - Historical Fiction with Fantastical Elements; GRL N; AR pts: 2.0
Jack and Annie are sent on an errand by Merlin to go to Paris and learn the secrets of four famous inventors.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- Why does Annie have money in her pocket? They’re going to get ice cream. p. 3
- Where did Merlin want to send Jack and Annie this time? Paris, France p. 6
- What special event is going on in Paris? The World’s Fair p. 6
- What is Jack and Annie’s special mission? Find four magicians p. 6
Chapter 2
- What happened to the money in Annie’s pocket? Turned to French coins p. 13
- What countries were the visitors from that came to the World’s Fair? India, Mexico, Holland p. 14
- What kinds of things are at the World’s Fair? Inventions and machines p. 16
- How did Jack and Annie get into the fair? Paid with their French coins p. 16
Chapter 3
- What sort of transportation did Jack and Annie use to see the World’s Fair? Train p. 18
- What famous tower is in Paris? Eiffel Tower p. 23
- Who’s the Magician of Sound Jack and Annie are looking for? Alexander Graham Bell p. 28
- How’s he a Magician of Sound? He invented the telephone that can carry sound thousands of miles away. p. 27
Chapter 4
- What did Thomas Alva Edison invent? Phonograph p. 36
- What is a phonograph? First machine that could play recorded music p. 36
- What else did Thomas Edison invent? Lightbulb p. 37
- Where did Thomas Edison get invited to? A party p. 39
Chapter 5
- What is the Pasteur Institute? Laboratory for finding cures of diseases p. 43
- How did Jack and Annie travel to the Institute? Horse and carriage p. 43
- What spell did Jack and Annie plan to use on the evil sorcerer? Make something disappear p. 44
Chapter 6
- What type of magician is Louis Pasteur? Magician of the Invisible p. 51
- Where did Jack and Annie need to go to find Dr. Pasteur? Eiffel Tower by ten p. 52
- What did the couple lend Jack and Annie to help them reach the Eiffel Tower quickly? Two-seater bicycle p. 55
- Who do you think the man and woman were that gave Jack and Annie their bicycle? Teddy and Kathleen p. 56
Chapter 7
- What did Jack and Annie do to the bicycle to make it get to the Eiffel Tower faster? Put a spell on it/ made it fly p. 63
- Where did Jack and Annie leave the bicycle so the man and woman could get it back? Under the Eiffel Tower p. 67
- Why did Jack and Annie have to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower? That’s where the inventors were having a party. Stop the evil sorcerer from getting the inventors. P. 68
- How many steps are there to the top of the Eiffel Tower? 1,652 steps p. 70
Chapter 8
- How many men did Jack and Annie see in the window at the top of the Eiffel Tower? Four p. 79
- Who lives at the top of the Eiffel Tower and is the Magician of Iron? Gustave Eiffel p. 80
- How is Gustave Eiffel a Magician of Iron? He built the Eiffel Tower with the world’s newest materials, glass and iron. P. 80
- Tell me what the inventors’ secrets are to their magic? Work hard, love of work, taste of adventure, study and prepare, never give up p. 84
Chapter 9
- What did the evil sorcerer do to the four inventors when he stood at the door? made them still as stone p. 89
- Who is the evil sorcerer? Merlin p. 92
- Why did Merlin trick them and tell them to hurry and find them before the evil sorcerer? To challenge them/ to make them work harder and faster p. 93
- Why did Merlin want Jack and Annie to finish their disappearing rhyme? To send him to Camelot/ never leave a rhyme unfinished p. 94
Chapter 10
- What shone on the magic tree house as Jack and Annie were getting ready to go home? A spotlight from the Eiffel Tower. P. 102
- How many rhymes do Jack and Annie have left for their fourth adventure? Three p. 104
- What did Thomas Edison want Jack and Annie to call him? Alva/ his middle name p. 105
- Where did Jack and Annie finally get to go when they arrived back in Frog Creek? To get ice cream p. 107