About
Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose visit a castle in Maine and hear screams. They discover a hidden trap door leading to a secret tunnel and a dungeon, and must solve the mystery of who or what is making the noises, which might be a ghost.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
What is the setting of this story and why are the friends there?
Page 1 — Belfast, Maine; visiting the author they helped save in The Absent Author
1
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Describe Emory Scott and why was it unsettling to hear his ghost scream?
Page 13 — The man who built the castle in the 1930’s; he died suddenly in the castle; Wallis said she hears the ghost; the kids heard a scream as they were leaving for a picnic
13
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Summarize this chapter.
Page 19 — The friends had a picnic; they took a walk and met Rip; they discussed the ghost of Emory Scott
19
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Where did the friends go that creeped them out?
Page 25 — An old playhouse and a cave with bats on the beach
25
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Who do you think is out near the playhouse?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Do you think the light in the woods was a firefly? Why or why not?
Page 41 — Listen to your child’s answer
41
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
How many green feathers have appeared throughout the story so far?
Page 53 — 3
53
What do you think they mean?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Summarize what the children found in this chapter.
Page 57 — A trapdoor in the playhouse with stone stairs leading downward into darkness
57
Would you be brave enough to go down those stairs after hearing that scream?
Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What is scary about the friends being stuck in the tunnel with the parrots?
Page 64 — The tide is coming in and will flood the tunnel; they could drown
64
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Do you agree with Dink? Is the person hiding the parrots Walker? Why, or why not?
Page 72 — Listen to your child’s answer
72
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
How is Ripley deceiving them all?
Page 80 — He is driving Walker’s Jeep and leaving green feathers to make Walker look suspicious
80
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Why was Ripley’s boat always so clean?
Page 84 — He never catches lobster; he acted like he did, but used his boat to pick up the parrots from other countries
84
What was the loud screech from the mudroom if the parrots had been taken by the police?
Page 86 — Listen to your child’s answer
86
Downloads
All the book’s resources, or just the ones you need, ready to read or print.
Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
Download one reading section
A small printout with all the resources for the selected section.
