Category Archives: A to Z Mysteries

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Unwilling Umpire

The Unwilling Umpire

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR 1.0

When the umpire at the baseball game fund-raiser is accused of stealing a collection of autographed baseballs, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose try to prove his innocence.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe the opening scene in this book. The kids are at a fundraising ball game to raise funds for children with disabilities; Ruth Rose and Josh have made a bet on who is going to win p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Why does Pete look guilty at the end of this chapter? He went to get allergy medicine in the clubhouse and hasn’t come back yet, so it means he could have smashed the case with the baseballs and made a run with the signed baseballs p.12

Chapter 3

  1. On page 15, Ellie described what Mr. Pocket looked like after speaking with the kids. What is it and what does that look like? Draw a picture of a Mr. Pocket in the figurative sense of her description

Chapter 4

  1. How likely will the kids find out something about Pete on the Internet? Explain. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 5

  1. Why do the kids think the man in the newspaper article is Pete? The middle name of the man is Peter, and he has a very unusual last name, so it is likely him p.26

Chapter 6

  1. Why do you think Pete isn’t talking? He’s guilty; he’s protecting someone; Listen to your child’s answer p.36

Chapter 7

  1. Describe Pete’s countenance in the jail cell. Discouraged, quiet, dejected, hopeless p.38

Chapter 8

  1. What have you learned about Pete in this chapter? He’s honest; takes care of his younger brother because parents died in a car crash; responsible p.52
  2. Choose a word you would use to describe him. Explain. Protector-for trying to help his brother; selfless; loving p.53
  3. Pete taking the blame for his brother isn’t necessarily helping and protecting him. List two ways it’s hurting Buddy. Buddy doesn’t learn to be accountable for his actions; when he does finally have to pay for a consequence, he won’t know how to deal with it

Chapter 9

  1. Was Buddy’s explanation to Officer Fallon enough to get him out of jail? Why or why not? No; they need to catch the thief and get the baseballs back p.60

Chapter 10

  1. Officer Fallon needed to search Buddy’s trailer to see if he was telling the truth about the stolen baseballs. Do you think Officer Fallon will find them? Listen to your child’s answer p.64

Chapter 11

  1. Describe one emotion Buddy is feeling in this chapter and explain why. Hopeful- Officer Fallon believes him; hopeful - to stay in Green Lawn instead of going to Florida; impressed- he likes green Lawn and how nice people are p.67

Chapter 12

  1. How did the Internet help them find the thief? They went to a website to see if they could purchase the baseballs back; they found one that looked like Mr. Pocket’s baseball and they emailed the seller; the seller responded with their physical address to send the money, and it was in Green Lawn p.76

Chapter 13

  1. Do you agree with Officer Fallon, that lying is never right, even if you’re trying to protect someone? Why or why not? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What did you like about this book? Listen to your child’s answer

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Orange Outlaw

The Orange Outlaw

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR 1.0

While visiting Dink's uncle in New York City, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose help uncover who is responsible for stealing a very valuable painting.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe the setting of this story. The kids have traveled from Connecticut to New York City; tall skyscrapers; an apartment building p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Have you ever been to a block party like the one in this book? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. Compare this party to a party you’ve been to. Listen to your child’s answer p.10
  3. What will be the mystery in this story? Find out who stole the painting p.16

Chapter 3

  1. Describe the crime scene? The painting was missing from the table, the fruit bowl was overturned, and there were orange peels and orange juice spilled all over the table, the floor and the balcony outside p.19

Chapter 4

  1. What did the kids find when they checked outside the apartment building? The balconies were too high for someone to reach; Miss Booker was a trapeze artist when she was younger p.27

Chapter 5

  1. Summarize this chapter. Uncle Warren went to bed; the kids couldn’t sleep so they brainstormed who the thief could be p.31

Chapter 6

  1. What did Mrs. Cornelius turn out to be and what information did she share with the kids? A witness; she saw someone on her balcony the night of the robbery; they had a baggy coat, bad posture, a wrinkled face and orange hair p.44

Chapter 7

  1. Have you ever had the chance to look through a microscope or magnifying glass? What did you see? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What was the photo that Ruth Rose found outside the apartment building? The stolen painting p.53

Chapter 8

  1. Is it farfetched to think an orangutan stole the painting? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.57
  2. If an orangutan did steal the painting, what do the kids need to solve now? Who the orangutan belongs to p.58

Chapter 9

  1. Predict what Ruth Rose’s idea is to obtain the orangutan’s hair. Listen to your child’s answer p.64

Chapter 10

  1. Oh no! How is Josh ruining the plan? He’s talking and he also hit a button that opens the large garage door p.71

Chapter 11

  1. Describe Mrs. Folwer. She helped steal the painting; she has a conscience because she confessed everything; she thinks for herself p.75
  2. What did you like about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Talking T. Rex

The Talking T. Rex

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR 1.0

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose investigate the theft of a great deal of money from the belly of a nearly life-size Tyrannosaurus rex model that their friend Jud Wheat is using to raise money for a dinosaur museum.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What do you think Jud’s surprise is? Listen to your child’s answer p.2
  2. How did the kids serve their community in this chapter? They helped Mr. Pocket plant a rose bush p.4

Chapter 2

  1. What was the surprise? A giant talking and moving T. Rex p.11
  2. Why did Jud and his friends bring the T. Rex to town? To earn money to create a dinosaur museum in Montana p.11

Chapter 3

  1. Describe the dinosaur show. Jud and Scoop gathered the donations and Jud introduced Tyrone. Dean moved the dinosaur’s tail and hands from inside the dinosaur and shared facts about the T. Rex p.24

Chapter 4

  1. Predict who you think took the money. Listen to your child’s answer p.31
  2. Do you think it could have been Jud, Dean or Scoop? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 5

  1. What is suspicious in this chapter? The muddy footprints in Mr. Pocket’s shed p.49

Chapter 6

  1. What do the friends use as cover to go check Tyrone? The fireworks show p.56

Chapter 7

  1. What predicament did the friends find themselves as they checked out Tyrone? They went into the dinosaur and the door locked behind them. They are stuck in Tyrone! p.62

Chapter 8

  1. How did they find the money? Dink remembered the muddy footprints and that the duffel bag with the cash was on the shed p.72
  2. Why will it be difficult to decide who the thief is? They found a green band aid on the bag and all three of the guys use those band aids p.73

Chapter 9

  1. What clues did the kids put together in this chapter? Muddy footprints, rainstorm in the middle of the night, Scoop didn’t get much sleep, Scoop’s wet shoes hanging from the car antennae, Scoop wasn’t watching the fireworks, the kids found him at the shed looking for the money p.78

Chapter 10

  1. How does this story end? Scoop gets arrested and the kids talk about how Scoop got the key; the kids are sleeping outside under the stars in their sleeping bags p.82

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

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Goose’s Gold

The Goose's Gold

by Ron Roy

There’s sunken treasure off the Florida coast! On the day after they arrive for vacation, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose meet two men who are diving for gold from their boat, the Golden Goose. They promise to share with anyone who backs their plan. Is it too good to be true?

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR 1.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe the setting in this story. Key West, Florida; beautiful warm weather, beaches, ocean p.1
  2. How did the author set up the mystery in this story? Dink overheard someone talking about dough and a goose in the telephone booth next to him; the man in the booth had tan hairy ankles and had an eagle head tattoo p.2

Chapter 2

  1. Who did the kids meet in this chapter and what do their new acquaintances do? Chip and Spike; they own a boat and dive for treasure p.16

Chapter 3

  1. Where did the kids explore in this chapter and what did they find? Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum; gold necklace p.23
  2. Who is coming over to Grams? Spike and Chip p.27

Chapter 4

  1. Explain how Grams know Spike and Chip. The men came to the senior center and asked the people there to be investors p.28

Chapter 5

  1. Why was Dink bothered in this chapter? Something Spike whispered to Chip was very familiar to what he heard the man whisper in the telephone booth at the airport p.41

Chapter 6

  1. Do you think Dink has a reason to be suspicious? Explain. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 7

  1. What clue did the kids find when they were at the beach? Chip and Spike’s boat was called the Golden Goose p.52
  2. What is Dink’s backup plan to see if Spike has a tattoo? Create a tattoo contest p.54

Chapter 8

  1. Should the kids have gotten on the boat without Spike and Chip’s permission? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.61

Chapter 9

  1. What predicament did the kids find themselves in? Chip and Spike came back and took the boat out to the ocean; the kids hid and were trapped in a storage area under the floor of the boat p.66

Chapter 10

  1. Summarize this chapter. Spike and Chip took an ax and chopped up the boat to sink it. They took off in the dingy. The kids came out of the trap door and jumped into the ocean p.72

Chapter 11

  1. What was the conclusion to this story? The coast guard saved the kids; Chip and Spike were caught, and the money they stole was given back; the gold the men had at the beginning of the story was stolen from a museum and the reward money was going to the kids; Grams invited the kids back to visit next summer p.78

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Ninth Nugget

The Ninth Nugget

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0

N is for Nugget . . . Howdy from Montana, pardners! Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are spending a week at a dude ranch. When they pan for gold, Josh finds a huge nugget. But gold fever has struck, and soon the nugget is stolen. It’s up to the kids to round up the thief.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Summarize the premise of this story and who the characters are (you don’t need to include the main characters). The friends are in Wyoming at a ranch; they won this experience from helping the person who lost the lottery ticket; Ma and Pa own the ranch, Jud is their son, Lulu is the cook and Thumbs (but we’re not sure who he is yet) p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Summarize Thumb’s story around the campfire. A fire was started in the woods with lightning. A bear cub came running from the woods and was burned; they caught him and took him to the vet the next morning and when he was better, he was sent to a zoo. The mama bear came running through destroying everything, looking for her cub but couldn’t find it. The mama bear is still looking for her cub and comes through the camp 2-3 times each summer p.18

Chapter 3

  1. What do you think the noises on the porch were from? Listen to your child’s answer p.25

Chapter 4

  1. Choose a word to describe Josh and explain what his reward was. Determined; patient; he found a potato sized gold nugget p.34

Chapter 5

  1. Who are the other guests at the ranch? Fiona, Ed, the Clydes p.15
  2. Who stayed back at the ranch during the horse ride? Ed, Fiona, Thumbs p.42

Chapter 6

  1. Why do you think the dinner bell is ringing when it’s the afternoon? Listen to your child’s answer p.51

Chapter 7

  1. Were you correct in your prediction? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What was the emergency? Someone had tied up Lulu, Fiona and Ed and the large nugget was missing from the safe p.52

Chapter 8

  1. Why do the friends suspect Thumbs? He was the only one who wasn’t on the ride the entire time. He could have tied everyone up, stole the gold and raced out to the meadow on his horse p.62

Chapter 9

  1. Do you agree that Josh lied to Ma to get out of playing cards? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.71

Chapter 10

  1. Why is it suspicious that Ed is pacing and getting ready to leave the ranch? If he were the robber, he’d want to get off the ranch as quickly as possible so he wouldn’t get caught p.79

Chapter 11

  1. Use another word to describe Josh in this chapter and explain why you chose it. Selfless, charitable; he donated his nugget to the ranch to save it p.86

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Invisible Island

The Invisible Island

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0

I is for Island . . . It’s picnic time! Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose pack up a basket and wade out to Squall Island. Right away, they find a hundred-dollar bill in the sand! But when they come back the next day, the entire island has mysteriously disappeared. What is the secret of Squall Island?

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Where are the children exploring at the beginning of this story? Squaw Island p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Why should the children find the person who lost the $100 and give it back to him? It is the right thing to do p.14

Chapter 3

  1. Summarize this chapter. The children talk to Ron at the boat shop but still can’t figure out who the money could belong to. Ruth Rose writes a note to put on the bulletin board. They go get ice cream and then go see Officer Fallon. He puts the money in an envelope with Ruth Rose’s name on it and says that if no one claims the money in 30 days she can have it p.16

Chapter 4

  1. Why would someone put fake poison ivy on Squaw Island? To keep people away from it or to keep them from wandering around a certain part of the island p.34

Chapter 5

  1. Who do you think put the cement box and refrigerator on the island? Listen to your child’s answer p.40

Chapter 6

  1. Officer Fallon told the kids to stay away from the island. Would you have a hard time doing that? Why? Listen to your child’s answer p.48

Chapter 7

  1. Why does Ron make a good suspect? He owns boats; it’s easy for him to get to the island; he purchased calamine lotion at the store, so he probably has a rash from poison ivy; he had enough space at his shop to store a printing press

Chapter 8

  1. Summarize this chapter. The friends were spying on Ron and a man in a black car drove up and gave Ron a box that said Happy Heart Dog Food; Ron took the box into the shed then brought it back out and gave it back to the man in the black car p.56

Chapter 9

  1. What did the kids find in the Bent’s garage? Receipt for the calamine lotion, the Happy Heart Dog Food box, waders with boots, green paint p.67

Chapter 10

  1. Do you think the kids have enough evidence to catch the suspects? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What will be the last piece of evidence? Catching the crook on Squaw Island where the counterfeit money is p.73

Chapter 11

  1. How did this mystery end? The Bents were captured and taken to prison and their dog was given to Josh; he was still thinking what name to call him p.78

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Deadly Dungeon

The Deadly Dungeon

by Ron Roy

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.

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR 1.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What is the setting of this story and why are the friends there? Belfast, Maine; visiting the author they helped save in The Absent Author p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Describe Emory Scott and why was it unsettling to hear his ghost scream? 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 p.13

Chapter 3

  1. Summarize this chapter. The friends had a picnic; they took a walk and met Rip; they discussed the ghost of Emory Scott p.19

Chapter 4

  1. Where did the friends go that creeped them out? An old playhouse and a cave with bats on the beach p.25

Chapter 5

  1. Who do you think is out near the playhouse? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 6

  1. Do you think the light in the woods was a firefly? Why or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.41

Chapter 7

  1. How many green feathers have appeared throughout the story so far? 3 p.53
  2. What do you think they mean? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 8

  1. Summarize what the children found in this chapter. A trapdoor in the playhouse with stone stairs leading downward into darkness p.57
  2. Would you be brave enough to go down those stairs after hearing that scream? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 9

  1. What is scary about the friends being stuck in the tunnel with the parrots? The tide is coming in and will flood the tunnel; they could drown p.64

Chapter 10

  1. Do you agree with Dink? Is the person hiding the parrots Walker? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.72

Chapter 11

  1. How is Ripley deceiving them all? He is driving Walker’s Jeep and leaving green feathers to make Walker look suspicious p.80

Chapter 12

  1. Why was Ripley’s boat always so clean? He never catches lobster; he acted like he did, but used his boat to pick up the parrots from other countries p.84
  2. What was the loud screech from the mudroom if the parrots had been taken by the police? Listen to your child’s answer p.86

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Canary Caper

The Canary Caper

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0

C is for Canary...Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose get an urgent call from Mrs. Davis. Her canary is missing! The little bird has vanished without a trace, and he's not the only one!

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What’s the mystery in this story? Mrs. Davis’s canary and Ruth Rose’s cat are missing p.5

Chapter 2

  1. What other animals are missing? A parrot and rabbit p.23
  2. What do you think happened to the pets? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 3

  1. What did Ruth Rose think was strange about the person returning the canary? She wondered how he knew to return the canary to p.33

Chapter 4

  1. Describe what was fishy about Fred Little? He was only at Mrs. Davis for a few minutes and had to use the restroom; didn’t take the reward; said he contacted Mrs. Wong, but the friends talked to her and she hadn’t heard anything p.38

Chapter 5

  1. What theory did the friends form that connected the lost pets to the burglaries? 1. The pets would get stolen. 2. When the pets were returned, the burglar would make an excuse to see the house. 3. The burglar would come back later to steal valuable items they saw p.48

Chapter 6

  1. Describe Ruth Rose’s mood and why she feels that way. Grumpy, sad; her cat is missing and she wants to solve the mystery so she can get her cat back p.62

Chapter 7

  1. Did the canary guy see the friends hiding in the bushes? Predict what will happen next! Listen to your child’s answer p.72

Chapter 8

  1. Was your prediction correct? Summarize what happened in this chapter. The friends stayed in the bushes; Fred Little used stilts to climb into a window on the second story; Mrs. Davis scared Fred little when he came into her room; when he was back outside on the ground, the police arrested Fred; Mrs. Davis came out of the house swinging a sword and the friends came out of the bushes p.73

Chapter 9

  1. Was Ruth Rose’s cat part of the burglar scheme? No p.86
  2. What happened to Ruth Rose’s cat, Tiger? She had been hiding under Rose’s bed, she had kittens p.87

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Absent Author

The Absent Author

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-5; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0

Dink and his friends Josh and Ruth Rose investigate the disappearance of his favorite mystery author, Wallis Wallace.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe Wallis Wallace. He’s an author who writes mysteries. He’s from Maine and he lives in a castle. He’s coming to visit Green Lawn at Dink’s request p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Does Dink know for sure that Wallis Wallace has been kidnapped? No p.17
  2. What has drawn Dink to that conclusion? In the letter written by Wallis Wallace, it said that he would be at the Book Nook unless he’d been kidnapped p.9

Chapter 3

  1. Explain what an itinerary is. An itinerary is a plan of a trip, including the route and the places that you will visit.
  2. How will the friends be able to locate Wallis Wallace using the itinerary? They can reach out to each of the locations the author was expected to be at p.26

Chapter 4

  1. Summarize this chapter. The friends learned that Wallis Wallace flew into Connecticut and was picked up by a taxi and dropped off to the hotel in Green Lawn p.28

Chapter 5

  1. What did the kids find at the hotel that was suspicious? Someone had checked in right after Wallis Wallace, but the signature of the name was smudged p.46

Chapter 6

  1. Who are the suspects so far and why? The taxi driver and hotel manager; they might have kidnapped Wallis when they got to the hotel p.55

Chapter 7

  1. What does the phrase, “out of hot water” mean? To have successfully escaped a difficult situation p.64

Chapter 8

  1. What is a cliff hanger in a story? where a scene or chapter ends at a crucial, unresolved, or suspenseful moment to keep the audience engaged and compel them to continue reading or watching.
  2. How was the end of this chapter a cliff hanger? The kids heard the “help!”, but we won’t know what is going on until the next chapter p.71

Chapter 9

  1. How did Ruth Rose conclude that Mavis is Wallis Wallace? Listen to your child’s answer p.75

Chapter 10

  1. Were you correct in your assumption? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What did you like the most about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

Dink and his friends Josh and Ruth Rose investigate the disappearance of his favorite mystery author, Wallis Wallace.