Ruby Holler
by Sharon Creech
Grades 6-8; Genre - Fiction; GRL V ; AR pts: 6.0
"Trouble Twins" Dallas and Florida are orphans who have given up believing there is such a thing as a loving home. Tiller and Sairy are an eccentric older couple who live in the beautiful, mysterious Ruby Holler, but they're restless for one more big adventure. When they invite the twins to join them on their journeys, they first linger in the Holler to prepare for their adventures, and the magic of the place takes over. Two pairs of lives grow closer, and are changed forever.
Vocabulary Words- Ruby Holler
Comprehension Questions
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- What did the silver bird that Dallas
saw out the window represent? A good luck
charm p.1
Chapter 2
- Tell me about the city of
Boxton. Tired town; neglected; old homes and shacks clustered around stores and
buildings p.4
- Describe Dallas and Florida. They’re twins; oldest children in the
children’s home; tall; dark haired; dark-eyed; sturdy frames and looked rough
and unkempt p. 5
- Find a simile in this chapter. Mr.
and Mrs. Trepid were middle-aged, cranky and tired, and growing stiff and cold
as winter-bound trees p. 5; Mr. Putrid walks like a crab scuttling across the
ocean floor; the main building pgs.4-11
- What was the Boxton Creek Home for
Children? An orphanage p. 8
- What did Dallas and Florida plan to
do one night to escape? Jump on a freight
train and ride out of town p.11
Chapter 3
- What do you think of the small gray
bird that landed on the railing listening to the couple talk about moving? It
looked as if it were listening; it was the same silver bird Dallas saw out the
window p.13
Chapter 4
- Why was Florida getting in trouble
while eating dinner? She was talking;
waving; being sassy p.15
- Why does Florida get upset when she
thinks about the Hoppers? She felt that
she and Dallas had been very bad at their home and would never be in a real
family p.19
- How did Dallas comfort Florida from
her bad dreams? Talked to her about the
beautiful place they would go. P.20
Chapter 5
- Why did Dallas dream of beautiful
green and sunny places? To comfort
himself from bad memories p.22
- Why did Florida call the woman
walking by the children’s home, “mother”? the
woman had hair like Florida’s p.23
Chapter 6
- Why didn’t Florida want to go to a
“foster place”? because they’d had bad
experiences and were always brought back p.26
- What’s the opportunity Mr. and Mrs. T
want to give the twins? One would go to
Kangadoon and one would go to Rutabago and split up for three months to be a
companion for an older couple p.29
Chapter 7
- Why was Florida hesitant to go on
vacation to Rutabago? She felt like this
couple would be just like every other couple and she didn’t want to be
separated from Dallas p.33
Chapter 8
- How did Dallas feel about Ruby
Holler? So excited; thought it was amazing
p.36
- Why was Sairy apologetic about the
sleeping arrangements? Because Dallas and
Florida would have to sleep in the same room/loft p.37
- Tell me about Florida’s reaction to
the Morey’s and her experience so far at their home? She keeps expecting the worst; being locked in a cupboard, having to
dig a well, etc. p.39
Chapter 9
- Why did Tiller want to send the twins
back to the children’s home? Because he
thought Sairy and he should go on each other’s vacations instead of have the
kids go with them p.42
Chapter 10
- Why did Florida feel uneasy when
Dallas asked her questions about who they were or about their future? She felt as if they had no control over who
they were or their future p.44
- What happened to the tiny blue egg
Florida found outside? She held it too
tight and it cracked p.45
Chapter 11
- Why was Sairy so full of energy? She was happy to have the kids around p. 49
- Why was Tiller grumpy? He hadn’t found a way to tell Sairy he
wanted her to come on the trip with him p. 49
Chapter 12
- Why was Florida ready to work on the
boat day and night to fix it? Tiller was
going to pay her $5 an hour p.52
- What was Dallas so excited about when
he and Sairy started to plan their trip? They
were going to buy new stuff p.53
Chapter 13
- How did Tiller help Florida feel
better about the mistakes she’d made the day before with the varnish? He told her about the day he got red paint
on the cat, chicken and pig p.59
- How did Florida continue to make
Tiller think he’d been tricked? She made
him talk about old stuff p.61
- Name some of the creative meals the
Morey’s made to help them get used to their kids being gone. Getting-over-kid -stew; beat-the-blues
broccoli; anti cranky crumpets p.66
Chapter 14
- How did Sairy react when Dallas and
Florida broke the wooden bird and wooden boat? She said they would fix them later p.70
- What does Sairy mean, when said, “we
find those just about everywhere. We pick the ones that speak to us”? She and Tiller choose to whittle something
out of a stick by just knowing something can be made with it p.71
Chapter 15
- Who do you think the man with the
gold tooth is that met another man behind the Boxton Creek Home? Whatever
ideas your child comes up with P.74
- Who told Sairy that the Trepids call
Dallas and Florida trouble twins? A lady
named Grace p.76
- Why is the valley they’re in called
Ruby Holler? In the fall the maple tree
leaves turn a scarlet red p.78
Chapter 16
- What does it mean to “lose your
marbles”? not be thinking straight; going
crazy p.81
- What two things did Dallas and
Florida do that tested Sairy and Tiller’s patience? Chopped down Tiller’s favorite maple tree and chopped a hole in the
barn wall p.83
- How did Sairy respond to Florida when
she said she and Dallas were going to go?
She said they were just surprised
and that it had been a long time since someone had done something so thoughtful
p.85
Chapter 17
- What piece of furniture had Florida
never seen before? A rocking chair p.87
Chapter 18
- How did the baby respond to Mrs.
Trepid? The baby stiffened and stared
wide eyed at her p.92
- What did Dallas do for Joey when he
was sick? Put a cool clothe on his
forehead; watched over him; spoke to him; breathed into Joey’s mouth p.94
- What had happened to Joey? He died
p.94
Chapter 19
- Where do Sairy and Tiller keep their
money? They’ve buried them in holes in
the ground p.98
- After Tiller and Sairy leave to go to
their “private banks”, what do Florida and Dallas want to do? Follow them p.100
Chapter 20
- When had Tiller and Sairy finally shared
with each other where their hiding places for their “banks” were? on their 60th birthdays. P.102
Chapter 21
- What did Tiller and Sairy do while
they waited for Dallas and Florida to come back? Whittled p. 103
- Why didn’t Tiller want Sairy talking
about their understone funds? It was too
much temptation for kids who had so little p.109
- Why did Florida change her mind and
not want to know where the money is? She
remembered her experience at the Hoppers and that money is trouble p.110
- What did Dallas want to do with their
money? Bury it as well p.111
Chapter 22
- How did the twins feel when Sairy
said she needed to go to the children’s home to talk to the Trepids? they didn’t want to go back and were worried
about getting thrown into a cobwebby room p.114
- What did Dallas and Florida tell Mr.
Trepid that they probably should have? They
told him about the understone funds p.116
- What is a passport? A document that lets you travel out of your
country p.118
Chapter 23
- When Dallas and Florida were getting
ready to catch the train, why did they want to leave money for the Morey’s? because they bought them new things p.121
- Why was Sairy concerned about the
passport? The birthday didn’t match the
day Dallas said his birthday was p.123
- What do you think “hit the grit”
means? Left them; hit the road p.125
Chapter 24
- Where did Sairy go to college? New York City p.130
- What made Sairy move back to Ruby
Holler when she was in New York City? Tiller
wrote a postcard to her every week about the holler and she missed it p. 131
- What does Sairy wonder as she looks
at a photo of her younger self? Who are
you? p.132
Chapter 25
- Why do you think the holler felt so
dark to Dallas and Florida? They had
never been in the holler at night before alone; they also had only been in the
city with lights around them at night p.133
- Why did Florida and Dallas decide to
stop and pull out their sleeping bags and sleep for a few hours? They wanted to wait until there was a tiny
bit of light from the sun to help them know where they were. P.138
- What nickname does Florida call
Dallas all of the time? Mr. Boss p.142
- Why did Dallas and Florida put ants,
snakes, spiders and a frog into the Burgerton boys’ beds? Because they were getting blamed for things they hadn’t done and they
might as well do something to get blamed p.144
Chapter 26
- Who is Z? Someone who worked for Mr. Trepid wanted p.145
- What’s the first part of the project
Mr. Trepid needed Z to do in the holler? Find
out when the Morey’s are leaving p.146
Chapter 27
- When Florida and Dallas climbed out
of the sleeping bags, what did they smell? Bacon
p.149
- Why do you think Sairy and Tiller
were out cooking bacon over a fire in the morning? They found Florida and Dallas sleeping out trying to run away and came
to them with the compliment of what a good idea it was to try out the equipment
before their trips. P.151
- What was Tiller worried the kids had
snuck out to get? Their money p.155
Chapter 28
- When the twins were babies, why were
they never placed in a home? Mrs. Trepid
would always keep them hidden and when someone saw them, she told them they
were already taken, because she wanted them for herself p.158
- What made Mrs. Trepid change her mind
about the twins? They would howl and
squirm; she didn’t have patience for them p. 159
- How was Mrs. Trepid feeling about
children now? She didn’t know she could
live through more children p.160
Chapter 29
- What’s the promise Dallas and Florida
made to each other? To never split up
p.163
Chapter 30
- What was this chapter about? The nightmares Dallas, Florida, Tiller and
Sairy had about their trips p.168
Chapter 31
- What was Sairy’s bad-dream medicine? Homemade peach ice cream on waffles p.169
- What is a rehearsal? To practice something to make sure you get
it right p.170
Chapter 32
- Why is the river called Hidden River?
It’s not on any maps p.173
- Why are there no mosquitos in the
holler? The bats eat them p.175
- Did Dallas or Sairy know if they were
different without Florida or Tiller? Not
yet p.178
Chapter 33
- What does Mr. Trepid want Z to find? Any special stones p.180
- Why was Mrs. Trepid so happy to get
away from children’s home? She’s tired of
children p.183
Chapter 34
- How did Sairy respond to the way Mr.
Dreep treated Dallas and Florida? She
said it was criminal p.185
Chapter 35
- How is Tiller different from Dallas? Tiller complains a lot like Florida p.189
- What were Tiller and Sairy both
starting to talk to the kids about as they were on their trips? The different families they were with and
how they treated them. P.191
Chapter 36
- What do you think, would it be harder
to miss a mother you had loved, or miss a mother you had never known? Listen to your child’s ideas P.194
Chapter 37
- Why do you think it is good that
Dallas is dreamy? He can dream up a
really nice future for them and helps make things positive when they’re scary
and dark p.196
Chapter 38
- Why do you think Z wanted to stall Trepid?
He didn’t want to hurt the Morey’s p.197
Chapter 39
- Tell me the times Dallas had cried. After Joey died; sometimes at night at the
home p.200
- Tell me the story of the piece of
wood that Sairy and Tiller both grabbed at the same time. Sairy wanted it but let Tiller have it. He put it on their dresser
since he couldn’t decide what to make with it.
He gave her permission to use it but couldn’t get herself to whittle
with it. It’s still there now P.201
- Why did Sairy and Dallas call
themselves worrywarts? They were worrying
Tiller and Florida miss them p.205
Chapter 40
- How did Florida and Dallas get their
names? The box they were in on the porch
of the orphanage had travel pamphlets in it and Florida was on one that said
“Fly to Florida” and Dallas was on the one that said “Destination: Dallas”
p.210
- What helped Florida be able to
whittle? Not paying any attention to what
she was whittling p.211
Chapter 41
- Explain what putting something on
layaway means. Have the store hold it for
you, then you pay a little each month until it’s all paid for, then you get to
take it home. P.214
- Why do you think Mr. Trepid was in
the dealership looking at cars? He wanted
to buy one P.217
- What was this chapter about? Mr. and
Mrs. Trepid thinking about the investments Mr. Trepid was going to
receive and what they could do with the money. P.217
Chapter 42
- Why was Dallas mad if the Trepids
didn’t tell him when his real birthday was? A
person should know when their birthday was p.219
Chapter 43
- Why doesn’t Tiller get mad when
Florida goofs up? He’s too old to get mad
or what she considers goofs aren’t what he considers goofs p.222
- What do you think Tiller meant when
he said it was interesting having Dallas and Florida in Ruby Holler? Good or
bad- let your child give their opinion. P.223
Chapter 44
- Was Mr. Trepid happy with the report
Z gave him? No, because Z said he wasn’t
done yet p.225
Chapter 45
- Tell me what happened when the boat
hit the rock? It tipped over and Tiller
and Florida went in the water and got pushed under. P.228
Chapter 46
- What did Z put into his sack? Sairy’s bank box p.230
- If he can also find Tiller’s box,
what do you think he’s going to do with them? Listen to your child’s ideas P.230
Chapter 47
- How did Dallas know that Florida was
in trouble? He had a bad feeling inside
p.231
Chapter 48
- What were the Trepids doing in the
jewelry store? Looking at a necklace and
watch they would like p.232
Chapter 49
- Why was Tiller regretting that he and
Florida weren’t wearing their life jackets? She
couldn’t swim and they would have been keeping them afloat at that time instead
of being pushed under the water. P.239
Chapter 50
- Who helped Sairy and Dallas find
their way out of the woods? Two boys
hunting a deer p.245
- Do you think it was a good idea for
Sairy and Dallas to leave their backpacks with the two boys? No, they might steal their stuff p.246
Chapter 51
- Who lived in the cabin at the far
side of the holler? Z p.247
- What two confessions did he need to
make to Sairy? He was the one who got
Dallas’s passport & that the twins could be his kids p.249
- What was the form Z read that told
him the twins could be his? Hospital
record p.249
Chapter 52
- What happened to Florida in this
chapter? She found a log and was able to
stay afloat as she called out for Tiller p.252
Chapter 53
- When Sairy and Dallas couldn’t find
the diner the boys pointed them to, what did they realize and do? They realized the boys lied and stole their
packs and decided to keep hiking to find a town p.253
- What did Dallas finally spot? A farm p.256
Chapter 54
- Why was Tiller holding his chest? It felt tight p.256
- What did Tiller think about as he was
underwater? Rose his daughter and Sairy
p.258
Chapter 55
- What did Z end up doing with the
understone funds? He kept them for safe
keeping p.261
- What did the person who went to
Kangadoon get? Malaria p.263
Chapter 56
- Why do you think Florida was mad at
Tiller for not saving her from the river? Because
he was supposed to protect her and keep her safe p.265
- How did Florida save Tiller? Tied a rope to a tree and held on to it as
she walked out to where he was p.265
- What does Florida mean instead of
“artificial perspiration”? Artificial
Respiration p.266
- What do you think Tiller means when
he says he has a “soggy heart”? He’s
having a heart attack p.267
Chapter 57
- Why did Z feel when Dallas asked him
when the doctors were going to tell them about Tiller? Responsible, important p.269
Chapter 58
- Who do you think the
be-nice-to-orphans brownies are for? Mr.
Trepid p.272
- What was Mr. Trepid going to do with
the Ruby Holler treasure map? Try and
find Sairy and Tiller’s understone funds p.274
Chapter 59
- How did Mrs. Trepid feel about Mr.
Trepid leaving her alone with the kids for the day? Unhappy;
mad; p.275
Chapter 60
- What did Sairy and Tiller discuss in
this chapter? Boxton Creek Home; all of
the families Dallas and Florida went to; what Z wanted to talk to Tiller about;
the Trepid’s coming p.278
Chapter 61
- What did Mr. Trepid take with him to
Ruby Holler? Shovel, trowel, sack, map
p.283
- What are some things Mr. Trepid found
while digging? Brownies; lizards; mash
blackberries; stinging nettles; mousetrap; leaves & berries; etc. p.284
Chapter 62
- Where was Mr. Trepid going to take
the gems to be appraised? The jeweler he
went to look at the watch p.289
Chapter 63
- What does it mean to get pictures
developed? Get them printed so you have
the actual picture p.292
- How much did the jewels cost that Mr.
Trepid found? $1.99 p.292
- What was Florida worried about at the
end of the chapter? That Sairy and Tiller
were going to get rid of them p.293
Chapter 64
- Where did Mr. Trepid test drive the
new Cadillac to? The jewelry store p.295
- How did the salesman react toward Mr.
Trepid when he saw the fake gems on the counter? Polite; stared at them and cleared his throat; asked if he could talk
to his manager; chewed on his lip p.297
Chapter 65
- Why did Dallas begin packing up his
things? He thought Sairy and Tiller were
going to take them back to the home p.300
- How did Florida feel about leaving
now? She didn’t want to; she wanted to
say good-bye p.301
- Why was Sairy hesitant to keep the
twins? She didn’t know if staying in the
holler was the best thing for them p.303
Chapter 66
- Why didn’t Florida want to leave Ruby
Holler? She liked it there; The Morey’s
were the nicest couple so far; who would help out with things around the farm
while Tiller was getting back his strength. P.307
- What were Dallas and Florida hoping
would happen when they fell asleep in the fort made by trees? That Sairy and Tiller would find them like
last time. P.309
- How did Dallas and Florida know that
Sairy and Tiller found them? When they
woke up, they smelled bacon p.310
