Tag Archives: Adventure

Comprehension Questions – Deltora Quest #6 The Maze of the Beast

The Maze of the Beast

by Emily Rodda

Grades 3-5; Genre - Fantasy; GRL S; AR pts: 4.0

The evil Shadow Lord has become aware that Lief, Barda, and Jasmine are searching for the seven lost gems of the magic Belt of Deltora. The group will need all their strength and courage to find the sixth stone in the Maze of the Beast.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Where are the companions traveling to next? The Maze of the Beast
  2. Why were they hesitant to help when they heard screaming? They knew it could be a trap
  3. Why did the boy shoot Ida with an arrow? She was an Ol

Chapter 2

  1. Why did Barda need warmth after being attacked by the Ol? Ol attacks chill to the
    bone and he was wet and cold from the river
  2. What did Dain give Barda to help him feel better? A scoop of honey
  3. Whose side is Dain on? The Resistance

Chapter 3

  1. Describe the three different grades of Ols. The first grade can shapeshift and do not eat and drink; Grade two can pretend to eat and drink, create body heat and hold a form for more than three full days; Grade three can hold their shape and become whatever they want, it’s very difficult to identify them; the mark of the Shadow Lord is on all of them
  2. What injuries did Dain receive from Lief attacking him? Sprained arm and broken ribs
  3. How did the companions know they had reached the stronghold? Dain had told them the signs to look for and Lief found a paper with a clue

Chapter 4

  1. What was the password to get into the resistance’s hideout? Weapons
  2. What perception does Jinks have of Bard? That he is a coward for running away from the palace when the Shadow Lord struck
  3. Why was Bard worried that Jinks would gossip about him? He wanted to keep his history a secret

Chapter 5

  1. Who arrived at the hold in this chapter? Doom
  2. Why did Lief think Doom wanted to keep the travelers for three days? To keep them close to him so they would tell him what they were up to
  3. Who freed the companions and why? Dain, because he felt Doom was wrong in keeping them

Chapter 6

  1. Why did Dain want the travelers to take him to Tora? That is where he is from 
  2. Who is Dain? Someone Doom found and is protecting
  3. Why did Jasmine separate from the other travelers? To keep the enemy off their trail

Chapter 7

  1. Why didn’t the Ols attack Lief, Barda and Dain? They weren’t looking for them, only a man, a boy, a wild girl and her black bird 
  2. What did Jasmine leave on the ground? A message 
  3. What did the message say? That she had been in that city the day before/ that she was ahead one day of the rest of the group

Chapter 8

  1. Who is Steven? A peddler that sells to the Resistance 
  2. What did he sell to Barda, Lief and Dain? A belt, toffee, and a small cooking pot
  3. Where was Steven’s brother? Within Steven

Chapter 9

  1. Why did Barda purchase the belt? To give to Lief to put over the Belt of Deltora
  2. Why were the companions so anxious when they saw the river boat?  They wanted to get out of the mud
  3. Why were they skeptical about the Polypan?  Polypans are thieves

Chapter 10

  1. Why couldn’t Dain go to Tora? The captain wouldn’t take him
  2. What will the captain do to Ols? Throw them overboard
  3. Who was the lady with the parasol? Jasmine

Chapter 11

  1. Who attacked the boat? Pirates
  2. Describe what happened to Barda while fighting the pirate. He fell overboard
  3. What did the pirates take from Lief? The Deltora Belt

Chapter 12

  1. Who saved Jasmine and Lief from the Ol? The captain of the boat
  2. Why was Lief upset? The pirates stole the belt
  3. What did Barda find on the pirate that washed ashore? A map to the maze of the beast

Chapter 13

  1. How was Barda acting strangely? He was calm, patient, quiet, walked with his head down
  2. Why was Lief upset when they found the box made of pearl shell? The pirates had taken the gem
  3. Who told Finn to get the gem? Doom

Chapter 14

  1. What was pretending to be Barda? An Ol
  2. Who captured the companions? The pirates who attacked them before
  3. Why are Finn and Nak afraid of Doom? They knew he would hunt them down for betraying the Resistance

Chapter 15

  1. How did Lief get the Belt of Deltora back? Chett had taken it from the pirates for a treat
  2. Describe the beast in the maze? Its name is Glus; gigantic, slug-like, sickly pale, spine tipped tail, tiny eyes on stalks on the end of its head
  3. How did Lief know how to escape the beast? He felt the topaz and it cleared his mind

Chapter 16

  1. Why did the companions fear sleep while in the maze? An ooze was dripping down the walls and if they lingered too long, it would bind them
  2. What did Jasmine have that would keep the companions together? A ball of yellow wool
  3. Where did Lief find the gem? In the stone pillar

Chapter 17

  1. Why did the Glus cover up the hole the companions went through? He wanted to keep his cave secure
  2. What saved the companions from the pirates? The blowhole
  3. What had happened to Dain? He was taken by the pirates

Comprehension Questions – The Chronicles of Narnia #6 The Silver Chair

The Silver Chair

By C.S. Lewis

Grades 3-8; Genre - Fantasy; GRL W; AR pts. 8.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Why was Jill crying at the beginning of the book? She was being bullied p.1
  2. How did Jill and Eustace arrive in Narnia? They ran into a doorway away from some bullies and the other side of the door was Narnia p.9
  3. How do you know the kids were in Narnia? Jill saw Aslan p.16

Chapter 2

  1. Why didn’t Jill rush to get a drink from the glade? Aslan was right next to it and she thought he would eat her p.19
  2. What did Aslan want Jill to remember? The four signs he told her to help them in their task p.24
  3. What was Jill’s consequence for making Eustace fall off the edge of the cliff? Eustace doesn’t know the signs and Jill has to remember them herself and tell them to Eustace p.25
  4. How did Jill and Eustace travel to Narnia? On Aslan’s breath p.26

Chapter 3

  1. Who was the old king that got on the ship? Prince Caspian p.39
  2. Why was Eustace so confused about Narnia? He’d never been to the land of Narnia before, only to the sea p.41
  3. Did Eustace and Jill fulfill the first sign Aslan gave them? Why or why not? No, Eustace didn’t recognize the old king and Jill couldn’t get Eustace to understand the sign p.44

Chapter 4

  1. How did Jill and Eustace leave the castle and travel to the tower? The white owl, Glimfeather p.52
  2. Why would Trumpkin forbid the kids to look for the lost prince? Knights, centaurs, good giants, etc.(champions) have tried to find the prince and have never returned p.54
  3. How did Prince Caspian’s wife die? She was poisoned by a serpent while out with the prince p.57
  4. Why did Drinian tell the king he felt he was a traitor and to slay him? He held his tongue when he found out what Rilian was up to p.60

Chapter 5

  1. Where did the kids sleep after the owls dropped them off? In a Marsh-wiggle’s wigwam p.66
  2. Describe Puddleglum. He’s seems to always be negative and hopeless p.70
  3. What type of people live in Ettinsmoor? Giants p.74
  4. What stopped Eustace and Jill from quarreling? Puddleglum stating that all adventures are ready to knife each other at the end of an adventure p.78

Chapter 6

  1. Why did the giants throw
    rocks at the travelers? They didn’t see the travelers and were playing a
    game with each other p.82
  2. Who did the children
    meet after crossing the bridge? A knight and beautiful women p.89
  3. Why did Puddleglum think
    the knight was suspicious? He didn’t talk p.92
  4. Why was it a problem
    that Jill didn’t remember to recite the signs Aslan gave her? The signs were
    to help the children find the prince and if Jill didn’t remember the signs,
    they wouldn’t know where to go or what to look for p.94

Chapter 7

  1. Describe the weather the children traveled in to Harfang? Blizzard p.98
  2. How did the giant react to the travelers? He let them in and introduced them to the king p.108
  3. What did the giant give Puddleglum to drink? Liquor p.110

Chapter 8

  1. Why did Jill begin to cry when they stood before the king and queen? She was cold, tired, hungry and scared p.115
  2. Describe Jill’s dream. Aslan came to her and asked her to repeat the signs, but she couldn’t. He carried her to the window sill. As she looked out, she saw “under me” written in the sky p.119
  3. How did the children mess up the third sign? They walked through the ruined city in the storm and passed it. Now they’re stuck in the giant’s home.123
  4. Why was it important that Jill got permission to run around the castle? The children could explore and find the best way to escape and wouldn’t look suspicious when they were outside of their rooms while escaping p.128

Chapter 9

  1. Why did Puddleglum warn the children to stop eating the venison? The venison was from a talking beast p.132
  2. Why was Jill alarmed after reading two recipes in the cookbook? There was a recipe for man and another one for Marsh-wiggle p.135
  3. Where did the travelers go to hide from the hounds and giants? A hole in a giant stair p.140

Chapter 10

  1. What type of people lived underground? Gnomes p.146
  2. What human did the travelers get taken to? The quiet Knight p.158
  3. How does the knight feel about his queen? That she can do no wrong p.158

Chapter 11

  1. What enchantment does the queen save the knight from? He turns into a serpent a certain time every night p.164
  2. Why did the Knight want the children and Puddleglum to watch over him as he was tied to the silver chair? To comfort him p.168
  3. Why did they let the Knight go? He gave the fourth sign; he’s the prince p.176

Chapter 12

  1. What did the queen do after Rilian asked her to let them go peacefully? She threw green powder into the fireplace and played a stringed instrument p.181
  2. What did Jill remember while fighting the witch’s enchantment? Aslan p.187
  3. What did Puddleglum do to stop the enchantment? Stamped out the fire p.189
  4. What did the witch turn into? A serpent p.192

Chapter 13

  1. What was the result of the queen’s death? Her magic ended and the Underworld was getting destroyed by flood and volcano p.198
  2. What figure was on Rilian’s shield? an image of the Lion p.202
  3. Who was following the travelers as they rode through the city to escape? Gnomes p.204
  4. How did the gnome respond when the Prince told him the queen was dead? He was happy and said Rilian was a friend p.209

Chapter 14

  1. What had the witch done to the gnomes?  She had put an enchantment on them so they would be her slaves p.210
  2. What made the gnomes wake up? Rilian, Eustace, and Puddleglum killing the queen p.212
  3. Why were the gnomes acting like they were going to war? They didn’t know the queen was dead and were ready to fight so they could go back home p.213
  4. Why did the gnomes fling themselves into the chasm? Down the chasm is their real home and it was closing. They would have been stuck up in the city p.220

Chapter 15

  1. Where did the hole lead that Jill and Eustace climbed out of? Narnia p.231
  2. Why did Eustace come out of the hole fighting? He couldn’t see very well, snow fell on him from the cliff above, Narnian creatures were running toward him, and he thought enemies had taken Jill p.235
  3. Where do the Narnians think the witch was from?  The north p. 240

Chapter 16

  1. Where did the children fin Prince Rilian? On the green waiting for his father’s ship p.248
  2. What happened to the king after being carried off the ship? He died p.249
  3. Why did Aslan want Eustace to poke his paw? The blood from his paw dropped into the stream over Caspian’s body and brought him back to life (resurrection) p.262
  4. How did Aslan and Caspian help Jill and Eustace in their world? The kids that were bullying Jill saw the back of Aslan and the other three chased down the bullies p.256 

Comprehension Questions – Secret Agent Jack Stalwart #5 The Secret of the Sacred Temple: Cambodia

The Secret of the Sacred Temple: Cambodia

by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Grades K-3; Genre - Fiction; GRL P; AR pts: 2.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Who was visiting Jack and his family?
    His cousin Lily p.1
  2. How does Jack feel about her? Thinks
    she’s annoying p.2

Chapter 2

  1. Why did Ronald Barter start the GPF? He
    was tired of crooks trying to destroy the things that mattered in the world p.6
  2. When did Jack join the GPF? When
    his older brother disappeared p.6

Chapter 3

  1. What country is Jack traveling to in
    this book? Cambodia p.12
  2. What was the code word for this
    mission? Temple p.12

Chapter 4

  1. What did Jack do when his parachute
    didn’t come out of his bag? He used The Dome, a disc made of elastic
    material that expanded and slowed his fall p.18
  2. Where did Jack land when the elastic
    material burst? In some water by a monument p.19
  3. Who was waiting for Jack? Kate
    p.21

Chapter 5

  1. Who is Kate’s mum? One of the
    chief archeologists watching over the ancient temple of Angkor Wat p.26
  2. Why did Kate call the GPF? Her mum
    was kidnapped p.26

Chapter 6

  1. What condition was Kate’s house in
    when Jack saw it? A mess; pictures ripped from the walls, furniture
    overturned, curtains shredded to bits p.28
  2. What did Jack find under the sofa? A
    voice recorder p.31
  3. Summarize what Jack and Kate heard on
    the voice recorder. Kate’s mom mentioned the map and her daughter, then a man
    appeared demanding the map, she wouldn’t give it to him, so they took her away
    to the Temple of the Trees to try and get her to talk p.33

Chapter 7

  1. Why did Kate trust Jack? Because
    her mother knew his brother and he was a good agent p.36
  2. Why was Jack eager to find Kate’s
    mum? To save her, but also to find out more information on his brother’s
    disappearance p.39

Chapter 8

  1. What did Jack give Kate before they
    left on the bikes? A Transponder, in case she got lost p.40
  2. What did the gadgets in Jack’s shoes
    warn him of? Landmines p.44

Chapter 9

  1. What time of day did Jack and Kate
    enter the temple looking for her mom? Night p.48
  2. Where was the map located? On
    Kate’s necklace p.51
  3. What did the man do to Jack? Threw
    a powder at him that blinded him, made him sick, and made him go to sleep p.54

Chapter 10

  1. How did Jack recover from the powder?
    He put some Electrolyte Dust on his tongue p.56
  2. Where had the crooks taken Kate and
    her mum? Back to the Temple of Angkor Wat p.59

Chapter 11

  1. Where did Jack find Kate? In the central
    well of the temple p.65
  2. Why did the crooks send Kate into the
    well? The well was too narrow for an adult p.69
  3. Where did Jack and Kate think the
    crooks went? To the airport p.70

Chapter 12

  1. How did Jack get a ticket to get
    passed the official? He had a Trick Ticket device that created a
    ticket and a Voice-Recognition Passport that he had programmed as well p.74
  2. What showed up in Jack’s backpack as
    it went through security? Gum, books and a gaming device p.77

Chapter 13

  1. How did Jack trick the man with the
    gold teeth? He said he got an important piece of the treasure from Kate, and
    the man released her mum p.81
  2. How did Jack get the treasure? He
    threw the object he was using to trick the man, the man tried to catch it and
    dropped the box of treasure, and Jack grabbed the box with an expandable hook
    p.84
  3. What did Jack use to capture the bad
    guy? The anti-bullet Net Tosser p.85

Chapter 14

  1. Why did Jack want to talk to Kate’s
    mum? To see if she knew anything about his brother’s disappearance p.92

Chapter 15

  1. Where did Max disappear from? Egypt
    p.93
  2. What was the object of Max’s mission
    when he disappeared? A mummy p.94
  3. How did Jack get back home? Went
    into Kate’s mum’s room, threw a pellet on the floor which released a smoke, and
    said, “off to England!”

Comprehension Questions – Secret Agent Jack Stalwart #5 The Search for the Sunken Treasure: Australia

The Search for the Sunken Treasure: Australia

by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Grades K-3; Genre - Fiction; GRL P; AR pts: 2.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What was Alfie’s mission as he swam
    to the wreckage? He was to remove any sand covering the bow of the ship,
    bring up any relics he found, and hand them over to the State Maritime Museum
    p.4
  2. What happened to Alfie after he saw
    the sand removed from the bow? Someone came up and shot him in the leg with
    a spear p.5

Chapter 2

  1. What was Jack up to at the beginning
    of this chapter? He was at a swim meet getting ready to swim the
    breaststroke p.7
  2. How did Jack’s rivalry respond when
    Jack won the race? He wouldn’t shake hands with him p.12
  3. Why was Jack so worried to get home? He
    didn’t want to be late for his 7:30 appointment with Whizzy p.14

Chapter 3

  1. How did Jack feel after his race? Tired
    p.15
  2. Where was Jack going on his mission? Australia
    p.17

Chapter 4

  1. What did Jack take to stop from being
    sick on the boat? Anti-puke pills p.20
  2. What did Harry need Jack to do? Find
    Alfie and figure out what happened at the wreckage p.24

Chapter 5

  1. What did Jack use instead of the
    diving equipment Harry brought out for him? His own breathing apparatus and
    a morph wet suit complete with slippers p.26

Chapter 6

  1. How does the Time Capture device
    work? It tracked the heat left behind from objects that had previously been
    there p.31
  2. What did they see happened to Alfie? He
    was taken away by another human p.33

Chapter 7

  1. What’s a cay? A tiny island of
    sand p.35
  2. What was near the cay? A pirate
    ship p.37
  3. Why did Harry need to stay with the
    boat? In case Alfie escapes and comes back to the boat p.40

Chapter 8

  1. What gadget did Jack have that formed
    into a mini-submarine? A plastic toy boat p.42
  2. What’s it called? The Egg p.42

Chapter 9

  1. When were the pirates going to kill
    Alfie? At nightfall p.46
  2. How did Jack find out where Alfie
    was? He used his x-ray glasses to see into the boat p.47

Chapter 10

  1. What did Alfie tell Jack when he
    removed the tape off of his mouth? There were cameras in the cell and the
    pirates probably saw Jack and will kill him p.52
  2. Who was the Komodo Klan’s secret
    boss? The beautiful woman with giant lizard tattoos on her arms p.53
  3. What did the woman do to Jack? Shot
    him with a spear gun with poison goo p.55

Chapter 11

  1. What were the pirates going to do
    with Jack? Feed him to their Komodo dragon, Woody p.58
  2. Why couldn’t the pirates open Jack’s
    bag? They needed his fingerprint p.59
  3. Who did Jack think of when he was
    trapped? His brother, Max p.61

Chapter 12

  1. What did Jack do to free himself? Rubbed
    some ink from a pen in his watch onto the metal bar and watched it melt the
    iron bar p.63
  2. Where did he get the idea from? His
    brother Max had told him how he freed himself when trapped in a storage locker
    p.62
  3. Why was Jack sad to use the
    Disappearing Milk? This would be the only dose he would get his entire
    lifetime p.65

Chapter 13

  1. How did Jack free Alfie? Jack
    sprayed Dozing Spray into the guard’s face and the guard fell asleep. Jack then
    used the rest of the Disappearing Milk on Alfie, woke him up, then they ran for
    it p.67
  2. How did Jack and Alfie confuse the
    pirates? they ran zig zag on the sand p.70
  3. How did Jack and Alfie travel back to
    Alfie’s boat? They took the pirates boat p.73

Chapter 14

  1. Who captured Jack and Alfie? The
    leader of the Komodo Klan p.76

Chapter 15

  1. What happened to Alfie? The
    pirates threw him into the Komodo dragon’s cage, and he was bit p.80
  2. What did the pirates do with Jack? Pushed
    him overboard into the ocean with the jellyfish p.82

Chapter 16

  1. How did Jack survive the jellyfish
    stings? He dove passed the jellyfish deep in the water and pulled out his
    Oxygen Exchanger p.86
  2. What was Jack threatened by instead? Two
    sharks p.88

Chapter 17

  1. How did Jack free himself from the
    sharks? He shot a canister of blood out of his spray gun away from him and
    then called The Egg to come to him p.89

Chapter 18

  1. What did Jack give Alfie to help him
    recover from the lizard’s bite? An antibiotic serum p.93
  2. Predict how Jack is going to teach
    the boss lady a lesson on page 95. Listen to your child’s answers

Chapter 19

  1. How did Jack defeat the boss lady and
    Jake once and for all? He shot them both with tranquilizers using his spray
    gun then handcuffed them p.98

Chapter 20

  1. What was in the box marked Pandora?
    Treasure p.105

Comprehension Questions – Secret Agent Jack Stalwart #1 The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur:USA

The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur; USA

by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Grades K-3; Genre - Fiction; GRL P; AR pts: 1.0-2.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What did Jack receive in the mail? A
    book about the allosaurus p.3

Chapter 2

  1. What did Whizzy cough up? A puzzle
    piece in the shape of a country that goes to the map on Jack’s wall p.6
  2. What country was it and where is he
    going? USA; New York City p.7
  3. How did Jack travel to the United
    States? His map swallowed him up p.8

Chapter 3

  1. Where did Jack arrive? In the
    Museum of Natural History in New York City p.12
  2. What was missing from the dinosaur? A
    toe, the hallux p.14

Chapter 4

  1. What was Jack hoping to look at to
    find a clue to the missing bone? Security tapes from the day before p.20

Chapter 5

  1. How did the student steal the bone? He
    used a thin hook and yanked the bone off p.24
  2. What school was the student from? East
    Side Grammar School p.27

Chapter 6

  1. Who did Jack contact to find out who
    the student was? The principal p.29
  2. What did she tell Jack about the
    student? That he was one of the finest science students at the school and had
    great science fair projects p.32

Chapter 7

  1. Where did Jack find Thomas? At
    home p.38
  2. How did Thomas’ mom feel about him
    stealing the bone? Upset p.44
  3. What was Thomas’ science project? Bringing
    to life a real live allosaurus p.48

Chapter 8

  1. Where did Jack and the Eberly’s hide
    from the dinosaur? Under the kitchen table p.49
  2. Why didn’t the dinosaur smell them? Jack
    sprayed his neutralizing spray on them p.50

Chapter 9

  1. How did Thomas make the allosaurus? He
    used some DNA from the toe bone, mixed it with a quickening solution, then gave
    it to his dog Freddie p.53
  2. What did Thomas create to help change
    Freddie back into a dog? A reversal serum p.54
  3. Why did Jack let Thomas come with him
    to hunt down the dinosaur? He knew New York City, he knew a lot about the
    allosaurus, and he had a relationship with his dog p.56

Chapter 10

  1. How did Jack distract the dinosaur
    from eating the man? He projected a camptosaurus on the wall near the
    dinosaur p.62
  2. Who was the dinosaur’s target at the
    end of this chapter? Jack p.64

Chapter 11

  1. How did Jack prevent the dinosaur
    from eating him? He put the expandable goo in its mouth p.67
  2. What advice did Jack remember from
    his brother? A secret agent always clears his mind first, and then thinks of
    a plan p.70

Chapter 12

  1. How did Jack save the people in line
    at the Empire State Building? He put dog biscuit powder into his spray gun
    and shot it in the air, the people ran into another building p.74

Chapter 13

  1. What did the boys use to catch up
    with the dinosaur as it raced to Times Square? The Flyboard p.77
  2. What did Jack shoot into the air with
    his Warning Gun? The letters: Danger Get Indoors p.79
  3. Why did Freddie head for Central
    Park? There were animals in the zoo p.82

Chapter 14

  1. Why couldn’t Jack use the Flyboard
    anymore? It was almost out of hydrogen p.86
  2. How did Jack convince the taxi driver
    to take them to the allosaurus? Jack told him he’d be a hero p.87

Chapter 15

  1. What was Jack’s dilemma in this
    chapter? He couldn’t see the dinosaur and knew that he would fail if it
    wasn’t coming to the zoo p.91

Chapter 16

  1. How did Jack get the serum into the
    dinosaur’s mouth? He used a canister to wedge it’s mouth open, and used a
    sling to catapult the vial into his mouth p.94
  2. Describe Freddie’s transformation
    back into a dog? A violent wind came and swirled around the allosaurus and
    turned it to dust, then another wind came and carried the dust away p.95

Chapter 17

  1. What did Thomas confess to Lewis? That
    he was sorry and shouldn’t have taken the bone p.100
  2. What does it mean to make amends? To
    try and set something right p.101
  3. Why did Lewis smile when Thomas said
    he was scared of heights? Thomas would have a consequence that would put him
    out of his comfort zone p.101

Chapter 18

  1. What did Jack wear to bed that night?
    Dinosaur pajamas p.104

Comprehension Question – Fablehaven

Fablehaven

by Brandon Mull

Grades 3-8; Genre - Fantasy; GRL V; AR pts: 11.0

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Why are Kendra and Seth staying at
    their grandparents? Their parents are going on a cruise p.2
  2. What was the consequence the kids
    would receive if they went into the woods or barn? They’d be grounded to
    their room the rest of their stay p.13
  3. How long were Kendra and Seth going
    to be staying at their grandparents? 2 ½ weeks p.5

Chapter 2

  1. How did the insects respond to the
    mirror Kendra took out to the pool? they came to it; they liked it p.24
  2. After swimming, where did Seth
    disappear to? The woods p.26
  3. What’s Dale’s secret? He puts milk
    out for the insects p.31

Chapter 3

  1. Describe who Seth ran into while
    exploring in the woods? A woman he thought was a witch p.36
  2. Why did Seth get frightened while
    running out of the woods? He felt he was being pursued p.42
  3. What was Kendra doing when Seth came
    in from the woods? Trying to find what the last key went to p.43

Chapter 4

  1. Why did Kendra and Seth go into the
    woods? Seth wanted to show Kendra a beautiful park with a pond p.53
  2. Why did their grandpa tell them not
    to go into the forest? there’s a lot of dangerous animals p.61
  3. What’s their consequence for not
    following the rules? They’ll have to stay in their room for the entire next day
    and they’ll be completely grounded if they break the rules again p.63

Chapter 5

  1. Who did Kendra use as a guinea pig to
    test the milk? Seth p.71
  2. What happened to Seth and Kendra when
    they drank the milk? They could see magical creatures instead of normal
    insects p.72
  3. Why did Grandpa bring the kids into
    the study? To explain Fablehaven to them p.75

Chapter 6

  1. Who’s Lena? The naiad Patton loved
    p. 88
  2. Who is Maddox? A fairy
    hunter/trader p.95
  3. After dinner, what did Maddox show
    the kids? Different fairies he’d caught to sell p.99

Chapter 7

  1. How did Seth catch the fairy? He
    tricked her by putting a mirror into a jar, then when she went in to admire
    herself, he put the lid on it p.117
  2. What were the fairies doing to the
    bubbles Grandpa blew? Changing them into different colors, shapes and things
    p.118
  3. Where did Seth hide his captured
    fairy? In his dresser drawer p.120

Chapter 8

  1. What did the fairy turn into that
    Seth caught and why? An imp; from being indoors from sunset to sunrise p.133
  2. How did the other fairies get revenge
    on Seth? Turned him into a misshapen whale p.131
  3. How did Seth get turned back into a human?
    Grandpa had to undo one of the witch’s knots and she healed him p.140

Chapter 9

  1. How does Lena feel about death and
    dying? Fearful p.147
  2. Why do the kids need to wear ear
    plugs and stay in bed during Midsummer Eve? Nightmares take shape and prowl
    the yard and terrible sounds will be heard in the night p.149
  3. What type of creature did Seth get to
    meet? A golem p.153

Chapter 10

  1. Why did Grandpa want the kids to
    sleep in the attic? It’s the safest place in the house if children occupy it
    p.162
  2. Why did Seth open the window? He
    saw a crying baby and wanted to help it p.172
  3. What protected the kids from the
    monsters that came into the room? The salt that was around their beds p.174
  4. Why did the kids suspect that their
    grandpa, Dale, and Lena might be dead? They didn’t come and get them for
    breakfast p.177

Chapter 11

  1. What did the kids find when they left
    their bedroom that morning? Their grandpa and Lena were gone, Dale was a
    statue lying outside on the grass; they were all alone p.182
  2. Why did the kids follow the tracks
    into the woods? They hoped it would lead to their grandpa p.190
  3. Who saved the kids from the ogress? A
    satyr p.199

Chapter 12

  1. What creature did the kids find in
    the barn? A giant cow p.211
  2. Why was the cow bellowing? It hadn’t
    been milked that morning p.211
  3. How did the kids help the cow? They
    milked her p.215

Chapter 13

  1. What gave the kids a clue that
    Goldilocks was their grandma? The chicken had spelled out I M GRAM on the
    floor and bobbed her head when Kendra asked if she was her grandma p.221
  2. Why did Grandma want the kids to take
    her to Muriel? For healing p.236
  3. What happened when the last knot to
    Muriel’s rope was undone? She was freed p.234

Chapter 14

  1. Why did Grandma and the kids need to visit
    Nero? They needed information on their grandpa, and he could give it to them
    p.242
  2. Why was it better for Seth to climb
    up to Nero’s ledge than his grandma? There were 20 upright logs, three feet
    apart that were easier for Seth to scale than Grandma p.245
  3. What did Nero trade Grandpa’s location
    for? A 90 minute massage p.255

Chapter 15

  1. Who regularly milks Viola the cow? Hugo
    the golem p.261
  2. Where did Grandma and the kids go to
    talk privately? In the secret room on the other side of the attic p.268
  3. Why did Grandma arrange photographs on
    the kitchen floor? So the brownies could fix the house up using the pictures
    as a guide p.265
  4. What will happen to Grandma if she
    kills Muriel? She’d have to banish herself from the preserve p.276

Chapter 16

  1. Which imp caught Seth? The same
    one he had captured p.291
  2. Why couldn’t the imps catch Kendra? She
    hadn’t used magic, inflicted harm or caused any mischief, so they can’t touch
    her p.292
  3. What did Grandpa tell Kendra to do? Run,
    get off the property, and ram the gate with his truck p.292

Chapter 17

  1. This chapter is titled, “The
    Desperate Gamble.” What was Kendra’s gamble? She needed to choose between
    going to the house and getting a weapon, or asking the Fairy Queen for help
    p.299
  2. What was the Fairy Queen’s answer to
    Kendra’s plea? She said she’d help her and gave her 3 ingredients to gather
    p.311
  3. What were the ingredients? Blood, tears,
    and milk p.312
  4. How did Kendra get rid of Mendigo? She
    unhooked his arms and threw them in the water. When he went to get them, the
    naiads pulled him into the water p.314

Chapter 18

  1. What happened to the fairies when
    they drank the elixir Kendra had made? It enlarged each fairy to become a
    fairy army p.323
  2. How did Seth become free and his
    normal self again? The fairy he had captured freed him p.330
  3. How did the fairies defeat Bahumat
    and Muriel? They used ropes to tie them up; they tore off Bahumat’s horns;
    Muriel shriveled with age; they threw them back into the alcove p.332
  4. How did the fairies heal the imps? Kissed
    them on the mouth p.327

Chapter 19

  1. How did Kendra give the silver bowl
    back to the Fairy Queen? She threw it into the water p.342
  2. Describe Kendra’s interaction with
    Lena? Lena wasn’t the same and wanted to grab Kendra and bring her into the
    water p.343
  3. Why is Dale upset? He feels bad
    that his brother Warren wasn’t present when the fairies were curing everybody
    p.347
  4. Why did Kendra decide to take her
    painting home? She realized she would feel pain with or without the
    painting, so she might as well take it home p.350

Comprehension Questions – Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #27 Night of the Ninth Dragon

Night of the Ninth Dragon

by Mary Pope Osborne

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

The magic tree house whisks Jack and Annie through space and time to find that the castle of Camelot has been attacked and King Arthur has been gravely wounded. To save the kingdom—and the king—Jack and Annie have only one day to solve a riddle that will help them find a missing dragon!

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Why did Jack and Annie go into the
    Frog Creek woods? Oki ran in, so they chased after him p.5
  2. Where did they find Oki? At the
    bottom of a tree looking at the magic tree house p.6
  3. What’s going to be the setting of
    this book? Camelot p.10

Chapter 2

  1. Who sent the tree house for Jack and
    Annie? Queen Guinevere p.16
  2. Why did the guard aim a crossbow at
    Jack and Annie as they approached Camelot? They’re under attack and didn’t
    know if the kids were friends or enemies p.20
  3. Where did the queen lead Jack and
    Annie? Morgan le Fay’s secret garden p.23

Chapter 3

  1. What were the statues of in the
    garden? Dragons p.25
  2. What’s been stolen out of the garden?
    The gold dragon; the ninth dragon p.32
  3. Why do the kids need to help find the
    ninth dragon? To get Merlin, Morgan, Teddy and Kathleen back from Avalon and
    to send King Arthur there to heal from his wound p.33

Chapter 4

  1. Why were the Jack, Annie, the king
    and queen going to Cafelle’s? She can prophesy and tell them where the ninth
    dragon is p.37
  2. Why were they traveling in a hay
    cart? No one will suspect the king riding in a hay cart p.39
  3. Why was Jack nervous when he found
    out the knights weren’t coming with them? he knew they could be attacked by
    invaders and they wouldn’t have the protection of the knights p.45

Chapter 5

  1. Describe Cafelle. She’s an old
    woman who’s blind, but could describe Jack and Annie perfectly, she’s kind and
    has a dog that cannot hear p.51
  2. What is Cafelle’s special ability? The
    leaves and wind speak to her and tell her what she desires to know p.56

Chapter 6

  1. When did the ninth dragon need to be
    returned to the garden? Dawn the next day p.59
  2. What did the seer give to both Jack
    and Annie? Red stones from the mountains of fire before time p.61
  3. Why was Jack frustrated about the
    stones? He didn’t know how to use them p.66

Chapter 7

  1. How did Annie help get rid of the
    invaders that questioned them? she put yellow spots on her face with a
    highlighter and said she had yellow fever p.72
  2. Why was Jack freezing as they
    traveled in the rain? He’d given his cloak to the king p.78
  3. What did Guinevere tell the kids
    about as they traveled? The Isle of Avalon p.78

Chapter 8

  1. Why did the kids send the oxen back
    to Camelot? The rope that connected the oxen to the cart had torn and they
    weren’t of use anymore p.83
  2. How did Jack, Annie and Guinevere get
    the cart to Munith Mor without the oxen? They pushed and pulled p.85
  3. What represented the curtain in the
    riddle? A waterfall p.88

Chapter 9

  1. What did Jack and Annie find in the
    cave behind the waterfall? The dragon statue p.96
  2. Why was the queen giving up? The
    healing water was gone, Arthur was dying, they heard the robbers coming on
    horses p.98
  3. What happened when Jack and Annie
    used their stones? A giant red dragon rose out of the erupting mountain
    above them p.101

Chapter 10

  1. Where did the portal take Jack,
    Annie, Guinevere and Arthur? To Avalon p.103
  2. How did Merlin, Morgan, Teddy and
    Kathleen respond when they first saw Jack and Annie in Avalon? Bewildered, amazed,
    surprised, astonished p.106
  3. Why did Jack and Annie need to return
    the dragon statue to Camelot before dawn? If it’s not returned by dawn, it’s
    power will be lost forever and those in Avalon will never return p.109

Chapter 11

  1. Where did Jack and Annie leave their
    magic stones? By the dragon statue in the garden p.115
  2. What message did Jack and Annie give
    the knights? That the kind and queen are healing in Avalon and will be back
    to restore order to the kingdom p.118

Comprehension Questions – Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2 The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters

by Rick Riordan

Grades 7-9; Genre - Fantasy; GRL W; AR pts: 9.0

In this highly anticipated sequel to The Lightning Thief, a magical tree protecting the borders of Camp Half-Blood is poisoned. Thirteen-year-old Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and their new friend Tyson set out to find the one item that can save the camp. The trio must survive Cyclopes, man-eating sheep, Sirens, and giant cannibals for Camp Half-Blood to have any chance at a future.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What was Percy’s dream about? Grover in trouble and running away from a monster p.1
  2. Why did Percy keep Anaklusmos under his pillow while he slept? In case he needed it for protection during the night p.3
  3. What’s going on with Camp Half-Blood and how does it affect Percy? There’s been some problems and it’s not safe for Percy to be there p.6

Chapter 2

  1. Describe Tyson and how Percy’s a good friend to him.  He’s over 6 feet tall; has a misshapen and brutal looking face; homeless and abandoned by his parents; crooked teeth; talks funny and with a deep voice; the other kids pick on him and Percy stands up for him p.9
  2. What was unusual about Sloan’s friends? There were more of them than usual and they had strange names on their name tags p. 13
  3. How did Percy figure out he was playing dodge ball with monsters? They smelled funny, called him Perseus and were growing in size right in front of him p.16

Chapter 3

  1. How did the kids travel to Camp Half-Blood? A taxi driven by three witches that shared one eye p.29
  2. What made Tyson feel like he was going to throw up? Car sickness p.32
  3. What location did Percy receive from the sisters? Four numbers p.36

Chapter 4

  1. What did Percy, Annabeth and Tyson help defeat when they arrived to Camp Half-Blood? 2 bulls p.38
  2. What did Percy learn about Tyson? He’s a cyclops and is immune to fire p.45
  3. Why were the bulls able to enter Camp Half-Blood? Thalia’s tree has been poisoned that protects the border p.47

Chapter 5

  1. Why is Chiron leaving Camp Half-Blood? He’s been fired since Mr. D thinks he poisoned Thalia’s tree p.51
  2. What’s Tantalus’ curse? He can’t eat or drink p.59
  3. Who’s Tyson’s father? Poseidon p.64

Chapter 6

  1. How did Percy feel about Tyson now that he knew he was his brother? He was embarrassed and ashamed of him p.66
  2. Who did Percy build his chariot and race with? Tyson p.71
  3. Describe Percy’s dream. Grover used an empathy link to reach Percy and tell him he was in danger and needed to be saved from Polyphemus p.73
  4. How did Percy and Annabeth defeat the pigeons or Stymphalian birds? By playing Chiron’s music p.83

Chapter 7

  1. Why would saving Grover help Thalia’s tree? Grover found the Golden Fleece and that heals nature p.87
  2. Who did Tantalus choose as champion to go on the quest? Clarisse p.92
  3. Who’s the stranger that spoke with Percy on the beach and what did he want? Hermes; to encourage Percy to go on the quest even though he wasn’t chosen p.101
  4. What gifts did Hermes give Percy? A thermos that’s a compass and carries the wind from four corners of the earth; vitamins to help him feel better if he needs it p.103

Chapter 8

  1. How did Percy and his friends get to the cruise ship? His father sent Hippocampi p.109
  2. What was wrong with the tourists on board the ship? They were all in a trance p.119
  3. Why did Percy and Annabeth decide to stay on the ship? Luke was there and they knew they needed to figure out what he was up to p.120

Chapter 9

  1. How did Annabeth and Percy know what Luke and his friends were saying in the stateroom? Tyson could hear them and recount what they were saying in their voices p.123
  2. What was in the sarcophagus? Pieces of Kronos the titan lord p.130
  3. How did Percy and his friends escape Luke and his team of monsters? They attacked them, jumped into a lifeboat and dropped to the water below, using the cannister of wind to propel them away
    from the boat p.132

Chapter 10

  1. Why did Percy get weak when they entered fresh water? only salt-water gives him strength p.137
  2. Why was Annabeth worried about the donut shop? It was a monster donut shop in the middle of the wilderness p.141
  3. What attacked the friends and who saved them? a hydra; Clarisse p.143

Chapter 11

  1. What did Percy and his friends have to go through to get into the Sea of Monsters? An island with the monster Scylla and a storm called Charybdis; they’re sisters p.156
  2. How was Tyson able to help with the engine on the ship? He could handle heat p.160
  3. Where was Percy when the ship exploded? In the air falling after freeing himself from being taken away by Scylla p.163
  4. How did Percy feel about Tyson dying? Wished he could drown p.164

Chapter 12

  1. What’s the prophecy Chiron didn’t want Percy to know about? A half-blood child of the big 3 will be a
    dangerous weapon at the age of 16 and decide the fate of Olympus, whether it fall or be saved p.167
  2. How did C.C. trick Percy and what was the consequence? She made him feel like he wasn’t good enough, so she persuaded him to drink a shake and it turned him into a guinea pig p.175
  3. How did Hermes vitamins come in handy? They made Annabeth immune to C.C.’s magic and turned Percy back into a human p.182
  4. How did Percy and Annabeth get off the island? They took Blackbeard’s boat, Percy could magically command it p.184

Chapter 13

  1. How was Percy immune to the Sirens? He put candlewax in his ears p.192
  2. What scenario had Annabeth created when she was effected by the Sirens? Having a picnic with her dad, Athena and Luke at Central Park in NYC p.196
  3. How did Percy break the spell the Sirens had on Annabeth? Kept her underwater and created a bubble for her to breathe p.197
  4. What’s Annabeth’s fatal flaw? Deadly pride; thinking you can do things better than anyone else p.199

Chapter 14

  1. Compare Polyphemus's monster sheep to regular sheep. Regular sheep are friendly and docile; the monster sheep are like piranhas p.203
  2. How did Percy and Annabeth get into the Cyclops’ cave? Annabeth wore her invisibility cap and Percy rode in hanging on to the bottom of the sheep p.210
  3. How did Annabeth get Polyphemus out of the cave? She treated him like Odysseus had and he chased her p.211

Chapter 15

  1. What do Percy and Polyphemus have in common? they are both sons of Poseidon p.219
  2. Who saved Percy from Polyphemus? Tyson p.220
  3. How did Annabeth heal so quickly from her wounds? Percy put the fleece on her p.222
  4.  What danger were the kids in as they swam for the ship? Polyphemus was in the water and coming toward them carrying boulders in each hand p.224

Chapter 16

  1. Who did Polyphemus call a traitor and why? Tyson; for helping humans p.225
  2. Why did the Queen Anne sink? Clarisse taunted Polyphemus and he through a boulder through the hull p.229
  3. Why was Percy indebted to the gods? He prayed for the fleece to heal Annabeth and it did p.231

Chapter 17

  1. Why did Percy send Clarisse to the airport with the fleece? So she could fulfill the prophecy; he was being nice to her p.235
  2. After Clarisse left, who captured Percy and his friends? Luke p.236
  3. Why did Luke need the fleece? To heal Kronos p.239
  4. How did Percy arrange for everyone at Camp Half-Blood to listen to Luke’s confession? He created an Iris-message p.240

Chapter 18

  1. How did Percy and Clarisse work together in this chapter? Percy distracted Luke by challenging him to a fight so Clarisse could get away with the fleece p.242
  2. Who came to Percy’s rescue? Chiron and his centaur relatives p.245
  3. Why don’t Mr. D and others trust Chiron? His father is Kronos p.253
  4. Why is it a problem that Kronos is Chiron's father? Kronos is evil and they don't know if Chiron is teamed up with him

Chapter 19

  1. Why did Hermes visit Percy? To see if he’d talked some sense into Luke; to deliver a package p.257
  2. Predict what Poseidon meant in his letter to Percy? Listen to your child’s answers p.261
  3. Why did Tyson pray for Percy to come into his life? He was an orphan on the streets and would get beat up by monsters. He needed someone to take care of him p.263
  4. How did the watch Tyson made help Percy and Annabeth win the race? It turned into a large shield p.267

Chapter 20

  1. How did Chiron help Percy get out of trouble with the police? he used mist to convince the school that the furnace caused the explosion p.271
  2. Where was Tyson going for the rest of the summer? Underwater to learn how to work the Cyclopes forges p.273
  3. What did Poseidon mean when he told Percy to brace himself? Thalia had turned back into a human and woken up; it’s all part of Kronos’ plan hoping Thalia will be the one to fulfill the prophecy and
    destroy Olympus p.279

Comprehension Questions – The Dark is Rising Sequence #3 Greenwitch

Greenwitch

by Susan Cooper

Grades 6-8; Genre - Fantasy; GRL X; AR pts: 6.0

The Dark has stolen an object of great power — a golden grail that holds avital secret. Will embarks on a new quest to reclaim the grail, and to drive back the Dark once again. But first he will need the help of three former grail seekers: Jane, Simon, and Barney Drew. Learning to work together, they must take back the grail and retrieve the missing manuscript that unlocks its mystical secret. But the manuscript is located at the bottom of the sea, and their only hope of obtaining both grail and script is entangled in the mysterious ritual of the Greenwitch....

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Who are the main characters and what’s the setting of this story?  Jane, Simon & Barnabas Drew; In a museum where the grail had been stored p.2
  2. To their surprise, who was in the museum? Great-Uncle Merry p.3
  3. Who is Great-Uncle Merry? Merriman Lyon p.6
  4. Where is Jane, Barney and Simon going on Easter vacation and with who? Back to Trewissick, where they found the grail; with Merriman and Will p.9

Chapter 2

  1. Where are the families staying in Trewissick? In two cottages connected that overlook the harbor p.13
  2. How do the Drew kids feel about Will? They’re unhappy that he's with them since Gumerry gave them a secret mission. They feel he’ll get in the way, so they’ll have to ditch him p.15
  3. How did Merriman reply when Barney said Will was going to be a nuisance? Merriman told him not to dismiss anyone’s value until he knew him p.19
  4. Why was Rufus kidnapped? To keep Captain Toms away from the Greenwitch p.24

Chapter 3

  1. Who invited Jane to the Greenwitch ceremony? Mrs. Penhallow p.26
  2. Who were the only people that could attend the ceremony? Local women p.26
  3. What was the figure made with and what did it look like? Different types of tree boughs; a woman’s head and body p.28
  4. Who pushed the Greenwitch off the ledge into the ocean? The men of the village p.33

Chapter 4

  1. Why did the Drew children go out to look for Gumerry? They hadn’t seen him since the Greenwitch ceremony p.38
  2. What did Barney put together about Merriman and the man who stole Rufus along with his painting? The man is from the Dark and Merriman saved them from him p.42
  3. What secret did the Greenwitch show Jane? A small bright shining thing; something the Greenwitch guarded p.45
  4. How does Jane feel about the Greenwitch? She feels sorry for it p.46

Chapter 5

  1. Where did Rufus take Simon and Barney? Where the man from the Dark kept him prisoner; Pentreath Farm p.49
  2. Who had the boys seen come out of the gypsy caravan and why did they come out of the trees? The man from the Dark; he commanded them to come out p.50
  3. What was in the box with Barney’s picture? The grail p.53
  4. What did the painter of the Dark want Barney to do? Look in the chalice and see what he sees with water and oil p.56

Chapter 6

  1. Why are the boys so hungry? It’s past time
    for breakfast and they’d been gone a long time p.61
  2. Who took over Barney when he looked into the oil
    and water? Something from the Dark p.63
  3. Where did Will and Merriman go after hearing
    what Simon told them? jumped off the cliff into the ocean p.66
  4. What did Captain Toms do to the children after
    Will and Merriman left and why? Made them forget, so they wouldn’t realize
    Will and Merriman’s power; so they wouldn’t continue to be upset p.67

Chapter 7

  1. Describe Tethys. The Lady of the Sea, lived
    deep in the ocean, older than the land, Old Ones, and all men, she ruled her
    kingdom of waves alone, as she had since the world began p.69
  2. What gift did Merriman give to Tethys? Barney’s
    picture p.70
  3. What did Merriman and Will want from Tethys? To
    get the item from the Greenwitch p.71
  4. What are the stipulations for Will and Merriman
    to retrieve the item? They can go to the Greenwitch and try to get it from
    her, but if the Greenwitch crosses into Tethys territory, and they haven’t
    gotten it yet, they cannot enter Tethys’ territory again to get it p.72

Chapter 8

  1. Who did the children see on the quay and what
    was he doing? The painter; painting a picture p.76
  2. Why were the children upset the painting man was
    still painting after it got dark outside? He wouldn’t have been able to see
    what he was doing, so they knew he was up to something p.80
  3. What’s a beacon fire? A warning fire to those
    far away p.82
  4. What came out of the sea when the painter held
    the canvas over his head and cried out in a strange language? The Greenwitch
    p.85

Chapter 9

  1. Why did the painter summon the Greenwitch? To
    ask her for the ancient Thing of Power she is guarding p.87
  2. Why won’t she give it to him? It is her
    treasure and secret p.87
  3. What did the Greenwitch do to the painter when
    he tried to use his Dark power to command her? She overtook him and caused
    him to go unconscious p.89
  4. What did Captain Toms convince Bill Stanton to
    do with the painter? Take him to a hospital p.90

Chapter 10

  1. What did Gumerry bring to Jane and what did he
    promise her? Hot cocoa; they would all be safe p.94
  2. Why didn’t Jane throw open the window and shout
    out a warning to Merriman? She had known him for too long and knew he wasn’t
    like other men, he was of the Light p.96
  3. What did Jane realize was the reason why
    Merriman wanted them to go to sleep? So they wouldn’t see the nightmares
    that were occurring out their windows p.100
  4. What did Jane finally manage to do after hiding in
    her covers? Go to sleep p.100

Chapter 11

  1. What is the item the Greenwitch is guarding? The
    parchment needed to read the grail p.102
  2. How did Greenwitch get possession of it? Just
    after the kids had found the grail, the Dark ones came chasing them. Barney
    threw it and it fell into the ocean p.102
  3. What had captured the painter and taken him away
    for good? The Wild Magic p.107
  4. Why did the Greenwitch give the secret to Jane? Jane
    had made a wish for the Greenwitch and not for herself p.108

Chapter 12

  1. What does Merriman need to read the writing on
    the scroll? The grail p.112
  2. What was gone when the group drove out to the
    farm to get the grail? The caravan p.115
  3. What did the boys see in the barn? An old
    worn caravan just like the painter’s caravan, but older p.119
  4. How did the boys find the grail? Will told
    them to tell him exactly what the painter said when they found the grail the first
    time in the caravan p.121

Chapter 13

  1. What did Merriman check before destroying
    the parchment? If Will and Captain Toms had the poem in their memories p.124
  2. Why didn’t Will want Jane to give her bracelet
    to the Greenwitch? It would become black and dirty looking in the water p.127
  3. What did Will make for Jane to give to the
    Greenwitch? A strip of gold with a poem inside the case that held the
    manuscript.127
  4. What was in Jane’s room the night she received the
    secret? Remnants of the Greenwitch p.129

Comprehension Questions – The Dark is Rising Sequence #2 The Dark is Rising

The Dark is Rising

by Susan Cooper

Grades 6-7; Genre - Fantasy; GRL X; AR pts: 13.0

On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift — that he is destined to seek the six magical Signs of Light. He is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. And for the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.

Comprehension Questions

Part One

Chapter 1

  1. Describe the Walker. A hunched over
    little old man that Will saw scuttle behind a tree p.8
  2. What birthday present did Mr. Dawson give Will
    and what were his instructions? An iron ring quartered with a cross; to
    always have it with him and to put it on his belt loop; to keep it safe and not
    talk about it; he’ll want to have it after the snow comes p.9
  3. What happened to the radio when Will went close
    to it? It would go crazy with static and erupt into high pitched screeches
    p.14
  4. What had Will found amongst the snow piled in
    his room? A rook feather p.23

Chapter 2

  1. What did Will hear and see when he first awoke
    on his birthday? Music; the country around his home had turned to a forest
    p.24
  2. Describe the man Will saw getting his horse shod.
    his horse was black as midnight, he had red brownish hair, bright blue eyes
    with a different accent than Will’s, tall, wore a long black cloak, he knew
    Will’s name and that it was his 11th birthday, p.29
  3. Why didn’t Will ride the white mare? He felt
    like he needed to find the Walker alone p.33
  4. Why was Will in danger and what saved him? He
    had left the road through Hunter’s Comb and the Rider was going to attack him;
    the white stallion p.37

Chapter 3

  1. What was inside the two huge wooden doors? A
    castle with a woman and man inside waiting for Will p.40
  2. What’s the gift Will possesses? The power of
    the Old Ones; magic p.45
  3. What’s Will’s quest? To find and guard the 6
    great signs of Light made by the Old Ones p.51
  4. When would Will see Merriman again? After
    Will has gotten the sign from the Walker p.66

Chapter 4

  1. What happens to the iron attached to Will’s belt
    when there’s evil close by? It turns so cold it burns p.70
  2. How many children are in Will’s family? 9
    p.72
  3. What did Maggie want from Will? The sign he’d
    just gotten from the Walker p.79
  4. Who saved Will and stopped Maggie from taking
    the signs? Merriman Lyon p.81

Part 2

Chapter 5

  1. What did Old George give to Will’s family and
    why? A bunch of holly with berries; he told Will to put it over a window or
    door and it will protect him from the Dark p.93
  2. Why didn’t Farmer Dawson carve a “W” for Will? Names
    are a power the Dark could use against him, so he carved a circle with the
    cross instead p.97
  3. Who was acting as Miss Greythorne’s butler? Merriman
    p.103
  4. Where did Merriman take Will after the others in
    the room were caught in time? To the hillside with the big wooden doors
    p.107

Chapter 6

  1. Why do the Old Ones use Rowan for the wood of
    the third sign? The Dark doesn’t like it p.114
  2. When can Will receive the third sign? After
    he’s finished with his Learning p.115
  3. What’s Hawkin’s and Merriman’s relationship? Merriman
    took Hawkin in as a boy when his parents died and made him his foster son and
    liege; Merriman is his lord and trusts him greatly p.119
  4. What language is the Book of Gramarye written in
    and what language do Will and Merriman converse in? the Old Speech p.123

Chapter 7

  1. Name three things Will learned as he read the Book
    of Gramarye? He learned of the sky, water and wind; spells for all of those;
    the history of the Old Ones p.125
  2. How did Will feel after learning from the book? Weighed
    down and melancholy p.130
  3. Why was Hawkin going to be betray Merriman and
    the Old Ones? Maggie told him that Merriman doesn’t love him, that Merriman
    used Hawkin and put him in danger, and would have let him die p.137
  4. How did Will protect Merriman, Paul, and
    himself from the Rider and Maggie? He threw up a wall of resistance around
    them and yelled their names out loud p.146

Chapter 8

  1. Why did Stephen send Will’s present to him for
    his birthday and Christmas present combined? An old man who named himself as
    an Old One told him to p.156
  2. Who came to visit unexpectedly on Christmas
    morning? The Black Rider p.160
  3. How did Will defeat the dark after the Christmas
    service in the church? He held up the three signs p.176
  4. What ceremony did Merriman take Will to see? The
    Lady coming back to life p.190

Part 3

Chapter 9

  1. Why was the town gathering at the Manor? Supplies
    were going to be dropped on the Manor property and it looked like the storm was
    going to get worse that night, so everyone gathered for safety, comfort and
    food p.200
  2. Why didn’t Will’s father want to go to the Manor
    when Merriman first mentioned it? He thought they were safe as they were in
    their own home; he didn’t want to crowd the Manor and take their supplies p.203
  3. Who did Will see when he stared at the fire and
    what did she tell him? The Lady; that he needed to break the power of the
    cold with the Sign of Fire p.211
  4. Who’s the Walker? Hawkin, Merriman’s liege
    p.221

Chapter 10

  1. Did Hawkin turn from the Dark and turn to the
    Light? no p.224
  2. Why is the Dark able to come into the Manor? The
    Walker had invited it in p.226
  3. How was Will able to get the Sign of Fire? The
    Doctor gave the Walker a sedative and made him sleep which stopped the Dark’s
    way into the home. The Old Ones grabbed the candles lit by the Walker with the
    power of the Dark and put them into the candle holder in the great hall with
    the Lady. The blue fire of the Dark turned vermillion red and Will’s fire from
    his candle then turned into a flower in the shape of the quartered sign p.230
  4. How had the Dark injured Will’s mother? The
    large clap of thunder they all heard startled his mom at the top of the stairs
    and made her fall down, falling unconscious p.235

Chapter 11

  1. How did Will get separated from Paul when they
    were looking for Mary? The rooks flew close around them and drove them away
    from each other p.237
  2. What were Merriman and Farmer Dawson doing at
    the Manor while Old George and Will were out in the storm? keeping everyone
    busy at the Manor so Will and George could work p.243
  3. How did Will travel in the storm to his place of
    testing? The white horse p.247
  4. How did Will save Mary from the Dark forever? He
    didn’t give the signs that he had obtained to the Black Rider and then
    retrieved the 6th sign, so he had all of the signs p.261

Chapter 12

  1. Where did the white mare take Merriman and Will
    and why? The Great Park; the horse was needed for the Hunt p.266
  2. How did the ship come out of the ground that
    held the dead king and made the head of the Hunter? The stag head that Will
    got from his brother for his birthday and Christmas p.268
  3. Who did Herne call when he sounded like a hunting
    horn? A pack of ghostly white hounds with red eyes and ears p.271
  4. What did Herne hunt? The Dark p.274

Chapter 13

  1. Why was Will anxious to go home? He thought
    of his family dealing with the floods p.280
  2. Who did the little procession of boys carry to
    the smithy on a bier? The Lady p.283
  3. What did the Lady put around Will’s neck? The
    necklace made with all the signs p.285
  4. What gifts did Miss Greythorne give to Will and
    Paul? A small hunting horn and the old flute p.292