Shadow of the Shark

by Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 2-4; Genre - Historical Fiction with Fantastical Elements; GRL N; AR pts: 2.0

When Teddy, a young sorcerer, offers to send Jack and Annie on a dream vacation, they can't wait to go. The brother-and-sister pair wish for a trip to a beach paradise, and the magic tree house whisks them off to the coast of Mexico. Everything starts out perfectly as they raft around a coral reef. But then a hungry shark attacks and their dream vacation turns into a nightmare!

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. What were the children up to when they found Teddy’s note? They had just finished snorkeling and were riding their bikes home p.5
2. How do Merlin and Morgan want to thank Jack and Annie for their hard work? By sending them on holiday, a vacation p.10
3. Where do Jack and Annie want to go on vacation and why? Cozumel; the snorkeling is great there p.11

Chapter 2

1. Why didn’t Jack want Annie to record or take pictures of the beach? He didn’t know what he would say to his parents if they saw the video or pictures p.19
2. Why was Jack hesitant to take the raft? He didn’t know who it belonged to p.20
3. What did Jack read in the guidebook about coral? It’s made of animals, is very delicate and takes a long time to grow, so you shouldn’t touch it p.24

Chapter 3

1. Describe what Jack saw as he snorkeled in the water? Fish, turtles, crabs, jellyfish, a stingray p.27
2. Why was it so difficult for Jack to control the raft? The current was pushing him around p.32
3. What did Jack see that made him panic? A shark fin coming towards them p.33
4. How did Jack and Annie escape the shark? They used a coin from the velvet bag and said they’d like to have fun escaping the shark, so the waves pushed them further out to sea p.35

Chapter 4

1. What did the kids learn they were floating towards? Eastern shore of the Yucatan Peninsula p.40
2. Why did the kids want to use a magical coin? To wish for money so they could pay for a hotel, dinner, ferry ride and the theme park they read about p.46
3. Why did Annie want to check out the theme park before going to the hotel? She heard music and wanted to see if there was a performance going on p.48

Chapter 5

1. How did Annie convince Jack to skip buying the tickets and slip through the opening of the wall? She told him the show would be over if they spent the time to buy the tickets p.54
2. What did Jack notice the audience was wearing? Boy were wearing loincloths or feathered robes and the women and girls wore colorful dresses with big jewelry; many men wore headdresses p.55
3. What happened when Annie spoke to the boys watching the dance? They were frightened and one told his mom; the dance stopped, the warriors came and got Jack and Annie and took them to the House of Columns p.58

Chapter 6

1. What did Jack and Annie realize while waiting in the House of Columns? Teddy accidentally sent them to ancient Mayan times, not to Cozumel in their timep.64
2. What happened to the velvet coin purse? Annie put it down to help put the raft on the beach and left it on the sand p.67
3. Why does Heart-of-the-Wind’s father think Jack is to be the next ruler? He thinks the gods sent Jack p.75

Chapter 7

1. Why did Annie call Heart-of-the-Wind brave? She loves to explore and swim in the dark by herself p.78
2. How did Jack and Annie escape the House of Columns? Heart-of-the-Wind distracted the guards and the kids jumped out the window p.80
3. Who are the Ones-Who-Tell-the-History-of-the-Forest and why? Howler monkeys; they howl at night as if they’re telling a story p.83
4. How did the kids get passed the jaguar in the forest? Heart-of-the-Wind gave him peaceful thoughts p.86

Chapter 8

1. What did Heart-of-the-Wind call the sinkhole? The Sacred Well p.90
2. Describe the Underworld. A huge chamber with a hole in the top letting moonlight in, huge columns of white rock stretched down from the ceiling (stalactites), with animal statues guarding it, then to a narrow pitch-black cave p.91
3. Why did Jack and Annie suggest Heart-of-the-Wind be the next leader of her people? She was a great leader, with courage and compassion p.98

Chapter 9

1. What was Annie’s plan for convincing Heart-of-the-Wind’s father that she’d make a great leader? Use the cell phone to have Jack record a message to her father, to plant the idea that she could be the next leader p.104
2. How did Heart-of-the-Wind respond to using the phone and watching the message? She was in awe p.106
3. Why did Heart-of-the-Wind want to make the wish? She wanted to make a miracle for the kids, just like they had done for her p.111

Chapter 10

1. How did Jack and Annie get back to Cozumel safely? A huge whale shark swam under them, lifted the raft onto its back and swam to the shore p.117
2. Why did the whale behave that way? When Heart-of-the-Wind spoke the words for the coin, she asked that a shark help the kids have a fun and safe ride p.118
3. What did Jack find when he looked up Heart-of-the-Wind on the computer? That she had become a ruler of the Mayan people, was the first female ruler, and became ruler under extremely unusual circumstances p.129