Tag Archives: Fiction

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 – We Are Family

We Are Family

by LeBron James and Andrea Williams

Grades 4-7; Genre - Fiction; GRL not known; AR pts. 7.0

For each kid, Hoop Group was more than just a chance to ball; it was an escape, a dream, a family. Now their prospects seem all but impossible—but then the world hasn’t met Jayden, Tamika, Chris, Anthony, and Dex before. Determined to have their shot, the five new friends scrap, hustle, fight, and play hard to save their season to prove that sometimes a chance is all it takes. Some mature content.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe Jayden, his situation and his motivation. Jayden is beginning 7th grade, he and his mom live with his grandma, he sleeps in the bed and feels guilty while his mom sleeps on the couch, his mom works for an attorney and she is trying to make ends meet; he has a deal with his grandma that he can practice basketball in the morning if all of his homework is finished the night before; he is practicing basketball to be able to play professionally, to help his family get into a better living situation p.1

Chapter 2

  1. What lesson did Roddy teach Jayden that morning? It’s important to tackle challenges that get in the way of a goal
  2. On the bottom of page 18, Roddy uses the word “paint”. What does this word mean on the court? It is the rectangular area directly under the hoop, also known as the "key" or "free throw line"

Chapter 3

  1. Why does Jayden decide to keep the shoes? His mother got them for him and left a note saying she believed he could do anything he set his mind to and that the shoes are to be a reminder of that p.22
  2. Why did Anthony pick on Tyson the year before and why was he mad that Tyson handed everything over? He was hoping Tyson would put up a fuss to start a fight, but since Tyson didn’t, Anthony started the fight anyway p.25
  3. What does Anthony enjoy? Creative writing p.27

Chapter 4

  1. Explain why Coach Beck’s news was so devastating? Everyone knew Hoop Group was their only opportunity to get exposure to prep schools, which were the schools they wanted to go to p.35

Chapter 5

  1. Describe two emotions in this chapter and explain why the characters felt that way. Ex. Dejected-Tamika’s father didn’t choose her to be a captain and chose Jayden over her to run Hoop Group; Pride-Coach chose Jayden to be over Hoops Group and told him he was looking forward to coaching him the most out of anyone. He complimented Jayden and told him he has real potential and to stick with basketball p.47

Chapter 6

  1. Describe Chris’s father. His name is Cam and he’s not happy that Coach Beck retired. He is cooking up a scheme so Hoops Group can continue; his brother is basketball star, Kendrick King; served time in jail for a previous scheme involving his brother and now Kendrick isn’t talking to him; jealous of his brother and is always trying to prove himself p.50
  2. Describe Dex’s home situation. His mom is a single mom working full time at a diner; she’s also going to the community college to get her associate degree, so she doesn’t have a lot of time to spend with him; he cooks dinner every night and waits alone until she gets home at 8:00pm, his friends are not a good influence, so he has distanced himself from them; he watches a lot of YouTube p.54

Chapter 7

  1. Summarize this chapter. Jayden, Chris, Tamika, Dex and Anthony are the only ones who show up for Hoop Group; Tamika claimed the title of captain and the boys play two on two. Chris and Jayden start to fight and Anthony breaks it up. Chris and Jayden leave. p.60

Chapter 8

  1. Choose a character highlighted in this chapter and describe what struggle they are facing and their attitude as they deal with it.
  2. Jayden: Coach Beck stepping down from Hoop Group; he quit
  3. Tamika: discouraged since her father doesn’t believe in her; Hoop Group is going to win tournament
  4. Anthony: his mother and father are struggling with some things; this is still being developed in the story, but he copes with his struggles through poetry p.66

Chapter 9

  1. What Hoop Group progress did Tamika make in this chapter? She convinced principal Kim to be the chaperone so Hoop Group could continue p.81

Chapter 10

  1. After Anthony shares what is happening in his family, he is surprised to see Tamika’s response. On page 94, “Anthony is frozen, weighted by the gravity of Tamika’s judgement-free acceptance.” How is gravity used in this context? This is a heavy subject, and Tamika has chosen to accept Anthony and his struggles, and it really means a lot to him. He understands that her behavior is unusual and isn’t to be taken lightly p.94

Chapter 11

  1. Why is Tamika against asking her dad for help? He always discourages her and she feels rejected by him p.101

Chapter 12

  1. Describe Hoop Group practice in this chapter. Dex gets Chris to go by saying he’ll help him with his papers. Practice went well without any fighting. They realize Jayden isn’t playing in either group. Chris agrees that if they can convince Jayden to join Hoop Group, he’ll join too p.104

Chapter 13

  1. Why does the Ballers Group feel shady to Jayden? The star players were sitting on the bench most of the game; Cam might have just been telling Jayden what he wanted to hear to get him to join; they were charging money p.115

Chapter 14

  1. How is Tamika a good leader and coach in this chapter? She doesn’t worry that their team lost to 10-year-olds. She instead focuses on how they worked together and how each person has improved p.126

Chapter 15

  1. What is one characteristic that Dex showed in this chapter. Explain. Courage-to stand up for Anthony p.141

Chapter 16

  1. Why did Chris decide to attend Hoop Group at the end of the chapter? His dad said the Ballers didn’t need him and he felt let down, rejected p.152

Chapter 17

  1. Describe the game against Austinberg and the impact it has on Jayden. Hoop Group has only four players, but they kept fighting until the end even though they lost pretty significantly. Jayden was impressed with how the players on Hoop Group came together and played so well as a team. He realized how much he misses playing basketball p.156

Chapter 18

  1. What message does Roddy give Jayden in this chapter. To not lose sight of the future as he tries to figure out the present and that he needs to take care of himself before he can take care of others p.164

Chapter 19

  1. During Tamika’s conversation with her dad, he got upset at her. What reaction do you think she was looking for? She probably thought he would be proud of her for continuing Hoop Group and for what she has accomplished p.175
  2. Where did Tamika find support? Her mom encouraged her to keep fighting and to show her dad she can accomplish her goals p.178

Chapter 20

  1. Summarize this chapter. It’s the morning of the Shoot, Dunk and Spin Classic and Jayden is trying to distract himself by working on his English assignment. Grams reads it and encourages him to follow his dreams. Roddy calls and asks Jayden to fill in at a pizza booth at the Classic and he accepts p.179

Chapter 21

  1. How did Hoop Group do in the competition? Tamika and Dex took first place in their contests; Chris took third and Anthony was in the middle of the pack. They were getting ready to forfeit the last competition and go home, but Tamika saw Jayden running to the judges table to sign up and join their team p.186

Chapter 22

  1. Summarize how Jayden performs in his contest? He wins! It came close but he dug deep and came out victorious p.199

Chapter 23

  1. How has Hoop Group changed throughout the story? There are less people, but those that are there are dedicated and need it. Everyone’s skill has improved and they work well together p.216

Chapter 24

  1. Do you agree with Tamika’s words and actions towards her father? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.217

Chapter 25

  1. What influenced Tamika to change her mind so rashly about her future and basketball? Her dad’s fall and close encounter with death; she realized that what her dad thought was more important than her stubbornness p.224

Chapter 26

  1. What influenced Coach Beck’s change of heart and his new commitment to Tamika? He felt the presence of the Lord tell him to love Tamika better p.230
  2. Have you ever had an experience where you or someone you know has felt the presence of the Lord? Explain. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 27

  1. List two exciting things that happen in this chapter. Kendrick King has shown up to the game and agreed to coach the Hoop Group program; Hoop Group wins the tournament; Chris is humble and gives the play to Jayden p.233

Chapter 28

  1. At the end of this story, Jayden wanted to think about his win, his mom’s new job and the power of hope. What does the phrase “power of hope” mean to you? Listen to your child’s answer p.247
  2. What did you like about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

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 – Son Ward

Son Ward

by E.A. Loghry

Grades 8-12; Genre - Action Adventure

In a quiet valley kingdom untouched by war and strife, King’s falconer Shain becomes the unexpected choice for Son Ward- the heir to the throne. Holim, the King’s nephew, full of jealousy and wounded pride, strongly opposes the decision. As Shain wrestles with his new calling and the responsibility it entails, he must choose whether to become the man the King sees in him or give in to his own doubts and insecurities. Will Shain rise to his King’s call and prove himself as the kingdom’s leader, or will Holim’s schemes succeed in derailing his path to the throne?

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Summarize the introduction to this story. Shain is the king’s Master Falconer; he was called in to the king, and the king chose him to be the heir to the throne after he dies; Shain accepted, but wasn’t happy about it; he wants to rebel against the idea; the king’s nephew was there and could possibly cause problems p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Summarize Shain’s background? His great-grandfather betrayed the king and let assassins in the castle to kill the king; the king was well guarded, and didn’t die; Consequently, Shain’s great-grandfather had to clip his favorite falcon’s feathers so he couldn’t fly again and he was banished from the castle p.16
  2. Why is Holim such a threat to Shain? He is the king’s nephew and wants to be king; he killed his brother so he could easily kill Shain; there’s also speculation he hurt his uncle the king p.20

Chapter 3

  1. Describe Shain’s attitude about being king. Why? Grumpy; negative; he’d rather be out with his birds; he feels out of place in the castle p.26

Chapter 4

  1. What characteristics does Shain have that the king has chosen him for? Loyalty; love for what he is dedicated to; strong and can withstand Holim p.40
  2. How do those qualities make him a good king? Once Shain has accepted his role as the king, he will give all that he has to serve and be a good ruler; has confidence not to let Holim manipulate him and is strong so fight off Holim

Chapter 5

  1. Describe Trygve and why it is strange the king would tell Shain to trust him? He is the castle cook and we found out he is the king’s counselor; he is also Tok’s brother; he’s an old man full of wisdom and authority p.47

Chapter 6

  1. Do you think Shain should trust Brindel? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.62

Chapter 7

  1. What attitude did Shain begin to have in this chapter? He started to embrace his new life and realized he needed to get the guards’ respect and approval p.68

Chapter 8

  1. What is holding Shain back from embracing the kingship? He’s worried he will fail; he is short-sighted and can only see one path to earning back the respect for his family p.76
  2. What will the scuffle between the guard and Holim’s mercenaries hopefully do? Discourage the mercenaries and Holim from trying to take the kingdom p.85

Chapter 9

  1. How could the scuffle possibly backfire and work against Shain? One of the guards was injured badly. If he dies, the guard will blame it on Shain p.94
  2. Why does it show good character of Shain to work with Karth and seek out Trygve’s counsel in this chapter? He is showing humility which is exemplary of a good leader p.95
  3. Now that we know Holim a little better, describe him. He’s the nephew to the king; he wants the throne; uses his charisma to manipulate others to get what he wants; he’s selfish, devious, a liar, seeks power instead of seeking to do good p.100

Chapter 10

  1. Summarize Trygve and Tok’s history; they are foster brothers; Trygve’s father was the king’s cook and when his father died, Trygve became the cook but he was young so the king had a noble family take care of him; this family was Tok’s; Tok’s father led an important battle against robbers and won; the king was grateful and promised to take care of his family since he died soon after; the king did, but the next king wasn’t aware of the deal and Tok and Trygve lost everything and they had to move to a small house in the village; their mom lived with them then died at a young age due to the loss she had throughout her life p.112

Chapter 11

  1. What did the king mean when he said, “he has changed his love “on page 123? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. Why can’t Shain take the man who attacked him prisoner? Holim will kill his father p.129

Chapter 12

  1. Describe the shift in Shain and how it came about? He began to take on the responsibility of being king; he was attacked on the way to visiting his father and he lived; the guards went on strike until there was a coronation; three guards became friends to Shain p.136

Chapter 14

  1. How has Karth been a good friend to Shain, specifically in this chapter? He helped him put his father’s affairs in order; he accompanied Shain to his father’s and buried him while Shain retrieved what he needed from the house; he took the box and let Shain run ahead to see what was going on with the King; he warned Shain about Holim’s reinforcements and helped him come up with the good idea to have the king sign a declaration to remove Holim from the castle p.147

Chapter 15

  1. Who was the person who wounded Shain off the path when he was traveling to his father’s? Holim in a disguise p.160
  2. Why does Shain think some guards have changed their loyalty? The guard stopped Holim from killing the king and didn’t hurt Shain or Karth p.164

Chapter 16

  1. What decision did Shain need to make during the battle in this chapter and what did it mean? Whether or not to go to the mews and save the falcons; he didn’t, he stayed to fight for the king and the kingdom; it means Shain has accepted his new responsibility and has given up his old dream p.174

Chapter 17

  1. Why did Shain release Tok from the army? The army had been divided and needed to be rebuilt with a new leader p.180
  2. How did Shain convince the people to love him? They saw his loyalty and love for the king as they fought Holim and army p.182

Chapter 18

  1. Did you agree that Shain became the person he wanted to become? Listen to your child’s answer. Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What did you like most about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

Comprehension Questions – The Fort

The Fort

by Gordon Korman

Grades 5-8; Genre - Fiction; GRL W; AR pts. 9.0

The morning after Hurricane Leo rips through the town of Canaan, friends exploring the widespread destruction discover an underground bomb shelter. Text has violence, physical abuse, criminal activity, bullying & references to substance abuse. Themes include ableism.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Describe Evan Donnelly. He has an older brother and they live with his grandparents because their parents went to drug rehab; his brother has a friend who is not a good influence; Evan’s in 8th grade and his town was just hit with a hurricane; he and his friends are checking to see if the fort made it through the storm p.1
  2. Who’s Ricky? Another boy who’s house was hit with a tree during the storm and is staying at Evan’s for the day while it gets fixed.

Chapter 2

  1. Who is telling the story in this chapter? Mitchell Worth p.9
  2. How do you know? the chapter is named after him p.9
  3. Predict what Ricky and Evan found. Listen to your child’s answer p.15

Chapter 3

  1. What is clever about the author’s writing style? Each chapter is told through a different character’s eyes p.16
  2. Were you correct in your prediction from Chapter 2? Listen to your child’s answer
  3. Why do the boys feel they can claim the bomb shelter as their own? The guy who built it is dead; no one else knows about it p.23

Chapter 4

  1. Why does C.J. purposely crash and hurt himself on his bike? He needed a stunt to cover up how he really got hurt, which was on his skateboard on a railing at the library and crashing after trying not to hit an older woman p.28

Chapter 5

  1. How is Jason different from the other boys he is friends with? He has a girlfriend p.32
  2. Why is everyone worried to eat the food at the fort? It’s 40 years old p.38
  3. Would you eat it? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 6

  1. How was Ricky a good friend to Evan today? Evan’s brother Luke and his friend Jaeger wanted Evan to steal money from a business owner; as Evan got near the cash register, Ricky came in the door and gave Evan a reason to leave p.46
  2. Why is Evan worried about his brother? He makes bad choices when he’s around Jaeger and begins to act like their parents p.50

Chapter 7

  1. What does Ricky realize about his new friend group? They don’t need him to have fun or really care if he’s part of their group p.56

Chapter 8

  1. What did C.J. and Mitchell learn in this chapter? That the utensils from the fort are real silver p.63
  2. Why are the utensils black? As silver ages over time, it turns black p.63

Chapter 9

  1. How is Ricky proving himself to his new friends? He is quick to think, got them $85 for the fork at the pawn shop and helped Mitchell when he was in trouble; he is showing them that he is a good friend p.67

Chapter 10

  1. What heavy responsibility does Jason need to worry about that is too much for an eighth grader? His divorced parents put him in difficult situations where he has to explain his family situation to police p.74

Chapter 11

  1. Why doesn’t Marcus and C.J.’s mom want the police to be called? Marcus hurts C.J., that’s why C.J. is hurt all the time p.80

Chapter 12

  1. Do you agree with Ricky’s response to Luke and Jaeger’s question about the woods? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.89
  2. What should Ricky tell them about the Fort, the money and the snacks? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 13

  1. Explain why Evan covered for Jaeger when grandma asked about the broken ceramic doll? He didn’t know what Jaeger would do if Grandma called the police; he’s worried something bad will happen to her p.101

Chapter 14

  1. Describe what happened in this chapter. C.J. and his parents go to a hockey game. Marcus, his stepdad, gets angry and hurts his mom and C.J. They get in the car and Marcus is upset, ashamed and apologizes, promising to never do it again p.101
  2. Does C.J. believe Marcus’s promise? Why, or why not? No. Because this is a cycle that repeats itself because Marcus won’t get help p.108

Chapter 15

  1. How is Mitchell watering his ex-therapist’s herb garden and why? Peeing on it because he is angry at him. He can’t receive help because his mom lost their insurance when she was laid off p.117
  2. Do you agree that Mitchell should be doing this? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 16

  1. Why does C.J. feel stuck in his home situation? He can’t call the police because his mom will deny what Marcus is doing and she will defend him p.122
  2. Explain why this is unhealthy for her and C.J. to stay in this situation? It’s protecting a man who deserves to be in jail and shows her son that her abusing husband is more important than him and her p.122

Chapter 17

  1. Why does Luke think Jaeger is good for him to be around? Makes him tough and Luke thinks Jaeger has good ideas; he feels rejected by his grandma p.125
  2. How did Luke and Jaeger manipulate Mitchell and why? They told him they would tell the police how he peed on the therapist’s garden and that his mom would need to pay attorney fees to keep him out of juvenile detention; to get him to tell them where they are getting the money from p.129

Chapter 18

  1. Jason finds himself in real trouble with his girlfriend and possibly the police. Do you agree that he should talk? Listen to your child’s answer p.137

Chapter 19

  1. Name one characteristic C.J. showed in this chapter and explain. Courage for standing up to his mom; sadness because he misses her and he’s sad about the situation they’re in; determination to not put up with an unhealthy and abusive situation; irritation because Ricky is watching him very closely etc. p.138

Chapter 20

  1. What is Mitchell avoiding and why? His friends and the Fort; He doesn’t want to tell his friends that Luke and Jaeger are blackmailing him; he also doesn’t want the Luke and Jaeger to follow him to the Fort p.150

Chapter 21

  1. What is one of the perks to Janelle knowing about the Fort? She will help it get cleaned p.157

Chapter 22

  1. How did Ricky figure out what is happening with C.J.? He saw Marcus at Home Depot and how he behaved to an employee he supervised; he also connected the other details he’s observed about C.J.’s behavior p.160

Chapter 23

  1. How did the friends support C.J.? They believed Ricky when he told them his suspicions and they caught him staying at the Fort and didn’t let him be alone. They showed him know they were there for him p.173

Chapter 24

  1. Summarize this chapter. C.J.’s friends are helping him out and as he heads back to the Fort to sleep one night, he sees Luke and Jaeger; they follow him, but he loses them when he gets knocked down by a branch. He hears their car leave and he is able to go to the Fort p.175

Chapter 25

  1. How did Ricky help Mitchell feel better in this chapter? They helped him understand that Luke and Jaeger can’t black mail him because Jaeger won’t go to the police p.191

Chapter 26

  1. C.J.’s mom did a very courageous thing in this chapter. What is it and what could be the negative consequences of it. She packed her bag and decided to leave Marcus. Marcus could kill her and C.J. p.196

Chapter 27

  1. Explain Ricky’s status with the four friends and if he is being accepted by them. He’s able to hang around them since he found the Fort. It’s taken time, but he’s slowly gaining each person’s respect through his good ideas, his loyalty, and the initiative he’s shown p.203
  2. List one characteristic Ricky has shown to gain their respect. Ingenuity; courage; initiative; respectful; stands up for himself; confidence p.204

Chapter 28

  1. Have you been in a situation you didn’t want anyone to know about? Explain. Can you relate to Evan and C.J.? Listen to your child’s answer p.206

Chapter 29

  1. How does Janelle handle Luke and Jaeger? She threatens to call her dad who’s a policeman p.212
  2. Why does that stop the older boys? They don’t want to get any attention from a police officer because they are consistently breaking the law p.212

Chapter 30

  1. What is the consequence of C.J.’s mom not turning off the location finder on her phone? Marcus finds them in the bunker p.216
  2. Are you surprised that Marcus would lose his cool in front of C.J.’s friends? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 31

  1. Summarize this chapter. As Jason and Janelle get to the Fort the hatch is open; Luke and Jaeger pounce on them and go into the Fort with Jason; Janelle finds her phone and calls 9-1-1; Marcus grabs Jaeger by the throat and Jaeger pulls out his pocket knife and stabs Marcus; Marcus lets him go and drops to the ground but Jaeger won’t let anyone call an ambulance; the police arrive and arrest Jaeger and take Marcus to the hospital p.218

Chapter 32

  1. What does Mitchell come clean with in this chapter? That he peed on the herbs the spaghetti is made with p.231

Chapter 33

  1. Why is the white flower blooming in the cactus symbolic at the end of this story? It shows that hard things can be beautiful; these friends have struggled to accept each other, stand by each other and have grown together. What a beautiful way to end the story. As their friendship strengthens and blooms, so did this flower. It can also symbolize that times in life can be difficult, but by working together and supporting each other, they can be overcome  p.238
  2. What did you like about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

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.

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Bald Bandit

The Bald Bandit

by Ron Roy

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

There's a bank robber in Green Lawn! A red-haired kid took a video of the crime, but nobody can find him. Without the video, will the robber go free? Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose must track down that kid--before the bandit does!

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Explain why the friends are excited after the detective’s visit. If they can find the high schooler with the video of the bank robber, they will each get $100 p.8

Chapter 2

  1. How will the friends take advantage of Halloween? They will knock on doors looking for a tall red headed boy who has the video p.15

Chapter 3

  1. Explain how Operation Redhead went. Not well. The friends didn’t find him or anyone who knew of him; Josh wanted to give up, but Dink wouldn’t listen p.17

Chapter 4

  1. What information did Dink learn from the barber? The Redhead is now bald so the bandit doesn’t recognize him; he found out his name and where he lives p.35
  2. Why did the barber give the information to Dink? Dink said they would share the reward money with the Redhead p.33

Chapter 5

  1. Why won’t Lucky give his video tape to the detective? He doesn’t trust him p.42

Chapter 6

  1. What convinced Lucky to hand over the video tape? The friends wouldn’t give his name to the detective or anyone else p.45

Chapter 7

  1. Now that the friends know the detective is the bandit, predict what they will say to the detective. Listen to your child’s answer p.53

Chapter 8

  1. Summarize this chapter. Ruth Rose snuck out of the house and got the police; Dink and Josh let the bandit in and hid the real video tape and started to give him one of Dink playing soccer; the bandit was going to kidnap Ruth Rose but she started to yell really loud p.54

Chapter 9

  1. List a characteristic the friends demonstrated at the end of this book? Explain. Charity; kindness; selflessness; compassionate; they gave all the reward money to Lucky to help him pay for college p.69

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Falcon’s Feathers

The Falcon's Feathers

by Ron Roy

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

Josh and his two friends look for the person who stole a peregrine falcon from its nest.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What did you learn about peregrine falcons in this first chapter? They are almost extinct; they have multiple eggs/babies at a time; they are private and don’t like to be disturbed; they build their nests in trees; if humans disturb their nests, the parents might abandon the babies; falcons have a mother and father that stay together to help them grow up p.4

Chapter 2

  1. What is Josh’s reasoning that an owl or snake didn’t take the falcon babies? Mother and father falcons are fierce and wouldn’t let an animal take their babies p.15

Chapter 3

  1. Who did the children see near the nest and why? A man named Curt; he’s from the Department of Environmental Protection; Josh spoke with him on the phone; he was checking out the nest and told the kids to stay away from the area p.19

Chapter 4 

  1. Why did Ruth Rose name the baby falcon Flash? He moves so quickly p.25
  2. What’s the result of someone trimming Flash’s wings? He couldn’t fly p.27

Chapter 5

  1. What was suspicious about Grace watching them from the diner? She was reading a magazine about falcons p.38

Chapter 6

  1. Predict who you think took Flash out of his cage. Listen to your child’s answer p.44

Chapter 7

  1. Why is Grace at the top of Josh’s list as a suspect? Because of Grace’s suspicious behavior; Flash bit her; she could have busted the lock on the gate; she was reading the magazine about falcons p.48

Chapter 8

  1. Why did Josh and his friends look through a book about falcons? To learn more about them; to learn why someone wants to steal Flash and the other babies p.49

Chapter 9

  1. What clues were found in this chapter? The person who broke into the gate was wearing gloves; the falcon’s leg band had the letters and numbers GLKS-6-17 p.61

Chapter 10

  1. Summarize this chapter. Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose went to Curt’s cabin and heard whistling; they went to the shed and climbed in through the window; there were at least a dozen falcons in the cages; Curt saw them in the shed and slammed the window closed so they couldn’t get out p.66

Chapter 11

  1. What puzzle did Rush Rose solve while they were trapped in the shed? GL stands for Green Lawn and KS stands for Kurt Striker (his name begins with a K, not a C)

Chapter 12

  1. Why was Grace so suspicious during this story? She’s an undercover agent sent to Green Lawn to protect the Falcon population p.83