The School Skeleton

By Ron Roy

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

It’s a bona fide mystery at Dink’s school. Some sneaky soul has stolen the skeleton from the nurse’s office! The principal promises free aquarium tickets to the savvy student sleuths who can track down poor Mr. Bones. Soon mysterious clues are showing up all over the school. It’s up to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose to follow the clues and put those old bones to rest.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. Why does Donald David Duncan go by Dink? When
   he first learned to talk, all he could say was Dink when he tried to say his
   name p.2
2. Why did Dink need to go to the nurse’s
   office? He got a paper cut and needed a Band Aid p.3
3. What did Dink notice was missing from the nurse’s
   office? Mr. Bones the skeleton p.7

Chapter 2

1. What’s the reward for the class that finds Mr.
   Bones? Free tickets to the new aquarium in Hartford, CT p.13
2. Why did Josh think Mr. Neater could be a suspect
   for the missing skeleton? He has keys to the doors in the school p.14
3. What was the topic of the story Mrs. Eagle
   assigned the kids to write? The vanishing school skeleton p.16

Chapter 3

1. Describe the footprint Ruth Rose and Josh found
   in the corner where the skeleton usually hung?  It was in the dust and looked like it was
   made by a sneaker; it was the left foot and adult sized p.18
2. What did the kids want to do with the
   footprint before Mr. Neater swept up the office? Draw and measure it p.21
3. How did Dink know the nurse, office secretary,
   or principal didn’t take the skeleton? The bottom of their shoes didn’t
   match the print in the dust p.25

Chapter 4

1. What size shoes does Dink think the skeleton
   snatcher is? A size 10 p.28
2. How many teachers did the kids need to measure
   for their footprint? 8 p.29
3. What did the kids plan to do the next day to
   figure out the footprint clue? They wrote a note to the 8 teachers to ask if
   they would talk with them, Mrs. Waters would put them in their boxes, then when
   they would meet the kids would measure the footprint against each of their shoes
   p.31

Chapter 5

1. How did Mrs. Eagle respond to the kids needing
   to leave class to talk to the other teachers? She said it was ok p.35
2. What were the results from measuring the teacher’s
   feet that were on the list? None of them matched Josh’s footprint p.38
3. What happened to Mr. Palmer that proved he didn’t
   steal the skeleton? He slipped on ice and got a cast on his foot the day
   before and was in the emergency room when the skeleton was stolen p.42

Chapter 6

1. What did the kids see on the ground on their
   way back to class? A footprint on the ground in white powder p.45
2. Why did Mrs. Eagle want the boys to open their
   lockers? The footprint was in front of their lockers and she wanted to see what
   was inside p.47
3. What was in Josh’s locker? A twisted
   white paper with a skeleton on it and a shiny key hidden inside p.49

Chapter 7

1. Why did Mrs. Eagle ask Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose
   to tell the class what they’ve been up to? So the class could help and be
   involved p.50
2. Where does Ruth Rose think the powder on the floor
   came from? Mrs. Waters said her powder was missing and someone could have
   taken it p.55
3. What does Ruth Rose think the message with the
   key, skeleton and the 2 means? Key to skeleton p.58

Chapter 8

1. What was strange about the key and how did it
   differ from Ruth Rose’s? it looked brand new and didn’t have any marks on it
   yet; Ruth Rose’s had tiny scratches from using it frequently p.61
2. Why did the kids decide to go see Mr. Neater? Because
   he has keys to everything in the building and he could have put the key in Josh’s
   locker p.62
3. Who else came to visit Mr. Neater and why? Cory
   from fifth grade and Jane and Susan from second grade; they also had found a footprint
   by their lockers and a paper with a skeleton wrinkled up with a key hidden in
   it p.66

Chapter 9

1. What clues points to Mr. Dillon as the skeleton
   snatcher? There’s a small door from his office to Miss Shotsky’s and he had
   easy access to Mr. Waters powder p.71
2. What’s Mrs. Waters missing now? Her key to
   the closet p.73
3. Where was Mr. Bones? Hanging in Mrs. Waters’
   coat closet p.74

Chapter 10

1. What did the note read that was hanging from Mr.
   Bones? April Fools! P.77
2. What day is it? April 1^st; April
   Fools p.78
3. Why did Mr. Dillon hide the skeleton and leave
   the clues? He loves April Fools Day and doing pranks. No one does pranks
   anymore, so he wanted to make it a memorable holiday p.82