Tag Archives: GRL N

Comprehension Questions Magic Tree House #37 Rhinos at Recess

Rhinos at Recess

by Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 1-4; Genre-Fantasy; GRL N; AR pts. 1.0

The magic tree house transports Jack and Annie to South Africa where they must protect a majestic rhino from poachers.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Why does Annie assume they are traveling to Africa? She saw a bird from Africa on a tree when she and Jack ran home to pick up her project during recess; the poem Morgan left them includes a description of Africa p.5

Chapter 2

  1. Describe a game reserve. Specific areas in Africa that protect animals from danger; rangers work in the reserve to protect the animals p.21

Chapter 3

  1. Why did it matter that a chopper was at the west gate of the reserve? Poachers travel in helicopters and could be in the chopper p.30

Chapter 4

  1. Why did Speedy run to the trees? He was scared p.38

Chapter 5

  1. Describe a rhinoceros. Very large animal with wrinkled dark gray skin, two large horns on its face p.42
  2. How did Jack and Annie stay safe from the rhino? They climbed a tree; they stayed quiet so the rhino couldn’t hear them p.41
  3. Predict what you think “the giant” and “them” is in the poem? Listen to your child’s answer p.45

Chapter 6

  1. Summarize the plan Annie came up with to save Rosie and her calf from the poachers. To call Rosie and get her to chase them to the tree they were hiding in, hoping her baby will follow; the leaves from the tree will hide the rhinos p.52

Chapter 7

  1. Were you correct in your prediction of what the giant is? Listen to your child’s answer p.62
  2. What is the paper tree? An ancestral tree on the brochure p.62

Chapter 8

  1. Describe what happened when Jack and Annie called for help. A pre-historic rhino (Rosie’s ancestor) came from the past and chased the poachers away p.65

Chapter 9

  1. Why did Jack get emotional in this chapter? He felt a love and connection for the rhino p.79

Chapter 10

  1. Why did Annie want everyone to listen to her animal presentation? She’s going to teach them about rhinos, pre-historic and present day, and that they might disappear from the earth. She’ll tell them that rangers are trying to protect them and the sad, the good and the bad things p.85
  2. What did you like about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

Comprehension Questions – A to Z Mysteries The Quicksand Question

The Quicksand Question

by Ron Roy

Grades 1-4; Genre - Mystery; GRL N; AR pts. 1.0

When someone steals the money the town has been collecting to help the ducks, Josh and his friends try to find the thief.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. How did the city come together to solve a problem? The people who were interested met and talked about solutions; they were kind to each other and brainstormed respectfully; people volunteered to help where they were able and a solution was found p.1

Chapter 2

  1. What did the friends find in the meadow? A burned piece of wood with letters written on it p.14
  2. Predict how this piece of wood will tie into the meadow fire mystery. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 3

  1. Summarize this chapter. Josh’s twin brothers took the money and cookies from the barn; the friends and brother had breakfast and then the friends went to the fire department to drop off their change; they saw Officer Fallon there and shared their clues with him about the fire; the collection bank was missing p.16

Chapter 4

  1. What’s a diversion? A distraction
  2. Describe what Mr. Pocket saw. A jeep with two men speeding down Main Street. The passenger looked like a duck p.28

Chapter 5

  1. Why is the man who used the restroom in the fire station a suspect? He could have been checking out the fire station to find out where the duck bank was located when he used the bathroom p.36

Chapter 6

  1. How did Ellie help the kids further their investigation? She knows that the burnt wood comes from a pallet found at the supermarket p.40

Chapter 7

  1. What did Mr. Robb explain and show the friends. Where people can pick up pallets p.46

Chapter 8

  1. What do you think the man in the rowboat was looking for in the water? Listen to your child’s answer p.54

Chapter 9

  1. Were you correct in your prediction? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. Predict how they’re going to get the jeep out of the river. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 10

  1. Was your prediction correct? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. What did Ruth Rose find and what did it mean? An apron with a name tag from the grocery store where the friends found the pallets p.71

Chapter 11

  1. How did this story end? They caught Martin and built the duck bridge; the friends waited all afternoon to see if the ducks would use the bridge and they did! p.75

Comprehension Questions Magic Tree House #36 Sunlight on the Snow Leopard

Sunlight on the Snow Leopard

by Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 1-4; Genre - Historical Fiction with Fantastical Elements; GRL N; AR pts. 1.0

Morgan le Fay tells Jack and Annie to seek out "The Gray Ghost" and listen to her story. They are whisked away to Nepal where they meet Tenzin, a climber, who takes them up the mountain to meet a snow leopard.

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Summarize what this story is going to be about. Jack and Annie are going to Nepal to find a ghost in the mountains p.1

Chapter 2

  1. List an observation Jack and Annie made of the people in this area. They are hard workers p.19

Chapter 3

  1. How did Annie convince Tenzin to help them find the ghost? She read Morgan’s poem to him and told him they were serious about finding the ghost, not just curious p.25

Chapter 4

  1. What did you learn about Tenzin in this chapter? He’s sad because his wife and daughter died last winter p.34
  2. Predict how Jack and Annie will help him in this story. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 5

  1. Why did Jack agree to follow Tenzin? Tenzin quoted a phrase from the poem and confirmed that they were supposed to follow Tenzin p.42

Chapter 6

  1. How did Tenzin put Jack and Annie at risk? By taking them on treacherous steep ground and for hiking so high p.51

Chapter 7

  1. What is the great ghost and how did Jack and Annie find it? A snow leopard; they tried to find Tenzin and when they hiked up to him, the snow leopard was with him. She was difficult to see because she blended in with the rocks p.59

Chapter 8

  1. How do you think the snow leopard is wise and what secret does she have to tell? Listen to your child’s answer p.62

Chapter 9

  1. Why didn’t Jack want to tell Ama and the girls about the snow leopard. Tenzin has a special bond with the snow leopard, and they want him to be the one to talk about her if he wants to p.72
  2. Have you ever had a story that was your own that you haven’t wanted anyone else to share or talk about? Explain. Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 10

  1. Were you correct in your assumption about what the poem means? Listen to your child’s answer
  2. If not, what is answer? The secret is love hides in plain sight, and we are never alone p.82
  3. What did you like about this story? Listen to your child’s answer

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 – 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 – A to Z Mysteries The Deadly Dungeon

The Deadly Dungeon

by Ron Roy

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose visit a castle in Maine and hear screams. They discover a hidden trap door leading to a secret tunnel and a dungeon, and must solve the mystery of who or what is making the noises, which might be a ghost.

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

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What is the setting of this story and why are the friends there? Belfast, Maine; visiting the author they helped save in The Absent Author p.1

Chapter 2

  1. Describe Emory Scott and why was it unsettling to hear his ghost scream? The man who built the castle in the 1930’s; he died suddenly in the castle; Wallis said she hears the ghost; the kids heard a scream as they were leaving for a picnic p.13

Chapter 3

  1. Summarize this chapter. The friends had a picnic; they took a walk and met Rip; they discussed the ghost of Emory Scott p.19

Chapter 4

  1. Where did the friends go that creeped them out? An old playhouse and a cave with bats on the beach p.25

Chapter 5

  1. Who do you think is out near the playhouse? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 6

  1. Do you think the light in the woods was a firefly? Why or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.41

Chapter 7

  1. How many green feathers have appeared throughout the story so far? 3 p.53
  2. What do you think they mean? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 8

  1. Summarize what the children found in this chapter. A trapdoor in the playhouse with stone stairs leading downward into darkness p.57
  2. Would you be brave enough to go down those stairs after hearing that scream? Listen to your child’s answer

Chapter 9

  1. What is scary about the friends being stuck in the tunnel with the parrots? The tide is coming in and will flood the tunnel; they could drown p.64

Chapter 10

  1. Do you agree with Dink? Is the person hiding the parrots Walker? Why, or why not? Listen to your child’s answer p.72

Chapter 11

  1. How is Ripley deceiving them all? He is driving Walker’s Jeep and leaving green feathers to make Walker look suspicious p.80

Chapter 12

  1. Why was Ripley’s boat always so clean? He never catches lobster; he acted like he did, but used his boat to pick up the parrots from other countries p.84
  2. What was the loud screech from the mudroom if the parrots had been taken by the police? Listen to your child’s answer p.86

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