January Joker

by Ron Roy

Grades 2-3; Genre - Fiction; GRL N; AR pts: 1.0

In the first book of the Calendar Mysteries — an early chapter book mystery series featuring the younger siblings of the A to Z Mysteries detectives — Green Lawn has a problem! When Bradley Pinto wakes up in the night to strange lights in his backyard, he wonders if there are aliens in town. When he sees three-toed tracks in the snow, he's sure of it. His twin, Brian, and friends Lucy and Nate aren't so certain. But then Lucy's cousin Dink, the twins' brother Josh, and Nate's sister Ruth Rose all disappear. Are there "really "aliens in Green Lawn? And where could they be taking Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose?

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

1. What’s the setting of this story? In Brian and Bradley’s bedroom in the middle of the night p.1
2. Who did the kids see outside by the barn? Two aliens p.4
3. Why did the kids think Nate was playing a trick on them? Nate likes to do practical jokes on people; they knew it couldn’t be aliens p.6

Chapter 2

1. Who was babysitting the four friends? Their older siblings and cousin; Dink, Ruth Rose & Josh p.9
2. What did the kids have to do before they could ride Polly? Clean up breakfast p.10
3. What did the kids see in the snow that was proof Bradley saw a spaceship? A big circle p.13

Chapter 3

1. Why did Bradley think Josh, Ruth Rose and Dink had been taken by aliens? They couldn’t find them anywhere p.17
2. What did the kids find on Josh’s printer? A newspaper article about aliens taking children and animals back to their planet; it described a circle and funny footprints p.19
3. What does Bradley think happened to Polly? She was taken by the aliens p.20

Chapter 4

1. What did Ruth Rose and Josh tell the kids when they talked to them on the phone? That aliens kidnapped them and they’re in a spaceship p.21
2. Where do you think Pal was? Listen to your child’s answer p.24

Chapter 5

1. Why did Lucy want to write down the clues they’ve found? To organize her thoughts and help figure out the mystery p.26
2. What peered at the kids through the window? A green face with big teeth and a yellow face with big eyes staring at them p.28
3. Where did the kids hide? Under the stairs in a closet p.30

Chapter 6

1. What did the kids do to secure the house and make sure aliens wouldn’t come in? lock the doors and close the shades p.33
2. What funny prints did Lucy find in the alien book? The same ones they saw outside p.34
3. How was Lucy planning to capture the aliens? Make them lunch; give them food p.36

Chapter 7

1. What food did Lucy use as bait? Grapes p.40
2. Where were the kids hoping to catch the aliens? In the closet under the stairs p.40

Chapter 8

1. Who was in the closet and why? Brian; he said the aliens put him there p.44
2. Why did Bradley pinch Brian? To show him he wasn’t dreaming p.46
3. Why did Bradley write a note to his friends instead of just talking to them? he thought the aliens were listening to them p.48

Chapter 9

1. What makes Bradley think the aliens are hiding in the attic? They found Pal’s rubber toy on the bed and they think it must have dropped from the heat vent in the attic p.49
2. Why haven’t the kids turned on the TV to see what was going on with the aliens? They’ve been busy; haven’t thought of it p.53

Chapter 10

1. How did the kids get the note up to the attic? They stuck it to the mop stick and put it through the heat vent p.55
2. What did the aliens do that made Lucy mad? They tore up her note and dropped the pieces back through the vent p.58

Chapter 11

1. Why did Officer Fallon come to the house? Bradley called him p.60
2. Why did the police tell the kids to keep the door to the attic locked? To keep whoever was hiding there wouldn’t escape; to keep the kids safe p.60
3. Why was the twins’ mom upset? Policemen and firemen had come to the house p.65

Chapter 12

1. What did the police find in the attic? Two stuffed aliens and Dink, Ruth Rose and Josh p.68
2. Why did the older kids pull this prank on the first graders? Because Nate had played a practical joke on them and they wanted to get him back p.70
3. Why did the older kids plan the joke for that day? They knew the parents would be out at breakfast together p.72

Chapter 13

1. Who got to decide the punishment for the older kids? The younger kids p.73
2. What punishment did the younger kids agree on? The older kids had to sit in Ellie’s diner dressed up as aliens, and they couldn’t talk p.74
3. When Officer Fallon asked for an autograph what was Josh’s response? He wanted ice cream, so if Officer Fallon bought it for him, then he’d sign anything p.77