The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman
Grades 5-6; Genre - Fiction; GRL R; AR pts. 2.0
A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places.
Phrases
- Mad enough to spit ink p.1
- Puts my spine a-shiver p.23
- Catchpenny rogues p.25
- It’s me that’s in the soup p.39
- Knockin’ about outside the castle walls p.49
- Sweat and stew p.49
- As close as a cow’s tail p.75
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- What’s the purpose of a whipping boy? It is forbidden to whip a prince, so a boy is found on the streets and brought into the castle to be whipped when the prince is in trouble p.2
Chapter 2
- Why did the whipping boy learn to read, write and do sums when the prince learned nothing? Jemmy needed to be close by when the prince took his lessons p.6
Chapter 3
- Why was Jemmy worried to run away with the prince? He knew he’d be whipped when they were caught p.8
Chapter 4
- What’s happening at the end of this chapter? The boys were getting kidnapped p.11
Chapter 5
- Why didn’t Jemmy want the prince to tell the men who he was? They’d hold them for ransom p.13
Chapter 6
- Describe the kidnappers. Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy; Billy smelled of garlic, was big, thick, and loud with red hair; Cutwater was tall and thin p.18
- Why is Billy nicknamed, Hold-Your-Nose Billy? He smelled of garlic
Chapter 7
- What do you think Jemmy’s plan is? Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 8
- What was untrue in the letter Jemmy wrote? He signed it, “your obedient son”; the prince isn’t obedient p.26
Chapter 9
- Who’s the whipping boy now? The prince p.28
- How’s Jemmy going to free the prince? Sending the “whipping boy” to the castle with the note p.29
Chapter 10
- What decision did the prince make to fowl up Jemmy’s plan? He refused to go to the castle p.32
Chapter 11
- Who was to deliver the note since Prince Brat won’t? The horse p.38
Chapter 12
- Describe the prince. Selfish, not very clever or smart; won’t learn to read or write p.40
Chapter 13
- How did the boys escape? Jemmy ran with Cutwater chasing him; a bear distracted Cutwater so Jemmy could hide; the prince found Jemmy p.41
Chapter 14
- Why didn’t the prince want to go back to the castle? His dad doesn’t notice him; he doesn’t want to get in trouble; he likes the freedom p.49
Chapter 15
- Who did the boys run into again? Hold-Your-Nose Billy and Cutwater p.54
Chapter 16
- Why didn’t Jemmy get satisfaction when the prince was whipped? The prince became his friend p.58
Chapter 17
- How is the prince’s character growing and developing? He took a whipping and didn’t cry out; he’s being called brave; he’s not being selfish; he didn’t turn in Jemmy p.61
Chapter 18
- What did the prince learn at the fair? That his subjects didn’t like him and dreaded the day he’d become king p.69
- What did Jemmy learn? The king blamed him for the prince’s disappearance and has a reward for whoever brings him in, dead or alive p.73
Chapter 19
- How has the relationship between the two boys changed from when they first ran away? At first, they didn’t care what happened to each other, now they are becoming friends and respect and trust each other p.77
Chapter 20
- How does this story end? Betsy and captain Nips get the reward, the prince promises to do his lessons, behave himself and blow out his night candle; Jemmy stays in the castle and gets acknowledged for helping the prince; Billy and Cutwater get put on a ship to go to an island for prisoners p.87