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Comprehension Questions – When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead

Grades 5-7; Genre - Fiction; GRL V; AR pts: 6.0

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper: I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

Comprehension Questions

Chapters 1-3 pgs. 1-11

Ask your child to think about the names of the chapters and how they’re symbolic to the story. Tell them you’ll ask them at the end of the book to see if they’ve figured it out.

  1. What point of view is this story told in and who’s the main character? first person; Miranda p.1,5
  2. Why does Miranda’s mom need to win the game show? Because her mom’s hating work and if she wins, she doesn’t have to work anymore p.6
  3. What book is Miranda telling Belle about while waiting for her mom in the store? A Wrinkle in Time; If you child doesn’t know yet, don’t tell them, sections of this book come up through the rest of the story p.8
  4. What did Miranda and her mom hide in this chapter? A key to their apartment p.11

Chapters 4-6 pgs. 12-20

  1. How did Miranda meet Sal? She and her mom had just moved into the apartment and that same day they met Louisa holding Sal in the lobby. He was crying and stopped when he saw Miranda p.15
  2. Describe the crazy man on the corner? He showed up as school began and would do sudden kicks into the street, shake his fist at the sky, yell crazy stuff and throw his head back and laugh so everyone could see his mouth full of fillings. He sometimes slept with his head under the mailbox p.16
  3. Who is Miranda referring to when she says, “you”? listen to your children’s thoughts

Chapters 7-10 pgs. 21-31

  1. What’s the consequence of Sal getting punched? It ended Miranda’s and his friendship p.24
  2. How does Miranda deal with strangers that she comes across? She asks them if they have the time p.25
  3. How did Miranda deal with the bully who followed her and punched Sal? She turned around and asked him if he had the time; after their conversation realized she wasn’t scared of him p.30

Chapters 11-14 pgs. 32-53

  1. Why did Miranda ask Annemarie if she wanted to have lunch together? Miranda needed a friend and overheard Julia tell Annemarie that she wouldn’t eat lunch with her for the rest of the week p.35
  2. Why is it important that Louisa writes down notes from the game show? So Miranda’s mom can practice just how it will be when she gets on the show p.40
  3. Who was the last kid on the list Miranda picked up to the dentist and what did they have a debate about? Marcus, the boy who hit Sal; Miranda’s book p.47

Chapters 15-19 pgs. 54-66

  1. Where did Miranda, Annemarie and Colin get jobs and what was the pay? Jimmy’s; a soda and cheese sandwich p.55
  2. What was missing and what did Miranda find in her library book? The apartment key; a note that freaked Miranda and her mom out p.60
  3. Why was Miranda nervous to bring Annemarie home? They had to walk by the group of boys and the laughing man on the corner p.64

Chapters 20-25 pgs. 67-83

  1. What was in Jimmy’s bank in the back of the restaurant? Lots of $2 bills p.69
  2. How does Miranda feel about Colin? She has a crush on him p.74
  3. What did Jimmy do to Julia at the sandwich shop? He kicked her out p.83

Chapters 26-30 pgs. 84-99

  1. What had been stolen from Miranda’s apartment? Richard’s work shoes p.87
  2. Why shouldn’t Annemarie eat bread and drink soda? She has epilepsy and that type of food makes her seizures worse p.92
  3. What did Miranda learn from the third note? That whoever was writing the notes was watching her p.99

Chapters 31-34 pgs. 100-117

  1. Why did Marcus hit Sal? To see what would happen p.105
  2. Why had Miranda’s bread count at Jimmy’s come up short? Colin had taken two of the rolls and stuffed them in his knapsack p.109
  3. How did Miranda’s mom react when she found out Miranda gave the laughing man a sandwich? She was upset and thought Miranda put herself in danger p.115

Chapters 35-39 pgs. 118-136

  1. Why didn’t Jimmy let the kids into the restaurant? Someone had stolen his bank and he assumed it was one of them p.124
  2. Why does Jimmy think Julia stole the bank? She’s black p.130
  3. If you haven’t figured it out yet, what’s the book Miranda is always carrying and debating with Marcus? A Wrinkle in Time p.135

Chapters 40-43 pgs. 137-153

  1. Why did Miranda’s mom get scared when Miranda wasn’t home and she didn’t know where she was? She thought something happened to her; Miranda left and said she was going to bring back a bagel for her and never came back p.141
  2. What caused Miranda’s change of heart? She saw Julia’s face as she looked at Annemarie and realized she had the same face when she looked at Sal p.144
  3. Who was at the door when Miranda heard the strange knock and what did they want? Colin; he kissed Miranda p.153

Chapters 44-47 pgs. 154-170

  1. Why did Sal run away from Marcus into the road? Sal was scared of him because he had punched him p.158
  2. Who wrote the notes to Miranda and saved Sal’s life? The laughing man p.162
  3. Why did Sal want to take a break from being friends with Miranda? He wanted to have other friends because he didn’t have any p.169

Chapters 48-55 pgs. 171-197

  1. Explain what happened with Marcus’ brother and Marcus’ explanation of why he hit Sal. Anthony, Marcus’ brother got beat up and Marcus stood and watched. Anthony was upset that Marcus didn’t help him and told him he’d have to hit and be hit someday to understand. The next day Marcus hit Sal and instead of hitting Marcus back, Sal bent over and cried. When Anthony found out what Marcus did, he was mad at him for hitting a short kid p.177
  2. Who’s the laughing man? Marcus from the future p.189
  3. What did Miranda find under the mailbox and who’s the drawing of? Her missing apartment key and a drawing of Julia p.194
  4. Summarize this story. Miranda received three notes explaining she needed to write a letter telling the story of what happened between Sal and Marcus. The notes were from Marcus (the laughing man) from the future. Young Marcus needed the letter to know how to protect Sal.

Challenge Question

  1. What did the chapter titles represent in this story? Subjects on $20,000 Pyramid

Comprehension Questions – Magic Tree House #32 To the Future, Ben Franklin!

To the Future, Ben Franklin!

By Mary Pope Osborne

Grades 1-4; Genre – Historical Fiction with Fantastical Elements; AR pts: 1.0

Jack and Annie know all about Ben Franklin. He was a Founding Father, a journalist, and a famous inventor! When the magic tree house whisks them back to meet the man himself, they're not sure what their mission is. But Ben Franklin has a mission of his own. Intrigued by Jack and Annie, he's curious to learn more about where they came from. And very curious about their tree house…

Comprehension Questions

Chapter 1

  1. What did Annie see that gave her a clue the tree house might be there? A flash of lightning p.4
  2. Who do you think Dr. Ben is? Benjamin Franklin p.6
  3. Where were Jack and Annie supposed to travel this time? Old Philadelphia in 1787 p.9

Chapter 2

  1. In what way did Jack and Annie serve the gardener so they could meet Dr. Ben? They offered to take his lunch to him p.13
  2. How did the gardener describe Dr. Ben? He stole lightning bolts out of the clouds; an inventor and scientist; a diplomat and writer; a scholar and businessman p.15
  3. Why wasn’t Jack impressed with Old Philadelphia? Blue flies buzzing around his head; it was stinky from crowded horse stables; garbage on the ground p.18

Chapter 3

  1. Who answered the door to the state house? a soldier p.20
  2. Why was it a soldier? To keep people out; Dr. Ben was in a meeting with others and they needed it guarded to protect them and what they were saying p.21
  3. What was the meeting about? The men all gathered were writing the Constitution for the United States of America p. 26
  4. What’s the Constitution of the United States of America? A very important document that contains basic laws that define how the American government works p.26

Chapter 4

  1. Describe what George Washington did in the meeting? He was in charge p.29
  2. Did George Washington recognize them? Yes, but he didn’t’ think it was them. He said the kids he met would have been older since that was 11 years ago p.32
  3. What was Dr. Ben’s reaction when Jack and Annie said they were from the press and with the Gazette? He was panicked and hurried them out of the back of the state house to talk p.33

Chapter 5

  1. What newspaper did Annie say they were from to help Dr. Ben feel better? The Frog Creek News p.38
  2. What’s a lightning rod and who invented it? a rod with a wire attached that lightning hits and goes through the wire to the earth; Benjamin Franklin p.41
  3. How are lightning rods useful? They direct the lightning to the ground to prevent it from hitting the house and causing a fire p.42

Chapter 6

  1. Why did Benjamin Franklin only go to school for two years? He was one of fifteen children and they were very poor, so he had to go to work to help his family p.44
  2. List two inventions Benjamin Franklin invented. Your child should list two of the following: Lightning rods, bifocals, new kind of ship’s anchor, candle that makes a bright white light and lasts longer than other candles p.45
  3. How does Benjamin Franklin feel about the document he’s working on with the other delegates? He doesn’t know if it will ever be ready; they can’t agree on what to put in it; he doesn’t know if he wants to sign it p.47

Chapter 7

  1. What’s Ben Franklin’s biggest concern for America? He knows they need to end slavery p.50
  2. What’s the big secret Annie told Ben? She told him about the magic tree house p.53
  3. Why did Annie tell him about the tree house? so she and Jack could take him to their own time in Frog Creek woods; he needs to see a hope for America so that he signs the Constitution p.52
  4. What did Ben first think about the magic tree house? that Jack and Annie were pretending and that it was a game p.57

Chapter 8

  1. How did Ben react to traveling to the future? Confused and perplexed at first, but accepted it and became excited to see how things were p.59
  2. Name two things Ben thought were amazing in Frog Creek. Smooth black paved road, a car, sprinkler system, power lines and telephone lines, an airplane p.61

Chapter 9

  1. After seeing the airplane, what did Ben Franklin want to do and why? He wanted to go home; he was overwhelmed by the technology p.68
  2. What did Annie want to show Ben before he went back home and why did Jack say that it was a brilliant idea? The public library; Ben respects books and opened the first library in Philadelphia p.70
  3. How did Ben Franklin respond when Jack and Annie told him America has free schooling that goes for 12 years and is for all boys and girls? He got teary eyed p.74

Chapter 10

  1. What did Jack look up on the computer to show Ben Franklin? Information on the United States of America p.77
  2. Ben Franklin said it is so important for the people of America to come together as one. Why? We’re all different, but we need to learn to work together, be kind to each other and listen to each other p.78
  3. What did Ben realize about the Constitution and why he needed to sign it? That it’s only the first step to this country and that even though he doesn’t agree with everything in it, the delegates first need to come together to be one country p.80
  4. What did Jack and Annie promise Ben Franklin? That they would never take the wondrous things of their world for granted p.83