Grade 2 Study Guides and Comprehension Questions

The Absolutely Essential Eloise
by Kay Thompson

1. Eloise does what she wants to do. How does she have time to do this?
Eloise has next to no chores or friends, and she doesn't have to go to school. Philip tutors her.

2. Most grownups do not do what Eloise does. Most children do not do what Eloise does. How can Eloise do what she does?
Eloise is allowed to act like an adult at The Plaza, but she does not have any responsibilities. She can do whatever she wants, whenever she wants, because she is only 6, cute, and doesn't have to pay for anything. She lives at The Plaza, which few people do, and is naïve enough to think that the wealthy lifestyle around her is normal, as is the fact that she is not supervised by parents.

3. Eloise has a lot of fun each day. How does she have so much fun by herself?
Eloise is never bored because whatever her life lacks, she makes up for by having a great imagination. Of course, being rich and connected, and perhaps being neglected by her parents, plays a big part. Her mother is mentioned but her father isn't. Nanny and the entire hotel staff seem to supervise her, but not fully.

4. If you could spend one full day with Eloise at The Plaza, what would you do?

Amelia Bedelia
by Peggy Parish

1. Amelia Bedelia went to her first day of work. Why didn't anyone show her what needed to be done?
Mrs. Rogers had to leave, so she made a list for Amelia Bedelia to follow.

2. What were two things on Amelia Bedelia's list? What did she do to cross them off the list?
Students may suggest any two of the following: Amelia changed the towels by cutting them into different shapes, dusted the furniture by shaking dusting powder over it, drew the drapes by sketching them, took the light bulbs out and hung them on the clothesline instead of turning them off, used a measuring tape for two cups of rice (and then put the rice back in its bag), trimmed the steak by decorating it with fabric trim, and dressed a chicken with clothing.

3. Why didn't Mrs. Rogers fire Amelia Bedelia?
Mrs. Rogers did not fire Amelia Bedelia because Mr. Rogers gave his wife a taste of Amelia Bedelia's lemon-meringue pie. The pie was so good that Mr. and Mrs. Rogers wanted her to stay and work for them.

4. Amelia Bedelia's misunderstandings could have been easily solved if Mrs. Rogers had been at home with Amelia on her first day. Think about a recent mistake that you have made. What was it, and what would have helped you not make it?

Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping
by Peggy Parish

1. Amelia Bedelia did some odd things. What were some of the odd things she did?
Amelia Bedelia thought hit the road meant to beat the road with a stick. She thought catching fish meant to jump in the lake and grab a fish with her hands. Amelia thought pitch a tent meant to toss the tent like a ball. She put potato chips in chocolate cookies to make chocolate chip cookies, cut steak into tent shapes (tent stakes), thought pine cones and coffee on the grill would start a fire, rowed boats by putting them in a row, gently held paper bags as if they were asleep (sleeping bags), and took everything she was told literally. If there is time, discuss how homonyms and slang can be misunderstood.

2. Mr. Rogers said it was the best camping trip ever. Why did he say that?
Although Amelia Bedelia ruined most of it, she didn't do anything to be mean. She also made a great meal and was the only one to remember Mr. Rogers' birthday. Saying it was the best camping trip ever was Mr. Rogers' way of thanking Amelia Bedelia for her kindness to him.

3. Amelia Bedelia made many mistakes, but she never stopped trying. What did you learn from her?
Answers will vary. Accept all reasonable answers. Encourage students to remember that everyone makes mistakes and that things can turn out well when people have good attitudes.

4. Think about the things you say every day—slang or homonyms—that might confuse Amelia Bedelia. Write down three phrases or words. Then tell a story about what Amelia Bedelia might do if she heard you say these things.

Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery
by Doug Cushman

Aunt Eater Rides the Train
1. What kind of books did Aunt Eater like to read?
Aunt Eater enjoyed reading mysteries.

2. What went wrong on the train?
Aunt Eater gave the porter her bag, but the bag delivered to her seat did not belong to her. Aunt Eater had to find her missing bag.

3. How did they find the missing bag?
Aunt Eater and the conductor searched the train and heard popping. They hurried toward it. In the engine room, they found Aunt Eater's bag.

Aunt Eater Sees a Shadow
1. What did Aunt Eater see on the wall?
Aunt Eater discovered a shadow that looked dangerous.

2. What did Aunt Eater do? What did the others at the party do?
The cat hit the lamp, and the light turned off. All the shadows disappeared. Aunt Eater turned on another light. The people at the party talked about the shadow's owner, and then they searched for the culprit, inside and outside the house.

3. Whose shadow was it? Who figured it out?
After the guests went home, Aunt Eater figured out that the shadow belonged to Alfred, the butler, who carried a pitcher of lemonade on a tray.

Aunt Eater Collects Her Mail
1. Aunt Eater found a note in her mailbox. What did it say?
In her mailbox, Aunt Eater found a note that said someone would be back at 3 p.m. She did not know who sent the note or to whom it was addressed.

2. Who did she suspect sent the note?
Aunt Eater thought Mr. Chumly had mistakenly left the note in her mailbox for his brother.

3. Who left the note for Aunt Eater?
Why did he leave it? The mailman had left the note for Aunt Eater. He had a package, a mystery book, to deliver to her.

Aunt Eater Solves a Mystery
1. Why was Sam at Aunt Eater's house?
Mr. Chumly asked Aunt Eater to watch his cat, Sam, while he went for a visit to his brother's house.

2. What did Aunt Eater do to find Sam?
Aunt Eater looked for clues. She saw the back door open, so she searched for Sam outside. Then she followed his paw prints to an alley.

3. How did Aunt Eater know which cat was Sam?
All the cats looked alike. Aunt Eater gave fish to the cats. All the cats, except Sam, ate the fish. Sam did not like fish. That's how Aunt Eater picked Sam out of the many cats that looked like him.

4. Aunt Eater was curious about many things in her world. She loved mysteries, and she saw them all around her. Her mysteries began with a question, such as "Where is my bag," "Who does that shadow belong to," "Who is this note for," or "Where is Sam"? Look at your world. Write five questions that could be mysteries.

Aunt Eater's Mystery Vacation
by Doug Cushman

Aunt Eater Rides the Ferry
1. What did Aunt Eater plan to do on her trip?
She planned to read her mystery books and relax.

2. The captain was missing. Where did Aunt Eater and the first mate find him?
Aunt Eater and the first mate found the captain hanging onto the ship's anchor. A large wave had swept him overboard.

3. The captain wanted to thank Aunt Eater. What did he let her do?
The captain let Aunt Eater ring the bell to tell passengers they could go ashore.

Aunt Eater Follows a Sweater
1. An anteater in a green dress yelled for help. Why did she yell for help?
The anteater yelled for help because her diamond ring was missing. She had set it down and gone into the bathroom. When she returned, the ring was missing.

2. Aunt Eater's sweater was missing. How was the yarn in her room a clue?
Sweaters are made from yarn. A piece of yarn had unraveled from Aunt Eater's sweater and was still connected to it. The yarn led Aunt Eater to the culprit.

3. Why did the bird steal so many things?
The mynah bird liked shiny objects. It would take anything shiny and put the object in its nest. Birds do not have a conscience like people do. They have an instinct. This bird's instinct said it should take all the shiny things it found.

Aunt Eater Tastes Some Soup
1. Aunt Eater sat on a bench. She wanted to read a book. A package was on the bench by her. What was in the package?
In the package on the bench was a leg bone from a Swinesauras, a dinosaur. It belonged to Professor Slagbottom.

2. The owner of the package lost it again. He wanted to find it. What were the three places where he might have left it?
Professor Slagbottom could have misplaced his dinosaur bone in the garden, by the lake, or in the kitchen.

3. Where was the missing bone?
Aunt Eater and Professor Slagbottom found the dinosaur bone in a pot of soup. The Professor had left it in the kitchen, and Cook had made soup out of it.

Aunt Eater Finds an Ending
1. Aunt Eater thought Edna Herring was a thief. Why did she think this?
Edna Herring was a stranger who entered the back of a building and dropped a note about a stolen painting.

2. Aunt Eater read the note. She looked for the painting. Where did she look?
Aunt Eater searched the cupboards, drawers, and pantry in the kitchen. She found nothing.

3. Aunt Eater picked up a sheet of paper. The sheet looked like a note. Where did the note belong?
The paper that told where the stolen painting was hidden was not a note. It was the last page of a new book that Edna Herring was writing. It belonged in Edna's book.

4. Aunt Eater constantly saw odd situations. Write about one strange thing you have seen recently. What did you think you saw, and what did you actually see?

The Battle for St. Michaels
by Emily Arnold McCully

Chapters 1 and 2
1. What did Caroline like to do? What was she good at doing?
Caroline liked to run. She could run faster than any boy or girl under 15 in St. Michaels, and she was only 9 and a half years old.

2. Caroline wanted to keep her town safe. What did she do to help?
Caroline ran a mile and a half to deliver Captain Dodson's note to Captain Kemp. Then she ran back to Captain Dodson with Captain Kemp's reply.

3. Why did the British want to attack this town?
St. Michaels was a ship-building town. The British wanted to destroy the boats the city made.

Chapters 3 and 4
1. Caroline and her mother did not leave. Why did they stay in the town with the men?
The general asked Mrs. Banning to feed and house soldiers. She said she needed Caroline; Caroline agreed because she wanted to stay to run messages.

2. How did this town plan to trick the British?
The town of St. Michaels turned off all their gas and candle lights, hung lanterns high in the trees and put lanterns on the rooftops. In the bad weather, they hoped to fool the British cannons.

3. What did Captain Kemp ask Caroline to do?
When Caroline had finished hanging lanterns, Captain Kemp asked her to take a message to Captain Dodson at Parrott's Point.

Chapters 5, 6, and 7
1. Caroline and Robert were at Parrott's Point. Why were they there?
Captain Kemp gave Caroline a note for Captain Dodson. Robert ran to the Point with her. Then Captain Dodson asked them to remain in case he needed to send a message.

2. It was night. What happened at Parrott's Point?
Over three hundred British troops made a surprise attack. All but two men ran away. Captain Dodson and John Stevens shot the cannon once. Then they, too, had to retreat.

3. What happened to the town?
The British cannons shot at the town, but they overshot it because the lanterns were in the trees.

4. The battle at St. Michaels really took place. It was a historical event. Captain Kemp, Captain Dodson, and John Stevens were real men during this battle. The author of this book made up Caroline and her family. Through them, though, the author showed the importance of the American flag. Why was the flag important? What did it mean to the people of St. Michaels? What did it mean to Caroline? What does it mean to you?

Bear's Hiccups
by Marion Dane Bauer

1. The day was hot. Otter did not play. Frog did not croak. Turtle buried herself in the mud at the bottom of the pond. What did Bear do?
Bear dove into the pond to cool off.

2. It was a hot day. Bear liked the pond. Other animals liked the pond, too. What did Bear tell the animals at the pond?
Bear told them that because the pond was small and he was large, the pond now belonged to him.

3. Why did Bear say such a thing? Why did Bear think the other animals would obey him?
Bear was big and probably used to getting his way. (Bear was a bully.) He was selfish and did not think about the needs of others. Bear only thought about himself and how the pond water felt cool on a hot summer day.

4. Bear had hiccups. How did the animals try to cure Bear of his hiccups?
Big Fish told Bear to hold his breath. Deer told Bear to drink a lot of water. Otter told Bear to stand on his head. Turtle bit Bear's nose.

5. How did Turtle help Frog?
Turtle bit Bear's nose, which made Bear sneeze. When Bear sneezed, Frog flew out of his mouth.

Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express
by Eleanor Coerr

1. Bill completed his ride. Then Bill rode 75 more miles. Why did he ride 75 more miles?
The next rider was sick, and Bill made a commitment to get the mail to its final destination on time. Even though he was only one link in a long chain of riders, Bill understood that each rider had to do his part or the whole system would not work. That's why he rode a second 75 miles.

2. Bill faced many problems. One time he had a problem with wolves. How did he solve that problem?
When fighting wolves, Bill used not only his bullets, but also his horn to scare them away.

3. Terrible Tod was a problem. Terrible Tod wanted to rob Bill. Bill did not want to be robbed. What did Bill do?
Bill made a dummy to ride his horse and carry his bag. When Terrible Tod tried to rob the dummy, the sheriff arrested him. Then Bill carried the money safely to where it needed to go.

4. Pretend that you are a Pony Express rider like Bill. Unlike Bill, you tell your parents everything that happened on your rides. Write a letter home to your mother and/or father and tell them about an adventure you had—and how you safely delivered the mail.

Can You See What I See? Toys
by Walter Wick

1. Which word in this book was easiest to read?
Students can choose from the following words: baseball, bell, boat, bottle, bunny, cats, chickens, chimp, clock, dog with a bone, dogs, dragon, fork, frogs, hat, horse, hot dog, house, kangaroo, moon, mouse, owl, phone, pumpkin, sea horse, shark, shell, shoe, spider, starfish, tigers, tub, or wagon.

2. Which item was easiest to find?
Students can choose from the following items: baseball, bell, boat, bottle, bunny, cats, chickens, chimp, clock, dog with a bone, dogs, dragon, fork, frogs, hat, horse, hot dog, house, kangaroo, moon, mouse, owl, phone, pumpkin, sea horse, shark, shell, shoe, spider, starfish, tigers, tub, or wagon.

3. Which word in this book was the most difficult to read?
Students can choose from the following words: baseball, bell, boat, bottle, bunny, cats, chickens, chimp, clock, dog with a bone, dogs, dragon, fork, frogs, hat, horse, hot dog, house, kangaroo, moon, mouse, owl, phone, pumpkin, sea horse, shark, shell, shoe, spider, starfish, tigers, tub, or wagon.

4. Which item was the most difficult to find?
Students can choose from the following items: baseball, bell, boat, bottle, bunny, cats, chickens, chimp, clock, dog with a bone, dogs, dragon, fork, frogs, hat, horse, hot dog, house, kangaroo, moon, mouse, owl, phone, pumpkin, sea horse, shark, shell, shoe, spider, starfish, tigers, tub, or wagon.

5. Choose three difficult words that are not found in this book. The words must be things, not thoughts or feelings. Draw a picture. Then hide those items in the picture. Write a paragraph that gives clues as to where you have hidden each item.

Chang's Paper Pony
by Eleanor Coerr

1. Chang wanted to buy a pony. He asked Big Pete for help. Big Pete agreed to show him how to look for gold. Chang said he would sweep and scrub Big Pete's cabin in return. Big Pete and Chang looked for gold. Chang did not find enough gold to buy a pony. Why should or shouldn't Chang sweep and scrub Big Pete's cabin?
Discuss how Chang needed to keep his word even when the agreement didn't turn out the way he expected. Suggest that Chang should not have agreed to sweep the cabin if he didn't intend to keep his end of the agreement.

2. Chang found gold flakes in Big Pete’s cabin. Why did he give them to Big Pete?
Discuss how Chang gave the gold flakes back to Big Pete because the gold came from Big Pete's cabin. Whatever was in Big Pete's cabin belonged to Big Pete, no matter who found it.

3. Chang did get a pony. How did he get it?
Chang did what was right and gave Big Pete the gold flakes that he had found on Big Pete's floor. This gave Big Pete extra money. Big Pete also did what was right and bought Chang a pony with part of the money.

4. Chang wanted a pony. He wanted a pony so bad he dreamed about it. What is something you dream about owning? Write a paragraph about why you want it and what you would do if you had it.

Christopher Columbus
by Stephen Krensky

1. Christopher was a captain. What was the name of his ship? What were the names of the other two ships?
Christopher Columbus, the captain of the Santa María, sailed his ship with two other ships, the Niña and the Pinta.

2. What land did the sailors find? What land did the sailors think they found?
On October 12, 1492, a sailor saw what is now called the island of San Salvador. Christopher thought he had found a new trade route to the Indies, but he really found the location of North and South America.

3. What did the sailors take from the new land?
Christopher and his sailors took corn, potatoes, peanuts, papayas, avocados, cotton cloth, and a colorful bird not found in Europe. They also took six Indians, who did not want to leave their island.

4. The sailors were scared on their voyage to the new land. Why were they scared? Before assigning this paragraph, discuss how everyone thought the world was flat and ask students to consider what might happen if the world was flat and a sailor sailed to the end of it. Also discuss how people fear things that are not familiar. The ocean and the voyage were new. The sailors did not have computers or science classes that taught them what we know today.

Clara and the Bookwagon
by Nancy Smiler Levinson

1. Mr. Holzer owned a store. His store was also a library. Clara had an opportunity. She could borrow a book. What does the word opportunity mean?
Opportunity means something that could be good for someone's present or future that is available in the moment. A person usually must act on an opportunity or soon it will be gone.

2. Clara's father would not let her borrow a book. Why wouldn't he let her borrow a book?
Perhaps he was afraid that she would no longer be content with her life or he didn't understand the opportunity. Clara's father loved Clara and wanted what was best for her, but he thought books were only for rich people. Clara's family was not rich. He also thought she would be too busy to read, and since neither Clara nor her parents knew how to read, no one would be able to teach her.

3. Clara's father said she could borrow a book. Why did he change his mind?
First there were books in Mr. Holzer's store. Then Miss Mary drove a bookwagon to Clara's farm. Finally, Miss Mary volunteered to teach Clara to read.

4.Clara loved books. She wanted to learn to read. Of all the books you've read or that someone has read to you, which is your favorite? Pretend you are writing a letter to Clara. Tell her all about the story in your favorite book.

Clifford the Big Red Dog
by Norman Bridwell

1. What games did Emily Elizabeth and her big red dog play together?
Emily Elizabeth and Clifford played throw the stick, hide-and-seek, and tea party.

2. What things did Clifford do for Emily Elizabeth?
Clifford kept her safe camping and protected her from burglars and bullies.

3. What things did Emily Elizabeth do for Clifford?
Emily Elizabeth gave him a bath in the swimming pool and combed his hair with a rake. She also gave him her love. She liked her dog more than any other dog.

4.Imagine that you have a pet that is the size of a house. What pet would you have? What would you do with your pet? How would you take care of it?

Curious George
by H.A. Rey

1. At first, George did not live in a city. He lived in the wild. Where did George live?
George lived in Africa.

2. A man picked up George. The man had a large, yellow hat. What did this man plan to do with George?
The man with the large yellow hat planned to take George to live in a zoo.

3. George tried to figure out things. What did he do?
Because George was curious, the man with the large yellow hat caught him. George also fell into the ocean, called the fire department, landed in prison, and flew with a bunch of balloons.

4. George was curious about many things. What is one thing that you are curious about? Write about the things that you would like to know, or make up an adventure that tells how your curiosity got you into trouble and how you found a way to get out of your dilemma.

Daniel's Duck
by Clyde Robert Bulla

1. Daniel worked hard to carve a duck for the spring fair. How did he feel when people laughed at it?
Discuss how Daniel felt embarrassed. He probably wished that he had never tried to carve a duck or put his duck in the fair.

2. Someone felt compassion. Who felt compassion for Daniel, and what does the word mean?
Mr. Henry Pettigrew had compassion on Daniel. Discuss how compassion means that you feel bad when someone else is hurting and you do something to help the person. If there is time, have students share a story about someone who had compassion on them.

3. Mr. Pettigrew wanted Daniel to feel better. What did he do?
Mr. Henry Pettigrew encouraged Daniel and explained how his duck made people happy. The he asked to buy Daniel's carved duck.

4. Daniel had to choose what he would carve for the spring fair. He spent a lot of time on the decision. If you were going to carve one thing to sell at the spring fair, what would you carve? Why would people want to buy it?

Danny and the Dinosaur
by Syd Hoff

1. Danny found a dinosaur. Where did he find it?
Danny found a dinosaur at the museum.

2. Danny and his new friend walked around town. What was the dinosaur good at doing?
The dinosaur was good at giving rides to Danny, Danny's friends, a woman with many packages, and people waiting at the bus stop. He was a good bridge for people to walk over instead of crossing a busy street and a fun merry-go-round for the kids to ride. The only thing he wasn't good at was playing hide-and-seek.

3. The zookeeper asked Danny to leave. Why did he ask Danny to leave?
The zookeeper asked Danny to leave because all the people at the zoo wanted to see the dinosaur, and no one looked at the other animals.

4. Danny found a dinosaur at the museum. Write a paragraph about somethin you may have seen at the museum, how it came to life, and what you did with it.

Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp
by Syd Hoff

1. Kids bring many things to camp. What did Danny bring?
Danny brought a dinosaur to camp.

2. The children rowed boats. How did Danny do this, but not in the same way?
Danny rowed his dinosaur when the kids rowed boats.

3. How did the hike change at camp?
When the kids, Lana, and the dinosaur hiked, Danny grew tired. He asked the dinosaur for a ride. When the other kids saw Danny getting a ride, they wanted one, too. Even Lana wanted a ride on the dinosaur.

4. Danny brought a dinosaur to camp. Write about one crazy thing that you would like to bring to camp. It can be real or imaginary. Tell how this thing would change the whole camping experience.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by David A. Adler

Chapters 1 and 2
1. White people had rules. Black people had more rules. What were two things that black people were not allowed to do?
Students may answer any of the following: Black people often were not allowed in public places, such as restaurants, parks, hotels, pools, and schools. Sometimes they could not ride on trains and had to sit in the back of buses. They had to enter many homes by the back door and had to sit in assigned places, such as the balcony, in movie theaters.

2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. set his mind to do things. Then he did them. What did he do at age 15, and what did he do at 25?
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a remarkable man. He was in college at age 15 and received an advanced degree, to be called a doctor, around the age of 25.

3. What did Martin learn from his parents?
Martin's mother helped him through difficult times, such as when kids treated him poorly because of the color of his skin. She helped him understand that he was somebody—and was just as important as everyone else. His father used his words to fight injustice. Martin watched his father. Martin also used his words to fight injustice. Once, his father walked out of a store because the clerk would not sell him shoes from the front, only the back of it. Martin's father was a minister. Martin also became a minister.

Chapters 3, 4, and 5
1. How did Dr. King fight things that were not just?
Dr. King was a powerful speaker and leader. He used his authority to support sit-ins, freedom rides, boycotts, and marches. He chose to fight injustice and racial prejudice with peaceful solutions, while taking a strong stand for what was right.

2. Dr. King won a big award. What was it?
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

3. Two acts were passed. What acts passed in 1964 and 1965?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, and in 1965, the Voting Rights Act passed.

4. What happened to Dr. King in 1968?
In 1968, Dr. King was killed by James Earl Ray, but his message of freedom and equality lived on.

Write a paragraph: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., learned a lot from his parents. He learned to peacefully fight against racial prejudice with words and actions. What are three lessons you have learned from your parents, and what do you hope to do with those lessons when you are an adult?

The Drinking Gourd
by F.N. Monjo

Chapters 1 and 2
1. What did Tommy do at church?
Tommy sat in the church's gallery by an open window. He tied an apple core to fishing line and threw it out of the window. A goose bit into the core and tried to fly, but the fishing line held the goose in place. That goose and its flock made a lot of noise, which disrupted the church service.

2. Tommy fed the horses. He heard a sound. Who was in the barn?
Tommy found a family of runaway slaves from the Carolinas hiding in his family's hayloft. There was Big Jeff, Little Jeff, Vinnie, and Baby Pearl.

3. What had his father done?
Mr. Fuller had hidden a family of runaway slavesin the hayloft of the barn. When Mr. Fuller returned from church, he asked Tommy to help him hitch up the horses because the runaway family had to be moved. If this family stayed in one place too long, the law might catch them and send them back to the people who supposedly owned them.

Chapters 3 and 4
1. What was the Underground Railroad?
The Underground Railroad was a secret group of people who helped runaway slaves travel north to Canada. People in it hid and helped others reach their destination. The people who helped were likened to conductors and the slaves were the passengers.

2. Tommy and his father drove the hay wagon. Why did his father leave it?
Tommy's father left the hay wagon to find the boat that Big Jeff's family would use for the next stage of their trip.

3. Tommy saved Big Jeff. He saved Big Jeff's family. How did he do it?
When the marshal and his men asked to search the hay wagon, Tommy confessed to being a runaway. They recognized Tommy as Deacon Fuller's son and didn't think that someone in as much trouble as he was would hide runaway slaves. Tommy did lie by saying that the slaves weren't in the wagon. Discuss how he could have saved Big Jeff's family without lying.

Chapters 5 and 6
1. What did Mr. Fuller do? What did Tommy do?
Mr. Fuller rowed Big Jeff and his family across the river. Tommy drove the family's hay wagon home.

2. What did Tommy do when he arrived home?
Tommy told his mother what had happened. Then he went to his room and waited for his father to return. If there is time, compare how this waiting for his father was different than his waiting for his father after church.

3. Why didn't Mr. Fuller keep the law?
Mr. Fuller obeyed all his country's laws except the one that said he had to return runaway slaves to their masters. He saw slaves—Big Jeff, Vinnie, Little Jeff, and Baby Pearl—as people, not someone's property. Therefore, in good conscience, he had to protect them, even if it meant not keeping the law. If there is time, compare the difference between Tommy breaking a rule at church and his breaking the law to save Big Jeff's family—the risks, consequences, and results.

Write a paragraph: People are important, no matter their race, culture, or nationality. Mr. Fuller and Tommy risked their lives to treat Big Jeff, Vinnie, and their kids in the same way the Fullers would want to be treated by others. Think about the people you know. What can you do to treat one person you know better and show him or her that he or she is important to you and valuable as a human being? Write about the difficulties you may have doing this and what you hope will happen as a result of your actions.

Duck & Company
by Kathy Caple

Chapters 1, 2, and 3
1. How did Cat scare Rat?
Cat asked Duck for a book on how to cook rats. Rat hid under Duck's desk to get away from Cat. Rat was scared because he didn't want to be eaten by Cat.

2. Cat changed his mind. He bought a book about carrots. How did Duck change Cat's mind?
Duck told Cat his fur wasn't shiny, so he needed to eat more carrots. Cat wanted shiny fur, so he changed his mind and bought a book about cooking carrots. He forgot all about getting a book on how to cook rats.

3. Why did Mother Hen want a scary book?
Mother Hen had to wait a long time for her eggs to hatch. Sometimes Mother Hen grew bored of waiting. She wanted to read a book that was exciting.

4. Badger wanted to laugh. Duck helped Badger. Badger left the store, but he did not leave with a book. Why?
Badger wanted to laugh. When Duck fell into the trash can, Badger laughed. Badger no longer needed a book. He was already laughing, so he left the store.

Chapters 4 and 5
1. Duck's bookstore had a story hour. What did Duck do during that time?
Duck amazed many small animals. He read, made a joke, and did a magic trick.

2. Duck and Rat read a new book all night. What did Duck and Rat do the next day at work?
Duck and Rat fell asleep at work.

3. What did customers do for Duck and Rat?
When customers found Duck and Rat sleeping, they covered the two with blankets and shut the store's door. They thought Duck and Rat had been working too hard.

4. Duck and Rat liked working at the Duck & Company bookstore. They helped customers, held story hour for small animals, and read many books. Think about a job you would like to do. Write a paragraph about some of the things you would do for others and for yourself at your new job.

Fancy Nancy and the Boy From Paris
by Jane O'Connor

1. Nancy made a mistake. What was her big mistake?
Nancy did not know that Robert was from Paris, Texas. She thought he was from Paris, France.

2. What helped Nancy think that Robert was from France?
Robert's grandfather’s horse was named Belle, which is a French name, and there was an Eiffel Tower in his town in Texas, which was different from the one in France, but called the same name.

3. Nancy was late to school. She did not hear that Robert was from Texas. What would have helped Nancy realize her mistake sooner?
If Nancy had been a little quicker to listen to what Robert said and did, perhaps she would have saved herself some embarrassment.

4. Fancy Nancy thinks that France is a beautiful city, although she has never seen it in person. Write a paragraph. Describe a place that you have never seen in person but can imagine. This can be a real or pretend place.

Farm Animals
by Wade Cooper

1. What do farm animals do?
When farmers shear sheep, sheep give wool. Dogs herd sheep. Pigs become pork. Hens lay eggs. Cows make milk. People ride horses. Cats hunt mice. Accept all reasonable answers from students.

2. Farm animals work. They each have a job to do. Which animal is the most important on the farm?
Discuss how each animal is important for a different reason. Each animal has a different task on the farm. No animal is the most important.

3. What is one fact you learned in this book?
Accept all reasonable answers. If students can't answer, let them flip back through the book to find one fact.

4. Pretend you are a farmer. What animals would you want on your farm, and how would you take care of them?

Finding Providence: The Roger Williams Story
by Avi

1. Roger believed three things. The court in his town did not. What were those three things?
Roger Williams believed that people could worship God in different ways, Europeans should not take Indian land, and the church and government had to be kept separate from each other.

2. Roger had to run away. He left his family. What did he tell them?
Roger told his family to hope in God’s providence.

3. Roger was on the run. He was alone. He was cold, and he was hungry. Did he want to be on the run? Did he want to be alone and cold? Did he want to be hungry? Explain.
Discuss how every action has consequences, even when a person does what is right. No one wants to be on the run, alone, hungry, or cold.

4. Two people helped Roger. Who were they, and what did they do?
Goodman Neal warned Roger of the court's verdict and sentence. A Narragansett hunter found Roger and took him to live with his tribe.

5. Roger named the new settlement. What name did he give it?
Roger and his family named their settlement Providence. They trusted in God's providence.

6. Roger Williams’ child, Mary, watched what her father said in the courtroom. Describe something important that you've seen your parents do or say. How did their words or actions make you feel?

The Fire Cat
by Esther Averill

1. Pickles was a bully. What did he do? Do people like bullies? Discuss how bullies pick on those who are smaller or weaker.
Pickles chased small cats. People do not like bullies. The other cats did not like Pickles.

2. Because Pickles chased small cats, he had to prove he could be a fire cat. What three things did he do to prove he could be a fire cat?
Pickles learned to slide down the fire pole, sit on a fire truck, and help hold a fire hose.

3. Pickles was a hero. Could he have been a hero if he still chased small cats? Discuss how heroes have certain qualities.
Pickles had to learn not to be a bully and to obey those in authority over him (the Fire Chief). Being able to submit to authority is an important quality for heroes.

4. Mrs. Goodkind believed in Pickles. She knew that someday he would do something big. What is something big that you would like to do someday? How will you accomplish this?

First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers
by George Shea

Chapters 1 and 2
1. Why did Orv and Will go to Kitty Hawk?
Orville and Wilbur Wright went to Kitty Hawk because it was windy and had sand for softer landings.

2. How did Will and Orv fly their machine?
Wilbur and Orville Wright flew their flying machine like a kite.

3. How long was Will able to stay in the air? How far did he go?
In 1900, Wilbur was able to stay in the air for 15 seconds and glide for 400 feet.

Chapters 3 and 4
1. How did Will get a black eye?
Wilbur Wright took his and Orville's newest flying machine for a ride in 1901. The wings were more curved and longer. It glided well, but then it suddenly began to spin and crash to the ground. Will received a black eye on his first flight in this machine.

2. How was their third "plane" not the same as their second "plane"?
The 1902 design had longer wings that were narrower. The Wright brothers also created a tail on the end of their flying machine to help them with its balance. They could make it go in different directions and could control when it went up and down.

3. Their third "plane" worked. What did Will and Orv want to do to it?
Wilbur and Orville wanted to attach a motor to their flying machine. In that way, they wouldn't have to rely on the wind to make it move.

Chapters 5 and 6
1. Why did Tom's pa tell him to go home?
Tom's pa did not want Tom to get hurt. The weather was bad but the Wright brothers still tested their flying machine.

2. What did Orv do on December 17, 1903?
On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright was on the first machine that flew without wind power.

3. How long did the first flight last? How far did it go?
The first flight lasted for 12 seconds and went 10 feet.

Write a paragraph: The Wright brothers met Tom Tate in Kitty Hawk in 1888. After Wilbur, Tom was the next person to go up in a flying machine. Pretend you are Tom. Describe how you may have felt and what you might have seen in the flying machine when you rode on it.

Five Brilliant Scientists
by Lynda Jones

Susan McKinney Steward
1. What was Susan's name at birth?
Susan McKinney Steward was born Susan Maria Smith in 1847.

2. What was Susan the first to become?
Susan was the first, black female to become a doctor and earn a medical degree in the state of New York.

3. Who did Susan serve?
As a doctor, Susan served the rich, poor, black, and white people in Brooklyn and Manhattan. She treated Buffalo soldiers, black men in the infantry, and founded the Memorial Hospital for Women and Children. She worked with senior citizens and at the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women.

George Washington Carver
1. Where did George go to school?
George was graduated from high school and studied art and plants at two different colleges—Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa and Iowa State College of Agriculture in Ames, Iowa.

2. Where did George teach?
George taught at the Tuskegee Institute under Booker T. Washington. For 47 years, he remained a teacher at Tuskegee.

3. What did George do as a teacher?
George experimented on plants. He taught others how to keep soil healthy and created 300 things to make out of peanuts and 118 out of sweet potatoes.

Ernest Everett Just
1. Where did Ernest go to school?
Ernest attended Kimball Academy and Dartmouth College. He received a doctorate in zoology from the University of Chicago in Illinois.

2. What did Ernest do in the winter, and what did he do in the summer?
Ernest taught at Howard University in the winter and studied at the Marine Biological Laboratory in the summer. He studied how sea creatures were reproduced and why they looked like they did.

3. What award did Ernest receive?
In 1915, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awarded him the Spingarn Medal for his achievements.

Percy Lavon Julian
1. Where did Percy go to school?
Percy Lavon Julian worked his way through DePauw University. He received his Masters from Harvard University and his doctorate from the University of Vienna in Austria.

2. What did Percy do?
Percy worked his way through school and taught. Then he became a world-renowned chemist.

3. What did Percy figure out?
Percy figured out many medical uses for soybeans, including how to treat patients with an eye disease called glaucoma and how to ease arthritis pain. He also invented a chemical that would stop oil and gas fires. His research helped many people.

Shirley Ann Jackson
1. Where did Shirley go to school?
Shirley Ann Jackson was graduated with a Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

2. What was Shirley one of the first black women to do?
As a black woman, Shirley was one of the first to study atoms from a mathematical perspective.

3. Where has Shirley worked?
Shirley has been a professor and on the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. She worked for companies, such as AT&T, and became the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, working to keep U.S. nuclear power plants safe. In 1999, she became the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Write a paragraph: Each scientist in this book used his or her God-given gifts and talents to help others. What are some of your gifts and talents? What are you good at? Write a paragraph about a few of the things that you are good at doing. Then explain how you will use these gifts and talents to help others.

The Fly on the Ceiling: A Math Myth
by Dr. Julie Glass

1. What did Rene see when he was sick in bed?
Rene saw a fly on his ceiling.

2. What did Rene wonder when he was sick in bed?
Rene wondered whether the fly on his ceiling ever landed in the same place twice.

3. What did Rene make when he saw a fly on his ceiling?
Rene used horizontal and vertical lines to create a graph that we know today as the Cartesian Coordinate System. With it, he could plot numbers (coordinates). We still use this system today.

4. Rene Descartes was a real man who watched a fly on his ceiling. From watching it, he came up with the Cartesian Coordinate System. The rest of this story about him—his making messes and falling in the river— was pretend. Now it's time for you to use your imagination. Write a story about something else that could have happened to Rene so that he caught a cold and had to stay in bed and watch a fly on his ceiling.

Franklin and the Duckling
by Sharon Jennings

1. The duckling went with Franklin. It went to his home. What did Franklin do? What should he have done?
Franklin kept the duckling as a secret pet instead of telling his parents what happened. If he had told his parents, the duckling may have found its family a lot sooner.

2. The duckling was in Franklin's room. What did it do?
The duckling splashed water everywhere and got everything in Franklin's bedroom muddy. The duckling also chewed Franklin's homework.

3. Franklin hid the duckling. He hid it from his parents. How did he hide it?
Franklin lied to his mother and cleaned the duckling's messes without telling anyone. There weren't any consequences in this story for Franklin's lying. Instead, he was given his way (he was able to get a pet if he wanted one).
Discuss how lying is inappropriate and how his lying would probably have resulted in consequences in the real world.

4. Franklin did not want a pet. Why didn't he want a pet?
Because Franklin took care of the duckling, he learned that having a pet takes a lot of work. As a result, Franklin chose not to get another pet.

5. Choose a pet you have at home or one that you would like to have. List all the things you have to do or would have to do to take care of your pet or a pet you would like to own.

Frog and Toad Are Friends
by Arnold Lobel

1. In "Spring," Frog played a trick on Toad. What trick did he play? Why did he do it?
Frog tricked Toad into thinking it was May by changing the calendar pages. Frog did not want to wait a month to play with Toad. He did not want to be lonely. It was a selfish thing for Frog to do.

2. In "The Story," Toad could not think of a story. How did Frog think of a story?
Frog told Toad all the things that Toad did to try to think of a story.

3. In "A Lost Button," did Toad find his button? Where was it? What did he do with all the buttons he found?
Toad's lost button was in his house. Toad sewed all the buttons he and Frog had found on his jacket, and he gave the jacket to Frog.

4. In "A Swim," what did Toad ask others not to do? Did they obey him?
Toad asked others not to look at him because he didn't want them to laugh at his funny swimsuit. The others did not obey him. They all looked at him and laughed at his funny swimsuit.

5. In "The Letter," what did Frog do? Was Toad surprised?
Frog wrote Toad a letter to surprise him. Toad was not surprised, because Frog gave the letter to a snail to deliver. The snail took four days to deliver it.

6. Frog wrote Toad a letter. Frog's letter to Toad was the first letter Toad received. Help make Toad even happier by writing him a letter. Tell him about your day and let him know that you've written a letter so he will no longer feel sad at mail time.

Frog and Toad Together
by Arnold Lobel

A List
1. Why did Toad make a list?
Toad made a list to help him remember all the things he had to do that day.

2. What made Toad unsure of what he had to do?
Toad had a list to remind him what to do, but the wind blew it away. Toad could not run after and catch the list because that action was not one of the items on his list.

3. How was Toad able to go to sleep?
Toad could do nothing else that day because he did not have his list. As it grew dark, Toad remembered that the last task on his list was to go to sleep. He wrote those words in the dirt, crossed them out, and fell asleep.

The Garden
1. What did Frog tell Toad to do to make his own garden?
Frog told Toad to plant seeds, give the seeds quiet, and let the sun warm and the rain nourish them.

2. What did Toad do for his flower seeds?
Toad planted the seeds, put out candles for them at night, sang songs, read poems, played music, and fell asleep.

3. Toad thought his seeds were no longer afraid. Why did he think this?
Toad thought his flower seeds were no longer afraid because they started to grow.

Cookies
1. Toad made cookies. What was good and what was bad about them?
The cookies were so tasty (good) that Toad and Frog could not stop eating them (bad).

2. What did Frog say will power was?
Frog said that will power was when someone attempted to not do something that he or she really wanted to do.

3. Frog and Toad did not eat all the cookies. What did Frog do with them?
Frog put the cookies in a box, tied a string around it, and placed the box on a high shelf. Then he took them down, opened the box, and gave them to the birds to eat.

Dragons and Giants
1. What did Frog and Toad wonder?
Frog and Toad wondered if they were brave.

2. What did Frog and Toad think would prove they were brave?
Frog and Toad thought they could prove they were brave by climbing a mountain.

3. What hardships did they face on their climb?
Frog and Toad escaped a large snake, an avalanche, and a hawk.

4. Do you think Frog and Toad were brave? Frog and Toad did many brave things, but they hid under covers and in a closet when they returned home.
Discuss how courage is doing something of value, usually to serve someone else, even if you are scared. Frog and Toad were scared, but they climbed the mountain anyway. So in that sense, they were brave; but there was no purpose behind what they did, so what they did was more foolish than brave. They put themselves at risk for no reason.

The Dream
1. Toad had a dream. Who was the main person in his dream?
Toad was onstage and in a costume. He was introduced as being the greatest Toad ever. Toad had all the attention.

2. What was Frog's role in Toad's dream?
Frog was in the audience and was a friend. He cheered for Toad and admitted that he couldn't do amazing things—play the piano, be on the high wire, or dance—like Toad did.

3. What did Toad's dream teach him?
Toad learned that if he only thought about how great he was, there would be no room in his life for a good friend like Frog. Toad chose to be a friend to Frog, and not be so selfish.

Write a paragraph: Frog and Toad spend many days together. They help each other, eat with each other, go on adventures together, and treat each other well. Pretend you have a good friend like Frog is to Toad. Write a story about something you did together and how the day turned out.

George the Drummer Boy
by Nathaniel Benchley

1. The people of Boston were mean. They were mean to the soldiers. Why were the people mean to them?
The people in Boston treated the King’s soldiers poorly, shouting and throwing things at them, because the people were angry at the king of England. They could not show the king that they were upset because he lived far away. So they took out their frustrations on his representatives in Boston, his soldiers.

2. The people of Boston were upset. They were upset at the king. What did the king do to them?
The king placed many taxes on them, which made them angry.

3. George's troops hurried away. They did not feel safe in Concord. They didn’t feel safe until they reached Charlestown. What did George think as he fled?Did he know what was really happening?
George thought about being safe. He couldn’t wait to get back to Boston. What he didn’t realize was that no place was safe for him. The American Revolution just began, which put all British soldiers in a dangerous position.

4. George was afraid. He didn't know what to do. Tell about a time when you were afraid because you didn't know what to do.
Students may mention a number of things. Be accepting of their answers, and if they ask you to explain something, do so in a way that is appropriate to their age level and cognitive understanding.

5. Pretend that you are a soldier in an imaginary land. In this land, large pieces of candy have just started a war. Your leader has told you to flee, which means that you need to leave where you are, any way you can. The large pieces of candy that live there are going to attack. Explain how you escaped them and returned home.

George Washington and the General's Dog
by Frank Murphy

1. George's enemy had a large army. George's army was small. The men were cold. The men were hungry. Why didn't they give up?
George's soldiers were fighting for the freedom of the American colonies. They believed in the cause. Discuss how people are able to get through many hardships when they truly believe in what they are doing.

2. George Washington returned a dog to his enemy. Who saw him do it?
George's soldiers noticed, and they told others. Soon people in America and Europe had heard the story. Many respected George for what he did.

3. Who might be watching you? How might your choices affect others?
Have students think about the people around them and how those people may be watching what your students do. Talk about the importance of doing what is right, no matter how small the task. Let them consider how their daily actions influence people around them.

4. Who do you watch? What have you learned from them?
Help students consider the people they've watched—parents, teachers, friends—and what they have learned from those people. Discuss how others influence them, even without trying.

5. Many people sent George Washington gifts to show their respect for him as a man and a leader. The king of Spain gave George a mule as a gift. Someone from France gave him seven dogs. What would you have sent him to show your respect, and why would you have sent that particular gift?

The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein

1. How did the boy have fun with the tree?
The boy climbed the tree, played in its leaves, and ate its apples. When he was tired, he slept in its shade.

2. How did the boy use the tree when he was a young man?
As a young man, he needed to make money, so he sold the tree's apples.

3. How did the boy use the tree when he was a man?
As a man, he took the tree's branches to make a house and the trunk to make a boat.

4. What made the tree happy?
The tree was happy whenever it could serve the boy or make him happy.

5. People can be like the giving tree. Write about the things that you could do for your family or friends to make them happy. Then explain how doing these things also will make you happy.

Go, Speed Racer, Go!
adapted by Sophia Kelly

1. How were Rex and Speed not the same?
Speed didn't want to do anything but race. Rex wanted his freedom more than a racing career.

2. How could you tell that Rex and Speed loved each other?
Rex taught Speed about racing and gave him the Mach 6 before leaving. Speed did not break his brother's record although he could have. When people look out for each other, they show their love.

3. Should you close your eyes while driving? Why? No.
This is something that can only be done in the pretend world of books and movies. In the real world, closed eyes would probably end in a crash that would hurt the driver and others.

4. Describes the car you would want to drive around a race track. Explain what would make this car capable of winning races.

The Great Snake Escape
by Molly Coxe

1. What did the king cobra look like? What did it eat?
The king cobra was green with a black stripe. He ate lizards and other snakes.

2. Mirabel and Maxie were scared. A snake was missing from the zoo. They wanted to know what it ate. How did they learn what the snake ate?
Mirabel and Maxie found the information in a newspaper that a man in the park was holding. Before they could read it, though, the man threw his paper into the trash can. Mirabel held Maxie over the rim of the trash can, and Maxie tried to read or reach the newspaper, but couldn't. They weren't able to read the article until Maxie fell into the garbage.

3. Why did Mirabel hurry? What did she want to get from her nest? How would it help Maxie?
Mirabel hurried because the garbage truck was moving closer to the trash can that held Maxie. Mirabel wanted to use the string to pull Maxie out of the garbage can.

4. The king cobra helped. Could the snake be trusted?
Yes, the king cobra was trustworthy because he saved Maxie. Discuss how trust is earned and how the king cobra earned Mirabel's and Maxie's trust through his actions.

5. Where was the king cobra's home?
The king cobra's home was in India.

6. Mirabel and Maxie found a newspaper to learn more about king cobras. They wanted to know if the escaped snake would eat them. Write a newspaper article about something else that happened—real or imaginary— that Mirabel and Maxie could read in the newspaper.

Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur!
by Syd Hoff

1. Who came to Danny's party?
Danny invited many kids and the dinosaur from the museum. His parents were there, too.

2. How did the dinosaur help?
The dinosaur became the ride to the party for all the kids and helped them hang party decorations.

3. Who blew out the candles? What was the wish?
Both Danny and the dinosaur blew out the candles. They wished to be together the following year for their birthdays.

4. Danny invited a dinosaur to his birthday party. What would you do if you had a friendly dinosaur at your next birthday party? Write about the things you would do and the things that would happen because the dinosaur was there

Happy Birthday, Eeyore!
by Isabel Gaines

1. Eeyore said it was his birthday. What did Pooh intend to do? What did Pooh do?
Pooh intended to give Eeyore a birthday present—a pot of honey—but he ate the honey. He gave Eeyore an empty pot.

2. Pooh said it was Eeyore's birthday. What did Piglet want to do? What did Piglet do?
Piglet intended to give Eeyore a birthday present—a red balloon—but it popped. Piglet gave Eeyore a popped red balloon.

3. Did Eeyore like Pooh's present? Did he like Piglet's present?
Discuss how a broken or empty present doesn't make a good gift. Eeyore probably felt more depressed after getting their presents. They showed him how little they thought about him and his happiness, even though their intentions were good.

4. How did Christopher Robin save the day?
Christopher Robin and Rabbit had a birthday party for Eeyore with a cake, candles, and presents.

5. Christopher Robin's party pleased Eeyore. Pooh's and Piglet's presents did not. Why is that?
Christopher Robin's party showed Eeyore that someone thought about him. Pooh's and Piglet's presents were last-minute attempts to make Eeyore feel good.

6. What present would you give Eeyore to make him happy on his birthday? Remember that the best presents are those you get or make with that person in mind. Describe why your present would be the perfect gift for Eeyore.

Helen Keller
by Elizabeth MacLeod

1. Helen was not always deaf and blind. When did she become deaf and blind?
Helen Keller could hear and see until she became sick at 19 months. When the sickness passed, Helen no longer had her sight nor was she able to hear.

2. Who taught Helen to spell, read, and go to school?
Annie Sullivan helped Helen learn to spell words in other people's hands, read Braille, and go to college.

3. What was Helen the first deaf and blind person to do?
Helen wanted to go to college. Annie Sullivan helped Helen by spelling the words of each lecture in Helen's hand. Helen became the first deaf and blind person to graduate from college in the United States.

4. Helen went to school. What did she do after she went to school?
Helen gave speeches and told people about her life. Annie Sullivan helped her. First Helen would tell her story, and then Annie would repeat what she said so everyone could understand her. People liked to hear what Helen said, and Helen raised a lot of money to help other deaf and blind people.

5. Helen had many obstacles. She could not hear. She could not see. What are the obstacles that you face? Write about one thing that makes your life difficult. Think about ways that you may be able to overcome that obstacle.

Henry and Mudge: The First Book
by Cynthia Rylant

1. Why did Henry want a dog?
Henry wanted a dog because he didn't have brothers, sisters, or friends.

2. How did Mudge change Henry's walk to school?
Henry no longer worried about bad things when he walked to school, because Mudge was there by his side.

3. Henry could not find his dog. Did his dog run away from home?
No, but Mudge did go for a walk and become lost.

4. How did Henry find Mudge?
Henry searched and called for Mudge all day until he found his dog.

5. Henry found Mudge. What did this boy and his dog do from that point on?
They played, slept, ate meals, and went for walks together. They treated each other like best friends and looked out for each other.

6. When Mudge was lost, he whined and missed Henry. Without Mudge, Henry cried. Have you ever lost someone or something? Write about how you lost someone or something that was important to you. Then explain how you found or did not find that person or thing.

The Horse in Harry's Room
by Syd Hoff

1. Harry said he had a horse in his room. His parents did not think he had a horse in his room. His classmates did not think he had a horse in his room. How did Harry feel when people did not believe him?
Discuss how people sometimes become upset when others don't believe them. Harry did not let the opinions of others bother him.

2. Harry did not change his mind. What did Harry do when people did not agree with him?
Discuss how Harry did not feel threatened when others had a different opinion than his. What others believed didn't negate what he believed. Reinforce that it's okay for people to have different opinions.

3. Did Harry have a real horse in his room?
No, Harry had an imaginary horse in his room.

4. Harry thought he had a real horse in his room. What if you are like Harry? What if you think something is true and it is not? Discuss how beliefs should be searched and proven.
Even God encourages people to not put their trust in anything blindly. He opens the eyes of the blind (Isaiah 42:5-7). Eventually Harry will realize his horse is imaginary.

5. Harry had an imaginary horse, which means that only he could see it. If you had an imaginary animal in your room, what would it be, what could you do with it, and what would it look like?

Hurray for the Lord's Army (Gideon)
by Mary Manz Simon

1. Gideon changed. He was different by the end of the book. How did he change?
At first, Gideon was timid, which meant that he did things in secret, like threshing grain and hiding in a cave. To lead God's army, Gideon had to raise the army and tell them what to do. God gave him boldness.

2. Too many men joined Gideon's army. Some had to go home. Which men were sent home?
First, Gideon sent home every man who was afraid. Then he had the remaining men drink water from a stream. He only kept the men who picked up the water in their hands and drank it from their hands. The men who drank water directly from the stream were sent home.

3. Gideon's enemy did not know what to do. They hurt each other. They did not hurt Gideon's army. How did God do this?
Once Gideon and the army surrounded the Mideanites, Gideon's army broke the jars that covered their torches, and the men blew their trumpets. They yelled, "A sword for the Lord!" and "A sword for Gideon!" The enemy soldiers became so confused that they began killing each other.

4. God asked Gideon to do some odd things. If Gideon had done these things on his own, they wouldn't have worked. God knew the perfect thing to do at just the right time, and Gideon obeyed Him. What is one thing that God wants you to do today, and how will you obey Him?

Jake's Brave Night
by Crystal Bowman

1. Jake was afraid of the dark. He was scared to be alone in his bedroom. How were these problems fixed?
These problems were too big for Jake to figure out by himself. Jake’s parents helped him. They suggested a night light and reminded him that God was always with him.

2. Read Isaiah 41:10 in the Bible together. What did God tell Jacob?
God told Jacob that he had nothing to fear because God was strong and brave enough for both of them. God also wanted to help Jacob.

3. Does God want to help you?
Yes, God wants to be the strength and courage for all His children.

4. Jake's mom and dad helped him. God was with him. Because of these things, what was Jake able to do?
Jake was able to fall asleep.

5. Jake tried to fix a big problem on his own. He turned on the light so he wouldn’t be afraid of the dark. Then he turned off the light so he wouldn't be afraid of shadows, and he hid under his bed to get away from scary things. What’s one big problem in your life? How have you fixed or tried to fix it? (Note: If you don’t have a problem, you can make up a silly problem, such as bees have built a hive inside your favorite toy. Then come up with silly ways to solve the problem.)

Jesus and His Friends
from The Beginner's Bible

1. What did Jesus, God's Son, do on earth?
Jesus taught people about love, healed the sick, performed miracles, was baptized, chose disciples, and saved the world from sin.

2. Who was Jesus' cousin? What did his cousin do?
John was Jesus' cousin. He told others that Jesus was God. John also baptized Jesus.

3. Jesus chose 12 men. What were their names? (Children can read their names out of the book.)
Jesus chose Andrew, Matthew, Peter, James the son of Zebedee, John, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas to be his disciples.

4. Who did Jesus heal?
Jesus healed a man's servant without even being near him.

5. What is one miracle Jesus did?
When the 5,000 people listening to Jesus grew hungry, Jesus used five loaves and two fishes to feed them all.

6. Jesus cared about people in Bible times, and He cares about you. Write down five ways that Jesus cares about you and what happens in your life.

Jonah and the Big Fish
from The Beginner's Bible

1. God had a mission for Jonah. What did Jonah do when God told him to go to Nineveh?
Jonah ran away. He left on a boat that was not going to Nineveh. Let students consider why Jonah would do this since Jonah loved God. Once students suggest ideas, let them know that Jonah did not like the Ninevites. They had been mean to and were the enemies of the Jews. Jonah was afraid they would repent. He didn't want God to forgive them. He wanted those mean people to be destroyed.

2. Jonah was in a boat during a bad storm. He knew God sent the storm to stop him. Why didn't Jonah jump out of the boat?
Jonah did not know a big fish would save him. When people are thrown into deep water in the middle of a storm, they usually die. Jonah did not want to die, but he did not want the others in the boat to die either. So he told them to throw him overboard if they wanted to save themselves.

3. Jonah did not want to do what God wanted him to do. What changed Jonah's mind?
A storm and a big fish changed Jonah's mind. The storm kept Jonah from running away, and a big fish took him toward Nineveh.

4. Jonah went where God wanted him to go. He told people to stop doing bad things. What did the people do?
The people of Nineveh repented and stopped doing bad things.

5. Jonah was inside a big fish for three days and nights. Pretend you're Jonah and describe what the inside of a big fish looks, smells, sounds, and feels like. Then explain what you ate and drank in there.

The Josefina Story Quilt
by Eleanor Coerr

1. What did Faith do for her pet hen?
Faith was responsible for Josefina's food, water, protection, and companionship. Compare Faith's responsibilities to the responsibilities that kids have today as pet owners. Compare the similarities and differences.

2. Why did Pa want to leave the hen behind?
Josefina was too old to lay eggs and too tough to be eaten. Covered wagons had limited space, and families brought only their most important things.

3. What problems did the hen cause?
Josefina squawked and ran away when a dog barked at her. Her squawking noise caused the horses to snort and rear on their back two legs, cows to moo and kick, and oxen to bellow. Later, Faith dropped Josefina in a river. Her brother tried to save the hen, and others had to save them both.

4. What took place in the desert?
In the desert, wagon wheels fell off, and people and oxen died. Many people had to leave things behind to lighten their animals' loads. There also was less food and water for people to eat and drink.

5. What did Faith sew on a patch to remember her pet hen?
Faith sewed a pine tree patch because she and her family buried Josefina under a pine tree.

6. Faith sewed patches for a quilt to help her remember things. She made a wagon wheel on her first quilt patch to help her remember the start of their trip to California. If you were to sew a patch to remember what happened today, what would you stitch, and why would you sew this design?

The Long Way to a New Land
by Joan Sandin

1. Mamma mixed pine bark with flour. She made bread with it. How do you think tree bark tastes? Do you think Carl Erik's family wanted to eat it?
Discuss how people in history and people today don't want to eat food that doesn't taste good. Let students explore why Carl Erik's family ate it— they were hungry—and how people from the past and people today have many of the same concerns.

2. Carl Erik, Jonas, and their family came to a new land. They did not speak a lot to people in the new land. The people did not speak a lot to them. Why?
Carl Erik's family spoke Swedish. People in America spoke English. They did not understand each other. Discuss how people often view those who don't speak the same language as being inferior. Explore how kids should treat people well, no matter what language they speak.

3. Think about a time when you went to a new place—new store, new home, or new school. How did being the new person make you feel?
Discuss how being new is both exciting and scary.

4. Carl Erik took only one toy when his family moved to America. Think about your toys. If you were moving and could keep only one toy, which toy would you keep and why?

The Long Way Westward
by Joan Sandin

1. Carl Erik rode a train. His train car was not the same as the first-class train car. Were people equal in this new land?
Discuss how American equality did not mean having the same amount of money or things. This equality held people to the same laws and did not base a person's value on social standing. Each person was given the same rights, but not the same things.

2. Carl Erik and his family did what they were told. Some people were nice, and some were not. Were the nice people good guides?
Discuss how their guides were trustworthy in some ways—the family did get to where they wanted to go—but the guides did not always look out for the family's best interests (first class versus emigrant cars).

3. Big Carlson was nice. He helped Jonas' family. They found the right train. Who have you helped? How did helping people make you feel?
Let students tell their stories. Discuss how people sometimes help others without getting anything in return. Helping others often makes people feel good.

4. Carl Erik and Pappa studied the Handbook for the Emigrant on the steamship ride to America. They wanted to become Americans. What would you tell people who were new to your country to make them feel welcome?

Magic Matt and the Dinosaur
by Grace Maccarone

1. Did Matt use his magic wand well? How was he able to make a turtle?
Matt did not know how to use his magic wand. He made many creatures that he didn't want to make and had to keep trying to finally make a turtle.

2. A mean dinosaur was in Matt's house. What did Matt do?
Matt made the meat-eating dinosaur into a plant-eating dinosaur.

3. Did Matt's plan work?
Matt's plan worked in that the dinosaur no longer wanted to eat Matt, but the plant eater destroyed things in the house.

4. Should Matt do his magic inside the house? Why or why not?
Matt's magic should be an outside activity since he doesn't know how to make small animals, such as a turtle. He will destroy fewer things if he practices outside first.

5. Matt had to use magic six times in order to get the turtle that he originally wanted. He is an example of the phrase, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again." Write about a time when you made many mistakes before succeeding? What were your mistakes? How did you finally succeed?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
by Margaret McNamara

1. Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader. He had a dream for the world. He wanted life to be a good experience for everyone.

2. What are three of the dreams in Mrs. Connor's class?
Students may mention any three of the following: Eigen wanted fighting to stop. Hannah wanted a clean earth. Katie wanted a world where everyone could enjoy themselves. Nia wanted everyone to be healthy. Becky wanted her life to make a difference. Emma wanted kids to play with each other. James wanted everyone to have enough money to live. Reza wanted everyone to live in safety.

3. What was Mrs. Connor's dream?
Mrs. Connor's wanted her students' dreams to become real.

4. Each child in Mrs. Connor's class had a dream. What is your big dream, and what can you do about it today? For example, Eigen didn't want people to fight. His first step might be to not get upset with others at recess. Or Becky wanted to serve others. Maybe she could talk to a shy classmate or include someone in a game.

Mercy Watson Fights Crime
by Kate DiCamillo

Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4
1. What did the Watsons do at night?
Mr. And Mrs. Watson tucked Mercy into bed with a good night song. Then they went to their room to go to sleep.

2. What woke Mercy, and why did that sound wake her?
The sound of the toaster being moved woke Mercy because she loved eating, especially hot, buttered toast.

3. Mercy went downstairs to eat. What did she find?
Mercy interrupted a little man, Leroy Ninker, who was in the process of stealing many kitchen items.

Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8
1. Mercy caught a bad guy in the kitchen. What did she do?
Nothing. Mercy didn't know anything about thieves. She was only interested in eating. When there was nothing to eat, she fell asleep on the kitchen floor.

2. What did Mercy smell, and where was it?
Although Mercy thought her neighbors might be making sugar cookies, the butter smell was coming from Leroy. Before he tried to climb over Mercy, Leroy ate a Butter Barrel Candy.

3. Mercy liked what she smelled. What did the smell cause her to do?
Mercy ran toward her neighbor's house with Leroy on her back. She thought they might be making sugar cookies.

Chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12
1. Why did Leroy yell, "Yippie-i-oh"?
Leroy wanted to be a cowboy. As Mercy ran around the yard with Leroy on her back, he felt like a cowboy, so he yelled, "Yippie-i-oh," which was a cowboy term.

2. The Lincoln sisters saw Mercy in the yard. What did they do?
Baby and Eugenia Lincoln called the police because Mercy was disturbing the peace.

3. The Watsons saw Mercy in the yard. What did they do?
The Watsons were concerned for Mercy. They called the fire department.

Chapters 13, 14, 15, and 16
1. Why didn't Mercy move off of Leroy?
Mercy wanted to know where the butter smell came from. She sat on Leroy to sniff him until she found his Butter Barrel Candy. Then she remained sitting on him because she was enjoying the candy.

2. What did people have to do to get to the bad guy?
The policeman and firemen had to lift Mercy off of Leroy to arrest him.

3. Tell why Mercy was or was not a hero.
Mercy was not a hero. She found the location of the butter smell and ate a Butter Barrel Candy. By doing that, she accidentally sat on Leroy so the police could arrest him.

Write a paragraph: Mercy Watson will do almost anything for food, especially things that smelled like butter. It's her favorite. What is your favorite food? Write a paragraph that describes the food you like most and then tell what you would do to get it.

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride
by Kate DiCamillo

Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4
1. Mrs. Watson did the same thing each week. What did she do?
Mrs. Watson made Mr. Watson and Mercy a large lunch every Saturday.

2. Mercy did the same thing each week. What did she do?
Mercy ate Mrs. Watson's meal and then sat in the driver's seat of the car. She refused to get out of the driver's seat until Mrs. Watson promised to make hot, buttered toast for her when she returned. Then Mercy moved over to the passenger seat.

3. The Lincoln sisters did the same thing each week. What did they do?
Eugenia and Baby Lincoln watched Mr. Watson and Mercy leave for their Saturday drive. Eugenia complained that Mr. Watson was not a good driver and that Mercy was a pig, not a child.

Chapters 5, 6, and 7
1. One day, things changed. On that day, what stayed the same for Mercy?
Mrs. Watson made a large meal. Mr. Watson and Mercy went for a drive. Eugenia Lincoln complained.

2. On that day, what did Baby do?
Baby Lincoln was not on the porch with her sister, Eugenia Lincoln. She hid herself in the back seat of Mr. Watson's car.

3. What happened because of Baby? Because Baby Lincoln was in the back seat of the car, Mr. Watson did not watch the road, and Mercy began driving.

Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 11
1. Eugenia looked for her sister. She did not find her. Eugenia blamed Mercy, the pig. Why did she blame the pig?
Eugenia blamed Mercy because Mercy was a pig. Eugenia blamed Mercy for almost everything that went wrong.

2. Mrs. Watson listened to her neighbor. Then she went to work. What did she do?
Mrs. Watson set about her task of making and buttering toast. She told Eugenia that there was no sense in worrying.

3. What did Baby do?
Baby climbed into the front seat, put on her seat belt, and then applied her foot to the brake pedal.

Chapters 12, 13, and 14
1. What happened when the car stopped?
Mr. Watson and Baby Lincoln were fine because they wore their seatbelts. Mercy was not wearing a seatbelt. She flew through the air.

2. What laws were broken?
Mr. Watson was ticketed for speeding, letting a pig drive, and not stopping when the police asked him to pull over.

3. How did Mrs. Watson make the day better?
Mrs. Watson made the day better by feeding everyone hot, buttered toast.

Write a paragraph: Mercy Watson should not have driven the car. Pigs do not drive cars. When she did, bad things happened. What is something you want to do but are not supposed to do? Write about doing this thing (pretend you did it) and all the bad things that happened because you did it.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue
by Kate DiCamillo

Chapters 1, 2, and 3
1. What scared Mercy? How did she solve that problem?
Mercy liked it when Mr. and Mrs. Watson sang their goodnight song, but she did not like it when they left her alone in a dark bedroom. She solved the problem by climbing into bed with them.

2. What did Mr., Mrs., and Mercy Watson dream?
Mr. Watson dreamed about driving a car that went extremely fast. Mrs. Watson dreamed about cooking hot, buttered toast for Mercy. Mercy dreamed about eating hot, buttered toast.

3. What happened to Mr. and Mrs. Watson's bed? What did Mercy do?
The bed with Mr., Mrs., and Mercy Watson began to fall through the floor. Mercy hopped off the bed and hurried to the kitchen to eat breakfast.

Chapters 4, 5, and 6
1. Who lived next door to Mercy?
Write two things about each woman. Baby and Eugenia Lincoln lived next door. Eugenia was good in emergencies and had an opinion about everything. Her younger sister, Baby Lincoln, always agreed with Eugenia to her face, but Baby did not always believe everything her sister said. For example, Eugenia thought that pigs should live on farms. Baby agreed when Eugenia said this, but Baby liked Mercy, and she liked Mercy living next door.

2. How did Mercy help Mrs. Watson?
Because Mercy was trying to find something to eat, she frightened Baby Lincoln, which made Eugenia call the fire department. That is exactly what Mrs. Watson wanted. She wanted the fire department.

3. What did Eugenia figure out?
Eugenia figured out that there was no monster at her sister's window. She knew Mercy was at the window.

Chapters 7, 8, and 9
1. The firemen arrived. They parked. Why did they think they were called?
The firemen saw Eugenia chasing Mercy and thought the pig chase was the emergency.

2. Baby talked to the firemen. She told them that Eugenia called them. Why does she say Eugenia called them?
Baby Lincoln told the firemen that Eugenia called them because she, Baby, saw a monster at her window.

3. What did the firemen hear? What did they do?
The firemen heard a distant cry for help. They went into the Watsons' house and saved Mr. And Mrs. Watson. Then the bed crashed through the boards to the first floor.

Chapters 10, 11, and 12
1. Eugenia chased Mercy. Eugenia caught Mercy. What happened to Mercy when Eugenia caught her?
Nothing. The Watsons praised Mercy for saving them. Everyone thought she was a hero, except Eugenia. Eugenia believed that pigs belonged on farms and not in houses.

2. Mrs. Watson was happy. She was safe. How did she thank everyone for their help?
Mrs. Watson invited the firemen and her neighbors to breakfast.

3. How was or wasn't Mercy a hero?
Mercy was not a hero. She was a pig who wanted to eat. In her pursuit of food, she accidentally caused the right things to happen at the right time.

Write a paragraph: Pretend that you have a pig like Mercy for a pet. Write a paragraph about how she helped you finish your homework or get ready for school.

Morris Goes to School
by Bernard Wiseman

1. Morris learned from what he did wrong. How did that help him?
Discuss how Morris made may mistakes. His good attitude helped the situations turn out well. Ask students to tell you about a time they had a bad attitude and a time they had a good attitude. Compare the problems and the final outcomes based on attitude.

2. Morris learned to count. He used his hoofs and antlers. What else did he do that the other children did not do?
Morris did not bring a lunch, so he ate grass by sticking his head out of the window. After lunch, Morris played ball and jumped rope at the same time. When his classmates did finger painting, Morris did hoof painting.

3. What were some lessons that Morris did not get?
The letters B, C, and I confused Morris. He thought B was a bee, C was a sea, and I was an eye. When asked what came after eight, Morris said that bedtime came after eight. Morris thought the railroad tracks on the classroom chalkboard were a fireman's ladder.

4. How did Morris' day at school help him?
After school, Morris was able to buy candy from the candy store and pay the correct amount.

5. Morris mistook a B for a bee, C for a sea, and I for an eye. He made many mistakes because he could not read. Write about one mistake you have made and what you did to keep from making the same mistake again.

Morris Has a Cold
by Bernard Wiseman

1. Morris had a cold. He said it was a walking cold. Why?
Morris said his cold was walking, not running, because it was a small cold.

2. Morris did not let Boris feel his forehead. Why?
Morris said he only had one head, not four. Therefore, he let Boris feel his one head but he didn't have four heads for Boris to feel.

3. How else did Boris confuse Morris?
When Boris asked how Morris' throat felt, Morris felt the outside of his throat. When Boris asked Morris to stick out his tongue, Morris thought Boris wanted him to make a funny face and noises. When Boris gave Morris soup, Boris had to tell him how to eat with a spoon and ended up feeding Morris.

4. Boris wanted Morris to do one thing for him. What was it?
Boris wanted Morris to stay healthy so Boris wouldn't have to take care of a sick Morris ever again.

.5.Morris was funny because he misunderstood things. Write story about how you had to help Morris understand something in your world. Perhaps tell about Morris going to the dentist, the grocery store, an amusement park, or a family reunion. Explain what Morris thought something was and what it really was.

Mrs. Rosey Posey and the Fine China Plate
by Robin Jones Gunn

1. Natalie was not happy with her parents. Why was she upset with them?
Natalie was upset because she wanted to go to a movie with her friends, and her parents would not allow it.

2. How should the fine china plate be used?
The fine china plate had been set apart for the best and tastiest foods. If Mrs. Rosey Posey had chocolate-covered cherries for Natalie, they should not be served on an old, dirty plate. The bad plate would ruin the cherry treat. If Mrs. Rosey Posey put them on a fine china plate, the plate would make the treat even more festive.

3. Read 2 Timothy 2:21 in the Bible together. How did Mrs. Rosey Posey compare the fine china plate to Natalie?
Mrs. Rosey Posey compared people to the fine china plate. God wanted Natalie and all His children to be careful about what they saw, heard, and did, so they would be set apart for God's use, just like the plate was set aside for Mrs. Rosey Posey's use. By honoring God in this way, they would be prepared to join God in whatever He was doing.

4. Pretend you are a fine, china plate in Mrs. Rosey Posey's kitchen. Describe how you would look and what kind of goodies you would hold.

Nate the Great and the Big Sniff
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Mitchell Sharmat

Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4
1. Nate the Great went into a store. Then he left the store. Why?
Nate went into the store to get a present for Sludge, his dog. He left the store because the lines were too long. There were 21 people in line.

2. Who did Nate meet outside the store? What did they tell him?
Nate met Annie and Fang outside the store. She told him that Sludge went into the store when it started to rain. She also told him that a mean saleslady tried to make Sludge and Fang leave the store.

3. Nate went to the lost and found. A man at the lost and found told Nate about a dog in the store. What did the man tell Nate?
The man in the lost and found department told Nate that his dog had been spotted all over the store, but no one could catch him because he kept running away.

Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8
1. The dog everyone saw was not Sludge. Why should Nate have known that?
The dog running around the store was scaring customers. Sludge did not scare people. Also the lost and found man said that people could not forget that dog. People may forget Sludge, but they would not forget Fang. He was scary.

2. Nate tried to think through his problem. Then he went to the pet area. Why was that a good place to look?
The pet department was a good place to look because pets like the things that are there. Nate made a logical deduction, and then he followed up on his thoughts.

3. Nate was a detective. What did he have to realize? How did his thoughts help him find Sludge?
Nate had to realize that Sludge was also a detective. As a detective, Sludge knew Nate and knew where he would go to think over a case. Sludge went to the place where people ate pancakes. He knew Nate would find him there.

4. Think about a store where you live. What are three good hiding places in that store, and what makes them great hiding places? If you were hiding from Nate the Great, would he be able to find you? Why or why not?

Noah and the Ark
from The Beginner's Bible

1. Noah was a man. He was not like other people. How was he not like other people?
Noah followed God and His rules. He did what God told him to do. Other people did not follow God or His rules.

2. God takes care of His children. How did God take care of Noah and his family?
God told Noah and his family to build an ark. During the flood, God kept Noah, his family and many animals safe in the ark.

3. The storm stopped. Did Noah and his family leave the ark as soon as the storm stopped?
No. The water was too deep for people and animals to survive. They had to wait for the water to drain.

4. The rainbow is a symbol that God gave Noah. It's a promise that God won't destroy the whole earth by water again. Think about another symbol (such as the American flag or your parents' wedding rings). What does the symbol stand for and how important is it to you?

Noodles the Puppy: "I Am Brave" and "I Won't Share"
by Hans Wilhelm

I Am Brave

1. Noodles did not like storms. What did he do when he saw storms?
When Noodles saw a storm, he hid in the house. Storms scared him.

2. Noodles could not act like he did with other storms. Why couldn't he do what he wanted to do?
Noodles could not do what he wanted to do because he was locked out of the house.

3. What was Noodles forced to do?
Being locked out of the house forced Noodles to face his fears. At first, he hid on the porch. Then he chose to watch the storm and enjoy it.

4. Noodles was scared. What helped him make it through the storm?
Noodles watched the storm. Afterward, Noodles no longer feared storms.

5. What is one thing that scares you? How can you change what you do to stop your fears?

I Won't Share

1. Noodles did not share his toy with other dogs. Why didn't he share?
The Squeaky toy belonged to Noodles. Discuss how the toy may have been chewed or lost by others, if Noodles shared, which would have saddened Noodles.

2. Noodles kept his toy safe. How did he keep it safe?
Noodles guarded it and did not play with it.

3. Noodles shared his Squeaky. What did he have to give up?What did he get in return?
Noodles had to give up control of his toy and risk getting it dirty and/or losing it. In return, he had a lot of fun playing with it with other dogs.

4. What is one toy that you really like? Write about a time when you shared it with a friend. Tell what happened.

Oliver
by Syd Hoff

1. The circus man did not take Oliver. He left Oliver. What did Oliver do?
Oliver was disappointed, but he made the best of a bad situation and figured out what else he could do.

2. What work did Oliver try to do?
Oliver tried to be an elephant in the zoo, but the zoo didn't need him. He tried to be someone's dog, but he did not want to eat a bone. He tried to be a horse, but he could not jump like other horses.

3. What did Oliver do at the playground?
Oliver found a new way to swing children, was able to play on the seesaw, and let children climb up on him and slide down his trunk. When they all rested, they talked about what they wanted to be when they grew up. Oliver wanted to be a circus elephant, so he showed them one of his dances.

4. What did the circus man say to Oliver?
The circus man saw Oliver dance. He wanted Oliver to be in the circus, because Oliver was the best dancing elephant he had ever seen. The circus owner apologized to Oliver—he said he should have taken Oliver, the eleventh elephant, instead of only the first ten.

5. Oliver tried to live in a zoo, be a dog, and be a horse. Write a paragraph about what else Oliver could have tried to do and then explain how he would have succeeded or failed.

The One Hundredth Day of School!
Ready, Freddy! series
by Abby Klein

Chapters 1 and 2
1. What was Freddy's problem on Twins Day? How was it fixed?
A button fell off Freddy's khaki pants, and his other khaki pants were too small for him to wear. To look like his friend Robbie, he had to wear a shark shirt and khaki pants. His mother looked for a pin to keep his pants from falling down but found a button to sew on them. Freddy was able to go to school dressed the same as Robbie.

2. Mrs. Wushy had a plan for the 100th day of school. What did she plan?
Mrs. Wushy said that her classroom would have a party on the 100th day of school. On that day, the number 100 would be a part of every activity. Every student was supposed to bring in 100 of one thing—they could choose anything they could carry.

3. In two days it would be the 100th day of school. How did Freddy feel?
Freddy was worried. He did not know how he would find 100 of one thing to bring to school.

Chapters 3 and 4
1. What did Freddy's parents tell him to bring? Why didn't Freddy bring those things?
Freddy's mother suggested that he bring paper clips or necklace beads. His father suggested baseball cards and shark's teeth. Freddy thought the beads were for girls, and Max, the bully, was going to bring baseball cards. Paper clips were not exciting enough for him, and Freddy had only 98 shark's teeth.

2. What were the kids in Freddy's class going to bring?
Jessie was going to bring a surprise. Chloe had 100 glass animals, Max was bringing baseball cards, and Robbie had a collection of gems and minerals.

3. Freddy wanted to bring the perfect thing. What do you think he'll bring to school? Why will he bring it?
Answers will vary. Accept all reasonable answers.

Chapters 5 and 6
1. Freddy thought his class would love Suzie's idea. Do you think they will? Give a reason.
Yes. Most children love homemade, chocolate chip cookies. Unlike what others were bringing, everyone could share the cookies.

2. What did Freddy's mother and sister do? How did they help him?
Freddy's sister came up with the idea, helped convince their mother that it was a good idea and helped make 100 cookies. His mother set out the ingredients and helped him make cookies, also.

3. Why won't Freddy bring what he made to school?
Freddy won't bring 100 cookies to school because he only has 99. His father came home from work and ate a cookie before anyone could tell him that they were a school project.

Chapters 7 and 8
1. Why was Freddy crying?
Freddy didn't have anything to bring to school. When his father ate the 100th cookie, Freddy lost all hope of being able to bring anything to school. He was devastated.

2. His sister told him to bring buttons. The buttons were in a jar. Why did Freddy choose to bring a jar of buttons?
At first Freddy didn't think a jar of buttons was special. Then he realized that many of the buttons told stories about his relatives. One button was from a uniform his grandfather wore in the army. Another came from a dress a great-grandmother wore at her wedding. Personal ties made the collection valuable.

3. What did Freddy end up doing with the cookies?
Freddy brought the remaining cookies to school to share with his class. Even though he didn't have 100, the class appreciated them.

Write a paragraph: If your class celebrated the 100th day of school, what would you bring? Write about your collection of 100 items, and why the collection would be interesting to your class.

Pinky and Rex and the Double-Dad Weekend
by James Howe

Chapters 1, 2, and 3
1. Why did Pinky and Rex want to go camping?
Pinky and Rex wanted to go camping together so they could have fun with each other and have their fathers all to themselves.

2. When it started to rain, they couldn't put up their tents. What did Pinky, Rex, and their fathers do?
Pinky, Rex, and their fathers waited for the rain to stop by touring a big cavern.

3. Pinky and Rex went to a big cave. They liked many things in it. What were their favorite things?
Rex liked when the lights went out and Pinky's dad made a scary sound. Pinky liked the boat ride.

4. Rex missed something in the cave. What was it, and what did his dad do about it?
Rex wanted to see a bat. At the end of their tour, his father bought him a plastic bat at the gift shop.

Chapters 4, 5, and 6
1. Pinky had a good idea. What was it? Who did he surprise?
Pinky had the idea to set up a tent in the room. They did and surprised Rex's dad with the tent after he returned from getting food for them.

2. What did each person want to do?
Pinky wanted to go to a puppet maker's studio, and Rex wanted to see a reptile museum. Pinky's father wanted to play miniature golf, and Rex's father wanted to go to a train museum.

3. What did the kids and their fathers end up doing?
The kids and their fathers ended up doing all the activities. It was rainy outside, so there was time to do everything.

4. What did the kids like best about the trip?
Pinky and Rex decided that being with their dads was the best part of the trip.

Write a paragraph: If you could spend one weekend alone with your dad (or mom), what would you want to do with him (or her)? Describe the whole weekend.

Queen Esther Helps God's People
from The Beginner's Bible

1. Who did the king choose to be his queen?
The king chose Esther to be his new queen.

2. Haman was the king's helper. He was also a mean man. What did he want the king to do?
Haman wanted the king to get rid of all the Jewish people.

3. How did God use one person to save the Jewish people?
God used Esther. She told the king that Haman wanted to get rid of all the Jewish people. Esther was Jewish, so Haman also would get rid of her. This upset the king.

4. The king no longer wanted Haman as his helper. Who became the king's helper instead of Haman?
The king gave Haman's job to Mordecai, who was Esther's cousin.

5. Esther was a Jewish girl. God used her in a big way. She married a king and saved the Jewish people. God can use you also. Write a letter to God. Thank Him for adopting you into His family. Then ask Him to use you in a big way.

Sammy the Seal
by Syd Hoff

1. What made Sammy sad? How did the zookeeper make him happy?
Sammy was sad because he wanted to see the world outside o the zoo. The zookeeper let him go on a field trip to see how people lived.

2. Why did Sammy look for a place to swim?
Sammy was hot and tired. He wanted to swim to cool off.

3. Where did Sammy want to or try to swim?
Sammy wanted to swim in a puddle, goldfish bowl, and fountain but they were too small or he was not allowed. He ended up in a bathtub.

4. What did Sammy do at school?
Sammy learned to read and write. He also sang and played games.

5. School was over. What did Sammy want to do?
Sammy wanted to go home. He had many exciting experiences, but he knew that his home in the zoo was the best place for him.

6. If you were a seal, what is one thing you would want to do before going back to the zoo? Write a paragraph describing what you would do and how you would do it.

Sam the Minuteman
by Nathaniel Benchley

1. Sam was on the green in Lexington. He heard shots. What did Sam think happened?
Sam did not know what happened. British soldiers and minutemen fired at each other.

2. The men with Sam were brave. They fought the British. What part did they play in history?
The shots that were exchanged on the village green in Lexington were the first shots of the American Revolutionary War.

3. Sam heard shots. The shots changed the world. Did Sam know this? How do people know when a big change takes place?
No. Sam did not know the Revolutionary War had started. Most people don't know when their actions are a part of a major historical event, one that will change the course of history. They usually are doing what they need to do at the moment they need to do it. That's what Sam was doing—he was doing his job.

4. As the minutemen waited to see if the British were coming, Sam Brown and John Allen played. Pretend you live in that time period and were with Sam and John. Make up a game that you could play with Sam and John to help the time go by quicker. Remember, you can't play an electronic game, would need to be a little quiet, can't move around much, and can't use more than rocks and sticks.

Sheep in a Jeep
by Nancy Shaw

1. What happened when sheep drove a jeep on a steep hill?
When sheep drove a jeep on a steep hill, the jeep rolled into mud and became stuck.

2. What did the sheep that was driving do wrong?
The sheep that was driving forgot to steer. As a result, the jeep crashed into a tree.

3. Sheep and pigs crashed into a tree. They were fine. Pretend a real jeep crashed into a tree. Would those in the jeep also be fine? Why or why not?
Crashes and rolling down a hill can hurt passengers, even when they are using seatbelts. In this case, no animal was wearing a seatbelt, so many would have been injured in the crash.

4. The sheep were having fun with each other, but they were not behaving in a safe way. What kinds of things do you like doing with friends, and how do you keep safe when you're with them?

Small Wolf
by Nathaniel Benchley

1. Where did Small Wolf live? What did his parents do?
Small Wolf lived in a village on the bank of a river. His mother planted corn, and his father hunted bears and deer.

2. Small Wolf explored the Island of Hills. What did he see?
Small Wolf saw a house, chimney, boat, windmill and a white-faced man.

3. The white-faced man scared Small Wolf. What did Small Wolf think the man was wearing?
Small Wolf thought the white-faced man was wearing a devil mask.

4. The white men thought they owned the Island of Hills. Why did they think that?
The white men thought they owned the Island of Hills because they purchased it from Indians. The white men did purchase the land from Indians, but the Indians who sold it to them didn't own it.

5. Small Wolf went to the Island of Hills to hunt. If Small Wolf hunted well, he would get to wear feathers on his hair and colors on his face. The feathers and colors marked him as a man in his tribe. What will mark you as a grown up? How will you look or what will you do when you are a grown up?

Soccer Sam
by Jean Marzollo

1. Marco did not play basketball. What did he do with the ball?
Marco bounced the basketball on his head and then on his thighs.

2. Marco did not play kickball. What did he do with the ball?
Marco stopped the kickball each time it came to him.

3. Marco taught Sam. He taught the kids in the second grade. What did he teach them?
Marco taught them to bounce the ball on their heads and how to pass it using only their feet.

4. Sam wanted to beat the third grade. He had a plan. What was his plan?
Sam planned to get the second grade to practice soccer all week. Then they would challenge the third grade to a soccer game during recess.

5. The kids in second and third grade played a game. What happened in the game?
The third graders made the first goal. Then Marco dribbled the ball past the third graders to score a goal. Tommie, the second grade goalie, stopped a third grade kick on goal. With Marco and Sam working together, Sam scored the second goal for their team. When the third graders grew frustrated, the second graders scored 17 more goals.

6. Marco gave Sam a nickname. He called Sam, "Soccer Sammee." Write a paragraph about three people you know. Give each of those people a nickname, and tell why the nickname fits them.

Spring is Here: A Story About Seeds
by Joan Holub

1. When do plants begin to grow?
In the spring, plants begin to grow, and they continue growing throughout the summer. (If you live in a place where plants grow all year, have students consider the climate and moisture level.)

2. How does the world know to change for the seasons?
God has set up an order in our world so the seasons know when to change. Some of this has to do with how the earth tilts toward and away from the sun and weather patterns. (Once again, if you live in an area where the seasons are not distinct, explain the reason for the type of season change you have to your students.)

3. What season do you like the most? Why?
Answers will vary. Accept all reasonable answer.

4. How can you tell when it is that season?
Answers will vary. Accept all reasonable answers.

5. Joe was impatient for the seeds to become plants. Kate told him that he would have to wait. Perhaps she knew that water, dirt, and time are important to seeds. What is one thing you wish would happen right now? Why do you have to wait for it to happen?

A Tree for All Seasons
by Robin Bernard

1. In the winter, maple trees look dead. They are not. How can you tell? How do animals use them? Small buds are on the tree. The buds wait for warmer weather to open. Squirrels sleep in the holes in trees, and birds sit on empty branches.

2. How did the maple tree change in the spring?
The maple tree's buds opened with the warmer weather, and they grew into leaves. Spring showers gave the tree the water it needed.

3. In the summer, the maple tree did things for others. What did it do?
The maple tree offered shade for people and chipmunks. Its samaras were food for animals.

4. How did the maple tree change in the fall?
Maple leaves changed to different colors. Bugs hibernated beneath the bark. Squirrels hid their nuts and seeds within it. And the leaves fell off so children could play in them.

5. A maple tree goes through many changes during the seasons. Invent your own tree. Give it a name and draw a picture of it. Then write a paragraph about how all four seasons affect your tree. For example, if you decide to write about the atrefoalse tree, you may tell how it looks like a large icicle in the winter, but in the spring it shoots jelly beans to help it grow more spaghetti noodle branches.

Trucktown: Zoom! Boom! Bully
by Jon Scieszka

1. Jack Truck, Gabriella Garbage Truck, Payloader Pete, Cement Mixer Melvin, and Dump Truck Dan were friends. How do friends treat each other?
Friends are nice to and help each other.

2. Big Rig treated the other trucks poorly. How did he make them feel?
Big Rig's behavior often annoyed the other trucks, and they felt he was bullying them.

3. How did Jack, Gabriella, Pete, Melvin, and Dan help each other?
They were friends to each other and were able to give Big Rig a birthday cake, even when he kept spoiling what they were doing.

4. Jack Truck, Gabriella Garbage Truck, Payloader Pete, Cement Mixer Melvin, and Dump Truck Dan wanted to make a birthday cake for Big Rig. If you could make a cake for someone’s birthday, who would you make it for and how would you do it?

True or False: Baby Animals
by Melvin and Gilda Berger

1. How were elephant, whale, and giraffe babies the same? How were they not the same?
All of these babies were called calves. Answers will vary for differences, such as how they breathed or looked. Accept all reasonable answers.

2. How were polar bear, lion, brown bear, and tiger babies the same? How were they not the same?
All of these babies were called cubs. Answers will vary for differences. Accept all reasonable answers.

3. How were dog, wolf, and sea otter babies the same? How were they not the same?
All of these babies were called pups. Answers will vary for differences. Accept all reasonable answers.

4. Do you have a pet, or do you know someone who does? Write one true and one false statement about this pet. Then write a paragraph that tells more about the animal, such as how it looks or what it does when you go near it.

Zachary's Zoo
by Mike and Amy Nappa

1. Zachary took care of his pets. How did he make his chores more fun?
Zachary was thankful for each animal, took on the role of a zookeeper, and gave each animal a new and more dangerous name. He understood his responsibilities and gladly accepted them. Discuss how being thankful can make every day an adventure.

2. Why would Zachary thank God for making him a zookeeper?
God made all the animals and asked men and women to take care of them. The animals belong to God, so Zachary thanked God for letting him take care of them.

3. How are people and pets not the same? Read 1 Corinthians 15:39 and Genesis 1:27-28 in the Bible together.
Discuss physical differences, such as feathers, scales, fur, and hair; habitats; and spiritual differences—God created animals but formed humans in His image and breathed life into them. He also put humans in charge over the animals.

4. Zachary gave names to his pets. He called his cat, Tiger; dog, Bear; lizard, Crocodile; fish, Sharky; and bird, Eagle. Now choose five pets that you would like to own. Give each one a name, and explain why it's the best name for that animal.