Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Rose Elf by Hans Christian Andersen

Introduction
Main Directory
For Answer Key Click Link

Book Title: Andersen's Fairy Tales
Story: The Rose Elf
ISBN: 0-517-20573-4


1. What grew in the middle of the garden?
2. What lived in it?
3. Was he tall? Yes or No
4. Can humans see him?
5. What did he look like?
6. Did he have wings?
7. What did he do during the day?
8. One day he was out and it got late.  His rose shut and he couldn’t get in.  True or False
9. He looked all around and he couldn’t find another rose open.  True or False
10. The rose elf was frightened because he had never been out in the night before.  True or False
11. Who was at the arbour?
12. The maiden gave the young man a rose.  The rose elf flew into the _____________________.
13. Why couldn’t the rose elf fall asleep?
14. What happened to the young man as he walked kissing the rose?
15. What happened to the young man’s head?
16. Where did the bad man go?
17. What had fallen on the bad’s man head?
18. What was in that leaf?
19. What did the elf do when the brother left the sister’s room?
20. Where did the girl go after night fall?
21. What did she do when she got there?
22. Did she kiss the head?  Yes or No
23. What else besides the head, did she take from the murder site?
24. What did she do with the head when she got home?
25. Did the girl cry every day at the flower pot?
26. The girl’s wicked brother scolded her for crying at the flower pot.  True or False
27. The young lady died while the elf whispered in her ear sweet dreams.  True or False
28. How did the jasmine tree weep over the girl’s death?
29. What did the brother do with the pot after his sister died?
30. Who lived in the blossoms of the tree?
31. Who did the elves tell the murder story to?
32. Who did the bees tell?
33. What did the queen bee order?
34. What happened the first night after the wicked brother’s sister’s death?
35. What did the spirits do first?
36. What was the second thing they did?
37. What was the third thing they did?
38. What was the last thing the spirits did?
39. Who flew-in in the morning?
40. The wicked brother was still alive in the morning.  True or False
41. Who stood around the bed?
42. Who would not be driven away?
43. Then one man tried to pick up the flower pot.  As he did a bee stung him.  True or False
44. What fell out of the flower pot?
45. What did the humans learn that day about the dead man?
46. Draw a picture and tell me what you learned about this story in 20-30 words.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Introduction
Main Directory
For Answer Key Click Link

Book Title: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
ISBN: 978-0-545-27262-9

     This is book 5 of the series "Percy Jackson & The Olympians."  I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm going to read the whole series.  I recommend starting on book 1 and working your way up.  I ended up having too many questions and asking my children what caused certain events to happen.  I kept hearing from them, you have to read the other books.  So, if you really want to appreciate this series, start from the beginning.


Challenge Questions (Please write page # item found)

1. Do you see a simile in the story?
2. Do you see a metaphor in the story?
3. Do you see a hyperbole in the story?

Chapter 1

4. Who’s the main character?
5. Who is Rachel?
6. What’s Percy’s stepfather’s name?
7. What is Percy’s father’s name?
8. What is a Prius?
9. What landed on top of the Prius? (A)
10. Who was riding the A? (B)
11. What is the name of the A?
12. Percy joined B and C then flew to the (D) _______________________________________.
13. D is a huge cruise ship.  T or F
14. D is the headquarters for ____________________________________________.
15. What is Riptide?
16. What are telkhines?
17. What did Percy see at the ship’s promenade?
18. What does promenade mean here on page 15?
19. Who is the demonic crustacean?
20. Who appeared to Percy halfway across the deck?
21. Did the monster believe Beckendorf didn’t set explosives?  Yes   No
22. What happened to Beckendorf?

Chapter 2

Look in Dictionary

23. What are omens?
24. What does mystical mean?
25. Who is Apollo?
26. When Percy was outside the pavilion hiding in the shadows of a Greek column.   Who was the boy who stood next to him? (A)
27. A was the son of ___________________________.
28. Research:  Who is Hades?
29. Was Tyson a Cyclops or the son of Hades?
30. What is the name of the God of the Dolphins?
31. What does immortal mean?
32. Research: Who was Triton?
33. Research: Who is Oceanus?
34. Research: Who is Poseidon?
35. Research: Who is Amphitrite?
36. Research: Who are the Titans?
37. Dictionary: What are descendants?
38. On page 41, the book has written, “Even if they didn’t die, they could be reduced to nearly nothing, exiled, imprisoned in the depths of Tartarus like Kronos had been.”  What is Tartarus?
39. What happened as Percy swam away from his father at the end of the chapter?

Chapter 3

40. How many cabins in the camp? (A)
41. What does the A represent?
42. Who asked for Charles Beckendorf?
43. Annabeth unclasped a necklace from the mummy to read the Great Prophecy.  She gave it to Percy to read at the War Council.  What did it say?
44. New York City is also known to Percy as _________________________________________.
45. Typhon is a giant what?
46. Percy is supposed to die when he turns sixteen in 5 days.  This is the same time Typhon is supposed to reach Olympus.  T  or   F
47. Do you think Percy is suppose to die battling Typhon?

Chapter 4

48. Please give example:  In the past three chapters, have you read Language of the Discipline?
49. Which two cabins were fighting?
50. What happened in this chapter?

Chapter 5

51. Who is the world’s only friendly hellhound? (A)
52. A took Percy to the grounds where the Council of Cloven Elders had once put Grover on trial.  Who did he see there?
53. Is Nico there to help or kill Percy?
54. Where does Nico say they need to travel to? (B)
55. Why are they going to B?
56. What is the name of the person they are going to see? ( C )
57. How is Percy going to travel to see C in B?
58. What technique are they using to travel there?

Chapter 6

59. Describe Luke’s house.
60. What did Luke’s (home) front porch have?
61. Describe Luke’s mom.
62. What did Luke’s mom have in the kitchen in Tupperware boxes?
63. What type of information did Nico and Percy get from Ms. Castellan?
64. Who/what did Nico and Percy see as they got back to Mrs. O’Leary?
65. What did the girl offer Percy and Nico?
66. What did the girl give Mrs. O’Leary?
67. Who was the little girl?
68. What gift did May Castellan have according to the little girl?
69. Where did Percy and Nico go or disappeared to after the little girl disappeared?
70. At the end of this chapter, did Percy’s mom give Percy her blessing? Yes or No

Chapter 7

71. There are two doors into the underworld.  One door is in California in the city of _________________________________________.
72. What is the name of this door?
73. The other door is at a park in New York.  The name of the park is called _________________________________________.
74. What is the name of this door?
75. Research: What is a satyr?
76. Instead of Percy singing to open the Door of Orpheus.  Percy called a s_______r.
77. His name is? (A)
78. What did A see at the park?
79. Research: What is a dryad?
80. Who did Nico say A met?
81. How did A open the Door of Orpheus?
82. When Nico, Percy, and Mrs. O’Leary reached the bottom of the tunnel.  They stopped at the River Styx.  The river represents hatred.  The ramparts of Erebos, which are the black walls of Hades’s kingdom, represent darkness and shadow.  As they approached Hades’s gate, who did they see? (B)
83. Describe B.
84. Who/what appeared as they crossed the Fields of Asphodel?
85. The furies are Erinyes.  Erinyes are the three furies (in Latin literature given the names Tisiphone, Megaera and Alecto), whom punished sin, esp. the murder of kin.  They were pictured as winged women with snakes for hair.  Alecto was known in our world as Percy’s math teacher Mrs. ___________________.
86. What were the guards that guarded the only exit from Hades Palace? (c )
87. What did C wear?
88. Where did the furies take Percy and Nico?
89. Who appeared at their throne?
90. What plan does Hades have for Percy?
91. What do you think the trap is that Hades is talking about?


Chapter 8

92. Who helped Percy escape from the dungeon? (A)
93. How did A help Percy escape?
94. When Percy dragged A out of the servants’ entrance and into the Fields of Asphodel.  Who did they see and came to their rescue? (B)
95. What is B?
96. What did Percy give A, when they were by the river, to wake him up? ( C )
97. What happens if you give a demigod too much of C?
98. What objects swirled on the River Styx?
99. Who appeared next to Percy and warned him not to jump in? (D)
100. What killed D?
101. What part of his body did Percy concentrate on to make it vulnerable?
102. After Percy destroyed Hades’s army, he grabbed Hades by the robe and asked him about the trap.  What did Hades do?

Chapter 9

103. What details do you see in the story?
104. Where did Percy go after leaving the underworld? (A)
105. When he got to A, who met him there?
106. To what floor did they go in the A? (B)
107. What is at B? ( c )
108. What did they have to cross to make it to C?
109. Which room did they go to once they entered the palace? (D)
110. Describe D.
111. Who appeared by the hearth? (E)
112. What did Percy see in E’s eyes?
113. Who appeared net to E after Percy’s vision? (f)
114. Who did F say is beaming those blue lights at Olympus?
115. Who did F get upset with?
116. The whole island of Manhattan was quiet.  What happened to the people?

Chapter 10

117. Do you see any patterns in the story?
118. Who was happy that all the people were asleep? (A)
119. What was A eating?
120. Who did Percy ordered back to Camp Half-Blood?
121. Who showed up to fight along with Percy?
122. Who were these hunters?
123. Daedalus was a craftsman who built the labyrinth, a maze of paths bordered by high hedges in a park etc., of Crete for the Minotaur, and who made wings for himself and his son, Icarus.  Annabeth said he planted automatons around the city in case they needed an army.  What do you think automatons are?
124. What were the two giant forms made of that appeared to Percy while swimming in the river?
125. What were their names?
126. At first, were the river gods friendly?   Yes   No
127. At first, were the river gods willing to defend Olympus?  Yes  No
128. How did Percy convince them to join their fight against Kronos?

Chapter 11

129. Who/what did Percy fight one on one?
130. Research: What are demigods?
131. Who fought with Percy on the bridge against Kronos’s cavalry?
132. Who flew from above Percy’s fight?
133. Who got stabbed on the bridge? (A)
134. Who stabbed A? (B)
135. Who is B the son of ?
136. Who died on the bridge when Percy stabbed Riptide into the bridge?
137. Who called Percy after Kronos rode away?

Chapter 12

138. Where did Percy tell Annabeth his Achilles spot is?
139. Who did Mrs. O’Leary bring to Percy?
140. By this time, Krono’s forces were getting ready to attack at night.  Percy decided to get some sleep before the night battles.  As he slept, he had a vision of Nico pouring wine into a hole.  What appeared to Nico?
141. What was the name of this figure? (A)
142. What name did Nico yelled for after A’s form disappeared? (B)
143. Who was A?
144. Who was B?
145. How did B die?
146. Who took the children to the Lotus Hotel? ( c )
147. Who appeared to Hades after C disappeared with the children?

Chapter 13

148. An empousa is a monstrous underworld spirit or spirits with flaming hair, the leg of a goat and a leg of bronze.  Who accompanied the empousa and the Hyperborean?
149. Who is Ethan Nakamura?
150. What does Prometheus want from Percy?
151. On page 227, Prometheus mentions the 4 demons that haunt mankind.  What are they?

Chapter 14

152. Where did Percy’s vision first take him when he slept?
153. Where did Percy’s vision take him next?
154. Who did Percy defeat first? (A)
155. After Percy defeated A, what showed up?
156. How did Percy defeat the Clazmonian Sow?

Chapter 15

157. Who showed up to help Percy defend the Empire State Building?
158. Who went to get this cavalry of warriors?
159. Dionysus is the god of the vine, identified with Bacchus and the Roman Liber.  Percy had a vision of meeting Mr. D at Earl’s birthday party.  What reason did Mr. D tell Percy he needs to save Olympus?
160. Who did Percy find in the beat-up blue Prius?
161. What was at the back seat of the Prius?
162. Pandora was the first woman sent to earth as a punishment for Prometheus’s crime of stealing fire from the gods.  Zeus gave her a box which, when opened, let loose all human misfortunes, but hope remained in the bottom to comfort mankind.  True or False

Chapter 16

163. Do you see any rules in the story?
164. How did Rachel get into New York City? (A)
165. What happened to A when they were entering the city?
166. Who rescued the falling A?
167. Who flew A?
168. Who is Rachel?
169. Why did Rachel return to New York City?
170. As Percy got some sleep this time.  Where did his vision take him first?
171. Where did his vision take him next?
172. What giant appeared to fight next? (B)
173. Who killed B? (C )
174. Who was the girl who died?

Chapter 17

175. Do you see any trends in the story?
176. Who was the spy?
177. Why did she become the spy?
178. Why did she lead the charge and pretend she was Clarisse?
179. Who’s throne did Percy sit on?
180. Who did Percy contact?

Chapter 18

181. Do you see any unanswered questions in the story?
182. Who joined the war?

Chapter 19

183. Do you see any ethical issues in the story?
184. Who got pinned down under the rubble of the Statue of Hera?
185. What happened to Ethan Nakamura?
186. How was Kronos defeated?

Chapter 20

187. Do you see a big idea?
188. How did the Olympian Council recognize Thalia for the efforts to save Olympus?
189. How did the council reward Tyson?
190. How did Grover get rewarded?
191. Who got the job to redesign the city?
192. What did the Olympian Council offer Percy?
193. What did Percy do?
194. Percy asked the Olympian Council for one gift.  That gift was for all children of gods and minor gods to be recognized and trained at Camp Half-Blood.  True or False

Chapter 21

195. Do you see things or events that relate across time?
196. Who did Percy speak to first before going down the elevator?
197. Who did Percy speak to next before going down the elevator?
198. Who was waiting for Percy on the first floor/lobby of the building?
199. Who ran up to him before he exited the building?
200. What did Nico say?

Chapter 22

201. Do you see views/opinions from multiple perspectives?
202. What do you think Rachel was doing at the Big House when Percy arrived?
203. What appeared on the doorway of the Big House at Camp Half-Blood?
204. Who was the oracle?
205. Which god appeared above the porch?
206. What came out of the mummy’s mouth?
207. Who did Rachel become?
208. What happened the rest of the day?
209. Who showed up with a cupcake? (A)
210. Why did A show up with a cupcake?

Chapter 23

211. Do you see ideas, items, events, or issues that go across disciplines?
212. Who appeared on the beach? (A)
213. What did A want?
214. The last night of camp was a bead ceremony.  What did the beads have?
215. What would you rate this story from 1-10 (1 worst – 10 Best)?

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz

Introduction
Main Directory
For Answer Key Click Link

Book Title: Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
ISBN: 0-439-57617-2

     This is one of those "must read books" that your child needs to read before graduating middle school.  It is a great story of perseverance.  The older your child is when reading this book, the more he/she will appreciate the story.


Chapter 1 Las Uvas

1. How old was Esperanza in Chapter 1?
2. Where did the story take place?
3. What was the name of the ranch?
4. What were the names of Esperanza’s parents?
5. Who is Esperanza’s best friend? (A)
6. What occupation was A’s father?
7. What time period was this? 19______
8. How many years has passed after the Mexican Revolution?
9. The author writes that some peasants were so poor that they had to eat ________.
10. Why do you think abuelita wore black dresses?
11. When abuelita said the metaphor, “No hay rosa sin espinas.  There is no rose without thorns,” she was trying to say what?
12. Who was Hortensia?
13. Who was Alfonso?
14. Who was Miguel?
15. What did the author mean by writing that between Miguel & Esperanza “ran a deep river”?
16. Who were Tio Luis and Tio Marco?
17. What type of job did Tio Luis have?
18. What type of job did Tio Marco have?
19. What was the reason that Tio Marco and Tio Luis weren’t married?
20. What happened to Esperanza’s father?

Chapter 2 Las Papayas

1. How did Esperanza’s father die?
2. Who is Señor Rodriguez?
3. What did Señor Rodriguez deliver? (A)
4. What were the A’s for?
5. How long did the funeral last?
6. Esperanza noticed, on page 30, Tio Luis wearing her father’s belt buckle.  What do you think this meant?
7. What did the lawyer tell Esperanza’s mother that she inherited?
8. Who inherited the land?
9. Did Tio Luis offer to buy the house from Esperanza’s mother?
10. Did Tio Luis propose to Esperanza’s mother?
11. Was Esperanza’s mother offended by Tio Luis’s proposal?
12. On page 36, Miguel says, “My father and I have lost faith in our country.  We were born servants here and no matter how hard we work we will always be servants.”  How does this make you feel for them?

Chapter 3 Los Higos

1. What happened to Esperanza’s house? (A)
2. Who rescued abuelita from the burning house?
3. What happened to the grapevines?
4. Who do you think arranged the fire?
5. What did Tio Luis say to Esperanza when he visited the next morning after the fire?
6. What did he, Tio Luis, say about boarding schools?
7. Did Esperanza’s mother accept Tio Luis’s marriage proposal?

Chapter 4 Las Guayabas

1. What did Señor Rodriguez give them to escape? (A)
2. Where are they taking A to?
3. Why do the women have to hide in the wagon?
4. What event did Hortensia start talking about to help Esperanza relax?
5. What did Miguel get as a reward for being brave during that event?
6. How many days did it take them to get to Zacatecas?
7. Describe the setting in the train cart they had to travel in.
8. On page 67, the author writes, “When she [Esperanza] went to town, she was escorted and hurried around any beggars.  And the peasants always kept their distance.  That was simply the way it was.”  What does the author mean by this?
9. What do you think was in the package that Miguel & Alfonso would dampen in every stop?
10. What did Miguel say you needed in Mexico to get a job?
11. On page 75, Esperanza was thinking the following, “I hear that in the United States, you do not need una palanca.  That even the poorest man can become rich if he works hard enough.”  Palanca means a connection for employment.  Ask your parents if they agree with Esperanza’s thoughts.


Chapter 5- Los Melones

1. What city or town did the train stop?
2. What happened at the train station?
3. Why did Esperanza’s mother heart arche at the border?
4. Did Miguel & Alfonso almost miss the train?
5. What were they [Miguel & Alfonso] doing that they almost missed the train?
6. At what city did they unboard the train? (A)
7. Who was waiting for them?
8. What month did they arrive to A?
9. What type of vehicle did they board?
10. On page 88, the author mentions the San Fernando Valley.  Do you think this is the San Fernando Valley we live at?
11. Isabel mentioned that they lived in a tent.  What do you think your life would be like if you lived in a tent?
12. What was the name of the girl that got on the truck in the San Joaquin Valley? (B)
13. What did B, on page 96, mean by “So you’re a princess who’s come to be a peasant?  Where’s all your finery?”
14. How did B’s father die?
15. What did Isabel, on page 98, mean by “They don’t mix us.”?
16. What are “jamaicas”?
17. Did Esperanza like Marta?

Extra Credit

In the book “Esperanza Rising,” on page 97-98, Isabel points to camps that the workers were Filipinos, Japanese, and from Oklahoma.  Research the different ethnic groups that are migrant farm workers in California.  In other words, from which country or state do people migrate to California to work in the fields?
Research the name “Okies” from Oklahoma.  How did they get this name?



Chapter 6- Las Cebollas

1. Esperanza’s description of the cabins was “that they weren’t even as nice as the servants’ cabins in Aguascalientes.  They reminded Esperanza more of the horse stalls on the ranch than of a place for people to live.”  Is this a paradox?
2. On page 103, Esperanza shouts to her mother.  “Mama, we are living like horses!  How can you sing?  How can you be happy?  We don’t even have a room to call our own.”  Do you think Esperanza is correct to say this?
3. What is Esperanza’s job on the first day?
4. What is Isabel’s job?
5. What is Alfonso’s job?
6. What is Juan’s job?
7. What is Hortensia’s job?
8. What is Josefina’s job?
9. What is Ramona’s job?
10. Who is Hortensia?
11. Who is Alfonso?
12. Who is Josefina?
13. Who is Juan?
14. Who is Juan related to?
15. Who is Isabel?
16. What were the names of the twins?
17. Who were the twins’ parents?
18. What was Esperanza’s camp job?
19. Where did Miguel leave to find work?
20. What type of work did Miguel go looking for?
21. Who was Silvia?
22. Did Miguel find work at the railroad yards?
23. What type of work did Miguel say Mexicans were being hired for?
24. What type of work did Miguel say Mexicans weren’t being hired for?

Chapter 7- Las Almendras

1. What did Miguel & Alfonso bring back from Aguascaliente?
2. What did Josefina say would happen if they strike?


Chapter 8- Las Ciruelas

1. Where did Isabel go early in the morning?
2. What did Esperanza feed the children?
3. What happened to the babies a few hours after Esperanza fed them lunch?
4. What needed to be picked before the first fall rains?
5. How many days a week did everyone have to work?
6. What was the temperature like?
7. What day did Melina tell Esperanza it was?
8. Was Esperanza worried that her mother might strike?
9. What hit the camp?
10. What was the name of Isabel’s kitten?
11. Was there a strike after all?
12. What happened to the cotton fields?
13. How long did they take to harvest the grapes?
14. Did Esperanza’s mother get sick?
15. What illness does Esperanza’s mother have? (A)
16. What is A? Try and explain it
17. On page 156, Esperanza asks the doctor, “How long until she (her mom) is well?” What was the doctor’s response?

Chapter 9

1. The doctor returned a few weeks later and said what?
2. Where did the doctor say Esperanza’s mother needs to go? (A)
3. Who drove Esperanza’s mother to A?
4. What was Esperanza’s idea to get her grandmother to the San Joaquin Valley?
5. What did Marta’s aunt tell Josefina about striking?
6. What are their fears if they strike?
7. What are their fears if they don’t strike?
8. What did Esperanza tell Isabel she wanted for Christmas?
9. What did Isabel want for Christmas?
10. On page 176, Esperanza stared into the dark.  “Isabel had nothing, but she also had everything.  Esperanza wanted what she had.  She wanted so few worries that something as simple as a yarn doll would make her happy.”  In your perspective, what did the author try to say?
11. What did Esperanza say to her mom as she left the hospital?

Chapter 10- Los Aguacates

1. What days did Esperanza visit her mother?
2. What did the doctor tell Esperanza her mother contacted?
3. By now, Esperanza’s mother had been in the hospital for _______ months and Esperanza hadn’t been allowed to visit for ___________________ weeks.
4. What was the name of the market owner?
5. What did Esperanza buy at the market?
6. Who did they see walking along the road on their way back from the market? (A&B)
7. Where did Miguel drive A&B to? (C)
8. Describe C’s location?
9. How much did the man say, who approached Marta, he earned for working one day?
10. What was the man searching for and why?
11. What did Esperanza give the man?
12. What did Esperanza give to the two children?
13. What did Miguel give them?
14. Where did Miguel get a job?

Chapter 11- Los Esparragos

1. In this chapter, what was the vegetable they were picking?
2. As she went to work with Hortensia and Josefina, who did the company sent for protection?
3. What type of things and animals did the Strikers place inside the crates to slow down the workers?
4. Why didn’t the police and immigration officials go after the company workers during the raid?
5. Do you think U.S. Citizens were being boarded on the bus and sent back to Mexico?
6. Who did Esperanza see as she needed more bands to wrap around the asparagus?
7. What did Esperanza and Miguel see when they reached the Strikers camp?

Chapter 12- Los Duraznos

1. What did Isabel pray for? (A)
2. What was the criteria to be A?
3. Esperanza asked Josefina if a Mexican girl has ever been chosen to be A?
4. What did Isabel tell Esperanza and Hortensia about the people moving in from Oklahoma?
5. What did Isabel tell them that the people from Oklahoma are getting?
6. What happened to Miguel at work?
7. On page 222, the author writes “In Mexico, I was a second-class citizen.  I stood on the other side of the river, remember?  And I would have stayed that way my entire life.  At least here, I have a chance, however small, to become more than what I was.  You, obviously, can never understand this because you have never lived without hope.”  Explain this paragraph.
8. Did Isabel become Queen of May? (B)
9. Why B?
10. What did Esperanza give Isabel?
11. Did Esperanza’s mother get released from the hospital?
12. How long has it been since they saw abuelita?
13. What happened to Esperanza’s money?

Chapter 13- Las Uvas

1. Who did they suspect took the money?
2. As Esperanza and Josefina took their lunch break, who appeared? (A&B)
3. Why did A&B go visit Esperanza at work?
4. What was the surprise Miguel had for them? (C)
5. How did Miguel help C escape Aguascalientes?
6. At the end, Esperanza says to Isabel, “Do not ever be afraid to start over.”  What did she mean?

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Introduction
Main Directory
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Book Title: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
ISBN: 0-14-032871-8

     This is a classic in children's literature.  A must read......

Chapter 1:
1. How did the parents die?
2. What happened to the little boy’s house?
3. What is the name of the little boy? (A) _________________________________________
4. Who did A have to go live with? (B)__________________  (C) _______________________
5. Describe A and C.

Chapter 2:
6. For how many years has James been living with his aunts?
7. Describe Aunt Sponge.
8. Describe Aunt Spiker.
9. Why was James crying?
10. Where did James hide?

Chapter 3:
11. Why was James too scared to move?
12. What color was the bag the old man took out?
13. What was inside the bag?
14. What where the tiny green things that looked like little stones or crystals?

Chapter 4:
15. What did the old man say to pour into the bag?
16. What do you think the man is trying to do with the drink?
17. James wasn’t allowed to share this with?

Chapter 5:
18. When James was running, where was he headed to?
19. Who shouted in the car?
20. Who came next? (A)
21. Why did A come?
22. What did Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spike tell James to do?

Chapter 6:
23. How did James react when Aunt Spiker showed him the peach?
24. How did she react?
25. What did Aunt Sponge suggest to do with the peach?
26. What happened to the peach?
27. At first, did Aunt Sponge believe the peach was growing?

Chapter 7:
28. When the peach grew, what did it look like?
29. What did Aunt Spiker tell James to get away from?
30. How did the aunts threat James?
31. How tall did the peach grow?
32. What did the aunts want to do with the peach?

Chapter 8:
33. What was the news?
34. Who called the carpenters?
35. What did the carpenters build?
36. Who was arguing?
37. Who yelled?
38. Why did they build a fence?
39. What landed on the hills? (A)
40. What came out of A?
41. Who was in a room?
42. In the story, do you think that Aunt Sponge is nice?  Circle:  Yes  or   No
43. Who was too busy to make food?
44. Did James like to stay in his room?  Circle:   Yes   or   No

Chapter 9:
45. What did James see when he was on top of the peach?
46. What did the grass look like in the moon light?
47. How could he tell he was excited?
48. What made the grass sparkle?
49. What did he say the grass felt like?

Chapter 10:
50. What did the tunnel smell of?
51. What did James run into?
52. What was cut into the face of the peach? (A)
53. What did James do with A?
54. What did James want to do when he looked back?

Chapter 11:
55. How many large insects are there?
56. What were they?
57. How many eyes were fixed on James?
58. Who told James not to be frightened? (A)
59. Why did A tell James not to be frightened?

Chapter 12:
60. What made the Centipede mad?
61. What did James tell the Centipede?
62. What also happened to the lady bug?
63. What did the Centipede, Earthworm, and the Ladybug swallowed?
64. What was the Centipede pulling?

Chapter 13
65. Where was the first bed made?
66. Why did it take James 2 hours to untie the Centipede’s boots?
67. Who was causing the light? (A)
68. How long was A?
69. Is a glow-worm actually a worm? Circle:  Yes or  No

Chapter 14:
70. What was their plan for the peach?
71. Was the ladybug kind? Circle:  Yes  or  No
72. How were they going to move the peach?
73. What did the centipede do?
74. Did the earthworm like the idea?

Chapter 15:
75. What was the noise they heard?
76. Who did it head towards?

Chapter 16:
77. In what condition was the peach in this chapter?
78. What did the peach crash into?
79. What do you think “suspended” means in page 46?
80. How did the peach sink?
81. Why did it come back up to the surface?

Chapter 17:
82. Where did James say they might be at?
83. What did the Centipede want before going outside?
84. Where did they end up?

Chapter 18:
85. Where did the peach go?
86. Who brought sense to everyone?
87. Who was saying, “What absolute nonsense?”
88. Who had an idea about food? (A)
89. Who thought A’s idea was crazy?

Chapter 19:
90. What was gliding through the water?
91. What did one of the sharks do?
92. How many sharks are there?
93. How many insects are on the peach?
94. Who did the insects rely on?

Chapter 20:
95. What is James’ plan?
96. What did James need?
97. Who could make string?
98. Where was the silk worm?
99. Did Earthworm agree? Circle:  Yes or   No

Chapter 21:
100. What made all the insects scared?
101. James told the insects to stay still.  Circle:  True or False

Chapter 22:
102. Who was in sight?
103. Who did James tell to keep still?
104. Who was with the grasshopper?
105. What was enormous tug?
106. How many seagulls were there?

Chapter 23:
107. Who grabbed the centipede by the waist?
108. Did the sharks do much damage? Circle:  Yes   or    No
109. Who checked if the peach was ok?
110. What was the name of the ship that saw the giant peach?
111. The first officer said to call whom?

Chapter 24:
112. Where is the peach?
113. What was the Grasshopper going to do?
114. What was he using to play?
115. Was James on the ship? Circle:  Yes  or  No
116. Did they like Grasshopper’s music? Circle:  Yes  or  No

Chapter 25:
117. What were they doing for the farmers?
118. What are farmers pleased to have?
119. What does Miss Spider do?
120. What was the Centipede doing?
121. How many songs did he sing?

Chapter 26:
122. What did Centepede fall into?
123. Did James go back for Centepede? Circle:  Yes    No
124. What ocean did Centepede fall in?

Chapter 27:
125. What kind of moon came up in the sky?
126. What did James see? (A)
127. What was A releasing onto the Earth? (B)
128. Why was A releasing B onto the Earth?
129. Was the Centipede right about the cloud man being deaf? Circle: Yes  No

Chapter 28:
130. Describe the moon.
131. When Ladybug shouted, everybody looked at ______________________________.
132. What did the cloudman do to the enourmous arch?

Chapter 29:
133. Why was the Centipede forced to sit very stiff?
134. What does paint remind Miss Spider of? (A)
135. What happened to A?
136. What did the Ladybug say to get the paint of the Centipede?
137. Who do you think was shouting?

Chapter 30:
138. Who was the voice they heard?
139. What appeared in the sky?
140. What was pouring out of the black cloud?
141. Did the mass of water take long for it to go away?

Chapter 31:
142. What was going faster and faster?
143. Did a snow machine make a blizzard? Circle:  Yes   No
144. What happened an hour later?
145. What did the travelers see?
146. Who wished day would come?

Chapter 32:
147. Who is Centipede?
148. What is England?
149. How are they going to get down to Earth?
150. Can Centipede bite once in a while?
151. What does the edge of the peach look like?

Chapter 33:
152. What did Manhattan think the big ball was? (A)
153. When the people saw the big A, where did they think it came from?
154. When they saw A what did they think the A was going to do?
155. How many states did they alarm?

Chapter 34:
156. Why do they want to sink?
157. Why did they need to bite a string?
158. Did the plane crash on something?
159. Did the seagulls want to eat the peach?
160. Why did they want to sink while they are asking for help?

Chapter 35:
161. Why did people pray?
162. How was it going to end?
163. Did everybody die yet?
164. Why don’t the people run away?
165. Did the peach hit something?

Chapter 36:
166. How does the top of the tallest skyscraper look like?
167. What got stuck at the top of the Empire State Building?

Chapter 37:
168. How many firemen came?
169. How many policemen came?
170. How many miles did the insects fly to go to New York?
171. Who came out of the peach first?
172. Who came next?

Chapter 38:
173. Where were they all escorted?
174. Why did the children run to James?

Chapter 39:
175. What lovely color was the earthworms skin?
176. Both Miss Spider and Silkworm have been taught to make nylon thread instead of what?
177. The old green grasshopper became member of what?

The Ant and the Grasshopper by Amy Lowry Poole

Introduction
Main Directory

Book Title: California Treasures, 4th Grade Edition  ISBN: 978-0-02-199970-5

     The Ant and the Grasshopper by Amy Lowry Poole

1. When did the story take place?
2. What type of genre is this story?
3. What did the ants do every day?
4. At what time did the ants begin their task?
5. What was part of their task? 1) _____________________________ 2) ____________________
6. What was the ant’s house made off?
7. What caused their house to collapse?
8. Where did they store their food?
9. How did they carry their loads of food?
10. At what time did the grasshopper wake up?
11. What would the grasshopper say to the ants?
12. Did the ants follow the grasshopper to the Emperor’s courtyard?
13. From which direction did the cool air come from?
14. What happened to the days?
15. What were the ants mindful of?
16. What caused the ants to work harder?
17. What do you think is the moral of the story?
18. At what event did the Emperor feast on mooncakes and sweet greens?
19. What advice did one of the ants give the grasshopper as winter got closer?
20. Did the grasshopper take the advice?
21. What arrived a week late?
22. Is winter a character in this story?
23. Can winter be the antagonist in this story and why?
24. What was the name of Emperor’s palace?
25. The Emperor left his summer home for another in the winter.  Where was his other palace located?
26. Who else left the grasshopper?
27. What did the grasshopper wished he should have done?
28. In what country does this story take place?

My Diary from Here to There by Amada Irma Perez

Introduction
Main Directory
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Book Title: California Treasures, 4th Grade Edition  ISBN: 978-0-02-199970-5

     The first story in Unit 1 is "My Diary from Here to There," by Amada Irma Perez.

Pages 13-19

1. How many brothers and sisters does the main character have?

2. How many brothers does she have?

3. How many sisters does she have?

4. In what city do they live?

5. In what country is this city located?

6. What did the main character hear her parents talking about?

7. Is the main character worried about leaving her city?

8. To what city does her family plan to move to?

9. In what country is this city located?

10. What is the name of her friend?

11. From your perspective, why do you think her brothers are excited to be moving to the states?

12. Michi and the main character braided each other’s hair, why?

13. To whose house will the family leave in two weeks?

14. Where does this person live?

15. What will the father do as the family stays with their grandfather?

16. Why do you think the father had to borrow a car for this trip?

17. Why did the family have to sell all their belongings?

18. What is the character worried about when she arrives to Los Angeles?
19. What is the name of the main character?

20. Her father said he was born in _____________________.  When he was __________ years old his parents moved to ____________________.

Name: _________________________________________________            Date: ________________

Pages 20-29

1. What are giant saguaros?
2. At what time did they arrived to Mexicali?
3. Who greeted them?
4. They had a feast of ___________________, ______________, ____________________, and ______________________________________________________.
5. What did Nana mean by saying Papa is a U.S. citizen?
6. What do you think is a green card?
7. Why do you think is a green card?
8. Why do you think the rest of the family needs a green card?
9. In what city/town did Amada’s father worked in picking grapes and strawberries?
10. What was the name of the man that worked in the same fields with her father?
11. Do you think Amada’s father has a high school diploma?
12. Do you think Amada’s father has a college degree?
13. Do you think Amada’s father knows English?
14. The family lived in _____________ different houses while their papa was in California.
15. Which aunt took the family in after Nana?
16. What was the name of the border city where they crossed?
17. How many shoes did Mario have when they crossed the border?
18. How did he lose his shoe?
19. In what city in California did they move to?
20. Who did Amada write to when she arrived to East Los Angeles?



Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Introduction
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Book Title: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
ISBN: 0-7868-1707-0

     This is a great adventure book for your young child to read.  The reading level is a little difficult.  You may need to help your child with some of the words.  As of December 25, 2012, I have not read the other books in this series, but I plan to in 2013.


Chapter 1
1. In what city does the story take place?
2. In what country is that city?
3. The author mentions that Artemis has just arrived from a wild-goose chase.  What city are they arriving from?
4. In what country is that city?
5. What was the name of their contact?
6. Where did they meet the contact?
7. What was Artemis looking for?
8. What happened to the pickpocket who attempted to steal Butler’s wallet?
9. What did Artemis say to the old woman?
10. What did the old woman want to drink?
11. How much did Artemis pay the contact?
12. What did Artemis ask the old-woman for?
13. How did Artemis trick the old woman?
14. What did Artemis do with the book?

Chapter 2
1. What was Artemis’s goal?
2. Who was he searching for?
3. What is Gnommish?
4. What was the name of Artemis mother?
5. Artemis told his mother he went on a school trip to ______________________.
6. Artemis got a hit with his Power Translator Program.  The symbol was similar to the A_ _ _ s god r_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _n on Tutankhamen’s inner chamber hieroglyphics.
7. The story says that the first written human stories were about fairies.  Do you believe this?
8. Almost every _________________ pictogram or letter had an ______________ counterpart.
9. The Anubis figure, dog god, was altered to read __________________________.
10. Were the Fowls legendary criminals?  Yes or No

Chapter 3
1. Cupid was the great grandfather of _______________________________.
2. Where was Recon located?
3. What was Holly’s occupation?
4. What did the troll feed on?
5. Titanium eggs were used for what purpose?
6. At what speed does the pod travel to the surface of the earth?
7. What will engulf the pod?
8. On page 50 it says, “Sometimes she, Holly, wished that her ancestors had stayed to fight it out with the Mud People.”  Who are the Mud People?
9. What was known as a fairy fort?
10. On page 53, what complicated explanation do Mud People invent for a simple phenomenon?
11. The troll crashed a ______________________.
12. Did Holly stop the Troll at the end and how?

Chapter 4
1. What is the lowest form of magic and that requires only a trickle of power?
2. How did Artemis capture Holly?
3. Where is the Emerald Isle?  Circle one:  Ireland   England
4. About how long ago was the ancient fairy race?
5. What is the name of where time began?
6. LEP had several undercover operatives stationed in Disneyland Paris working which exhibit?
7. What happens to a fairy when it takes spirits with the Mud People?
8. What is the pet name Artemis mom calls him?

Chapter 5
1. What is the name of Holly’s boss?
2. What are centaurs?
3. At the beginning of the chapter, Foaly showed what to Commander Root?
4. Artemis did what with Holly’s locator?
5. What did Butler say to the dock workers?
6. Why did Root call Nimbus?
7. Where did Foaly and Commander Root think Holly was held?
8. How did Artemis trick Commander Root in the whaling ship?
9. What did Artemis do to the whaling ship?

Chapter 6
1. Did Artemis’ father returned when Juliet informed him that his father is talking to his mother?
2. Who was Angeline talking to in her bedroom?
3. What object fell in Captain Short’s boot when she was kidnapped?
4. What did Artemis say that made Holly laught?
5. What is truth serum?
6. What id the fairies called Blue Rinse?
7. What did Butler try on his hand?
8. What happened to Retrieval Squadron as they tried to invade Fowl Manor?
9. Why wasn’t it difficult for the fairies to stop time in the past, but difficult now?
10. What creature that starts with a w stopped time in the past besides fairies?
11. At the end of Chapter 6, does it seem Commander Root is going to play by the rules?

Chapter 7
1. Who is Mulch and why is Retrieval Squad interested in his abilities?
2. What incident happened in jail with Mulch and the goblins?
3. Mulch calls Commander Root by what name?
4. Did Mulch dig his way into the house?
5. In what room did Mulch enter the house?
6. What did Mulch use to open a locked door?
7. Did the fairies trick Artemis in thinking that the house was calm by controlling his (Artemis) video cameras?
8. Did Captain Short escape from Fowl Manor?
9. Did Mulch go back to LEP Headquarters after escaping Fowl Manor?

Chapter 8
1. Who was Mulch Diggums?
2. Who is Foaly?
3. Who was Argon and Cumulus?
4. What did Lieutenant Cudgeon get approval from the Council to send into Fowl Manor?
5. Why would they send this creature?
6. Who died at the beginning of the chapter?
7. Who came back to life after he/she died?
8. Did the troll survive?  Circle: Yes No
What happened at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 9
1. Did the fairies pay the ransom Artemis asked for? Circle:  Yes   No
2. What did Artemis, Butler, and Juliet drink before falling asleep?
3. What did the fairies fire into Artemis’ house?
4. What caused the fairy soldiers to feel sick when they entered Fowl Manor?
5. In the story, Artemis says, “Santa Claus is not descended from a Turkish saint.”  Circle:  True or False
6. In the story Artemis said elves made shoes during the night and sprites cleaned houses. Circle:  True or False
7. The story says Santa Claus is a shadow of San D’Klass, the third king of the Frond Elfin dynasty.  Circle:  True or False
8. He is also known as San the Deluded.  Circle:  True or False
9. How did Artemis escape the time-field?
10. Who was back to normal?
11. How much money did Artemis get in gold from the fairies?
12. Who stole the other half of the gold from the fairies?
13. Which two cities did Mulch think he was going to retire to? Circle Letter:          A) Paris-London     B) Monte Carlo- Manhattan    C) Los Angeles-Miami