When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

 Chapters 1 - 5

Why does the phrase "Chun-il-pa" affect Sun-Lee so much ?  What are Japanese changes that she dislikes?

Vocabulary:
dregs (1)
temple (4)
vacant (7)
haunches (14)
soothe (17)
nuisance (19)

Chapters 6 - 8

What are some of the dangers of Koreans doing business with Japanese?  What might the Japanese do to them?  What about other Koreans?

Vocabulary:
eaves (26)
rubbish (28)
basin (33)
foremost (38)
patriot (40)

Chapters 9 - 11

What qualities make Sun-Lee a good student?Do these make her a good teacher?

Vocabulary:
transfer (42)
intended (45)
sorely (47)
bashful (48)
formation (53)
timid (56)

Chapters 12 - 15

Why did Uncle leave?  Did he have to?  What was he afraid might happen?

Vocabulary:
generosity (60)
glorious (62)
pry (63)
illegal (71)

Chapters 16 - 17

What are some of the signs that the Japanese are becoming desperate in their war effort?

Vocabulary:
treason (81)
meek (82)
contradict (85)
spade (86)

Chapters 18 - 22

Do you think Tae-Yul made the right choice in joining the army?  What would you have done in his place?

Vocabulary:
slander (61)
leniency (62)
favored (108)
indignant (112)
mend (114)

Chapters 23 - 26

What feelings do the Japanese in this novel have towards people from Korea?  Provide evidence from the text.

Vocabulary:
censored (122)
legibly (123)
barracks (127)
reveille (129)
calisthenics (129)
tedious (135)

Chapters 27 - 28

Describe Tae-Yul's fascination with flying.  When did it start?  What training has he received?

Vocabulary:
assure (141)
listless (144)
latrine (151)

Chapter 29 - 32

Why would Uncle be pleased if they fixed up the printing shop?  How would this honor scholars?

Vocabulary:
frantic (164)
mourning (168)
obtain (188)
beckon (189)
scholar (191)

When the Circus Came to Town by Laurence Yep

Chapters 1 - 2

What is life like for Ursula?  What activities do her and her friends engage in?  Estimate the time when this story takes place.

Vocabulary:

stride (1)

carousel (3)

convict (3)

notion (6)

provisions (8)

plunder (10)

Chapters 3 - 4

Why does Ursula decide to stay inside?  How does Ah Sam help her to open up?

Vocabulary:

reckon (13)

marionette (14)

bellow (18)

suffocate (20)

coiled (27)

solemn (30)

Chapters 5 - 6

Who are the donkey people that Ursula is so afraid of?  How do they bring Ah Sam and Ursula closer?

Vocabulary:

instinctive (36)

coax (37)

promote (38)

scold (39)

contradict (39)

pester (42)

Chapters 7 - 8

How has Ah Sam brought the circus to Ursula?  Why won't she go to it?

Vocabulary:

squeal (54)

corrall (56)

partidge (59)

retort (63)

kin (67)

timid (67)

Chapters 9 - 10

Ursula is trying to create a Chinese New Year, what are some of the traditions described by Ah Sam?

Vocabulary:

nimble (77)

clatter (78)

hoist (81)

Chapters 11 - 13

What do you think the author was trying to teach through this book?  Explain.

Vocabulary:

pungent (99)

virtue (101)

unanimous (102)

envious (107)

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

I - II

How does the author become infected with "Puppy Love"?  What do his parents do to help him?

Vocabulary:

scold (2)

dormant (3)

grieve (9)

pester (14)

III - IV

How does the author earn the money for his dogs?  Where does he have to go to get them?  How is this place different than his home?

Vocabulary:

prowl (17)

quaver (23)

wince (29)

amend (30)

V - VI

How do the author's parents respond when he returnes home?  Are they upset?  Would you be received the same way if you had left?

Vocabulary:

gawk (39)

timid (44)

trance (49)

query (51)

VII - VIII

What are some of the tricks that racoons will use to escape hunting dogs?

Vocabulary:

miscievious (55)

squall (62)

IX - X

What do the other coon hunters think of Old Dan and Little Ann?

Vocabulary:

holler (89)

limber (93)

wince (96)

nonchalant (100)

belligerant (102)

XI - XII

Why is the ghost coon so important to the narrator and the Pritchard boys?

Vocabulary:

den (112)

mournful (115)

plight (116)

XIII - XIV

What caused the accident with the older Pritchard boy?  Who's fault is it?  How does it affect both families?

Vocabulary:

commotion (144)

sulk (150)

coax (158)

XV - XVI

How did the narrator get entered into the competition?  Why are his dogs so different fromt he others?

Vocabulary:

jinx (173)

pruned (175)

XVII - XVIII

What do you think the family will do with the prize money?  What did they talk about at the beginning of the novel?

Vocabulary:

lull (199)

searing (204)

gawk (205)

defiant (219)

XIX - XX

What is the signifigance of the book's title?

Vocabulary:

winded (224)

berserk (225)

scourge (228)

A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'Engle

Chaper 1

Why is Charles Wallace picked on at school?  When did it start?  Why hasn't anyone done anything to stop it?

Vocabulary:

forage (9)

forlorn (10)

implausible (12)

inevitable (19)

symbiotic (20)

lethargic (21)

Chapter 2

In what ways is Meg different from her siblings?  How does she fit into her family?

Vocabulary:

ailment (33)

intuition (34)

precarious (37)

fascimile (38)

lucrative (43)

consolation (53)

Chapter 3

What are each of the three children asked to do by Teacher?

Vocabulary:

indignation (57)

ludicrous (59)

adapt (60)

radiant (63)

acute (66)

Chapter 4

What are Echthroi?  What do they do?

Vocabulary:

solidify (77)

negate (84)

fissure (87)

Chapters 5 - 6

Which was the real Mr. Jenkins?  How did Meg figure it out?

Vocabulary:

wary (94)

opaque (95)

rancid (102)

lax (110)

farce (111)

Chapter 7

What have you learned about mitochondria and farandolae at this point?

Vocabulary:

phobia (122)

intuition (126)

dispute (138)

Chapters 8 - 9

How is kything different than thinking?  Why is it hard for Meg?

Vocabulary:

concievable (146)

undulate (149)

revert (155)

Chapter 10

What does the author mean when she says that people, stars and farandolae "come of age"?

Vocabulary:

baffling (163)

avid (167)

Chapters 11 - 12

How are galaxies, people and mitochondria related?  What do you think the author wanted you to take from this book?

Vocabulary:

dissonance (175)

abhor (181)

elude (191)

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Note About Witches - How to Recognize a Witch

How can you tell if a lady is a witch?  Why don't they like children?  What do witches do to them?

Vocabulary:

plotting (7)

motto (8)

adore (12)

majestic (15)

conviction (21)

The Grand High Witch - Summer Holidays

Why does the narrator have to go to an English hotel rather than Norway?  What does he bring with him?  Explain his hopes about teaching mice.

Vocabulary:

imprisoned (61)

awe (66)

glimpse (69)

recital (75)

The Recipie - The Ancient Ones

How does the magic formula work?  How is it made?

constant (88)

clamour (95)

boasting (99)

chorus (108)

Metamorphosis - Hello Grandma

How does our narrator feel about being turned into a mouse?  What are the bad sides?  What are the good sides?

Vocabulary:

hideous (112)

depressed (18)

inform (120)

appearance (132)

The Mouse Burglar - The Plan

Why do you think Bruno's parents o not believe the truth about thier son?

Vocabulary:

musty (137)

frantic (140)

dash (148)

mishap (151)

In the Kitchen

How did the narrator get his tail cut off?  Did he do anything to deserve it?

Vocabulary:

perch (159)

crammed (166)

commotion (174)

caress (175)

Mr. Jenkins and his Son - It's Off to Work We Go

Where did the Grand High Witch live?  How are they going to try and rid the whole world of witches?

Vocabulary:

summon (180)

fuss (182)

massive (185)

feat (190)

The Wizard of Oz

Chapters 1 - 2

What do we know of the geography of Oz?  What gifts has the witch of the north given to Dorothy?

Vocabulary:

prarie (1)

gaunt (2)

resolved (6)

dismal (7)

plumage (7)

bondage (9)

grieve (14)

Chapters 3 - 5

How was the scarecrow created?  Who told him he needed brains?  What is the tinman's story?

Vocabulary:

dwelling (19)

gravely (21)

tedious (22)

confidential (23)

mishap (26)

inquire (34)

Chapters 6 - 7

What differences have you noticed between the book and movie?

heedless (43)

blunt (44)

comrade (47)

brutes (55)

Chapters 8 - 10

How do the companions escape the poppy field?  What do they know of the wizard at this point?

Vocabulary:

perched (61)

wistful (61)

midst (63)

deed (67)

fond (72)

disturb (78)

idle (79)

Chapter 11

What forms does Oz take?  What does he ask for?  Why would he want this?

Vocabulary:

prosperous (83)

seek (87)

bestow (92)

compel (94)

Chapters 12 - 13

Why could Dorothy not be harmed by the Wicked Witch?  How are the companions reunited?

Vocabulary:

immense (106)

tempt (108)

retort (112)

plight (116)

Chapters 14 - 15

What is the secret of the wizard?  What is the secret of the Emerald City?

Vocabulary:

tramping (121)

plague (122)

enslave (128)

vex (130)

humbug (133)

Chapters 16 - 19

Who rules in the Emerald City now that the wizard is gone?  How is Dorothy going to get home?

Vocabulary:

advise (145)

decieve (149)

mishap (153)

modest (154)

prompt (162)

Chapters 20 - 24

What are the three dangers that they encounter on thier way to Glinda?

Vocabulary:

sulk (168)

prim (169)

boisterous (177)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Chapter 1

What do we know about the characters Meg, Charles Wallace, and Ms. Whatsit?

Vocabulary:
uncanny (5)
exclusive (11)
fond (17)
supine (20)

Chapter 2

What changes Calvin's opinion of Charles Wallace's abilities?

Vocabulary:
dutifully (24)
belligerent (26)
indignant (31)
dilapidated (34)

Chapter 3

What work was Meg's father doing before his disappearance?

Vocabulary:
somber (40)
disbelief (47)
dame (49)
contradict (53)

Chapter 4

What do the children see when Ms. Whatsit takes them through the atmosphere?

Vocabulary:
corporeal (57)
void (57)
naive (62)
metamorphose (65)

Chapter 5

Explain what the medium is showing the children.

Vocabulary:
serenely (76)
intolerable (80)

Chapter 6

Why do you think all of the people in the town are acting the same?

Vocabulary:
writhe (91)
tangible (99)
talisman (100)
arrogance (102)
simultaneously (103)

Chapter 7

How does the man with the red eyes take over Charles Wallace?

Vocabulary:
bilious (115)
nondescript (116)
tolerant (121)
defiant (124)

Chapter 8

How has IT made life better for the people of Camazote?  Provide examples.

Vocabulary:
infuriate (134)
submit (136)
annihilate (139)

Chapter 9

Describe IT.

Vocabulary:
menacing (149)
insolent (153)
implore (156)
dais (157)

Chapter 10

Why is Meg so angry at her father?

Vocabulary:
atrophied (164)
imperceptible (170)
omnipotent (172)
loathing (174)

Chapter 11

Why will Meg's father not be tessering back alone?

Vocabulary:
distinct (178)
prompt (179)
despondent (188)

Chapter 12

How is Meg able to save Charles Wallace?

Vocabulary:
nauseating (206)