Stargirl

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1. Who is Stargirl?
2. What unusual thing did Stargirl do in the lunchroom on the first
day of school?
3. What is the Hot Seat and why did Leo and Kevin fight daily?
1. What are Hillari Kimbles three claims to fame?
2. What does Stargirl do at the football game? What does this do
for Mica school spirit?
3. Does Stargirl sing Hillari Kimbles birthday sone? If so, to who
and why?
1. The author, Jerry Spinell, describes the students at Mica Hihg as
mud frogs awakening. What does he mean by this?
2. Stargirl cheers for both teams and in the basketball game.
Would you boo her or cheer with her? Explain your answer.
3. Of all the unusual things about Stargirl what struck the narrator
as the most remarkable?
1. What other names has Stargirl used? What was Stargirls
philosophy about her name? What did the Hot Seat jury do to
Stargirl?
2. At the end of the second play of the game against Glendale,
what happened to Stargirl and why?
3. What was Stargirls Valentine message to Leo and how did Leo
react the next day at school?
1. Describe the enchanted place Stargirl takes Leo to in the desert.
What do they do there and do you think this is something difficult
to master? Explain your answer.
2. How did the students at school treat Stargirl after the basketball
game loss?
3. How does Leo feel about getting the silent treatment? How does
Stargirl feel about getting the silent treatment?
1. What question did Senor Saguaro ask Leo in answer to Leos
search about what do about Stargirl?
2. What did Stargirl teach Leo?
3. How did Stargirl learn what was going on in peoples lives? Why
did Stargirl drop money coins here and there? Describe her card
game.
1. What was Leos reaction to the Stargirl loves Leo banner?
2. When Stargirl forced Leo to talk to her about why he was
avoiding her, what did he tell her?
3. After Leo told Stargirl she should change, what did she do? What
was Leos reaction to Susan? Did Stargirls change to Susan
increase her popularity at school?
1. How did Susan behave in the car on the way to the contest?
What two birds did Susan talk about after the brief stop in the
desert on her way to the contest?
2. What was the title of Susans first speech at the contest? How

3.
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1.

2.
3.
4.

was Susans final speech different from the others at the

contest?
Who welcomed Susan at school after the contest? How do you
think she felt?
Who returned to school Monday after the contest? Do you think
Stargirl gave up on being popular or normal? How did Stargirl
know that Leo wasnt to ask her to the Ocotillo Ball?
Describe Stargirls presence at the Ocotillo Ball. What happened
to Stargirl after the dance?
Where was Stargirls secret office? What was in the office?
After time passed, how was Stargirls mark left on the school?

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

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1. What kind of a town is Antler, Texas?

2. Who is Paulie Rankin? What kind of a character is he?
3. Why is Toby babysitting Tara? Who is he trying to impress?
1. While Toby is eating his dinner his dad makes him turn off the
TV. What was the news report about? What does this tell you
about the setting?
2. Who is Wayne and where is he?
3. Zacahary calls Cal and Toby peeping Toms what does this
mean? How do you think Zachary feels?
1. Describe Cals story about Miss Myrtie Maes romantic past. Cal
said, The lawyer broke up with her because he said she was
already married, What do you think this means? Explain your
answer.
2. Cal receives a letter from Wayne and reads it to Toby. Describe
the contents of the letter. How do you think Wayne feels in
Vietnam?
1. Does Tobys mother, Opaline, win the competition in Nashville?
What does Toby remember that he forgot or blocked out? How
does this information help you better understand the Wilson
family?
2. What does Toby do with Cals letter from Wayne? Why do you
think he does this?
3. What happens with Scarlett and Toby at the lake? How does this
effect Toby the next day in the kitchen? What does the coffee
symbolize?
1. When Toby is over at Scarletts house, who calls? How does
Scarlett react? Why does Toby leave?
2. Cal mentions to Zachary and Toby that he heard about the fire at
the Grand Ole Opry. Who created this rumor and why?
3. Describe the contents of Opalinas letter to Toby. What does
Toby do with the letter and what does this reveal about how he is
feeling?

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1. Where do Cal and Toby decide they want to take Zachary? How
do they accomplish this?
2. Toby asks Miss Myrtie Mae how someone goes about being
baptized. Who do Toby and Cal want to get baptized and why?
3. What does Toby leave at Scarletts front door? Why does he feel
guilty?
1. An unexpected guest turns up at the Wilson house. What does
he want to talk to Toby about? What town gossip does he hear?
How does Tobys father react?
2. What terrible news do the two men in army suits bring to the
McKnight family? Why do the ladybugs stay sealed in their
crates? What do the ladybugs symbolize? Describe the Ladybug
Waltz and its importance to both Toby and the McKnight family?
3. Describe the scene between Toby and Cal in Zacahrys trailer at
the end of Chapter 16.
1. Explain the difference between how Zachary acts in public and
how he acts when he is on display in his trailer. What does Toby
mean when he says, Its weird how Zachary didnt mind people
traipsing through the trailer, staring at him, but being outside in
the real world was different
2. After his encounter with Scarlett at the Bowl-A-Rama what does
Toby realize about Juan that he had never considered before?
How does Toby help Juan? Why does he do this?
3. On page 195, Tobys father says, I call tell you this, though.
Youre a lucky person if you through life and have one person
need you. And youve got more than a couple that do. What do
you think his father meant by this? Who are the people that
need/depend on Toby?
1. What does Toby learn about Miss Myrtie Mae and the Judge?
How does this new understanding represent the following
statement, Dont judge a book by its cover?
2. Why does Toby ask Ferris to read Matthew 3:14-15? What is the
significance of the verse and how does it relate to Zacharys
baptism?
3. Why do Toby and Cal want to help Zachary get baptized? What
does the baptism represent for Toby, Cal and Zachary?
4. Explain the significance of releasing the ladybugs into the cotton
fields. Describe the scene with support from the novel.

CRASH
Day 1

1. When did Webb and Crash meet?

2. Why doesnt Crash like Webb?
3. What kinds of things does Crash do that make him seem like a
bully?

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1. Why cant Penn have a water gun fight with Crash?

2. What surprises Crash about the race between him and Penn?
Why?
1. Why do you think Crash regretted asking his father to go to his
first game?
2. What did Abby notice at the end of Chapter 13? How do you
think Crash felt about it?
3. How do you think Webb was feeling at the end of Chapter 14?
1. How was Crash feeling when he looked up in the stands during
his football game? Whose parents did he see?
2. Why do you think Janes Forbes wasnt cheering when Crash
came out of the game?
3. When Abby says, Were not going let them build it, who do you
think she meant when she said were? How did this put her
mother in an awkward position?
1. Describe Crash and Abbys relationship with Scooter. Be specific
and give details.
2. Why do you think Crash asked Scooter if hed ever run in the
Penn Relays?
3. Crash was a real jerk at the school dance. Make a prediction
about what you think will happen in the upcoming chapters. Do
you think he will become friends with Penn or Jane Forbes?
1. Do you think Crash is conceited? Provide specific examples to
support your reponse.
2. Why were Webb and Jane Forbes fired from the cheerleading
squad? Do you think the coach made the right decision? Explain
your answer.
3. How do you think Crash was feeling at the end of Chapter 29.
1. Why did Crash rush to the store and buy his grandfather a pair of
sparkly high-heeled red shoes?
2. What was different about Christmas for Crash this year? Was he
able to enjoy it? Explain.
3. Why do you think Crash said he wasnt hungry at the end of
Chapter 34? What do you think he was thinking as was standing
near the front doo?
1. Why do you think Webb is sprinting by Crashs house every
night?
2. Its clear that Crash has changed. Do you think Crash would
have given Webb back his paper at the beginning of the story?
Do you think Crash thinks differently about Webb now? Explain
your answer with support from the text.
3. Why do you think Crash went to Mikes house to get the turtle
back for Webb? Do you think Crash and Mike will continue to be
friends?
1. How do you think Webb was feeling when he found out that there
was only one spot left for the Penn Relays? If you were Crash,

what would you do?

2. On page 156, Crash thinks that, it felt good, not being behind,
not being ahead, but being even. Describe the change in Crash.
3. I would have thought that Crash would feel good that Penn had
won the race. Were you surprised at how he felt? Why or why
not?
4. According to Crash, there have been many changes in the past
year. List as many changes as you can from Chapter 49. Which
change did you find the most surprising?
Freak the Mighty
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1. Why was Max nicknames Kicker when he was a child?

2. What did Maxwell find so weird about Freak?
3. How does the location of Maxs room down under relate to how
he feels about himself?
1. What does Freak do and say when Max asks him why he calls his
mother Fair Gwen of Air?
2. What was Gwens relationship with Maxs mother?
3. People say that Max is the spitting image of his father. Why is it
bad for Max to look like his father? How does it make Max feel?
1. How do Gram and Grim treat Max differently after he saves
Freak from Tony D? Why do you think they change how they
treat him? Grim gives Max coffee, what does this symbolize?
2. Freak keeps a dictionary in his back pocket. After helping Max
spell out letters, Freak says, I dont know why I bother.
Dinosaurs had brains the size of peanuts and they ruled the
earth for a hundred million years. How does this statement
relate to Max?
3. Where do Max and Freak go on their quest East?
1. What is captured ono the quest? How did it get into the drain
and whom does it belong to?
2. Why do Freak and Max go into the New Testaments/New
Tenements? Describe the setting.
3. Who are Loretta and Iggy? How do they treat the boys? Who
does Loretta call Freaks father a magician?
1. Describe what happens at Freak and Maxs school in Chapter 12.
2. How does Mr. Meehan help Max?
3. What happens to Max on Friday the thirteenth? Use specific
examples from the text to support your answer.
1. Why does Grim ask Max to stay in the house?
2. Describe in detail the gifts that Freak and Max give each other
for Christmas.
3. What do you think Max is feeling when his father takes him from
the house. Explain.
1. Why does Maxs father tie him up? Provide examples from the

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text.
2. How does Killer Kane describe her years in prison?
3. What is Killer Kanes plan? What do you think Iggy is trying to
tell Max with his eyes?
1. What does the sight of Loretta being hurt do to Max? How does
he react and what does he say to his father?
2. How does Kevin save Max? What was really in the squirt gun?
3. What is it that worries Max about growing up?
1. How do you feel about Freak dying? How do you think Max feels
about Freak dying? Explain.
2. What does Freak give to Max in the hospital?
3. After Freak passes away, Grim says, It isnt how long youve got
that matters, its what you do with the time you have. Later on
that year Max sees Loretta in the street and she says, Nothing is
a drag, kid. Think about it. How are these two statements
related and what is Loretta trying to get Max to understand?

Up to Low
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1. Aunt Dottie helps Tom and his dad pack. What is strange about
her behaviour?
2. Who are Mean Hughie and Poor Bridget? What do their names
reveal about their characters?
3. Who is Baby Bridget? What does Tommy remember most sitting
on the streetcard?
1. What kind of a character is Frank? Do you think Aunt Dottie has
a valid reason for not liking Frank? Explain your answer.
2. What happened to Baby Bridget in the accident? How did Mean
Hughie react to his daughters accident? What kind of
relationship do they have?
3. Everyone seems to be talking about Mean Hughies cancer. Why
do you think his illness is creating such a buzz around town?
1. What did Mean Hughie do to the dam man and Old Buck? Why?
What does this reveal about his character?
2. What is the turnip song about? Why do you think its Tommy and
his dads favourite song? Does this tell you anything their
heritage/ancestry (family background)?
1. How would you describe Poor Bridgets character? Use
descriptive words and examples in your answer.
2. Baby Bridget takes Tommy to see the binder twine after dinner.
How does Tommy describe the falling down machine shed? What
literary element is being used?
3. What do Tommy and Baby Bridget learn about Frank? How does
this help you understand Franks character?
1. Why does Baby Bridget cry when she sees the fish blood on the
white log? Provide a details explanation with support from the

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novel.
2. What does Tommys dream symbolize?
3. Why did Tommy decide to tell Baby Bridget that he loved her?
1. Who is Old Willy the Hummer and why does Father Sullivan
dislike him?
2. Baby Bridget reads some recipes from Tommys fathers
cookbook. What is different about these recipes?
3. Do you think Frank will honour the pledge he signed? Based on
your reading today, what do you think about Father Sullivans
character? Explain your answer.
1. Describe Tommys dream. What do you think it means or
symbolizes?
2. Tommy and Baby Bridget leave in the middle of the night to visit
the Hummer. Describe their journey.
3. Describe the Hummer and his stable. What does he mean when
he hums, Everything changes! You cant step into the same
river twice! Mean Hughie is changing very fast! You havent
much time!
1. What is the Turnip song about and where does it come from?
Why does Tommys dad sing it at Christmas time or when he is
drinking?
2. Describe the scene between Mean Hughie and Baby Bridget.
Would you forgive Mean Hughie?
3. Tommy is confused by what old Hummer meant by, there is
healing there! At the old Ramsay place. What kind of healing
takes place at the old Ramsay place and why is this healing
necessary for Baby Bridget?
1. Describe how Tommy helps Baby Bridget take Pa home.
2. As Tommy and Baby Bridget row down the river with the
coffin, a storm hits. Who saves them? Describe the scene.
3. Why does Baby Bridget bring Tommy back to the machine
shed? What do the machine shed and the binder twine
signify to Baby Bridget?