Chapter 1
1.How did Doug feel when he got the signed baseball cap?Which words in the text show you that?
2. Who took the New York Yankees baseball cap away from Doug? What does it show about him?
3. Why did the Swietecks leave New York and move to Marysville?
4. Who was Ernie Eco? What did Doug’s mom feel about him? How do you know? (Give evidence)
5. What did Mrs. Swieteck do with her plants after she was told there wasn't enough room to bring them along to Marysville? What does it show about her?
7. What did Doug's friend, Holling Hoodhood, give to Doug after he learned that the Swietecks were moving? What does it show about Holling?
8. What did Doug hang on a nail underneath the basement stairs of their Marysville home? Why?
9. What name did Doug coin for the family's rented house in Marysville? Why?
10. What did Doug find inside a large display case on the second floor of the Marysville library? What attracted him to look at it?
Chapter 2
1. Who was the artist of the Arctic Tern?
2. Why do you think Mr. Powell let Doug into the library a half an hour early?
3. Who was Mrs. Merriam and what kind of a person did she seem to be?
4. How did Doug get inside Mrs. Windermere's house when the back door was locked?
5. What was old Mrs. Windermere's occupation? What clues help you understand?
6. On p. 56, Doug narrates, "My mother turned and looked out the window at something far away." What could this action of Doug's mother reflect?
7. What did Mr. Powell have waiting for Doug when he returned to the Marysville library to look again at the bird picture on display?
8. Why was Mr. Swieteck upset with Mr. Big Bucks Ballard even before he started his new job at the paper mill?What does it show about Mr. Swieteck?
9. What did Doug discover over the fireplace in Mrs. Windermere's house?
10. What was Doug going to earn as a delivery boy for Spicer's Deli?
Chapter 3
1. What homework assignment did Mr. Powell challenge Doug to solve after his first art lesson?
2. Infer what information was revealed when his older brother teased Doug about going to the library.
3. What new bird picture appeared in the display case where the Arctic Tern had been?
4. Who did police want to question in regards to the robbery? Make an inference.
5. Which teacher told Doug, "in this class you are not your brother"? What does this show about the teacher?
6. What did Principal Peattie concentrate on during his presentation to the students at the junior high ‘Meet and Greet’?
7. In contrast to Principal Peattie, what did Mr. Ferris discuss in his presentation?
8. Speculate who committed the most recent robbery in Marysville. Give reasons to support your answer.
9. List two people who have had a positive relationship with Doug this far. Explain how each person has impacted Doug's life in a beneficial manner.
10. Explain how Mr. Spicer and his customers treated Doug after the deli was robbed. Why do you think everyone grew suspicious of Doug?
Chapter 4
1. What did Doug do to give himself inspiration while trying to correctly draw the left foot of the Large-Billed Puffin?
2. Infer why Doug smiled even though his older brother destroyed his drawing of the Large-Billed Puffin.
3. Audubon's picture of the Large-Billed Puffins was replaced by a picture of the
______-______.
4. Why were single plates from Audubon's third volume sold?
5. Why did Coach Reed give Doug after school detention?
6. Using the periodic table hanging in his classroom, what did Mr. Ferris figure out about Doug?
7. How did Miss Cowper apply her County Literacy Unit to help Doug?
8. Who were Mrs. Mason, Mrs. Daugherty, and Mr. Loeffer? What type of characters are these?
9. What writing inspiration came to Mrs. Windermere after she saw Doug carrying his Jane Eyre book?
10. Why did Doug become humiliated when Coach Reed accidently tore his shirt off and ordered him to get over to the Skins team?
Chapter 5:
1. What did Doug do in P.E. class while the rest of the students participated in the wrestling unit?
2. Who threw the Harvest-Time Employee Picnic?
3. Why was Mr. Swieteck eager to attend the Harvest-Time Picnic?
4. At the picnic, what activity did Doug try for the first time ever? What was the outcome?
5. What were the prizes for winning the trivia contest?
6. Who was Doug's partner for the trivia contest?
7. Who had purchased Audubon's plate of the Yellow Shank?
8. How did Mr. Swieteck respond when Doug announced that Mr. Ballard claimed he'd given his father the prize money and baseball to take home to him?
9. What was waiting for Doug on his dresser when he came home late?
10. What did Doug do after pitching horseshoes with Lil at the Ballard Paper Mill?
Chapter 6
1. Who began running with Doug during P.E. class every day?
2. To teach Doug about composition on several planes at once, Mr. Powell turned Audubon's book to the picture of the ______.
3. Who did Doug think about as he studied the hunter in the background of the Snowy Heron picture?
4. Doug's older brothers were named Lucas and ______.
5. What two things did Doug discover about Coach Reed after looking at his clipboard that had been left on the bleacher?
6. What historical event in science was set to occur during the summer of 1969?
7. What was Doug hoping Coach Reed would do for his brother Lucas? Why did this thought come to him?
8. Infer what Mr. Swieteck probably did with Doug's prize money from the trivia contest. What clues suggest that?
9. Explain how Doug was able to secure Mr. Ballard's picture of the Yellow Shank and return it to the library. What does it show about Doug? What does it show about Mr. Ballard?
10. How did the relationship between Doug and his brother, who was up to this point in the novel not named, begin to change? Give two reasons why their relationship changed.
Chapter 7
- Why was it difficult for Doug to make his usual Saturday morning deliveries for Spicer's Deli during the month of January?
- By what name did Mrs. Windermere always call Doug? Why do you think and what does it show about her?
- Why was the Snowy Heron plate sold?
- What promotion was Doug given in Mrs. Verne's math class?
- Why did Lucas miss most of his doctor appointments in Kingston?
- What happened just before Lucas said, "I think I see you"?
- Which bird picture had James Russell's father purchased from the town?
- How did Doug manage to return the picture of the Large-Billed Puffins to the Marysville Free Public Library?
- Even though Doug's mother often disagreed with her husband, she usually said or did nothing about it. Why do you think this is so?
- Infer how the Saturday morning Deli customers felt about Doug. List details from the story to support your answer.
Chapter 8
- In March, what did Doug discover missing from his bottom dresser drawer?
- Who did police accuse of robbing the Tools ‘n' More Hardware Store in March? Why?
- What evidence did police have concerning the robbery of the hardware store?
- What deal did Doug make with Principal Peattie hoping to have the Brown Pelican picture returned to the library?
- What did Mr. Ballard give to Doug after Ernie Eco mysteriously became the owner of his Joe Pepitone jacket?
- Why did Lucas want to find a job and make money?
- What emergency required Doug to run to Dr. Bottom's house late on a Wednesday night in April?
- Who does Doug compare to the Brown Pelican? Why?
- Explain how Doug's problems at home seemed to affect his behavior at school.
- Describe Lucas's behavior when he first returned home. Who or what do you think was responsible for his improved outlook on life?
Chapter 9
1. Who was Mr. Gregory?
2. What trade did Doug and Mrs. Windermere make, which resulted in the Snowy Heron being returned to the Marysville library?
3. Why did Mr. Powell show Doug Audubon's picture of the Great Esquimaux Curlew?
4. Where did Doug like to practice his role in the play?
5. List one of the three jobs Lucas was hired for and then fired from.
6. What did Lil eat and digest on the Friday before the play opened that night?
7. What sports hero star sat in the audience on opening night of Mrs. Windermere's Broadway play?
8. What disaster did Mr. Gregory have to deal with on opening night of the play?
9. How did Doug help Mr. Gregory and Mrs. Windermere deal with the opening night disaster?
10. Explain how each of the teachers reacted after they learned of Lil and Doug's roles in the Broadway play.