CHAPTER 1 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What kind of school is Yancy Academy?
Yancy Academy is a boarding school for not-so-well-behaved students.
2. What bad experiences has Percy had on past field trips?
He accidentally shot a school bus with a Revolutionary War cannon (4th grade) and accidentally dunked his whole class into a shark tank at an aquarium (5th grade)
3. Why can’t Percy get back at Nancy when she starts teasing Grover on the bus?
He’s already on probation from the headmaster and will be expelled if anything bad happens.
4. When do you first suspect something’s a little off with Mrs. Dodds?
First, when Percy says to Grover, “Mrs. Dodds isn’t human!” Grover says, “You’re absolutely right”. Then, she moves unnaturally fast to get back inside, and Percy thinks there’s something wrong with him!
5. What do we learn about Percy’s home life from chapter 1?
He lives in New York City in an apartment with his mom when he’s not at boarding school.
6. What has changed when Percy returns to the front steps of the museum?
Everyone is talking about Mrs. Kerr, the pre-algebra teacher (who Percy has never heard of!) and no one has ever heard of Mrs. Dodds!
CHAPTER 2 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why does Percy think the whole school is playing a trick on him?
No one remembers anyone named Mrs. Dodds and they look at him like he’s crazy; however, Grover always hesitates when Percy asks about her, so Percy suspects something’s up.
2. Why does Percy decide to study for the Latin exam?
Mr. Brunner told him Latin would be life or death for Percy, and he believed him even if he didn’t know why.
3. Why does Percy react angrily to Mr. Brunner’s words about leaving Yancy?
Mr. Brunner was the only teacher who Percy thought cared about him, and here he was telling him it was for the best that he left.
4. How do Percy and Grover wind up on the side of the highway?
Black smoke poured from the dashboard and rotten egg smell filled the bus, almost like a stink bomb. Everyone had to get off the bus!
5. How does Grover react when Percy tells him about the yarn cutting?
He panics, gets upset, concerned, and starts to mumble.
6. What does Percy think the yarn-cutting means?
Someone is going to die.
CHAPTER 3 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why does Percy leave Grover at the bus station?
He is frustrated, confused, and angry, and wants to just get home.
2. Describe Gabe.
He is smelly, overweight, and really, really mean. He is not nice to Percy’s mom and steals money from Percy, and bosses him around.
3. How does Percy get even with Gabe as they are loading up the Camaro?
He made a strange symbol he saw Grover make, and it made the door slam and hit Gabe in the butt.
4. Why is Montauk special to Percy’s mom?
It is where she met Percy’s father.
5. What information does Percy learn about his dad when he and his mom are roasting marshmallows?
He was kind, tall, handsome, and gentle and didn’t know Percy’s mom was having a baby.
6. How does the title of the chapter, “Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants”, come true?
Grover ‘loses’ his pants because he doesn’t have real legs; he shows up at the mountain cabin with NO pants on, and with the legs of a goat…he is a satyr!
CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What does Percy say that insults Grover?
2. According to Grover, who is after Percy?
3. What happens to make the car crash?
4. What happens to Percy's mother?
5. After the monster disintegrates, what gets Percy moving when all he wants to do is collapse?
6. What's the last thing Percy remembers?
CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What does the blond girl ask Percy as she's feeding him pudding?
2. Why does Grover say he retrieved the Minotaur horn?
3. How does Percy feel after he tries the strange drink?
4. As he's gazing out from the front porch, what surprises Percy about the summer camp?
5. What clues help Percy guess Mr. D's identity?
6. According to Chiron, what is the big question that everyone wants answered? Take a guess: what's the answer?