Chapters 1-3
What is the mood is Skeleton Man? How do you know?
The mood of Skeleton Man is spooky and scary. At the top of page 2, the narrator talks about the "spooky nighttime creaking" of an old house. This makes me think that this will be a scary story. On page 6, she says that her parents told her stories like this all the time before they vanished. It would be very scary if your parents vanished. This tells me that something is really wrong.
Do you think Molly is paranoid not to eat the food that her uncle feeds her? Use evidence from the text and your own thinking to support your position.
I don't think Molly is paranoid because she won't eat her uncle's food. She has good reason to suspect that her uncle is putting something in her food. According to the text, the first time she ate some of her uncle's food, she got a headache, her heart races, she felt like a zombie, and she "conked out" at night and didn't dream. In addition, her uncle's behavior is generally creepy and suspicious.
How does Molly feel at the beginning of chapter 8 when she realizes that now her uncle knows how she really feels about him? How do you know?
Molly is scared or panicked when she realizes that her uncle knows how she really feels about him. I know this because Molly says, "It's worse than it was before." She has to try and calm herself down by imagining her uncle doing things that a normal person would do and remembering funny stories that her dad used to tell her. However, these strategies don't work, and she is still upset.
What strategy-based game does Molly compare her situation with her uncle to?
Chess
Why does Molly count when she goes into the shed? How does the author use this to add to the suspense and scary mood of the story?
When Molly goes into the shed, she knows that she won't have long before her uncle returns. She starts counting to help keep track of time, and she will run away "no matter what" when she reaches one hundred. Molly's counting adds to the suspense and scary mood of the story because it is like a stopwatch or timer counting down as she explores the shed, breaks into the hidden room, and discovers her parents being held in a dark room under the shed. The counting keeps the reader aware that Molly's uncle could come back and catch her at any moment.
How does Molly feel about the woman from social services?
Molly describes how the woman from social services talks in a tone that grown-ups use with "children and idiots." Additionally, the woman would not listen to Molly's concerns about the uncle that Molly had never hear of or met. Molly feels that the woman from social services does not take her seriously. The woman dismisses Molly's concerns.
Which vocabulary word belongs in the blank?
My uncle took ___________ of the pets when their previous owners could no longer care for them.
Custody
How is the author trying to make the reader feel in the last paragraph on page 56?
I think the author is trying to build suspense and dread for the reader. He describes Molly sitting in her room at night in "heart-stopping silence" as she hears her uncle's footsteps on the stairs and the "snick" of the lock on her door. The reader knows that the uncle has outsmarted the social services people, so Molly is now on her own to solve the mystery and survive.
Why does Molly's dad call her Warrior Girl?
According to Molly, her dad calls her Warrior Girl because she has warrior genes. She has always been a light sleeper, and in the old days, she might have been the one who kept watch at night to protect against enemies. He says her name might have been Keeps Herself Awake.
How does the author describe Molly's uncle at the end of page 96 and the beginning of page 97? Why do you think the author describes Molly's uncle in this way?
The author compares Molly's uncle with a big cat and says he moves very fast, not like an old man. According to the text, the uncle sniffs the air and "lopes" across the yard. The author is providing evidence that Molly's uncle is not really human and that he's more like an animal hunting Molly.
How does Molly know that something is wrong when she wakes up on Sunday morning?
Molly knows that something is wrong when she wakes up on Sunday morning because the house is quiet. She should hear her dad in the kitchen making breakfast while listening to music. In addition, Molly does not hear the sound of her mother working out in her bedroom. These clues tell her that something is wrong.
At the beginning of chapter 5, which details about the uncle's house DO NOT contribute to the scary mood of the story?
At the beginning of chapter 5, Molly says that aside from being dark and set back from the road, the house is not that scary. There are no spider webs, bats, or clanking chains. In addition, the house has modern appliances such as a dishwasher, cable television, and a computer connected to the internet. These details do no contribute to the scary mood of the story.
In Molly's dream that starts on page 58, what message is the author trying to send?
In this dream, the author uses the rabbit to tell Molly that her parents are still alive. In addition, the rabbit reminds Molly that she must remain brave and strong. The author's message could be that Molly's dreams are an important source of information and encouragement.
What advantages does Molly have in the battle against her uncle? Use evidence from the story and your own thinking to support your answer.
Molly has several advantages in the battle against her uncle. First, her dad taught her a lot of Mohawk warrior wisdom, such as sometimes it's important to keep quiet, breathe slowly, and think, whether you are the hunter or the hunted. Another advantage is that Molly's uncle might underestimate her. Molly says that he probably doesn't think of the battle as an equal contest and has all the weapons. Finally, Molly has her dreams. They are providing her with important information, guidance, and encouragement.
What does Molly mean when she says that answering her uncle would be like "a mouse trying to argue with an owl"?
What Molly means is there is no use in talking to him. He is a predator, like an owl, and she is the prey, like a mouse. A mouse can't talk an owl out of hunting it, and she can't talk her uncle out of hunting her.
Why do you think Molly suspects that Almond Al called the police? Use evidence from the text and your own thinking to support your answer.
Molly knows that she was nervous when she lied to him about her parents being sick. Almond Al says, "Shouldn't you be at school?" Molly describes her voice as "nervous" and "quick" when she tells Al that she is sick but not as sick as her parents. For these reasons, I think Molly suspects that Almond Al called the police.
Which details from Molly's dream on pages 42 and 43 contribute to the scary mood of the story?
In Molly's dream, her uncle's fingernails are thick and sharp "like claws." She can also hear his teeth "crunching through feathers and flesh and bones" as he eats the partridge she gave him. All these details contribute to the scary mood of the story.
What clues indicate that the dream that starts on page 58 is set far in the past?
Molly says the trees in this dream are very big and that there haven't been trees that big in her area for more than three hundred years. Furthermore, when she sees herself in the dream, she is wearing deerskin clothes and a leather bracelet like her ancestors would have worn. These clues indicate the dream is set far in the past.
Why doesn't Molly tell Ms. Shabbas that her uncle is using cameras to spy on her?
Molly doesn't tell Ms. Shabbas that her uncle is spying on her with cameras because she's afraid that her teacher will take her out of her uncle's house. She will not be able to save her parents. Molly says she feels that she has to do it herself. She is worried that Ms. Shabbas might think she is "ultra-paranoid."
How did Molly's parents vanish?
What is an example of a refuge? Could a place be a refuge in one situation and not a refuge in another situation? Explain your answer.
A cave is an example of a refuge. You could go inside a cave to stay safe if a big storm hits. However, a cave could also not be a refuge if you found a bear in there when you went inside.
Why do you think no mirrors are hanging in the uncle's house? Support your answer with evidence from the story.
I think there aren't mirrors hanging because they might show what he really looks like. According to Molly, when she first met him, he looked human, but as soon as they got into his car, he began to change. His face looked like "the flesh was melting off the bone," and the skin on his hands was so thin that she could see the bones through it. So mirrors might show that he is not really human.
On page 55, what language does the author use to demonstrate Molly's fear?
Molly says, "I want to scream, but I can't." She is so afraid that she can't make a sound.
Why does Molly take the door off of her room and sneak back into her uncle's study? What does she find in the study?
Molly takes the door off her room and sneaks back into her uncle's study because she is looking for evidence. She wants to find proof that her uncle isn't who he pretends to be and that she really is in danger. In the study, she finds a recent picture of her mother in a shed with her hands tied together. This is the kind of evidence that Molly is looking for.
How does the author set the mood in this final scene of the story?
The author uses the idea of being in a dream and awake at the same time. This keeps the action exciting and the reader on the edge of his seat, not knowing what will happen next. On page 110, Molly calls her uncle the Skeleton Man and describes how she kicks and kicks until he legs go of her ankle, and he screams as he falls away from her "like a bad dream disappearing when you wake." In addition, Molly says that her heart is "pounding like a drum" while she claws her way back to safety. Words and phrases like these really help the reader feel how scared she is and how dangerous her situation is.