Hit Me With It
In The Yard War, why is Trip Westbrook called "Trip"?
He is officially Samuel Thompson Westbrook III (the third or trip).
In What Happened to Rachel Riley, what animal does Anna ask her grandmother questions about in her letters?
She asks her various facts about penguins.
In Out of My Mind, what unusual method does Melody use to describe music?
She experiences music and describes it using colors.
In Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, what sacrificial act does Steven do in support of Jeffrey after a fellow kindergartener hurts his feelings?
Steven shaves his head in solidarity with Jeffrey who is bald as a result of his chemotherapy treatment.
In Guts, what kept the wolves from attacking Gary?
Fire kept the wolves from attacking Gary.
In Sweep, what is the Devil's Nudge and what does it involve?
It is a method used to get a stuck chimney sweep out of a flue. It involves setting a fire in the fireplace below where the sweep is stuck. It “inspires” the stuck sweep to do virtually ANYTHING they have to in order to get out, including breaking bones.
In Stepping on the Cracks, what did a blue star hanging in a window mean?
It meant that someone from that haousehold was fighting in the war.
In The Graveyard Book, why was Eliza buried in unhallowed ground?
She is buried there because she was believed to be a witch when she was killed.
In Masterminds, how exactly do the kids escape their hometown (which keeps them within the city limits by making them physically ill if they leave)?
They drive out in a factory truck, destroying the satellite dish that makes them sick when they try to leave.
In New Kid, what color clothing does Jordan notice many of the kids at Riverside wear and why do they wear it?
He calls the color pink, but Liam says it is called salmon. Many of the kids shop at the same store which apparently features clothes of that color.
In The Boys in the Boat, when Joe was left by his family, describe one of the two slightly illegal things he did to make money to support himself?
He caught large salmon in an illegal manner (where he should not have been fishing) and sold them. He stole liquor that a bootlegger delivered secretly to customers, leaving dandelion wine in its place. Then he sold the liquor to his own customers.
In Because of Mr. Terupt, why does Jessica's mom feel that it's Mr. Terupt fault that he got hurt?
She believes that he tried to teach the kids responsibility by not yelling at them when they were doing something bad, and he let it go too far.
In Night Divided, why does Fritz show Gerta notes while they are making a fire together after he returns from being interrogated?
He knows that their apartment is bugged and must therefore communicate silently using written notes.
In Problematic Paradox, when Nikola's mobile home finally stops, why does Miss Hiccup show up to drive her somewhere?
When Nikola started at her school, her dad went to Miss Hiccup, gave her a pager and a VERY generous payment, and asked her to show up at that location if the pager went off. She was then to drive Nikola to a specific location.
In Heat, what connection did Michael and Carlos have with Mrs. Cora?
Mrs. Cora was their neighbor lady in the book.
In Tesla's Attic, what does Danny catch in his momentous Little League game?
He catches a flaming meteorite.
In Cracker, what method does Rick use to try and get information about what happened to Cracker after they were attacked in the village ambush?
He uses a massive letter-writing campaign to find out what happened to Cracker.
In Hoot, nine of what animal are let loose in the construction site by the unknown vandal
Nine snakes are let loose in the construction site.
In Windeby Puzzle, what do warriors from Estrild’s community do in order to change the volume and tone of their chant?
They bring their shields close to their mouths so that the sound of their chant intensifies and echoes.
In Mexikid, what impressive task was Abuelito able to perform?
He was able to single-handedly lift and toss heavy corn stalk bales in one smooth motion.
In Northwind, after he drinks and eats, cleans Little Carl’s body and the canoe, what does Leif need to find in order to protect Little Carl’s body from bears and wolves?
He needs to find a small island for Little Carl where his body would be safe from wild animals.
In Forge, what does Burns steal from Curzon when he attacks him during the night?
He steals the boots that Curzon stole from the redcoat that Eben shot.
In A Long Walk to Water, Salva is in school one day when he hears gunfire (this is a result of government and rebel forces fighting). He runs into the bush as instructed by his teacher and eventually meets up with a group also running away. They spend the night in a barn. What does Salva discover when he wakes up the next morning?
He has been left behind by the group because he is a child and will slow them down.
In Jennifer Chan is Not Alone, what did Pete and his friends do to make fun of Ingrid when she was answering all the botany questions in science class?
They coughed when she raised her hand and when they saw her in the hall. While coughing, they were actually saying, "Shut her up."
In It's the End of the World as I Know It, what does Misty spend a lot of her free time doing and why does she do these things?
Misty is constantly seeking new and different experiences (like lifting a manhole cover); she does this because she was sick all of last year and wants to live life to the fullest now that she is better.