The Curse of the Yelnats
What did Elya Yelnats forget to do that cursed his family?
Carry Madame Zeroni up the mountain.
What are the specific dimensions every hole must be?
Five feet wide and five feet deep (measured by the shovel).
Before she was an outlaw, what was Katherine Barlow's profession?
A schoolteacher.
Whose sneakers actually fell from the sky and "hit" Stanley?
Clyde "Sweet Feet" Livingston's.
What does the "God's Thumb" rock formation symbolize to the characters (Elya, Stanley, and Zero).
Hope, refuge, salvation, or survival.
What is the "family joke" regarding Stanley's name?
It is a palindrome (spelled the same name backward and forward). Stanley Yelnats... Stanley Stanley
What is the most dangerous creature at Camp Green Lake, known for its eleven spots?
The Yellow-Spotted Lizard
What was the "secret remedy" Sam sold to the townspeople for all their ailments (or sickness)?
Onions! (or onion-based tonics)
Why was Stanley actually innocent of the crime he was sent to camp for?
Zero had actually stolen the shoes and thrown them over the bridge.
In their deal at the beginning of the book, what does Stanley do for Zero, and what does Zero do for Stanley?
Stanley teaches Zero to read; Zero digs part of Stanley's holes.
Why was Stanley's great-grandfather's survival in the desert considered a miracle? What did he "find"?
What is Zero's real name?
Hector Zeroni
Why did the townspeople burn down the schoolhouse?
They were angry and racist because Katherine (a white woman) kissed Sam (a black man) and this was practically illegal during this time.
What is "Sploosh"?
The 100-year-old preserved spiced peaches from Sam's boat (Mary Lou).
How does Stanley's physical appearance change from the beginning of the book to the end?
In the flashback to Latvia, what was the promise that Elya made with Madame Zeroni in exchange for the pig? (There are TWO answers to this question, you need both.)
To carry Madame Zeroni up the mountain and SING the lullaby to her.
It shows that he has been accepted into the group and he is part of their family.
How did Kate Barlow die?
She was bitten by a yellow-spotted lizard and died laughing.
What did Stanley and Zero find in the final hole that proved the treasure belonged to Stanley's family?
A suitcase with the name "Stanley Yelnats" on it.
What is the "Lullaby" that connects the Latvian story to the modern-day story? (You do not have to sing me the whole lullaby, but tell me what the first line is.)
How does the curse finally get broken at the end of the book?
Stanley (a descendant of Elya) carries Zero (a descendant of Madame Zeroni) up the mountain and sings the song (or lullaby).
What did the Warden use to coat her fingernails that made them dangerous and deadly?
Rattlesnake venom.
What specific item did Kate Barlow leave behind that the Warden is desperately digging for? (There are 2 potential right answers here)
A gold lipstick tube (engraved with KB) or her buried treasure (the suitcase).
Explain the irony of the "Onion Patch" on God's Thumb.
The onions that Sam used to save the townspeople 110 years ago (which the town rejected) are the exact things that save the lives of Stanley and Zero from starvation and the yellow-spotted lizards.
What major theme is represented by the fact that the rain finally falls on Camp Green Lake after the suitcase is found?