Setting the Scene
What state does Zach live in?
Pennsylvania.
Where are Zach, Poppy, and Alice waiting for the bus?
By the post office, huddled against the wall.
What is inside Poppy’s backpack?
The Queen (the doll).
Who harasses them on the bus?
Tinshoe Jones.
Where does the bus stop afterward?
At a brightly lit bus station.
What does Zach’s father call their town?
“West of Nowhere.”
Why is Alice nervous about being caught?
Her grandmother would ground her and forbid her from play practice or seeing her friends.
What eerie thing does Zach sense about the Queen?
That her eyes are open and staring at his back.
What does Tinshoe Jones accuse the bus driver of?
Being senile and having “aliens in him.”
What suggestion does Alice make?
To find a police officer for help.
Name one of the imaginary neighboring towns.
Better Off Forgotten, West Virginia or Already Forgotten, Ohio.
What does Zach ask Poppy before the bus arrives?
If she knows which cemetery and grave to visit — “You know all that, right?”
What does Poppy say about where to go?
“The grave is under a willow tree. Eleanor will tell us the rest.”
What creepy thing does Tinshoe do?
Touches Poppy’s hair and tugs Alice’s braid.
How do they escape the bus station?
Alice and Poppy sneak out through the girls’ bathroom window.
What kind of place does Zach’s mother work at?
A juvenile detention center.
What’s the first sign the bus is finally coming?
Headlights turning the corner three blocks away.
How does Poppy justify her belief?
“If you didn’t believe me, why did you come?”
How does Alice make Tinshoe back off?
She pretends to be their adopted sister and demands he stop talking to them.
Why can’t they tell the police?
Because the police would ask their ages and call their families.
Why does Zach think his dad came back home?
Because he hadn’t been able to hack it in the city — his dreams of success failed.
Why does Zach feel thrilled when the bus moves?
Because they’re leaving home on a real adventure — the kind that changes you.
What does the justification about the Queen tells us about Poppy’s belief?
She truly believes the Queen (Eleanor) is real and guiding them, even if Zach doubts it.
What does Zach realize about adults?
That adults don’t always protect kids — the bus driver sees the trouble and does nothing.
What does Zach’s run into the dark symbolize?
His first real step toward independence and courage — taking control despite fear.