Names & Nicknames
Who is Cowgirl and why?
Roy because he is from Montana.
Where did Roy move from? Name the city and state.
Bozeman, Montana
Roy has an enemy on the school bus. Who is it and what started the conflict?
Dana Matherson "grabbed Roy's head from behind and pressed his thumbs into Roy's temple, as if he were squeezing a soccer ball." It was unprovoked.
Officer Delinko tries to get on Mr. Eberhardt's good side. What does he want from him and why?
He hopes Roy's dad, who is a federal law enforcement agent, will write a letter on his behalf, saying he is a good police officer. He hopes to be a detective one day.
Roy thinks a lot about where he used to live, comparing it to where he lives now. He remembers that ospreys (a kind of bird) live in both locations. What does this memory lead him to believe about himself?
He decides if the ospreys can adapt, so can he. Roy is resilient.
Why is the Running Boy also called Mullet Fingers?
He is called this because he can catch the slippery little fish.
Where were the alligators found on the Mother Paula's construction site?
They were found in the port-o-potties.
Officer Delinko is ambushed while on the job early one morning. What happened?
His squad car was parked at the construction site before dawn. Someone spray painted the windows black when he fell asleep inside the car.
Roy proves early on in the book that he won't back down from Beatrice. Explain the "sandwich scene" and how it shows Roy's character.
Roy confronts Beatrice at lunch and says she should talk to him directly if she has a problem with him. As she listens to him, she squeezes her BBQ sandwich until the bun disintegrates. Roy is brave for confronting Beatrice.
Roy is determined to find out who the Running Boy is. He also tries to show him kindness through his actions. What is the first thing he brings him?
Size 9 shoes
Who is called the Snake Wrangler and why?
The Running Boy also known as Mullet Fingers is called the Snake Wrangler because he lets snakes loose at the Mother Paula's construction site.
In Chapter 2, Roy says "Disney World is an armpit".
Why does he say this?
Roy doesn't want to move from Montana to Florida. He enjoys the outdoors and misses the Montana landscape. He thinks of Florida as hot and covered in concrete, rather than being a beautiful, natural place.
What is the first sign of trouble at the Mother Paula's construction site?
Someone pulled up the survey stakes. Technically, it wasn't vandalism but it delayed the construction crew's work schedule so they couldn't start digging up the site.
The relationship between Roy and the Running Boy changes as the story progresses. Explain the moment when the Running Boy is impressed that Roy knows a thing or two about animals.
When Roy stumbles upon the Running Boy's bag of snakes, he doesn't panic but instead stays perfectly still. The Running Boy is impressed with Roy's knowledge of snakes. This happens right after Roy's "bear" flashback, when he also remembered it was important to stay still.
What is Mullet Fingers' prime motivation? Explain in detail.
Mullet Fingers wants to protect the burrowing owls that live on the construction site and prevent their habitat from being destroyed. He keeps finding ways to delay the construction schedule so the owls' habitat won't be disturbed.
Who is nicknamed "the Bear" and why?
Beatrice Leep has a reputation for being a tough girl. She is called "the Bear" by some of her classmates.
Dogs are brought in to guard the Mother Paula's construction site. Their owner is one of Hiaasen's "wacky" characters with exaggerated characteristics. What country is the dog's owner from?
Daily Double! What city is his favorite dog from?
He is from Germany.
Daily Double: The dog is from Munich, Germany.
Why does Roy write a letter to Dana? Explain the tone of the letter and what it says.
It's a letter of apology he is forced to write. He suggests he and Dana come to a fair arrangement by staying out of each other's way. Roy's mother calls the letter "a little too forceful." It doesn't sound apologetic.
Roy is willing to lie to his parents over and over again, even though he clearly cares about them. Recap a situation where he lies to his mother and explain why he does this.
He lies to his mother by going along with Beatrice's story about needing supplies for a "science experiment" they are working on at Beatrice's house. He trusts Beatrice because they are starting to become friends and she has proved that she looks out for him. She says she needs medical supplies and Roy suspects something must have happened to her stepbrother. He also lies about the flat tire.
Explain Leon Leep's character and the effect he has on the Running Boy.
He is not an interested, caring stepfather to the Running Boy. They don't have anything in common and he doesn't make an effort to get to know his stepson. The Running Boy runs away -- from the wedding reception and later, from the school he is sent to in Alabama.
Who is Curly and what is his real name?
Leroy Branitt is nicknamed Curly and he is the foreman at the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House construction site.
Describe what happens at the end of Chapter 11.
Officer Delinko is talking to Roy's parents about the kids he saw running on East Oriole Avenue near the Mother Paula's construction site. While he's there, Roy's mother gets a phone call saying Roy is at the hospital.
The Mother Paula's construction site is hit three times. What are the problems Curly has to report that delay construction?
1. The survey stakes are pulled up.
2. Alligators are found in the port-o-potties.
3. Snakes scare away the guard dogs brought onsite to prevent further delays.
Beatrice has a soft side and she looks out for two characters in the book. Who are they and how does she look out for them both?
Beatrice helps take care of her stepbrother, Mullet Fingers. She brings him food and medicine in the old ice cream truck where he is staying. She looks out for Roy by sitting next to Dana on the school bus. She also saves Roy from Dana in the broom closet.
Dana Matherson is clearly a bully. Hiaasen calls a lot of attention to his hands, which are often used to terrorize his victims, including Roy. Describe how his hands are characterized.
He has a "ham-sized hand" and "pudgy fingers, which reeked of cigarettes."