Maniac Magee Discussion Questions

After reading Maniac Magee answer the following discussion questions:

1. What does “maniac” mean? What do you think a character with this name might be like? Is Maniac Magee similar?

2. What would you do if you were all on your own with no one to take care of
you?

3. How is Maniac just a regular kid? How is he a larger than life character?

4. Why do you think Maniac stays with the McNabs for as long as he does?

5. Why do you think Maniac does so much running?

6. Why do you think the book is broken into four sections? How are they different? How does Maniac change from the beginning to the end?

7. What are some legendary things Maniac does? Which was your favorite?

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Discussion Questions

After reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, answer the following discussion questions:

1. The story is told from Peter’s point of view. How would it be different if it were told from Fudge’s point of view?

2. With a little brother like Fudge hogging the spotlight, Peter feels insignificant. Have you ever felt like “nothing”? Share a time that you felt unimportant and how you snapped out of that feeling.

3. What were some of the tricks Peter and his parents played on Fudge to get him to behave properly? Was this fair to Fudge? Why or why not?

4. Compare the actions of Peter and the Yarbys, in the context of old-fashioned good manners. Are there different expectations of children and adults in terms of manners?

5. Why do you think Peter’s parents treat him differently than Fudge?

Rules Discussion Questions

After you have read Rules, answer the following discussion questions:

1. Are rules necessary in some situations? What good purposes to they serve? When can rules be a negative thing?

2. Do you think it’s true that “Leaving out isn’t the same as lying?” If not, is it ever true?

3. Some of Catherine’s rules are what we might call “unwritten rules”. They are comments on how people behave, such as “Sometimes people don’t answer because they didn’t hear you. Other times it’s because they don’t want to hear you.” How do people learn these rules? Why do we have them?

4. If Catherine were to write a rule at the very end of the book, what do you think it would be?

5. Is Catherine a good friend? Why or why not?

Fantastic Mr. Fox Discussion Questions

After reading Fantastic Mr. Fox, answer the following discussion questions:

1. What do you think of Mr. Fox? Do you admire him? What qualities do you
admire? Do you think he is wrong to take the chickens from the farmers?

2. How could Mr. Fox tell one farmer from another? How did he always know where they were hiding?

3. Why did the people laugh at the three farmers when the farmers destroyed the hill?

4. Would you be mad at Mr. Fox if you were Mr. Badger? Why or why not?

5. Why did Badger worry about what he and Mr. Fox were doing? Were they doing anything wrong? What makes you think so?

6. Can you imagine what Mr. Boggis, Mr. Bunce, and Mr. Bean will be feeling when they find out they have been outwitted by Fantastic Mr. Fox? What plans do you think they will make to
get their own back? How will Mr. Fox outwit them this time?