Chapters 1, 2 and 3
Character Development
- Who tells the story?
- How well did Jack and Donovan get along?
- Why was Jack impatient with Donovan?
- How does Donovan feel about having his little brother bigger than he is?
- What was Eddie like?
Plot and Setting Development
- Is the story written in first or third person?
- What kind of weather were they experiencing? How did you know?
- Why were they digging a hole?
- What did they find in the flowerbed?
Chapters 4, 5 and 6
Character Development
- Why did Donovan speak with so few words?
- How did he help people understand with fewer words?
- What did Dad do when he was trying to clean the box off?
- What did Eddie keep wanting to do to the box?
- How well do Donovan’s parents get along?
- How does Dad treat the children when he speaks to them?
Plot and Setting Development
- How did the box get into the flower bed?
- What foreshadowing was used about the disappearance of the box?
- Who did Donovan and Mom see in the forest?
- What do we know about the letters found in the box?
Chapters 7 and 8
Character Development
- Why was Jack digging down by the creek?
- How did Jack act toward his brother and friend while they were on the picnic table?
- Who was the last one off the table top? Why?
- Why was Steve Austin hesitant about talking about himself?
Plot and Setting Development
- What happened while Jack was concentrating on digging?
- How did they get out of the creek?
- Why was Steve Austin living in the woods?
Chapters 9 and 10
Character Development
- Why was Steve Austin so upset when he was falsely accused?
- Why did Steve Austin not want to meet the boys’ parents?
- How did the boys’ parents react to hearing about their creek adventure?
Plot and Setting Development
- Who is the historical Stephen F. Austin to the man in the black baseball hat?
- What did Mr. Austin show the boys he was in possession of as they sat around the fire?
- According to Mr. Austin, how did the flash flood happen?
- For what were the tools in the box meant to be used?
- How did the scientist prove that the letters were old?
Chapters 11 and 12
Character Development
- Why did Jack dread starting school and Donovan did not?
- How did Mom feel about Donovan being is classes with typical students?
- Why did Donovan look forward to starting school?
- Why was Donovan able to answer the question in Social Studies class?
- Was Mr. Doogan really a friend? Why?
- What did Emma like to do most?
- Why did Donovan not understand why Emma enjoyed being alone?
Plot and Setting Development
- Who were Donovan’s new friends at school?
- Whom did Emma’s family have as a guest for dinner every Sunday?
- What did Emma tell Jack and Donovan about Mr. Austin?
Chapters 13 and 14
Character Development
- Why did Donovan not want to tell the others he was really tired after the walk to the cemetery?
- What did you learn in the cemetery about Emma’s family?
- What was Jack’s reaction to the cemetery?
- What did Eddie think of the cemetery?
- Whose idea was it to go into Mr. Doogan’s garage?
- Who was able to explain quickly and clearly to Donovan how to hide?
Plot and Setting Development
- Where was their new favorite place to go?
- Where did they NOT go anymore? Why?
- Describe the cemetery.
- What did the appearance of Mr. Doogan’s house tell you about Mr. Doogan?
- What was Donovan in danger of in the garage?
Chapters 15, 16, 17, and 18
Character Development
- Why were Donovan and Jack getting along so well and stumping their parents?
- What kind of skills does Jack show he has in his bedroom?
- What can Donovan do better when he has a costume on?
Plot and Setting Development
- How was Jack dressed on Halloween? Why?
- How do you learn how Donovan learns new things?
- Describe the alley they walked down to the cemetery?
- What did Jack have with him to make the entry into the garage quieter?
- What did they find buried in the garage?
- What did they decide to do about it?
- Why were the parents upset about what the children had done at Mr. Doogan’s house?
- Whom did they tell other than the parents?
Chapters 19 and 20
Character Development
- How does Donovan react to not understanding some things in life?
- What were Donovan’s thoughts about why Mr. Doogan did what he did?
Plot and Setting Development
- Who came to the house the next day to talk with Jack and Donovan? Why?
- What happened to Mr. Austin?
- Who got Mr. Doogan’s job?
- What happened to the old letters?
- Why was it important for the old letters to be preserved so carefully?
The end of the Comprehension and Critical Thinking Questions material.
