Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-3

Reading Check

1. How does Donna Jean get injured?

2. Why do white people accuse Mrs. Patterson (Sylvia’s mother) of “putting on airs”?

3. What shocking announcement does Gary make over an otherwise pleasant breakfast?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. In the opening scene, how do the different characters channel or express their anger? Provide 2 examples.

2. Why does Gary’s announcement startle and upset his parents?

3. How does Sylvia observe and experience racial and cultural differences between herself and her best friend, Rachel?

Paired Resources

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum History Page

• This brief history of what occurred at Auschwitz provides historical context without harrowing images.
• Why might Mr. Zucker want to avoid being reminded of his time in Auschwitz? As you read the novel, think about how it compares to his life in Arkansas.

Emmett Till from History.com

Leo Frank from Encyclopaedia Britannica

• These articles tell the stories of Till’s and Frank’s lives, alleged crimes, and lynchings without harrowing photos.
• Why does Sylvia find it easy to draw comparisons between Black people’s and Jewish people’s experiences in America and abroad?