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 1-6

Reading Check

1. What does Jared’s maternal grandmother call him?

2. What unusual interaction does Jared have after meeting David at the mall?

3. What does Jared find in his wall, and what does he think it means?

Short Answer

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

1. What are some signs that Jared’s family is dysfunctional?

2. How does Jared avoid suspicion when selling weed?

Chapters 7-11

Reading Check

1. Where is Jared’s father when he goes to visit him?

2. How does Jared improve his relationship with Richie?

3. What is Jared’s motive for selling weed cookies?

Short Answer

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

1. What evidence does the author provide that would indicate Phil’s family is dysfunctional?

2. How is Jared’s behavior more responsible than his parents’?

Paired Resource

“Addiction and the Family System”

• This 5-minute video describes addiction and the role of codependency in the family.
• What is codependency? How does it relate to Jared and the relationship between his mother and father? How does this connect to the novel’s theme of Addiction in Dysfunctional Families?