caravan: a group of people or animals traveling together on a long journey, especially through the desert
lavatory: a room with a toilet and sink
slog: to keep doing something even though it is difficult or boring; to work at something in a steady, determined way
smug: having or showing the annoying quality of people who feel very pleased or satisfied with their abilities, achievements, etc.
snob: someone who tends to criticize, reject, or ignore people who come from a lower social class, have less education, etc.
splendiferous: extraordinarily or showily impressive
vow: a serious promise to do something or to behave in a certain way
Vocabulary Sentences
Brian did not enjoy using the small lavatory on the airplane because of its small space and loud noises.
The kids did slog through their Saturday morning chores so that they could spend go to grandma’s house and bake cookies.
Alice was smug when she was the only student to earn a perfect score on her spelling test.
The Leonardo daVinci exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art was absolutely splendiferous!
The sisters vowed to never let their mom pick out matching outfits for them ever again!
Comprehension Questions
Danny thinks that the love his father had for his mother is now lavished on him. (pg. 3)
Danny loves living in the caravan because he liked hearing his father’s stories and seeing his father when he woke up. (pg. 7)
Danny is glad his father is an eye-smiler because he never gave him a fake smile. (pg. 9)
Danny’s father is a marvelous storyteller. (pg. 9)
Danny’s father decides to teach him to be an expert mechanic instead of sending him to school when he’s five. (pg. 16)
The filling station, the workshop, the woods, meadows, and streams are the places that make up Danny’s world. (pg. 17)
Danny’s father made him a kite, a fire balloon, a treehouse, a bow and arrow, stilts, a boomerang, and the “Soapo” machine. (pg. 22-23)
Danny comes to the realization that his father has a private and secret habit. (pg. 24-25)
Danny feels panic for the first time when he wakes up and his father isn’t there. (pg. 25-27)
The deep dark secret Danny learns is that his father is stealing pheasants. (pg. 29)
Danny’s father wouldn’t fill Mr. Hazell’s car with gas because he had threatened to hurt Danny if he left fingerprints on his car. (pg. 43-44)
Mr. Hazell tries to prevent poaching on his property by not having many keepers. (pg. 48)
Section 2: Chapters 7-12
Vocabulary
brood: a group of young birds that were all born at the same time; to think a lot about something in an unhappy way
diabolical: extremely evil; very unpleasant, bad, or annoying
insolent: rude or impolite; having or showing a lack of respect for other people
flabbergasted: shocked or surprised
hobble: to walk with difficulty because of injury or weakness
panic: a state or feeling of extreme fear that makes someone unable to act or think normally; a situation that causes many people to become afraid and to rush to do something
stealth: a secret, quiet, and clever way of moving or behaving
Vocabulary Sentences
The brood of chicks followed their mother all around the barn.
The insolent girl stomped her foot and stuck out her tongue when her mother said she could only have two scoops of ice cream.
Jane’s father began to panic when he couldn’t find her anywhere in the grocery store.
The sweet grandfather hobbled to the front door and laughed with delight when his grandchildren hugged him.
Penelope was flabbergasted when she saw her cat shredding her science report with its sharp claws.
Comprehension Questions
Danny decides to put on his clothes and walk to the wood in order to see if anything has happened to his father. (pg. 51)
Danny puts himself at risk of being caught by the keepers when he turns on his flashlight and calls out for his father. (pg. 63-64)
The keepers leave Danny’s father in the trap so that they can bring Hazell back the next day to help get him out. (pg. 67)
Danny’s father explains to the doctor that he was poaching in Mr. Hazell’s Wood when he injured his ankle. (pg. 78)
The doctor reveals that he used to go poaching in Hazell’s Wood. (pg. 78)
Danny convinces his father not to walk him to school since it is two miles each way. (pg. 86-87)
Mr. Hazell holds a grand opening-day shooting party to celebrate the beginning of pheasant shooting season. (pg. 89)
Danny’s father reveals that he wants to poach all the pheasants from Hazell’s Wood so there would be none left for opening day. (pg. 92)
The keepers go home after the pheasants have roosted and are safely up in the trees, because no one has discovered how to poach a roosting pheasant. (pg. 94)
Danny has the idea of filling raisins with sleeping powder so that the pheasants will fall asleep. (pg. 95)
Danny and his father have talked about different parts of nature and on this Thursday, they talked about how a bullfrog calls to his wife with a burp. (pg. 102-104)
Danny and his friend keep the secret that Mr. Snoddy is drinking gin from the glass he brings to class. (pg. 109)
Section 3: Chapters 13-17
Vocabulary
colossal: very large or great
conscious: awake and able to understand what is happening around you; knowing that something exists or is happening
ecstasy: a state of very great happiness; extreme delight
extraordinary: very different from what is normal or ordinary; extremely good or impressive
peculiar: not usual or normal; not well; somewhat ill
pungent: having a strong, sharp taste or smell
transfixed: having caused someone to sit or stand without moving because of surprise, shock, interest, etc.
Vocabulary Sentences
When my mother cooks fish for dinner, there is a pungent smell in the house for the rest of the evening.
The vet examined the peculiar puppy, who was not interested in jumping or playing with its new owners.
Elyse was overwhelmed by the colossal amount of homework she received on the first day of school.
The young pianist chose to play a piece by Beethoven in order to demonstrate his extraordinary talent.
The brothers sat on the couch, transfixed by the newest Lego movie commercial on TV.
Comprehension Questions
Danny’s mother would knit and talk about all the children she was going to have. (pg. 121)
Danny’s mother would go poaching with his father at least twice a week. (pg. 122)
Danny’s mother went poaching because she loved Danny’s father and wanted to be with him, and also because she loved poaching. (pg. 122)
Danny’s mother would go walking and then bring something back home with her to brighten up the caravan, such as wildflowers and grass. (pg. 126-127)
Wild birds belong to whoever’s land they land on. (pg. 128)
Danny’s father comforts him when they enter the woods by holding his hand. (pg. 129)
Danny’s father loves hiding from the keeper when he goes poaching. (pg. 136-137)
After the encounter with Mr Rabbetts, Danny and his father are worried about being sniffed out by the dog. (pg. 142-143)
Danny thinks his father senses his fears because he holds his hand again. (pg. 144-145)
Danny and his father discuss how birds are able to sleep while sitting on a branch without falling off. (pg. 145-146)
Danny compares his father’s joy with a child who has just discovered that the whole world is made of chocolate. (pg. 150)
Danny’s father and Charlie Kinch think they have done the birds a favor by saving them from being shot at. (pg. 160-161)
Section 4: Chapters 18-22
Vocabulary
aghast: struck with terror, amazement, or horror; shocked
conjure: to make something appear or seem to appear by using magic; to create or imagine something
entice: to attract someone, especially by offering or showing something that is appealing, interesting, etc.
intelligent: having or showing the ability to easily learn or understand things or to deal with new or difficult situations
swarm: a great number of honeybees emigrating together from a hive in company with a queen to start a new colony elsewhere
succulent: full of juice; having thick, heavy leaves or stems that store water
rogue: a person who is dishonest or immoral; one who causes trouble in a playful way
Vocabulary Sentences
Evan wants to conjure up the best magic trick for the community talent show next Saturday.
The swarm of bees suddenly entered the yard, causing all the children to run inside the house as fast as they could.
Quincy’s mother was aghast when she discovered he had eaten the whole jar of cookies.
I enjoy having intelligent conversations with my dad.
We will entice our dog into the car with his favorite treats.
Comprehension Questions
Danny’s father’s face was alight with happiness because they had bagged one hundred and twenty pheasants from Hazell’s Wood. (pg. 162)
Danny’s father decides to buy an oven in order to prepare the pheasant. (pg. 164)
Danny’s father says that the best way to prepare pheasant is to roast it in the oven with bacon. (pg. 165)
Pheasant should be eaten with breadsauce, potato chips, and boiled parsnips. (pg. 165)
Danny’s grandfather had the original idea to transport pheasants in a baby carriage. (pg. 169)
Danny says his earholes were scorched from the foul and filthy language he heard Mr. Hazell shouting. (pg. 181)
Sergeant Samways uses the word “hen-ticed” because he often adds the letter h to words that don’t have an h. It is ironic because the word “hen” refers to birds and this situation is about pheasants moving away from Hazell’s. (pg. 182-183)
The men plan to make the pheasants move by pushing them over the road. (pg. 186)
The pheasants fly on top of Mr. Hazell’s car once they regain their senses. (pg. 186-187)
Doctor Spencer is looking for the other pheasants who ate more than one raisin, at the bottom of the baby carriage. (pg. 196-197)
Danny and his father plan to invite Doctor Spencer and Mrs. Spencer for a pheasant dinner. (pg. 202)
Danny requests that when the reader grows up and has kids, that they become a parent who is SPARKY, because stodgy parents aren’t any fun at all. (pg. 206)
