IMPORTANT: Comprehension questions will be in chronological order as you read through the story. Page numbers are approximate, and will vary with different editions of the book.
Section 1: Chapters 1-6
Vocabulary
- 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 Usage in the Book
- We lived in an old gypsy caravan behind a filling station. (Ch. 1, pg. 2)
- The lavatory was a funny little wooden hut standing n the meadow way back of the caravan. (Ch. 1, pg. 6)
- But it was going to be a long, hard slog. (Ch. 7, pg. 52)
- There was a smug superior little smile around the corners of his mouth. (Ch. 6, pg. 43)
- Mr. Victor Hazell was a roaring snob and he tried desperately to get in with what he believed were the right kind of folk. (Ch. 6, pg. 42)
- “Your grandad,” he said, “my own dad, was a magnificent and splendiferous poacher.” (Ch. 5, pg. 30)
- “But this evening I broke my vow.” (Ch. 5, pg. 40)
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. (Ch. 1, pg. 3)
- Danny loves living in the caravan because he liked hearing his father’s stories and seeing his father when he woke up. (Ch. 1, pg. 7)
- Danny is glad his father is an eye-smiler because he never gave him a fake smile. (Ch. 2, pg. 9)
- Danny’s father is a marvelous storyteller. (Ch. 2, pg. 9)
- Danny’s father decides to teach him to be an expert mechanic instead of sending him to school when he’s five. (Ch. 3, pg. 16)
- The filling station, the workshop, the woods, meadows, and streams are the places that make up Danny’s world. (Ch. 3, 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. (Ch. 3, pg. 22-23)
- Danny comes to the realization that his father has a private and secret habit. (Ch. 4, pgs. 24-25)
- Danny feels panic for the first time when he wakes up and his father isn’t there. (Ch. 4, pgs. 25-27)
- The deep dark secret Danny learns is that his father is stealing pheasants. (Ch. 4, 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. (Ch. 6, pg. 43-44)
- Mr. Hazell tries to prevent poaching on his property by not having many keepers. (Ch. 6, 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 Usage in the Book
- He would brood a good deal, and there would be silences between us, especially at supper time. (Ch. 10, pg. 87)
- “It’s worse than that William! It’s diabolical!” (Ch. 9, pg. 80)
- “You are not only a cheat but you are insolent,” he said quietly. (Ch. 12, pg. 113)
- “No,” I said absolutely flabbergasted. (Ch. 9, pg. 78)
- He started to hobbling around the caravan to test his leg. (Ch. 10, pg. 86)
- “Don’t get panicky.” (Ch. 7, pg. 51)
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. (Ch. 7, 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. (Ch. 8, 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. (Ch. 8, pg. 67)
- Danny’s father explains to the doctor that he was poaching in Mr. Hazell’s Wood when he injured his ankle. (Ch. 9, pg. 78)
- The doctor reveals that he used to go poaching in Hazell’s Wood. (Ch. 9, pg. 78)
- Danny convinces his father not to walk him to school since it is two miles each way. (Ch. 10, pgs. 86-87)
- Mr. Hazell holds a grand opening-day shooting party to celebrate the beginning of pheasant shooting season. (Ch. 10, 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. (Ch. 10, 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. (Ch. 10, pg. 94)
- Danny has the idea of filling raisins with sleeping powder so that the pheasants will fall asleep. (Ch. 11, 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. (Ch. 12, pg. 102-104)
- Danny and his friend keep the secret that Mr. Snoddy is drinking gin from the glass he brings to class. (Ch. 12, 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 Usage in the Book
- This is the most colossal and extraordinary poaching job that anyone has ever been on in the history of the world. (Ch. 13, pg. 123)
- I was very conscious of that keeper, and I was also very conscious of my own backside, and how it was sticking up in the air for all to see. (Ch. 14, pg. 137)
- His face was transfixed in ecstasy. (Ch. 14, pg. 133)
- This is the most colossal and extraordinary poaching job that anyone has ever been on in the history of the world. (Ch. 13, pg. 123)
- “It’s very peculiar,” he said. (Ch. 16, pg. 145)
- The soil below the leaves had a queer pungent smell, like beer. (Ch. 14, pg. 136)
- His face was transfixed in ecstasy. (Ch. 14, pg. 133)
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. (Ch. 13, pg. 121)
- Danny’s mother would go poaching with his father at least twice a week. (Ch. 13, 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. (Ch. 13, 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. (Ch. 14, pg. 126-127)
- Wild birds belong to whoever’s land they land on. (Ch. 14 pg. 128)
- Danny’s father comforts him when they enter the woods by holding his hand. (Ch. 14, pg. 129)
- Danny’s father loves hiding from the keeper when he goes poaching. (Ch. 14, pgs. 136-137)
- After the encounter with Mr Rabbetts, Danny and his father are worried about being sniffed out by the dog. (Ch. 15, pgs. 142-143)
- Danny thinks his father senses his fears because he holds his hand again. (Ch. 16, pgs. 144-145)
- Danny and his father discuss how birds are able to sleep while sitting on a branch without falling off. (Ch. 16, pg. 145-146)
- Danny compares his father’s joy with a child who has just discovered that the whole world is made of chocolate. (Ch. 16, pg. 150)
- Danny’s father and Charlie Kinch think they have done the birds a favor by saving them from being shot at. (Ch. 17, 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 Usage in the Book
- “No, Dad, you haven’t,” I said aghast. (Ch. 17, pg. 160)
- He was like a conjuror bringing things out of a hat. (Ch. 19, pg. 172
- “These are my pheasants, and this rogue,” pointing at my father, “has enticed them out of my woods onto his filthy little filling station.” (Ch. 20, pg. 183)
- They are extremely intelligent birds, pheasants… (Ch. 20, pg. 185)
- In a few seconds down they came again and settled themselves like a swarm of locusts all over the filling station. (Ch. 19, pg. 178)
- The finest and most succulent dish on earth!… (Ch. 18, pg. 162)
- “These are my pheasants, and this rogue,” pointing at my father, “has enticed them out of my woods onto his filthy little filling station.” (Ch. 20, pg. 183)
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. (Ch. 18, pg. 162)
- Danny’s father decides to buy an oven in order to prepare the pheasant. (Ch. 18, pg. 164)
- Danny’s father says that the best way to prepare pheasant is to roast it in the oven with bacon. (Ch. 18, pg. 165)
- Pheasant should be eaten with breadsauce, potato chips, and boiled parsnips. (Ch. 18, pg. 165)
- Danny’s grandfather had the original idea to transport pheasants in a baby carriage. (Ch. 19, pg. 169)
- Danny says his earholes were scorched from the foul and filthy language he heard Mr. Hazell shouting. (Ch. 20, 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. (Ch. 20, pgs. 182-183)
- The men plan to make the pheasants move by pushing them over the road. (Ch. 20, pg. 186)
- The pheasants fly on top of Mr. Hazell’s car once they regain their senses. (Ch. 20, pgs. 186-187)
- Doctor Spencer is looking for the other pheasants who ate more than one raisin, at the bottom of the baby carriage. (Ch. 21, pg. 196-197)
- Danny and his father plan to invite Doctor Spencer and Mrs. Spencer for a pheasant dinner. (Ch. 22, 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. (Ch. 22, pg. 206)