Chapter 1 1. Who is Doug's hero? Why? 2. What are bright spots in Doug's life? 3. What kind of person is Ernie Eco? 4. How can you tell that Holling is a good friend to Doug? 5. How does Doug act when he first meets Lil? Why? 6. How does Lil act when she meets Doug? Why? 7. What kind of relationship does Doug have with his mother? His father? 8. What clues do you have about how Lucas and Doug's other brother are alike? 9. Why do you think the illustration of the Arctic Tern introduces the chapter? What does Doug see in it? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 2 1. What doubts are in Doug's mind the week before he starts his job? 2. How did the librarian feel about Doug sitting on the library steps? Why? How does Doug evaluate his response? 3. Why are Doug's thoughts critical of Mr. Powell? 4. Why is Doug not on the library steps the next Saturday? 5. Who does Lil suggest her father warn Doug about? 6. What surprises Doug about Mrs. Windemere? How is he able to deal with her? 7. What happens the two times Doug looks like a chump in front of Lil? How does Lil respond? 8. How can Doug tell that his work is going well? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 3 1. OKAY FOR NOW Chapter 3 1. What does Doug learn in his first lesson? Which of Mr. Powell's words stick in Doug's mind? Why? 2. What does Doug like and dislike about the school and the meeting? What smart-aleck thing does he say to the principal? How is the principal's session different from what Doug overhears in Mr. Ferris's classroom? 3. What happens to Spicer's Deli? How does this relate to Doug's family? What does Doug know? 4. What lesson does Doug learn about the puffins? 5. How is Mr. Ferris different from his other teachers? 6. Why does Doug say he won't read Jane Eyre? 7. What is significant about the letter from the Army?

Chapter 4 1. Why doesn't Doug turn in answers to the Review Questions in geography? 2. Why does Doug smile after his brother shreds his drawing of the puffins? 3. What does Mr. Ferris figure out that no teacher has ever figured out? What does he do with the information? 4.What causes the problem with Coach Reed? 5. How does the Black-Backed Gull relate to this chapter? 6. How does the Black-Backed Gull relate to this chapter? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 5 1. Why does Doug get into so many fights at Washington Irving Junior High School? 2. How does Doug perform in his classes after the Coach Reed incident? 3. Discuss the company picnic. What is the food? How does Doug and his brother feel about the gifts they get from the company? Why doesn't Doug go swimming? What is special about Doug's partner for the trivia contest? 4. What does Doug discover about the prizes he has won? What good thing happens? How does Mr. Ballard help Doug? 5. What surprising thing does Doug's brother say and do when Doug gets home? Why? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 6 1. How have Doug's Saturday deliveries changed? Why? 2. How does Doug's father act on the trip to get Lucas? What happens when they reach the Port Authority? To what does Doug compare his mom as she hugs Lucas? How do the protestors speak to Lucas? 3. We finally see Doug's middle brother's name on page 212. Why do you think it has taken him so long to name him? 4. What does Doug discover about Coach Reed? How? 5. How is Doug able to get on the good side of Coach Reed? 6. What changes Doug's perception of The Snowy Heron? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 7 1. When Doug makes his deliveries, how is he received? 2. What does Mr. Powell do for Doug? Why is he different from most people in his life? 3. Why does Doug tell Coach Reed so much about Lucas? How does the coach respond? 4. Why is Doug's visit to James Russell's house so exciting? 5. What transition does Lucas make at this time? Why? Who helps? Who doesn't? 6. How does Doug use the petrels in the picture to help him understand something important? What could the petrels symbolize? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 8 1. The first sentence of the chapter is foreshadowing. What does it lead you to predict? 2. After Christopher's arrest, what happens to Doug at school? Why? What is the evidence that leads the police to Christopher? 3. Why does Mrs. Windermere say Mr. Spicer is not infallible? 4. What is "stable" about the Brown Pelican? 5. Doug and Lil go to the paper mill. What does Doug discover that causes his world to become unstable? 6. How does Doug become a hero? How does Christopher help? How do the Black-Backed Gull and the Brown Pelican connect to this event? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter 9 1. How does Doug feel about the weather in May? 2. What problem does Lil have with Doug? How does Doug handle it? 3. What good and bad things happen on Opening Night? 4. What is the deal Doug makes with Mrs. Windermere? 5. Doug says something bad always happens after something really good. Think about the trip home from Opening Night. Describe and evaluate his statement about bad after good. 6. What happens to the Yellow Shank? OKAY FOR NOW

Chapter Why does Doug always transition to his hero during the bad times of his life? 2. Who is outside during his second Saturday deliveries in June? What amazing thing does he do? How does he connect the event with a bird? What is the turning point for Lucas? 3. Why does Doug's father stop talking and take his supper to the bedroom to eat? How has mealtime for the others changed? What is the unspoken subject in the family? 4. What do you think happened before Doug's father gives him the jacket? What happens right afterward? What change has come over his father? Do you think such a big change is really possible? Why do you think his mother and father do not eat? 5. What events on the last day of school make Doug's year positive? 6. What makes the Apollo 11 blast off personal to Doug and Lil? OKAY FOR NOW