1. The Houdini Box
Unit 4 , Week 1

2. Genre – Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction has characters and events based on real people and events in history.

3. Vocabulary Strategy – Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms are words that mean almost the same thing. Example: Mad and Angry
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Example: Happy and Sad

4. Comprehension Skill – Compare and Contrast
When you compare and contrast, you tell how two or more things are alike and different.

5. Comprehension Strategy - Predict
Active readers predict. They use what they know as well as what the author tells them to form ideas about what might happen next.

6. Vocabulary Escape Crumbled Magician Vanished Bustling Appeared
Monument

7. Escape
To break loose; to get out and away

8. Crumbled
Fell to pieces

9. Bustling
Being noisily busy and in a hurry; scurrying

10. Appeared
Came into view or sight; was seen

11. Magician
Person who performs tricks

12. Monument
Memorial; something to set up to honor a person or event

13. Vanished
Disappeared, especially suddenly

14. Victor was upset because he could not ---
Visit his Aunt Harriet
Do the things that Houdini did
Find the box with initials carved on it.

15. What did Victor and Houdini have in common?
They liked to perform magic tricks.
They asked people a lot of questions.
They had a box with their initials on it.

16. Right after Victor learned about Houdini’s tricks, he -
Told Aunt Harriet his secret
Got stuck in Aunt Harriet’s trunk
Tried to do what Houdini had done.

17. Houdini probably promised to write Victor’s letter because he was --
Impressed with Victor’s determination
Angry that Victor could not do any tricks
Annoyed by all of Victor’s questions

18. What is the most likely reason the author wrote this story?
To explain why magicians have secrets
To entertain with a story about a boy who wants to be a magician
To persuade children to do magic tricks for their friends

19. What kind of person was Victor?
Fearful because he never wanted to try new things
Daring because he approached Houdini at the train station

20. Why did Mrs. Houdini cry when she read the letter that Victor showed her?
She was sad because her husband had just died
She was embarrassed because she did not know how to read

21. Victor was excited after reading Houdini’s monument because he --
Had always wondered what Houdini’s real name was
Realized the box that he was given as a boy had belonged to Houdini

22. How was Victor the same at the beginning and the end of the story?
He was excited about magic
He took a train to visit someone
He followed his mom’s directions

23. What happened after Victor played ball with his son?
He went to visit Houdini
He found Houdini’s box in the attic
He wrote Houdini a letter

24. How could you tell that Houdini and Victor, as adults, were both kind people?
Houdini was willing to share his secrets with Victor, and Victor helped his son learn how to hit a ball with a bat.

25. At the end of the story, why didn’t Victor tell his wife and son about the box?
Houdini’s secrets were meant only for him.

26. What was in the box that Houdini’s wife gave Victor?
The secrets for how to do Houdini’s tricks were in the box.

27. The Author – Brian Selznick
This author is worth checking out!! He is also the illustrator for Andrew Clements!!