EDUCATOR'S GUIDE - Holiday House
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Grades
2–5
EDUCATOR’ S GUIDE
ABOUT THE SERIES
Solve mysteries at a city zoo with a diverse group of kids in the illustrated chapter-book
se ri es by b elove d, two- time New b e r y H o n o r a u t h o r Pa t r i c i a Re i l l y G i f f.
Pat ricia Reilly G iff ha s c ra fte d c h a r m i n g s to r i e s a b o u t c o n s e r va t i o n , a n i m a l ca re,
fri e n d sh ip , and pr o ble m- s o lv ing . In to u c h wi t h t h e p r o g ra m s a n d i n i t i a t ives t h a t
to day ’s zo o s ar e unde r ta king , G if f p r ov i d e s r e a d e r s wi t h a f r e s h l o o k a t t h e work
of zo olo gists. D e lig htful line a r t wo r k by A b by C a r te r a p p e a r s t h r o u g h ou t a n d
adds to th e ap pe a l for yo ung r e a d e r s .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pa tr ic ia Re illy G if f ( 1 9 3 5 – 2 0 2 1 ) i s t h e wi n n e r o f t wo Newb ery
H onor Awa r ds , for Lily’s Cro ssing and Pictures of Hollis Wo o ds .
S ome o f he r othe r m i d d l e g ra d e n ove l s i n c l u d e Genevieve’s War ,
w inne r o f the C h r i s to p h e r Awa r d ; Nory Ryan’s S ong , a n AL A
No ta ble B o o k; a nd A Slip of a Girl , wh i c h r e c e i ve d t wo sta rred
r ev iews . H e r Kids of the Polk Street S cho ol a n d Mysteries on
Zo o Lane s e r ie s r e m a i n p o p u l a r c h a p te r -b o o k m a in stays.
A bby C a r te r ha s b e e n i l l u s t ra t i n g s i n c e s h e wa s e l eve n yea rs old
w he n s he s ta r te d a c a r d b u s i n e s s wi t h h e r g ra n d m a . S i nce t h en ,
C a r te r ha s illus tra te d a n u m b e r o f b o o k s , i n c l u d i n g Ollie’s S cho ol
Day: A YES-and-NO Bo ok, the Andy Shane bo oks, the Mysteries
on Zo o Lane series, a n d Daddies Do It Different . A b by l i ves wit h
he r fa mily in C o nn e c t i c u t .
HolidayHouse.com
Mysteries on Zoo Lane
Grades
2–5
Meet the Crew at the Zoo #1
ABOUT THE BOOK
Lions and tigers for neighbors? That do esn’t bother Luke at all.
It’s making new friends that scares him.
Not only has Luke had to move from Florida to New York be cause of his
dad’s new job as a zo o do ctor, but he’s also had to leave behind his best
friend–his abuelo.
When Luke discovers that there are other kids also living on Zo o Lane and
that one of them might be the owner of a mysterious zebra-printed box
left outside his house, he wonders if just maybe he can make friends and
HC: 9780823446667 • PB: 9780823448500
e-book: 9780823448159 solve a mystery in this wild new place.
PRE-READING ACTIVITY
• Ask readers to define mystery. Then have them share their definitions with the class or group.
What do all mysteries have in common?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Discuss what Luke is feeling in the first chapter of the novel. How do es the illustration on
page 2 reveal what he is going to miss mo st about Florida? Explain how chapter 1 connects
to chapter 12.
• Describe Luke’s life on Zo o Lane. Discuss why Luke is afraid the first night in his new house.
How do es he deal with his fears? Debate whether his fears go away by the end of the novel.
• Luke’s father is a zo o do ctor. Discuss his responsibilities. Contrast his job with what Abuelo
do es in Florida. What do es Luke learn about animals from his father and grandfather? Luke
helps his father create a jungle for the puma to give birth. How do es creating this special
place make Luke feel?
• What is the mystery that Luke must solve? To unravel a mystery, one must narrow down the
clues. Why is the Zebra box not a go o d clue? Explain why the items inside are very go o d clues.
How do es the Zebra box help Luke meet other kids? S ome of the kids claim the box. Why is it
important that Luke ask them to describe the contents?
• Explain why Luke’s dad created the mystery. Who is Nana-Nex t-Do or?
How do es Luke meet her? What is her role in the mystery?
HolidayHouse.com
AJ 3.22
Mysteries on Zoo Lane
Grades
2–5
Animal at Large #2
ABOUT THE BOOK
A missing animal at the zo o and strange noises coming from her
backyard can mean only one thing for Tori: she’s got a mystery to solve!
Tori loves living on Zo o Lane with her family. Who else gets
to live at a zo o—and with her cousin Sumiko visiting from
Tokyo so on, this is shaping up to be the best summer ever!
But when rumors of a missing animal start to spread, Tori wants to help
. . . except she do esn’t know which creature is on the lo o se. An o strich?
A little fro g? There’s also astrange noise coming from her backyard. It
HC: 9780823446674 • PB: 9780823449088
e-book: 9780823448166
almo st sounds like someone is calling her name! Tori is on the case.
PRE-READING ACTIVITY
• What do es “At Large” mean? Ask readers to consider the title of the novel and write a paragraph that
predicts the mystery that must be solved on Zo o Lane. Allow time for readers to share their writing.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Tori must write her life story for Miss Raymond, her teacher. Why do es she think she has a plain
life? Explain why she thinks Sumiko, her cousin, could write a great story. How do es Tori discover
that she do es have something interesting to write about?
• Point out the first suggestion of a mystery. Tori hears the word “Tough!” How is this the first clue
to the mystery? What is the significance of the sticker bush? Define “false clue.” What are the “false
clues” in this mystery? S ometimes mysteries scare people. Point out which illustrations add to the
suspense. What is the final clue to the mystery?
• Sumiko is an excellent artist. She’s very anxious to draw an o strich.
What do es Luke’s father teach Sumiko and Tori about the o strich?
• Ken, Tori’s brother, conducts many different experiments and is disappointed when they
don’t work. Discuss what Sumiko means by “You can’t be perfect all the time” (p. 30).
Why is Tori especially glad to hear these words?
• Mr. Stewart, the bo ss of the zo o, always says, “Use your brain” (p. 31).
How must Tori use her brain in solving the mystery?
HolidayHouse.com
AJ 3.22
Mysteries on Zoo Lane
Grades
2–5
Zebra at the Zoo #3
ABOUT THE BOOK
A broken fence and an animal on the lo o se take center stage in bo ok three
of the series from a two-time Newbery Honor-winning author.
Alex loves living on Zo o Lane, especially because he gets to visit his
favorite animal in the world: the red panda. When he finds a hole in the
zo o’s fence, it presents the perfect opportunity to sneak into the zo o
before scho ol to see his beloved furry creatures. What Alex do esn’t realize
is that the broken fence will cause more problems than almo st getting
caught by the security guard. When an animal go es missing in the zo o,
HC: 9780823446681 • PB: 9780823449071
e-book: 9780823449057
can he come clean about the fence?
PRE-READING ACTIVITY
• Consider the title of the bo ok and the cover art, and write a paragraph that suggests which animal
may be the subject of the mystery.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• The conflict in a novel is the problem to be solved. Discuss the difference between
a conflict and a mystery. The conflict in Zebra at the Zo o is presented in the first chapter.
Identify the conflict. How do es Alex make his troubles worse when he runs from the
zo okeeper? How do es his decision to run bother him throughout his first day of scho ol?
• What is Alex dreading mo st about the first day of scho ol? Discuss the
nice surprise that greets him when he arrives at his new classro om.
• Mrs. Hall tells the students that they are going to research and write about one of
the animals in the zo o. Alex really wants the red panda, his favorite animal. Debate
whether he hurts his chances of getting the red panda when he speaks out of turn.
• Nana-Next-Do or senses that Alex is unhappy. Explain why Alex is willing to share his troubles
with her. Discuss why she thinks that Alex must face the zo okeeper. Nana-Next-Do or intro duces
Alex to Clem, a new zo okeeper. He isn’t the one that chased Alex, but he intro duces Alex to
the wolves. How do Clem and Mrs. Hall help Alex get excited about his research o n the wolf?
• At what point is it obvious what the mystery in the novel is? How do es Alex feel guilty that Oreo
is missing? Discuss Callie’s role in solving the mystery. Explain how solving the mystery causes
Alex and Ca llie to become friends. How do es Alex help Callie with her report on the red panda?
Guide created by Pat Scales, retired school librarian and
independent consultant, Greenville, South Carolina. HolidayHouse.com
AJ 3.22
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