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CR-B Book
Of the Year
READING QUESTIONS
Prologue
1. What attached Tobin, Dawn, and Bismark?
a snake
2. What name does Bismark give the animal team?
The Nocturnal Brigade
Chapter 1: A Shriek in the Night
1. What did Bismark give Dawn and Tobin?
The Nocturnal Brigade uniforms - a blue snakeskin to wear
2. What noise surprised everyone?
a scream in the night
Chapter 2: Trouble Below
1. What did they discover floating in the river?
a log with an animal holding on to it
2. Do you think Bismark is brave? Why or why not?
Chapter 3: The Search Begins
1. What kind of animal is Cora?
a wombat
2. What happened to Cora's brother?
He was taken by something while they were eating. Cora couldn't see what took him.
Chapter 4: The New Arrivals
1. Who are the four new arrivals?
bats whose sonar is not working
2. What news do the bats bring?
that many other animals are missing
Chapter 5: The Creature
1. How much water do sugar gliders need to survive each day?
they can survive on just a few raindrops each day
2. What did Tobin go examine further?
a noise and eyes in the brush
Chapter 6: The Scouts
1. What kind of animals are the 2 flightless birds?
Kiwi birds
2. What happened at Patterson Pond?
Kiwi birds were kidnapped - 12 of them
Chapter 7: The Crossing
1. What's wrong with the river water?
it is salty and sea cucumbers are in it
2. What is special about pangolin's tongues?
it is very long and coils inside their stomachs when not in use
Chapter 8: Sea Cucumber Express
1. How did the animals cross the river?
they stood on sea cucumbers and fed them algae
2. What lives by Patterson Pond?
coyotes
Chapter 9: The Warning Call
1. Why were the animals tired on their walk?
they only had a few hours of sleep
2. What did the Brigade do to the spy they saw in the brush?
pounced on him
Chapter 10: The Jerboa
1. What kind of animal is Jerry?
a Jerboa - a tiny mouse with a long tail
2. Why did they tie up Jerry?
they thought he was a spy who might have information about the kidnappings and
Dawn did not trust him
Chapter 11: The Dark Den
1. What are the opinions of the trio about Jerry?
Bismark thinks he is a good chap. Tobin is not sure but agrees. Dawn keeps her
eye on Jerry because she doesn't trust him.
2. Who decided to go to the coyote den?
Dawn and Tobin
Chapter 12: The Writing on the Wall
1. What Hieroglyphics are on the den wall?
pictures of raccoons, kiwis, wombats, and various animals
2. Who is Ciaro?
the leader of the coyotes in the eastern regions
Chapter 13: The Wait
1. Who do the animals form an alliance with?
the coyotes
2. At the end of the chapter, who is missing?
Jerry
Chapter 14: The Alliance
1. Why does Dawn trust the coyotes?
because she grew up with Ciaro and they might be their only hope to figure
out the abductions
2. What animal has been spotted at the kidnappings?
Jerry the Jerboa
Chapter 15: The Abduction
1. What does Jerry need to do to return to his family?
gather team members
2. At the end of the chapter, who gets kidnapped?
Bismark
Chapter 16: Bigger Beasts
1. Who does Tobin say attacked him?
big lizard-like beasts; 5 crocodiles
2. Why are they going to follow the salt?
because the crocodiles are saltwater creatures and the river water has salt
all of a sudden
Chapter 17: The Legend
1. What does legend say that Dawn was talking about?
that there were mystical underground caves with strange light and rushing waterfalls
2. Who dug the underground hole larger?
Cora
Chapter 18: The Facility
1. What is sea sparkle?
tiny creatures that live in the ocean that glow blue
2. Who did they hear in the caves?
Jerry and another booming voice
Chapter 19: Feathers and Fur
1. What kind of things did the animal group find in the caves?
fur, feathers, beak keratin, and a wombat tooth
2. What are the clues that they have found the kidnapped animals?
Tobin can smell them and they found fur, feathers, beak keratin, and a tooth
Chapter 20: New Recruits
1. Who catches the animals in the cave?
Boris and his crocodiles
2. What kind of game do you think the animals are playing?
something with sticks, birds, beaks, and a spider you hit when you try to score
Chapter 21: Trapped
1. How were the animals trapped?
they were in a 'prison' underground and the crocs rolled a big rock in front
of the door out
2. Why did Bismark get in trouble?
he was talking to the animals in the prison
Chapter 22: The Jerboa's Tale
1. What human game does the animal game remind you of?
hockey
2. Why has Jerry had to help the crocs?
the crocs will eat his family if he doesn't help them
Chapter 23: The Challenge
1. Who did Jerry go and get?
the 2 coyotes: Ajax and Julian
2. How did the animals work together to escape?
they pulled the stone away while working together using some vines and strength
3. Who does Boris think will come back if he has a good team?
the coachers
Chapter 24: The Wager
1. What does Boris always have in his hand?
a red tube
2. What is the bet?
The animals will play the crocs. If the animals win, they get to leave. If the animals
lose, they don't.
Chapter 25: The First Victory
1. What is Bismark's job during the game?
he is the announcer
2. What happens to the jerboas?
Bois lets them go - but they decided to stay and support the nocturnals
Chapter 26: Nocs Verses Crocs
1. What did Cora tell Tobin to use to help keep the crocs from scoring goals?
his sense of smelling
2. What was weird about the way Boris was reacting to the nocturnals team play?
he appeared to be excited about it
Chapter 27: The Rise of the Captives
1. How were kiwi birds used in the game?
they were used as sticks to hit the ball
2. What was the score at the end of the chapter?
Crocs 3, Nocs 2
Chapter 28: The Final Period
1. How did Tobin stop the spider puck from getting into the goal?
he smelled the air and smelled the spider coming and caught him
2. What was the score at the end of the chapter?
Crocs 3, Nocs 3
Chapter 29: The Shoot-Out
1. Which team scored the first point in the shoot-out?
the Nocs
2. What happened to Tobin during the shoot-out?
he sprained his foot while stopping the spider puck from going in the goal
Chapter 30: The Final Shot
1. Who took Dawn's spot as a goalie?
Tobin
2. Who won the game?
The Nocturnal animals
3. Did the Crocodiles let the nocturnals go at the end of the chapter?
no
Chapter 31: Shell-Shocked
1. What did Dawn take away from Boris?
his red tube
2. Who are the coachers?
they are poachers - humans who shoot and take animals
3. What happened to Boris's family?
they were taken by poachers
Chapter 32: A Change of Heart
1. Who didn't like the game?
the kiwi birds and Harry the tarantula
2. Who's heart changed?
The nocturnals decided to forgive Boris and stay and play the game. Boris
decided to let them go and still welcome them to lay the game with him.
Chapter 33: Arrivederci, Amigos!
1. What job did Dawn give Jerry?
the job of using leaves to mark a trail in and out of the caves
2. What does Dawn mean by "We are not alone. Any of us."?
even if we don't have family, we have friends and those who will stick with us through hard
times
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