Monadnock Middle School Reads
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
These questions are optional; however, you will be able to use them or any notes you take on the assessment
your English teacher will give you when we return from summer break. Use all or any part of this sheet to help
you with you reading.
1. Who was Joe Pepitone and what did he give to Doug? Why was this item so important to Doug?
2. What is the setting of this book? (time and place)
3. What happened to Doug’s hat?
4. What did Hollis give to Doug before Doug and his family left for Marysville?
5. Where does Doug hang the Yankee jack and why does he do this?
6. What does Doug mean when he says his father has “quick hands”?
7. Describe Doug’s first ever visit to a library. (17)
8. What in the library does Doug find so fascinating?
9. What is Mrs. Windermere’s profession?
10. Why does Doug look at life in statistics?
11. Why must Doug make sure he collects $22.78 in cash from Mrs. Windermere?
12. What does Mrs. Windermere own that Doug wants?
13. What are some of the perks or benefits of being the delivery boy? (64)
14. What advanced art problem does Mr. Powell give Doug to solve? (75)
15. How does Doug feel about being called “young artist”? (75)
16. Describe the strange way Mr. Peattie speaks?
17. How does Doug respond to Mr. Peattie the first time they meet/speak?
18. How did Christopher’s alleged actions affect Doug’s life? What happened to all those perks Doug experienced
before?
19. What is happening to the library’s Audubon book and why is it happening? (117) Why is this so upsetting to
Doug?
20. What is so special about Mrs. Windemere’s copy of Jane Eyre? (118)
21. What is Doug implying when he asks you, the reader, “do you think I minded?”? (135)
22. Why did the police think a kid broke into the hardware store? (135)
23. The family receives a letter with an army insignia. Who is it from and what do we learn? (106)
24. The family receives a second letter. What does that letter say?
25. What did you think the gym class saw when Doug’s shirt was ripped off? (143)
26. What did the kids in the gym class really see when Doug’s shirt was ripped off?
27. When Mr. Ferris tries to stop Doug from leaving the school, what does Doug do in response?
28. According to the story Doug tells Mr. Ferris, how did this happen?
29. Who was Doug’s partner for Trivia? (167)
30. What was the prize for the winner of trivia?
31. What happened to the prize that Doug won? (171)
32. What is the significance of the number 216? (176)
33. What major breakthrough occurs on pages 180-181?
34. What happens at the end of chapter 5?
35. What was it that Principal Peattie said to Doug in his office that Doug didn’t want to repeat? (219)
36. How does Doug feel about poetry? (235)
37. How does Doug connect with Coach Reed?
38. What is tension? What is meant by all movement relies on tension?(237)
39. Why does Doug want Mrs. Windermere’s copy of Copland’s biography?
40. How does Mrs. Merriam connect with Lucas?
41. What evidence causes the police to arrest Christopher? (263)
42. What two things did Mr. Ballard give Doug? (273)
43. How did Mr. Loeffler react to Doug’s jacket? Why? (274)
44. What was stolen from Doug and who stole it?
45. What character did Doug play on Broadway? (318) How does he come to play this part?
46. Why doesn’t Lil play this part?
47. What is wrong with Lil? How do you know this?
48. What does Lil mean when she says she loved playing Helen Burns but she just didn’t want to be Helen Burns?
49. What does Coach Reed offer Lucas? (339)
50. Mr. Swieteck is not the kind of a person one would want as a father or a friend. How does Doug’s father
redeem himself?
51. Who really committed the crimes that Christopher was accused of?
52. Predict what happens to Lil. Explain your prediction.
Character
Doug Swieteck
Christopher
Swieteck
Lucas Swieteck
Joe Pepitone
Mom
Dad
Lil Spicer
Mrs. Windermere
Description of Character (include page numbers)
Mr. Powell
Mr. Ballard
Principal Peattie
Mr. Ferris
Coach Reed
Ernie Eco
Mrs. Merriam
Bird Name/Picture
Picture description
How the picture relates to
Doug’s life