Loser Ch 28

Where was Claudia while Zinkoff was out looking for her?

• at home
• on Halftank Hill

• at the park
• at school

Who were the police actually looking for?

• The suspect involved in the recent crime

• Zinkoff

• Polly

• Hector Binns

1. What does Polly make for Zinkoff with paper and scissors? Why does Uncle Stanley groan at the gift?

• Polly makes a paper airplane for Zinkoff; Uncle Stanley groans because it won't fly.

• Polly makes a snow flake for Zinkoff; Uncle Stanley groans because he doesn't need more snow after his ordeal.

• Polly makes a paper flower for Zinkoff; Uncle Stanley groans because it's too plain.
• Polly makes paper scissors for Zinkoff; Uncle Stanley groans because it's impractical.

Why doesn’t Zinkoff want anyone else to touch his lucky stone?

• He thinks it is too heavy for others to hold.
• He is afraid it will break if touched by someone else.
• He believes it is a family heirloom that must be kept safe.
• He thinks it will lose its magic.

1. CHOOSE ONE:

3. ONE: How was Zinkoff’s “lucky” bubblegum stone lucky? How was it unlucky?

TWO: Zinkoff feels like he is “in a cradle of eyes.” What does this mean? Why do you think the author chose the word “cradle”? How would meaning change if he had written a line like "a wall of eyes" instead?

CHOOSE ONE:

1. ONE: All of the grown-ups who come to visit Zinkoff have a “half-sad sort of smile.” What do you think this facial expression means? Have you ever seen an expression like this before? If so, when? 

3. TWO: All of the visitors ask Zinkoff why he stayed out looking for Claudia for so long, but not Claudia’s mother. What does she do when she comes to visit? Why do you think her response is different from everyone else’s?