The Pinballs

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-6

Reading Check

1. Upon her arrival at the Mason house, Carlie compares the home to what television show?

2. What personal item does Carlie lose in Chapter 4?

3. Who ends up finding Carlie’s lost personal item?

4. In Chapter 5, Harvey silently reflects on the day his mother left for a communal living space on a farm in what state?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why is Carlie placed in foster care, as described in Chapter 1?

2. In Chapter 2, generally speaking, how would you describe Carlie’s attitude toward other people? What are her initial impressions when she learns about Harvey and Thomas J’s imminent arrival at the Mason house?

3. When Thomas J first arrives at the Masons, why does he have a tendency to yell when speaking?

4. What are the reasons why Harvey’s mother abruptly ends up leaving Harvey and Harvey’s father?

Paired Resource

“Betsy Byars, Who Wrote of Deserted Children, Is Dead at 91”

• This is The New York Times’s obituary for Betsy Byars, who passed away in 2020.