The Moffats

Choose one of the Moffat siblings and analyze their character. Consider their personality, habits, appearance, actions, and dialogue in the story. What makes them unique? Do they change during the story? Answer in detail.

The Moffats is set in the early 1900s in small-town United States. How are the Moffat children’s childhoods similar to and different from modern kids’ experiences? Use specific examples from the book to compare and contrast life then and now.

The Moffat family loves their home, the yellow house, but must move after it sells. How does the author portray this big transition? How will it affect the family?

In the story, Jane is initially scared of Chief Mulligan, whom she thinks could arrest her for any little mistake. She soon discovers that he’s a nice and fair man. Have you ever been scared of something only to realize it isn’t scary at all? Explain your experience in detail and how you changed your mind.

One of the novel’s themes is Learning Through Everyday Childhood Adventures. Choose a lesson that one of the children learns by making a mistake. What does their experience teach them? Explain in detail, using two quotations from the text in your answer.

Using as much information from the story as you can, create a labeled diagram of Cranbury. Include all of the setting details, such as the yellow house, school, train yard, bakery, and neighbors’ homes. When your drawing is finished, write a few sentences about each location and explain its significance in the story.

Choose one relationship between two characters in the story, and explain it. How do the characters know each other? Is it a positive or negative relationship? Think about how the characters’ relationship changes throughout the story. Explain in detail, using examples from the book.

Choose your favorite chapter from the novel, and write a one-paragraph summary that captures its main events. Make sure your summary clearly explains the beginning, middle, and end of the chapter without being too detailed. Add your own original illustration to your work.