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It was only a few weeks ago that the Biedermann twins, Tess and Theo, along with their friend Jaime

Cruz, followed the secrets of the Morningstarrs’ cipher further than anyone had in its century-and a-half history—and destroyed their beloved home in the process.

But the Old York Cipher still isn’t solved. The demolition of 354 W. 73rd Street only revealed the next clue in the greatest mystery of the modern world, and if Tess, Theo, and Jaime want to discover what lies at the end of the puzzle laid into the buildings of New York by its brilliant, enigmatic architects, they will need to press on.

But doing so could prove even more dangerous than they know. It is clear that the Morningstarr twins marshaled all the strange technology they had spent their lives creating in the construction of the Cipher, and that technology has its own plans for those who pursue it.

It’s also clear that Tess, Theo, and Jaime are not the only ones on the trail of the treasure. As enemies both known and unknown close in on them from all sides and the very foundations of the city seem to crumble around them, they will have to ask themselves how far they will go to change the unchangeable—and whether the price of knowing the secrets of the Morningstarrs is one they are willing to pay.

Laura Ruby is the author of books for adults, teens, and children, including the Michael L. Prinz medal winner and National Book Award finalist Bone Gap, the Edgar Award nominee Lily’s Ghosts, the Book Sense Pick Good Girls, and York: The Shadow Cipher, the first book in the York trilogy. She is on the faculty of Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program and lives in the Chicago area. You can visit her online at www.lauraruby.com.

YORK: THE CLOCKWORK GHOST

Prepared by Melissa Guerrette,

M.Ed., NBCT

Oxford Elementary School, MSAD 17, Maine

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CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONSApril 12, 1844

uWho is the young woman in the gray dress in the parlor?

uWhat is this gem-faced puzzle? Why don’t the Morningstarrs seem concerned about where it was left or who found it?

Chapter 1

uThis chapter recaps Book 1. What happened to 354 W 73rd Street, where Tess, Theo, and Jaime previously lived?

uWhere is Grandpa Ben and what is his relation to the Cipher?

Chapter 2

uExplain Jaime’s logic that the tunnel the kids followed is part of the Underground Railroad. What text evidence supports this claim?

uWhat is Nine? Where is she from? What is a chimera?

uIf you were at the table with Tess, Theo, and Jaime in Aunt Esther’s kitchen, what questions would you be asking?

Chapter 3

uIn what ways is Aunt Esther like Dumbledore, Gandalf, or Galadriel? Do you know anyone who is similar to Aunt Esther in these ways?

uWhy does Jaime stop to sketch buildings on his way home?

uHow does Jaime feel about the new apartment building where he is living? How do you know?

Chapter 4

uDescribe Duke Goodson’s character.

uExplain what it means to be a “fixer” to Duke Goodson.

uDuke’s motto is, “In order to fix things, you first had to break them.” Based on that motto, can you predict what may be in store for Tess, Theo, and Jaime?

Chapter 5

Standards for Chapter by Chapter Questions (PAGES 2-8): CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.10

uWhat do you think is causing Tess’s monster nightmares?

uHow does Mrs. Biedermann explain what is challenging about her work as a police officer?

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Chapter 6

uDr. Little Crow says: “What other people call you is not always what you call yourself. Sometimes it’s out of disrespect. Sometimes it’s out of misunderstanding.” Can you think of some examples to illustrate her point?

uWhat is notable about what Tess, Theo, and Jaime found under the flap on the back of Ada’s letter?

uWho is the pale blonde in the red dress?

Chapter 7

uIn what ways is it both a gift and a struggle to have photos and videos of lost loved ones?

uJaime believes that the Shadow Cipher has given them power: “the kind of power more powerful people would do almost anything to get.” Explain what it means to have power. Why would powerful people want even more power?

uAt the end of the chapter, Aunt Esther tells Jaime he is doing everything he can. She is cryptic and Jaime is uncertain. What do you think she means?

Chapter 8

uWho is Karl?

uWhat is the wiggleworm? Why is the guard so intent on taking it away from Cricket?

uWho does Karl see watching them from outside the lobby?

Chapter 9

uTess, Theo, and Jaime debate whether or not the Morningstarrs had faith that their inventions would be preserved over time. How much of the future do you think the Morningstarrs orchestrated, and how much do you think simply fell into place?

uConsider the concept of the “butterfly effect”—that a single event can affect countless other things. In what ways can you see the butterfly effect at work in the York series? Have you seen examples of the butterfly effect in real life?

Chapter 10

uThe man at the 2nd City Reliquary speaks with slang. For example, he uses the word “Ridiculous” as another word for cool. What other slang phrases can you think of?

uThe quest to solve the Cipher began as a curiosity, but now Tess, Theo, and Jaime are pressing on because they feel they have to. What has changed for the kids?

uWhy do you think the blonde woman made a spectacle about Nine biting her?

uWhy does Mrs. Biedermann have to take Nine? Do you agree with her decision? Why or why not?

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONS

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Chapter 11

uWhy does this chapter begin with a flashback to when Nine was a kitten?

uWho is the woman looking for Nine, and why is she looking for her?

uWhy is this chapter written from Nine’s point of view?

Chapter 12

uWhy do the characters—first Jaime, then Tess—say they’re fine, in spite of the situation?

uWhy is Tess “bright and shining”?

uWhy do you think the spiders had the missing jewels? Why do you think they are returning the jewels now?

Chapter 13

uWhat is the danger of Tess and Nine being separated?

uWhy is Tess surprised that Theo would suggest that he trusts his own gut?

uAunt Esther seems to think differently than the other grown-ups in this story. Why do you think she is encouraging the kids to pay attention to the Cipher and to find Nine?

Chapter 14

uWhy do Theo and Jaime bicker?

uWhat do you imagine would happen if Mrs. Biedermann had to investigate and/or reprimand Tess and Theo for a reported theft?

uWhat is a ledger, and what kind of clue might it hold?

Chapter 15

uConsider Jaime’s observation that the blonde woman who claimed Nine bit her looked a lot like the blonde woman at the library. What might this mean?

uHow does Jaime’s art help him to process his feelings?

uWho or what does Jaime feel is suggesting that he make himself smaller? What gives him this impression? What gives Jaime the confidence to sit up straight and tall?

uWhy would the Cipher be to blame for taking Nine?

uWhat has happened to Karl?

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONS

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Chapter 16

uWhat is Duke Goodson’s reason for visiting the doctor?

uBased on his thinking in this chapter, do you think Duke accurately interprets of other people? Explain your point of view.

u“Many folks simply didn’t enjoy thinking. It was far too much effort. They preferred to have someone else doing their thinking for them.” Is there truth in this statement? What are the risks or dangers of not thinking for oneself?

uWho is Duke’s “friend” with whom the doctor has made an arrangement?

uWhat do you think Dr. Munsterberg is hatching?

Chapter 17

uIs Mrs. Biedermann wrong to get Tess a chimera license in the first place?

uWhat would make chimera valuable enough for them to be stolen?

uWhat sort of thing might be sleeping at Station One?

Chapter 18

uHow did Theo’s imaginary friend help him, and why does Theo wish he were still around?

uWhy does Theo decide he would be the one to climb the ladder and stop the clock, despite his fear of heights?

Chapter 19

uHow might the eagle have known who to deliver the clue to?

uWhat new information does Cricket share with Jaime that serves as more evidence that the disappearances of Nine and Karl are related?

Chapter 20

uHow would the story be different if Karl were able to talk?

uWhere are Karl and the other animals taken? What evidence in the text supports your thinking?

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONS

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Chapter 21

uHow are Tess’s losses of Nine and Grandpa Ben similar and different?

uWhy do you think Jaime has finally allowed the twins to come to his new apartment?

uWhy do you think Tess and Theo are both itchy and irritated by the time they get to Jaime’s door?

uWhat is behind Tess’s drive to solve the Cipher?

Chapter 22

uHow have Theo’s thoughts about solving the Cipher changed, and why?

uAunt Esther says: “Oh, the ghosts aren’t scary. They’re just sad.” What does she mean?

Chapter 23

uWhat is self-preservation, and why does Jaime accuse Theo of having none? Do you agree with Jaime?

uWhat causes the kids to leave the first building on the island?

uDoes Jaime see a face in the window?

uWho or what else could be on the island?

Chapter 24

uIs the black cat really Nine?

uWho are the men in green, and what are they doing on an island prohibited to visitors?

uWho is the figure in gray? Why would she have a familiar face? Why would she be trying to help Tess, Theo, and Jaime get to safety?

Chapter 25

uWhat does nefarious mean? Who or what in this story could be described as nefarious?

uWhat makes Cricket believe her mom might be on her side?

uWhat do you think Cricket has collected in the box under her bed?

Chapter 26

uIs the woman on the island the same woman Jaime has drawn? Did his drawing bring her

to life? How?

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONS

uAunt Esther suggests that Tess, Theo, and Jaime not speak of the island with their parents. Do you think this is a wise idea, or not? Why?

uWho is Aunt Esther referring to when she says she has reinforcements?

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Chapter 27

uWhat do you think might happen if Mrs. Biedermann identifies Tess, Theo, and Jaime on the Station One video?

uWhat were Theo’s, Tess’s, and Jaime’s impressions of the other kids at the pool?

uWhy do you think Mrs. Moran wants to talk to Jaime about bugs?

Chapter 28

uTalk about the rules the blonde women operate under. Why are these women choosing uniformity and sameness over individuality?

uWhat might Candi have missed or lost at the Hoboken building? What might have happened there?

uWhat is Candi’s relationship to Duke? The other women? What does Candi want?

Chapter 29

uWho do you think is responsible for the bugs?

uWho would be hiding behind the trees in trenchcoats?

Chapter 30

uWho asked the Cipherist Society to watch out for Tess, Theo, and Jaime?

uWhy is Tess telling stories and half-truths?

uWhy does Tess suggest a sleepover at the Cipherist Society headquarters?

uIs it wise for the kids to invite the Cipherist Society members on their middle-of-the-night cemetery mission?

Chapter 31

uWhat does Jaime find buried in the cemetery?

uWhat artifacts do the kids find in the cemetery that we recognize and understand, even though they don’t?

uWho else is in the cemetery with Tess, Theo, and Jaime?

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONS

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CHAPTER BY CHAPTER QUESTIONSChapter 32

u“Everyone lies when it suits them.” Do you agree or disagree with Candi’s comment?

uHow do the kids wear Duke down?

Chapter 33

uThe woman in the gray coat says she knew Tess’s mother. What kind of relationship do you imagine they had?

uWho is the woman in the gray coat?

Chapter 34

uWhy are Tess, Theo, and Jaime in disbelief that the woman in gray is Ava Oneal?

uWhat does Tess want Ava to do?

uWhy do the kids go back to telling stories to the Cipherists, instead of telling the truth?

Chapter 35

uWhy is Theo unusually quiet during the ride to Manhattan and while everyone settled in for bed?

uWhat is the photo Theo finds hidden in the trunk?

Sunrise in Gotham Senior Living Center

uWhat is the translation of the Yiddish phrase, “Far kinder tsereist men a velt”? What meaning might this have in relation to the Old York Cipher?

uDescribe the relationship between Ava and Mrs. Beidermann.

uWhy does Ava ask Grandpa Ben if he knew who the children were? Who are the children?

uWhy is there so much emphasis on light in this chapter?

MORE

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Structure and Craft

Consider the structure of the book, specifically:

uThe time periods of the prologue and epilogue

uChapters from various points of view (main characters and secondary characters)

Why do you think Laura Ruby made these choices? How do these choices impact your understanding of the story?

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6]

Overlooked, Hidden, Forgotten, Part 1

Similar to Book 1 in the series, York: The Shadow Cipher, this second book continues to mention notable individuals whose stories may have been overlooked, hidden, or forgotten. Explore some of the people mentioned in this book. Who were they? What are their stories? What are their contributions to history?

FOR MORE DISCUSSION

Eliza Hamilton

Charles Babbage

Edgar Allen Poe

Thomas L. Jennings

Charles Dickens

Guilhermina Suggia

Lisa Cristiani

Anna Ottendorfer

Elizabeth Blackwell

Who else do you know from history (or present day) who is often overlooked? Why do you think this happens? What becomes of these people and their contributions?

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7]

Overlooked, Hidden, Forgotten, Part 2

The pursuit of the Old York Cipher takes Tess, Theo, and Jaime to many historical places around the city. Conduct some research about some of the sites featured in

York: The Clockwork Ghost. How do these sites fit with the bigger themes

of the book?

Kingsland Homestead

Renwick Ruin

De Gesellen / “The Companions”

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5,]

Catherine “Katy” Ferguson

Ada Lovelace

Lord Byron

Charles Doughty

Hendrick Aupaumut

Arthur Wynne

Mary Mallo

Cheng I Sao

Louis Moreau Gottschalk

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Cryptography

Codes and ciphers have been used since ancient history. Take time to explore some of the ciphers that were part of the Old York Cipher and featured in this book. Make codes for your friends to decipher.

uVigenère Cipher: A polyalphabetic cipher which uses two or more cipher alphabets for encryption. The letters in a Vigenère cipher are shifted by different amounts, usually based on a word or phrase as an encryption key. (p. 110-111, 127-130)

uFore-edge Painting: An image is painted onto the pages of a book while the pages are fanned so the image is only revealed when the book is open and pages are fanned in alignment. (p. 234-235)

uScytale: Used by the Ancient Greeks and Spartans, a message is transposed onto a long strip of material wrapped around a rod. In order for the message to be read, the receiver must wrap the strip with code around a rod with the same diameter. (p. 283-284)

uTurkish Irish: Insert “AB” before each vowel in your words, best when spoken at a fast pace. (p. 399-400)

Crossword Puzzles

Grandpa Ben passed along a love of crossword puzzles to the children. If you enjoy them as well, here are some ways you can play with crossword puzzles yourself:

uLearn more about who first created the “word cross” puzzle.

uFind and complete a crossword puzzle. (You might start with the one in this book on pages 278-279.)

uCan you build your own crossword puzzle? Set up your boxes and clues. Then give it to a friend to solve.

Art

On his travel through the city, Jaime sketches buildings to preserve what might be lost or destroyed. What buildings or physical spaces are special to you? Can you sketch a picture of one of them, to preserve it in your memory? Pay attention to all the fine details that make the space unique.

Origami

On Jaime’s sixth birthday, he visited a museum with his dad and spoke to a man folding origami. The man told Jaime, “...folding paper is a lot like math, a lot like science.” If you are interested in Origami, do research to find out more about some Origami artists. Begin with those mentioned in this book: Akira Yoshizawa and John Montroll. In what ways is Origami related to math? To Science? Explain your thinking. Explore the art of folding paper. Start with a simple form, and work your way up to more and more challenging folds.

OTHER ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

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Folklore and Stories in the Sky

Jaime shares the Caribbean stories of Jumbies with Tess and Theo. Learn more about these figures from Caribbean folklore, including douens and socouyants. For more stories of Jumbies, check out Tracey Baptiste’s novels The Jumbies and Rise of the Jumbies. And click here for “A Field Guide to Jumbies,” also created by Tracey Baptiste.

Investigate the story behind the names Sadie Farrell and Gallus Mag. What parts of the story could be based on history? What parts are larger than life and unbelievable? What other characters do you know whose stories are passed on and whose personalities are larger than life? Why do you think people tell and retell these stories?

Learn more about the stories of constellations so that you can retell the stories of the stars. Try one of the constellations mentioned in this book:

OTHER ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Big Dipper

Little Dipper

Hercules

Cassiopeia

Cygnus

Lyra

Lynx

Hydra

Gemini

Orion

Much of Theo’s confusion is rooted in the existence of the photo, the date recorded (1807), and what he knows and understands about the invention of photography. Conduct your own research. How has the history of photography evolved from the first photographs—daguerreotypes—to the digital images we snap today?

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3]

Creative Writing—Morningstarr Dinner Parties

The Morningstarrs were known to host a wide array of guests at their dinner parties, as described in the prologue of York: The Clockwork Ghost. Choose your own guest list of historical figures for a Morningstarr dinner party. Write a script that would describe the scene and capture the uniqueness of the personalities and their interactions.

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5]

Creative Writing—Artificial Intelligence

Morningstarr machines could have a mind of their own or might operate with their own agenda. Choose a machine—one of the Morningstarr machines, a machine from present day, or a machine you have invented. Imagine a science fiction world in which this machine operates with a mind of its own and must carry out its own agenda. Write that story.

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5]

[CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3]

Photography

At the end of this installment in the series, Theo finds a photo tucked into the box that he, Tess, and Jaime dug up in the cemetery. Though a great deal remains unexplained about the mysterious photo, it seems to be an important clue about what may come next for the twins.