Vocabulary

The author writes the stories.

Author: Tracy West

Illustrated by Mary GrandPre

The illustrator draws the pictures.

Summary: It is a sunny day in Pine Park and the people of the town are out enjoying it. Suddenly things begin disappearing. They soon find out why!

Genre –It is a play.A play is a story

that can be acted out.

Look for:•Words that tell the characters’ actions and feelings.•A plot divided into scenes.

• As a child, Tracey West loved reading so much that she decided she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Tracey West studied journalism at college. She has been a newspaper reporter and a book editor.

• She likes to collect comic books, grow herbs, and walk in the woods.

• Now she lives outside of New York City with her husband, her dog, Tisha, and her cat, Elvira.

• "Reading has been one of my favorite things to do since second grade."

caused

• Cause - made something happen

The rain caused puddles.

clasp •Clasp is a small hook that holds parts together.

The clasp on this bracelet is broken.

confused

• Confused - to be uncertain or unclear about something

Bob was very confused when he tried to teach himself to speak German.

cornered

•Cornered - to get a person or an animal into a situation or position that is a trap

Sam had Max cornered behind the door.

Sam

Max

objects

• Objects - things that you can see and touch but are not alive

The objects in this picture are very old Indian weapons.

removes•Removes - takes away

Lorie removes the dirt from Daisy with the water hose.

typical•Typical - normal or usual for

a kind of thing

Alligators are NOT typical pets to have.

• Say the words.

• Read the sentence.

• Fill in the blank.

It is _______ for Dad to watch football on Sunday

afternoons.• confused

• cornered

• objects

• typical

• clasp

• caused

• removes

Simba was ________ by the mean hyenas.

• cornered

• removes

• caused

• confused

• objects

• typical

• clasp

The smart bird could lift the _____ on his cage and

fly free.• confused

• cornered

• clasp

• objects

• removes

• typical

• caused

The glue _________ the pictures to stick to the

paper.• clasp

• objects

• typical

• cornered

• removes

• caused

• confused

The monkey was __________ when the wind blew his cap

away.• caused• confused• typical• clasp• objects• cornered• removes

My teacher _________ children from the classroom who refuse to do their work.

• objects• confused• caused• cornered• clasp• typical• removes

How many _________ do you see in this picture?

• typical

• clasp

• caused

• cornered

• confused

• objects

• removes

Match the meaning to the word.

1. caused ___

2. confused ___

3. typical__

4. clasp ___

5. objects ___

6. cornered___

7. removes ____

A. - a small hook that holds parts together

B. -to be uncertain or unclear about something

C. -to get a person or an animal into situation or position that is a trap

D. -things that you can see and touch but are not alive

E. - takes awayF. - normal or usual for a

kind of thingG. - made something

happen

E

D

B

A

C

F

G

WEBSITES • Building Background• Reading Skills• Test Tutor• Other Activities• Backyard Birds• All About Birds• Bird Printouts (click link to printouts)• Video:  Mynah Bird • Kid's Mysteries • Online Quiz • Bird's Nests• Edible Bird's Nests • Helping Birds Build A Nest • Matching Words 

More Websites

• Prefixes games!:• Game 1: Prefix Builder

• Game 2: Prefix Catch

• Game 3: Constructing Prefixes (matching)

• Game 4: Prefix and Suffix Machine! • Prefixes at Work• The Pine Park Mystery Kids' Page

Tweaked by Anne Miller