Ban This Book

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

Chapters 1-12

Reading Check

1. What job does Mrs. Jones do at Shelbourne Elementary?

2. What joking name does Amy Anne’s father call Mrs. Frankweiler?

Short Answer

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

1. What does Amy Anne like so much about From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?

2. What “Big Idea” does Amy Anne get from the conversation on the school bus about banned books?

3. What unusual thing does Amy Anne notice about her locker when she is talking with Danny about a scary book?

Paired Resource

“Kids Tell Us: ‘Why I Read’”

• This 2-minute Scholastic video features a variety of students talking about their love of reading.
• This resource relates to the theme of Control and Power Over Others.
• What are some of the reasons that these students enjoy reading? Even if you do not enjoy reading or would not like some of the books that they feel so strongly about, would you have a right to tell them not to read them? Based on how Amy Anne feels, how would these young people feel if someone tried to take away their ability to read what they like to read?

“Eleven”

• This classic Sandra Cisneros vignette shares the perspective of 11-year-old Rachel as she struggles with not being able to speak up for herself.
• This resource relates to the themes of Control and Power Over Others and Innocence to Systems and Society.
• What conflict is Rachel facing in this vignette? Why do you think she does not speak up for herself? How does her teacher’s use of her authority make Rachel feel small? Do you think that as Rachel gets older, she will better understand how to stand up for herself when an authority figure is being unfair? How is her situation similar to Amy Anne’s?

Chapters 13-22

Reading Check

1. What part of the Constitution does Mr. Vaughn assign Amy Anne and Trey to do a project on?

2. When her house is too busy and crowded for her to find a place to work on the Banned Book Locker Library (BBLL) books, where does Amy Anne end up working?

Short Answer

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

1. What question does Janna ask in the note she leaves in Amy Anne’s locker?

2. What does the school principal call Amy Anne into her office to talk about?

3. What does Trey draw a picture of to illustrate the right to free speech?

Paired Resource

“Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges Says Reading Festivals Can Counteract Book Bans”

• This article from Chalkbeat Tennessee features an interview with Ruby Bridges about the dangers of book banning.
• This resource relates to the themes of Control and Power Over Others and Betrayals of Trust in Claiming Moral Authority.
• Who is Ruby Bridges? What does she say is important about learning from history? Why do some people not want her to be able to share her story with young people? Do people have a right to hide truthful information from children because it causes uncomfortable feelings? How are Ruby Bridges’s reading festivals similar to Amy Anne’s BBLL?

Chapters 23-31

Reading Check

1. What series of books did Dav Pilkey, the author Mrs. Jones invited to speak at the school, write?

2. After Jeffrey leaves her locker with a copy of Bridge to Terabithia, who surprises Amy Anne by asking to check out a book?

Short Answer

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

1. After one of the banned books is almost spotted at lunchtime, what do Amy Anne and her friends ask MJ to do?

2. Why does Dav Pilkey give Amy Anne a whole series of his books?

3. How do Amy Anne and her friends get copies of the books that Mrs. Spencer removes from the library after Dav Pilkey’s visit?

Paired Resource

“The First Amendment Explained”

• This 3-minute video from Duke University offers an overview of the protections and limitations of the First Amendment.
• This resource relates to the theme of Control and Power Over Others.
• Why do you think that Mr. Vaughn has chosen to do a unit on Constitutional amendments? Why might he have chosen Amy and Trey to cover the First Amendment? Is a school taking books out of the library because a citizen does not like their content a First Amendment issue? Why or why not?

Chapters 32-40

Reading Check

1. As a part of her punishment at home, what do Amy Anne’s parents take away from her for a week?

2. Whose parents accidentally alerted the school administration to the circulation of the banned books?

Short Answer

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

1. How does Principal Banazewski plan to find all of the students who checked out the banned books?

2. How do most of the other students react when Amy Anne returns to school after her suspension?

3. What BBLL plan does Trey inspire?

Paired Resource

“Book Bans Are on the Rise, but Students Are Fighting Back”

• This CNET article describes the efforts of students to resist book bans in their districts. Note that this article contains some difficult vocabulary that you may want to pre-teach before students reading; alternatively, you might use this article as a read-aloud and explain any challenging vocabulary in context.
• This resource relates to the themes of Control and Power Over Others, Innocence to Systems and Society, and Betrayals of Trust in Claiming Moral Authority.
• How do the students in this article feel about book bans? Why do the book bans make them feel disappointed in many of the adults around them? Does Amy Anne have any similar feelings? What are some of the ways that these students are trying to make their voices heard? Why do you think that Amy Anne and her friends have chosen a less direct way to respond to the book ban at their school?

Chapters 41-49

Reading Check

1. Whose name does Amy Anne notice on the plaque near the new playground equipment?

2. About how many request forms do Amy Anne and her friends take to the school board meeting?

Short Answer

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

1. What happens to all of the forms that Amy Anne and her friends have filled out?

2. How does Amy Anne solve the problem of getting hundreds of forms filled out in a single day?

3. What change do Amy Anne’s parents make at home after they realize they have been unfair to her?

Recommended Next Reads 

Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes

• In this middle-grade novel, seventh-grader June Harper unexpectedly finds herself leading the fight against the forces of censorship in her home and school.
• Shared themes include Control and Power Over Others, Innocence to Systems and Society, and Betrayals of Trust in Claiming Moral Authority.
• Shared topics include book bans, the value of free speech, middle school, friendship, leadership, standing up for your values, and the power of one person to effect change.

Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

• Sixth-grader Mac, the protagonist of King’s middle-grade novel, already has enough to worry about, dealing with his father’s mental illness and his conservative small town. But when his teacher starts censoring the books her students are reading in class, Mac knows it’s time to take a stand.
• Shared themes include Control and Power Over Others, Innocence to Systems and Society, and Betrayals of Trust in Claiming Moral Authority.
• Shared topics include censorship, the value of free speech, middle school, friendship, leadership, standing up for your values, and the power of one person to effect change.

The Landry News by Andrew Clements

• In this middle-grade novella, fifth-grader Cara Landry starts her own newspaper, which soon becomes a popular project for her whole class. But when the principal tries to censor their paper, Cara and her friends have to fight for their freedom of speech.
• Shared themes include Control and Power Over Others, Innocence to Systems and Society, and Betrayals of Trust in Claiming Moral Authority.
• Shared topics include censorship, the value of free speech, middle school, friendship, leadership, standing up for your values, and the power of one person to effect change.
• The Landry News on SuperSummary