The Dinoff School Summer Reading Guides

Edited from Materials written by: Nat Reed and Dr. Betty Powers Francis
 Instructions

1. Each lesson has vocabulary words. Look up the

dictionary. Use context clues to make sure it is the
correct definition. If you find other words you don’t
know, write them and their definitions down as well.

2. On a separate sheet of paper answer the questions

in complete sentences. You may write questions and
answers from more than one chapter on the same
page. Be sure to use correct punctuation. You may
also write on the back of the page.

3. Finish any other required activities on the sheets

provided.

4. Be prepared to turn in all work on the first day

of school.

5. Enjoy your book!

 Lesson 1 (Chapters 1-4)
Vocabulary

Chapter 1
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
vanish Now breakfast-rooms are all right
in the morning when the sun
streams in on the toast and
marmalade, but by afternoon they
seem to vanish a little… (pg. 1)
creep She would creep in to Mrs. May
just before tea-time and Mrs. May
would teach her to crochet. (pg. 1)

hunched …Kate sat hunched and silent upon

the hassock. “You mustn’t sit
there dreaming.” (pg. 2)

hastily “I know where I put it,” she went

on hastily; “I put it on the bottom
shelf of the bookcase just beside
my bed.” (pg. 2)
routine …and where human beings live to
a routine. Routine is their
safeguard. They must know which
rooms are to be used and when.
(pg. 8)
delicate … a doll’s tea-service—very
delicate and old. (pg. 8)
Chapter 2
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
intersecting It was only Pod who knew the
way through the intersecting
passages to the hole under the
clock. (pg. 10)
dreaded His wife and child led more
sheltered lives in homelike
apartments under the kitchen, far
removed from the risks and
dangers of the dreaded house
above. (pg. 11)
stooping …into the kitchen, where Homily
was stooping over the stove. (pg.
12)

exclaimed “There you go again,” exclaimed

Homily, turning angrily; “nearly
pushed me into the soup.” (pg.
12)
crossly “What did you want?” asked
Arrietty… “Nothing. Nothing,”
said Homily crossly, banging away
with the pan lids; “it’ll do later.”
(pg. 14)
preferred Homily like coal tar, but Pod and
Arrietty preferred sandalwood.
(pg. 17)
Chapter 3
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
sighing Sighing, Arrietty put away her
diary and went into the kitchen.
(pg. 19)

foraged She took the onion ring from

Homily, and slung it lightly round
her shoulders, while she foraged
for a piece of razor blade. (pg. 19)
segments Arrietty stepped through the
onion ring as though it were a
child’s hoop, and began to chop it
into segments. (pg. 19)
gasped “Oh!” gasped Homily. “Oh, you
wicked heathen girl! How can you
speak so!” (pg. 22)

haggard She stared down at the table at a

loss for words and then, at last,
she raised a haggard face. (pg. 22)

crumpled “How can you speak so!” and she

crumpled up again on the cork
stool. (pg. 22)
Chapter 4
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
flabby He had a round, currant-bunny
sort of face; tonight it looked
flabby. (pg. 24)

briskly “Come along, Arrietty,” she said

briskly, “you pop off to bed, now,
like a good girl, and I’ll bring you
some supper.” (pg. 25)
mechanicall “Careful of the light,” he said
y mechanically, and watched her
with his round eyes until she had
closed the door. (pg. 25)
emigrate “It’s no good, Pod, I won’t
emigrate!”
“No one’s asked you to,” said
Pod.
“To go and live like Hendreary
and Lupy in a badger’s set! The
other side of the world, that’s
where they say it is…” (pg. 26)
solemnly “Pod,” said Homily solemnly, “we
haven’t told Arrietty.” (pg. 30)
 Lesson 1
Chapters 1 – 4
Comprehension Questions

1. In what city is this set? What country is that city in?

2. Where did Mrs. May live when she was a child?

3. What happened to Pod that upset him so?

4. What does “emigrate” mean? (“It’s no good, Pod, I won’t emigrate.”)

5. Mrs. May tells a story about when she and her brother were little. This is called:
a. History b. Foreshadowing c. Flashback

6. What was different about the lights Mrs. Driver lit in Great Aunt Sophy’s house
and the lights we have today?

7. How tall do you think Arrietty is? What information did you use to decide?

8. Tell what Homily is like. (Her personality)

 Lesson 2 (Chapters 5-8)
Vocabulary

Chapter 5
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
glamorou …on the ceiling lovely painted
s ladies dressed in swirls of chiffon
blew long trumpets against a
background of blue sky; below
there were feathery palm trees
and small white houses set about
a square. It was a glamorous
scene… (pg. 31)
clasping Crouched on her little stool she
sat clasping her knees, shivering a
little, and looking from one face to
another. (pg. 32)

wearily Pod spoke wearily. “Someone

started a rumor,” he went on…
(pg. 33)

screechin “We heard her screeching right

g her under the kitchen. And they
could never get her to clean
anything much after that that
wasn’t chairs or tables—least of
all the tiger-skin rug.” (pg. 33)
faltered “Just a corner, just a little tap, just
a…” Her voice faltered as she saw
the shocked amazement on her
father’s face. (pg. 35)

protested “Now, Homily,” protested Pod,

who did not like gossip, “I never
see’d ‘em.” (pg. 37)
Chapter 6
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
ponderously “Well,” said Pod ponderously, “if
you go outside this room, what
do you see?” (pg. 41)

dismayed “To keep me in?” repeated

Arrietty, dismayed. (pg. 42)

foolish “They told her the sky was nailed

up, like, with cracks in it—“
“A foolish way to bring up a
child,” murmured Homily. (pg.
42)
astounded “Cooped up!” repeated Homily,
astounded. … Pod and Homily
stared at each other across
Arrietty’s bowed shoulders. (pg.
45)
deliberately Above their heads the floor
creaked and heavy footfalls
heaved deliberately to and fro.
(pg. 45)

triumphantl … and the lovely gauzy ladies

y blew their trumpets, silently,
triumphantly, on soundless notes
of glee. (pg. 50)
Chapter 7
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
tidy For the next three weeks Arrietty
was especially “good”; she helped
her mother tidy the storerooms;
she swept and watered the
passages and trod them down;
she sorted and graded the
beads… she hung up the washing
to dry… (pg. 51)
essentials Since he had been “seen”, they
had stuck to kitchen borrowing,
the bare essentials of fuel and
food. (pg. 52)

vast In this way he need not venture

into the great hall and passages;
he could just nip out, from under
the vast black stove in the
kitchen, for a clove or a carrot or
a tasty piece of ham. (pg. 52)
emerged But it was not a satisfactory
arrangement: even when the fire
was our, often there was hot ash
and cinders under the stove and
once, as he emerged, a great
 brush came at him wielded by
Mrs. Driver; and he slithered
back, on top of Homily… (pg. 52)
fetch “All right,” he said and turned
away to fetch his borrowing bag.
(pg. 53)

transparen She saw a graveled path, full of

t colored stone—the size of
walnuts they were with, here and
there, a blade of grass between
them, transparent green against
the light of the sun. (pg. 59)

Chapter 8
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
steep The step was warm but very
steep. “If I got down on to the
path,” Arrietty thought, “I might
not get up again…” (pg. 60)

relieved Pod looked relieved when he saw

her but frowned at the message.
(pg. 63)
pleaded “Let me stay down,” pleaded
Arrietty, “just a bit longer. Just till
you finish. They’re all out. Except
Her. Mother said so.” (pg. 63)

vaguely Pod looked embarrassed. “What

boy?” he repeated vaguely and
then went on. (pg. 63)

cautious Arrietty threw a cautious glance

toward the front doorstep and
then, light and dancey, in her soft
red shoes, she ran toward the
petals. (pg. 64)
quarrelin Two birds came down, quarreling
g shrilly, into the grass below the
tree. (pg. 64)
 Lesson 2 (Chapters 5-8)
Comprehension Questions

1. How did the little people get the name of Borrowers?

2. Why does Homily say that Arrietty should learn to borrow?

3. For what reason did Arrietty and her father go upstairs?

4. What does “hankering,” mean?

(“And it’ll give her a bit of interest like and stop her hankering.”)

5. Put the following events in order.

___ Arrietty goes upstairs with her father.
___ Pod is seen.
___ Arrietty parents discuss Eggletina with her.

6. Why do Homily and Pod tell Arrietty about Eggletina when they do?

7. What had caused the different Borrower families to move away?

8. Predict what you think might happen to Arrietty while she is out.
 Lesson 3 (Chapters 9-8)
Vocabulary

Chapter 9
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
hoarse The voice, like the eye, was
enormous but, somehow, hushed
—and hoarse like a surge of wind
through the grating on a stormy
night in March. (pg. 67)
paces Arrietty stood up. “All right,” she
said and took two paces forward.
(pg. 68)

flushed “I guessed you were about nine,”

she gasped after a moment.
He flushed. “Well, you’re wrong,
I’m ten.” (pg. 69)
stammered “Can you read?” the boy said at
last.
“Of course,” said Arrietty. “Can’t
you?”
“No,” he stammered. “I mean—
yes. I mean I’ve just come from
India.” (pg. 69)
longing “Well,” said Arrietty; she was
longing to show off… (pg. 72)

retorted “Surely you don’t think there are

many people in the world your
size?”
“There are more my size than
yours,” he retorted. (pg. 74)
Chapter 10
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
exploits She told him about the storerooms
under the floor, about Pod’s early
exploits, the skill he had shown
and the courage… (pg. 76)
graduall “She,” the boy realized gradually,
y was his Great Aunt Sophy
upstairs… (pg. 76)

salvage “The kitchen boiler burst and hot

water came puring through the
floor into our house and everything
was washed away and piled up in
front of the grating. My father
worked night and day… trying to
salvage things.” (pg. 79)
grave “Then what is stealing?”
Arrietty looked grave. “Don’t you
know?” she asked. (pg. 80)

muffled “They’re not dead,” said Arrietty in

a muffled voice; she was feeling in
her little pocket for a handkerchief.
(pg. 82)
urgently “Come on!” he said again, more
urgently; and obediently because
he sounded worried, she slithered
quickly toward him off the bank.
(pg. 85)
Chapter 11
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
homely How familiar the room seemed,
and homely, but, suddenly,
somehow strange. (pg. 86)

anxiously “I had me a feeling. I had it bad…

That’s why I brought her along
home,” said Pod.
“And was there anyone?” asked
Homily anxiously. (pg. 89)
moistene Arrietty moistened her lips; she
d glanced nervously from Pod to
Homily. (pg. 89)
Chapter 12
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
persuaded Pod, for several days, could not
be persuaded to go borrowing: he
was well away on his yearly turn-
out of the storerooms, mending
partitions, and putting up new
shelves. (pg. 92)
mending Pod, for several days, could not
be persuaded to go borrowing: he
was well away on his yearly turn-
out of the storerooms, mending
partitions, and putting up new
shelves. (pg. 92)
witty She imagined the Overmantel
men—fair, they were said to be,
with long moustaches and
nervous, slender hands—smoking
and drinking and telling their
witty tales. (pg. 94)
dingy The blotting paper, when he
pushed it, floated down quite
softly, riding lightly on the air, and
lay at last some feet beyond the
desk, pink and fresh, on the
carpet’s dingy pile. (pg. 95)
clatter Arrietty made a sharp
movement… and fell off the stool.
There was a clatter as the stool
slid sideways, banged against a
chest of drawers and rolled over.
(pg. 99)
occasionall She could see light through the
y crack, occasionally flicked with
shadow as one person or another
moved a hand or arm. (pg. 99)
Chapter 13
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
idle [Arrietty] clasped her knees and laid
her chin on them.
“Where’s your knitting?” asked
Homily. “I don’t know what’s come
over you lately. Always idle. You
don’t feel seedy, do you?” (pg. 101)
dim The great hall when she had climbed
out into it was dim with shadows. A
single gas jet, turned low, made a pool
of light beside the locked front door
and another faintly flickered on the
landing halfway up the stairs. (pg.
103)
shabby The schoolroom, when she reached it,
was shrouded in dust sheets and full
of junk. … The floor was linoleum,
rather worn, and the rugs were
shabby. (pg. 105)
 Lesson 3 (Chapters 9-13)
Comprehension Questions

1. How does Arrietty meet the boy?

2. Arrietty thinks that borrowing is normal. What does the boy call it?

3. How does Arrietty know that the boy found the letter?

4. What does “bilingual” mean?

(“Well, if you’re born in India you’re bilingual.”)

5. Why does Pod allow Great Aunt Sophy to see him but not others?

6. At their first meeting the boy tells Arrietty something that upset her. What
was it?

7. Do you think Arrietty is foolish or brave to go to see the boy?

Why do you think that?
 Lesson 4 (Chapters 14-17)
Vocabulary

Chapter 14
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
startled Homily moved forward, her hands
clasped tremblingly against her
apron, her startled eyes flicking
swiftly to and fro. (pg. 111)
swiftly Homily moved forward, her hands
clasped tremblingly against her
apron, her startled eyes flicking
swiftly to and fro (pg. 111)
suppresse “You wrote to him!” cried Homily
d on a kind of suppressed shriek.
“Oh,” she moaned, and closed her
eyes, “whatever next!” (pg. 111)
limply “Whatever shall we do?” and she
fanned herself limply with her
bony hand. (pg. 111)

imperative And how—more than important

—how imperative it had seemed
to make sure the Hendrearys
were alive. (pg. 113)
solemnity “The point,” he went on, leaning
forward and speaking with great
solemnity, “is this: that boy knows
now where we live!” (pg. 114)
Chapter 15
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
fidgeting As it happened, Homily was only
fidgeting: opening drawers and
shutting them, unable to be still.
(pg. 118)
protrude They both stared at the ceiling: the
d whole surface was on a steep slant
and one side of it had come right
away from the wall… and down
into the room, to within an inch of
the foot of the bed, protruded a
curious object. (pg. 119)
wavered A great face appeared between
them and that distant height. It
wavered above them, smiling and
terrible. (pg. 121)
turmoil A slow anger was rising up in
Homily: she had been caught in
her hair-curlers; Pod had raised his
hand to her; and she remembered
that, in the general turmoil and for
once in her life, she had left the
supper washing-up for morning…
(pg. 121)
quiver She glared at the boy… Her eyes
flashed and her curlers seemed to
quiver. (pg. 121)

gingerly The boy reached behind him and

very gingerly, careful to keep it
upright, he held a wooden object
above their heads… very carefully,
his tongue out and breathing
heavily, he lowered the object
slowly into their hole. (pg. 122)
Chapter 16
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
disheveled But as Pod well knew, in actual fact
it would be several hours before,
disheveled and aching, they finally
dropped into bed. (pg. 128)

envious Their only sadness was that there

was no one there to see: no visitors,
no casual droppers-in, no admiring
cries and envious glances. (pg. 130)

consequently No one in the human household

seemed to remember it was there
and consequently nothing was
missed. (pg. 131)

irked Pod was a little irked by his riches;

he had never visualized, not in his
wildest dreams, borrowing such as
this. (pg. 132)

halt Homily, he felt, should call a halt;

surely, now, their home was grand
enough. (pg. 132)

cunning Standing there, on that fateful day,

in the spring sunshine, feather
duster in hand, her black little eyes
had become slits of anger and
 cunning. It was, she calculated, as
though someone, suspecting her
dishonesty, was trying to catch her
out. (pg. 133)

Chapter 17
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
menace He seemed uneasy—as indeed he
was: there was a kind of menace
in her silence, a hidden something
which no one could ignore. (pg.
135)
clumsily She reached for the back of the
chair and lowered herself clumsily
onto the floor; she came beside
him to the edge of the hole. (pg.
140)
 Lesson 4 (Chapters 14-17)
Comprehension Questions

1. Why did Homily put curlers in her hair?

2. List at least 2 things the boy tells the Borrowers he COULD bring them from the upstairs
dollhouse.

3. Who does Mrs. Driver, the housekeeper, think stole the objects from the sitting room at first?

4. What does “placatingly” mean?

(“There, Homily,” he said placatingly, “you’ve always wanted something like that!”)

5. Put a check by the event that happened last.

___ Arrietty and the boy begin reading together.
___ The boy gives the Borrowers a harp.
___ Homily meets the boy.
___ Pod finds out about Arrietty talking to the boy.

6. Arrietty has been seen and even talked to the boy. At first what are her parents afraid of?

7. Tell two traits the boy has and examples of each that make you think that.
 Lesson 5 (Chapters 18-20)
Vocabulary

Chapter 18
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
scattered The “house” itself was a shambles
—partitions fallen… match-sticks,
an old cogwheel, onion skins,
scattered bottle tops… (pg. 144)
assent Homily gave a little moan of assent.
“Yes,” she said, “the doll’s house…”
(pg. 145)

swayed … she swayed as she balanced on

her toe-tips. (pg. 147)

wailed “But what do they eat?” wailed

Homily. “Caterpillars?” (pg. 147)

appease “All right,” said Homily. She still

d looked wild, partly because some
of her hair had rolled out of the
curlers, but she seemed appeased.
(pg. 148)
vicious “Once you’ve found the nest,” she
went on, dropping her voice to a
vicious whisper as they passed
Aunt Sophy’s door, “the rest is
easy!” (pg. 153)
Chapter 19
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
irritably “Then you didn’t really mean it,”
said Kate irritably, trying to push
the folded wool through the
narrow eye of the needle, “when
you said he never saw them
again.” (pg. 155)
morose “It was still there when I went, a
year later. A little morose, but as
fit as a fiddle.” (pg. 159)

mirth Helpless with mirth Aunt Sophy

waved a ringed hand toward her,
her eyes were screwed up and
her shoulders shaking… They
heard her laughing still as they
went on down the stairs. (pg.
160)
mocking She put a chair beside it and half
raised one knee, but lowered it
again when she caught Ernie
Runacre’s mocking glance. “All
right, ma,” he said, cocking one
eyebrow, “we’ll give you a leg up
when the time comes.” (pg. 163)
ventilation There ain’t much ventilation, not
under a floor. (pg. 164)

boasted He was only nine (not ten, as he

had boasted to Arrietty)… (pg.
165)
Chapter 20
Word Sentence from Text Possible definition Actual definition
despairin “But,” went on Kate in a
g despairing voice as she picked up
the scissors…” (pg. 169)

destitute “Homily would hate to arrive

there all poor and destitute in
front of Lupy.” (pg. 169)

clever “But would they be so clever?”

“But they are clever,” Mrs. May
assured her, “very clever. Much
too clever to live near a gas-pipe
and not use it.” (pg. 173-4)
 Lesson 5 (Chapters 18-20)
Comprehension Questions

1. Why does the family of borrowers have to move immediately?

2. What do you feel the boy was thinking when Mrs. Driver locked him in his room?

3. Mrs. Driver sent a cat after the Borrowers. What happened to the cat?

4. What did the boy do in the end that probably saved the Borrowers lives?

5. What reasons did Mrs. May give for believing in the Borrowers?

6. In the end were Arrietty’s parents right in being worried about her being
seen by the boy? Explain why you think that?

7. What part of the story made you believe it?

Final Assignment

Write a review of the book. Please be sure to tell whether or not you liked the book and
if you would recommend it to a friend.

This is the first book in a series of books about the Borrowers. Do you think you might
read more of them?