Curious Case of the Ransom Riddler (Kyla Steinkraus)

Solve tricky puzzles in Curious Case of the Ransom Riddler (Kyla Steinkraus). This fun book features a sneaky villain who leaves riddles behind. Readers will help the young detectives guess the answers and catch the bad guy. The simple vocabulary keeps kids engaged from the first page to the last. It is a thrilling mystery that makes reading very fun.

Lexile: 670L

Quiz

Question 1: What did Ian do that bothered Caleb?

he teased himhe got him into trouble all the timehe copied himhe hurt him

Question 2: Why didn't Caleb sit on the learning rug with the other kids?

he was allergic to carpethe didn't want to sit next to Ianhe was daydreaminghe was being disobedient

Question 3: Caleb calls Ian his "arch nemesis". What does this mean?

Ian is his best friendIan is his number 1 enemyIan is his brotherIan likes to pick on him

Question 4: "My heart dropped all the way down to the toes of my unlaced sneakers." What language tool is used here?

alliterationrhetorical questionsimilemetaphor

Question 5: What does it mean to _lug_ something?

to twirl it aroundto carry it with easeto throw it in the airto drag it along with difficulty

Question 6: Which word from the text is a compound word?

clappingforgottenrefreshingbackpack

Quiz

Question 1: In which season does this story take place?

SummerFallSpringWinter

Question 2: What was Caleb surprised to find on his desk?

a bouncy balla ransom notea letter from the PrincipalSuperZoom 3000

Question 3: From what we know of Caleb, which word describes him?

cruelshymessysmart

Question 4: "My mind was stuck like glue to thoughts of SuperZoom 3000." What language tool is used in this sentence?

metaphorsimilealliterationrhetorical questions

Question 5: What does the word _oops_ usually tell us?

someone is being roughsomeone has made a mistakesomeone is being meansomeone is being loud

Question 6: What does it mean to _shrug_?

lift your shoulders up and down to show you don't know the answerjump up and down in excitementnod in agreementshake your head in disagreement

Quiz

Question 1: What does Caleb liken his anger to?

bees buzzing around his headfish swimming in his stomachcars racing around his mindballoons swelling up in his chest

Question 2: Why couldn't Ian have stolen the SuperZoom 3000 on Friday?

he was on a school campCaleb wasn't at school that dayhe was in detention all dayhe wasn't at school

Question 3: Why was Mrs. Center disappointed in Caleb?

because she didn't like his SuperZoom 3000 and didn't want him to find itbecause he refused to sing in the school concertbecause he was not doing his workbecause he was accusing Ian of stealing without any evidence

Question 4: How did Lyra feel when Caleb's lunch was dripping down his chin?

angryentertaineddisgustedscared

Question 5: What does the word _sternly_ mean?

in a firm or strict waycasually and lightlyin a joking mannerscreaming and yelling

Question 6: What is an _accusation_?

charging someone with doing something wrongnot believing someoneprotecting someonetelling a lie

Quiz

Question 1: What was the answer to the riddle about the face that doesn't frown and the arms that don't wave?

a clocka monkeyan alienthe class pet

Question 2: Where was the latest ransom note hidden?

behind the clock in the classroomunder the librarian's clockin a glasses casein a library book

Question 3: What does Tully mean when she says Mrs. Pumpernickel is not Caleb's "number one fan"?

Caleb doesn't like Mrs. PumpernickelMrs. Pumpernickel likes him a littleCaleb is Mrs. Pumpernickel's favoriteMrs. Pumpernickel doesn't like him

Question 4: In Caleb's joke: "What happens when a frog's car breaks down? It gets toad away" which word is a pun?

toadfrogbreaksaway

Question 5: What does it mean to _squint_?

to narrow your eyesto winkto widen your eyesto close your eyes

Question 6: What does the word _examine_ mean?

to copy someoneto take something that doesn't belong to youto look at something brieflyto look at something closely

Quiz

Question 1: Where was the ransom note in this chapter?

in the bird's nestunder the clockin Mrs. Center's deskin the piano

Question 2: What did the kids think was the answer to the riddle?

a doora clocka pianoa bird's nest

Question 3: Why does Rocket shout "Eureka" when he finds the clue?

it means "I've got it!"because he is surprisedbecause he has hurt himselfbecause he is afraid

Question 4: ""We'll get it back," Lyra said, patting my shoulder." Why does Lyra pat Caleb's shoulder?

she is comforting himshe wants his attentionshe is dusting mess of Caleb's shouldershe is trying to hurt him

Question 5: Which word from the text is an adverb?

ransomclosedpianosoftly

Question 6: What does it mean to _elbow_ someone?

to link arms with themto pull them along by the elbowto pinch them on the elbowto jab them with your elbow

Quiz

Question 1: What were the "keys" in the riddle referring to?

piano keyscomputer keyshouse keyscar keys

Question 2: Who is Ella?

Caleb's big sisterAlex's sisterCaleb's little sisterCaleb's best friend

Question 3: Why does Caleb smack his own head?

out of excitementout of frustrationout of fearbecause there is a bug on his head

Question 4: ""Me too!" Ella yelled, bouncing out of her seat." What does the word _bouncing_ tell us?

Ella is angryElla is excitedElla is frightenedElla is curious

Question 5: Which part of the word _unfolded_ is the prefix?

unfoldfoldeded

Question 6: Which word from the text is a compound word?

computerransompigtailskeys

Quiz

Question 1: What does Caleb do when he realizes it wasn't Ian who was smelly?

hides his sandwich in Ian's deskignores himteases himapologizes

Question 2: What had Caleb done after reading the riddle the day before?

cleaned the teacher's deskhid a stinky sandwich in Ian's deskcleaned up all his thingsstole a car from Ian

Question 3: Why were Caleb's friends mouths "hanging open"?

they didn't like the smell of Caleb's old sandwichthey were hungrythey were shocked at Caleb's clean deskthey were tired

Question 4: "Tully's eyes were as big as SuperZoom's hubcaps." What language tool is used in this sentence?

metaphoralliterationsimilerhetorical question

Question 5: What is an _imposter_?

a person who steals other people's moneysomeone who has committed a crimesomeone who pretends to be someone else to deceive othersa detective

Question 6: Which word is a synonym of _awesome_?

boringplaininterestingexcellent

Quiz

Question 1: Why did Mr. Doyle take the car?

he didn't like Caleb and wanted to upset himhe wanted to give it to his sonhe was tired of cleaning up Caleb's messhe didn't know it belonged to Caleb

Question 2: Who won the RC Obstacle Course Championship?

Mrs. HolmesCalebIanMr. Doyle

Question 3: What does the principal mean when she says everyone was "in on it"?

everybody was cleaning up after Calebeveryone knew about the tricknobody knew about the trickeveryone had been staying in school late to trick Caleb

Question 4: Why does Caleb's face get hot and prickly?

he was puffed out from running to the officehe was angryhe is embarrassedhe is hot

Question 5: What does it mean to _skedaddle_?

to jump up and downto slowly and sensibly leave the roomto run off in a hurryto hop on one foot

Question 6: What does it mean to look _longingly_ at something?

to want somethingto be afraid of somethingto change your mind about somethingto be disgusted by something