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Spikey and the Mischief of Magpies
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INTRODUCTION |
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* What type of creature is Reggie? * Look at the picture of Reggie on page 8. How would you describe him? * Do you know what name ‘Reggie’ is short for? Can you spell this full name? * Where does Reggie live? * What do you think happened to Reggie? * What is Spikey like to be with? * When you look at the picture of Spikey on page 10, what can you see? * Do you know anyone a bit like Spikey? * How did Spikey help Reggie? * What animals do you think Spikey is friends with? |
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How does Reggie describe Spikey? 
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CHAPTER ONE |
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* What is Grandma Hedgehog’s favourite saying? * What does the word ‘trouble’ mean? * Describe the picture on page 13. * Where was the pond in Regent’s Park? * How does Spikey describe his nose? * How does Spikey look in his reflection in the water? * What was the face in the water doing? Who do you think it was? * Can Spikey swim? * What do the words ‘wandered’, ‘disbelief’ and ‘surface’ mean? * What language is the deep voice next to Spikey speaking in? What does ‘mon chéri’ mean? To find out, look in the dictionary at the back of the book. * What happened to Spikey? * Where is Spikey now? * What can you see in the picture on pages 16 and 17? * What do the words ‘beautiful’, ‘gasping’ and ‘gulping’ mean? * What is happening in the picture on page 19? * Who is Ondine? * How would you describe Ondine? * What unusual words does she use? * What is happening in the picture on page 20? Why? * How did Ondine help Spikey? * How does Spikey describe himself? * What do the words ‘float' and ‘lilo’ mean?
* What are Spikey and Ondine doing in the picture on pages 22 and 23? * Are they having fun? How do you know? * How many noses does it look like Spikey has in the picture on pages 22 and 23? Why? * What does the word ‘pickle’ mean here? * Who is Tiny? * Does Tiny like water? Why? * Are Tiny and Ondine friends? * Describe all the things in the picture on pages 24 and 25. * What is happening in the picture on pages 24 and 25? Why do you think Mr McDougall has a water tank? * How does Spikey describe Tiny? * What does Spikey call Tiny? Why? * Do terrapins need water? Why? * How does Ondine feel about Tiny? * Do you know any tricks to do in the water? Which ones can you do? * What is happening in the picture on pages 28 and 29? * What does the word ‘chuckle’ mean? * How do you think Spikey and Ondine are feeling in the picture on pages 28 and 29? * How does Spikey look? |
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CHAPTER TWO |
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* What can you see in the picture on page 31? * What or who is watching Ondine and Spikey? * How would you describe a snail? * What do you think happened to the snail’s shell? * Look at the picture on pages 32 and 33. What do you see? * What do you think about the snail? * What names would you give to the snail and the magpie? * Have you ever seen a magpie? How would you describe it? * What does the picture on page 34 show? * What does being a ‘hero’ mean? Do you think the snail is a hero? * Did the snail try to repair his shell? Did it work? * What do you think about the snail now? * Who is Dave? * What were Spikey and Dave doing? * What does being ‘a bit short of friends’ mean? * What do snails do? Is this helpful? * What is the snail called?
* What is a slug? How is it different to a snail? * What are Nibble, Ondine and Spikey doing near the pond? * What did Ondine see? * What are the different animals doing in the picture? * What is the magpie doing in the picture on page 40? * What is Ondine doing? * How does Nibble feel just now? * How big is the terrapin? * Why did the magpie not give up? * What is the magpie called? * What do you think of the magpie’s name? * What did Spikey do? Why do you think he did it? * What does ‘keep our eyes peeled’ mean? * What did the animals do? * What is happening in the magpies’ nest? * Who is Snap? * Can you see her in the picture on page 45? Where is she? |
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CHAPTER THREE |
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* Why did Ondine and Nibble splash in a puddle? * What is happening in the picture on pages 46 and 47? Do terrapins snore? * What is Spikey doing with his legs? * What can you see in the picture on pages 48 and 49? * How does the squirrel look? * How many acorns does the squirrel have with him in the picture on pages 48 and 49? Try to count them. * What do you think of this squirrel? Why is he throwing acorns at Spikey and his friends? * Where is Nibble? * How is Nibble in the picture on page 51? * What is the squirrel’s name? * Did the squirrel enjoy coming down that oak tree? Why? What was he doing? * What is the ‘important mission’ Spikey and his friends are on? * What is Spikey doing? * What is a ‘dray’? Where is it? * Look at the picture on page 53. What shell is Nibble trying on his back? * What nut shell does Nibble try on this time (in the picture on page 54)? * What are some of the things Squiggle found in his dray? * What does Nibble have on his back in the picture on page 55? * What is happening in the picture on page 57? * What is on Nibble’s back now? * What did Squiggle McSquiggle do? * What does the word ‘gnawed’ mean? * What types of nut can you name? * What is happening in the picture on page 58? * Where is Nibble now? * How does Nibble feel in his new shell? * How does Ondine know this is a different magpie? * What do you think of Squiggle McSquiggle right now? * What does Squiggle McSquiggle have on his head in the picture on page 60? Why? * Where are Spikey and his friends? * What is happening to the magpie? What do you think the magpie will do now? * Where is Chop? * How does Chop feel? * How would you describe Chop? * What is Squiggle McSquiggle doing? * Do you think Squiggle McSquiggle is brave? * What is happening in the picture on page 65? * Is Nibble happy with his new shell? * Why does Squiggle keep looking for magpies? * Does Squiggle think Nibble is safe? Why? |
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CHAPTER FOUR |
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* What is Spikey’s tummy doing? * Why are Spikey and his friends so hungry? * What are they eating? What are your favourite foods? * What did Spikey’s tummy look like? * What is happening in the picture on pages 68 and 69? * Which magpie is the hungriest? * What is Snap doing? * How many friends does Nibble have now? What are all their names? * What plan did Spikey wake up with? * What is Nibble doing and thinking in the picture on page 70? * How does Mr McDougall use tinfoil? * What else can you do with tinfoil? * What is happening in the picture on page 72? * How would you describe a thimble? What is it for? * What did Spikey do with the thimble? Why? * What is happening in the picture on page 75? * What did Ondine and Nibble do? And what was Spikey doing? * Do you like Snap? Why?
* Will Nibble be safe? Why? * What did Spikey hear in the distance? * What is happening in the picture on pages 76 and 77? * Look at the picture on pages 76 and 77. What does Spikey think will happen next? * What was Snap doing? * What is Spikey doing in the pictures on pages 78 and 79? * How quickly did Spikey run? * Snap is flying quickly behind Spikey. What is she thinking? * Have you ever played conkers? What happened? * How far from Spikey did Snap land? * Why did Snap struggle to pick up the thimble? * How did Spikey hide Nibble? * How are Nibble and Snap feeling just now? * How many conker husks are in the pictures on pages 82 and 83? Try to count them. * Can you find Nibble in the pictures on pages 82 and 83? Where is he? * How does Nibble feel just now? * What is happening in the picture on page 83? * What can you see in the picture on page 84? * How does Nibble look? What do you think of his new ‘shell’? * Are Spikey and Ondine good friends? Why? * What was Ondine doing? |
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CHAPTER FIVE |
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* What can you see in the picture on page 87? * Why is Spikey tired? * Where are Ondine and Nibble? * Why is Spikey’s nose sniffing and snuffling along? * What is happening in the picture on pages 88 and 89? * What do you think might happen next? * Why was Spikey excited? * What is happening in the picture on page 90? * What was Spikey trying to do? * Is Spikey being a good friend just now? Why? * Did somebody hear Spikey? * How did Spikey recognise Tiny? * What is happening in the picture on page 93? * How did Tiny help Spikey?
* Who can you see in the picture on page 94? What is happening? * Is Tiny Spikey’s friend? * Why does Tiny say ‘may I ask?’ when she asks Nibble a question? * What does Spikey think the problem is? * What can you see in the picture on pages 96 and 97? How many magpies are there? Try to count them. * How does the picture on pages 96 and 97 make you feel? * What did Chop do? * What did Nibble do? * What is Chop doing in the picture on page 99? * Does Chop want to fight? Why? * What is happening in the picture on pages 100 and 101? * Who was circling above the animals? * What did Tiny promise Reggie, the little robin? * What would you do? Why? * Look at the picture on pages 102 and 103. Is Tiny trying to hurt the magpies? * What do the magpies think is happening? * Do you think Tiny made the right choice? * What did Spikey, Ondine and Nibble do? * Why did Spikey say ‘we need to look for Nibble’s new shell now’? * Where does Tiny want to go? * Where is Mr McDougall’s cottage? * Why is everyone so tired? * What was Ondine doing? * What did the magpies do next? * What is happening in the picture on page 106? How does this make you feel? * Where is Nibble? What is he thinking now? * Why does Snap start crying? * Why were the magpies arguing with each other? * What did Tiny and Spikey do? * Who won the magpies’ fight? * What do you think of the magpies as a family? * What is happening in the picture on page 110? * Where are the magpies? * What does Nibble do with his eyes? * What advice would you give to Spikey and his friends? |
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CHAPTER SIX |
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* Where is the shed? * What are the friends going to look for in the shed? * Look at the picture on page 113. What has happened to Ondine? * What did Squiggle McSquiggle do? Why? * Who is in the picture on page 115? * What is Reggie doing in the shed? * What do you think will happen next? * What do you think magpies eat? * Why does Spikey want to feed the magpies? * Would you share with the magpies? Why? * How might Nibble feel about sharing with the magpies? * What did Tiny do? * Where are the magpies? * Why did the magpies think it was a trap for them and didn’t trust Spikey? * What did Reggie’s tummy do? * How big was the bag of seeds? * How does Snap feel in the picture on pages 118 and 119? * What did the magpies promise to do? * What are the names of everyone in the picture on pages 120 and 121? * Who do you like best and why? * What types of animal are Dave and White Tip? * Where was the fox hiding? * What do Spikey and the others need to do now? * What type of creature landed on Spikey’s nose? * What is the little creature’s name? * Describe all the animals in the picture on page 123. What are they like? * What is happening in the picture on pages 124 and 125? * What colour is the bucket? And what is inside it? * Where was the bucket? * Is there anything you keep because it brings you happy memories? * What did Nibble do? * How does Nibble look in the picture on page 126? What is happening? * Do you think Nibble deserves his new shell? * What were the animals doing? * What did Tiny find? * What does a camera do? * How did Tiny make it work? * Do you like the picture of Tiny? * Is there anything you like about the picture on pages 130 and 131? Is everyone in the photo? * How many photos have been taken by now? * What did White Tip do? * What is your own favourite photo? * What is your favourite picture in this book? * How did Dave look? And what was White Tip doing with his tail? * Why does Squiggle McSquiggle have two hazelnuts in his mouth? * What did Spikey do? * Why did Tiny want a picture of just herself? Is she being a good friend? * How does Tiny get ready for her picture? * Where did Stripey sit? * How did Squiggle McSquiggle look? Why? * Who is taking the last photo?
* Where does Spikey stand in the photo? * Do you think the photo will look good? * Turn to pages 136 and 137; what do you think? Do you like it? Why? * Look at the picture on pages 136 and 137. Which animal has learned the most in this book? * What is the biggest thing you have learned from Spikey and his friends? * Where does Spikey want to put the photo? * Look at the picture on page 139. Why are the animals behind the shed? * Why does Tiny share her dinner? Does she usually do this? * Who is going into the cave? * Where are Ondine and Tiny? * Look at the picture on page 140. Are Ondine and Tiny friends now? Why? * Why did the friends want to be in the cave together? * Why were the magpies not hungry? Do you think they are happy now? * What was on the scattered photographs? * What did Mr McDougall find? Did this make him laugh? * What do you think about the picture on pages 144 and 145? Can you see any friendship in it? Where do you see it? * Where did Mr McDougall put the photo of Tiny? * Where is Ondine? * What are the best parts of this story? * What do you think will happen to Spikey in his next adventure? |
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