The Court of the Dead Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
The Court of the Dead has 48 chapters · Grades 3–5 · 448 pages
Book 8 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
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Inside the journal: 48 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Open-ended Thought-provoking questions for any chapter book.
What problem or mystery feels most important in this chapter? What clues make you think it will matter later?See all 48 questions ↓
About the book
A few months after returning from the depths of Tartarus, demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace agree to join Nico's half-sister Hazel Levesque at Camp Jupiter on the West Coast. She needs their help in managing a situation that the boys inadvertently brought about: the demigods showed the monsters of the Underworld that they have options; they don’t have to be evil.
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The Court of the Dead questions by chapter
We don’t know this book well enough to ask about its story, so these are open-ended prompts that get a reader thinking about the chapter they just finished: what happened, who changed, what they would do. One question per chapter, across all 48 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
What problem or mystery feels most important in this chapter? What clues make you think it will matter later?
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Chapter 2
How does Nico show what he is thinking or feeling in this chapter? Use one detail from the chapter to support your answer.
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Chapter 3
What does Will say or do in this chapter that helps you understand his personality better?
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Chapter 4
Describe how Camp Jupiter feels in this chapter. Does it seem safe, worried, exciting, or something else? Explain why.
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Chapter 5
If a monster or Underworld creature appears in this chapter, what do you learn about it as a character instead of just as a threat?
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Chapter 6
What choice does Hazel make or talk about in this chapter? How might that choice affect Nico, Will, or the camp?
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Chapter 7
How do Nico and Will work together in this chapter? What does their teamwork show about their relationship?
Example answer: I think Nico and Will work together by using their different strengths. Nico is brave and understands the Underworld, while Will is caring and notices when people need help. Their teamwork shows that they trust each other, even when the situation is confusing or dangerous. It also shows that they do not have to be exactly alike to be a good team.
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Chapter 8
What new question do you have after reading this chapter? Why are you curious about it?
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Chapter 9
Choose one word or phrase connected to mythology, the Underworld, or Camp Jupiter. What do you think it means, and how does it fit the scene?
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Chapter 10
Which moment in this chapter felt tense, scary, or surprising? What made it feel that way?
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Chapter 11
How does this chapter show that monsters might be more complicated than just being evil?
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Chapter 12
If you could give advice to one character in this chapter, who would you choose and what would you tell them?
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Chapter 13
What detail about Camp Jupiter or demigod life stood out to you in this chapter? Why did it catch your attention?
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Chapter 14
How does Nico’s past seem to affect the way he acts in this chapter?
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Chapter 15
In what way does Will’s personality balance or challenge Nico in this chapter?
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Chapter 16
What might the disappearing monsters mean so far? Give a prediction based on what you have read.
Example answer: So far, I think the disappearing monsters mean that someone or something does not want them to be safe at Camp Jupiter. Maybe the dark force is trying to scare everyone or make the demigods stop helping the monsters. My prediction is that Nico, Will, and Hazel will have to figure out who is behind it before more creatures vanish. I think the clues will connect to the Underworld because that is such a big part of Nico’s story.
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Chapter 17
Which character seems the most trustworthy or the least trustworthy in this chapter? What makes you think so?
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Chapter 18
How does the author mix humor with danger in this chapter, if at all?
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Chapter 19
What is one small clue or detail in this chapter that you think readers should remember?
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Chapter 20
Which theme shows up in this chapter: belonging, bravery, second chances, friendship, or another theme? Explain your choice.
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Chapter 21
What decision in this chapter could cause problems later? Why might it matter?
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Chapter 22
How do the characters react to fear or uncertainty in this chapter?
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Chapter 23
Which scene from this chapter would you draw as a picture? Describe what you would include.
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Chapter 24
What did you learn in this chapter about rules, leadership, or responsibility at Camp Jupiter?
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Chapter 25
How is Hazel important in this chapter? What does she add to the situation?
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Chapter 26
Choose a line of dialogue or a conversation from this chapter. What does it reveal about a character?
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Chapter 27
What do you predict Nico and Will will try next? What makes you think that?
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Chapter 28
What does this chapter make you think about helping people or creatures who are different from you?
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Chapter 29
Where do you notice conflict in this chapter between different groups, beliefs, or ways of seeing the world?
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Chapter 30
How does the setting in this chapter affect the mood of the story?
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Chapter 31
What is one thing a character misunderstands or does not know yet in this chapter?
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Chapter 32
Which action in this chapter shows courage? Why do you think it is brave?
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Chapter 33
What connection can you make between this chapter and another Rick Riordan story, a myth, or a story you know?
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Chapter 34
If you could ask one monster, demigod, or godly character in this chapter a question, what would you ask and why?
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Chapter 35
How does this chapter change your opinion about a character, a monster, or the problem at Camp Jupiter?
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Chapter 36
What words or images does the author use to make magic, darkness, or danger feel real in this chapter?
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Chapter 37
What does friendship look like in this chapter? Give an example from what you read.
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Chapter 38
If this chapter had its own title, what would you call it? Explain how your title fits.
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Chapter 39
What is one cause-and-effect relationship in this chapter? Tell what happened and what it caused.
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Chapter 40
How does the author build suspense in this chapter?
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Chapter 41
What mistake might a character have made in this chapter? What could they learn from it?
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Chapter 42
Which character deserves empathy in this chapter? Explain what they might be feeling.
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Chapter 43
What lesson about judging others could a reader take from this chapter?
Example answer: A reader could learn that it is not fair to decide someone is bad just because of what group they belong to. The monsters in the story may have done scary things before, but some of them seem to want a different life. This makes me think people and creatures can change if they get a chance. The chapter reminds me to look at actions and choices, not just labels.
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Chapter 44
What evidence shows that the mystery or danger is getting closer to being understood?
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Chapter 45
What would you do if you were in Nico, Will, or Hazel’s situation in this chapter?
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Chapter 46
How has one main character changed from earlier in the book to this chapter?
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Chapter 47
What do you think needs to happen before the story can feel solved or peaceful?
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Chapter 48
How does this chapter leave you thinking about Nico, Will, Hazel, the monsters, or Camp Jupiter?
Discussion questions for after The Court of the Dead
Bigger questions for when the book is finished, each printed on its own ruled page at the end of the booklet.
- Across the whole book, how does Nico change in the way he sees himself, his past, and his place with other people? Use important moments from the story to explain what helps him grow.
- What do you think this book is really saying about second chances, belonging, and deciding who gets to be called a monster? Explain your answer using Nico, Will, Hazel, Camp Jupiter, and the Underworld creatures.
More in Percy Jackson and the Olympians
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More by Rick Riordan
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How to use this The Court of the Dead reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 48 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for The Court of the Dead. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Thought-provoking questions for any chapter book. We don’t know this book well enough to ask about its story, so these are open-ended prompts that get a reader thinking about the chapter they just finished: what happened, who changed, what they would do. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.
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