The devil's arithmetic Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
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The devil's arithmetic has 19 chapters · 170 pages
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Inside the journal: 19 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Written for this book Questions about this story, good after any chapter.
So far, what do you notice about Hannah’s feelings toward her family’s stories and traditions? Use details from the chapter you just read.See all 19 questions ↓
About the book
Hannah thinks tonight's Passover Seder will be the same as always. Little does she know that this year she will be mysteriously transported into the past where only she knows the horrors that await.
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The devil's arithmetic questions by chapter
We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. One question per chapter, across all 19 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
So far, what do you notice about Hannah’s feelings toward her family’s stories and traditions? Use details from the chapter you just read.
Example answer: I notice that Hannah does not always want to listen to the old family stories. She sometimes seems bored or annoyed because they feel far away from her own life. But the story is starting to show that these memories matter more than she first understands. I think Hannah may need to learn why her family keeps telling them.
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Chapter 2
How does Jane Yolen show that remembering the past is important in this part of The Devil’s Arithmetic?
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Chapter 3
What is one choice Hannah makes or thinks about in this chapter, and what does it show about her character?
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Chapter 4
Describe the setting in the chapter you just read. How does the place affect the mood of the story?
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Chapter 5
What questions do you have about Hannah, Chaya, or the strange situation Hannah is facing so far?
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Chapter 6
Pick one important word or phrase from this chapter. What do you think it means, and why is it important to the story?
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Chapter 7
How do the adults in the story, such as Aunt Eva, Grandpa Will, Gitl, or Shmuel, help readers understand family and history?
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Chapter 8
What is one moment in this chapter that made you feel worried, curious, sad, or hopeful? Explain why.
Example answer: One moment that made me curious was when Hannah felt like something strange was happening around her. I wanted to know why things did not seem normal anymore. It made the chapter feel mysterious and a little scary. I kept reading because I wanted to understand what was happening to her.
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Chapter 9
So far, how is Hannah changing in the way she sees herself or the people around her?
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Chapter 10
What does this chapter teach you about courage? Give an example from the reading.
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Chapter 11
How does the author use confusion, surprise, or suspense to make you want to keep reading?
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Chapter 12
Compare Hannah’s life before the strange events with the life she is learning about as Chaya. What feels most different?
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Chapter 13
What do you predict Hannah will understand better as the story continues? What clues make you think that?
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Chapter 14
Choose a character from this chapter and explain what that person might be feeling inside, even if they do not say it out loud.
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Chapter 15
What signs of unfairness or danger do you notice in the chapter you just read? How do the characters respond?
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Chapter 16
How do names, memories, or stories help connect characters to their families in this book?
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Chapter 17
What is one part of the chapter that you think the author wants readers to remember? Why does it stand out?
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Chapter 18
If you could give Hannah advice at this point in the story, what would you tell her and why?
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Chapter 19
What theme, or big idea, seems most important so far: memory, bravery, family, identity, or survival? Explain your thinking.
Example answer: I think memory is the most important theme so far. The book shows that remembering people and their stories is a way to honor them. Hannah is connected to her family’s past even when she does not fully understand it yet. This makes me think the author wants readers to see history as something personal, not just facts in a book.
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How to use this The devil's arithmetic 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, 19 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for The devil's arithmetic. 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
Questions about this story, good after any chapter. We know the book, its characters, setting and story, but not what happens in each chapter. So every question is written for this book, and any of them works wherever your reader has just stopped. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.