The Westing Game Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
3.9 out of 5, (33 ratings on Open Library)
The Westing Game has 30 chapters · 192 pages
Sixteen people were invited to the reading of the very strange will of the very rich Samuel W. Westing.
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Inside the journal: 30 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Chapter by chapter Each question is about its own chapter.
In Chapter 1, what makes Sunset Towers seem unusual or mysterious? Use details from the chapter to explain why the setting feels important.See all 30 questions ↓
About the book
Sixteen people were invited to the reading of the very strange will of the very rich Samuel W. Westing. They could become millionaires, depending on how they played the game. The not-quite-perfect heirs were paired, and each pair was given $10,000 and a set of clues (no two sets of clues were alike). All they had to do was find the answer, but the answer to what? The Westing game was tricky and dangerous, but the heirs played on, through blizzards and burglaries and bombs bursting in air. And one of them won!
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The Westing Game questions by chapter
We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. One question per chapter, across all 30 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
In Chapter 1, what makes Sunset Towers seem unusual or mysterious? Use details from the chapter to explain why the setting feels important.
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Chapter 2
After Turtle goes near the Westing house in Chapter 2, what do you predict will happen next? Explain what clues or events helped you make that prediction.
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Chapter 3
In Chapter 3, many different tenants are introduced. Which character seems most interesting to you so far, and what details make that person stand out?
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Chapter 4
In Chapter 4, how does the news of Sam Westing's death affect the people at Sunset Towers? What does their reaction tell you about the mystery?
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Chapter 5
In Chapter 5, the heirs gather for the reading of the will. What do their reactions show about their personalities or their hopes?
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Chapter 6
In Chapter 6, how does Sam Westing's will turn his death into a game? What part of the will seems most surprising or strange to you?
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Chapter 7
In Chapter 7, which pair of heirs do you think has a good chance of solving the clues? Explain your thinking using what you know about the characters.
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Chapter 8
In Chapter 8, how do the pairings create teamwork, conflict, or both? Choose one pair and explain how they work together.
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Chapter 9
In Chapter 9, Sydelle's notebook becomes important. What does the stolen notebook show about trust among the heirs?
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Chapter 10
In Chapter 10, the party brings many characters together. What do we learn about the tenants when they are all in the same place?
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Chapter 11
In Chapter 11, why is it hard for the heirs to share information honestly? Explain how secrets and suspicion affect the meeting.
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Chapter 12
In Chapter 12, how does the first bombing change the way people act? What does it show about the danger of the Westing game?
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Chapter 13
After the second bombing in Chapter 13, which character seems more suspicious to you, and which character seems less suspicious? Explain your reasons.
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Chapter 14
In Chapter 14, how are some of the pairs or partnerships repaired? What changes in the way the heirs work together?
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Chapter 15
The Chapter 15 title uses the words fact and gossip. What is the difference between a fact and gossip, and how do both affect the mystery?
Example answer: I think a fact is something that can be proved, but gossip is something people say that might not be true. In this chapter, facts help the characters learn real information about the heirs and Sam Westing. Gossip makes the mystery more confusing because people start judging each other without proof. This shows that solving the game takes careful thinking, not just listening to rumors.
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Chapter 16
In Chapter 16, how does the third bombing affect Angela and the other characters? What feelings or fears does it bring out?
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Chapter 17
In Chapter 17, several heirs come up with possible solutions. What shows that guessing is not enough to solve the Westing game?
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Chapter 18
In Chapter 18, some characters follow or track others. What do the trackers learn, and does following people help the mystery or make it more confusing?
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Chapter 19
In Chapter 19, what odd family connections or past relationships are revealed? How do these discoveries change the way you understand the game?
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Chapter 20
In Chapter 20, some characters confess or reveal hidden truths. Why might a character hide the truth, and why might they finally decide to tell it?
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Chapter 21
In Chapter 21, how does the fourth bombing make the danger feel more personal? What does Turtle do, and what might her actions show about her?
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Chapter 22
The Chapter 22 title is Losers, Winners. Which character seems like a loser but may actually be a winner in some way? Explain your choice.
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Chapter 23
In Chapter 23, the heirs give strange answers to the mystery. What do their answers show about how they understand the clues?
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Chapter 24
In Chapter 24, the answers are wrong and Sandy collapses. How does this change the mystery, and what new questions do you have?
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Chapter 25
In Chapter 25, the characters react to Sandy's death and think about Westing. How do their feelings change, and what clues seem important now?
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Chapter 26
In Chapter 26, how does Turtle's trial help explain Sam Westing's different identities? Why was his plan so clever?
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Chapter 27
In Chapter 27, why might the chapter be called A Happy Fourth? How are celebration, freedom, or new beginnings connected to what happens?
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Chapter 28
In Chapter 28, after the main game ends, how has one character changed? Choose one person and explain an important change you noticed.
Example answer: I think Angela changes a lot. At first, she seems like she is mostly doing what other people expect, especially about her wedding and her future. By this point, she seems more ready to make choices for herself. That is important because she is learning who she wants to be, not just who her family wants her to be.
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Chapter 29
In Chapter 29, five years have passed. Which character's future surprised you the most, and how does it fit or not fit that character?
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Chapter 30
At the end of the book, Turtle keeps an important secret and says goodbye to Julian Eastman. What does this show about winning, friendship, or the meaning of the game?
Example answer: I think Turtle wins because she understands the truth, but she also shows kindness by keeping the secret. She does not brag or use the secret to hurt anyone. Her friendship with Julian Eastman matters more than just getting money or being right. To me, the game was really about learning to see people clearly and care about them.
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How to use this The Westing Game 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, 30 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for The Westing Game. 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
Each question is about its own chapter. We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.