Whirligig Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
Whirligig has 9 chapters · 133 pages
When sixteen-year-old Brent Bishop inadvertently causes the death of a young woman, he is sent on an unusual journey of repentance, building wind toys across the land.
Free, no sign-up. Customise to reword questions or add your reader’s name.
Inside the journal: 9 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, Brent wants very badly to fit in at the party. What choices does he make, and how do those choices lead to serious consequences?See all 9 questions ↓
About the book
When sixteen-year-old Brent Bishop inadvertently causes the death of a young woman, he is sent on an unusual journey of repentance, building wind toys across the land.
Buy the book on Amazon ↗ (affiliate link)
Whirligig 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 9 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.
-
Chapter 1
In Chapter 1, Brent wants very badly to fit in at the party. What choices does he make, and how do those choices lead to serious consequences?
Example answer: I think Brent makes choices because he feels embarrassed and lonely. He drinks even though he should not, and then he drives when he is upset. Those choices cause a terrible crash and hurt another family forever. This chapter shows me that trying to impress people is not worth making unsafe decisions.
-
Chapter 2
In Chapter 2, people in Weeksboro see one of Brent’s whirligigs. How does the whirligig affect someone’s thoughts, feelings, or choices?
-
Chapter 3
In Chapter 3, Brent begins to understand what happened after the crash. How do you think guilt changes the way Brent sees himself and the world around him?
-
Chapter 4
In Chapter 4, the story shows new characters in Miami who notice a whirligig. What does this chapter show about how one small object can matter to people Brent has never met?
-
Chapter 5
In Chapter 5, Brent is working on his journey and learning new skills. What does the word “apprentice” mean in this chapter, and how is Brent like an apprentice?
Example answer: I think an apprentice is someone who learns by practicing and by watching others. Brent is like an apprentice because he is not an expert at making whirligigs at first. He has to figure out tools, designs, and how to keep going when the work is hard. He is also learning how to be a better person while he builds.
-
Chapter 6
In Chapter 6, characters in Bellevue react to a whirligig in their own way. What message or feeling do they seem to get from it, and why?
-
Chapter 7
In Chapter 7, Brent keeps building whirligigs in different places. How is Brent changing as a character from the beginning of the book to this point?
-
Chapter 8
In Chapter 8, the San Diego whirligig becomes part of another person’s life. What connection do you see between Brent’s actions and the lives of strangers?
-
Chapter 9
In Chapter 9, Brent’s journey comes to an end. What do you think is the most important lesson Brent learns, and how can that lesson connect to your own life?
Example answer: I think Brent learns that one action can affect many people, even people he does not know. At first, his action causes pain, but later his whirligigs bring hope and beauty to others. This connects to my life because my choices can also help or hurt people around me. It reminds me to think before I act.
More ready-made journals
-
The Adventures of Ulysses
-
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
-
The BFG
-
The birchbark house
-
The Black Pearl
-
The Black Stallion
How to use this Whirligig 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, 9 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Whirligig. 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.