by Bob Brooks
Bartley and Bree Bluebird and their children, Branna, Britt, and Brie operate the very efficient Ballymore messenger service. Their treehouse is next to Morris on the northeast shore.
Devon and Dahlia Duck and their children, Declan, Darma, and Dierdre, transport goods and residents around Ballymore on their raft. They live on the east end of the island.
Stoddard and Sean Swan procure needed goods for the residents from afar. They live in the center of the island.
Jonathan Owl and his son, Oliver live next to the Library on the island. They teach and publish the weekly Ballymore Tale.
Chapter I
If Doctor Brigit was a real person, would you like to have her as your doctor? Why?
What do you think about the “Pond Creature”?
Why do you think Branna Bluebird chose to fly directly across the pond rather than taking the safer shoreline route? Do you think she would make the same choice again?
Have you ever flown a kite?
What do you think it would be like to ride on a kite, if the string didn’t break?
Chapter II
Do you think growing flowers or vegetables would be fun?
If you had a flower garden, would you like to make a basket of flowers for a friend or relative?
What do you think the weasels will do with their new uniforms and cloth bags?
Do you think some of the animals should have been afraid of Sam and called him the “Pond Creature”?
Would it be fun to watch a boat being built?
Chapter III
Have you ever had ants visit your kitchen?
Do you think Petunia did the right thing by leaving sesame seeds for the ants on her back porch?
Did you think Finn’s tunnel plan would work when he first described it?
What do you think Finn learned about planning a project?
Do you think Bartholomew is smart, or is he just experienced?
Chapter IV
Have you ever found a very old letter?
Building a boat can be complicated. Sometimes unexpected things happen. Have you ever built a model boat?
If Bartholomew hadn’t caught the weasels “borrowing” the boat, do you think they would have crashed it?
Many animals worked together to build the HMS Ballymore. Have you ever worked with a group of kids on a project? Did you enjoy it?
Why do you think the bees decided to be an escort for the boat when it was presented to everyone?
Chapter V
Have you ever camped out? If you did, what did you like about it? What didn’t you like?
Since bears don’t live in Ireland, how do you think that bear got there?
Do you think it would be fun to explore a cave, or would it be scary?
Have you ever written a coded message?
Do you think Bartholomew was right when he said that they should leave the underground lake the same way they had found it?
Chapter VI
Did Wilder deliberately beach the boat next to Petunia’s cottage?
Why do you think Sam rescued the chipmunks even though some of the animals had called him the “Pond Creature”?
After the animals met Sam, why do you think they changed their minds so quickly about him?
Do you like the way the animals remember their departed loved ones on Remembrance Day?
Chapter VII
Do you think it was good that Bartholomew made the weasels the leaders of the trip to the bell tower?
Do you like to watch fireflies at night? Have you ever caught some in a bottle?
Have you ever gotten lost in fog?
What is your opinion of the weasels?
It was very nice of the community to build a cottage for Sam. Do you belong to any group that helps people?
Chapter VIII
The weasels played tricks on some of the animals but they didn’t hurt anyone. What do you like to do on Halloween?
If you had seen the “ghost boat”, would you have been scared?
Do you like pumpkin pie? Have you ever made one?
Firecrackers can be dangerous but they are fun to watch. Have you ever gone to a big fireworks show?
What do you think the fog was that the weasels saw at midnight?
Chapter IX
Have you ever had an unexpected visit by relatives?
The trip to the well did not go as originally planned. Is there a way the animals could have done things differently at the beginning?
What is your opinion of Branna Bluebird?
When Wilde first said he wanted to smoke out the “rats”, what did you think?
Why did Bartholomew believe that Wilde’s plan to smoke out the “rats” was not right?
Chapter X
How do you think Puff got in the weeds by the pond?
Do the think the weasels should have won the Community Service award? Would you have chosen someone else?
Have you ever gone on a train ride? How did you like it?
Have you ever helped a younger child to read?
How do you celebrate the December holidays? Do you like to both give and receive presents?
Chapter XI
Do you like snow and ice storms? Perhaps you like getting out of school when they occur?
In the Great Ballymore Snowball Fight of 1892, for whom did you root? Why?
Have you ever seen an ice jam?
Can you think of another way that the animals could have broken up the ice jam?
What would have happened if the animals had not worked together to solve the ice jam problem?
Chapter XII
What is your opinion of Grenby?
How do you think the animals of 1801 put the metal box on the ledge?
Have you ever seen phosphorescent rocks?
How has living by the Golden Rule benefited the animals of Ballymore?
Do you try to live by the Golden Rule? Is it sometimes hard?
