Preview
Copywork
About This Passage
Cynthia Rylant lets a sad feeling sneak in through Henry's body — not by saying 'Henry was sad,' but by giving him a 'lump in his throat.' This is how good writers show feelings without naming them.
Suddenly Henry got a lump in his throat. He didn't want Mudge to lose his mother, even if Mudge's mother was named Dave.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell someone what happened in this chapter in order. When you get to the most important part, slow down and tell it carefully — what happened, why it mattered, and what you think about it.
Discussion Questions
- When the policeman finds out the cat is his, the policeman is happy — but Henry and Mudge are sad. Was it the right thing for the policeman to take the cat home? What in the story makes you think so? (Remember from chapter 1: the family said they would only keep the cat until they found its home.)
- After Dave the cat goes home with the policeman, Henry has to cry a little to take his nap, and Mudge eats a lot of crackers. What do these two things tell us about what Henry and Mudge are feeling? Why does the author show us their feelings instead of just saying 'they were sad'?
+ 2 more questions in the complete study guide
Critical Thinking
+ 4 more questions in the complete study guide
Get the complete study guide — free
Sign up and get your first book with every chapter included. Copywork, discussion questions, vocabulary, and critical thinking.
Sign up free