Ribsy
Reading Response Journal
Name: ________________________________________
1
Before Reading:
Question: Look at the cover and the illustrations in the
book. Make a prediction of what you think this book
might be about.
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After Chapter 1:
‘Ribsy and the Hungry Flea’
Point of View:
Which point of view is this story written?
a. First person
b. Third person
Which word(s) helped you to determine the point of
view?
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2
Narrative Elements: Complete the narrative elements.
Setting:
Characters:
Problem:
3
Vocabulary-Context Clues: Define the underlined words
using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"He could be almost as persistent as his flea, and now he
started running down the street as fast as he could
after his family’s new car."
persistent - _________________________________
Which would be an antonym of the word persistent?
a. insistent
b. patient
c. quitting
Character Traits: A character trait that was used to
describe Ribsy was friendly. Use at least 2 pieces of
evidence from the text to support the fact that Ribsy is
friendly.
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4
Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language used in the following excerpt.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
"-his tongue flapping like a flag...”
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"Ribsy set out to find Henry Huggins, who had
disappeared someplace in the sea of cars.”
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Analyze: Analyze the following sentence and explain why
Ribsy was considered ‘the winner’.
“Henry opened the door, and Ribsy, the winner, jumped
in.”
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5
Word Meaning—Prefix:
"Unfortunately, there was not much opportunity for
action locked in a station wagon…."
Underline the base word and circle the prefix in
unfortunately
unfortunately
What does the circled prefix mean? _______________
What does unfortunately mean? __________________
Write 2 words that correctly use the prefix 'un-':
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
Vocabulary-Context Clues: Define the underlined words
using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"This infuriated Ribsy. He clawed at the glass and poked
his nose out the opening at the top to bark back.”
infuriated - _________________________________
Write and synonym of infuriated: _________________
Write an antonym of infuriated: __________________
6
Prediction: Ribsy is in the wrong car, with the wrong
family, going the wrong way. What do you think will
happen next? How will Ribsy get home? Will he ever get
home?
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7
After Chapter 2:
‘The Cleanest Dog in the U.S.A.’
Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language used in the following excerpt.
hyperbole
alliteration
simile
personification
metaphor
onomatopoeia
“Henry settled back to enjoy the sound of the new
motor-it was so smooth it made their old car sound like a
pile of junk.”
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Analyze: Explain why Mrs. Huggins wouldn’t call Ribsy a
valuable dog and why Henry would call him valuable dog.
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Cause and Effect: Fill in the cause.
Cause:________________________________
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Effect: Ribsy has to take a bath.
Word Meaning-Prefix
A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify
or change its meaning.
“When he tried to bite it, all he got was an unpleasant
taste in his mouth.”
In which word does the prefix 'un-' mean the same as it
does in 'unpleasant':
a. unification
b. unfair
c. understand
9
Reading for Details:
1. Where did Henry think Ribsy would be?
a. At home waiting for him.
b. Walking around the parking lot.
c. At Ramona’s house playing fetch.
2. How did the family dry Ribsy after his bath?
a. They used a hair dryer.
b. They made him sit by the fire until he was
dry.
c. Put him in the car with the heat on.
3. What is the most important reason a dog depends
on his nose?
a. to smell the presence of danger.
b. To make sure he can find his bone.
c. To know what his family smells like.
4. Why was the bath good for Ribsy?
a. It got rid of the flea.
b. He loves taking baths.
c. He loves when lots of people wash him.
10
Reading Response: How did Ribsy feel about taking
baths? Use at least 2 pieces of evidence from the story
to support your answer.
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Infer: Dogs have a good sense of smell. Why can’t Ribsy
just smell his way home?
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11
After Chapter 3:
‘Ribsy and Mrs. Frawley’
Create: Create a lost and found poster you would hang
around the town to try to find Ribsy. Be sure to draw a
picture, a paragraph describing Ribsy, how the people can
contact you, and if there is a reward.
12
Sequence: Put the following events in order from first to
last using the numbers 1-6.
______ Mrs. Frawley makes Ribsy scrambled eggs.
______ Ribsy escaped from Mrs. Fawley’s house. He left
like a dog again!
______ Ribsy is out on his own in the rain, he is tired,
cold and hungry.
______ Mrs. Frawley dresses Ribsy is a plaid coat and a
collar trimmed with rhinestones.
______ The Huggins are brainstorming ideas for the
lost and found ad in the newspaper.
______ Ribsy held up his left paw to Mrs. Frawley.
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Synonyms and Antonyms:
“She served Ribsy a generous helping for lunch.”
Write 2 synonyms for the word generous:
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
Write an antonym for generous: __________________
Word Meaning—Prefix:
" …each lady became impatient with the others for
talking about their grandchildren when she wanted to
talk about her own grandchildren.”
Underline the base word and circle the prefix in
impatient.
impatient
What does the circled prefix mean? _______________
What does impatient mean? __________________
Write about a time you were impatient.
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Re-Read to Clarify: Why does Mrs. Frawley assume
Ribsy was on her doorstep?
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Reading Response: How did Ribsy and Mrs. Frawley both
help each other? Use evidence from the text to support
your answer.
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15
After Chapter 4:
‘Ribsy Becomes a Mascot’
Re-Read to Clarify:
1. How did Henry feel when he heard a bunch of girls
gave Ribsy a bubble bath?
a. Disgusted
b. Happy
c. Sad
2. How did the mailman trick Ribsy to get off the bus?
a. He threw a bone out the door.
b. He pushed Ribsy off the bus.
c. He tricked Ribsy be getting of the back
and quickly running back onto the bus.
3. Why kind of sandwich does Ribsy politely refuse?
a. Jelly
b. Peanut butter
c. Ham and Cheese
4. Who caught Frisky the squirrel?
a. Ribsy
b. Mr. Woody, the principal.
c. Mrs. Hildebrand, the school nurse.
Connect: Do you think the principal at your school would
let you have a dog as your classroom mascot?
a. Yes
b. No way, but I wish!
c. Maybe
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Reading Response: Why did Mrs. Sonchek describe Ribsy
as ‘patriotic’? Use evidence from the story to support
your answer.
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Reading for Details: Ribsy described his life at school
as a ‘pleasant life.’ Make a list of three reasons from the
story that proves his life was pleasant at school.
1. ____________________________________
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2. ____________________________________
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3. ____________________________________
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Cause and Effect: Fill in the cause.
Cause: ________________________________
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Effect: Ribsy has to leave the school. He can’t be
the second grade mascot anymore.
Prediction: Henry has been through a lot of adventures
since being lost. Do you think he will find his home soon?
How is he going to find Henry? What do you think is
going to happen next?
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Statue of Ribsy at a park in Oregon.
18
After Chapter 5:
‘Ribsy Goes to Football Game’
Word Meaning—Prefix: “…about a week after he had
discontinued the advertisement for Ribsy in the
newspaper.”
Underline the base word and circle the prefix in
discontinued.
discontinued
What does the circled prefix mean? _______________
What does discontinued mean? __________________
In which word does the prefix 'dis-’ not mean the same
as it does in ‘discontinued’?
a. discouraged
b. disapprove
c. dissect
Reading for Details: What does Mr. Huggins suggest
that Henry and he should do after he gets home from
work? How does Henry respond to his dad’s suggestion?
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Reading for Details: Henry was starting to enjoy his life
being lost. What was the reason he was enjoying
himself?
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Create Mental Images: Good readers form pictures in
their mind as they read. Draw the picture you visualized
in your head when Ribsy was on the football field helping
Zachary Taylor High School win the game.
20
After Chapter 6:
‘The Famous Dog’
Re-Read to Clarify:
1. What does Joe feed to Ribsy that makes his
mother mad?
a. Dog biscuits
b. Hot dogs
c. Hamburger
2. What does Mr. Saylor notice when he reads the
newspaper?
a. His daughter will be in a piano recital.
b. A picture of the dog, Joe brought home.
c. An advertisement for a missing dog.
3. How much money was money was the reward for
finding Ribsy?
a. $10.00
b. $100.00
c. $0.10
Re-Read to Clarify: How did Henry know Joe had Ribsy?
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Re-Read to Clarify: Henry is having a hard time
convincing Joe that Ribsy is his dog. What does Henry
tell Joe to do to prove Ribsy is his dog?
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Prediction: Henry was so close to getting Ribsy back.
What do you think is going to happen next?
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22
After Chapter 7:
‘Ribsy and the Apartment House’
Create Mental Images: Good readers form pictures in
their mind as they read. Draw the picture you visualized
in your head when Ribsy was playing ball with Larry.
Under your picture write a few sentences that explains
your drawing.
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Summarize: Summarize how Ribsy ended up on the fire
escape and how he was rescued from the fire escape.
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Reading for Details: Why did Mr. Huggins give Larry
the reward money and say Larry deserved the money?
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Mood: What was the mood at the end of Chapter 7?
a. Sad
b. Humorous
c. Happy
After finishing the book:
Compare and Contrast: Compare how Mrs. Huggins felt
about Ribsy riding in the new station wagon in the
beginning of the book to how she felt about Ribsy riding
in the new station wagon at the end of the book. Why do
you think she feels differently at the end?
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25
Sequence: Ribsy has met a lot of people since getting
lost in the supermarket parking lot. Create a timeline of
the people he met up until he found Henry.
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
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Author’s Purpose: What was the author’s purpose for
writing Ribsy?
a. Persuade
b. Inform
c. Entertain
Connect: Would you want a dog like Ribsy? Why or why
not? Explain.
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Rating: How many stars would you give this book?
 1 being terrible and 5 being awesome.
 Be sure to color or shade your rating!
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Theme: What do you think the theme (lesson learned)
was?
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Ribsy
Word Jumble
Hidden Message:
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Ribsy
Word Search
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