Guided reading questions for Elephant Run
Part One Introduction:
1. Where was Nick living in 1941? (pg 2)
2. Where does Nick’s mother work? (pg 3)
3. Who is Bernard? (pg 3)
4. What happens to Nick’s apartment? ((pg 3)
5. What important decision does Nick’s mom make at the end of the
introduction section? (pg 4)
Chapter 1:
1. Who is Hannibal? (pg 6)
2. Why did Nick’s mom take him away from Burma when he was five years old?
(pg 9)
3. Who was the Sergeant Major? (pg 10)
4. Who is Nang? (pg 11)
5. Who is Taung Baw, or “Hilltop?” (pg 12)
6. Who is are Indaw and Mya? (pg 12)
Chapter 2:
1. What were the people discussing around the campfire as Nang and Mya
approached the village? (pg 14)
2. Who is Magwe? (pg 15)
3. How did Nang react when he entered the group around the campfire? (pg 17)
4. There are clearly two sides to this group. Each has a different opinion of the
Japanese. Who is the leader of each group? What do they think about the
Japanese? (pg 16-18)
Chapter 3:
1. What was unusual about how Nick’s father was dressed when he first sees
him at Hawk’s Nest? (pg 21)
2. What news from Nick’s dad caused him to be disappointed? (pg 22)
3. What did Nick’s father give him as a present? Why is it so important to him?
(pg 22-23)
4. How do the villagers know if an elephant is dangerous? (pg 28)
5. What was very strange about the way the Sergeant Major had designed
Hawk’s Nest? (pg 29)
6. What could Nick tell from the books in his father’s room? (pg 30)
7. What changed Hannibal? (pg 32)
Chapter 4:
1. Who did Nick run into on the trail? (pg 37)
2. Who did Nick encounter in the village? (pg 39)
3. What happened to Nick? (pg 40)
Chapter 5:
1. Describe Mya from what you learn about her at the beginning of this chapter.
(pgs 42-47)
2. How does Nick look when he sees Mya at Hawk’s Nest? (pg 48)
3. Why is Mya at Hawk’s Nest? (pg 49)
Chapter 6:
1. Describe how Nick is feeling after his run in with Hannibal? (pg 50)
2. Why is Mya mad? (pgs 51-52)
3. Why was the man at the training camp yelling at Mya? (pg 53)
4. What does the old monk do at the training camp? (pgs 53-56)
5. Who is the monk? (pg 60)
6. What is Hilltop’s special ability? (pg 60)
Chapter 7:
1. How did everyone know that Hannibal had been to the village even though
no one was there? (pg 62)
2. Who is Kin-Kin? (pg 62-63)
3. Why is Kin-Kin weeping at the end of this chapter? (pg 67)
Chapter 8:
1. Who is Bukong? (pgs 68-70)
2. Who was talking with Mr. Freestone as Nick walked into the library? (pg 71)
3. What was the mood of the conversation these two men were having? (pg 71)
4. Why was Nick so uncomfortable on the back of Chow? (pg 72)
5. What is Freestone Island? (pg 75)
6. Who was with Hannibal when the brought him back? (pg 78)
7. How did Indaw and Mr. Freestone find out that Hannibal knocked Nick
down? (pg 79)
8. Even though Magwe doesn’t get along with Mr. Freestone, why does he keep
him around? (pgs 79-80)
9. What did Mr. Freestone notice about the dead monkey? (pg 80) Why is this
important? (pg 81)
10. Where is Mr. Freestone sending Nick? (pg 82) Why?
Chapter 9:
1. Why is the island safe from the Japanese? (pg 87)
2. What did Nick’s father take from Hannibal and give to Nick? (pg 91)
3. Why does Hilltop stay on the island? (pg 94)
Chapter 10:
1. How does Mya feel about going to Australia? How is this different from the
way Nick feels? (pg 96-97)
2. Where is Nick when the Japanese come to the camp? (pg 98)
3. Who was one of the mahouts riding the elephants into the camp? (pg 99)
4. What happened before Nick could follow the message written in the dirt? (pg
102)
5. Why does Nick think the soldier came back for him? (pg 103)
6. What does Sergeant Sonji make Nick carry? (pg 105)
Chapter 11:
1. Why did Nick want the iron bell so badly? (pg 106)
2. What is haiku? (pg 107)
3. How did Sonji change when they reached the village? (pg 109)
4. What made Nick throw up when they reached the village? (pg 109)
Chapter 12:
1. How is Sergeant Sonji treating Nick? (pgs 106-112)
2. Why was Nick’s father impressed with Colonel Nagayoshi? (pg 113)
3. What does Nick think Magwe was doing inside the house? (pg 114)
4. Why does Mr. Freestone give up the safe combination so easily? (pg 116)
5. What happened to Nang? (pg 117)
6. What do Mr. Freestone and the Colonel have in common? (pg 119)
7. What does Nick’s father tell him about Hilltop? (pg 122)
8. Where is Nick’s father being sent? (pg 124)
9. What does Nick realize about Bukong at the end of this chapter? (pg 125)
Part 2 Introduction:
1. How does Bukong treat Nick while he is guarding him? (pg 128)
2. Describe how Sergeant Sonji is treating Nick? (pg 128)
3. Why did Colonel Nagayoshi’s plans for Nick change? ( pg 129)
4. Why does Bukong not like Nick? (pg 131)
Chapter 13:
1. What did Hilltop leave for Nick in the natshin? (pg 134)
2. How were Hilltop and Sonji connected in the past? (pg 135)
Chapter 14:
1. Why is Mya afraid at night? (pg 137)
2. Why does Mya refuse to work at Hawk’s Nest? (pg 139)
3. How was Bukong different with Mya, compared to all the other servants? (pg
140)
4. What does Bukong do after Kin-Kin dies? (pg 142)
5. What message does Hilltop have for Mya at the end of the chapter? (pg 146)
Chapter 15:
1. Why does Nick wait so long to read the note from his father? (pgs 147-148)
2. What big news did Nick receive in the letter from his father? (pg 151)
3. What was the second note about? (pg 153)
Chapter 16:
1. Who woke Nick up in his room? (pg 155)
2. How did “the visitor” get into Nick’s room? (pg 156)
3. Why did the Sergeant Major build these tunnels? (pg 158)
4. Why did Hilltop come to get Nick that night? (pg 162-3)
Chapter 17:
1. Why was Nick so tired? (pg 164)
2. What did Nick realize his dad was storing in the tunnels? (pg 166)
3. Why was Nick given the day off? (pg 168)
4. What observation does Mya make about Nick on the top of page 169?
5. What does Mya give Nick? (pg 170) Why does he need this?
Chapter 18:
1. How were the Burmese people starting to feel about the Japanese? (pg 172)
2. Why did the Colonel, Sergeant Sonji, and Bukong all come to Nick’s room? (pg
175)
3. Why did Nick answer the Colonel in English and not Japanese? (pg 176)
4. What does Nick find in the natshin when he returns to the garden? (pg 180)
Chapter 19:
1. Why was Nick having such a hard time with the wrench? (pgs 181-183)
2. Why does Nick stay to watch his old room? (pg 184)
3. How does the Colonel react to Nick’s disappearance? (pg 186)
4. How do these men think Nick escaped? (pg 186)
Chapter 20:
1. What does Hilltop tell the Colonel about Nick and Mya? (pg 190)
2. Why is Magwe so mad? (pg 191)
3. Why does the Colonel want the soldiers to keep an extra careful watch on
Magwe and the rest of the Mahouts? (pg 192)
4. Where is the Colonel going to transfer Sonji? (pg 193)
Chapter 21:
1. Why does Nick want to go into the library? (pg 199)
2. What does Nick find in the box of toy soldiers? (pg 201)
3. Where is Nick’s mother now? (pg 203)
4. What is Bernard’s job in the army? (pg 203-4)
Part Three introduction:
1. Why does Hilltop feel like he is the one to blame for the Japanese coming to
the plantation? (pg 208)
2. What does Hilltop do at the end of this introduction? (pg 211)
Chapter 22:
1. What is Nick’s plan to save his father? (pg 213-4)
2. What has Nick collected from the library? (pg 214)
3. What does Hilltop think about Nick’s plan? (pg 216)
4. What disguise will Nick and Mya wear? (pg 217)
Chapter 23:
1. Who do Hilltop, Nick, and Mya encounter in the tunnel as they are about to
leave? (pg 223)
2. Why is Nick so shocked by Magwe’s actions? (pg 224)
3. What is Magwe’s attitude about the Japanese now? (pg 225)
4. Why was Hilltop walking so slowly? (pg 227-8)
5. What surprise did Hilltop have for Nick and Mya? (pg 230)
Chapter 24:
1. Why did Hannibal attack Bukong? (pg 237)
2. How did Nang save Bukong? (pg 237)
3. Who greets them in the village? (pg 240)
4. Who are the soldiers looking for when they come to the village? (pg 243-4)
Chapter 25:
1. What did Hannibal notice when they returned? (pg 246)
2. Who is Kya Lei? (pg 246-7)
3. Why does Kya Lei say that their secret is safe with him? (pg 251)
4. How was Kya Lei able to talk to Indaw? (pg 253)
5. Describe the camp Indaw is living in. (pgs 256-9)
Chapter 26:
1. What is the difference between where Indaw is being held and where
they are keeping Mr. Freestone? (pg 261-2)
2. How can Indaw escape? (pg 262)
3. How does Hilltop plan to escape with all 5 people? (pg 265)
4. Why isn’t Hilltop worried about the trackers finding them? (pg 265)
Chapter 27:
1. Why does Nick wander off toward the stream? (pg 271)
2. Why did Nick cross the stream and walk toward the POW camp? (pg 272)
3. Why was Nick so happy when he saw they men working in the graveyard?
(pg 273)
4. Who was the guard in the graveyard? (pg 274)
5. How does Sonji tell them to bury the dead? (pg 274)
6. When Nick decides to leave and return to Hilltop and Mya what is the
problem? (pg 275)
7. Who finds Nick in the woods? (pg 275)
8. Why is he following Nick? (pg 276)
9. What does Kya Lei want Nick to do? (pg 277)
Chapter 28:
1. Who recognizes and calls out Hilltop’s name? (pg 280)
2. What worries Nick about Hilltop talking so much with Sonji? (pg 281)
3. Why does Nick think his father could just walk away from the graveyard? (pg
284)
4. What does Sonji say about Mr. Freestone? (pg 286)
5. Why does Hilltop think that it is important that the doctor is British? (pg
287)
6. What does Sonji want to prove? (pg 287)
7. Who was at Indaw’s house when Hilltop arrived? (pg 288)
8. Who is “protecting” Hilltop now? (pg 289)
9. What does Hilltop make Nick promise? (pg 291)
Chapter 29:
1. How were they able to bury Nick’s dad alive? (pg 298)
Chapter 30:
1. Why was Indaw so mad? (pg 302)
2. Who was with Captain Moto? (pg 303)
3. Who were Captain Moto and Bukong following? (pg 304)
4. How did Bukong notice Hannibal’s footprints? (pg 304)
5. Who saves Nick and Hilltop? (pg 306)
6. Why was running to the jeep the wrong thing to do for Captain Moto and
Bukong? (pg 306)
7. Who shot the trackers? (pg 307)
Chapter 31:
1. What were Bernard’s goals? (pg 308)
2. Why does Hilltop tell Jackson Freestone that he can’t let anyone know he is
alive? (pg 309)
3. Why does Hilltop decide to stay? (pg 310)
Chapter 32:
1. Why did Nick’s father decide not to return to Burma? (pg 313)