Tuck Everlasting

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Prologue-Chapter 2

Reading Check

1. What is the name of the village the Fosters live in?

2. What does Mae put in her skirt before leaving the house?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does the author build tension surrounding the mystery of the Fosters’ woods?

2. What is unusual about the Tuck family?

Chapters 3-5

Reading Check

1. Who does Winnie reveal her troubles to?

2. What is the significant feature Winnie notices about the stranger that visits her?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Winnie want to run away?

2. How does Jesse describe the spring to Winnie and what is Jesse’s family’s reaction to Winnie?

Chapters 6-9

Reading Check

1. What does Mae bring out to soothe Winnie’s sobs?

2. Who is the gladdest of the Tucks to see Winnie?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What evidence do the Tucks have of their own immortality?

2. Why does Winnie decide to trust what the Tucks reveal to her? What does it reveal about Winnie?

Paired Resource

“Why Do Our Bodies Age?”

• This 5-minute video explains why bodies age.
• The information might spark continued discussion on The Difference Between Immortality and a Life Well-Lived and All Things Are Connected.
• What are the factors that contribute to aging? Can aging be stopped? Do you think the Tucks would prefer to age over having immortality?  

Chapters 10-12

Reading Check

1. How often do Jesse and Miles return home to be with their family?

2. What is stolen from the Tucks?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Winnie compare her own home to the Tuck household? What does Winnie suspect are the reasons for these differences?

2. How does Tuck use the river to describe life? What does his description reveal about the way his family feels?

Paired Resource

“Immortality”

• This article explores the theme of immortality in literature and how it differs among genres.
• This content connects to the theme of The Difference Between Immortality and a Life Well-Lived.
• How do different genres view immortality? What perspective does the author of Tuck Everlasting take?

“Researchers Say They Are Close to Reversing Aging”

• This 7-minute news clip describes scientific discoveries that are being developed to reverse aging.
• Shared themes include The Difference Between Immortality and a Life Well Lived and All Things Are Connected.
• How are Harvard scientists working to reverse aging? How do you think the Tuck family would feel about reversing aging in society? Do you think it’s a good idea?

Chapters 13-17

Reading Check

1. Who stole the Tuck family’s horse?

2. What does Winnie beg Miles to throw back, saving its life?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why is Jesse’s perspective on the stream different from the rest of his family?

2. Do you believe the man in the yellow suit is trustworthy? Why or why not?

Chapters 18-20

Reading Check

1. What alerted the man in the yellow suit to the Tucks’ whereabouts?

2. What does Mae hit the man in the yellow suit with?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the man in the yellow suit’s motive? Why are the Tucks opposed to his ideas? Use evidence to support your answer.

2. What is Winnie’s greatest concern regarding the possible death of the man in the yellow suit?

Chapters 21-24

Reading Check

1. What does the constable tell the Fosters they intend to do to Mae?

2. What is in the bottle Jesse gives to Winnie?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Winnie intend to make a difference in the world—and not just in the lives of the Tuck family?

2. Why does Winnie feel conflicted about helping the Tucks?

Paired Resource

“Difficult Decision-Making”

• This article explores decision-making by examining how mindset impacts decisions. 
• Shared themes include Found Families Versus Biological Families.
• What tests can be run to determine if an important decision is worth making? What are some important decisions Winnie must make?

Chapters 25-Epilogue

Reading Check

1. What does Winnie use the spring water on?

2. What does Tuck find when he returns to Treegap 68 years later?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the significance of the toad Tuck and Mae encounter on their drive? How does it relate to the novel’s theme All Things Are Connected?

Recommended Next Reads 

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

• This novel is about a boy who encounters a girl and her brothers when he loses his shadow. He takes the girl to a magical land where children never grow up.
• Shared themes include The Difference Between Immorality and a Life Well-Lived and Found Families Versus Biological Families.
• Shared topics include coming of age, historical settings, and friendship.
• Peter Pan on SuperSummary

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

• This novel is about a 10-year-old boy who befriends a neighborhood girl. The two invent a make-believe land called Terabithia.
• Shared themes include Found Families Versus Biological Families.
• Shared topics include classic novels, grief, and friendship.
• Bridge to Terabithia on SuperSummary