Chapter 1 - Little Sister is not my name
- What do you learn about Sassy and her older sister on the very first page?
- What do you learn about Sassy and her older brother on the second page of the story?
- What do you learn about Sassy on the first three pages of the story?
- Why is Sassy giving her family the silent treatment? Why don't they notice?
- How did Sassy get her name? Do you think it fits her?
- Describe her "Sassy Sack."
- Describe all the things that she keeps in it, or that you think she might keep in it.
- If you read all of Chapter One, you'll see a description of Sassy and her siblings. Write a description or draw a picture of Sassy, Sadora, and Sabin.
Chapter 2 - Breakfast at our Zoo
- Tell what is revealed about the family as they eat breakfast together.
- Why does Sabin tease his sisters?
- Why is Sassy not noticed at the breakfast table?
- How does Sassy spill the milk?
- How does her mother react?
- Describe Sassy's father.
- Describe Sassy's mother.
- How can you tell that Sassy and her sister are very close?
- What happens when Sassy's friends see Sabin?
- Find examples of Sassy finding useful items in her sack in chapter 2.
Chapter 3- Sassy's Dream School

- Describe Jasmine and Holly and Carmelita.
- What happens on Monday in Sassy's dream school?
- What happens on Tuesday in Sassy's dream school?
- What happens on Wednesday in Sassy's dream school?
- What happens on Thursday in Sassy's dream school?
- What happens on Friday in Sassy's dream school?
- What do Sassy's descriptions tell you about her imagination?
- Describe your dream school.
Chapter 4 - Who am I? Who are You?
- Why does Jasmine like Miss Armstrong?
- How is Sassy and her sack helpful to her friends?
- What makes Sassy and Jasmine crack up?
- What does Miss Armstrong want the children to think about for their projects?
- What do the children learn about their names?
- What does everyone learn about middle names? If you have a middle name, tell what it is.
- What does everyone learn about nicknames? If you have a nickname, tell what it is and how you got it.
- What is Miss Armstrong's full name? How do the children react when they learn their teacher's name and nickname?
- What happens when some of the children combine the names of their mom and dad? Why are some of the combinations funny?
- Make a prediction: What will happen to Travis?
Chapter 5 - Travis Wears a Chair
- Describe in words what Travis looks like. You can also draw a picture of Travis as he is stuck in the desk.
- How do you think Travis feels?
- How do you think the other children feel?
- How does Sassy help Travis? How do the other children help him?
- Why does the teacher call 9-1-1?
- Describe the two men who come to rescue Travis.
- Why do you think they take his temperature?
- How does Sassy and her sack help the teacher?
- How does Travis get rescued?
- How does the whole class get pizza?
Chapter 6 - Grammy's Here!
- How does Sassy get home from school each day?
- When Sassy opens her front door, what does she smell? What does that tell her?
- Why is Sassy glad to see her grandmother?
- Describe Sassy's grandmother. Draw a picture of Grammy.
- What is special about the Grammy Bag? Why is like the Sassy Sack?
- What does Grammy bring as a gift for Sassy?
- What is Grammy's job?
- Describe the family dinner. How can you tell the family is close?
- What does Grammy tell everyone about why she is visiting? How does Sassy react?
- Make a prediction. What will happen when Grammy gets to Sassy's school?
Chapter 7 - Grammy and Sassy Onstage
- What outfit does Sassy choose to wear on the day of Grammy's visit? Why can't she wear that outfit?
- What does Grammy tell Sassy about clothes and style and feeling elegant?
- Describe Grammy's rain stick and drum. Draw a picture.
- What is Grammy's full name?
- What do Sassy's friends think about Grammy?
- What does Miss Armstrong tell Sassy about Grammy's visit?
- How does Sassy introduce her grandmother to the children in the auditorium?
- How does an item in Sassy's sack help her grandmother while she is on stage?
- How does Grammy use her drum and rain stick in her presentation?
- How does Sassy feel at the end of the day? Why?
Chapter 8 - Math Class and Mall Magic
- How does Sassy feel at school the next day?
- Describe Mr. Olsen, the math teacher. Draw a picture.
- Why does Sassy have trouble in math class? Do you ever feel like that in a class?
- Why is Sassy excited about the trip to the mall with Jasmine?
- What does Sassy like best about the mall?
- How does an item in Sassy's sack help Jasmine while they are at the mall?
- Why does Sassy like The Name Store?
- How does an item in Sassy's sack help Jasmine's mother while they are at the mall?
- Describe a time when you have been shopping with a friend.
- What does Sassy buy while they are at the mall?
Chapter 9 - Let's Go Out to Dinner
- Why does Sassy hate to see her grandmother leave?
- What does Sassy choose to wear to their fancy dinner with Grammy?
- Why does Sassy crack up at her family when they are all dressed up?
- What restaurant are they going to? Where is it located?
- Describe the fancy restaurant. Draw a picture.
- What can they see from the windows of the restaurant?
- What does Sassy order for her meal? Why does she feel special when she orders?
- What does Sadora order to eat? What about Sassy's mom and dad and grandmother?
- Tell everything that Sabin eats and drinks while they are at dinner.
- Make a prediction: The family is stuck in the elevator. What will happen?
Chapter 10 - Stuck in the Elevator
- What is Sabin's problem?
- Why can't they use Mom or Dad's cell phone?
- How does Sadora act when she finds out her cell phone does not work?
- What does Grammy suggest?
- Why does the family say no to her idea?
- What does Sassy find in her sack that is helpful while they are trapped?
- How big is the opening in the elevator door? Draw a picture.
- How do Sabin's boots help?
- How does Sassy feel as she is about to go through the opening?
- Just before she leaves the elevator, what does Sassy ask her family to do?
- Describe how you think Sabin feels as Sassy squeezes through the hole.
Chapter 11 - Can Sassy Save the Day?
- Describe Sassy's passage through the opening. Draw a picture.
- What does Sassy discover when she gets out of the elevator?
- What does Sassy see as she looks out of the window from her mom's office?
- Who does Sassy meet in the hallway?
- What was the cause of the power outage?
- Why does Mr. Williams call Sassy a hero?
- Who comes to rescue the family? How did they get up to the twenty-second floor?
- Who runs out of the elevator first? Why?
- Looking out of the window of Sassy's mom's office, what does it look like when the lights come back on?
- How does the family get down to the very first floor?
Chapter 12 - Cameras and Questions
- Who greets Sassy's family when they get outside?
- Why do you think the reporters are there? Why?
- How do you think Sassy feels about all the questions and cameras?
- Why is Sassy worried about her hair and her dress?
- Why do you think Sabin feels embarrassed?
- The reporters take lots of pictures. Which member of the family do the reporters seem take the most pictures of?
- What does Grammy mean when she says, "Sometimes the best things come in small packages?"
- How does Sassy feel when her father calls her "the woman of the hour?"
- What does Sassy admit to the reporter?
- Tell if you think Sassy is a hero. Why or why not?
Chapter 13 - Surprises
- Why is Sassy sad about her grandmother's leaving?
- What does Sassy find on page two of the morning newspaper?
- What is funny about the headline, "Little Sister Saves Family?"
- Sassy's name is the only one mentioned in the story. Sassy's picture is the only one printed in the paper. How do you think Sabin and Sadora feel about that?
- Do you think Sassy feels like a hero? Why or why not?
- What does Grammy give each child as she leaves for her airplane?
- What does Grammy mean when she says, "Your name is your song, Sassy?"
- Describe Sassy's first gift from Grammy.
- Describe Sassy's second gift from Grammy.
- How do you think make Sassy feel?
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Use the internet, or an encyclopedia, or books to find out more about the following:
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A. Information to explore and discover.
- Cell phones
- Lip gloss
- School uniforms
- School busses
- Electrical blackouts
- Elevator operations
- Fancy restaurants
- Mall operations
- Family relationships
- Grandparents
- Teacher or Principal
- Newspaper Reporter
- Storyteller
- Make-up Artist
- Fashion Designer
- School Designer
- Emergency Technician
- Purse Designer
- Photographer
- Security Guard
- Draw a picture of your dream school.
- Write a story, with you as the main character. Write about your family.
- Make up a story like Grammy tells. Draw a picture of something in your story.
- Write a poem or story about being afraid.
- Write a poem or story about friendship.
- Write a poem or story about bravery.
- Write a newspaper story about how Sassy and her family get rescued.
- Write a story about how Sassy is treated when she gets to school the next day.
- Write a poem or story about a restaurant, a shopping trip, or any family adventure.
B. Jobs to explore:
C. Writing activities: