Chapters 1-2

Reading Check

1. Old Shep, My Pal by Zach Paris (Chapter 1)

2. Famous actors (Chapter 2)

Short Answer

1. Wallace dislikes that his father rarely tells the truth, so he reacts to his father’s lying by always telling the truth. This value creates problems for Wallace when he is assigned an essay about Old Shep, My Pal. Wallace describes his honest feelings about the book—that he disliked it and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. His honesty infuriates his teacher, Mr. Fogelman, and Wallace is assigned to after-school detention until he rewrites the essay and has positive opinions of the book. (Chapter 1)

2. The theater students react differently to Wallace, ranging from surprise to fear. Trudi thinks Wallace is cute and is happy to see him at practice, one of the students fears sports kids will push them out of their theater roles, leaving nothing for them to be part of, and Rachel, who likes the play, is disgusted by Wallace’s unwillingness to be there and his scathing review of Old Shep, My Pal. (Chapter 2)

Chapters 3-5

Reading Check

1. Parker Schmidt (Chapter 3)

2.