Dear Mr.

Kilmer
Chapter 1.
1 Who is Richard’s brother? ___________________________________________________
2 How was the weather? ______________________________________________________
3 Which month was it? ________________________________________________________
4 Where did they live? ________________________________________________________
5 Why did they walk quietly? __________________________________________________
6 How far was the hike to their hunting cabin? _____________________________________
7 What was Richard’s big day supposed to be? _____________________________________
8 How old was Richard? ______________________________________________________
9 Who was Richard’s sister? ___________________________________________________
10 Describe his sister? _________________________________________________________
11 Who does Richard look like? _________________________________________________
12 How old was Richard when he lost his mother? ___________________________________
13 Describe the sound made by the stream? ________________________________________
14 Why did the deer go to the large pool? __________________________________________
15 Why did Richard, Gus and his dad do at the leafless bushes?
_________________________________________________________________________
16 Why did Richard pray that the deer will not go and drink at the pool?
_________________________________________________________________________
17 What is the young of a deer called? ____________________________________________
18 How far was the deer from where they were crouching? ____________________________
19 Why was it a perfect target? __________________________________________________
20 Who first raise the rifle? _____________________________________________________
21 Why did his father not want Gus to shoot? _______________________________________
22 Why could the deer not smell them? ____________________________________________
23 Why did Richard raise the rifle a quarter of an inch higher?
_________________________________________________________________________
24 Why did Gus scold him?
_________________________________________________________________________
25 Why did his father not let Gus take the shot after Richard missed it?
_________________________________________________________________________
26 What is the meaning of clean kill? _____________________________________________
 27 Why did Gus stomp back up the slope? _________________________________________
28 Why do they have to unload their gun? _________________________________________
29 Why did Richard’s father want to talk to him? ____________________________________
30 What was Richard’s reason for not shooting the animals?
_________________________________________________________________________
31 What was his father’s reason for shooting the animals?
_________________________________________________________________________
32 Who was Roland? __________________________________________________________
33 Where and when was he killed? _______________________________________________
34 Why Gus was popular in school and what is he good at? ____________________________
35 Why did Gus scold Richard? _________________________________________________
36 Why did Richard not want to be in the baseball team? ______________________________
37 Who work more on the farm? _________________________________________________
38 What is Gus nickname for Richard? ____________________________________________
39 Did Gus feel sad after killing an animal? ________________________________________
40 What was Gus’s favourite topic? ______________________________________________
41 Who was eager to get into the Army? ___________________________________________
42 Why did Gus father not allow him to go to the Army? ______________________________
43 What is it about War that Richard dreaded? Give 4 reasons.
i)________________________________________________________________________
ii) _______________________________________________________________________
iii) ______________________________________________________________________
iv) ______________________________________________________________________
44. What did Gus and his father argued about after dinner? ________________________________
45. Where did Richard slip away to while they were arguing? _____________________________
46. Who was Richard’s sister and what was she doing? ___________________
47. How did Richard help his sister in the kitchen? ________________________
48. How old was Angie when her mother died? __________________________
49. Why did Angie quit school? _______________________________________
50. List (6) the life of a full-time women’s life then?
i) _______________________________________________________________
ii) ______________________________________________________________
iii) _____________________________________________________________
iv) ____________________________________________________________________________
v) _____________________________________________________________________________
vi) ____________________________________________________________________________
51. Who did Richard’s father lose in his life? ___________________________________________
52. How old was Richard when he first went hunting? ___________________________________
53. What happened then? __________________________________________________________
54. Why did Richard open his desk drawer? ___________________________________________
55. Why did he take out his wallet? __________________________________________________
56. What was in the drawer? ________________________________________________________
57. Did anyone know that Richard wrote poetry? _______________________________________

Chapter 2
1 In which month did US declare war on Germany? _____________________________________
2 What was the weather like? _______________________________________________________
3. Where do Richard and Gus go to school in Iowa? _____________________________________
4 What type of car did their father own? ______________________________________________
5 How are Richard’s grades in school? ________________________________________________
6 Which grade is Richard in now? ___________________________________________________
7 Who is their English teacher? _____________________________________________________
8 What is Richard’s favourite subject in school? ________________________________________
9 How many students were there in Richard’s class? _____________________________________
10 Who are the troublemakers in the class? ____________________________________________
11 What did Mrs Hansen read to the class? ____________________________________________
12 Who were Richard’s favourite poets? ______________________________________________
13 Whose poem was Mrs Hansen reading? ____________________________________________
14 What did Joyce Kilmer do? ______________________________________________________
15 Where did Joyce Kilmer work? ___________________________________________________
16 Give 2 examples of great poets who stood up for what they believed in.
i) ______________________________________________________________________
ii) ______________________________________________________________________
17 Who says poetry is for sissies? ___________________________________________________
18 Who was Richard’s new hero? ____________________________________________________
19 Which book did Mrs Hansen read the poem from? ____________________________________
20 From where did Richard find the address of the editor’s office?
_______________________________________________________________________________
21 Describe Hannah Scherman.______________________________________________________
22 Why was Hannah crying? _______________________________________________________
23 Whose parents own a grocery store? _______________________________________________
24 What is a Hun? ________________________________________________________________
25 Why is it unpatriotic to serve sauerkraut when there is a war against Germany?
_______________________________________________________________________________
26 Describe Richard’s journey home. _________________________________________________
27 Why did Richard not pick some flowers for his sister? _________________________________
28 What does Richard’s job at the farm entail? _________________________________________
29 Who wrote “Trees and other Poems”? ______________________________________________
30 Why did Richard like Mar. Joyce Kilmer? __________________________________________
31 What did Richard tell Mar. Joyce Kilmer in his letter?
_______________________________________________________________________________
32Whom did Richard wrote to and where was it addressed?
_______________________________________________________________________________
33 Why did Richard post it at the post office instead of his house?
_______________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3
1 Why was Mrs Hansen upset? ______________________________________________________
2 Why was Hannah not in school? ___________________________________________________
3 Why did people vandalise the tavern? _______________________________________________
4 What did Mrs Hansen want the class to do? __________________________________________
5 Describe the card. _______________________________________________________________
6 Who refused to sign on the card? Why? _____________________________________________
7 Who said Hannah’s family sang German songs? _______________________________________
8 Who was Blanche’s best friend? ___________________________________________________
9 How does Peggy look like? _______________________________________________________
10 Why do you think Peggy says that Hannah is better than the others?
_______________________________________________________________________________
11 What was Harry Carver’s complaint about Hannah?
_______________________________________________________________________________
12 What do the class call Herbie Wycinski? Why? ______________________________________
13 Why did Herbie not sign the card? _________________________________________________
14Why did Mildred Wright not sign the card? __________________________________________
15 Why did the other boys not sign the card? ___________________________________________
16 Why did the girls not sign the card? _______________________________________________
17Why did Mrs Hansen said it was shameful? __________________________________________
18 Why did Richard ask for the card? _________________________________________________
19 According to Mrs Hansen, what does Richard has?
_______________________________________________________________________________
20 Who block him on his way home? _________________________________________________
21 Who goaded Richard and shoved him into a fight? ____________________________________
22 What did Abner call him? _______________________________________________________
23 Who emerged as the winner in the fight? ___________________________________________
24 Why were Abner and Harry dumbfounded? _________________________________________
25 What did Richard realise on the way to Hannah’s house?
_______________________________________________________________________________
26 What did Richard do on realising that?
_______________________________________________________________________________
27 Why was Richard shocked when he arrived at Hannah’s house? _________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
28 Where was Hannah? ____________________________________________________________
29 Why was Hannah in tears? _______________________________________________________
30 Why was Richard sad and hurt? ___________________________________________________
31What type of person was Hannah’s father and mother? _________________________________
32 What did Richard advise Hannah? _________________________________________________
33 How did Richard feel after delivering the card? ______________________________________
34 What thoughts were on Richard’s mind on his way home? ______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
35 What could Richard see on top of the old oak tree?
_______________________________________________________________________________
36 What was Richard’s wish?
_______________________________________________________________________________
37 Why was Angie running to him? __________________________________________________
38 Who was the letter from? ________________________________________________________

Chapter 4
1 Why was Richard excited and running at the top of the stairs?
_______________________________________________________________________________
2 What was Joyce Kilmer’s advice to Richard?
_______________________________________________________________________________
3 What did Richard tell his family after dinner?
_______________________________________________________________________________
4 What was their reaction when Angie read the letter?
_______________________________________________________________________________
5 Did his family know about Joyce Kilmer? ____________________________________________
6 What did Richard tell the family then? ______________________________________________
7 Was Richard’s father impressed? ___________________________________________________
8 Was Richard’s father against it? ___________________________________________________
9 How was her sister’s reaction? _____________________________________________________
10 What about Gus? ______________________________________________________________
11 What did Gus warn him? ________________________________________________________
12 What did the school call Richard after he signed the card for Hannah’s family?
_______________________________________________________________________________
13 How did Richard feel? __________________________________________________________
14 Why did Richard go to see his English teacher?
_______________________________________________________________________________
15 What was Mrs Hansen’s reaction? _________________________________________________
16 What does Richard want Mrs Hansen to do? _________________________________________
17 After that, what does Mrs Hansen want Richard to do?
_______________________________________________________________________________
18 Why did Hannah want to talk to Richard?
_______________________________________________________________________________
19 What did Hannah’s neighbours do after Richard left the tavern?
_______________________________________________________________________________
20 What were Richard’s reasons why most kids did not sign the card?
_______________________________________________________________________________
21 Where did Hannah and her family stay four years ago? ________________________________
22 How did Hannah’s family feel all this while staying in Iowa? ___________________________
23 Who is Hannah’s brother? _______________________________________________________
24 What made Otto a patriotic American? _____________________________________________
25 Why were Hannah’s parents worried? ______________________________________________
26 What did Richard wonder about the soldiers? ________________________________________
27 Why did the war bring worries to Richard? __________________________________________

Chapter 5
1 When did Richard make a special presentation? _______________________________________
2 Why did he panic? ______________________________________________________________
3 Why did Richard write to Joyce Kilmer? ____________________________________________
4 What was Joyce Kilmer’s letter about?
_______________________________________________________________________________
5 Where is Joyce Kilmer going for his training? ________________________________________
6 What was the class’s reaction when Richard read out Joyce Kilmer’s letter?
_______________________________________________________________________________
7 Which poem did Richard send to Joyce Kilmer this time? _______________________________
8 What did Richard’s poem remind Blanche of? ________________________________________
9 Why did Richard not like the last line of his poem?
_______________________________________________________________________________
10 Who changed the last line of the poem for Richard? ___________________________________
11 Whom did Richard now earned his new respect from? _________________________________
12 Who was Richard’s History teacher? _______________________________________________
13 What does Mr Higby talk about? __________________________________________________
14 What did Mr Higby correct Abner? ________________________________________________
15 According to Mar. Higby, who were the Huns? ______________________________________
16 What did Mr Higby advise the pupils? _____________________________________________
17 What did Richard do that night? __________________________________________________
18 How did Richard spend his time during the summer?
_______________________________________________________________________________
19 Why was it a good time to be a farmer at that time?
_______________________________________________________________________________
20 How was the income for Richard’s family that year? __________________________________
21 Why were the hired farm hands amazed?
_______________________________________________________________________________
22 What does Richard do at the farm?
_______________________________________________________________________________
23 When was Richard’s favourite moments?
_______________________________________________________________________________
24 What does Richard wish his father to talk about?
_______________________________________________________________________________
25 When did Richard write a poem about his father?
_______________________________________________________________________________
26 What kind of man is Richard’s father? _____________________________________________
27 What were Joyce Kilmer’s thoughts about the last line of Richard’s poem replaced by Hannah?
______________________________________________________________________________
28 What were President Wilson’s comments on the war?
_______________________________________________________________________________
29 What were Joyce Kilmer’s reasons for fighting?
_______________________________________________________________________________
30 Why did Richard want to rush to Hannah’s house?
_______________________________________________________________________________
31 Why was Richard shy to approach Hannah?
_______________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 6
1 In which month did Joyce Kilmer arrive in France? ____________________________________
2 How was the American troops feeling? ______________________________________________
3 What did Richard hope for? _______________________________________________________
4 How will the war cause grief to Richard’s father? ______________________________________
5 What was the school’s patriotic programme about? ____________________________________
6 How is Mrs Hansen going to help? _________________________________________________
7 What is the special part of the programme? __________________________________________
8 What is the special part for the guys? _______________________________________________
9 How is the Lady Liberty to be chosen?
_______________________________________________________________________________
10 What is the title of the essay that the pupils have to write? ______________________________
11 What will the models have to hold? ________________________________________________
12 Who is interested in the role of the man? ____________________________________________
13 How did the people of Turtle Lake help their American soldiers?
_______________________________________________________________________________
14 According to Richard, how can the students help?
_______________________________________________________________________________
15 What can the students learn in return? _____________________________________________
16 Why would he want to win badly? ________________________________________________
17 What were the class discussing after lunch? _________________________________________
18 Why was Milfred Wright not a good candidate for the Lady Liberty?
_______________________________________________________________________________
19 Why did Peggy and the girls think that Mrs Hansen will not pick Hannah?
_______________________________________________________________________________
20 Which boy and girl wrote the best essays? __________________________________________
21 What was Hannah’s essay about? _________________________________________________
22 Who was very impressed with Hannah’s essay? ______________________________________

Chapter 7
1 What was everyone in school angry about? ___________________________________________
2 Why were there a group of parents in the principal’s office?
_______________________________________________________________________________
3 What announcement did Mrs Hansen made that morning?
_______________________________________________________________________________
4 Who would Mrs Hansen choose to be Lady Liberty? ___________________________________
5 What was the reason Hannah rejected the role of Lady Liberty?
_______________________________________________________________________________
6 Why did Richard reject the role of the Doughboy?
_______________________________________________________________________________
7 Who advised Mrs. Hansen from cancelling the whole pageant? ___________________________
8 How does Richard feel by making Hannah feel a lot better? ______________________________
9 Who would be the new Lady Liberty and the Doughboy? _______________________________
10 Was Richard troubled by the insults when he turned down the role? ______________________
11 Who invited Richard home for dinner? _____________________________________________
12 How did Gus react when Richard told him about Hannah’s invitation?
_______________________________________________________________________________
13 Why are the kids in school saying that Richard is unpatriotic?
_______________________________________________________________________________
14 Who welcomed Richard at the front door of Hannah’s house? ___________________________
15 Describe Johann Schermer? -_____________________________________________________
16 Whom does Hannah look like? ___________________________________________________
17 Describe the things on the tables and walls? _________________________________________
18 What were in the framed pictures? ________________________________________________
19 Why was Richard surprised by Mr Schermer’s book collection? _________________________
20 What was for dinner at Hannah’s house? ____________________________________________
21 Why were the servings of the meat small? __________________________________________
22 Where did Mr Schermer study? ___________________________________________________
23 Which great cities have the Schermers been? ________________________________________
24 What did Richard learn about Hannah’s family?
_______________________________________________________________________________
25 How did Mr Schermer entertain Richard after the dinner?
_______________________________________________________________________________
26 How long could the disk play? ____________________________________________________
27 How did Richard feel at Hannah’s home? ___________________________________________
28 Who was sitting outside the house when Richard reached home? ________________________

Chapter 8
1 What did his father ask him when he came home? _____________________________________
2 Who came to tell his father that he was quitting in the show? _____________________________
3 What did Richard’s father mean when he said ‘the Schermers’ are not their own?
_______________________________________________________________________________
4 Who came to help Richard’s father when he broke his legs 3 years ago? ____________________
5 What was Richard’s reaction when his father talks to him about the Schermers and the rest of the
locals? _________________________________________________________________________
6 How was Richard’s relationship with Hannah as time goes by? ___________________________
7 What does Richard think of Hannah’s house? _________________________________________
8 Who understand Richard’s dreams and longings? ______________________________________
9 Who is Joyce Kilmer’s wife? ______________________________________________________
10 Give evidence that the war in France is very cold.
_______________________________________________________________________________
11 Give evidence that the war is intense?
_______________________________________________________________________________
12 How are Joyce Kilmer’s feelings regarding the war?
_______________________________________________________________________________
13 How did the Schermers help to lift Joyce Kilmer’s spirits?
_______________________________________________________________________________
14 Why does Joyce Kilmer love the French? ___________________________________________
15 What did Joyce Kilmer and his soldiers do in return? __________________________________
16 What was the name of the enormous gun used by the Germans to bombard Paris?
_______________________________________________________________________________
17 Who was forced to retreat in the Battle of Lys in April? ________________________________
18 What was President Wilson’s peace plan? ___________________________________________
19 What is the role of the League of Nations? __________________________________________
20 What are trenches? _____________________________________________________________
21 How does Joyce Kilmer feel about the trenches? _____________________________________
22 Why was France destroyed? _____________________________________________________
23 How do you know that it is spring in France? ________________________________________
24 What are ‘gutter babies’? ________________________________________________________
25 What was Joyce Kilmer’s post in the army? _________________________________________
26 Where were the Germans stopped in the war? ________________________________________
27 What was the turning point for the Allies? __________________________________________
28 Who was Richard’s date? _______________________________________________________
29 What event was held on the last day of school? ______________________________________
30 Where was the picnic held? ______________________________________________________
31 Why was it not difficult for Richard to be alone with Hannah?
_______________________________________________________________________________
32 Where did Richard spread the blanket? _____________________________________________
33 What was in Hannah’s picnic basket? ______________________________________________
34 What did Richard want Hannah to tell him about New York?
_______________________________________________________________________________
35 What did Hannah tell Richard about the elevator? ____________________________________
36 What can you find in Chinatown? _________________________________________________
37 What can the gypsy phrenologists do? ______________________________________________
38 What type of people can be found in New York? _____________________________________
39 Why do you think Hannah said that Richard will like the East side?
_______________________________________________________________________________
40 Why did Richard look sad? ______________________________________________________
42 Where did Richard take Hannah to? _______________________________________________
43Why did Richard bring Hannah to the ‘carving tree’?
______________________________________________________________________________
44 From whom and when did Richard get his pocket knife? ______________________________
45 Draw a heart with the letters R & H inside it.

46 Why was Hannah clutching her ankle? _____________________________________________

47 What was the reason for her bleeding? _____________________________________________
48 What was on the stone? _________________________________________________________
49 What is a slingshot? ____________________________________________________________
50 Draw it.

Chapter 9
1 Why did Gus show up while Richard and his father were cleaning the barn?
_______________________________________________________________________________
2 What news did Gus bring? ________________________________________________________
3 Who came to enlist him? _________________________________________________________
4 Who is Uncle Sam? _____________________________________________________________
5 Why was Pa unhappy? ___________________________________________________________
6 What were Gus’s reasons for volunteering? __________________________________________
7 What is the meaning of immortal? __________________________________________________
8 Give another word for livid? ______________________________________________________
9 Why did Richard chase after Gus? __________________________________________________
10 Could Gus be appeased and calm after Richard’s consolation? __________________________
11 Why was Richard’s father disappointed with him and his brother?
_______________________________________________________________________________
12 Where did Gus go the next morning? ______________________________________________
13 How was his father at the time of Gus‘s leaving?
_______________________________________________________________________________
14 Why was Richard sad and fearful? ________________________________________________
15 How do you know it was a good summer for the crops?
_______________________________________________________________________________
16 Why was Richard not happy working with his father?
_______________________________________________________________________________
17 What did Richard confide in Angie? _______________________________________________
18 How did Richard seek relief? ____________________________________________________
19 What was Joyce Kilmer’s comment on Richard’s poem?
_______________________________________________________________________________
20 Why did Joyce Kilmer say he is blessed with the beauties of nature?
_______________________________________________________________________________
21 What was Joyce Kilmer’s best and last poem? _______________________________________
22 Who are the living poets whom Joyce Kilmer admires?
_______________________________________________________________________________
23 Who was the other poet who had fought and died there? _______________________________
24 What was Joyce Kilmer’s advice to Richard? ________________________________________
25 What did Richard write to Joyce Kilmer about this time? _______________________________
26 Why was Richard feeling uneasy about sending the letter?
_______________________________________________________________________________
27 Where did Richard stop on his way to the hospital? ___________________________________
28 Why was Hannah in tears when she opened the door for Richard?
_______________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 10
1 What was Richard’s reaction to Joyce Kilmer’s death?
_______________________________________________________________________________
2 What was the headline in the newspaper regarding Joyce Kilmer’s death?
_______________________________________________________________________________
3 What was Joyce Kilmer’s famous poem? ____________________________________________
4 Describe Joyce Kilmer physically. _________________________________________________
5 When did he die? _______________________________________________________________
6 What was Joyce Kilmer’s work? ___________________________________________________
7 Where were the German snipers hiding? _____________________________________________
8 How was Joyce Kilmer killed? ____________________________________________________
9 How did he die? ________________________________________________________________
10 Why could his body not be buried under the tree by his comrades?
_______________________________________________________________________________
11 Where was Joyce Kilmer buried finally? ____________________________________________
12 Where did Richard go after Hannah’s house? ________________________________________
13 When was the last time he cried? __________________________________________________
14 After learning about Joyce Kilmer’s death, what poem did he write?
_______________________________________________________________________________
15 Whom did Richard share his poem with? Why? ______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
16 What did Mrs Schermer suggest?
_______________________________________________________________________________
17 What is the name of the local newspaper? ___________________________________________
18 Who accompany Richard to the newspaper office? ____________________________________
19 Who was at the newspaper office? _________________________________________________
20 Who was the owner? ___________________________________________________________
21 What did Richard see in the newspaper? ____________________________________________
22 What else regarding Joyce Kilmer was there?
_______________________________________________________________________________
23 Why was Richard afraid that his father will see his poem?
_______________________________________________________________________________
24 What did Richard’s father talk to him about?
_______________________________________________________________________________
25 Where did his Uncle Roland fight? ________________________________________________
26 When and which battle was Uncle Roland killed? ____________________________________
27 When did the war end? __________________________________________________________
28 Who won the war eventually? ____________________________________________________
29 Why did Richard’s father able to laugh? ____________________________________________
30 What was Richard’s poem mainly about? ___________________________________________
31 How was his father able to help him? ______________________________________________