Hush

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

Chapters 1-5

Reading Check

1. Which family member do the Greens leave behind in Denver?

2. Who rings the Greens’ doorbell on the morning of their departure from Denver?

3. Who spreads rumors about Jonathan being a liar at school?

Short Answer

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

1. Why can Evie not tell the reader the truth about her family?

2. Why does Evie believe her father receiving the Medal of Bravery to have been the beginning of the end for their family?

Paired Resource

“Derek Chauvin Trial: ‘Blue Wall of Silence’ Collapses”

• A 6-minute video by NowThis News explaining what the “Blue Wall of Silence” is, and how and why it collapsed during Derek Chauvin’s trial, in the George Floyd murder case.

(Content Warning: police misconduct; racial violence)

• Do you know what the “Blue Wall of Silence” is? What do you anticipate happening to Jonathan and his family, with his decision to testify?

Chapters 6-10

Reading Check

1. What does Toswiah find her father looking at on the night their house is shot at?

2. For how long do the Greens stay in a safe house?

3. What new name does Cameron pick for herself?

Short Answer

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

1. What is Cameron’s reaction to the news that the family must relocate?

2. Why do the federal agents refuse to disclose the family’s new destination?

Paired Resource

“Children of Witness Protection Struggle to Reclaim Identities”

• A 9-minute video by ABC News that captures the experience of a woman who entered the Witness Protection Program when she was 7 years old, and the impact it had on her.
• Connects to the themes of Navigating Identity and Community and Coping
• Based on this video, what struggles do you anticipate for Toswiah and Cameron in their new lives?

Chapters 11-16

Reading Check

1. What gym class elective does Evie opt for in her new school?

2. What happens to Officers Randall and Dennis because of Jonathan’s testimony?

3. What does Evie ask her parents to buy for her?

Short Answer

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

1. How is the Toswiah in Evie’s class different from her?

2. Why are there no candles on the coconut cake for Evie’s birthday?

Paired Resource

“The Mental Health Benefits of Religion and Spirituality”

• An article on the National Alliance on Mental Illness website that describes some of the mental health benefits of religion.
• Teacher-appropriate (not student-facing)

Chapters 17-23

Reading Check

1. What is Evie’s coach’s name, and who else does he teach?

2. What nicknames does Mira give Evie?

3. What college does Anna get accepted by?

Short Answer

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

1. How are Grandma’s letters helpful to the family?

2. Why does Anna think Shirley will let her go to college?

Paired Resource

“Why Friendships Are So Important for Health and Well-Being”

• An Everyday Health article that lists some of the ways in which healthy friendships can be beneficial to a person’s physical and emotional health.
• Based on this article, why do you think Evie begins to feel more comfortable with her new name? On the other hand, why do you think Jonathan finds it difficult to cope with his new life?

Chapters 24-28

Reading Check

1. What does Evie’s coach give to her at the outdoor track?

2. What does Carlos place on Evie’s table in the middle of class?

3. How does Shirley respond to Anna’s acceptance into college?

Short Answer

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

1. Why does Evie finally rise for the Pledge of Allegiance at school?

2. What does Evie see waiting for her at the end of her first lap around the outdoor track?

Recommended Next Reads

Brown Girl Dreaming (2014) by Jacqueline Woodson

• A memoir in verse by the same author of the main text, describing her experience growing up as an African American girl in a country still dealing with the aftermath of the Jim Crow era
• Shared topics include racism and navigating identity.
• Brown Girl Dreaming on SuperSummary

Ghost Boys (2018) by Jewell Parker Rhodes

• A middle grade novel about a 12-year-old Black boy who is accidentally shot and killed by the local police
• Shared topics include racism and police brutality.
• Ghost Boys on SuperSummary