Reading Comprehension Chapter 1: August 1944 - Describe the scene in the shelter during the air raid.
- How far away did the van der Meer family live from the military air base?
- Which Allied planes flew over Friesland?
- Why was Johannes angry with his father?
- Why did Johannes his father support the Nazis?
- How did Douwe and Maaike protect themselves from a bomb attack?
Chapter 2: Sietske - What did Sietske wear and what were her clothes made of?
- Where did Johannes want to meet Sietske that night and why?
- How did Johannes' father's membership affect Johannes and Anneke?
- Why did the Blacksmith say Johannes' father should start worrying?
- Why do you think Minne's mother was unfriendly to Johannes?
- Why did Johannes not go straight to bed?
Chapter 3: Under the Bridge - Why was it risky for Johannes to go out after curfew?
- What did Sietske tell him about her family's involvement with the resistance?
- Why do you think Sietske's parents had forbidden her to see Johannes?
- What happened after Sietske had twisted her ankle?
- How did Sietske's father react after he found them under the bridge?
Chapter 4: Minne - What did Minne tell Johannes about his father?
- Who was Minne going to kill if his father dies?
- How did Johannes react and why was his reaction so strong?
- Why would Johannes never be able to join the resistance?
- What did Johannes say to his father after he came home late from his visit with Minne?
Chapter 5: Visitors - Why did Johannes' family only have to give up one cow for the German armies?
- Who was the strange woman who hid with a baby carriage in the shed?
- Why had Sietske taken the baby to Johannes' farm?
- How did his mother react when a black car turned into their drive way?
- What did Johannes do while he waited for the occupants of the black car to come inside?
Chapter 6: Safe? - What did Johannes remember while he was feeding the cows?
- What would Johannes liked to have said after his father confronted him?
- How did Johannes' mother help Sietske and the baby?
- Where did Sietske and Johannes hide when a car approached?
- Was it safe at Sietske's farm? Who did the Nazis take with them?
Chapter 7: The Confrontation - Who were all in the kitchen at Sietske's farm?
- Which feelings did Johannes have when he saw Minne?
- Why did Bauke want to speak to Johannes alone?
- What did Johannes find out about his father's role, while Sietske's father was in custody?
- How and why did Johannes' father confront him when he came home that night?
Chapter 8: Butter for Aunt Siet - Describe Sietske's new winter coat.
- What was the real reason to visit Aunt Siet and to bring her butter?
- Describe what happens when they were stopped by two German soldiers.
- What was the code Sietske used after the woman opened the door?
- What was Sietske's reaction when the German soldier thanked her for the butter?
Chapter 9: The Plan - Why did Johannes have to help his grandparents?
- Describe Grandfather de Boer's character
- Why did Grandfather question Johannes about Sietske?
- Why was there a secret meeting at Sietske's farm?
- How does Willem react to Johannes' participation in the resistance?
Chapter 10 : The Raid - Why was Johannes upset when Sietske told him about the Jewish family?
- Why did they raid the municipality office?
- What was Johannes his job during the raid?
- Why and how did Willem 'test' Johannes?
- Why was Johannes not able to go to his warm bed after the operation?
Chapter 11: Bicycle Thieves - What information did Johannes get from Douwe about the progress of the Allied troops?
- How did Johannes' father defend himself, when Grandfather grilled him about his membership in the party?
- Why were the German soldiers going door to door in the town. What did they collect and why?
- What did Johannes discover while he and Anneke visited Mrs. de Jong?
- What happened to Johannes and Anneke on the way home?
Chapter 12: The English Pilot - What did Johannes see one night when he was on his way to Sietske's farm?
- How did Sietske's family rescue the pilot?
- What did the family expect after the pilot was brought to a safe shelter?
- How did everyone react during the search party?
- How did Johannes feel after the Germans had left?
Chapter 13: Captured - Why was Sietske upset when she asked Johannes to come for a walk?
- Did Johannes realize how deeply Sietske was involved with the resistance?
- What did Sietske ask from him?
- Why was it important that Sietske got the bread?
- How did people show their support for the royal family if they weren't allowed to hang out flags?
- What did his father know about Sietske's family members who had been arrested?
Chapter 14: A Time to Choose - Did his father know what Johannes was up to?
- Did his father know what would happen to collaborators after the war?
- Would his father be able to help Johannes if he got arrested?
- What threat did Willem make and why?
- Where would they meet the next day? Why was the bakery important?
Chapter 15: A Dangerous Assignment - Who were in the stable and what did they expect from Johannes?
- What did Piet's mother discover about Herr Obermann?
- Did Johannes have experience with guns?
- Which prisoner was Johannes responsible for?
- What was their signal to start the operation?
Chapter 16: Inside the House of Detention - What did they wear over their shoes and why?
- Describe how they got inside the House of Detention
- What did they do with the guards?
- Describe Minne's condition when Johannes found him in his cell.
- What happened when the bell rang?
- Where did they hide the freed prisoners?
- Who overpowered Johanson and the German officer?
Chapter 17: A Long Night - How did Johannes assist Minne as they left the House of Detention?
- Where did he take Minne?
- Where were Minne and Johannes when the soldiers searched the houseboat?
- Describe how Johannes left the house boat and spent the night.
- When Johannes reached the bakery whom did he expect to find?
Chapter 18: Evacuees - How did Grandfather react to the news of the raid on the House of Detention?
- What did Johannes observe in his father's face?
- What are evacuees and where did they come from?
- How did Johannes' mother organize the house to accommodate the new family?
- How did the new family adapt to Johannes' home?
- Describe what happened near the end of the war.
Chapter 19: Liberation - How did Johannes find out about the Canadian liberators?
- What did the soldiers want when they came knocking at the van der Meer's door?
- Why did Johannes have mixed feelings now that the war was over?
- Who were the men that came into the stable during milking time and what did they want?
Chapter 20: The Ordeal - What did Douwe think was going to happen to Duck van der Meer?
- How did Johannes' mother react when he told her about his father's arrest?
- Where did Johannes and his mother go after the evening meal?
- Describe the police officer's conduct when he dealt with Johannes and his mother
- What happened between Johannes and Minne at the cemetery?
Chapter 21: May 1945 - How did Johannes deal with the loss of his father?
- How did Johannes feel when his mother told him about Uncle Jan's trial and sentence?
- Who was going to help on the farm and why was Johannes relieved?
- What made Johannes finally release the tears he had kept inside for so long?
| 
