The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: book club questions by chapter

🦉 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow · meeting 1 of 3

Read: Part One, “The Drowsy Valley” (pages 1–4, about 4 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 4, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Who is the Headless Horseman said to be searching for?
   The story's answer: His missing head
2. Who have we met so far, and what does each of them want?
   Listen for: Make a list together on the board; keep it for next time and add to it.
3. The part we just read is called "The Drowsy Valley". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow · meeting 2 of 3

Read: Part Two, “Katrina and Brom”; Part Three, “The Party” (pages 5–10, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 10, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did Ichabod admire the Van Tassels' farm so much?
   The story's answer: He imagined all its food and money becoming his
2. Why did Ichabod race for the church bridge?
   The story's answer: He believed the ghost vanished at the bridge
3. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
4. The part we just read is called "The Party". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow · meeting 3 of 3

Read: Part Four, “The Ride” (pages 11–15, about 5 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 15, the end of the story.

1. Why did Brom Bones laugh whenever someone mentioned the pumpkin?
   The story's answer: He was probably the Headless Horseman himself
2. What does the story show about believing every scary tale?
   The story's answer: It can make you easy to trick
3. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
4. The part we just read is called "The Ride". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Now that you know the ending, was it the ending you expected?
   Listen for: Ask what in the earlier parts pointed to it, or pointed the other way.

About the whole story

1. Which character changed the most from the beginning to the end?
   Listen for: Ask what changed them.
2. Which scene would you put on the poster if this were a film?
   Listen for: A way to find the scene that mattered most to each reader.
3. Is there a line or a moment you will remember? Why that one?
   Listen for: Let readers find it in the book and read it aloud.
4. Who would you give this story to, and why them?
   Listen for: A reader who can name the right person has understood what the story is like.
5. If you could ask the person who first told this story one question, what would it be?
   Listen for: Collect the questions; some have answers on the story's page in the library.