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Reading level

Small Whale · Reading worksheet

The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-mystery-of-the-burnt-cottage

Step 2 · Questions

1. What is the series inauguration?
2. What is the initial publication date?
3. What is *The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage* about?
4. When was the book first published?

Step 3 · Words to know

Write what each word means, using the article.

Narrative Structure
Literary Conventions
Thematic Exploration

Step 4 · Two facts in your own words

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

1.

2.

Answer key (teacher copy)

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the series inauguration?The foundational novel for the 'Five Find-Outers' series
2. What is the initial publication date?First released to the public in 1943
3. What is *The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage* about?It is a story about five children and their dog Buster who investigate a mystery surrounding a burnt cottage.
4. When was the book first published?The book was first published in 1943.

Narrative Structure: The way a story is organized and presented to the reader.
Literary Conventions: Established techniques and patterns commonly used in a particular type of writing.
Thematic Exploration: The examination and development of the underlying ideas or messages within a story.