Jolly Time Books
Searching for Kelly
Study Guide
Written and illustrated by
Karen S. McGowan
Dennis E. McGowan
Text and illustrations copyright
2014, 2017
by Karen S. McGowan
and Dennis E. McGowan
Contents
Let’s Get Started
Discussion Questions
Special Preview
Other Books You Will Like
About the Authors
Let’s Get Started
Note to Readers
You are encouraged to order a copy of the book before using this study guide. Most readers use this guide by first reading a chapter from the book, and then reviewing the corresponding section from this guide. Others prefer to read the entire book, and then review using the questions found in this guide. The questions will facilitate meaningful conversations with readers both in and out of the classroom. Members of the Jolly family encounter some of the same problems that we all experience.
We hope you find these books enjoyable and beneficial for your young readers. Thank you for sharing the adventures of the Jolly family.
Adults may enjoy reading Mr. Jolly’s favorite book, “The Living D.I.E.T.: Conquer stress in your life now.”
Jolly Time Books are available at your favorite bookstore.
Overview
The Jolly family is just like yours, hanging on for the ride!
In “Jolly Time Books: Searching for Kelly” (book 1), the Jolly family “reinvents” itself by moving near Washington, D.C.
The move triggers many questions. Will Lizzy and Ben fit in at their new school? How will Lizzy deal with classmates who are bullies? How long will it take them to find new classmates who will be their friends? Will their world ever return to normal after they welcome Kelly, a cute dachshund, into their family?
The issues that confront the family continue in “Jolly Time Books: Chasing Kelly’s Shadow” (book 2). Due to jobs, school, and other things, the stress levels in the Jolly family increase to new heights. Will Ben survive a week in the wilderness? About the time some things get settled, the holidays bring added stress to the family. Will Kelly survive the holidays?
In “Jolly Time Books: Kelly Saves the Day” (book 3), a larger tragedy looms as the Jolly family and others mysteriously vanish. In a fateful attempt to rescue his family and friends, Mr. Jolly gets lost in an unforgiving wilderness. Will anyone try to rescue him? Will he ever be found alive?
Although it is a chaotic and bumpy road, Lizzy and Ben Jolly have many exciting adventures. They meet new friends and interesting neighbors.
Find out how they deal with these changes. These books add up to fun with something for everyone.
Join Lizzy and Ben for a Jolly Time!
A Glance at the Jolly Family
As her name implies, Lizzy Jolly is a happy person, young and vibrant, and very enthusiastic about almost everything. The same things that interest any girl her age excite Lizzy.
Lizzy is a good student and loves playing the piano and flute. However, life has its ups and downs. Lizzy encounters many of the same issues that confront all kids, including bullies, peer pressure, personal appearance, and making the right choices about eating healthy. Through perseverance, Lizzy develops more confidence in her abilities and has many successes, like starting her own band, giving piano lessons, and running for school student council. One of her desires in life is to get her very own pet dog.
Ben Jolly is Lizzy’s younger brother. He wants to be some kind of scientist when he grows up. He is good in math at school; and some kids even call him a “nerd.” One of his goals in life is to see that he and Lizzy get a pet dog. Now and then, he is a pain to Lizzy but most of the time he is a “good egg.”
Kathy Jolly, the mother of this clan, only wants the best possible life for her family. She is a good role model for the kids. She understands the importance of education in everyday life, and returns to college to obtain her degree. Her communication skills are often needed to negotiate sensitive family issues.
The patriarch in this family is Mike Jolly. Often caught between baubles and bumbles, Mike keeps searching for that “perfect” job so that he can provide a better life for his family.
As the Jolly family travels across the country to “reinvent” themselves, they encounter many challenging situations and interesting characters. Be sure and read all the Jolly Time Books in this trilogy.
Discussion Topics
Topics covered in Jolly Time Books include:
Bullies
Childhood obesity
Eating healthy
Self esteem
Empathy
Making friends
Strengthening family relationships
School success
Caring for pets
Chapter 1 Discussion Questions
Lizzy goes to Carly’s house for ice cream.
1. Have you experienced an embarrassing event?
2. Did anyone see it happen? Were there witnesses?
3. Did someone take pictures or threaten to tell others about it?
4. Why was Lizzy so upset after she went to Carly’s house?
5. Was there something unusual about the black cat? Was it bad luck? (Personification)
6. Why didn’t Lizzy want to go to school the next day?
7. Have you ever thought that your friend’s family seemed neater, cooler, and happier; or had a nicer house, more money, nicer possessions or nicer clothes?
8. What did Lizzy notice or like about Carly Wright’s family?
9. What did Lizzy decide to do to help herself slim down?
10. What is your favorite snack? Do you sometimes eat too much of it? What can you do to avoid eating that much?
11. What did Lizzy’s dad tell her that made her feel better about the event at Carly’s house?
12. What does awfulize mean? Do you awfulize sometimes? Do you think it is helpful to awfulize?
13. What did Lizzy notice when she woke up in the middle of the night?
14. Why did she write in her diary?
Chapter 2 Discussion Questions
Lizzy tangles with a bully.
1. What did Lizzy’s mom tell her the next morning?
2. What was Lizzy’s experience at school that day?
3. Was it necessary for her to awfulize?
4. Lizzy told Mrs. Goodhart the truth. Was that the right thing to do?
5. What did Mrs. Goodhart tell Brody about the way to treat others?
6. Why did Mrs. Goodhart offer to set up a meeting between Brody and Mr. Artie?
7. What is the meaning of Mrs. Goodhart’s other favorite word, funderful?
8. When Lizzy and Maria were in the mulberry tree, what did they see Brody doing?
9. How did Brody’s actions reveal his mood?
10. How do the girls spend their time in the mulberry tree?
11. Why is it important to Maria that she is home by 4:30?
12. What did you like about this chapter? Did it remind you of time spent with a friend?
Chapter 3 Discussion Questions
Lizzy’s neighbor hugs the bully.
1. What does Lizzy want to do when she gets home?
2. Does Mr. Jolly remind you of your dad sometimes?
3. Mr. Jolly sets the grilled burgers in the center of the table. What happens next?
4. What does Mr. Jolly suggest they do?
5. What do Lizzy and Ben decide to eat?
6. What else do the three of them talk about at dinner?
7. What doe
s Lizzy see in the back yard?
8. Why do you think Mr. Jolly forgot to get the hotdogs off the grill?
9. What do Lizzy and Mrs. Burlap talk about?
10. Do you sometimes ask for advice from others?
11. How do Lizzy’s thoughts about Brody change after she talks with Mrs. Burlap?
12. What does Lizzy think about as she walks home?
13. What changes are coming for the Jolly family?
14. What do you think Lizzy is thinking about on the last day of school?
15. What does Mrs. Goodhart give to Lizzy?
16. How can Lizzy use the journal?
17. What does Mrs. Goodhart say that helps Lizzy feel better about moving to a new school?
18. Lizzy could have ignored the fact that Brody was spying on them from the mulberry tree. Why do you think Lizzy decided to talk to Brody?
19. Does Brody talk to Lizzy in a friendly manner?
20. Does Brody talk like anyone you know?
21. Write Shakespeare’s quote on the board. Talk about its meaning. Could it have a broader meaning? Why did Lizzy tell Brody about the quote from Shakespeare’s writing?
22. What does Lizzy think Mrs. Burlap and Brody should do to feel better?
Chapter 4 Discussion Questions
Lizzy and Ben move to a new city, meet new neighbors, and try to have a fun summer.
1. What does Miss Keys offer to do?
2. What does Lizzy’s mom say paying it forward means?
3. Miss Keys suggests that Black Magic, the cat, moved with them to Virginia. How does that make Lizzy feel?
4. Why does Miss Keys buy large print music books?
5. Do you have a friend or know someone who has an illness or disability? How does it change the way they live?
6. How does Lizzy like playing the piano?
7. How does Miss Keys use a metronome?
8. What did Maria say in her email to Lizzy?
9. What did Lizzy do after she read Maria’s email?
10. Why doesn’t Lizzy take more than two cookies when Mrs. Oldham offers them?
11. What did Mr. Oldham say that made an impression on Ben and Lizzy?
12. Can you learn from the people you know? How have people influenced you? What kind of books do you like to read?
13. Lizzy doesn’t think she is superstitious. What does she mean?
14. Do you think you could make a lucky charm bracelet like Lizzy’s just by reading how she made hers? What steps did she take?
15. How did Lizzy and Ben spend their first summer in Virginia?
16. What activities kept them busy? What activities do you like to do?
17. How did Mrs. Jolly know what activities were offered at the nearest recreation center?
18. Another activity you might enjoy would be an online virtual tour of the White House. It would also be exciting to go online and explore the different exhibits that are at the Smithsonian Museums.
Chapter 5 Discussion Questions
Lizzy and Ben talk about a special wish.
1. In addition to the recreational activities and visiting Washington, D.C., what else kept Lizzy busy that summer?
2. Lizzy was especially proud of one accomplishment that summer. What did she stay away from?
3. Why does Mrs. Jolly decide to finish her college degree first and then look for a job?
4. What does Miss Keys talk to Mrs. Jolly about?
5. What did Lizzy and Ben see at Mrs. Fairchild’s house?
6. What special talent does Queenie have?
7. Officer Hightower told Ben and Lizzy how he met Chief. Can you tell what happened?
8. Can you describe Chief’s unique trick?
9. May has 31 days. If May 1st is a Tuesday and May 31st is a Thursday, how many times that month do Ben and Lizzy walk Cavalier? How much money would they make?
10. How many months of walking Cavalier does it take Ben and Lizzy to make $50.00?
11. How much would Ben and Lizzy each make if they split the $50.00 in half?
12. How much money will they make if they walk Cavalier twice a week for one year?
13. What do you think they should do with the money they earn?
14. When you have extra money, what do you do with it?
15. What do Ben and Lizzy talk about every day?
16. Why is Mr. Jolly against getting a dog?
17. What actions did Ben and Lizzy take in order to get a dog?
18. What do you do when you want something? How do you convince your parents that it’s a good idea?
Chapter 6 Discussion Questions
Lizzy hopes she has a funderful school year.
1. What did Lizzy like about Miss Shakeabelly? What do you think Miss Shakeabelly meant by telling the story about the ducks on the lake?
2. What did students need to do to be successful in her class?
3. Lizzy predicted she was going to have a funderful year at her new school. Why do you think Lizzy enjoyed that first day in Miss Shakeabelly’s class?
4. Lizzy asked her parents two questions at the dinner table. What did she ask?
5. What did Mr. Jolly tell Lizzy about playing the flute? Do you play a musical instrument or would you like to play one?
6. What is going to happen on Saturday?
Chapter 7 Discussion Questions
A special wish for Lizzy and Ben comes true!
1. Do you remember a time when you wanted something special to happen and you weren’t sure if it would happen?
2. How did that make you feel?
3. Have you been to a pet shelter before?
4. Why didn’t Ben want to hold the puppy?
5. Would you have wanted to keep the puppy after it had made a big wet spot on your favorite jacket?
6. Why did Mr. Jolly think getting Kelly was a bad idea?
7. What surprised Lizzy and Kelly when they went into the back yard?
8. Why did Mr. Jolly get angry with Kelly?
9. What did you like about this book? Do you have a favorite part?
Thank you for reading this book.
If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave a review.
Thank you.
You will find messages in each book—
messages that some of you will hold near.
Some of them will make you think,
and some of them will make you say, “Oh, dear!”
Even if life has not unfolded
by the book—as you think it should,
there is still one thing certain—
life is good. Yes, life is good!
Turn the page for a preview of another exciting story from Jolly Time Books!
Special Preview
Here is a Special Preview of
Jolly Time Books: Searching for Kelly
Chapter 1
Hi! My name is Elizabeth Jolly, but you can call me Lizzy.
Have you ever done something bad? Not that bad.
But something that was really awful? I mean, not that awful.
But something that made you feel sick? I did. It was gross!
It was so embarrassing! Really!
It was totally awful!
I think you will agree that it was one of the worst days of my young life.
It was so terrible I don’t know how I ever lived through it!
My friend, Carly Wright, lived across the street. She invited me over to her house late one afternoon to show me her brand new piano. She had been taking lessons. She sat down on the bench and explained which note was which. There were black keys and white keys. She repeated it again. “These are the black keys and these are the white keys.”
I got it the first time. “Okay, Carly, I get it!”
Carly even played a song called “The Clumsy Clown” for me. I wondered if she knew about the Jolly family klutz curse. I wondered who had told her.
“That was great, Carly,” I said, looking over her shoulder at the sheet music. “I can
’t believe you can play a tune already.”
“Yep, I have only had it for a month and I know how to read the music,” said Carly, with an air of confidence. “Here, listen to this.” Her fingers performed a kind of musical walk up the keyboard. “That is called playing a scale.”
“Your piano is really pretty.” I touched the piano bench with my fingers.
“Don’t touch it, Lizzy! It is an expensive walnut wood piano bench! Mom says she doesn’t want any fingerprints on it!”
“Okay.”
“Hey, can you guess where middle C is?”
I touched a white key that I thought looked like it could be a middle C.
“Don’t touch the keys, Lizzy! Didn’t you hear me? Just point to one! Mom said dirty hands can turn the white keys brown.”
I looked down at my hands. I didn’t see any dirt, but maybe Mrs. Wright noticed it when I first came in.
Carly’s house was really clean. No sticky fingerprints on the refrigerator door!
Carly even kept her room picked up. Nothing was out of place. No dust anywhere. Her bed was always made. I wondered if she slept on it that way.
“Girls, the ice cream is ready. Come and get it!” called Mrs. Wright.
Carly put the sheet music for “The Clumsy Clown” into her piano bench and we bolted to the kitchen.
Carly’s Aunt Sally and Uncle Dave were there, too. They lived just outside town on a small farm. They had dairy cows so they brought the milk and cream for real homemade ice cream.
Mr. Wright was cranking the ice cream freezer by hand. He picked up the freezer and set it on the kitchen counter.
“Is it ready?” asked Uncle Dave, gazing down at the floor.
“Yup! Hey, you really did a first rate job on this new floor,” said Mr. Wright.
“You’re right! You can say that again! My Dave does the best tile work in town!” said Aunt Sally. She filled each bowl with more cake. “This floor reminds me of a giant black and white checkerboard.”
“Yes, it looks just like the one I saw in a magazine, all shiny and new,” said Carly’s mom. She spooned more ice cream into each bowl. “You did a wonderful job laying this tile, Dave. I am so glad to get rid of that old, dingy kitchen floor.” She danced across the shiny floor and put each bowl of ice cream and cake on the table. “Girls, sit in these two chairs.”