To request this kit, click link above.
Alamance County Public Libraries provide free and open access to lifelong learning, resources for everyday living, and reading for pleasure in a welcoming environment. Our collections, services and programs enhance the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. Contact the Library webmaster.
Alamance County Public Libraries operates as a Department of Alamance County Government. Visit the Alamance County Website at www.alamance-nc.com.
Charlie had his chocolate factory. Stanley Yelnats had his holes. Leo has the wacky, amazing Whippet Hotel.
The Whippet Hotel is a strange place full of strange and mysterious people. Each floor has its own quirks and secrets. Leo should know most of them - he is the maintenance man's son, after all. But a whole lot more mystery gets thrown his way when a series of cryptic boxes are left for him . . . boxes that lead him to hidden floors, strange puzzles, and unexpected alliances. Leo had better be quick on his feet, because the fate of the building he loves is at stake . . . and so is Leo's own future!
Summary from Goodreads.com
1. In the beginning of the story, we learn that Merganzer D. Whippet’s father’s dying words to him were
“You will prosper in the field of wacky inventions.” How do these words shape Merganzer’s life as a young man? As he grows older, he discovers they have an entirely different meaning. Explain the true meaning of his father’s dying words.
2. Compare Merganzer D. Whippet to his father. How are they alike? In which ways are they different?
3. Describe the ways in which Leo Fillmore and Merganzer D. Whippet are alike. How might these similarities affect their relationship?
4. Why do you think Merganzer D. Whippet has made it so difficult, and at times so dangerous, for Leo to find the hidden floors and rooms in the Whippet Hotel? Why did he choose to write such baffling clues for Leo to decipher? How were the secret boxes helpful to both Leo and Merganzer?
5. How does the scene inside each mystery box relate to Merganzer D. Whippet’s childhood experiences? How does the discovery of each hidden room change the life experiences of Leo and his father?
6. As the story progresses, Leo gets the sense that his father, Clarence, is changing; he is becoming less sad. Do Leo’s actions bring about any of these changes? If so, which ones?
7. Clarence and Pilar seem to be heading toward a somewhat romantic friendship. What, if any, impact do you think this may have on Remi and Leo’s friendship?
8. The Whippet Hotel is filled with unusual guests. Which guest would you most like to meet? Captain Rickenbacker, Mr. Yancy, Jane Yancy, Ms. Pompadore, or Theodore Bump? Why?
9. If you could live in any room in the Whippet Hotel, which room would you choose?
10 . Do you believe Ms. Sparks should have been fired? Why or why not?
11. Leo and Remi develop a wonderful friendship in Floors. What qualities do you think Remi possesses that make him a true friend to Leo? What qualities do you think are important for a true friend to have?
12. Why do you think Merganzer D. Whippet chooses to leave the Whippet Hotel to Leo Fillmore? Would you have made the same choice? Why or why not?
