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What Happens in Part 1
Meet Judy Moody, a girl with a very big personality and a great many moods. One day at school, her classmate (and rival) Jessica Finch wins the third-grade spelling bee — and the very next morning, there is Jessica’s picture, smiling out from the front page of the newspaper for the whole town to see. Suddenly everyone is making a fuss over Jessica Finch. Judy is not happy about this. In fact, she turns positively green with jealousy. Why should Jessica Finch be famous and not her? Right then and there, Judy makes up her mind: she is going to get famous too — even more famous than Jessica Finch! She does not yet know how, but once Judy Moody sets her heart on something, watch out. The great quest for fame has begun.
What We Will Learn
Focus
What It Means
Characterization
Judy’s big personality and many moods
Inciting Incident
How jealousy sparks the quest for fame
Theme (Fame & Envy)
Wanting the spotlight someone else is in
Chapter Summary
Pages
Key Events
pp. 1–15
Jessica Finch wins the spelling bee and lands on the front page of the newspaper; green with jealousy, Judy Moody decides she is going to get famous too — even more famous than Jessica Finch
💭 Before You Read · Warm-Up (not scored)
There are no wrong answers here — just think, guess, and talk:
Judy feels jealous when Jessica gets all the attention. Why do we sometimes feel jealous of other people’s success?
Judy decides she wants to be famous. What do you think being ‘famous’ really means — and is it always a good thing to want?
Predict: once Judy sets her mind on getting famous, what wild schemes do you think she might try?
Copyright Notice
This is an independent study guide created by Garden Heights Academy to support reading comprehension and literary analysis. It contains original analysis questions and does not reproduce any text from the novel. Judy Moody Gets Famous! is a work by Megan McDonald. This guide is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by the author or any associated rights holder.
Part 1
Vocabulary
Study 10 key words from pages 1–15, then answer each question.
🧠Knowledge Bank · Words of Fame & Feelings
Media · Newspapers & HeadlinesA newspaper is full of true stories about real people and real events. A reporter hears about something worth telling, asks questions, takes a photo, and writes an article. Then an editor decides where each story belongs, and the biggest, most eye-catching one of the day earns the front page — the very first page, under a large headline. Long ago, seeing your name and face printed there meant the whole town noticed you, a real taste of being famous. That is why a classmate’s front-page picture stings Judy so much. She has just learned that the front page is a very public, very envied spot.
famousadj.p.2
Known and talked about by many people
“Judy wanted to be famous like the people in the news.”
jealousadj.p.4
Unhappy because you want what someone else has
“Judy felt jealous of all the attention Jessica got.”
envyn.p.5
A jealous longing for what another person has
“Green with envy, Judy scowled at the newspaper.”
moodn.p.1
The way you are feeling at a certain time
“Judy Moody was in a very bad mood.”
headlinen.p.3
The big title at the top of a news story
“The headline announced Jessica’s spelling win.”
reportern.p.3
A person who gathers and writes the news
“A reporter had written all about the spelling bee.”
spotlightn.p.6
Public attention; being noticed by everyone
“Judy longed to be in the spotlight herself.”
ordinaryadj.p.7
Normal; not special or unusual
“Judy did not want to feel ordinary.”
contestn.p.2
A competition people try to win
“The spelling bee was a contest of tricky words.”
grumpyadj.p.1
Bad-tempered and cross
“Judy felt grumpy about the whole thing.”
1Someone ‘famous’ is —Pages 1–15
2A ‘headline’ is —Pages 1–15
3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 1–15
Word choices:jealousenvyproudcalm- some words will not be used
Judy feels bitterly
Watching Jessica shine fills Judy with .
4A ‘reporter’ is —Pages 1–15
5To ‘admire’ someone is to look up to them.Pages 1–15
6The ‘spotlight’ is —Pages 1–15
7Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 1–15
Word choices:moodordinaryspecialfamous- some words will not be used
Judy is often in a grumpy
She hates feeling plain and .
8A ‘contest’ is —Pages 1–15
9‘Grumpy’ means —Pages 1–15
10To ‘boast’ is to stay humble and quiet.Pages 1–15
Part 2
Comprehension
How well do you understand pages 1–15?
🧠Knowledge Bank · Getting to Know a Big Character
Reading Skill · CharacterizationWhen we meet a new person in a book, we get to know them little by little. Watch what a character says, does, and thinks — these are clues to who they are. Judy Moody has big feelings and big ideas. We can tell she is bold, funny, and easily bothered, not because the author tells us, but because she shows us. Naming what a character is like is called finding their traits. As you read, collect the clues and build a picture in your mind. Good readers know a character by watching how she acts.
1What contest does Jessica Finch win?Pages 1–15
2What happens the next morning because of it?Pages 1–15
3How do people treat Jessica after her win?Pages 1–15
4Judy feels jealous of Jessica’s fame.Pages 1–15
5Write the numbers 1–5 in the boxes to show the correct order across Part 1. Number 1 = what happens first.Pages 1–15
The next morning, Jessica’s picture is in the newspaper.
Judy decides that she, too, will become famous.
Jessica Finch wins the school spelling bee.
People all over town treat Jessica like a star.
Judy grows jealous and grumpy.
6Judy decides she wants to be famous too.Pages 1–15
7What does Judy decide to do?Pages 1–15
8Does Judy know HOW she will get famous yet?Pages 1–15
9Judy is genuinely happy for Jessica.Pages 1–15
10What is Judy’s personality like?Pages 1–15
Part 3
Literary Elements
Understanding HOW and WHY Megan McDonald tells the story across pages 1–15.
🧠Knowledge Bank · McDonald’s Word-Craft: Judy’s Big Voice
Language · Voice & Exclamation SpotlightEvery writer has a voice, a special way of putting words together. Megan McDonald gives Judy a loud, bouncy one, full of invented words and exclamation points. Judy does not simply say she is angry; she announces that she is in a mood, and the short, snappy sentences let us hear the feeling. Notice, too, how warmly that voice treats her. A wish to be noticed could easily be made to look silly, but McDonald plays it with humor and affection instead, so we laugh with Judy rather than at her. That generous, punchy style is the book’s unmistakable sound.
📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples
Characterization is how a writer shows what a person is like; Judy’s big reaction reveals her competitive, dramatic nature. The inciting incident is the event that starts the main plot — Jessica’s front-page fame. It gives Judy a clear goal: to become famous. The lively voice makes it all sparkle.
1We meet the real Judy through her jealous reactions — this is —Pages 1–15
2Characterization is how an author reveals what a character is like.Pages 1–15
3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 1–15
Word choices:characterizationplotmoodsetting- some words will not be used
Meeting Judy through her reactions is
The order of events in the story is its .
4The chain of events, from the spelling bee onward, is the story’s —Pages 1–15
5The plot is the sequence of events in a story.Pages 1–15
6Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 1–15
Word choices:plotcharacterizationmoodtheme- some words will not be used
The sequence of events is the story’s
Showing Judy through her actions is .
7Judy’s grumpy, competitive reactions mainly reveal her —Pages 1–15
8The events that unfold across the book make up the —Pages 1–15
9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 1–15
Word choices:characterizationplotmoodsetting- some words will not be used
Revealing Judy through her actions is
The chain of events is the .
10Showing Judy’s jealousy up close mainly makes her feel —Pages 1–15
Part 4
Think Deeper
Four deeper challenges — no single-word recall. Read, weigh the evidence, and reason it through.
🧠Knowledge Bank · The Green-Eyed Feeling
Psychology · JealousyJealousy bubbles up when someone else gets something we wish we had. When a classmate wins all the attention, Judy’s stomach twists; that green-eyed feeling is also called envy. Wanting to be noticed is one of the most common feelings there is, especially for children, and it simply means you want to matter. But here is the catch worth thinking about: being widely known is not the same as being good, and it is not the same as being happy. Plenty of famous people are neither. The real question is what you do with the feeling — sulk, or cheer for others and chase a dream of your own. Handling envy well is a lifelong skill.
1Claim: “Jessica’s fame is what sparks Judy’s craving to be famous too.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence
2Shows what drives Judy’s new goal, or just a detail about the characters? Tap each item to send it left or right.Sort into two
◄ What drives her goalJust a detail ►
3Match each cause to its result. For each cause, pick its result.Cause & Effect
Jessica wins the spelling bee→
Jessica becomes famous→
Judy wants what Jessica has→
A new goal takes hold→
4Fill both blanks to complete the reasoning.Build the Argument
Jessica’s front-page fame matters because , which means that .
Part 5
Standardized Test
Key Details & Inference — SAT & TOEFL-style practice
🎯 You already have the skills from the sections above — this is just a fun way to meet real SAT & TOEFL-style questions. Read the passage (the highlighted words are tested below), then answer the questions below. Tap an answer to select it, then tap it again to confirm — you can change your choice until you confirm.
Every day, more news happens than any newspaper could ever print, so editors must choose which stories matter most — and the biggest of all earn a place on the front page. Getting there is not random. First, a reporter hears about something interesting: a champion, a rescue, a discovery, or an event that many people will care about. The reporter gathers the facts, talks to the people involved, and writes the story. Then an editor decides how important it is compared with everything else that happened. The most eye-catching news — especially with a striking photo — goes up front, under a big headline printed in large, bold letters to grab the reader’s attention. A front-page story is seen by nearly everyone who picks up the paper, which is why appearing there can make an ordinary person suddenly recognized all over town. In this way, a newspaper does more than report events; it decides, each day, which few stories — and which few people — will briefly shine in the public eye.
Original passage written for Garden Heights — not a quotation from the novel.
1What kind of stories earn a place on the “front page”?TOEFL · Factual Information
2What does a “reporter” do first?TOEFL · Factual Information
3Deciding how “important” a story is means judging how much it —SAT · Words in Context
4A “headline” is printed in large, bold letters in order to —TOEFL · Factual Information
5To grab someone’s “attention” is to make them —SAT · Words in Context
6The passage suggests that appearing in the paper can make a person suddenly —SAT · Inference
7What can the reader infer about which stories become front-page news?SAT · Inference
8To briefly “shine” in the public eye means to be, for a short time, —SAT · Words in Context
9Which sentence best states the main idea?SAT · Central Ideas
10This passage helps explain the story because Jessica Finch —TOEFL · Rhetorical Purpose
Part 6 · Optional
Creative Writing
A bonus challenge to practice your English. Take your time and have fun with it.
About This Section
This writing task is optional and is not part of your auto-graded score. The feedback below checks only the basics — length, spelling, and grammar — not whether your ideas are right or wrong. It is meant for classroom discussion and creative practice, so feel free to use your imagination!
Writing Task — Part 1 “What Would You Be Famous For?”
Judy wants to be famous. If you could be famous for one thing — a talent, an invention, a good deed, anything — what would it be, and why? Or write about whether being famous would really make a person happy. Write at least 40 words.
You can start with: “If I could be famous for one thing, it would be…”
0 / 40 words minimum
🗣 Teach It · Just for Fun (optional)
No right or wrong — close the screen and tell someone nearby why Judy is jealous and what she decides to do. Can’t find anyone? Tell yourself out loud. The moment you teach it, you truly understand it.
Part 1 Complete!
You finished pages 1–15 of Judy Moody Gets Famous!.
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Your Writing
Your writing was checked automatically for length, spelling, grammar, and whether you included the key parts of the scene. Scroll back to Part 5 anytime to read your feedback and improve your work.
Independent study guide by Garden Heights Academy. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the author or any rights holders. Contains original analysis only; no text from the novel is reproduced.
