Judy Moody Gets Famous! Part 8 Study Guide

What Happens in Part 8

At home, Judy gets to work — not to be famous, just to help. She lovingly repairs the broken dolls, giving them new arms and legs, fresh yarn hair, and a good cleaning, until they look cheerful and new again. Then, in secret, she returns them to the hospital for the sick children to enjoy. She tells no one it was her. And then the wonderful, funny thing happens: the newspaper runs a story about the mystery, with the headline “Phantom Doll Doctor Strikes County Hospital”! Judy has finally made it into the paper — and become famous — but anonymously, and for doing something truly good. Best of all, Judy discovers that helping the children in secret feels far better than any fame ever could. She decides to keep her doll-doctor work going, quietly, just for the joy of it. Judy Moody got famous after all — the very moment she stopped trying to.

What We Will Learn

Focus	What It Means
Resolution	How Judy’s quest finally resolves
Irony	She gets famous the moment she stops trying
Theme (Kindness over Fame)	Doing good quietly beats chasing the spotlight

Chapter Summary

Pages	Key Events
pp. 106–120	Judy secretly repairs the dolls and returns them; the newspaper runs ‘Phantom Doll Doctor Strikes County Hospital,’ making her anonymously famous for a good deed — and she learns that helping others quietly feels far better than fame, deciding to keep it up

💭 Before You Read · Warm-Up (not scored)

There are no wrong answers here — just think, guess, and talk:

Judy finally gets famous — the moment she stops trying and simply helps others. Why do you think it worked out that way?
Judy feels happier helping in secret than she ever did chasing fame. Why might a quiet good deed feel better than the spotlight?
Looking back over the whole book — the spelling, the schemes, the cherry pit, the dolls — what do you think it is really trying to tell us?

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 106–120, then answer each question.

🧠Knowledge Bank · Words of a Happy Ending

Media · Community NewsNewspapers do not only report contests and famous people; they also share stories of ordinary folks doing good. When someone helps their town or comforts the sick, a reporter may write about it so others feel inspired. This kind of recognition celebrates good deeds, not just showing off. Judy finally gets her name in the paper — not for a stunt, but for her kindness to sick children. Real fame like this lifts a whole community. The best headlines remind us that helping others is the finest way to be remembered.

repairv.p.106

To fix something that is broken

“Judy repaired each broken doll with care.”

restorev.p.107

To bring something back to good condition

“She restored the dolls until they looked new.”

anonymousadj.p.114

Done or made by someone whose name is unknown

“Her good deed stayed anonymous.”

phantomn.p.114

A mysterious, unseen figure; a ghostly presence

“The paper called her the ‘Phantom Doll Doctor.’”

gratefuladj.p.112

Feeling or showing thanks

“The children were grateful for their new dolls.”

fulfillingadj.p.116

Deeply satisfying; making you feel content

“Helping others was surprisingly fulfilling.”

contentmentn.p.117

A calm, happy feeling of satisfaction

“A quiet contentment filled Judy’s heart.”

worthyadj.p.115

Deserving of respect or admiration

“Hers was a truly worthy deed.”

unnoticedadj.p.110

Not seen or observed by others

“She slipped the dolls back, unnoticed.”

cheerfuladj.p.108

Bright and full of good spirits

“The mended dolls looked bright and cheerful.”

1To ‘repair’ is to —Pages 106–120

2To ‘restore’ is to —Pages 106–120

3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 106–120

Word choices:anonymousunnoticedfamousloud- some words will not be used

Judy keeps her good deed

She is happy for it to go .

4A ‘phantom’ is —Pages 106–120

5To be ‘kind’ is to be caring and gentle.Pages 106–120

6Someone ‘grateful’ feels —Pages 106–120

7Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 106–120

Word choices:fulfillingcontentmentemptinessboredom- some words will not be used

Helping in secret feels deeply

and fills Judy with quiet .

8Something ‘worthy’ is —Pages 106–120

9‘Cheerful’ means —Pages 106–120

10To ‘boast’ is to stay humble and quiet.Pages 106–120

Part 2

Comprehension

How well do you understand pages 106–120?

🧠Knowledge Bank · When the Ending Answers the Beginning

Reading Skill · ThemeThe theme is the big lesson a story teaches about life — not merely what happened, but what it all means. To find it, watch how the main character changes and what she finally understands. Judy chases attention the wrong way for most of the book, then discovers that recognition worth having comes from helping somebody. Look also at who the story holds up along the way: a doctor who spent her life on patients rather than applause. Real heroes point the theme out for you. A strong ending answers the question the opening asked, and carrying that answer with you is how a book keeps teaching after the last page.

1What does Judy do with the broken dolls?Pages 106–120

2How do the mended dolls look afterward?Pages 106–120

3How does Judy return the dolls?Pages 106–120

4The newspaper calls the mystery giver a ‘phantom’ helper.Pages 106–120

5Write the numbers 1–5 in the boxes to show the correct order across Part 8. Number 1 = what happens first.Pages 106–120

Judy returns the dolls to the hospital anonymously.
The mended dolls look bright and almost new.
Judy learns that real joy comes from kindness, not credit.
Judy repairs and restores the broken hospital dolls.
The newspaper calls the mystery giver a ‘phantom’ helper.

6Judy finally gets famous for a kind, secret deed.Pages 106–120

7How is Judy’s fame this time different?Pages 106–120

8What does Judy decide to do next?Pages 106–120

9Judy finds that fame felt best when she stopped chasing it.Pages 106–120

10What has Judy truly learned by the end?Pages 106–120

Part 3

Literary Elements

Understanding HOW and WHY Megan McDonald tells the story across pages 106–120.

🧠Knowledge Bank · McDonald’s Word-Craft: The Perfect Irony

Language · Ending-Irony SpotlightRemember irony, the twist where the opposite of what you expect comes true? The whole book turns on it. Judy spends all her energy chasing fame through big, showy plans, and none of them work. Then, when she stops trying and simply does something kind, fame finally finds her. Getting exactly what she wanted, in the last way she expected, is a perfect piece of irony. This clever ending also carries the book’s message. When the funny twist and the deeper lesson line up like this, you are seeing a writer at her best.

📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples

The resolution is where the story’s main question is answered — Judy’s fame quest ends. Irony is the contrast between what we expect and what happens: Judy gets famous only when she stops trying. This delivers the theme — doing good for others matters more, and feels better, than chasing fame.

1The satisfying tying-up of Judy’s quest for fame is the —Pages 106–120

2The resolution is how a story’s problems are finally settled.Pages 106–120

3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 106–120

Word choices:resolutionironythemesetting- some words will not be used

The satisfying tying-up of Judy’s quest is the

That Judy gets famous only after she stops trying is .

4That Judy gets fame only when she stops chasing it is a rich —Pages 106–120

5A theme is the big idea a story leaves us with.Pages 106–120

6Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 106–120

Word choices:themeresolutionironymood- some words will not be used

The big idea that kindness matters more than fame is the

Getting famous only by giving up fame is .

7The book’s big idea, that real reward comes from kindness, is its —Pages 106–120

8That the fame-chaser finds fame by NOT chasing it is —Pages 106–120

9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Pages 106–120

Word choices:resolutionironythemeplot- some words will not be used

The settling of Judy’s quest is the

Winning fame only by giving it up is .

10The theme of the book is mainly that kindness beats —Pages 106–120

Part 4

Think Deeper

Four deeper challenges — no single-word recall. Read, weigh the evidence, and reason it through.

🧠Knowledge Bank · Famous For the Right Reason

Ethics · ReputationBy the end, Judy is famous — but the kind of fame matters. There is a big difference between being known for a silly stunt and being known for helping others. Judy learns that real fame, the kind worth having, comes from doing good, not from grabbing attention. The people we remember longest are the ones who made the world a little kinder. If you want to be special, you do not need a spotlight; you need a caring heart and a helping hand. Being famous for the right reason means being truly good.

1Claim: “Judy finally does something worthy — helping, not chasing fame.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence

2Shows Judy’s genuine kindness, or just a detail of the repair? Tap each item to send it left or right.Sort into two

◄ Genuine kindnessJust a detail ►

3Match each cause to its result. For each cause, pick its result.Cause & Effect

Judy is moved to help→

She wants nothing in return→

She works just to be kind→

She does a genuine good deed→

4Fill both blanks to complete the reasoning.Build the Argument

Judy’s secret doll repairs show the book’s idea that , which means that .

Part 5

Standardized Test

Theme & Kindness — 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.

It may sound surprising, but scientists have discovered that one of the best ways to make yourself happier is to be kind to others. When we do something generous — help a stranger, comfort a friend, give without expecting anything back — our bodies actually respond with a warm, good feeling. Researchers sometimes call this the ‘helper’s high.’ Studies show that people who volunteer their time or perform small acts of kindness tend to feel more cheerful, less lonely, and more content with their lives. Even more curious is what happens when the good deed is done in secret. You might think a kindness feels best when everyone praises you for it, but often the opposite is true. An anonymous good deed can feel the sweetest of all, because deep down you know you did it for the right reason and not for applause. This does not mean we should never be thanked. It simply means that the real reward of kindness is not the credit; it is the quiet, private joy of having made someone else’s day a little brighter.

Original passage written for Garden Heights — not a quotation from the novel.

1What surprising way to become happier have scientists found?TOEFL · Factual Information

2The warm feeling from a generous act is sometimes called the —TOEFL · Factual Information

3To “volunteer” your time means to give it —SAT · Words in Context

4People who help others tend to feel more cheerful, less lonely, and more “content,” meaning more —SAT · Words in Context

5The passage suggests the real reward of kindness is NOT —SAT · Inference

6An “anonymous” good deed is one where the doer’s —SAT · Words in Context

7Why can a secret kindness feel best of all?SAT · Inference

8The passage mainly presents secret kindness as something that leaves the giver feeling —SAT · Rhetorical Purpose

9Which sentence best states the main idea?SAT · Central Ideas

10Insert Text (TOEFL). Look at the four squares [1]–[4] in the excerpt below. They show where this sentence could be added:
“The truest reward, then, is not the applause but the quiet joy of having helped.”

Some people do kind things hoping to be thanked. [1] Others help quietly, expecting nothing back. [2] Their good deed may go completely unnoticed. [3] Yet they still feel warm and content inside. [4]

Where would the sentence fit best?TOEFL · Insert Text

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 8 “A Secret Good Deed”

Judy discovers that helping others in secret feels better than being famous. Imagine you could be a ‘phantom’ helper for a day, doing kind things without anyone knowing it was you. What good deeds would you do, and why would doing them secretly feel special? Write at least 40 words.

You can start with: “If I could do secret good deeds for a day, I would…”

0 / 40 words minimum

🗣 Teach It · Just for Fun (optional)

No right or wrong — close the screen and tell someone nearby how Judy finally got famous, and what she learned. Can’t find anyone? Tell yourself out loud. The moment you teach it, you truly understand it.

🌟 You Finished Judy Moody Gets Famous! 🌟

Mini Report Card · the whole journey, part by part

Part	What Happened	Big Idea
1	Jessica gets famous; jealous Judy wants fame too	Envy & the quest
2	Judy tries spelling — and flops	Finding your gift
3	The mealworm mishap; Judy confesses the truth	Honesty
4	She studies real heroes like Elizabeth Blackwell	Fame follows achievement
5	The fake George Washington cherry-pit hoax	You can’t fake it
6	Scheme after scheme flops — her low point	Noticed vs. good
7	The hospital, Laura, and the broken dolls	The turning point
8	The ‘Phantom Doll Doctor’ — famous for a good deed	Kindness over fame

Judy chased fame the whole way through — and found it the moment she stopped, by quietly doing good. A story about kindness, honesty, and what really makes a person shine. Well done, reader.

Part 8 Complete!

You finished pages 106–120 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.