For a moment, peace seems possible. Evan calls up the stairs to Jessie and offers to negotiate — to just call the whole war off. But when he senses how far ahead Jessie’s clever tricks have put her, his pride flares, and he declares the war back on. The chance to make peace slips away. Then the story takes its darkest turn. Jessie sneaks into Evan’s room to spy on his earnings, and when she sees that he is winning, she does something she never would have done before: she sabotages his lemonade, dropping bugs and dirt into it to spoil his sales. This is malicious mischief — deliberately harming a rival’s business. The war has now turned even careful, honest Jessie into someone who cheats. Winning has begun to cost the children far more than money.
| Focus | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Mood | The feeling of a scene — here, the fun darkens into something tense |
| Foreshadowing | An early hint of trouble to come — the sabotage warns of a fall |
| Dramatic Irony | We see the war hurting them in ways they cannot yet see |
| Chapter | Key Events |
|---|---|
| Ch. 9 — Negotiation | Evan offers to call the war off, but when he feels threatened by Jessie’s lead, his pride wins and he restarts it. The chance for peace is lost. |
| Ch. 10 — Malicious Mischief | Jessie spies on Evan’s earnings, sees he is winning, and sabotages his lemonade with bugs and dirt. Even careful Jessie has been pushed into cheating. |
There are no wrong answers here — just think, guess, and talk:
- Evan almost ends the war, then changes his mind. Why is it sometimes so hard to make peace first?
- Jessie usually follows the rules. What could push a careful person to cheat?
- Predict: after the sabotage, do you think the war can end well — or is worse trouble coming?
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. The Lemonade War is a work by Jacqueline Davies. This guide is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by the author or any associated rights holder.

- Feeling threatened, he restarts the war.
- She sees that Evan is winning.
- Jessie sneaks in to spy on his earnings.
- She sabotages his lemonade with bugs and dirt.
- Evan offers to call the whole war off.
When two sides in business disagree, the wisest path is often to negotiate — to talk calmly until they reach an agreement both can accept. Good negotiation is not about crushing the other side; it looks for a deal in which each gets something they need. The opposite path is to cheat — to lie, to break a promise, or to secretly harm a rival's goods. Cheating may bring a quick win, but it carries a hidden cost: it destroys trust. Skilled negotiators listen first, trying to understand what the other side truly wants before they say a word about their own hopes. A calm question often wins more than a loud demand. Once customers or partners learn that a seller plays dirty, they take their business elsewhere, and a bad reputation can follow a person for years. That is why honest sellers guard their good name carefully. In the long run, a fair deal and a kept promise are worth far more than any prize won by a trick. News of dishonest dealing spreads quickly among neighbors and travels far faster than any advertisement.
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 5 “The Better Choice”
Jessie chose to cheat instead of playing fair. Rewrite that moment. Imagine you are Jessie, standing over Evan’s lemonade with the bugs in your hand. What could you do instead? Write what a fairer, kinder choice would be — and why it is the braver one. Write at least 40 words.
No right or wrong — close the screen and tell someone nearby what ‘negotiation’ means, and why cheating in business can cost a seller their good name. Can’t find anyone? Tell yourself out loud. The moment you teach it, you truly understand it.

Part 5 Complete!
You finished Chapters 9–10 of The Lemonade War.
Here are your auto-graded results:
The best last step is to teach it. In your own words, explain what happened — retell a favorite scene, teach a character’s big choice, or sum up the main idea for a parent, friend, or classmate. When you can teach it clearly, you truly own it.
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.
