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ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSZachariah Johnson Jr., known as ZJ, is the son of a professional football tight end so famous that crowds at his games chant his name and his number, 44. ZJ doesn't share his dad's dream of going pro. He'd rather play guitar and write songs, and he spends his time with his three best friends, Ollie, Darry and Daniel, the crew they call the Fantastic Four. By New Year's, though, ZJ's dad has headaches that won't quit, forgets things he should remember, and acts nothing like the dad ZJ has always known, and nobody around him seems to know why. Told in verse from ZJ's point of view, this is a story about watching someone you love start to change, and about the friends and the music that carry ZJ through it.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Before the Ever After
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Before the Ever After. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book do four friends play Prince's "1999" over and over, waiting for the world to end?
✓ Answer
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
A guy on the radio said the world would explode at the new millennium. On New Year's Eve, a Friday, ZJ's three best friends sleep over, a little scared and a little excited. Darry dances over to the window looking for a sign, but all he sees is snow.
- First half
In what book is an oak tree in front of the house named Maple?
✓ Answer
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
It was ZJ's dad who decided to call the oak tree Maple, and he named a birch Sweet Pine. ZJ decided that Maple, Sweet Pine and Crabby were all girls.
- First half
In what book does a boy get a six-string acoustic guitar at seven when he really wanted drums?
✓ Answer
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
ZJ is still mad about the drums, but his first strum sounds so soft and clear that he knows he's going to love the guitar forever. His dad tells him he's a natural.
- Second half
In what book does a friend arrive wearing blue and pink poodle pajamas his grandma sent?
✓ Answer
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
One Saturday Daniel, Darry, and Ollie show up at ZJ's house so early that ZJ is still in his pajamas, and they have pajamas on under their jackets too, Darry in Batman and Daniel in poodles. Daniel dares everyone to try to laugh at the jammies his grandma sent him.
- Second half
In what book is a teammate called Slide because he slid into every single touchdown?
✓ Answer
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
Slide is in a black-and-white team photo on the guest room wall, along with Uncle Joe and Uncle Eddy. ZJ's dad said Slide never ran across the field, he just slid his way past the other players.
- Near the end
In what book does a father hugging his wife's legs by the fireplace call her Day One Beautiful?
✓ Answer
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
On a good day, ZJ's dad builds a fire and tells Mom she's as pretty as the first time he saw her, at a crazy party Uncle Sightman threw. When Mom says maybe she doesn't remember the song he asked her to dance to, ZJ names it, an old Whitney Houston song.
