BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSNancy Drew, an amateur detective from River Heights, gets a frantic phone call from her friend Becca Wright, the assistant cruise director on the Arctic Star. The giant ship is making its very first voyage for the brand-new Superstar Cruises, and things keep going wrong. A famous movie star has canceled his trip after someone sent threatening e-mails to his family. So Nancy and her best friends, Bess and George, fly to Vancouver to sail to Alaska undercover. They stay in the star's fancy Hollywood Suite, which comes with a grand piano, a hot tub, and a butler, and their cover story is that they won the trip in a contest. Keeping the secret is harder than it sounds, because Bess's goofy new boyfriend, Alan, has come along and has no idea why they are really there. Before the ship even leaves the harbor, a mannequin turns up floating in the pool in fake blood. Then Nancy's suitcase goes missing and comes back with a threatening note inside. As a moose antler falls at the mini-golf course and a tarantula shows up on the dessert buffet, Nancy has to sort through a growing list of suspects and figure out who wants this cruise to fail.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Curse of the Arctic Star
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 Curse of the Arctic Star. 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 does a ship's lifeguard discover the figure floating in pinkish water is only a mannequin?
✓ Answer
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
Right before the ship leaves Vancouver, someone shouts about a body in the pool, and everyone rushes over. The lifeguard dives in, grabs an arm, and calls out that it is just a mannequin, which is the first strange thing the friends see on board.
- First half
In what book do three older women at a dinner table call themselves the ABCs?
✓ Answer
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
At the first night's dinner, the girls meet Alice, Babs, and Coral, three experienced cruisers who share their table. Coral explains the nickname with a giggle, since their names start with A, B, and C.
- First half
In what book does a ship's mini-golf course have fake glaciers, grinning totem poles, and a roaring grizzly?
✓ Answer
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
Alan talks the girls into a round of mini golf on the ship's brand-new Alaska-themed course. It even has a life-size moose and a waterfall with little fake salmon, and it becomes the scene of the next scary incident.
- Second half
In what book is a pet spider's black-and-orange body thicker than its young owner's wrist?
✓ Answer
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
When Tobias scoops Hazel off the dessert tray, Nancy gets a good look at how huge the tarantula is as it climbs up his arm. It's no wonder Coral fainted when she spotted it among the desserts.
- Second half
In what book does a staffer with an Eastern European accent offer to answer questions meant for her boss?
✓ Answer
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
When Nancy stops by Becca's office early in the morning, Tatjana bursts in with news of cabin trouble and Becca rushes off. Tatjana stares at Nancy again and says that since she reports directly to Becca, she could answer whatever Nancy wanted to ask, but Nancy just smiles and says it's nothing important.
- Near the end
In what book does a theater's big central chandelier crash down, forcing a comedian's show to be moved or rescheduled?
✓ Answer
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
While most passengers are in Ketchikan, the big chandelier in the ship's main theater falls with a crash heard through half the ship. Luckily the theater is empty, but the staff are scrambling to move or reschedule its events, including Merk's big performance that night.
