Quiz A Wolf for a Spell Karah Sutton

A Wolf for a Spell Quiz: 20 Questions to Test Your Knowledge

This quiz covers the entire story of A Wolf for a Spell by Karah Sutton. Questions are divided into plot/sequence, character motivation, theme/symbol, and synthesis categories. After the questions, you'll find a complete answer key with brief explanations.

Ready? Let's see how well you remember Zima's journey, Baba Yaga's schemes, and Nadya's courage.

Quiz Questions

Plot / Sequence (Questions 1–8)

  1. At the very start of the story, what does Zima smell that makes her fear a witch is nearby?

    • A) Human blood
    • B) Magic like moonlight and decay
    • C) Smoke from a village fire
    • D) A fox's fear

  2. Why does Nadya enter the forest in Chapter 3?

    • A) To gather herbs for the orphanage
    • B) To escape the village and travel south
    • C) To find her lost doll
    • D) To meet the tsar

  3. What does Grom threaten Zima with if she ever speaks to Baba Yaga again?

    • A) Banishment from the pack
    • B) A physical fight
    • C) Exile to the mountains
    • D) Turning her over to the humans

  4. How does Leto get wounded in Chapter 14?

    • A) A hunter's arrow strikes him
    • B) A hunter stabs him with a knife
    • C) He falls into a crevice
    • D) He is attacked by another wolf

  5. What does Baba Yaga demand in exchange for healing Leto?

    • A) A jeweled dagger
    • B) Zima's wolf body
    • C) A promise to kill the tsar
    • D) A lock of Zima's fur

  6. What object does Nadya take from Baba Yaga's hut as part of her trade?

    • A) A wooden doll
    • B) A jeweled dagger
    • C) A healing salve
    • D) A truth-telling spell

  7. What happens to Tsar Aleksander during the final confrontation?

    • A) He is killed by Ivan
    • B) He is turned into a tree
    • C) He flees into the forest
    • D) He marries Katerina

  8. In Chapter 49, what does Baba Yaga do at the end of her time in the story?

    • A) She marries Ivan
    • B) She becomes the tsarina
    • C) She steps into a stream and becomes part of the forest
    • D) She returns to her hut to live alone

Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)

  1. Why does Zima choose not to kill the human girl in Chapter 1?

    • A) She fears the witch watching her
    • B) The girl shows fear and kindness
    • C) She is physically too weak
    • D) Her brother Leto orders her to stop

  2. Why does Grom isolate Zima after learning she spoke to Baba Yaga?

    • A) He believes she may be cursed
    • B) He thinks she is too weak to lead
    • C) He is jealous of her courage
    • D) He wants to protect her from danger

  3. Why does Katerina agree to marry Tsar Aleksander?

    • A) She is in love with him
    • B) She believes the marriage will remove her magic and cure her illness
    • C) Her family forces her
    • D) She wants to become queen

  4. Why does Ivan refuse to continue with Baba Yaga in Chapter 37?

    • A) He is afraid of the forest
    • B) He is angry that she wants him to act while she avoids responsibility
    • C) He decides to go to the city instead
    • D) He discovers she is a witch and is horrified

  5. Short answer: What event finally drives Nadya to flee the orphanage in Chapter 23?

Theme / Symbol (Questions 14–17)

  1. What does the “Waters of Death” symbolize in the story?

    • A) The danger of trusting witches
    • B) The boundary between life and death and the consequences of ignoring warnings
    • C) The power of the tsar over the forest
    • D) The separation between humans and wolves

  2. The doll that Katerina gives Nadya is a symbol of what?

    • A) Katerina's love for Nadya
    • B) A magical object that connects Katerina to her power
    • C) A curse from Baba Yaga
    • D) A map of the forest

  3. What does the full moon represent in the story?

    • A) The time for the great hunt
    • B) The deadline for the body-swap to become irreversible
    • C) The celebration of victory
    • D) The time when wolves are strongest

  4. Short answer: How is the forest portrayed as a character in A Wolf for a Spell?

Synthesis (Questions 18–20)

  1. Short answer: Compare Zima's leadership style with Grom's. How are they different?

  2. Short answer: Give two examples of how the concept of “trade” or exchange is used in the story.

  3. Short answer: What is the significance of Baba Yaga becoming part of the forest in the final chapter?

Answer Key

Plot / Sequence

  1. B) Magic like moonlight and decay (Chapter 1: Zima smells this scent and recognizes the witch is near.)
  2. B) To escape the village and travel south (Chapter 3: Nadya plans to run away from the orphanage and head to a city.)
  3. A) Banishment from the pack (Chapter 7: Grom warns Zima that if she contacts the witch again, she will be banished.)
  4. B) A hunter stabs him with a knife (Chapter 14: When the hunter aims at Zima, Leto attacks and is stabbed.)
  5. B) Zima's wolf body (Chapter 17: Baba Yaga demands a body-swap in exchange for healing Leto.)
  6. B) A jeweled dagger (Chapter 26: Nadya proposes to stop the hunt in exchange for the jeweled dagger as a gift.)
  7. B) He is turned into a tree (Chapter 48: The collective chant of wolves and humans transforms the tsar into a tree.)
  8. C) She steps into a stream and becomes part of the forest (Chapter 49: Baba Yaga enters the stream and dissolves into the forest.)

Character Motivation

  1. B) The girl shows fear and kindness (Chapter 1: Zima hesitates because of the girl's vulnerability.)
  2. A) He believes she may be cursed (Chapter 7: Grom suspects the witch has altered Zima and cannot trust her.)
  3. B) She believes the marriage will remove her magic and cure her illness (Chapter 35: Katerina blames her illness on magic and thinks marriage will cure her.)
  4. B) He is angry that she wants him to act while she avoids responsibility (Chapter 37: Ivan confronts Baba Yaga for manipulating him without taking risks herself.)
  5. Mrs. Orlova threatens to send her to work for Mr. Demidov (Chapter 23: After the embroidery incident, Mrs. Orlova says she will write to Mr. Demidov, ending Nadya's hope of staying at the orphanage.)

Theme / Symbol

  1. B) The boundary between life and death and the consequences of ignoring warnings (Chapter 21: Baba Yaga nearly falls into the Waters of Death after ignoring the forest's warnings.)
  2. B) A magical object that connects Katerina to her power (Chapters 44–45: Without the doll, Katerina fades; it is her magical object.)
  3. B) The deadline for the body-swap to become irreversible (Chapter 38: The full moon will seal the spell permanently by sunrise.)
  4. The forest is a living entity with its own will and magic. (Throughout the story, the forest whispers, protects, and responds to magic. It is not just a setting but an active character.)

Synthesis

  1. Zima leads through trust and cooperation, even with humans, while Grom leads through fear and isolation. (Example: Grom threatens banishment and refuses to listen; Zima convinces the pack to retreat and work with humans and witches to defeat the tsar.)
  2. Examples include: (1) Baba Yaga demands Zima's wolf body in exchange for healing Leto; (2) Nadya offers to stop the great hunt in exchange for the jeweled dagger; (3) Baba Yaga owes Ivan a favor after he rescues her from a cave.
  3. Baba Yaga's transformation into the forest symbolizes her legacy and deep connection to nature. She becomes one with what she guarded, emphasizing themes of cycles, transformation, and the enduring magic of the forest.

For more discussion of the story, check out the book overview, the questions and answers page, or the ending explained article.