The 1,000 Year Old Boy

Chapters 1-3

For the 1000 Year old Boy book, we have grouped the question sets into threes as the chapters are relatively short for UKS2.

Chapter 1-3 Summary
Alfie Monk is a boy who looks like he’s eleven years old, but he’s actually over a thousand years old! He’s lived through many adventures and battles, starting from when his village was attacked by raiders in 1014. Back then, Alfie and his mom had to run away, hiding in a cave to escape the danger. His dad had left behind magical life-pearls that could make someone live forever, but Alfie’s mom told him he had to wait until he was older to use them. However, Alfie was scared and desperate to protect his mom, so he used one of the pearls on himself, accidentally becoming a “Neverdead”—someone who doesn’t age. Even his cat, Biffa, got a taste of the magic by accident!

Now, in the present day, Alfie feels lonely and sad because living forever isn’t as great as it sounds. Even though he has lived through incredible moments in history, like meeting famous people, he feels stuck because no one believes his story. He looks like a kid, so people don’t take him seriously. Alfie knows he needs help to break the curse of his endless life, but if no one believes him, how can he convince anyone to help? That’s where Aidan and Roxy come in—they might be the only ones who can help Alfie find a way to finally grow up and live a normal life.

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 4-6 Summary

In these chapters, Aidan is dealing with a lot of changes in his life. His family has moved to a smaller house, which he dislikes because there’s hardly any garden space, and he has to share a room with his younger sister, Libby. His parents are arguing more often, mostly about money, and Aidan worries they might get divorced. To make things worse, his old house is now occupied by a boy from school who likes to tease him. Aidan is feeling lonely, especially since his friends are away on holiday without him, and his Xbox was broken during the move.

Things start to get more interesting when Aidan meets his new neighbor, Roxy Minto. She’s a tiny, energetic girl who seems older than she looks and has a quirky personality. Roxy quickly befriends Aidan and introduces him to her secret hideout in the woods, a hidden shed she calls her “garage.” Roxy’s vibrant energy and unique outlook begin to lift Aidan’s spirits, and she hints that there’s something important she wants to show him. Little does Aidan know that meeting Roxy will lead him to an even bigger adventure, where he will encounter Alfie Monk and uncover the secrets of his thousand-year-old life.

Chapters 7-8

Our next comprehension set aimed at Year 5 and Year 6 classes focuses on retrieval questions, mixing between multiple choice and single answer. The next four focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar and the final four focus on inference, authorial technique and more…

Chapters 7-9 Summary
Aidan follows Roxy through the woods, where she leads him to an old, mysterious house hidden deep within. The house is surrounded by thick bushes, barbed wire, and a sign warning about a dangerous dog. Despite Aidan’s skepticism, Roxy insists that the house belongs to a witch, a woman who is supposedly two hundred years old. When they spot a woman in a headscarf and sunglasses, Roxy excitedly claims she is the witch. Aidan, disappointed and annoyed by what he thinks is just a silly fantasy, decides to leave. But when he tries to get up, Roxy pulls him back, causing her to accidentally tumble down the slope into the yard. Aidan watches in horror as the woman from the house, along with a pale, blond boy, rushes out to help Roxy, who appears injured and unconscious.

Meanwhile, Alfie reflects on the mysterious life-pearls that have kept him from aging for over a thousand years. These pearls, when mixed with blood, stop a person from getting older, but they don’t make one immortal. Alfie recalls how his father, Einar, obtained these pearls after a heroic battle. Einar used one on himself, but the danger of owning something so powerful led to rumors and jealousy. Fearing for his family’s safety, Einar moved them to Britain, but he couldn’t save himself from an untimely death. Now, Alfie is the last remaining “Neverdead,” burdened by the curse of eternal youth and the memories of his long-lost family.

Chapters 10-12

Chapter 10-12 Summary

In Chapter Ten, we learn about Alfie’s father, Einar of Gotland, who took great pains to keep his family safe by disguising himself and planning a secret journey from Denmark to Britain. Einar, now a “Neverdead” like his wife Hilda, hoped to start a new life with their young son, Alfie. However, tragedy struck during the voyage when Einar mysteriously disappeared overboard, possibly pushed by a suspicious fellow passenger. Hilda and Alfie were left to arrive in Britain alone, heartbroken and fearful, but unable to openly mourn Einar’s loss to keep their secret safe. This event marks a significant turning point in Alfie’s long life.

In Chapter Eleven, Alfie reflects on the difficulties of staying hidden in the modern world, as he and his mother have done for centuries. The increasing demands for identification and privacy make it harder for them to remain anonymous. Meanwhile, Aidan, still shaken from Roxy’s fall into the yard of the mysterious house in the woods, finds her surprisingly unharmed and acting nonchalant. Although Aidan wants to know what happened inside the house, Roxy is cryptic, mentioning strange details like a cauldron and a black cat, fueling her belief that the woman is a witch. Despite Aidan’s skepticism, Roxy pulls out a laptop and shows him something that leaves him utterly shocked, suggesting there’s more to the situation than he first thought.

Chapters 13-15

Chapters 13-15 Summary

In these chapters, Aidan and Roxy watch footage secretly recorded by Roxy during their earlier adventure in the woods. The video reveals their encounter with the mysterious woman in the secluded house, capturing her worried face and strange, foreign language. Despite the woman’s concerned and gentle demeanor, Roxy is convinced she’s a witch, pointing out the old books, cauldron, and black-and-white cat as proof. Aidan remains skeptical, noting that the woman seemed normal and even kind, but Roxy insists on her theory. The chapter ends with Roxy leaving abruptly after receiving a call from her mom, but not before promising to meet Aidan at midnight to reveal more about the witch.

In the next chapter, Alfie reflects on the encounter with Roxy, feeling a connection with her. He recalls seeing the label “R. Minto” on her jacket and notices her curiosity about his home. Alfie is charmed by Roxy’s presence and wonders if she noticed his subtle wave as she left. Distracted by these thoughts, Alfie forgets to fetch logs for the evening fire, which he hints will lead to a significant mistake. This oversight foreshadows a looming disaster, tying back to Roxy’s belief in the witch and setting the stage for events that will change everything.

Overview

Chapters Overview
In 1,000 Year Old Boy we have created 35 question sets.

Each set consists of:
– 4 retrieval questions
– 4 SPAG questions
– 4 Deeper questions (authorial technique, inference, sequencing, summarising, similes, metaphors etc.)

How does our website work?

1. You will assign each child in your class the questions of a particular chapter.
2. They will login and complete the questions online.
3. You will view the ‘Results’ section and see how each child did.

Results
Green means that the child got the question right first time.

Orange means that the child got it right but it took a few attempts – a number will be displayed inside to show how many attempts.

Red means that the child didn’t get the question correct – a number will be inside the red box to show how many failed attempts.

Interpreting the Results
Select a range of chapter question sets in the results section and choose a child. Next you will be able to see all completed activities and look for patterns, areas of strength and areas for improvement.