In Chapter 2, Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally sneak into the Nightly Double, a drive-in theater that is a popular hangout for both the Socs and the Greasers. The boys have money, but they sneak in because Dally likes to break the rules. Dally begins bothering two Soc girls named Cherry Valance and Marcia.

The story opens with Pony walking home alone from a movie; he is stopped by a gang of Socs who proceed to beat him up. The Socs badly injure and threaten to kill Ponyboy; however, some of his gang happen upon the scene and run the Socs off.

S.E. Hinton's, The Outsiders is a great book for elder kids and young teens to read. I recommend the book for 11 years and up. The story focuses around Ponyboy, his brothers, and their gang. The story takes place during the 1960's in Oklahoma.

In Chapter 6 of The Outsiders, Dally goes to the country to let Johnny and Ponyboy know that they are no longer in immediate danger of being caught. While he is there, the church catches fire and Johnny and Ponyboy go inside to rescue children who are trapped.

The Outsiders chapter 1 introduces the story's protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis. Using first-person point of view, Ponyboy introduces the story's main characters and gives background on his family's situation, as well as the on-going conflict between his group of friends, known as the greasers, and their rivals, the Socs.

That Cherry Valance is acting as a spy for the greasers shocks Ponyboy and Johnny, but then they learn that Bob, the dead Soc, had been her boyfriend.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (8th grade)

This book's Lexile measure is 750L and is frequently taught in the 9th and 10th grade. Students in these grades should be reading texts that have reading demand of 1050L through 1335L to be college and career ready by the end of Grade 12.

The most important revelation in this chapter is Ponyboy's redefinition of his family. From talking with both Dally and Johnny, Ponyboy realizes how lucky he is to have two brothers — not just gang-member brothers, but two real brothers.