Code Name Verity - Discussion questions

 

1.     From the beginning, “Verity” confesses that she is a coward, and that she is going to tell the Nazis everything. Why?

 

2.     Why “Verity” starts her confessional story from Maddie’s perspective rather than her own. Why?

 

3.     How did “Verity” and Maddie meet and become friends?

 

4.     In what situation “Verity” was arrested? What if you were “Verity” and were arrested and tortured, what would you do? 

 

5.     Who do you think switched Verity’s and Maddie’s identification papers? Why?

 

6.     How well do we really get to know “Verity”?

 

7.     What of her confession is “true”? She ends her confession by repeating and repeating “I have told the truth.” What truths has she shared?

 

8.     Why is SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden keeping “Verity” alive and imprisoned at the Château de Bordeaux? Why do you think he is willing to give her so much time to write her confession?

 

9.     In “Kittyhawk,” part two of the book, the author changes narrators from “Verity” to Maddie. Does this change your expectations of what’s going to happen? Does having two narrators detract from the story or strengthen it? Why?

 

10.What are your impressions of Anna Engel? Is she a sympathetic character? Why or why not?

 

11.When the resistances realize that they cannot free Julie, Maddie faces an impossible choice, what does she do?

 

12.Given their bond of friendship, Maddie has made a life-or-death choice, if you were her, would you do the same?

  

13.How does Maddie know that Julie, far from being a coward, Julie played an elaborate double game by pretending to be a collaborator while trying to find a way to complete her mission from inside the prison?

 

14.What does Maddie do avenge her friend’s death?

 

15.What happens to Maddie after her return to England?

 

16.Do you like the book? If you were the author would you end the story differently?

 

17.How do the roles of the female characters, especially Maddie, foreshadow the women’s liberation and equal rights movements that would take place a generation after the War in Europe and the U.S.?

 

 

Game Changer - Discussion questions

 

1.     Who is Ash? When does he notice something is wrong?

 

2.     What is Ash’s original universe?  

 

3.     Describe the second universe Ask enters? What is the issue Ask need to deal with in this universe?

 

4.     Who are the skaters? Who are the center of the universe?

 

5.     If you were Ash? Would you happy to stay in the second universe or you want to change it?

 

6.     What are the major changes in Ash’s third universe? What are the issue Ash have to deal with in this universe?

 

7.     What would you do if your entire world has changed, and you are the only one to remember how it should be?

 

8.     What do you think of Ash’s 4^th universe?

 

9.     What would you do if you woke up and found yourself turn to the opposite sex?

 

10.According to the book what is Multi-Universe? If you were Ash what universe would you choose?

 

11.Do you like the ending? If you were author how would you end the story?

 

12.Do you think it’s too much in one book to open up a lot of conversations on subjects like racism, sexism, homophobia, and abuse?

 

13.Do you have any problem to understand the book? What is your favorite details in the book?

 

14.Do you like the book? Is sci-fi is now your favorite genre?

How many stars would you rate the book?

More Than Just a Pretty Face - Discussion Questions

1.     Who is Danyal Jilani?

 

2.     What did Danyal’s teachers and classmates think of him?

 

3.     What does Danyal want to do after graduating from high school?

 

4.     Does Danyal’s father agree with his choice of career? Why or why not?

 

5.     How does Danyal meet Bisma?  

 

6.     What is Bisma’s story?

 

7.     If you was Danyal would you walk away from Bisma like other boys? Why or why not?

 

8.     What happens when Bisma’s father invite Danyal to their house?

 

9.     What makes Danyal chose Kaval over Bisma?  If you were Danyal would you do otherwise? Why or why not?

 

10.What do you think of Danyal’s two best friends Zar and Sohrab?  

 

11.What is Danyal’s reaction when he is selected for Renaissance man? How does his attitude change over the course of the story?  

 

12.Are you surprised when Danyal was chosen to be the Renaissance man? Why or why not?

 

13.If you were Danyal would you choose to talk about the Bengali Famine?

 

14.If you can, please briefly describe the journey of discovery about each other of Danyal and Bisma?

 

15.What is your opinion of Rishta meeting and arranged marriage?

 

16.What did you first think of the title of the book? Did that change after you read the book? 

 

17.What do you like about the book? What are your favorite details?

 

18.Do you like the ending of the book? If you were the author how would you end the story?

Normal People - Discussion Questions

 

1. While in high school, Connell avoids being publicly seen with Marianne, an outcast in school, fearing how their association might damage his reputation.
Were you critical of Connell for the way he treated Marianne in school, or were you sympathetic toward his adolescent self-consciousness?  

 

2. How does Connell’s upbringing compare and contrast to Marianne’s? 

 

3. Do you think that Connell takes advantage of Marianne's feelings toward him in the beginning?

 

4. Which character did you identify more with, Connell or Marianne? Did you prefer one character over the other? 

 

5.  When they move from the countryside to attend college in Dublin, there is somewhat of a role reversal between Connell and Marianne. Can you explain?

 

Connell, once popular in secondary school, is scrutinized and mocked at Trinity College for his fashion sense and thick Galway accent, and he is even called a "milk-drinking culchie" (154). Marianne on the other hand, herself from a wealthy family, moves at ease through an elitist social scene. 

 

6. Why do you think that Connell is uncomfortable with Marianne's new circle? Does it have to do with money and privilege, or is there something more to it? 

 

7.  Despite being so close, Connell and Marianne sometimes miscommunicate and misinterpret each other. Do you think their relationship would have turned out differently if Connell had stayed with Marianne that summer?

 

 This can be seen when Connell, unable to pay rent in Dublin, moves back to Carricklea to save money during the summer of 2012, after he fails to directly ask Marianne if he can move in with her.
 

8. Do you think that Marianne and Connell's relationship could have turned out differently if they had been able to communicate better? 
 

9. Do you think it's a good thing that Connell and Marianne take a break from each other? How did you feel about the ending?  

 

10. Discuss the significance of the title Normal People. What makes a person normal, according to each of the characters? According to your own standards? Do you think Marianne and Connell are normal? Why or why not, and by whose standards? 

 

11. Do you like the book? How many stars would you rate the book?  

 

12. Do you hope that Sally Rooney will write a sequel? Where do you envision Connell and Marianne in five or ten years' time?
 

Other Words for Home - Discussion Questions

 

 

1.     What do you know about Jude and her life in Syria?

 

2.     Jude’s brother and father argue over how the people should handle the revolution, while Jude just wants peace at home (pp. 16-17, pp. 29-33). Why do you think families become divided over opinions about how their country should be?

 

3.     When they land in the United States, Jude says “It is strange to feel lucky / for something that is making my heart feel so sad” (p. 66). Describe her mix of emotions about leaving home, and how her struggle evolves (pp. 168, 170).

 

4.     Have you heard or read about similar mixed feelings in other refugees’ stories? How do you decide whether you are lucky or unlucky when your feelings are mixed?

 

5.     Jude’s mom tells her, “Americans don’t have much history / so they like things that are old” (p. 74). Did you ever consider the United States as being young compared to other countries

 

6.     From the time they arrive in the United States, both Jude and her mom struggle with the idea of loyalty to home. Jude doesn’t want to seem too impressed by her uncle’s house (p. 76), and her mom resists forgetting home (pp. 88, 90, 96). How do their ideas of what home means change as they grow accustomed to living in the United States? Who and what help Jude see that she doesn’t have to choose only one?

 

7.     Jude thinks of Arabic proverbs to explain puzzling behavior she sees in other people. Discuss the proverb “He cannot give what he does not have” (p. 180). How does this help her understand her cousin and her uncle? What does this proverb mean to you?

 

8.     When Jude begins wearing hijab, many people look at her differently, and even her aunt suspects that she has been forced or pressured to wear it. What do you think of her decision to wear hijab even though people don’t understand it?

 

9.     Why do you think Jude is able to befriend people as different as her cousin Sarah, Layla, and Miles? Do you think it is unusual for people to have such different friends?

 

10.Are your friends all similar, or different? What are some benefits of having relationships with different kinds of people with different interests?

 

11.After an attack in a city far away, Layla tells Jude that now she will learn what it means to be Muslim in America. What does she mean? What are some acts of kindness that help Layla and her family get through this difficult time?

 

12.Food plays an important role in this book as a reminder of home. What foods would remind you of home?

 

13.Discuss the titles given to the parts of the book: Changing, Arriving, Staying, Hoping, Growing, and Living. How do these words reflect Jude’s journey from the beginning to the end of the book? Does she change? Do you think her changes are positive?

 

14.Why do you think Jasmine Warga titled the book Other Words for Home? Do you think that Jude found a home by the end of the book?

 

15.What can we do to make immigrants from other nations feel welcome in the U.S.?  

 

16.Did you have any questions while you were reading Other Words for Home? Do you like the book? How many stars would you rate the book?

 

Shadow of the Fox - Discussion Questions

 

1.     Why did Suki’s father send her to work for Lady Satomi? What happened to Suki?

 

2.     What do you know about Yumeko when she was in the Temple of the Silent Winds?

 

3.     What was the Temple of the Silent Winds’ secret task? Why did Yumeko have to flee the Temple?

 

4.     What do you know about Kage Tasumi? Why did he travel to the Temple of Silent Winds?

 

5.     How did Yumiko and Tasumi meet? Why didn’t Tasumi kill her when they met?

 

6.     What did Yumiko ask Tasumi promise? Why did she do so? Why did he agree?

 

7.     What happened when they arrived the Lantern Town? Who did attacked Yumeko? Who did save Yumiko from them?

 

8.     Why didn’t Yumiko tell Tasumi that she was a half-kisune? Does it mean she is dishonest?  If you was Yumiko would you tell Tasumi who you really are?

 

9.     How did Yumiko save Tasumi’s life during the fight with the wind witch?

 

10.Why did Tasumi reluctant to let Yumiko help apply medicine and bandage his wounds?

 

11.Who is Okami? How did he join Yumiko and Tasumi?

 

12.What happened at Yamatori village? Why the village was cursed? What did Yumiko do to help them?

 

13.Who was Demon Prince? Why did he want to join their team?

 

14.Did they find Master Jiro at the Steel Feather temple?  Where was he? How did Yumiko and the others find him?

 

15.Why did at the end Hakaimono tell Yumiko “I did want to thank you personally, little fox,” he said. “After all, it’s because of you that I’m here.”?

 

16.What happened to Lady Satomi? Who was Seigetsu? Can you guess what would happen to the next book?