The Running Dream - Discussion Questions

1. Why is Jessica’s injury so particularly devastating for her?

2. Do you think Jessica’s up and down emotions are normal or to dramatic?

3. How would you react if you lost one of your limbs?

4. At first, Jessica wished she had lost an arm instead. Which would be better/worse?

5. Who is Sherlock? Why is Jessica so happy to see him when she returns home? Why does Sherlock’s morning routine bring Jessica so many mixed feelings?

6. How do her friends and teammates show support for her?

7. Who do you think is Jessica’s best friend?

8. Does Jessica always appreciate the type of support that they offer her? Why or why not?

9. What is unique about Jessica and Rosa’s friendship?

10. How does Jessica feel about stepping out onto the sidewalk with her teammates during the “Help Jessica Run!” car wash? Discuss her mixed emotions.

11. Which physical limitations would be harder for you to handle – Jessica’s or Rosa’s?

12. In what ways did Rosa inspire Jessica?

13. How did Jessica show her appreciation for Rosa? Did this change the way others reacted toward her as well? How?

14. What inspired Jessica to think about running the River Run?

15. What do you think about Gavin? Did you like that they ended up together?

16. Do you think the romance between Jessica and Gavin was important plot point or did you wish it hadn’t been included?

17. Early on in the novel, Jessica tells readers that her dad always wants to “fix” things. Although Jessica’s disability does not represent anything that he can fix, how does he help her to successfully complete the River Run with Rosa?

18. What was the toughest obstacle you have ever overcome in your life and how did you do it?

The Girl from Everywhere - Discussion Questions

1. Why is the title of the book The Girl From Everywhere?

2. Can you describe Nix? What do you know about her?

3. What is navigate? If you could navigate, where would you go?

4. Who are the Temptation’s crew members?

5. What Nix’s father obsessed with?

6. Why would her father obsession conflict with Nix’s existence? 7. Who is Auntie Joss?

8. Who own the map Nix’s father wanted? What does Nix’s father need to do to get the map?

9. What do Mr. D and his associates?

10. What do you think of Nix’s father? Is he a good father to Nix?

11. Why does Mr. Hart shoot Blake? Is he Blake’s father?

12. How does Blake survive his wound?

13. Is Kashmir Nix’s best friend or more than that?

14. Who is Blake?

15. Do you like the love triangle between Nix, Kashmir and Blake? If you were Nix, would you choose Kashmir or Blake?

16. What is your favorite character in the book? What do and don’t like about the book?

17. If you was the author, would you change the book ending?

18. Could you guess what would happen in the next book

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13 Little Blue Envelopes - Discussion Questions

1. What is the 4^th Noodle?  Why does Ginny go there?
2. If you was Ginny, what would you do after you receive the packet from Aunt Peg?
3. How does Ginny get the PIN to her ATM card?
4. What is “mysterious benefactor day?” Who does Ginny finally choose to donate money to?
5. Why do Keith and Ginny fight?
6. How does Ginny meet Beppe? What happens between Beppe and Ginny?
7. What does Ginny visit first in Paris?
8. How does Ginny find the café her aunt worked in?
9. How do Keith and Ginny meet in Paris? How do they spend their time in Paris?
10. What does Ginny decide to do in Amsterdam and who does she spend time with there?
11. What secret does Olivia share with Ginny?
12. Why had Aunt Peg visited Copenhagen?
13. What does Ginny find out about her Aunt Peg in this letter?
14. What happens to Ginny and her friends on the beach in Greece?
15. What secret does Richard finally tell Ginny?
16. What does Ginny find behind Aunt Peg’s Manet picture?
17. Why did Aunt Peg delay selling her paintings?
18. What do you think of Aunt Peg? Would you want to have an Aunt like her?
19. What does Ginny feel Aunt Peg wanted her to do in the last letter?
20. What do you think Ginny learned from her adventure?

The Lie Tree - Discussion Questions

1. Why does Faith’s family move to the island of Vane?
2. At the beginning of The Lie Tree, what is the first detail to show that Faith has a very curiosity character?
3. How do you think the setting of the island of Vane adds to the atmosphere of the story?
4. Who are the members of Faith’s family?
5. Why do you think Faith feels a connection with her father’s snake?
6. What happened to Faith’s father?
7. What makes Faith think her father is murdered?   
8. How does Faith know about the lie tree?
9. What is Faith’s first lie? How does Faith spread it?
10. Discuss the ripple effect of the lies that Faith tells. Which do you think has the biggest impact?
11. In what ways do you think Faith is similar to her father? In what ways is she different?
12. Discuss the conflict between religion and science in The Lie Tree.
13. ‘A girl cannot be brave, or clever, or skilled as a boy can. If she is not good, she is nothing. Do you understand?’ (Erasmus) Discuss the ways in which Faith and other female characters face prejudice because of their gender.
14. Were you surprised by the identity of the murderers?
15. Do you like the ending of the book? If you were the author, how would you end the story?
16. If you had a Lie Tree in your possession, what would you do?
17. Are there mysteries that remain unexplained at the end of the novel?
18. How does this novel differ from other fantasy books you have read? 

All the Bright Places - Discussion Questions

1.      How do Finch and Violet meet?

2.      What do you think of the relationship between Finch and Violet?

3.      What did you think of Finch's parents?

4.      Finch falls through a lot of social safety nets, especially at school. How could the system have served him better?

5.      Do you think the teen characters seem realistic? Why or why not?

6.      At the beginning of the book, Violet's depressed enough to think about suicide. How is her depression different from Finch's?

7.      Finch and Violet visit a lot of ordinary places (mostly cheesy tourist attractions) that, to them, feel super special. Why are these places so special to them?

8.      Finch was a good counselor to Violet. What prevented him from having the same level of insight into his own situation?

9.      Did the book engage you from the beginning or did it take a while for you to get interested?

10.  Which character did you enjoy the most? Do the characters seem real and believable?

11.  What did you find to be the most heart-breaking moment?

12.  Do you feel like things could have ended differently?

13.  Have you known any people like Finch?

14.  If you were Violet, would you do differently?

15.  Do you think Finch meant to kill himself or was it an accident?

16.  What did you think of the ending, do you think there should be a second book?

17.  If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?

18.  If you could sum up the book in three words, what would they be?

I'll Give You the Sun - Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think the author tells the story through the two voices of Noah and Jude and at two different ages, i.e. Noah at 13 and Jude at 16?

2. "Love is only half the story" is the quote on the front cover of the book. What do you think this means and what do you think the other half of the story is?

3. When Noah is talking about his father, he says that he draws him "so big I can’t fit all of him on the page, so I leave off his head" (p.15). What does this say about Noah’s relationship with his dad?

4. After the death of their mother and its aftermath, both twins change dramatically in their outlook, behavior and personalities, each becoming something they are not. Why do you think this happens?

5. Jude tells Oscar "I gave up practically the whole world for you. The sun, stars, ocean, trees, everything, I gave it all up for you" (p.365). What was she trying to express to him? What would you give up the sun for and why?

6. In the book, the sculptor Guillermo Garcia is described as "the kind of man who walks into a room and all the walls fall down" (p.177). What does that mean and what does it tell you about him as a character? Can you think of any real people for whom this description might also fit?

7. Ghosts and the supernatural feature prominently throughout the story. How does the book manage to make Grandma Sweetwine, who is dead, such a real, solid character? Do you believe that it is the ghost of her mum that keeps breaking Jude’s sculptures and if so, why do you think she is doing it? What influence does the spirit of Oscar’s mum have?

8. Which is your favorite character in the book and why? How do you feel the main characters deal with their grief and what impact does this have on the other?

9. Prophet the parrot and his "Where the hell is Ralph?" refrain is one of the humorous elements of the story. Why do you think the author included him and what part does he play?

10. The book deals with the big themes in life—grief, sexuality, families, relationships and most of all love, what is one of the central platforms for the characters to express these themes?

11. At the beginning of the book, every time Jude and Noah played rock, scissors, paper, they always chose the same thing (p.25), whereas at the end of the book they chose differently (p.394). What does this say about their future lives and the relationship between them?

12. What did you think about the ending of the book—did it complete the story in a satisfying and believable way for the reader? How might it have ended differently? Write a different ending for the story and let a minor character narrate it.

Dumplin’ - Questions for Discussion

1.      What prompted Willow and Ellen to become best friends?

2.   What do you know about Willowdean Dickson?

3.      How old was Aunt Lucy when she died? Why did she die?

4.      Who Willow had a crush for? Why she became hesitated when he made a move on her?

5.      Why didn’t Willow try to lose weight? If you were her, would you try to lose some weight?

6.      Why did Willow decide to enter the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant? If you were her would you do too?

7.      Why do you think Millie, Amanda, and Hannah also decide to enter the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant?

8.      Why didn’t Willow want Ellen to enter the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant?

9.      Do you think Willow treated Mitch fairly?

10.  Why do you think Bo fell for Willow?

11.  Though Willowdean thought she had made peace with her weight, the idea of being publicly involved with a handsome athlete – the teasing she’ll endure, his hands on her “back fat” –unsettles her deeply, Can you explain why? If you were her what would you do?

12.  Where does Willow unknowingly take her new outcast friends (Millie, Amanda, and Hannah) to for pageant training?

13.  How did Willow and Ellen get back together? 

14.  Towards the end of the book, Willow went from one talent to another, what was the consequence of her action?

15.  Did Willow win the title of Miss Teen Blue Bonnet? Why didn’t she stay until the end of the show?

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

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