The Poet X - Discussion Questions

    

1. What would be your first impression when you read a novel in verse?

2. Describe Xiomara Batista?

3. What would Xiomara’s mother do if she caught her hanging outside after school?

4. What are the differences between Xiomara and her twin brother Xavier?

5. How did Xiomara first feel about the confirmation class?   

6. Who is Caridad? Why does Xiomara say Caridad and she shouldn’t be friends?

7. When Xiomara turned twelve what present she got from her brother?

8. As a teenager with a body of a full grown woman what are the problem Xiomara has to face?

9. What do you think of these verses in the poem “Church Mass”  -

“Just when Father Sean

starts talking about the Scriptures

that everything inside me

feel like a too full

too dirty kitchen sink.”

10. How did Xiomara’s teacher, Ms. Galiano change the course of Xiomara’s existence?

11. How does writing help Xiomara to release her frustration? 

12. What do you think of Aman? If you were Aman, would you throw a punch to the boy who "groped" your girl? Why and why not?

13. If you were Xiomara, would you forgive Aman?

14. How does Xiomara’s relationship with writing change her relationship with her mother over the course of the novel?

15. If your mother read then burned your journal, what would you do? 

16. What is it about writing that makes Xiomara feel brave?

17. What do you think of the bilingual phrases? If you don’t speak Spanish do you understands the story?

18. At its heart, The Poet X is a novel about teenage rebellion against strict parents and a coming-of-age story. Why this is a common theme in YA novels?

Last of her Name - Discussion questions

1. Describe Charlemagne Reese—Charlie—and what’s recently changed for her. How is she dealing with these new changes?

2. What is the biggest change you ever faced?

 3. Why is Charlie mad at her sister, Jackie? Who do you think she should be most mad at? Why?

4.  What trick does Howard give Charlie to help her calm down? What do you do to calm down when you’re mad?

5. Why do you think Charlie yells at Bertha (pg. 45)? How does Bertha respond? Why do you think she calls Charlie a “blessing” (p. 53)?

 6. Describe the Odom home. How were Charlie’s first impressions of their home all wrong? How does the Odom family affect Charlie’s view of her own family?

7. Why is Wishbone so important to Charlie? Do you think Charlie and Wishbone have anything in common?

8. How does Charlie respond to Audrey at Sunday school (p. 113)? Compare it to the way Charlie responded to Audrey at the beginning of the book. What is different? What do these differences say about how Charlie is changing in Colby?

9. What are the mean words Charlie say to Howard that she regrets to say that? (P.147) What do you think of his reaction?

10. What do you do when you say something wrong?

11. How is Jackie different when she visits Charlie? Does Charlie like this difference? Why do you think Charlie wants to be more like her sister?

12. Why is the lunch note from Audrey’s mother more important to Charlie than to Audrey (p. 185)? What does it inspire Charlie to do the next day?

13. How are Bertha and Jackie’s view of Charlie’s mom different from her own?

14. How does Bertha try to make things right for Charlie?

 15. What do you think was her wish all along?

16. Do you like the book ending? Do you wish Charlie could go back to her own family? If you were the author, how would you end the story?

17. Have you ever made a wish when you see things you can wish on?

18. Read the list below and add more things you know (perhaps from the book) that you can wish on

WISH by Barbara O'Connor - Discussion Questions

1.      Describe Charlemagne Reese—Charlie—and what’s recently changed for her. How is she dealing with these new changes?
2.      What is the biggest change you ever faced?
3.      Why is Charlie mad at her sister, Jackie? Who do you think she should be most mad at? Why?
4.      What trick does Howard give Charlie to help her calm down? What do you do to calm down when you’re mad?
5.      Why do you think Charlie yells at Bertha (pg. 45)? How does Bertha respond? Why do you think she calls Charlie a “blessing” (p. 53)?
6.     . Describe the Odom home. How were Charlie’s first impressions of their home all wrong? 
7.       How does the Odom family affect Charlie’s view of her own family?
8.      Why is Wishbone so important to Charlie? Do you think Charlie and Wishbone have anything in common?
9.      How does Charlie respond to Audrey at Sunday school (p. 113)? 
10.      Compare it to the way Charlie responded to Audrey at the beginning of the book. 
11.      What is different? What do these differences say about how Charlie is changing in Colby?
12.      What are the mean words Charlie say to Howard that she regrets to say that? (P.147) What do you think of his reaction?
13.      What do you do when you say something wrong?
14.      How is Jackie different when she visits Charlie? Does Charlie like this difference? Why do you think Charlie wants to be more like her sister?
15.      Why is the lunch note from Audrey’s mother more important to Charlie than to Audrey (p. 185)? 
16.      What does it inspire Charlie to do the next day?
17.      How are Bertha and Jackie’s view of Charlie’s mom different from her own?
18.      How does Bertha try to make things right for Charlie?
19.      What do you think was her wish all along?
20.      Do you like the book ending? Do you wish Charlie could go back to her own family? 
21.      If you were the author, how would you end the story?
22.      Have you ever made a wish when you see things you can wish on?

18

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid - Questions for Discussion

1.   

1. What is Stink's real name? Can you guess why he has this nickname? 
2. Would you want to be nicknamed as “Stink”? Do you have a nickname? What is this?
3.  What did Stink have Judy do to him each morning and why?
4.  What made Stink think he is shrinking?
5.  Why did Stink’s hair turn orange? If your sister turned your hair to orange, what would you do?
6.  What holiday were the kids of 2D writing about? If you can choose a holiday to write about what holiday would you choose? Why?
7.  Who is Stink's favorite president? Why did Stink choose him?
8.  What was the 2D class pet?
9.  What Stink have to do with Newton that weekend?
10.  What did Judy think about Newton?
11.  What happened to Newton? In your own imagination what could happen to Newton?
12.  How did Stink’s teacher react with Newton’s garbage disposal incident? 
13.  Do you have a pet? If you do, what do you do to take care of your pet? If you don’t, would you want a pet? Why?
14.  What did Stink suggest to the Governor of Virginia? What did the Governor think of Stink’s suggestion?
15.  What did Judy give Stink to make him feel better?
16.  Do you think Stink is really shrinking? Have you ever had a feeling of being shrinking?
17.  Do you like the ending of the book? If you were the author, how would you end the story?
18. How many stars would you rate the book? Any suggestions for the next book club book?

What to Say Next Discussion Questions

1.      

1.  Who is David Drucker? Is he being treated as a social outcast or he just doesn’t hang out with anyone? 
2. What happened to Kit Lowell?  
3. Why does Kit sit at David’s table away from her friends during lunch?
4. Who did suggest David to make notes of every kid at his school? Why?
5. What do you think of David’s sister Miney? Why is she home?
6. What do you think of David’s makeover? Do you think David needs the makeover to be Kit’s friend?
7. Why does Kit ask David to start the Accident Project? Would you do the same?
8. What happens to David’s notebook? What does Kit do when she finds out about that?
9. What would be the consequences to post personal contents from some else’s notebook to the internet?
10. What would you do if someone post your diary to the internet? 
11. Why isn't David afraid of the football team's confrontation? 
12. The school principal blames David instead of the football team and the one who post his notebook to the internet, do you think it fair? Why or why not?
13. How does Kit know her mom had an affair with Uncle Jack?
14. If you were Kit, would you forgive your mom? 
15. Why did kit and her mom don’t want anyone to know that she was the driver in the accident that killed her dad?
16. What do you think of David’s reaction when he knew that Kit was the driver in the accident that killed her dad?
17. What are your favorite detail of the book? What are your least favorite details?
18. Do you like the book ending? If you were the author how would you end the story? From 1-5 stars, how many stars would you rate the book?

A List of Cages - Questions for Discussion

1. What do you know about Adam?

2. How did Adam know Julian?

3. Imagine if you were becoming friends with Julian and he trusted you enough to tell you this story. How do you think you would react? How would it affect your friendship?

4. Do you know anyone like Russell?

5. Do you think Julian will be able to move forward and live a “normal” life?

6. Have you ever known someone with ADHD? How does Adam, if at all, remind you of them?

7. How does Charlie change his attitude toward Julian?

8. Do you agree with Adam’s decision to not contact the police about Russell’s abuse? Part of the reason he agrees not to is Emerald’s argument that Russell will only get a few days of jail time and then be back with Julian. Do you think that would happen? How would you have handled it?

9. How did Adam save Julian?

10. Adam almost breaks up with Emerald because of Julian? Do you think he is over reacting? Why or why not?

11. Julian’s life is literally saved by his friendship with Adam. Given that Adam and his friends are seniors and Julian is a freshman, how do you think the next three years of high school will go for Julian?

12. A List of Cages tackles very complicated, disturbing, and important issues and questions. Can you tell what are they?

13. One of the most unsettling parts of the novel is the idea that abuse can occur and no one realizes what’s happening. Does that idea make you reconsider how you view the people around you in your school or community? Do you think that was part of the author’s intent?

14. The book’s title comes from a sentence fairly late in the book: “The things I know stay in my head as I stand on my own two feet at the end of the day, and I walk back to my room with my journal to write my list of cages.” What does that mean to you?

15. Do you like the book ending? If you were the author how would you want to end the story?

 Link to download the book for free-
http://blacklib.com/book/815029

Happy reading!

SYMTOMS OF BEING HUMAN - DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Riley writes, “I can’t blame you for trying to categorize me. It’s a human instinct” (p. 58). Why do you think we as humans have a need to identify others as boys or girls? How does this become problematic?

2. Why is calling Riley “it” (p. 5) more offensive than incorrectly assuming “he” or “she”? What should you do when you aren’t sure which pronoun to use when addressing someone?

3. After a tough first day at school, Riley tells Mom, “I just really want to blend in here,” to which Mom replies, “Maybe ‘blending in’ is overrated.” When do you think it’s important to blend in? When is it important to stand out?

4. In chapter 4, Riley can’t even name one friend to call to hang out, but by the end of the book, Riley has Solo, Bec, the Queer Alliance group, and the blog community. How did being true to who Riley is lead to these friendships?

5. Draw from your own experiences online. What are some of the pros and cons of the anonymity you can have on the internet? In what ways does this anonymity give Riley courage? How does this same anonymity lead to problems with bullying?

6. When Riley tells Mom and Dad about the study date, Dad starts to ask if Riley’s friend is a boy or a girl (p. 68). Why is this important to Dad? Why does Mom cut him off?

7. Why do you think Doctor Ann recommends that Riley start a blog? Considering both the positive and negative responses Riley receives, do you think the blog was ultimately a good thing or a bad thing for Riley? Why or why not?

8. When Vickers harasses Riley in the cafeteria, Solo stands up and tells him “Sit down, bro. You’re being an ass” (p. 88). Have you ever stepped in to stop bullies before things got worse?

9. Riley tells Solo, “So you gave up something you really loved just to fit in with a bunch of guys who laughed at you and called you fat,” to which Solo responds, “I didn’t stop liking Star Wars, or even talking about it. I just stopped wearing the furry backpack to school” (p. 95). Have you ever changed something about yourself to fit in with a group? How did that make you feel?

10. Doctor Ann tells Riley, “As for wondering if it’s okay to be who you are—that’s not a symptom of mental illness. That’s a symptom of being a person” (p. 110). Have you ever wondered if it’s okay to be who you are? Have you ever felt you needed to hide a part of yourself in order to be accepted by others?

11. Reread Riley’s blog response to Anonymous (p. 115–118). Do you agree with Riley’s advice? Why or why not? If you had received that anonymous message, how would you have responded?

12. Over the course of the book we learn that Riley attempted suicide, Anonymous (aka, Andie Gingham) thought about committing suicide, and Bec’s sister actually did commit suicide. How do these experiences impact Riley? How is Andie Gingham’s message.

Link for free download
http://blacklib.com/book/697684

Happy reading!