Rebecca Caudill Blog

2011 NOTES FROM THE MIDNIGHT DRIVER by Jordan Sonnenblick

2010-09-30T08:50:00.001-07:00

1. What did Alex do that got him in trouble? Why did he do it?

2. Was Alex punished for his actions? How?

3. How did Alex and Sol like each other when they first met? Did their relationship change during the course of the book? If so, how?

4. What part did music play in the novel? Did you enjoy reading about the musicians?

2011 THE MAILBOX by Audrey Shafer

2010-09-30T08:49:00.003-07:00

1. Gabe goes to live with his Uncle Vernon. What happens to Uncle Vernon?

2. How did Uncle Vernon feel about having Gabe live with him? How do you know this?

3. Who was secretly helping Gabe? Why didn't Gabe meet him right away?

4. What do you think about the ending? Do you think it could really happen?

2011 THE ALCHEMYST by Michael Scott

2010-09-30T08:49:00.001-07:00

2011 TROUBLE by Gary D. Schmidt

2010-09-30T08:48:00.002-07:00

2011 YELLOW STAR by Jennifer Roy

2010-09-30T08:48:00.001-07:00

2011 ALL SHOOK UP by Shelley Pearsall

2010-09-30T08:47:00.002-07:00

1. Why does Josh have to move? Who does he go to live with in what city?

2. What does Josh's dad do? How does Josh feel about it?

3. By the end of the book, do Josh's feelings about his dad and the people he met in the new city change? What brought about the changes if any?

2011 FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull

2010-09-30T08:47:00.001-07:00

1. Where did Kendra find the three keys? What did they open?

2. What is the Society of the Evening Star? What is its purpose?

3. Why is Fablehaven special? Why was it created?

4. What is Lena's story? What happens to her at the end of the book?

2011 A FRIENDSHIP FOR TODAY by Patricia C. McKissack

2010-09-30T08:46:00.002-07:00

2011 11 BIRTHDAYS by Wendy Mass

2010-09-30T08:46:00.001-07:00

1. Do you think the title fits the book well? Why?

2. List three of the people Amanda interacts with everyday. What do they do day after day?

3. What has caused the strange circumstances in Amanda's life?

4. Does Amanda's life ever return to normal? What has to happen to make this possible?

2011 SAVVY by Ingrid Law

2010-09-30T08:45:00.004-07:00

2011 SCHOOLED by Gordon Korman

2010-09-30T08:45:00.003-07:00

2011 SCAT by Carl Hiaasen

2010-09-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

2011 THE GREAT WIDE SEA by M.H. Herlong

2010-09-30T08:44:00.004-07:00

2011 FOUND by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2010-09-30T08:44:00.003-07:00

2011 DIAMOND WILLOW by Helen Frost

2010-09-30T08:44:00.001-07:00

1. What secret is revealed about Diamond Willow's birth?

2. Who is Roxy?

3. What was so special about the spruce tree where Diamond Willow and Kaylie camped?

Extra:

4. Why do sticks from the Diamond Willow Tree have diamond shapes on them?

2011 WAITING FOR NORMAL by Leslie Connor

2010-09-30T08:43:00.003-07:00

2011 THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

2011 SCARLETT by Cathy Cassidy

2010-09-30T08:42:00.002-07:00

2011 THE BOY WHO DARED by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

2010-09-30T08:42:00.001-07:00

2011 CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson

2010-09-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

2010 NAKED MOLE RAT LETTERS by Mary Amato

2009-04-01T12:34:00.001-07:00

1. Frankie is pretty upset when she finds email messages from a woman to her father. Why is she so disturbed? What does she think might happen?

2. Frankie begins to lie to her teachers, family, and friends. Name three of the lies she tells and why she tells them.

3. How are Frankie's problems resolved by the end of the book?

4. Do you think you might act in a similar manner if you were in her shoes?

2010 HOME OF THE BRAVE by Katherine Applegate

2009-04-01T12:33:00.002-07:00

1. Why did Kek have to leave his home? Where does he go?

2. Why do you think working with the cow helps Kek fit in?

3. What do you think was the funniest experience Kek had in the book?

4. What do you think was the hardest thing Kek had to face?

2010 SHARK GIRL by Kelly L. Bingham

2009-04-01T12:33:00.001-07:00

1. Jane was attacked by a shark while swimming in shallow water. What happens to Jane in the next few days?

2. How does Jane feel about the shark attack? How has her life been changed? How would you feel if this happened to you?

3. How does Jane's attitude change as the book progresses from the beginning to the end?

4. Do Jane, her family and her friends become stronger and better because of the accident? Explain.

2010 SHOOTING THE MOON by Frances O'Roark Dowell

2009-04-01T12:32:00.004-07:00

1.) Jamie Dexter is almost 13 years old. She and her brother T.J. grew up in the army because their father was a Colonel. When T.J. enlists, how does Jamie feel about it?

2.) T.J. usually did not send Jamie letters while he was at boot camp and later in Vietnam. What did he send to her? What skill did she have to learn to see what he was sending her?

3.) How did Jamie's attitude about serving in the Army change? Who or what influenced her?

2010 FREEDOM WALKERS by Russell Freedman

2009-04-01T12:32:00.003-07:00

1.) List four of the many people who helped to integrate public busses and eventually help blacks and whites be treated as equals.

2.) What was Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s parts in integration?

3.) What was the boycott? What was involved?

Questins by Katie P.

2010 DRAGON SLIPPERS by Jessica Day George

2009-04-01T12:32:00.001-07:00

1. What items do each of the dragons in the story collect?

2. How does Creel end up working for Derda? What work does Creel do?

3. Why are the azure blue shoes Creel got from the brown dragon of Carlieff so special? Where did they come from?

4. What special event is being planned in Roulain? Why does Prince Luka say that things are "a bit dodgy"?

5. What are Velika and Shardas to one another?

2010 THE THING ABOUT GEORGIE by Lisa Graff

2009-04-01T12:31:00.002-07:00

1. In almost every chapter, there are some comments, written in a different font, giving you examples of what it might be like to do certain things like Georgie. Did you do the "exercises"? How did you feel after doing them and after reading these comments?

2. Georgie and his best friend, Andy, have a dog walking business. What happens to break up their partnership? Do Georgie and Andy ever become friends again?

3. Georgie does not get along well with Jeanie the Meanie. Why do you think Jeanie acts the way she does? Do you think both Georgie and Jeanie may have misunderstood one another? Why?

4. How do you feel about Georgie? Did his story make you feel any differently about yourself? Did his story make you feel any different about how people around you act? Why?

2010 ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES by Mary Downing Hahn

2009-04-01T12:31:00.001-07:00

1. Travis and Corey spend the summer at their grandmother's Inn which is supposed to be haunted. To try to build up the tourist business, what do they do which causes the ghosts to wake up?

2. What kinds of tricks and other activities do the ghosts do once they are awoken?

3. The ghosts want Travis and especially, Corey, to help them. What do they want?

4. What do you think about Miss Ada? What happens to her at the end of the book? Do you think she got what she deserved?

2010 CROSSING THE WIRE by Will Hobbs

2009-04-01T12:30:00.002-07:00

1. Victor feels he must "cross the wire" into the United States to find work. Do you think he is doing the right thing?

2. Where is Victor's father?

3. Name three people who help Victor on his journey.

4. What are some of the difficulties Victor has to overcome on his travel northward?

4. Victor's friend Rico also "crosses the wire" but he decides later to return to his village. Why? How does this make Victor feel?

2010 KIMCHI AND CALAMARI by Rose Kent

2009-04-01T12:30:00.001-07:00

1. What was the Celebrating Your Heritage Campaign? What does this have to do with Joseph Calderaro? How does he feel about it?

2. Name two people who aid Joseph with his quest. What did they do to help him?

3. What does Joseph learn about himself? How does this affect his relationship with his parents? With Robyn, Nash and Gina?

2010 JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE by Wendy Mass

2009-04-01T12:29:00.002-07:00

1.) Name some of the places Jeremy and his friend go to search for keys to open the box and some of the people they meet along the way.

2.) Who is Jeremy's best friend? What does she collect? How do she and Jeremy communicate while they are at home?

3.) Why did Jeremy's father have the box delivered for his thirteenth birthday? What did he hope would happen to Jeremy when he sent the box containing the meaning of life with no keys?

2010 THE MOZART QUESTION by Michael Morpurgo

2009-04-01T12:29:00.001-07:00

1. Who was Paolo's violin teacher? Where did he first meet him?

2. Paolo's violin teacher and parents had met before. Where did they met? Did they do anything together in the past?

3. Why did Paolo Levi, the great violinist, not want to be asked the Mozart Question in interviews? Why was playing Mozart so painful for him?

2010 A SMALL WHITE SCAR by K. A. Nazum

2009-04-01T12:28:00.002-07:00

1. Will wants to join the rodeo circuit. What obstacles stand in his way?

2. Do you think Will had a right to feel like he wanted to get away from home? Why?

3. Will and Denny encounter a rattlesnake. What happens? How does Denny feel about it? How does Will feel about the event? What does it make Will feel about Denny?

4. Where does Will end up at the end of the book? How did he feel about it? Where does Denny end up? Were you surprised at this turn of events?

2010 THE WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary D. Schmidt

2009-04-01T12:28:00.001-07:00

1. Holling Hoodhood calls his home the perfect house? Why? What does this show about his family?

2. Why does Holling end up spending Wednesday afternoons with Mrs. Baker?

3. Cream puffs show up in the book several times. Tell about two incidents involving the pastry.

4. Who are Sycorax and Caliban? What happens when they show up at the end of the novel?

5. Do Mrs. Baker and Holling ever learn to respect or even to like one another? Explain briefly.

2010 ELEPHANT RUN by Roland Smith

2009-04-01T12:27:00.002-07:00

1. Mya and Nick escape from Hawk's Nest only to set out on a perilous journey. What did they hope to do once they were free?

2. Out of all the places in Burma the Japanese may have chosen to set up an airstrip, why was Hawk's Nest chosen?

3. What does Sergeant Sonji hope to prove about the Japanese people? What does he do to show this?

4. Is Nick changed by his experiences in Burma in 1941? In what way?

2010 THE WHITE GIRAFFE by Lauren St. John

2009-04-01T12:27:00.001-07:00

1. Martine moves in with her Grandmother on an African game reserve. How did she feel about the move? What was her Grandmother like? Why did she have to move to Africa?

2. Does Martine feel like she fits in on the game reserve or at school? Why or why not? Who are her friends at school and on the game reserve.

3. Martine stages a rescue. Who does she save? Who helps her do this?

4. Who were the criminals? What crimes did they commit?

2010 FIRST LIGHT by Rebecca Stead

2009-04-01T12:26:00.001-07:00

1. What do you think is happening when Peter has his terrible headaches?

2. What is Gracehope? Why was it created?

3. How are the main characters, Peter and Thea related?

4. Would you like to live in either Greenland or Graceland now that you have read about them? Why or why not?

2010 EMMA JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE by Lauren Tarshis

2009-04-01T12:25:00.002-07:00

1. The title, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree,refers to what?

2. What did Emma-Jean's classmate mean when he called her strange? What did she take it as meaning?

3. Does Emma-Jean compare to anyone else you know or characters you have read about in another book? Who?

Questions by Katie P.

2010 A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT by Linda Urban

2009-04-01T12:25:00.001-07:00

1. Zoe has dreams of playing the piano? What type of instrument does she end up playing? Who are her two music teachers?

2. Zoe's dad has taken many courses from what university? What are some of the classes he has taken? Why does her dad take these at-home classes instead of going to a college?

3. Wheeler Diggs never does his homework, never answers in class, usually Wheeler Diggs is a mess. Zoe and Wheeler do not seem to like each other or have anything in common at the start of the book. How does this change? What do Zoe and Wheeler do to help each other out?

4. Zoe's mom is a very busy person. She is rarely home and Zoe feels her mom has no time for her. Does Zoe's music help bring them together? How?

2010 SOMEONE NAMED EVA by Joan M. Wolf

2009-04-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

1. Can you believe that Eva could actually forget her real name was Milada and where she came from? How did this "brain washing" happen?

2. Why did the Nazis take children away from their families? How would you feel if this happened to you?

2. Who adopts Eva? Why did they adopt her? Was Eva happy there?

3. What helps Eva remember who she really is? Does she want to try to find her real family?

4. How did Eva's experiences change her?

2009 OH, RATS! THE STORY OF RATS AND PEOPLE by Albert Marrin

2008-04-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

1. When did Rattus rattus first begin to travel from China? When did Rattus norvegicus begin its travels and where did it go from Russia? How did the rats travel?

2. In some countries, rat is a popular dish, name some of the countries.

3. How does the old children's song "Ring around the rosy" relate to rats?

4. Has reading this book changed your attitude about rats? How?

2009 ALABAMA MOON by Watt Key

2008-04-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

1. Why do Alabama and his dad live in the forest?

2. What happens to Alabama's dad?

3. Does Alabama follow his father's advice or does he find his own path? How is it different from the life he lead with his father?

2009 HEAT by Mike Lupica

2008-04-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

1. What happened to Michael's dad?

2. What secret are Michael and Carlos keeping?

3. Why is it so important and difficult to get hold of Michael's birth certificate?

2009 THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages

2008-04-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

1. Dewey's dad worked on a secret project. What was it?

2. What happens to Dewey's dad and how does it change her life?

3. What occurred to create the "Green Glass Sea"? How do you feel about the testing and creation of this invention?

2009 THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan

2008-04-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

1. What is "Camp Half Blood" and who goes there?

2. Why are the Minotaur and other mythical bad guys after Percy?

3. Who is Percy Jackson's father?

4. Why do Percy and Grover go to the underworld?

2009 LETTERS FROM WOLFIE by Patti Sherlock

2008-04-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

1. Why did Mark send Wolfie into the army?

2. Who was Wolfie's handler? Was he good to Wolfie?

3. How was Wolfie's handler's life improved by his association with the dog?

4. What big change did Mark, Claire, their mothers, the vets, and others want to happen regarding army dogs?

2009 A DROWNED MAIDEN'S HAIR by Laura Amy Schlitz

2008-04-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

1. Why did the Hawthorne sisters adopt Maude?

2. What was the Hawthorne sister's family business?

3. What were some of the tricks the Hawthorne sister's used in their work?

4. Did Maude's experienced with the Hawthorne sisters shape her into a better or worse person? Why?

2009 BLACK STORM COMIN' by Diane Lee Wilson

2008-04-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

1. What were three terrible things that happened to Colton and his family which made him seek out a job with the pony express?

2. Where did the Wescott family end up after they left the wagontrain and who helped them?

3. What did Colton do which might have ended him in jail but instead made him a hero?

2009 PROJECT MULBERRY by Linda Sue Park

2008-04-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

1. What WGGL, Wiggle Club, project do Julia and Patrick decide to work on for the state fair?

2. What does Julia do to try to sabotage the project and why?

3. Did you find the discussion between the author and Julia between chapters interesting or distracting? Why or why not?

2009 GOSSAMER by Lois Lowry

2008-04-01T12:05:00.001-07:00

1. Who is Gossamer? What is her job?

2. Do you think the (older) woman handled John well? Was her character important to the storyline?

3. How did you feel about the book as a whole?

2009 BLACK DUCK by Janet Taylor Lisle

2008-04-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

1. Ruben and Jeddy were best friends, what is it that divides the boys?

2. Did you know about prohibition in America? Do you think this would work now? How might this relate to the current drug problems in the U.S.?

3. Who does Ruben marry? Were you surprised?

2009 HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson

2008-04-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

1. What does Uncle Chester leave Hattie when he dies?

2. What is so special about the chest filled with Uncle Chester's belongings?

3. Why do many people dislike Carl? If you have read PENNY FROM HEAVEN, how did this compare with how Penny’s dad was treated?

4. Do you think Hattie will be happy and successful in her future life? Why?

Questions 1,2,3 by Katie P.

2009 PENNY FROM HEAVEN by Jennifer L. Holm

2008-04-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

1. What happened to Penny’s dad? Were you surprised ?

2. There are two explanations for how Penny got her name. What are they?

3. How do you feel about the ending? Does it seem possible or was the author trying too hard to tie up loose ends?

2009 SHUG by Jenny Han

2008-04-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

1. Where does the title of the book come from?

2. How did Thanksgiving with the Honeycutts go? Have you ever had a holiday experience like this?

3. What happened at the dance which really hurt Annemarie?

2009 BLOOD ON THE RIVER by Elisa Carbone

2008-04-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

1. Where did Samuel come from and why did he end up in the New World?

2. Did Pocahantas really save Captain John Smith’s life? Or do you think she was playing a role in a special ceremony?

3. Why did Samuel kidnap Virginia? Was this the right thing to do? Why or why not?

Bonus: Where might our word “wow” have come from?

2009 CORNELIA AND THE AUDACIOUS ESCAPADES OF THE SOMERSET SISTERS by Lesley Blume

2008-04-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

1. What did you think of the different rooms in Virginia Somerset’s apartment? How do they tie in to the storyline?

2. Where did Patel come from? What is his story?

3. How were Cornelia and her mother’s lives changed by knowing Virginia?

2009 RULES by Cynthia Lord

2008-04-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

1. Was Kristi like the girl that Catherine thought she would be?

2. Why does Catherine have to make rules like, "When you go swimming, boys can take off their shirts, but not their shorts," for David?

3. Does Catherine ever ask Jason to the dance?

Questions by Katie P.

2009 WOLF BROTHER by Michelle Paver

2008-04-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

1. "Deepest of all, the drowned sight.
Oldest of all, the stone bite.
Coldest of all, the darkest light."
What are these three objects of the Nanuak?

2. How do the members of the Raven clan discover that Torak is the Listener?

3. Did Torak successfully reach the mountain and kill the possessed bear?

Questions by Katie P.

2009 LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2008-04-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

1. Who did Miranda and her family choose as the person to survive if only one of them made it? Why?

2. What were the two ways Miranda got food for her family?

3. Did Miranda and her family make it through or die?

Questions by Katie P.

2009 THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick

2008-04-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

1. To whom did the heart-shaped key belong?

2. How did Hugo end up in jail?

3. What is Papa Georges's job

Questions by Katie P.

THUNDER FROM THE SEA by Joan Hiatt Harlow

2008-01-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

1. Where does the story take place?

2. How did Thunder end up in the sea?

3. Describe how Thunder became a hero.

4. How did you feel about what was happening to Thunder at the end of the book?

ADAM CANFIELD OF THE SLASH by Michael Winerip

2007-08-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

1. Student reporters really made a difference in this book, what mystery did they solve?

2. Do you think Adam and Jennifer were brave or foolish to expose the "villian"? Do you think you would have done this?

3. Why did they call the third grader, Front Page?

YANKEE GIRL by Mary Ann Rodman

2007-07-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

1. How do you feel about what "prejudice" meant in the South now that you have read this book?

2. Do you think you have a better understanding of what life was like at that period of time in U.S. history?

3. Alice Ann Moxley came from Chicago and ended up in Jackson, Mississippi in 1964. What, if any differences did you notice between her "northern" concept of African Americans and that of characters in the south? Do you still see or hear racial attacks like those described in the novel?

CODE TALKER by Joseph Bruchac

2007-07-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

1. Why where the Navajo Marines recruited to be code talkers?

2. What is a "code talker"?

3. What was the purpose of the "enemyway" ceremony? And who performed it?

4. Do you think the Code Talkers made a valuable contribution to the war effort?
Why or why not?

THE SCHWA by Neal Schusterman

2007-06-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

1. What were Antsy and his friends throwing off the bridge? Why?

2. What experiments did Calvin and Antsy use to prove the Schwa Effects?

3. Have you ever felt as if you were invisible?

THE PENDERWICKS by Jeanne Birdsall

2007-06-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

1. How did the Penderwick family end up at Arundel?

2. How did the Penderwicks interfere with Mrs. Tifton and Jeffrey? Do you think they should have left things alone?

3. Would you have like to spend your summer vacation at Arundel? Why of why not?

WORTH by A. LaFaye

2007-06-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

1. How did Nathaniel feel about John Worth when he first came to the farm. Did his feelings towards John change with time?

2. Were you surprised by John's past? Had you ever heard of an orphan train before?

3. Do you think you would like to attend the school that Nathaniel went to? Why or why not?

PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale

2007-06-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

1. Would you like to be chosen to attend the Princess Academy? Why or why not?

2. What did Miri do which was heroic? What skills did she use to save the day?

3. How did you feel about the ending? Did the Prince choose the best bride after all?

DRUMS, GIRLS, and DANGEROUS PIE by Jordan Sonneblick

2007-06-19T14:21:00.001-07:00

1. What is dangerous pie?

2. What happens to Jeffrey? Do you think his family handled the situation well?
How would you feel if this happened to your brother or sister?

3. Did you like the ending? Did you think it was realistic or not? Why?

RANGER'S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan

2007-06-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

1. What happened to Will's parents? How did he come to be a ward of the Baron?

2. What happens if you look a Kalkara in the eye?

3. Which apprentice's job would you have liked to be chosen for?

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE

2007-06-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

1. What happened to separate Edward from Abilene?

2. How did you feel about Edward during the story?

3. Did Edward learn anything about himself as his journey continued? What, if anything did he figure out?

THE OLD WILLIS PLACE by Mary Downing Hahn

2007-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

1. Diana and George live on the grounds of the Old Willis Place. How did they come to be there and why don't they leave?

2. When Lissa and Diana go into the house, did you think that Lissa acted foolishly or would you have done the same?

3. Did you think Lissa's dad should have been a little more involved in what was going on?

THE MISADVENTURES OF MAUDE MARCH by A. Couloumbis

2007-06-06T13:18:00.001-07:00

1. What happened to Aunt Ruthie that sets Maude and Sallie off on their big adventure?

2. Who helped out Sallie and Maude the most during their journey?

3. Who was Marion Hardley? How did you feel about this character?

MVP* MAGELLAN VOYAGE PROJECT by Douglas Evans

2007-06-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

1. What were some of the rules of this around the world contest you thought were unusual or unfair?

2. If you had been approached to become a player in the Great Global Game would you have considered participating?

3. Who deserved to win the four million dollar prize in the end? Did this player follow all the rules to win?

SHAKESPEARE'S SECRET by Elise Broach

2007-06-06T13:05:00.000-07:00

1. Where does the main character's name come from? Do you think it is a good name for her?

2. Have you ever moved to a new home and started at a new school? Did you have trouble fitting in or was it easy?

3. Was there really a hidden diamond? Did you like the ending of the book or how might you have ended it?

DEFIANCE by Valerie Hobbs

2007-05-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

1. What do Toby, Pearl, and Blossom the cow have in common? What lessons do they learn from one another?

2. Was Toby being foolish or brave hiding his illness from his parents? If you were in his shoes what do you think you might do? Does it make sense at all that he chose to hide how sick he was?

LISTENING FOR LIONS by Gloria Whelan

2007-05-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

1. What is Rachel's other name in the story? Why does she take on this new identity

2. Rachel figures out what she wants to do when she grows up. Do you think the difficulties she encountered helped her discover this? How?

CROOKED RIVER by Shelley Pearsall

2007-05-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

1. Rebecca's part of the story is told in prose while Amik's is told in poetic verse. Do you think this technique adds to or confuses the storyline?

2. Who was the real murderer?

3. What's the deal with the "Thunder Beings"? Was there a supernatural power at work here?

EAST by Edith Pattou

2007-05-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

1. What is the white bear's real name?

2. Do you have any idea in what direction you were born? Was Rose really driven by her "northern" birth direction or was it love that motivated her?

CHICKEN BOY by Frances O'Roark Dowell

2007-05-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

1. What color eggs did Miss Blue lay?

2. Who sent the social workers after Tobin's family? How do you think you would feel if this happened to your family?