Ivy + Bean Discussion Questions

After you have read Ivy + Bean, answer the following discussion questions:

1. Are you more like Ivy or Bean?

2. Why did the girls become such good friends?

3. Do you have to be similar to someone to be friends with them?

4. What is Ivy's room like? Does she collect anything? What is special about your bedroom?

5. Bean and Nancy fight a lot. Do you think this is normal? Why or why not?

6. Did the "spell" work the way you expected? What other spells might Ivy and Bean try in the future?

For more adventues of Ivy and Bean, try:

2. Ivy + Bean and the Ghost Who Had to Go

3. Ivy + Bean Break the Fossil Record

4. Ivy + Bean Take Care of the Babysitter

5. Ivy + Bean Bound to Be Bad

6. Ivy + Bean Doomed to Dance

7. Ivy + Bean What's the Big Idea

The View from Saturday Discussion Questions

After you have read The View from Saturday, answer the following discussion questions:

1. Why is "The Souls" a good name for the team?

2. What type of person is Hamilton Knapp? Would you want him for a friend?

3. What qualities make up a good team? Do you think "The Souls" are a good team?

4. How does Mrs. Olinski become a "Soul" herself?

5. There are times in life when you have to take risks to be successful. How do "The Souls" and Mrs. Olinski demonstarte their willingness to take risks? How does this contribute to their success as a team?

6. Do you think that there should be a sequel? What do you imagine will happen next?

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid Discussion Questions

After reading Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid answer the following discussion questions:

1. James Moody's nickname is Stink. How do you think he got it? Do you have a nickname?

2. What type of adventures do you think Newton is having after escaping from the garbage disposal?

3. Stink's favorite president was James Madison. Who is yours and why?

4. Is Judy a good big sister to Stink?

5. Are you like Stink at all? How?

For more fun with Stink, check out the rest of the series:

2. Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker

3. Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers

4. Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express

5. Stink: Solar System Super Hero

6. Stink: The Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Discussion Questions

After reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, answer the following discussion questions:

1. Who first caused Edward Tulane to be created?

2. Do you have a favorite toy now or did you when you were younger? Why is (was) it your favorite?

3. Why does Pellegrina tell the story about a princess who loves no one and is turned into a warthog by a witch to Abilene and Edward?

4. What happens to Edward's heart during this time period? Why do you think his heart is changed?

5. This book is Edward's story, but all of the people who take him in have their own stories, too. Which was your favorite story and why?

The Landry News Discussion Questions

After reading The Landry News, answer the following discussion questions:

1. Why would this story open up with a copy of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States? Why is this an important amendment? Do we still use it today?

2. Before Cara came to Denton Elementary School, she wrote a newspaper in her old school. What motivated her to start that newspaper? What was its tone?

3. Mr. Larson was stung by Cara's first editorial, but The Landry News ended up reviving his love of teaching. How?

4. Mr. Larson's students know very little about his life outside of school. How much do you know about your teachers? What do you imagine they do on their own time?

5. Why is the principal so upset by the "Lost and Found" article in The Landry News? Would you be?

The Graveyard Book Discussion Questions

After reading The Graveyard Book, answer the following discussion questions:

1. How did Nobody's parents try to protect him when he first arrived in the graveyard?

2. How did the residents of the graveyard decide on the baby's name?

3. What is "the freedom of the graveyard"? What powers does it give Bod?

4. If you could learn to fade or to dreamwalk, which would you choose and why?

5. If you were Scarlett, would you rather remember your experiences with Bod or forget them?

6. Do you think Neil Gaiman is trying to make a point with this book? If so, what point do you think he's trying to make?

Al Capone Does My Shirts Discussion Questions

After you have read Al Capone Does My Shirts, answer the following discussion questions:

1. During his first night on Alcatraz Island, how does Moose Flanagan sleep?

2. What do you think causes Moose's hives? Why do they get worse? What makes them get better?

3. What kind of relationship does Moose have with his father? With his mother? Will this change when Natalie goes to school?

4. What would it be like to live on Alcatraz? Would you like to live there?

5. How did Natalie really get accepted into the Esther P. Marinoff school? Do you think Al Capone had anything to do with it?

6. From beginning to the end of the novel, which characters seem to show signs of changing? How do they change? Do you think these changes will last?