Chapter Fourteen

What effect do you believe Jenna's actions in this chapter will have on hers and Mia's friendship?

Chapter Fourteen

Do you believe that Mia is right in holding herself responsible for Mango's death?

Chapter Thirteen

Please share any thoughts, feelings, or opinions you had while reading this chapter that you'd like to discuss.

Chapter Twelve

How do you feel about Mia's loss of guilt based on her assessment that her parents "wouldn't deny me this experience if they knew about it?" (p. 199)

Chapter Eleven

From Me:

What was your reaction to the interactions between Mia and Billy's mom?  What did you make of that scene?

Chapter Eleven

From Nick:

Based on the information about pheromones in the letter from Adam, and what Mia saw when she looked at Roger after acupuncture, what do you anticipate, if anything, might happen between them?

Chapter Eleven

From Shanexandra:

In this chapter, Jenna says about Rebecca, "I just don't want her to think I like her."

Mia responds by saying, "Somehow I don't think you need to worry about that."

What do you think this whole dialogue meant?

Chapter Nine

When Mia's friendship bracelet gets snagged on the door latch, thereby ripping a thread, is this somehow symbolic of her relationship with Jenna?

Chapter Nine

When Mia's father says, "I don't like what's going on" (p. 158), what specifically do you think he means?

Chapter Eight

After Mia learned that she received an A on the quiz, she thinks, "I'm so proud of myself that I forgot to be ashamed."  Discuss the dual meaning of this idea.

Chapter Eight

In this chapter, Mia used her ability to see letters as colors to help her cheat on a math quiz.  Do you think she was wrong to do this?  Do you think she took the easy way out?

Chapter Seven

In the beginning of this chapter, Mia mentions that she hadn't yet returned Jenna's phone calls, and she considers that Jenna "doesn't deserve to know" what she's learned about herself "after what she did."  How do you feel about this?

Chapter Seven

Mia and her mother seem to have differing perspectives on what, if anything, should be done about Mia's synethesia.  How do their perspectives differ and whom do you think is right and why?

Chapter Four

So far, everyone who knows about Mia's condition (except Jenna) thinks that Mia needs to be "cured."  How do you feel about this?

Chapter Four

Mia doesn’t tell anyone about her synesthesia, not even Jenna.  When the truth is revealed, Jenna’s response surprises Mia.  “Maybe you don’t know what a best friend is.” (p. 77)  How would you describe Jenna’s reaction?  Anger?  Disappointment?  Hurt?  Do you think Jenna is justified in her feelings?  How would you respond to Jenna’s statement about the meaning of best friend?

Chapter Three

It seems as though nobody -- not her family or her best friend -- knows about the way Mia perceives the world.  Why do you think she's told no one, not even Jenna?

Chapter Three

It seems as though Mia is developing an internal conflict: choosing to be "normal" or trying to connect with Billy Henkle.  How do you think she should proceed?  How will her choices affect her life?

Chapter Three

Why do you suppose Wendy Mass included the scene at the veterinarian's office with Roger Carson's family and their dog in this chapter?

Chapter Two

Please share your thoughts about the encounter Mia has at the grocery store with Billy.

Chapter Two

When Mia shows her father the picture she painted of her grandfather, her father says, “They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, you know. I can see Grandpa in those eyes.” (p. 25)  What does he mean by that?

Epilogues

No questions for these.  I am wondering, though, if any of you have read Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.  Please just indicate if you have or have not.

Bree 7

On pages 289-290 (please reread), Melanie and Bree have a conversation about the night before.  


Melanie says, "You didn't look through the telescopes last night, right?"
Bree: "Right."
Melanie: "Why?"
Bree: "I don't know."


Bree then thinks, "I have a feeling she knew exactly why I didn't look."


What do you make of this scene?  What was it all about?  Why do you think Bree didn't look?

Bree 7

Bree seems less than emphatic about talking to her parents about Claire's letter.  Why do you think that is?

Jack 7

On page 306 Jack says " a part of me will always be right here, right now, with that giant eye in the sky shining down on me, telling me it's going to be alright. What do you think Jack means by this?

(from Nick)

Jack 7

Why do you think Jack ended up coming to the eclipse? Why do you Jack came up to Ally, and held her hand?

(from Nick)

Bree 7

Why do you think Bree decided not to tell Ally about Jack not coming?

(from Nick)

Bree 7

Why do you think Bree went to all of the unusuals? In this chapter Bree stated that she decided that she was going to ask her parents if taking care of the unusuals could be her job, why do you think this is?

(from Nick)

Ally 7

How's this Alex?  It's before noon!


Where do you think Jack has been all this time?  Why has he been so hard to find?  What do you think he has been doing?


Enjoy the Super Bowl!

Jack 6

Sorry about the timing, Alexandra -- I did the best I could.  It is still about two hours before sunset.  :-)


I guess I don't have a real good question for this chapter, so let's change things around.  Please share something you're thinking or feeling after reading this chapter and we'll respond with our thoughts.  Or, feel free to ask a question that we can try to answer based on our opinions.

Bree 6

Bree has a strong reaction when she looks at the moon through the telescope. Why do you think that is?  What does Bree realize about herself and her life?

Bree 6

Melanie and Bree have very different advice for Kenny and Ally about how to survive in a new school. Jack also offers his own take on fitting in at school. Which character’s advice and experience at school do you identify with more — Melanie, Bree, or Jack — and why? Which character would you want for your friend in a new school?

Ally 6

Why do you think Bree decided to join the other kids in the shed during the storm?

Ally 6

With regard to her friendship with Ryan, Ally thinks, "It's almost like nothing's changed.  Except, of course, everything has." (p.213)

What does this mean?  How has Ally's friendship with Ryan changed?  What do you think has caused it to change?

Jack 5

Final two sentences (page 208): "I know she's thinking about leaving and how hard it will be.  I know because I'm thinking the same thing."


Please discuss what you think this means from Jack's point of view.

Bree 5

Stella has now seen Jack's sketch book and Bree's wish book, both of which each character kept secret.  What do you make of that and what do you think Stella's role in this story might be?

Bree 5

In this chapter we learn how Ally's and Bree's plan worked out.  Now that they know, how might they react and interact with each other?

Ally 5

On the last page of this chapter, what do you think Jack meant by what he told Ally in the last paragraph?

Ally 5

Do you think Ally is thinking that perhaps Bree does have something to offer her, or in other words, is there something she can learn from Bree?  Why?

Ally 5

What do you think about the way Ally and Bree handled their ruse with their parents?  How effective do you think it was?

Jack 4

Why do you think Jack tends to put himself down and not be very good at accepting compliments?

Bree 4

Why do you think Bree sort of jumped out of character to help Pete?

Ally 4

Do you think Ally will be able to keep the "secret" from Kenny?  When he does find out, how do you think he will react?

Ally 4

Do you think Ally’s and Bree’s plan will work?  What complications or successes could you envision?