At the beginning of the book Bird says she doesn't have any friends. Why do you think this is?
Why does Bird want to be friends with Harlem? If there was someone
you wanted to be friends with, what would you do to let them know you
want to be friends?
Bird and Harlem both go
through times when they want to give up on their goals. Is it okay to
give up? When is it okay to give up?
The
spelling bee has lots of cool prizes: a gold necklace, 3 speed bike, 4
free haircuts, 2 free guitar lessons, free dental exam, a grocery gift
certificate, 1 month of karate lessons, 2 months of ballet lessons, a
set of encyclopedias, a CD player and a clock radio that projects the
time on the ceiling. What would you pick?
Why does Miss Delphine live in Freedom, Ga? Do you think she minds watching over her father? Why or why not?
For much of the book, Bird does not like Mr. Moody. Why doesn't she like him? What changes her mind?
Harlem and Bird become friends. What do they do to encourage each other?
Why did you think Harlem lost the spelling bee? How well do you
perform under pressure? What do you do to prepare for a big
game/recital/ competition?
Have you ever
had to do something for a friend when they were having a problem?
Sometimes we make assumptions about people, like when people assumed
Harlem was mean and dumb. What kind of problems come from assuming things?
What happens after Harlem gets new glasses? Do you think he and Bird will stay friends? Why or why not?
