Project Description
Questions for groups during reading:
- Describe the setting this story takes place in. Have you ever been to a place like this?
- How would you describe the relationship between Abby and her sisters? Think about your siblings. Compare and contrast your relationship to Abby’s.
- Who are you more like, Abby or Jade? Why?
- What advice would you give Abby about her friends, Sophie and Lex?
- Why do you think Blair started to cry when Abby handed her their notebook? Pg29
- Find a quote from the book that shows how Abby feels about hope. Why does she feel
this way? - On page 57 the author wrote that Dr. Lacamoire was on a quest of his own. What do
you think he’s looking for? Why is he in Moose Junction? - List some of the ways Blair tried to hide her eating disorder.
- If you could talk to Blair, what would you say? What questions would you ask her?
- Dr. Lacamoire seems a bit mysterious. What do we know about him so far?
- Who do you suppose stole the Star-Gazer Twelve and put it in the time capsule?
- Why did Abby agree to be a part of Dr. Lacamoire’s quest, what does she want? What
do you think of her plan? - Reread the first paragraph on page 104. What does this mean? What is the author trying
to tell us? - List some of the positive ways Abby and her family dealt with “Anna Rexia”. What are
some ways Abby and her family dealt with “Anna Rexia” that weren’t helpful. - Use evidence from these chapters to describe how Abby feels about Blair while she’s
away. - What does Abby mean when she says, “Pictures are like stars.” on page 131? Do you
have any favorite photos of your family or friends that you like to look at over and over?
- Father Peter Patrick discusses persevering through trials. Describe any trials you’ve had to persevere through. What or who helped you?
- Why do you suppose Abby became angry with her mom and Jade when they were looking through the photo album? What would you have said to Abby?
- Why do suppose it felt so good for Dr. Lacamoire and Abby to yell? Have you ever felt like just yelling? Did you yell or did you do something else?
- Caleb doesn’t think it’s a good idea for him to go see Blair. Do you agree? Why?
- What do you think you would have done if you were Abby when she saw Sophie and Lex
at Target? Have you ever lost a friend? - Why was the notebook and the story of the Planet Pirates so important to Abby?
- What did Abby mean when she said, “Everyone saw Blair struggling but nobody thought
for five seconds what it was like to be sitting at the dinner table with her.”? - What would you have said to Sophie when she apologized?
- How does the repetition of the phrase, “I’m sorry…”at the end of chapter 15 impact the tone of the text?
- What do these phrases tell us about Abby’s feelings towards Blair?
- Do you agree with Abby’s mom – are ballet and Aleksander to blame for Blair’s sickness? Who or what is to blame for anorexia?
- How are Blair and Dr. Lacamoire alike?
- How are Abby ad Dr. Lacamoire alike?
- What are some ways the author created suspense in this story?
- What part of the ending surprised you the most?
- What part of the ending did you enjoy the most?
- What other titles would you have given this book?
- Do some research on your own about anorexia. Create an informational poster or flyer
to teach kids your age about this illness.
Questions for groups after reading:
- What words would you use to describe Abby? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. RL4.3, RL4.1
- What details from the story support the theme of family relationships? What other themes emerge from this story? RL4.1 RL4.2
- How do the actions of Jade towards the end of the story influence how you feel about that character? RL4.3
- How would this story be different if Jade were telling the story? RL4.6
- On page 91, what is meant by the phrase, “as cool as a cucumber”? What does this tell
the reader about Dr. Lacamoire? RL4.4
- What details from the story support the theme, coming of age? What other themes emerge in this story? RL5.1, RL5.2
- Compare and contrast how Jade and Abby respond to Blair’s sickness and hospitalization. RL5.3
- How would you retell this story, including important parts from the beginning, middle and end? RL 5.5
- How would the story change if the setting were different? Imagine the story in a different setting. Describe some impacts the new setting would have on the story. RL5.3
- On page 234, Abby says that the telescope was like her own photograph. What does she mean? RL5.4
- How did Abby’s understanding of how to help Blair change throughout the story? RL5.3
- How does Abby’s understanding of “Anna Rexia” change throughout the story? Use evidence from the text to support your thinking. RL6.1, RL6.3
- Why do you suppose the author chose to use the literary device of flashbacks to help tell the story vs. telling the story chronologically? RL6.5
- Choose one character from the book, besides Abby. What life lessons did this character learn throughout the story? How does he/she change throughout the story? RL6.3
- How does the author’s use of the term “Anna Rexia” instead of the medical term anorexia, impact the tone of the story? RL6.4
- What emotion or feeling does the phrase, “caged in makeup” on page 71, create? Why would the author use the word “caged”? RL6.4
- What is the theme of the story? What evidence did you use from the story to help you decide this is the theme? RL6.1, RL6.2
- Provide examples from the text to show what the story suggests about family relationships. RL6.2
- What is the theme of this story? Describe how this theme recurs in the text. Use specific examples and evidence from the text to support your thinking. RL7.1, RL7.2
- On page 97, the author wrote, “The spotlight on her was blinding”. What does this mean? How does this phrase illustrate how Abby felt about her family’s initial response to Blair’s sickness? RL7.4
- What reasons can we infer about why Abby never went to visit Blair in the hospital? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. RL7.1
- How does the author’s use of flashbacks contribute to the development of the plot? What are the pros/cons of using this structure? RL7.4
- Compare and contrast the point of view Abby and Dr. Lacamoire have on the concept of family. Use examples from throughout the story. RL7.6
- What can we infer about the author’s feeling towards public libraries? Use quotes from the book to support your answer. Do you agree with the author’s opinion? RL7.1
- Why do you think the author titled the book, What Happens Next? RL7.2
