Key idea and Details
Q: What is one major conflict Josef faces in Refugee and how does it affect his decisions?
Josef struggles with the responsibility of caring for his family after his father is taken. This causes him to mature quickly and take risks.
Compare the way Josef and Salva handle danger.
Both show courage and responsibility, but Josef is motivated by family duty, while Salva draws strength from hope and faith.
Why does Alan Gratz alternate between three perspectives in Refugee?
To show how different refugee experiences across time and place are connected and equally meaningful.
How does Salva’s first-person point of view impact our understanding of war?
It personalizes the effects of war, helping readers connect emotionally with his struggles.
How does Kek’s internal conflict about identity shape his actions in the story?
What is "He struggles with being Sudanese in America, which makes him try to hold onto his culture while learning how to fit in"?
Why does Salva decide to lead the boys to Kenya in A Long Walk to Water?
Salva steps into a leadership role because he is determined to survive and help others, showing his growth and resilience.
What character traits do Salva and Kek share, and how are they revealed through their actions?
Both are resilient and hopeful, shown through their perseverance despite trauma and loss.
How does Katherine Applegate use free verse in Home of the Brave to show Kek’s voice?
The format reflects Kek’s fragmented understanding of English and his emotional state.
How does Kek’s perspective highlight the challenges of being a newcomer in Home of the Brave?
His observations and confusion emphasize cultural differences and emotional difficulties of immigration.
How does the change in setting from Sudan to Minnesota affect Kek’s behavior and emotions?
What is "He feels confused, isolated, and sad, struggling to adapt to snow, language, and a new culture"?
How does Kek's memory of his mother shape his behavior in Home of the Brave?
Kek holds onto hope that his mother is alive, which influences his optimism and determination to adjust to life in America.
How does Lou in Home of the Brave help Kek grow emotionally?
Lou offers patience and kindness, giving Kek the stability he needs to begin healing and adapting.
What is the significance of the recurring imagery of water in A Long Walk to Water?
How many points do you want to wager.It symbolizes survival, scarcity, and ultimately hope, as Salva works to bring clean water to his country.
How do the alternating third-person limited perspectives in Refugee create suspense?
Each chapter ends in a tense moment, encouraging readers to keep reading to see how each character's journey unfolds and how each story intertwines.
How does the author’s decision to alternate between Salva and Nya’s stories affect the reader’s understanding of water scarcity?
How does Mahmoud’s decision to stay invisible reflect what he has learned about survival?
Why did the author use short chapters with subheadings throughout Spooked!?
What is to organize the information clearly and help readers follow the events step by step?
What can you infer about public trust in media during the 1930s based on the panic?
people trusted what they heard on the radio and didn’t question its truthfulness?
Why did Gail Jarrow include real newspaper headlines and photographs throughout the book?
What is to help readers understand how people reacted and to add authenticity to the historical events?
How does the author’s word choice in Mahmoud’s chapters create a tone of fear and urgency?
The use of short, intense sentences and vivid details of danger shows how terrifying his journey is
What common theme is shared between Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud’s stories, and how does each character show it differently?
What is "They all show courage and sacrifice; Josef protects his family, Isabel gives up her trumpet, and Mahmoud gives up his sister to save her"?
Compare how Mahmoud and his father respond to the same event of being stuck in Turkey. What does this show about each character?
Mahmoud’s father jokes about not being able to leave while Mahmoud is very serious and angry about it.
How does Katherine Applegate’s use of poetic verse and metaphors help the reader understand Kek’s emotions?
What is "The poetic language makes Kek’s feelings of loss and confusion more powerful and personal"
Why does Salva continue his journey even after so many hardships, and how do his motivations change over time?
What is "At first he wants safety, but later he’s motivated to help others by building wells in Sudan
Find a word or phrase that creates a mood of suspense. How does it affect how the reader feels?
Anxious, uneasy, description of the setting using words to describe shadows, or creaking.