Plot Points
Where the story takes place.
What is Seattle Washington?
The main character of the story
Who is Maya?
Chaperone meaning
What is someone who supervises and watches over others at events?
The main conflict in the story.
What is Maya wants to go to the Spring Fling but doesn't think her parents would let her?
Original home country.
What is Kazakhstan?
The event Maya wants to attend.
What is The Spring Fling (Dance)?
The little brother
Who is Nurzhan?
A person responsible for helping immigrants adjust to life in America
What is a Sponsor?
What is it's more difficult for adults to assimilate than it is for kids?
The reason the family moved to America.
For better opportunities and safety.
The reason Maya gets in trouble with her parents.
What is getting caught with a boy?
How Mama reacts when she finds out about the fight
What is she is angry and disappointed?
What does Maya mean when she says her life feels like a "balancing act"?
What is she's trying to balance her family's Kazakh traditions and American life?
How does Maya grow or change by the end?
She understands her family's love and the importance of compromise.
What cultural expectations cause tension in the story?
Strict family rules vs. American teen freedoms.
The person that convinces the parents to let her go to the event.
Who is Nurzhan?
How Nurzhan shows he supports his sister.
What is he agrees to chaperone her so she can attend the dance.
A person who sends out vehicles according to a schedule.
What is a Dispatcher?
What lesson does Maya learn about family?
Family support can come in unexpected ways.
What cultural value does Papa strongly believe in?
Respect for elders and family honor.
The compromise that allows Maya to go to the event.
What is Nurzhan acting as her chaperone?
How does Papa's attitude toward American culture affect Maya?
What does the title "My Favorite Chaperone" mean by the end of the story?
How does the fight between Nurzhan and the bully symbolize the family's struggles?
It shows how they're all trying to defend their values in a new culture.
How does the setting influence the story's theme?
Living in America challenges Maya's family to adapt while keeping their traditions.