Safiyyah
What does Safiyyah remember really well in her head?
Maps!
Who is Madame Odette? What is her relationship to Safiyyah?
She is the local librarian. She lets Safiyyah into the library to look at maps, and then they work together with the resistance.
What animals do Timothee and Safiyyah rescue?
a cat and kittens, and a bird.
Why weren't Safiyyah's family targetted by the Nazis?
They were Muslim rather than Jewish.
What is the name of the group targetting the Jews?
Nazis
Who are three of the most important people in Safiyyah's life? Various answers...
example: Isabelle, Setti, Hana, Baba, M. Cassin, Ammo Kader etc.
What was Monsieur Cassin writing his book about?
Botany/plants
Why was Isabelle's family able to leave Paris?
They were part of a wealthier class of people who owned property in other areas of France.
What languages do Safiyyah and her family speak?
Arabic and French
In which city and country does the book take place?
Paris, France
Describe a time when Safiyyah was brave in the story.
Example: When she stole back the manuscript; when she took Hana through the souterrain.
What is Timothee especially good at?
He is very stealthy, sneaky and good at hiding.
How does Safiyyah help M. Cassin after the Nazis ransack his home?
She folds origami butterflies with him.
What were Ammo Kader and Baba doing in secret in the mosque?
They were hiding Jews and falsifying documents
What does it mean to have rations?
It means that every family only got a certain amount of food during the war.
How did Safiyyah feel wearing her hijab toward the end of the book?
She felt powerful, strong, and safer.
Why are oranges so important to Setti?
They are important because they remind her of her home in Algeria bringing saplings to Andalusia as a child.
How were the Jewish people being smuggled out of the country?
They were travelling in the souterrain to the harbour, and hiding in barrels on a wine barge.
What did Safiyyah's family do to make Hana feel at home?
They made her a Seder supper for Passover, a Jewish holiday.
Why was Tarek the only cousin to go off to war?
Because he was the only male cousin in the family, and women didn't go to war at this time in history.
Explain a time in the story when Safiyyah felt scared.
Various...ex. When she was lost in the souterrain; when she discovered M. Cassin; when she had to lead Hana and others to safety; when she left school and survived a bombing.
What did Baba stop doing after WW1?
He stopped singing. Setti told Safiyyah that he used to sing but his experiences after the war caused him to stop.
Why does Safiyyah think that Bon Bon and the kittens will help Hana feel better?
She was able to help the young brothers feel better by letting them play/bond with the kittens.
How do you say Aunt and Uncle in Arabic?
Khala and Ammo
How were people able to find special foods and items unavailable during war-time, such as the oranges for Setti?
There were "black markets" where you could secretly/illegally purchase goods.