Characters
Plot Points
Settings
Themes
Story Telling Elements
100

Main character of A First Time for Everything

Who is Dan Santat?

100

The main event at Dan’s first party?

What is the cops show up?

100

First city they arrive at. 

What is Paris, France?

100

Key theme introduced in the first two chapters of A First Time for Everything.

What is overcoming fear of the unknown?

100

We see bullies “brutally” attacking another student as we enter Los Altos Middle School.

What is Rising Action or Conflict?

200

Illness suffered by the main character’s mom. 

What is Lupus?

200

Name of the author of Dan’s speech at the beginning on the story. 

Who is A.A. Milne?

200

Dan’s eventful first party place.  

What is Ryan’s House?

200

This aspect of Dan’s trip helps him relate to the theme of self discovery.

What is learning more about himself and gaining confidence?

200

Meet Dan, his parents, his city and what he usually likes to do. 

What is Exposition?

300

Character Dan confuses his luggage with?

Who is Amy Glucksbringer?

300

Causes Dan to loose half of his daily budget on his first day at Paris. 

What are those unfortunately delicious Bread Sticks?

300

Year the story takes place. 

What is 1989?

300

This is the emotion Dan struggles with the most during the trip?

What is nervousness?

300

In all cool or gray scale colors we se Dan struggle at gym class before he has to walk up the Eiffel Tower.

What is a Flasback?

400

Dan’s Mom and their mom are friends. 

Who is Joy?

400

Dan’s mom demands him to “TAKE IT OFF!” before he leaves. 

What is his Buddha Necklace?

400

First place Dan and the boy try to explore on their own. 

What is the Louvre?

400

Examples on experience at the Eiffel Tower relating to the theme of firsts.

What is Dan first time in a foreign country, experiencing new things and getting over fears?

400

Reason to have start with the “embarrassing” speech Dan gives at the start of the story. 

What is establishing character background or traits?

500

Meets Dan at the airport and is a year below him at the same school. 

Who is Darryl?

500

Length of the trip in days.

What is 21 days?

500

Steps Dan and the gang had to go walk up. 

What is the Eiffel Tower/ 674 steps?

500

This encounter of a “murder” with 700 witnesses ties into the them of personal growth. 

What is learning to deal with difficult social situations and becoming more resilient?

500

Like in a romance movie, Dan confuses his bag with a nice girl he meets at the French airport.

What is trope, cliche or meet cute?