Readers Response Questions

Character
1. How has the author made these characters seem real? How might you describe
these characters to another person?
2. Character Conflicts: What choices would you have made if you were the character?
In the text the character did this _________________. However, I would have
done this ________________ because . . .
3. Who can the character go to for support and understanding? What advice did the
supporting character offer?
4. How is the culture of the character similar/different than your culture?
5. Character Motivation: Choose a character and explain why he/she acts the way that
they do.
6. What new personality traits or information do we learn about the characters?
7. Choose a chapter. Explain how the characters grow or change in this chapter.
Setting
8. What is the setting? How is this particular setting important to the story?
9. Why did the author choose this setting for the story?
10. In what other time period could this story have taken place? Why do you think so?
Theme
11. What lessons did the characters teach you?
12. How does this story compare to a novel or movie about the same issue?
13. What is the authors message? How do you think the authors message applies to
your life?
14. What new ideas or perspectives about bullying have you gained by reading this
text?
Conflict
15. Explain the events that lead to this storys problem.
16. What challenges do the characters face that are different from the ones that you
have faced?
17. Give an example of one character who empathized (understood/related to) with
another characters conflict. Then give an example of a character who DID NOT
empathize with another characters conflict.
18. Name one conflict and were you satisfied with the resolution? How is the resolution
authentic/real?
19. Choose a chapter. Explain the chapters main conflict.

Bullying

Readers Response Questions

20. What is bullying? What does bullying look like and sound like?
21. When somebody says, just be yourself, what does that mean?
22. Is it always easy to be yourself, or can it sometimes be difficult? Why? Give
examples.
23. What does fitting in mean? How do you do it? Does fitting in ever make it hard
to be yourself?
24. Are there groups here in Gompers (gangs, clubs, teams, groups of friends)? Why do
these groups exist? What do they do for the people in them?
25. What are some common signs of disrespect that you see here at Gompers? How do
you feel about that?
26. What are the benefits of treating others with respect?
27. Whose responsibility is it to prevent violence and bullying? Why?
28. How do you deal with anger in a positive and non-harmful way?
29. How do you think someone feels when they are excluded/left out? How can you
make people feel included and welcome?
30. Why do some people bully and treat others badly?
31. What can teachers/parents/students do to prevent bullying?
Your opinion
32. Choose a chapter. How do you feel about what happened in this chapter? Do you
find yourself amused, interested, disturbed, fearful, annoyed, angered, and
impatient or something else? Why?
33. Choose a chapter. What do you think of the characters actions in this chapter?
What would you have differently?
34. Choose a chapter. Does this chapter remind you of anything? Why?
35. What characters do you like/dislike? Why?
36. Values are standards of behavior/morals and what you think is important in life.
What are some things you value? Why?
37. What do you like/dislike about the way people treat each other here at school?
Why?
38. Do you find it easy or difficult to apologize when you are wrong? Why?
39. Who do you go to when you want to share how you are feeling? Why is this person
easy to talk to?
40.Write your own question and answer.