EXERCISE: READING COMPREHENSION (PART TWO: VIA)

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A Tour of the Galaxy (pp. 82-83)

1. When introduced to Via as our new speaker, we learn something very important about her from the first paragraph. What
do we learn?

2. What does Via say about Daisy?

3. Why does she compare her family to space, using Auggie as the sun?

4. Via thinks her family has spent so much helping Auggie feel “normal” so that he feels like he is. She thinks the problem is
that he now thinks he is “normal.” Based on what you know about Auggie, do you think her thinking is correct? Explain with
text evidence.

5. What are some of the ways Via has had to fend for herself in order to take pressure off of her parents? Do you feel badly for
Via having to do all the things she’s done on her own? Explain your feelings.

6. Why does Via claim that “this year there seems to be a shift in the cosmos” and that the “planets are falling out of alignment?”

Before August (p.84)

1. What did Via’s Gran give her to help prepare her for having a sibling?

2. What does Via mean when she says she can tell by pictures that she was the first child, grandchild and niece?

Seeing August (p.85)

1. How did Via feel when she saw Auggie after her trip? How did she feel about herself after this?

2. How does the way Grans acts show her feelings for Via?

3. What does Via mean when she asks if she’ll see Grans again, or is it just a fairytale?

4. What does Via mean by “I let knowing I was Gran’s favorite cover me like a blanket”?

Portuguese to English Translation:

Menina querida – baby girl
Tu es meu tudo – Thou art my everything
August through the Peephole (pp. 88-90)
1. How does Via think Auggie should be treated?

2. Up to this point of the book we’ve never really been told exactly what Auggie looks like. How do you feel after reading Via’s
description of Auggie’s face?

3. Which of the “3 Augusts” do you think Auggie sees himself as being?

4. Do you agree with Via that maybe the family shouldn’t have made Auggie feel so “normal”? Explain.

High School (pp. 91-92)

1. How did the girls play with Auggie when he was little? Did he enjoy the attention?

2. How did the girls respond when they all got into the same high school?

3. Why do you think Via goes by Olivia at school?

4. What could be happening at school that Via doesn’t understand?

Major Tom (pp. 93-94)

1. Which of the three girls was nicest to Auggie?

2. What surprised Via on her first day of high school?

3. Why do you think Miranda changed so much over the summer? Why didn’t the girls include Via?

After School (pp. 95-96)

1. Why did Via lie to her mom about going for pizza and having homework? Why didn’t she want to talk to her mom about her
first day of school?

2. How are we learning more about Auggie through Via’s story?

The Padawan Bites the Dust (pp. 97-98)

1. Did Via’s mom come back that night to see her? Do you know why not?

2. How did Via’s dad cheer her up?

3. Why do you think it bothered Via so much that Auggie cut off his braid?

4. Why do you think Via wanted to have Daisy sleep with her that night? Do you think Auggie would have liked Daisy’s company
also?

An Apparition at the Door (p. 99)

1. What did Via think when she saw her mom?

2. Why do you think Isabel was standing outside the door?

3. Do you think she ever stands at Via’s door?

4. Why do you think this chapter was included?

Breakfast (p. 100)

1. Why does Isabel have to cut Auggie’s grapes in half?

2. What reason does Via’s dad give in support of her riding the subway?

3. Why do you think the fact that Via’s reading War and Peace makes her father think she’s old enough to ride the subway
home by herself? Explain.

Genetics 101 (pp. 103-104)

1. Why does Auggie have the issues he has?

2. Via’s understanding of the genetics of her family is quite detailed. What does this tell you about her as a character?

3. What might Via think about the fact that she carries the gene for what caused Auggie’s deformity?

The Punnett Square (pp. 105-106)

1. Does Via ever plan to have her own children? What does Via mean by there are “countless babies who’ll never be born, like
mine”?

2. What do you think about Via’s chances of having a child like Auggie one day? Can you understand what she means when she
says that her babies will never be born? How do you think she feels about this?
Out with the Old (pp. 107-108)
1. What happened to Via’s friendship with Miranda and Ella?

2. Why do you think Via and Auggie can go days without crossing paths? Do you think this is why Via hasn’t told Auggie about
Miranda saying hi? If not, why hasn’t she then?

3. Do you think joining in with this new crowd will be good for Via or will it present problems? Explain.

October 31 (pp. 109-110)

1. Why does Via stay home on Halloween? Why does she enjoy this mother/daughter time so much? How does she react when
it ends suddenly?

2. Why did Auggie need to be picked up from school?

3. What happened when Auggie came home that day?

4. How do you think Via feels about the fact that Isabel puts a lot of effort into Auggie’s costumes but not hers? Via says, “And
no, I won’t mention the fact that Mom has never made any of my costumes, because it really has no bearing on anything at
all,” yet really she does mention it. Why do you think the author added that look into Via’s mind? What does it say about
Via?

Trick or Treat (pp. 111-113)

1. Why was Auggie so upset?

2. What did Via do to help make Auggie feel better?

3. How do you think it made Via feel to hear what happened to Auggie at school? Explain.

4. Why do you think Auggie told Via what happened at school instead of his mom and dad? Explain.

Time to Think (pp. 114-117)

1. There are so many ways that Auggie and Via are different, but there are also several ways that they are alike. Name some
things that they have in common.

2. Why did Miranda call the house?

3. Is Auggie going back to school after all?

4. Why do you think Auggie agreed to return to school?

5. Why does it make Via feel happy to know that Miranda misses her?

EXERCISE: READING COMPREHENSION (PART THREE: SUMMER)

1. Discuss why the author chooses song lyrics from the song “Beautiful” to begin this section, which is from Summer’s point of
view?

Weird Kids (p. 119)

1. Why did Summer sit with Auggie the first day?

2. Why does she continue to sit with him?

3. What are kids at school calling Auggie?

4. What is your first impression of Summer?

5. What can we tell about Summer’s character from this chapter?

6. How does she see Auggie?

The Plague (p. 120)

1. How did Summer learn about the plague game?

2. What does it tell us about Summer that she isn’t willing to play the plague game? Would you participate if this happened at
our school?

The Halloween Party (pp. 121-123)

1. Why do you think Summer is excited to go to Savanna’s party, even though it seems like she may not enjoy it (no costumes,
no Halloween parade)? Does the party seem like it was worth it for her to miss the things she wanted to do?

2. Is Summer popular? What is keeping her from being popular?

3. Why did Savanna ask Summer where her boyfriend was?

4. Do you think Julian and Summer would make a good couple? Why or why not?
November (pp. 124-126)
1. What did Summer lie to Savanna about?

2. Why was Auggie being rude to Summer at lunch?

3. Do you believe Summer when she says Mr. Tushman never talked to her about Auggie? Why does Auggie find it hard to trust
her?

4. Do you think Summer and Auggie will continue to grow as friends?

Warning: This Kid Is Rated R (pp. 127-130)

1. What is one of the things that Summer likes most about Auggie?

2. What new things did we learn about Summer?

3. How do you think losing her dad has affected Summer?

4. How does Auggie feel about himself when he is around Summer?

The Egyptian Tomb (pp. 131-132)

1. What time of year is it now? Have we seen this part of the story from a different perspective yet?

2. Are Summer and Auggie better friends than before or not? Has Auggie made up with Jack?

3. Why does Summer give Jack Will a hint about Auggie’s anger even though she promised not to say anything. What does this
tell us about her character?

4. Do you think Jack will understand the hint Summer gave him? Do you predict that Jack and Auggie will become friends again?
Would you forgive Jack?