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Same Sun Here Discussion Guide
Same Sun Here Discussion Guide
Same Sun Here Discussion Guide
BY
SILAS HOUSE
AND
NEELA VASWANI
ABOUT THE BOOK
An Indian girl who has emigrated to New York City and a coal miners son from Kentucky seemunlikelykindredspiritsyetthatiswhat pen pals Meena Joshi and River Dean Justice quicklydiscoveraboutthemselves.Underneath theirsurfacedifferences,theyhavesomuchin common:familiestryingtogetbyinhardtimes, fathersworkingawayfromhome,grandmothers whomeantheworldtothem,aninterestinsocial action,andevenfaithfuldogs.Funny,sometimes testy,andalwayslively,theirletterspowerfully captureonemomentousyearinthelivesoftwo friends who live far apart but are growing up beneaththesamesun.
HC: 978-0-7636-5684-3 E-book: 978-0-7636-5747-5 Also available on audio
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. hydidMeenastartwritingtoRiver?Whydotheymainlyusesnailmail,note-mail?Howdoletters W differfrome-mail?Howmighttheirrelationshiphavedevelopeddifferentlyiftheyusedonlye-mail? Doyouprefertoreceivee-mailorletters?Whichdoyouprefertosend? 2. eenasolderbrother,Kiku,saysthatallpeopleinKentuckyareAmericasnotlikeNewYorkCity, M wheremostpeoplearefromeverywhereintheworld(page1).Isthistrue,orastereotype? AccordingtoRiver,howdosomeKentuckiansviewNewYorkers? 3. eenasgrandmotherinIndia,Dadi,livesontheothersideoftheworldfromMamaw,Rivers M grandmotherinKentucky.Whatarethesignificantdifferencesinthelivesofthesetwowomen? Whataretheimportantsimilarities? 4. iverspendsmostofhistimewithMamaw,andMeenaisclosefriendswiththeelderlyMrs.Lau. R Whatdoyouthinkyoungpeoplegainfromarelationshipwitholderpeople?Areyouclosetoan olderperson?Whathasheorshetaughtyouaboutlife?
illustration copyright 2012 by Andrea Dezs
7. henMeenagoestocitizenshipclass,theteachersays,Thatswhatitmeanstobean W American.Tobefreetolovewhoandwhatyouwant,andtokeepalotinyourheartatonce (page262).Doyouagreewiththis?WhatdoesbeinganAmericanmeantoyouandyourfamily? 8. eenaandRiverbelievethatmountainshavedifferentmoods.(Meenabelievesthatcitiesdo,too, M butRiverdoesnthaveenoughexperienceincitiestohaveanopinion.)Whatdotheymeanbythat? Haveyoueverseenamountain(oracity)changemoods? 9. eitherMeenanorRiverhasapermanenthome.WhyareRiverandhismotherstayingwithhis N grandmother?WhymustMeenasfamilylieabouttheirlivingarrangement? 10. eenaispartoftheDramaClub,andRiverlovesplayingbasketball.Howdoyouthinkgroup M activitieshelppeople?Towhatgroupsorteamsdoyoubelong? 11. ikeallgoodwriters,MeenaandRiverarebothpassionatereaders.Whataresomeofthebooksthey L recommendtoeachother?Whichhaveyoualreadyread?Whichwouldyouliketoread?Why? 12. hatiscivildisobedience?HowdoesMamawuseitinherfightagainstMTR?HowdidRosaParks W usecivildisobediencetocombatsegregationinAmerica?HowdidGandhiuseitagainstBritishrule inIndia? 13. eenatellsRiverabouttheChipkomovementin1970sIndia.Whatwasitsgoal?Whatwereits M tactics?HowwasitsimilartowhatMamawistryingtodoinKentucky? 14. heredoyouseeinjusticeinyourcommunity?Istheresomethingyouwouldfightforbecauseyou W believeinitsostrongly? 15. Ignorantpeopledontknowanybetter,MawmatellsRiver,butstupidpeopleWANTtobestupid (page103).Whatdoyoubelieveisthedifferencebetweenignoranceandstupidity?Whichismore dangerous? 16. he2008presidentialelectionoccursduringthecourseofthisnovel.Whyarethetwofriends T followingthispoliticalcontestsoclosely?HowdoesMeenasneighborhoodrespondtotheresult? HowdoesRivers? 17. venbestfriendshavedisagreements.WhatdoMeenaandRiverquarrelabout?Howdotheyresolve E theirdifferences? 18. eenaandRiverseemtofindtruefriendshipwitheachother.Howdoyouknowwhensomeoneis M yourrealfriend?Whatdoesitmeantobeyourowntrueselfwithsomeone?Whatdoyouthink yourresponsibilityisasatruefriendtosomeoneelse? 19. hatsacrificesdidMeenasparentsmaketocometoAmerica?Whydidnttheybringtheirdaughter W withthem?HowdoesMeenafeelaboutstayingbehindinIndiaforseveralyears?Howwouldyou? 20. iversmotherisoftentoosicktobewithherson.Whatisthenatureofherillness?Howlonghas R shebeensuffering?Whendoesshegetbetter?Why? 21. henMeenasendsRiverforty-sixsamplequestions(pages275279)fromthedemandingcitizenship W examherparentsjustpassed,hecanansweronlytencorrectly.Howmanycanyougetright?
illustration copyright 2012 by Andrea Dezs
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hestoryflowsalongassteadilyasastream,carryingreadersandElito T
theendofsummerandbeyond,intoacodawhereheisanadult.Eliisgood companyandchildrenwillenjoyaccompanyinghimonhisjourney. School Library Journal(starredreview) annilydistillsachildsexperienceofanendlesssummer.Itsslowburn C beliesthedramathatonlyperiodically,butpowerfully,cracksthesurface. Anintelligent,nostalgicchallengetothosewhoinsistteenreaderswont readaboutkidsyoungerthanthem. Booklist
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