Does Frederick do his part for the family community? Does being a member of a community mean that you are obligated to contribute to it? What are the responsibilities of family members to each other? Is Frederick meeting his responsibilities? Is Frederick’s work of gathering ideas and words and images as important as gathering food? … Frederick
Why did Franklin tell a fib in the first place? Is “fibbing” the same as lying? If not, what is the difference? Is it ever okay to lie? Is lying for a greater good okay? In what cases would lying be acceptable? Why did it take Franklin so long to tell the truth? Does lying … Franklin Fibs
Why do people become refugees? Are countries that can provide safety obligated to allow in people escaping their homelands? Do countries have different obligations to their citizens than to other people around the world? Why do the girls decide to share the shoes? What makes Lina and Feroza friends? Can friendship help people to feel … Four Feet, Two Sandals
Why was internment seen as a solution to the “problem” of Japanese in America? Were the neighbors doing the right thing? The patriotic thing? What is patriotism? How did Japanese Americans display or not display patriotism? Did the neighbors violated Mariko’s family’s trust by not taking care of their car as promised? Was this a … Flowers from Mariko
Does friendship require compromise? If so, are there compromises that demand too much of us? How would we know? Can Darius be himself and still be friends with Frederic? Is Darius being asked to give up something that is too important to him for a friendship to require its absence? Is being a dragon essential … Dragon Who Liked to Spit Fire
Art and Reality Is Bird’s grandfather correct when he says that his brother’s graffiti is not art? Is art only found museums? Does the emotions Bird feels when he looks at his brother’s art play a role in the decision about whether Bird’s brother’s graffiti is art? If we define art as determined by its … Bird
Why does Camilla pretend she doesn’t like lima beans? Have you ever pretended that you liked or didn’t like something in order to “fit in” with others? Do people change depending on the people or places that surround them? If so, in what way? If you really wanted to do something that your classmates thought … Bad Case of Stripes
What is a home? Do we define it more by location or by the people we share it with (or something else)? Could one really make a home of a hotel? If not, why not? What changes something from a house (or apartment) to a home? Can a home change? When we move, is our … An Angel for Solomon Singer
What does it mean to be a friend? What makes someone a friend? Think of someone who is a close friend. Why is he or she your close friend? Can we be friends with people entirely different from us? Do we have to have something in common? Can we be friends with someone we think … Amos & Boris
Why do other students tell Grace she can’t be Peter Pan because she’s black and a girl? Is Grace’s grandmother right that Grace can be anything she wants to be? Does it help us to hear that we can be anything we want to be? Can we? If the class hadn’t voted that Grace should … Amazing Grace