And Then, Boom!

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Starfish, Fipps’s first novel, ad also features a middle-grade protagonist and verse narration. How does this novel compare to And Then, Boom!? How has Fipps’s style evolved?

2. What was your overall impression of the novel? How did the narration in verse make you feel? Which moments were particularly impactful for you?

3. What message does Fipps seek to deliver with this novel? What is the novel’s greater purpose, and how does it communicate that message?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Reflect on how the novel addresses the idea of shame. Have you encountered shame in your own life? How does Joey’s experience with shame relate to or differ from your own?

2. Reflect on the support networks that emerge around Joey. Have you ever noticed when someone close to you has gone through a personal crisis? How did you support them? What social challenges have made that support difficult?

3. What characters were the most resonant for you, and why? 

4. How did the novel illuminate your understanding of society’s darker and less-acknowledged aspects? How did the plot change or impact your understanding of child poverty and food scarcity?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What implicit comments does the novel make on issues of social class and social support networks?

2. How does the novel’s setting influence its storytelling? Why does the author set the novel in the so-called “tornado alley,” and how does this general setting affect the plot?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the symbolism of storms shift and change throughout the novel? What deeper emotional connections does the narrative draw?

2. Discuss the novel’s point of view. Why does Fipps write in the first person, and how does Joey’s voice shape the novel?

3. Analyze the novel’s use of foreshadowing. Why does Fipps begin the novel with a reference to the time when Joey “flew”?

4. How does the novel explore the importance of community? 

5. Discuss Joey’s changing relationship with the nature of superheroes. What do superheroes symbolize for him, and how does Joey modify his understanding of heroism by the end of the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine if the novel were written from the perspective of Joey’s mother. How would her voice differ, and what would she have to say about the “BOOM” events in Joey’s life? 

2. If this novel were to be adapted into a movie, how would you capture the emotions and symbols evoked by the narration in verse?