My Return to the Walter Boys

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your thoughts and impressions on the story’s ending? Would you have liked to see it end differently?

2. How did Jackie’s actions toward Cole throughout the story make you feel about her as a character?

3. How would you describe the emotional tone of the book in three words or less?

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

1. Have you ever felt torn between two homes the way Jackie is? How did you navigate that dynamic in your life?

2. Describe a personal object of yours that reminds you of someone or something important to you, similar to Jackie’s pendant.

3. Have you ever had a moment of vulnerability turn into an emotional connection with someone? What happened, and how did you feel afterward?

4. Has there been a time in your life where another person helped you grow or see a new side of yourself? What was the result of that growth?

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

1. How do Cole’s feelings of shame and confusion reflect the broader societal expectations that young people figure out their future as soon as possible? Why do these expectations often lead to issues for young people?

2. How does the author’s depiction of Jackie as a vulnerable and sometimes naive young woman play into harmful stereotypes about girls, women, and relationship dynamics?

3. Why does Jackie always feel the need to present a stable image to the world? How does this drive relate to the more general issue of people being expected to always show strength?

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

1. How does the need to provide narrative space for the 12 siblings of the Walter family alter the pace of the novel?

2. How does the chaos within the Walter home actually help Jackie with Navigating Grief and the Healing Process?

3. How are facial expressions and body language used by the author to illuminate various aspects of characters and relational tension?

4. How does the novel use setting and imagery in Copper Valley to signal it as a place of healing for Jackie?

5. How did the story’s pacing affect the reading experience?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write a short fanfiction featuring one of the other Walter boys or an alternate plot arc for Jackie and Cole.

2. If this story were told as a fantasy instead of realistic fiction, what type of magical being would each major character be?

3. Imagine that this story were set in another time or part of the world. What would be different? What would be the same?

4. If you were Jackie, how would you handle the situation with Cole?

5. Assign a color to each chapter of the story based on its mood/atmosphere. Explain your choices.