How do Maya’s protective lies, her grandmother’s revisionist history, and the Limner family anecdotes tie into Maya’s relationship with truth and authenticity?

Examine the narrative tension between Grandmother Menetti and Aunt Vi. How do their vastly different interactions with Maya shape her understanding of family, love, and personal freedom?

Beyond serving as contrasting backdrops, the landscapes of Pasadena and Wyoming function as active forces that shape Maya’s development. How and why does the author choose to personify these settings, and to what effect on the story or characters?

Examine how art is used as a narrative tool in the novel. What does the narrative suggest about the relationship between human art and the natural world?

How does Maya’s story both utilize and subvert the conventions of the traditional Western or classic adventure story, a genre that is often dominated by male protagonists?

How is Maya’s agency conveyed over the course of the novel, and how does it evolve?

How do Maya’s toy horses evolve as a symbol of her family history? What do they represent about her fears and desires, especially as these issues relate to her sense of identity?

What critique does Paint the Wind offer about the relationship between humans and their natural environment?