Riding The Bus With My Sister

How does the theme of writing show up in the book? Does writing intersect with power? For example, how much more power does Rachel have to raise awareness than Beth does? How do the examples of Beth’s writing, via her letters and cards, help us understand Beth more deeply? What do her written words expose and what do they leave out? 

Rachel grapples for a long time with the notion of self-determination. What is your understanding of self-determination after reading this book? What do you think about this concept? Do you agree with Rachel’s actions even though they sometimes violate the principles of self-determination, such as when she forces Beth to have a surgery that she doesn’t want?  

How does the use of flashbacks impact the story as a whole? What do we readers gain from Rachel’s exploration of her family history? What does she expose, and how does it influence our understanding of both Rachel’s and Beth’s characters and their relationship with each other? 

In your experience, what has changed for people like Beth since this book was published? Did you learn anything new from reading this book? Can you relate to Rachel or Beth, and did reading the book help you understand your own family relationships in a new way? 

How does the author use the theme of music in this book? When and how does she incorporate music? Why? What does music represent for Beth? For Rachel? 

What do you think of the way Beth’s parents treat her? In some respects, they treat her like any other child in the family, and in other ways they are negligent. She is accepted and loved equally, but they make no effort to accommodate her differences as a child. Do you think Beth was better off living at home and being treated as if she were no different, or better off once she lived in her group home? What are the pros and cons of her life with her father versus her life in the group home and then in her apartment? 

What do we learn about life from the drivers Beth loves? The book is full of the wisdom and spirituality of the various drivers. What are some key lessons that you took from reading it? What do you think Rachel learned about life and spirituality from her one-year journey?

Rachel goes through tremendous growth over the course of the year. Why do you think Simon chose to include the raw and potentially embarrassing parts of her journey, rather than just present herself as a loving sister and advocate? For example, she frequently complains about Beth and describes Beth as a burden. Can you relate to Rachel’s struggles to accept Beth, or does she seem cruel to you? Ultimately, Rachel accepts Beth as she is and stops asking her to change. Which incidents or experiences seemed to bring about the greatest changes in Rachel?