Rules

Why does David continually drop toys in the goldfish bowl and immediately go to tell Catherine what he has done? Is it possible to guess how David feels about his sister? When Catherine, her mom, and David drove up and saw Kristi and Ryan in the front yard, what was David feeling in comparison to what Catherine was feeling?

What could Catherine do to change the way Ryan treats David other than yelling at him and getting in trouble herself in return? Is there a point at which Catherine should involve adults?

Three mothers figure prominently in the story: Catherine's mom, Jason's mom, and Kristi's Mom. How are the three mothers different? How can you tell what differences they have in their approach to raising their children?

What unique roles do the pets in the novel play for Catherine and David? How do they respond to the relationship dynamics in the household? Contrast their reactions to David to the reactions of other characters in the novel using examples from the text.

How is David treated in the book by his family? How is he treated by Ryan and strangers who don’t know him? Why do others’ treatment of David matters so much to Catherine? Compare how two different people treat David and explain why you think they treat him accordingly using passages from the text.

How does Catherine’s relationship with her father change over the course of the novel? Do you think Catherine could have confronted him in another way? Why do you think Catherine stays quiet about her feelings towards her father for so long?

The scene in which David runs from a bee reveals that Catherine’s parents have some disagreements about how he should be treated. Do her parents’ attitude toward David make life easier or more difficult for Catherine?

Jason has a limited book of words for personal, private communication. How do these words evolve as the narrative develops? What do the words signify about Jason? What do the words signify about Jason’s relationship with Catherine?