Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall impression of Soar? Did the story’s hopeful tone resonate with you, or were there moments you found challenging or hard to believe?

2. Joan Bauer won a Newbery Honor for her novel Hope Was Here. If you’ve read other books by her, how does Soar compare? If this was your first time reading her work, are you interested in exploring more of it?

3. What did you make of the novel’s blend of a medical drama, a sports story, and a tale of community healing? Which of these elements did you find most compelling, and how did they work together to shape the narrative?

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

1. Jeremiah’s coaching mantra is “Want, work, wow” (124), which emphasizes internal drive and personal growth. What’s your reaction to this philosophy, both in sports and in life? Based on your own experiences, do you think it’s a realistic approach in a competitive world?

2. What do you think of Jeremiah’s habit of naming important things in his life, like his new heart “Alice” and his defibrillator “Fred”? What coping mechanisms have you used when faced with adversity?

3. The novel places great importance on the idea of a “found family,” from Walt’s decision to adopt Jeremiah to the bond formed among the Eagles. How does the book’s exploration of chosen families resonate with you?

4. El Grande shares a story about finding a personal victory in a game his team lost badly. Have you ever experienced a situation where you found success or meaning in something that might have looked like a failure from the outside?

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

1. The novel critiques the “win-at-all-costs” culture of youth sports, captured in Hillcrest’s motto: “TO THOSE WHO SAY IT ISN’T IF YOU WIN OR LOSE, WE SAY IT MATTERS” (31). How does this fictional portrayal reflect real-world pressures you’ve observed on young athletes, parents, and coaches today?

2. What responsibility do adults like Coach Perkins and Walt Lopper have for shaping the ethical and moral values of young people in their communities? How does the novel contrast their different approaches to mentorship?

3. While Soar focuses on baseball, its themes could be compared to other stories about sports-obsessed small towns, like the football-centric world of Friday Night Lights. What is it about sports that can become so deeply intertwined with a community’s identity, for better or for worse?

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

1. How does Jeremiah’s first-person narrative voice impact the telling of the story? Is he a reliable narrator?

2. What is the significance of robots within the narrative? What might they represent?

3. Besides Coach Perkins and El Grande, what other characters are foils to each other? What is the purpose of their juxtaposition?

4. Hillcrest, Ohio is the setting for most of the book. Evaluate whether this narrative could take place in another location. Explain your thinking.

5. Evaluate the role of a minor character within the novel, such as Bobby Benchant, Bo Engers, or Benny Lewis. What does each contribute to the novel’s themes?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re the editor of the Hillcrest Herald. Write the headline and the first sentence of the article for the front page the day after the Eagles’ final, victorious game against the Millville Marlins.

2. Jeremiah chooses the “Eagles” to represent the team’s new identity of resilience and vision. If you were coaching a team that needed a fresh start, what mascot or name would you choose, and what values would it represent?

3. The Epilogue gives us a glimpse into the future, but what do you imagine happens to the main characters five years later? Does Jeremiah pursue a career in baseball management, and does Franny continue playing at a higher level?