The Friendship War

Compare and contrast Grace’s friendships with Hank and Ellie. What lessons do Hank and Ellie help Grace to learn, and how does each character help her to grow and mature? Which friendship rings truer, and why?

Does the resolution of the feud between Grace and Ellie feel genuine? Why or why not? If so, what elements of the story make it seem realistic? If not, what details keep it from feeling real, and how could Clements have altered the story to make it more genuine? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Although he does not usually appear directly in the story, Grace’s grandpa also undergoes considerable character development. How do Grace’s activities highlight the ways in which he grows and changes throughout the novel?

In Chapter 13, Grace thinks about how Hank isn’t her “best friend” but that he feels like a “better friend” than Ellie. What is the difference between a “best friend” and a “better friend?” Use examples from the text to support your analysis.

The book’s major theme, Nothing Lasts Forever, explores aspects of life and death. How do Grace and her grandpa view the death of Grace’s grandmother? How does their changing view of her death reflect their abilities to cope with grief? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Clements chose to write Grace as a scientifically minded character who views the world in terms of numbers and experiments. How does this character framework affect the tone of the overall narrative? Are Grace’s thoughts and inner feelings more or less accessible because of this stylistic choice? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.

The Friendship War touches on the idea that people can only solve their problems by moving forward. Choose three turning points in the novel and analyze what the characters involved in these turning points learn about themselves. How does moving forward help them to grow?

Analyze how the dynamics between Grace, Hank, and Ellie change throughout the novel. How does Grace’s friendship with each person impact her friendship with the other?