Book Review Discussion Questions WW Provided by Focus on the Family magazine Table of Contents The Wagon Train Trek . 3 Winter . 22 Waiting for Anya . 3 The Winter Room . 22 Waiting for Normal . 4 Winter Sky . 23 Walk the World’s Rim . 4 Wintergirls . 23 Walk Two Moons . 5 Wish . 23 The Walled City . 5 The Wishsong of Shannara . 24 Wanderville . 5 The Wishing Spell . 24 War and Peace . 6 The Witch of Blackbird Pond . 25 War Horse . 6 The Witches . 25 The War that Saved my Life . 7 The Witness for the Prosecution . 26 The War With Grandpa . 7 The Wizard of Earthsea . 26 Watch the Skies: “Daniel X” Series . 8 The Wizard of Oz . 27 Watch Wolf . 8 Wolf Hollow . 27 The Water Castle . 8 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase . 28 Water Walker . 9 Woodsong . 28 Watership Down . 9 Wonder . 28 The Watsons Go to Birmingham . 10 Wonderstruck . 29 We All Get a Clue . 10 Words Unspoken . 29 We Froze the First Man . 11 The World According to Humphrey . 30 We Have Always Lived in the Castle . 11 Worst Enemies/Best Friends . 30 We Were Liars . 11 A Wrinkle in Time . 31 The Wednesday Wars . 12 The Wee Free Men . 12 The Well . 12 We’ll Always Have Summer . 13 The Well of Ascension . 13 What Happened to Goodbye . 14 What Janie Found . 14 What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible . 15 What the Night Sings . 15 Whatever Happened to Janie? . 15 The Wheel on the School . 16 When I Was Joe . 16 When the Lights Go Out . 16 When the Sea Turned to Silver . 17 When You Reach Me . 17 When Zachary Beaver Came to Town . 17 Where’d You Go, Bernadette? . 18 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon . 18 Where the Red Fern Grows . 19 The Whipping Boy . 19 A Whisper and a Wish . 20 The White Zone . 20 “Who Could That Be at This Hour?” . 20 Wicked Lovely . 21 The Wild Robot . 21 The Willoughbys . 21 Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children . A book’s inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family . You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] . DISCUSSION TOPICS The Wagon Train Trek 5 . How do you think you would the word Boche pretty regularly have felt about making this to describe the Germans . It’s not This adventure journey as a real pioneer in the a kind word, and was meant to book by Jesse 1800s? What parts would have insult the Germans . Why do you Wiley is part of been scariest to you? What think some of the villagers felt the Oregon Trail would have been most exciting? it was OK to use that word? Do series published When have you felt God’s protec- you think God would agree with by Haughton tion during struggles and times them? Mifflin Harcourt of change? IP Unlimited 3 . Who enforced Nazi law? How Company. The do the German soldiers take Wagon Train Trek is written for kids Benjamin and the little girl away? ages 8 to 12. Waiting for Anya What happens to Benjamin and the girl? In Nazi trials after Search for a review of this book This historical the war, German soldiers often for parents at pluggedin.com/ coming-of-age defended their actions by saying book-reviews. book by Michael Morpurgo is pub- they were just doing their jobs — what they were ordered to do . If your children have read this book, lished by Puffin How might Jo disagree with that consider talking about the story Books, an imprint defense? How does he not do using these discussion questions: of Penguin Young Readers group, what he’s told to do so he can 1 . What usually happens in the a division of help others? story when your character takes Penguin Books Inc. Waiting for Anya advice from parents or wise 4 . What biblical direction might is written for kids ages 10 to 14. adults? Talk about a time in real apply to the decision that Jo life when you consulted me or a Search for a review of this book makes to help Jewish refugees? trusted adult friend and got valu- for parents at pluggedin.com/ What happens when godly peo- able input . book-reviews. ple come to different conclusions about the same issue? What are 2 . What usually happens in the If your children have read this book, some complex situations in the story when your character makes consider talking about the story world (or your own life) today? rash choices? When have you using these discussion questions: What do you think is the best made a thoughtless decision that response and why? What is the caused you problems? 1 . Early in the story, Benjamin tries best way to respond to people to comfort Jo, encouraging him who see the situation differently? 3 . When has your life felt a lit- not to take his (Jo’s) role in the tle like this book, filled with bear hunt to heart . What was Jo’s 5 . At what point in the story are one tough choice after another? part? Should he have warned the things at their absolute worst Where can you turn when you village? What was the mother between Jo and his father? What need wisdom and advice? What bear’s part? Should she have pro- specific things contribute to that does God promise to do for you tected her cub? Who is to blame event (e .g ., secrets/lying, com- during hard times? for what happened to her? How bat experience, drunkenness, not was Benjamin and Jo’s meeting a knowing all the facts)? What 4 . How does the doctor respond good thing that came out of this does Jo’s grandfather do to help when people need medical help hunt? How does the explanation resolve the situation? What do along the trail? When have you help Jo? Jo’s father and Jo do? known people who sacrificed safety, health or their own agenda 2 . Some of the villagers (including to help someone in need? Jo’s grandfather and father) use The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness . Search for a review of this book for parents at PluggedIn .com/book-reviews . 3 6 . When Benjamin and the little sure was right or wrong? Explain . Search for a review of this book girl are being led away, they both When you feel that way, who can for parents at pluggedin.com/ thank Jo — as if they appreciate you talk to about the situation so book-reviews. his bringing the horse . Are they you can figure out the truth? speaking to more people than If your children have read this book, just Jo? Are they speaking about 4 . Can Soula change Mommers’ consider talking about the story more than the horse? If so, what behavior? Can Addie cure Soula’s using these discussion questions: are they really trying to say? cancer? What keeps each from being able to solve these prob- 1 . Why does Chakoh initially have lems? What world problems do such strong negative views of you feel helpless to solve? What slaves? How does he fail to rec- are some areas of our family life ognize that Esteban *is* a slave? Waiting for Normal When have you failed to recog- This contemporary, that you wish you had the power to change or cure? nize the truth about something legal, drama book or someone because you didn’t by Leslie Connor 5 . How do Soula and Addie encour- want to believe it? is published by age and help each other? How HarperCollins do each show the other the same 2 . How do Chakoh’s impressions of Children’s Books, love that Christ says we should slaves change through the course a division of our neighbors? Do you know of of the story? Why does he begin HarperCollins anyone at school who could use to view Esteban differently? What Publishers. your encouragement? Do you sorts of things do brave and hon- Waiting for Normal is written for know anyone who might need orable people say and do? Who kids ages 10 and up. your help? What might you do? are some brave and honorable people in your life? Search for a review of this book 6 . What does Addie wish for when for parents at pluggedin.com/ things are scary or uncomfort- 3 . Why does Chakoh almost decide book-reviews. able? What would she like to to stay in Mexico? In what ways change? What do you wish were does Chakoh become a slave to If your children have read this book, different in our home? his own desires? When have you consider talking about the story made choices you knew were using these discussion questions: 7 . How is a wish different than a wrong because you were only 1 . Why doesn’t Addie tell anyone prayer? How might knowing that thinking of your own personal that Mommers leaves her alone God was near have helped Addie happiness and satisfaction? What for long lengths of time? Is there through hard times? How might happened? anything you are challenged by at praying to Him have helped her? home or at school? Is there any- What kinds of things do you pray 4 . What methods do the Spanish thing that you feel you have to about? What would you like us to use to share their faith in this keep to yourself? Do you know pray about right now? story? What happens to those that you can ask me for help if who do not believe as the things ever feel too difficult? Spaniards do? What can you 2 .