Reading Group Guide
Discussion Questions
1. When reading the book, were you aware of the poetic forms being used? Whether or not you were conscious of it, how did the rhythm and line breaks affect your reading of the book?
2. Did you begin to recognize and differentiate between the individual voices?
3. The author has divided the book into eight parts. Why do you think she did that? How would you define the mood in each part? Describe how the mood changes as the book progresses.
4. You learn that the house is really Joe's. Why does it become known as Keesha's house?
5. Look for dynamic and static characters in the book (those who change as opposed to those who don't). Select and compare three or four of the characters. What difficulty is each facing? How has it affected his/her life? Imagine what might become of the character in the future.
6. Choose a poem from the book that you enjoy, and explore it in depth. What is the poetic form? What is the rhyme scheme? Does the author use imagery, metaphor, simile, or dialect in the poem?
7. Select an excerpt to read as a monologue, or, with a group, act out a part of the book as a play.