Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)
1 The chapter’s title is a play on words. What are some of the various meanings for each word? Who are the “key players” of the novel? What is the most embarrassing moment of your life? How old were you, and can you still remember how you felt at the time? “I wasn’t in my right mind; I was in my left, busy analyzing the complexities of my relationship with my boyfriend…” (1)This is a reference to the hemispheres of the brain. Since the right is known as the creative side (the artist), the left is the logical side (the thinker). The setting is the time, place, and circumstances in which the characterslive and move.What details of the setting (time, place, and circumstance) are revealed in the first chapter?
2 What are your first impressions of Chloe, Rob, & Austin? Which character do you like the most? The least? Explain your answers. Whenever we meet someone, we develop a first impression. Think of a first impression you formed, and without giving names, explain how it changed–for better or worse–after you got to know that person better. “I snickered at his name, imagining a bunch of older brothers named Houston, Dallas, Antonio, and Galveston.” (6) 

These are all cities in Texas, but city-inspired baby names have become increasingly popular. 

 A flashbackis when the storyline returns to an earlier time to make the present clearer.Why do you think the author used a flashback at this point in the story? What does the flashback reveal about the central characters?
3 What do you learn about Chloe and Rob’s relationship from this chapter? What happened in their past? Classify their relationship in the present. What might happen between them in the future? Chloe and Rob had a playground romance. Think back to your first crush or relationship. Retell the story about your “first love.” “It probably wasn’t what Jesus would do, but it was better than what I wanted to do.” (10) 

“What Would Jesus Do?” is a popular phrase among Christians and is abbreviated as WWJD.  

 A point of view(POV) is the perspective which the story is told. First-person is told by a character; third-person is someone outside the story. 

What ‘s the POV of NBTAM?

4 What do you think is Chloe’s “big responsibility”? Explain your answer with clues from the text. Consider a current or previous circle of friends. Is there a common thread which brought you together? If so, explain how you became friends and create a nickname—if you don’t have one—for your group. “…opened my math book and took a keen interest in parabolic equations.” (14) 

A parabola is a curved shape, which looks like an arch.  This is an explanation for the parabola.

 Alliterationis the repetition of initial consonant sounds. 

Chloe admits that the Seven C’s is based on the “superficiality of alliteration.” Besides the girls’ first names, what examples of alliteration can you find in this chapter?
Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)
5 This chapter provides insight into Austin Walker’s character. In what ways, does he show his “ridiculous sense of entitlement”? Have you ever been given a tabula rasa—or a second chance? Or perhaps, you need one now. What aspect of your life would you like to swipe the slate clean and start over? “So, Mr. Jenkins gave you a tabula rasa, huh?” (18) 

A “tabula rasa” is a Latin expression, meaning “blank slate.” Here are some common Latin phrases in English.

 The conflictis a struggle between opposing forces in a story, usually resolved by the end of the work. A conflict which occurs within a character is internal; the conflict between two characters is external.What conflicts are emerging in this novel? Are they internal or external? How do you think the conflicts will be resolved?
6 In what ways does Austin show his “ridiculous sense of entitlement”? Many relationships come to an end: friendships, romantic relationships, and marriages. Discuss a breakup that affected you. “…she wasn’t one of those Monet moms that looked like a blank canvas in the morning.” (26) 

Claude Monet is the founder of French impressionist painting. View his paintings.

 A protagonistis the main character of the book. The antagonist works against the protagonist. The antagonist doesn’t have to be a person. It could be death, the devil, an illness, or any challenge that prevents the character from living “happily ever after.” 

Who is the protagonist? Who is the antagonist?
7 Even though Chloe says the feeling is “indescribable in words,” what do you think she might be feeling? Look over page 41, and use examples from the text to prove your assertion. Chloe writes a top ten list for why Rob should take her to prom. Create your own top ten list—like “Top Ten Reasons Why I Should Get an ‘A’ in English Class.” “…orbiting the house like Halley’s Comet” (37)Comets are cosmic icebergs. Halley’s Comet is visible from earth every 75-76 years: It last appeared in 1986 and will reappear in 2061. It is possible for someone to view it twice in their lifetime. Will it be possible for you? Your teacher? Click this link to find out more about the history of Hailey’s Comet. A genreis the category or class of fiction.Make a list of various types of fictional genres. Then decide the genre of this book. Does it contain elements of two or more genres?
Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)
8 What insight do we gain into Robert Callahan in this chapter? This chapter describes a dinner at the Callahan house. How is it similar or different from your family dinners? “Oh, I just finished Steinbeck’s biography last night.” (42)John Steinbeck is a member of the American literary canon, and during the course of this novel, Chloe will read his complete works. Learn more at the John Steinbeck website. The literary canonis a body of works and authors who are revered from an academic or cultural standpoint.In chapter 6, Chloe says that Rob “concentrated on the novels of the American literary canon,” and in this chapter, Grandpa discusses books that Chloe should have read in American Literature. As a class or a small group, create the literary canon for young adult fiction. How long should the list be and what books should be on the list?
9 “First Kiss” is a popular title for romance fiction. What did you think was going to happen in this chapter?  Why would the author mislead you? Chloe had a childhood misconception about the birds and the bees. Can you remember any misconceptions you had as a child? Is there a funny story about it? “You can recite sports statistics like a walking ESPN almanac…” (49)The ESPN almanac provides answers to nearly every sports question. Find interesting Sports statistics on this site. Verisimilitudeis having an appearance of truth. In fiction, a high degree of verisimilitude is when the characters and events seem realistic to the reader. Using this chapter, discuss what seems realistic—and what does not.
10 In this chapter, the author combines words to make new words. “Gurglish” and “jerkitude” are examples of inventive speech. What words make up these two words? Can you think of any inventive speech in your vocabulary? Chloe creates a profile for her next boyfriend. What attributes would you list in a profile for your ideal boyfriend or girlfriend? “and had we lived a few lines of latitude to the north…” (52)Any location is described by its longitude and latitude. Lines of latitude are the imaginary lines around the earth parallel to the equator. Find Orlando and your current city using this link: Longitude and latitude finder Ironyis a contrast or discrepancy between what is said and what is meant or between what happens and what is expected to happen in life and in literature.Chloe says that she is “not ready to embrace the irony of the whole prom situation” (54). What’s ironic about her going to prom with Rob? Cite examples from earlier in the text.
Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)
11 What do you think of Chloe’s attitude toward Rob and her father in this chapter? Are they being too overprotective of her? Or are their actions justified? Write a hyper compliment for someone—like for your wonderful English teacher. Use lots of superlatives (adjectives ending in –est) and don’t forget to shower that special someone with lofty accolades. “Do you understand opportunity costs?” (67) 

Chloe’s father explains the cost of the dress as “somewhat insignificant if it affords me the opportunity to leave the store.” Opportunity cost is a choice between two or more options with the cost being what has to be given up in a decision. Chloe’s father opted to give up money over his time (price of dress versus more shopping). Video on opportunity costs

 An allusionis a reference in a literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or another work of literature.Chloe says, “…don’t believe for a minute that it is some astute allusion to George Orwell’s 1984” (64).  Knowing 1984 allows the reader to understand that even the title—“Big Brother”—is an allusion. Allusions are prevalent in literature. There are countless allusions in this book: the most common are literary—with some historical, mythological, and biblical allusions.

 Discuss the allusion to 1984. Then in small groups, make a list of allusions in this book.

12 Why do you think Chloe’s dad was agreeable to the dress and the after-prom party? Support your assertion with examples from the text. We all have memories from childhood, but it is hard to recall our earliest years. Some memories result from looking at pictures, videos, or listening to the retelling of a story. Chloe says, “It’s not like I have any recollection of my second year of life, but I’ve heard the story countless times over the years” (71). What is your earliest memory / story from childhood? “Rob pulled straight A’s all four years and missed out on making words on report card day.” (72)Using the letters A, B, C, D, and F, create a list of words. Remember you can use letters more than once, just as you can receive more than one “A” on your report card.

Play more word games online.

 Synecdoche is an understanding that one thing can stand for another by using a part for the whole or the whole for the part. Examples of a part for the whole: “I gave you my heart;” “offered my hand in marriage;” and “lend me your ears.” Examples of a whole for the part: “The U.S won the gold medal.” 

From this chapter, “…Riverside took it easily” (74) is an example of synecdoche. Is it a part for the whole or the whole for the part? Can you find any other examples of synecdoche in this book?
Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)
13 How does Chloe really feel about Rob? Support your answer with details from this chapter. Chloe believes that “guy swapping” is the “cardinal sin of friendship” (76). In your opinion (or experience), what action/behavior destroys friendships the most? Miss Randall assigns Act IV, Scene 1 of Much Ado about Nothingto Rob and Chloe.Watch the movie clip:  Much Ado about Nothing

Why is it ironic that Rob and Chloe read this scene to one another?

 A double entendre is a figure of speech in which a phrase can be understood in two ways. The first meaning is more obvious, but the second is usually risqué or ironic.Chloe and Rob drop many double entendres in their conversations.  Discuss the two possible meanings in the following sentences:

Page 81: “Yeah, well, I’d rather have ours than yours.”

Page 83: “You see something you like?”
14 Chloe confesses her feelings for Rob (87), but her admission does not come as a surprise to the reader. What actions (earlier in the text) show her true feelings for him? Chloe says that she “needed time to think (87),” and without any audible distractions, she went out for a run. Running on the trail helped Chloe sort out her problem. Where do you go when you want to be alone to think? Do you listen to music, or do you prefer silence? “…according to the Punnett square, it was genetically impossible for me to avoid.” (88)Chloe used genetics to explain her sarcastic temperament. Follow this link to use a Punnett Square calculator and find out the eye color for a child. FYI, eye color is more complex than two genes, and there are reports of blue-eyed parents producing brown-eyed children.  Here is a Fun genetic quiz. A hyperboleis a figure of speech using exaggeration.Chloe tells Rob, “…my dad was just being nice over the phone, but he’s still going to ground me for the rest of my life—which means you need to find another prom date” (85). How is this statement a hyperbole? Consider common hyperboles in your everyday conversation. My favorite is any statement that begins with “But everyone,” since there are few commonalities among everyone in human existence.
15 The chapter ends with “I knew exactly where he was taking me ” (101). Can you predict where they will go next on their date? Rob asserts, “When you strive to be the best all the time, you set yourself up for the inevitable fall” (94). Do you agree or disagree with his statement? For your journal: What aspect of your life do you “strive to be the best”? Have you experienced an “inevitable fall”? Or like Chloe, do you prefer to “coast on [your] natural abilities”? “… we headed down the interstate toward Downtown Orlando. He veered off the highway and found a parking spot by Lake Eola.”  (93)Even though this book takes place in a fictitious city outside of Orlando, some of the landmarks are factual places. Click to find  pictures of Lake Eola. Personificationis when inanimate objects or abstract ideas have animate or living qualities.In Beauty and the Beast, inanimate objects come to life, but many examples of personification involve abstract ideas. In the previous chapter, Chloe states, “…rejection took hold of my heart.” Can you find an example of personification in this chapter? (Hint: Look on page100.)
16 What delays the highly anticipated kiss at the end of the previous chapter? What delays it in this chapter? When Chloe entered the tree house, she took “a deep breath of the past.” Are there any scents/tastes that can transport you to a place in your past? (i.e. Grandma’s cookies) “First comes love / Then comes marriage…” (106)This is an example of a nursery rhyme with an especially rhythmic beat, making it popular for jumping rope. Even though the origin is unknown, it has been popular for many generations.

Learn about the origins of ten popular nursery rhymes in Nursery Rhymes and their Origins

 The themeis the main idea of the work.Common themes in adolescent fiction are love, divorce, drugs & alcohol, violence, sexuality, peer pressure, eating disorders. Simply put, YA fiction addresses issues that teenagers face today. Books contain multiple themes. Working in small groups, come up with a theme for this novel. Support with lines from this chapter.

 
17/18 In these chapters, the theme of sexuality emerges. Are these scenes necessary, or are they too much? If the sexual content were deleted, the book would be appropriate for younger readers. In some movies, editors omit scenes to fit broadcasting restrictions. If this book were a movie, what would be its rating? Which scenes would you delete to lower the rating? There are countless books and articles with dating rules. Chloe suggest that there are no rules at age six, “but at sixteen, there are lots of rules (108).” Do you agree or disagree? Can you just be yourself—or do you need to follow a list of guidelines for dating? Are there any tried-and-true rules for dating? “She stood there like a marbled Aphrodite)…” (109) 

“…tease [my curls] to Medusa proportions…” (111)

These are two allusions to Greek mythology.

Watch the video clip from Percy and the Lightning Thief to learn about Medusa.

 The simileis a comparison between two unlike things in which a word or comparison (like or as) is used; a metaphor, however, is a comparison of two things where no word of comparison is used.There are countless similes in this book—the two mythological allusions are examples of similes.  How many similes can you find in these chapters?
Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)
19 Does Chloe have a legitimate reason to be upset with Rob? When was the last time you were upset at someone? Was it resolved easily? Or are you still dealing with it? “I wondered if the last song at prom was like “Auld Lang Syne” at a New Year’s Eve party…” (127)Watch video with lyrics of “Auld Lang Syne.” Here is another one. Subplots are secondary or minor plots within a play or other literary work which may contrast with the principal plot or be unrelated. It involves characters of lesser importance than those involved in the major plot.What are some of the subplots in this book so far?
20/21 What discussion brought Rob and Chloe closer “than ever before” (134). Chloe and Rob watch the sunrise. Think of the last time you observed nature. Describe the moment. (Or go outside  and record what you see.) “…thinking someone should create an ordinal number for zero, by the way.” (129)Explanation of numbers. Tone is the writer’s or character’s  attitude.What is Chloe’s tone in Chapter 20? How does it change in Chapter 21?
22/23 If the book ended here, it would be a happy ending. Does the story feel complete? What is your favorite birthday memory or present? “Yeah, but it’s called a Claddagh ring.” (150)Check out stories about the ring. A symbolis a word or object that stands for another word or object. For example, a heart stands for love.Consider the symbolism of the ring and other symbols in the book.

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 Taking into account the title and the line, “This’ll be our last kiss then” (158),  do you think this is foreshadowing, and if so, what prediction can you make? Think of a time you had to say goodbye to someone. Who was it, and how did you feel? “Many years ago, his great grandfather, who resided in Northern Ireland…” (156)Take a trip to Ireland. A reversal is the point when the plot turns in an unexpected direction for the protagonist.This chapter is the reversal in the book. Predict what will happen next.

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 What is the irony of “Sweet Dreams” in this chapter? Chloe is the tragic hero, and her fatal flaw is her pride or stubborn nature. What is your fatal flaw? “Hush a bye / Don’t you cry” (170)Listen to the lullaby. A tragic hero is a character who, by virtue of a tragic flawand fate, suffers a fall from glory into suffering.If pride / stubborn nature is Chloe’s tragic flaw. Can you cite examples to prove this?
Ch. # Discussion Question (DQ) Journal (J) Internet Link (IL) Literary Terms (LT)

26

 What are some specific “crimes of abstraction” (172)? Chloe did not tell her mom the truth. Can you tell your parents the truth?  “A long Michener, perhaps.” (173)Find out more about James Michener and his works. Imageryincludes the “mental pictures” that readers experience with a passage of literature. It signifies all the sensory perceptions; it also includes auditory (sound), tactile (touch), thermal (heat and cold), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and kinesthetic sensation (movement).What types of imagery can you find in this chapter?

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 Is Rob’s reaction justified? Why or why not? Sometimes it is hard to tell the truth. Do you have someone that you trust with your secrets? “Rob read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn all morning…” (178)Watch the movie clip. An extended metaphoris a comparison of two unlike things that last for a few sentences in a paragraph or lines in a poem.Find the extended metaphor on pages 177-78.

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 How did Rob show that he is still devoted to Chloe? Rob shows Chloe his love through actions.  Do you prefer people to show love through words or actions? Which “speaks” louder to you? “I thought  ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder.’” (188)Chloe tosses this adage at her mom. Here are several more adages to read. The climaxrepresents the point of greatest tension in the work; it is the turning point of the action in the plot of a play or story.What is the climax of the book?

29

 What two activities does Chloe do in Kentucky? How are they therapeutic? Like Chloe does in this chapter, write a letter to someone—one that you never intend to send. “I landed at the Lexington airport before noon…” (189)Travel to Lexington, Kentucky. Local coloris a detailed description, so the reader can “see” the setting.How does this chapter show Kentucky? In what ways is this setting different from the book’s central setting?

30/31

 Since we are viewing the story through Chloe’s eyes, predict what Rob did after Chloe left the trail. After what happened to Chloe at Courtney’s house and on the trail, it’ll hurt her to return to those “scenes.”Do you have any place you avoid because of the bad memories? Conversely, do you have any place you long to be because of the good memories? “…I was running a 10K at sub-seven mile pace.” (201) 

A 10 K equates to 6.21 miles.

What do you think are the world records for a male and a female for a 10 K.

Find out if you were correct by following this link.

 Bildungsromanis a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character.From the beginning of the book, how has Chloe changed? She will continue to change as the book comes to an end. What growth, morally and psychologically, do you predict for her?

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 Do you think the book could end here? Why or why not? Do you ever watch strangers and try to guess what they are saying—or possibly guess about their life story? “I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge from The Christmas Carol…” (209)Watch this clip. The falling actionis the action following the climax of the work that moves it towards its denouement or resolution.What events occur after the climax?

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 What questions are left unanswered at the end of the book? What do you still want to know? Try to write a song. Maybe just the chorus—or the whole thing. Listen to the tracks of “Auburn Eyes.” (225) Resolutionis the sorting out or unraveling of a plot at the end of a play, novel, or story.What is the resolution of this novel?

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