Questions:

• What animal does August use to represent himself? Do you think it is a good choice? Why/why not?

• On slide 2, Mr Tushman says, “but teachers know more than kids think”. What effect does this dialogue have on the reader?

• On silde 5, Auggie says to his dad, “I’ll be wanting the new Xbox when it comes out next month. And I’ll definitely be wanting my own car in about six years, a red Porsche would be nice, and…” What effect does this dialogue have on the reader?

• The author chooses a quotation to introduce each character’s part; these include, song lyrics How well did the author R.J. Palacio chosen quotations to match her characters?

Answers:

• A duck, personal opinion, because he thinks he looks like one.

• (This may make school-age readers wonder what teachers do know. This is Mr Tushman’s way of telling August (and the reader) that he knows about Julian.)

• To show the reader that Auggie is growing up, teasing his Dad. He has forgiven Dad. The reader will compare the ‘lamb to the slaughter’ comment now with the more independent August.

• (‘Space Oddity’, David Bowie; ‘Beautiful’, Christina Aguilera, and extracts from well-known books and plays (The Little Prince, and Hamlet).