GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR BOOKS OF FICTION

1.	Describe one of the main characters. What demonstrates those characteristics? (E.g, foolishness, courage, intelligence, independence.)

2.	Choose one of the characters. What might you have done differently if you were that person?

3.	Describe the ending? Did you like the ending? How might you change it?

4.	What was the main problem in the story. How was it resolved?

5.	How can you relate to this story?

6.	Was there a message that the author was trying to give us? Explain.

7.	If you could change anything in the story, what would you change?

8.	If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask?

GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR BOOKS OF NON-FICTION

1.	The author has done a lot of research and found a lot of information. How does the author organize this information?

a.	E.g., literary/story style, double-page spreads, bits of information in text boxes, activities/experiments for the reader

2.	What tools or strategies does the author use to present this information?

a.	E.g., photographs with captions, bright colours, comics, maps, drawings, large bright pictures, small drawings an sketches

3.	What style of writing does the author use? What do you like about that style?

a.	E.g., humour, comics, story, information presented in small chunks

4.	A non-fiction book can be used to research a topic. How does a Table of Contents and an Index help us get at the information? Does this book have a Table of Contents and an Index?

5.	What are some ideas that you may want to use when you present information in your own research projects?

a.	E.g., scan photographs and write captions, make small text boxes, use bright colours, include maps, use framed boxes

Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine

1. The author moves the story from the present to the past. How does she do that?

2. Why did Fumika want to educate Japanese children about the Holocaust?

3. How is the story connected to Canada?

4. How did the author do her research?

5. Why did Hana take art classes in the Camp?

6. How can we prevent something like the Holocaust from happening again?