Unit 5 Reader's Journal
Ch. 1-8
1. Why do you think the author started off the novel with Romi’s dream of drowning? What do you think is the meaning of the dream?
2. Describe why is Julio in a dark mood on his first day of school?
3. Describe Romi & Destiny’s friendship.
4. The first time Romi & Julio chat online, they share their fears. What do you fear? Do you agree with Julio’s quote about fear? “But fear doesn’t make much sense. It’s just something you know and respect.”
Ch. 9-19
1. Why do you think Julio decided to stand up to “The Family” when they cornered him in the bathroom?
2. What was the status of the gangs at Julio’s old high school in Texas?
3. Compare Romi & Julio’s reactions to first meeting each other (in person) to Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene.
4. Romi and Julio have a conversation about dying by fire or water. Why do you think the author wrote that conversation between the two?
5. Compare Romi & Julio’s relationship with their parents to Romeo & Juliet’s relationship with their parents. How will their relationships affect the outcome of the story?
Ch. 20-31
1. What message was “The Family” trying to get across by staring at Romi & Julio during lunch?
2. Like Julio comments, his name and Romi’s are very similar to Romeo and Juliet's. Do you think Romi & Julio are “destined for doom or romance”?
3. Describe Romi’s & Julio’s relationship with their parents.
4. What was the point of Malaka’s visit to Romi’s job?
Ch. 32-39
1. In Chapter 32, Julio and his father get into an argument over Julio’s relationship with Romiette. Discuss the points that each of them raise during the argument, without taking either character’s side. Do they both have good points? Why or why not?
2. What does Romi share with her mother about how she feels about Julio?
3. What reason did Romi give for not wanting to tell her father about the Devil Dogs?
4. Describe the plan devised by Ben, Destiny, Romiette, and Julio to catch the Devil Dogs is a good plan? Do you think it’s a good plan? Why or why not?
Ch. 40-End
1. Predict what will happen to Romi and Julio after they are taken by the Devil Dogs.
2. How does Mr. Cappelle’s news report on gangs get the facts wrong?
3. What conclusion did both Mr. Montague and Mr. Cappelle jump to when they met at the police station?’
4. What is Malaka’s reason for being with Terrell and the Devil Dogs??
5. What do Ben and Destiny worry about in the car as they wait out the storm?
6. Describe both Romi’s thoughts and Julio’s thoughts while they are on the boat.
Pgs. 42-99
1. Describe Jackie’s warm memory of her grandfather.
2. What types of jobs did Jackie’s grandparents have? What difficulties did they encounter with their jobs?
3. Why doesn’t Jackie’s mother not want them to say “ma’am”? Speculate, using what you know of history, why Jackie’s mother is so against it.
4. What is the “war in South Carolina”? Explain using examples from the text.
Pgs. 100-138
1. In what way(s) is Jackie and her siblings mourning the move to New York before they’ve even left?
2. What does Jackie’s grandmother mean by “letting the Bible become your sword and your shield”? Why doesn’t Jackie understand what her grandmother means?
3. Why is Jackie hesitant to believe in the God that would make her choose between God and her grandfather?
4. Why do you think Jackie doesn’t like her baby brother, Roman?
Pgs. 143-203
1. How does the house on Herzel Street remind Jackie of South Carolina?
2. Jackie makes several references to “words twist twirl across the page”. What is the difficulty that Jackie is having with reading?
3. Describe how New York is different from South Carolina.
Pgs. 205-End
1. Why was Jackie so happy to find the book titled “Stevie”?
2. What does Jackie believe about putting things on paper?
3. How does Jackie learn that she is the más mejor friend?
4. Why does the song Jackie made on the bus make her cry?
5. What does Robert tell Jackie when she says she wants to see his Promised Land? What does he mean by his answer?
6. What does Jackie equate the revolution to?
1. Describe Jackie’s warm memory of her grandfather.
2. What types of jobs did Jackie’s grandparents have? What difficulties did they encounter with their jobs?
3. Why doesn’t Jackie’s mother not want them to say “ma’am”? Speculate, using what you know of history, why Jackie’s mother is so against it.
4. What is the “war in South Carolina”? Explain using examples from the text.
Pgs. 100-138
1. In what way(s) is Jackie and her siblings mourning the move to New York before they’ve even left?
2. What does Jackie’s grandmother mean by “letting the Bible become your sword and your shield”? Why doesn’t Jackie understand what her grandmother means?
3. Why is Jackie hesitant to believe in the God that would make her choose between God and her grandfather?
4. Why do you think Jackie doesn’t like her baby brother, Roman?
Pgs. 143-203
1. How does the house on Herzel Street remind Jackie of South Carolina?
2. Jackie makes several references to “words twist twirl across the page”. What is the difficulty that Jackie is having with reading?
3. Describe how New York is different from South Carolina.
Pgs. 205-End
1. Why was Jackie so happy to find the book titled “Stevie”?
2. What does Jackie believe about putting things on paper?
3. How does Jackie learn that she is the más mejor friend?
4. Why does the song Jackie made on the bus make her cry?
5. What does Robert tell Jackie when she says she wants to see his Promised Land? What does he mean by his answer?
6. What does Jackie equate the revolution to?