EDHS & White Pine Book Club

To Think About: 1. The book starts with an ancient proverb: "It is the child of fire one sends on an errand of fire". How does this relate to Sloan and how do her reactions reflect this proverb? 2. The strings of the Ìlèkè and the red and white beads Sloan’s mother gives her connects Sloane and the Orisha she is descended from her. What items do you have that connect with where you come from, or where you are living now? 3. Nicolai is one of the first characters Sloane mentions who becomes a child soldier. Discuss how being forcefully taken at a young age would impact someone. 4. Imagine receiving a draft letter. How would you react? 5. This book was heavily influenced by West- African mythology. Are you familiar with African folklore? Dive deeper, and see if your library has any related material to expand your understanding of the book. 6. The author was inspired by the Bring back Our Girls campaign of 2014. What do you know about this campaign? Do some research an

To Think About: 1. Describe the relationship between Scarlett and her mom in the beginning. Can you relate to how Scarlett feels about her mom and her actions? Are there any parallels you have with the adults in your life? How does the relationship between Scarlett and her mom develop and change throughout the novel? 2. The FBI shows up at Scarlett’s house seemingly out of the blue. If you were in Scarlett’s position how would you have reacted? 3. Throughout the novel there are newspaper articles, Wikipedia information and magazine articles. What is your opinion on these additions? 5. Scarlet gets outed online as the daughter of Lake. Her friends react in a variety of ways. Discuss how people respond to the news. How would you feel in Scarlett’s position? How would you react if you found out a dark secret about a friend of yours through the media? 6. The press interest is intense regarding Scarlett and her mom. Do you think this kind of behaviour is inappropriate or th

To Think About: 1. Shyness and introversion - is Dot one or the other? What do you think the difference is between the two? Our society tends to celebrate the outgoing among us but there is a need for more introspective people too. What value does Dot’s quiet nature bring to her work? 2. There are many forms of cruelty from neglect to outright violence. The book doesn’t shy away from these topics as they’re important to acknowledge if we’re going to make changes. How did it make you feel? What would you have done differently than the characters in the book? 3. People have lived alongside animals for thousands of years. Not all humans view animals as worthy of compassion. It varies from culture to culture, family to family, individual to individual. What is it that makes some people feel so connected to animals? What are the benefits of that bond to an animal or the person? What might be the downfalls? 4. The book’s working title was No Shelter . It’s a theme that runs throug

To Think About: 1. Reflect on the relationship between Mandy and Starfire. What was your initial reaction when you saw them interact? Did this change for you as the story progressed? 2. How is this graphic novel similar and different from other ones you’ve read? 3. Mandy decides early on that she doesn’t want to go to university; what do you think contributed to this decision? Have you decided your own next steps? Who is contributing to that decision? 4. Mandy and Claire start out in very different situations but come together as the story progresses. Describe their relationship arch and your reactions along the way. 5. How would this story change if you removed the images and only read the text and vise-versa?

To Think About: 1) The world of Huaxia is tinged with violence, sacrifice, and cruelty as humanity struggles to survive the attacks of the Hunduns. The book especially focuses on gendered violence and the willingness of society to allow female pilots to die in order for the male pilot to survive. Did the levels of violence within the book shock you? Was there any point where you were stunned by the actions of a character? 2) Zetian does not have a good relationship with her family, with the exception of her older sister. Her parents focus on her brother who will carry on the family name and do not see a problem with selling Zetian and her sister into servitude as concubines to a pilot for cash. Do you feel that Zetian’s actions in the book are justified considering how she has been treated? 3) The pilots of Huaxia are treated similar to real world movie stars. They are followed by cameras, interviewed by reporters, their fights with the Hunduns are televised for all to see, an

To Think About: 1. In the beginning of A Magic Steeped in Poison , we learn “the true wielders of Shénnóng magic have their unique specialties. Some brew teas for emotions – compassion, hope, love. Others are able to imbue the body with energy or encourage the drinker to remember something long thought lost.” If you are a wielder of tea magic, what sort of magic would you hope to specialize in? Why? 2. Ning’s connection with her family, especially her sister Shu, motivates her even while she encounters challenges in her journey. How is her relationship with her various family members described in the book? How did her time spent in the palace affect her perception of her family? 3. There are many different types of interactions with women of all ages portrayed in Magic Steeped in Poison . How do these women help or hinder Ning’s journey? 4. Who is your favorite character in A Magic Steeped in Poison ? Why? Is there something about yourself that you find relatable to this charac