These are questions an adult may ask children in their care while they are reading the story. The first two questions are used while looking at the cover before reading.
Q. Look at the cover image. What do you think this story is about?
Q. Why are there children dancing and two children clapping?
Q. After reading the first two pages, can you tell what is so special about Jake making his debut performance at the Imperial Dance Company in New York City?
A. Jake is only ten years old. He is making his ballet debut with an important company in New York City, The Imperial Dance Company. Not many children can do this.
Q. On the train to New York Jake and his father have a conversation. Describe what Jake is worried about.
A. Jake worries about whether to tell his friends about his ballet dancing because he fears he will be bullied for it. Do you agree with Jake’s thinking?
Q. Jake’s mom is introduced in this book. Does she live with him and his brother?
A. Jake’s mom does not live with him. She is divorced from Jake’s father and has a new husband whom she lives with.
Q. While at Café Turino Jake continues to worry. Tell what he is thinking.
A. Jake continues to worry about whether to tell his friends about his ballet dancing.
Q. Grandma gives advice to Jake once they arrive home. Explain that advice.
A. Grandma advises Jake to be like Georgie and not do things that people expect but to be himself. Do you agree with it?
Q. On Monday Jake goes to school and talks to his friends on the class line. After talking to them he feels uncomfortable. Why is that?
A. Jake lies and tells his friends he was at his aunt’s house playing with his cousins. Then he says his aunt lives too far away for his friends to be playing with him and his cousins. He is lying and he feels uncomfortable doing so.
Q. Owen and Stan make Tyler very upset. Tell what they do.
A. Owen and Stan untie Tyler’s shoelaces. They know he is autistic and will be upset so they do it on purpose. How do you feel about their actions?
Q. What does Jake do during the Tyler incident?
A. Jake says, “No, Owen…” but he does nothing to stop the boys. He also doesn’t help Tyler when he screams. How do you feel about Jake’s behavior?
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Q. Who helps Tyler and why does she help?
A. Esther helps Tyler. She knows the boys did something wrong. She is not afraid to help Tyler and to stand up to Owen and Stan. To her, it was the right thing to do and she wasn’t worried about what the boys think of her.
Q. Owen and Arianna tell Mr. Belmont their version of what happened to Tyler. Give their explanation.
A. They said that Esther was making fun of Tyler and they were laughing. They also said Esther untied Tyler’s shoelaces and he became hysterical. What do you think about what they said?
Q. Why do Tyler, Esther, Owen, Stan, Arianna, and Jake go to Ms. Mancuso’s office?
A. Mr. Belmont told Ms. Mancuso what happened on the line. She called them in to find out the truth because Tyler was a victim of unkindness.
Q. How do they explain what happened to Tyler?
A. Tyler said he only remembers his laces being untied and getting upset. Owen, Stan, and Arianna say they heard Esther tell them Tyler was weird and she was going to spook him. They lied. Esther tells her that the boys untied Tyler’s shoe laces and she tied them for him when he screamed.
Q. What does Jake say?
A. Jake says he heard nothing, so he lied.
Q. Describe what Ms. Mancuso tells them to do during the next week?
A. Ms. Mancuso tells each of them to write a letter of apology to Tyler. Then she says they each must talk to Tyler on the class line every morning and eat lunch with him every day to show kindness after they apologize. Was this fair? Why or why not?
Q. What does Georgie teach Jake?
A. Georgie teaches Jake to not worry about the expectations of others. He should be himself.
Q. The next day Jake and his dad go to see Ms. Mancuso. Tell what they talk about and what they decide.
A. Jake tells Ms. Mancuso about his ballet dancing and his fear of being bullied. He tells her the truth about what Owen and Stan said and did to Tyler. He admits that he has been lying to his friends out of fear and then he lied about what they did to Tyler out of fear. Lying was becoming a bad habit. Give your opinion about this meeting.
Q. Jake returns to his class line after the meeting with Ms. Mancuso and makes an announcement. Explain what Owen does when he hears Jake’s news.
A. Owen becomes angry and makes fun of Jake and Tyler.
Q. How does Jake makeup with Tyler?
A. Jake makes-up with Tyler by inviting him to his house to play. What do you think about Jake and Owen after reading this?
Q. How does Esther act when she hears Jake’s news?
A. Esther asks if she can play with Jake and Tyler.
Q. At the end of the story how is Jake different from the beginning of the story?
A. At the end of the story Jake tells everyone about his ballet dancing and performs at schools for others to learn about ballet.
Q. Tell how you feel about the characters: Jake, Owen, Stan, and Esther. Give reasons for your answers.
Q. Think again about the cover. What do you think is happening?
A. Jake and the other dancers are performing with The Imperial Dance Company. Tyler and Esther, as his good friends, are backstage watching their friend perform. Jake is Dancing with the Truth now.
Q. Describe the important lesson you learned from this story.
A. Everyone has talents, hopes, plans, and rights. Each person should do what makes them happy and grow as a person. No one should worry about the expectations of others. We should make our own decisions for our own life.
Georgie can be quite mischievous. He is not embarrassed to beg for ham. He often runs around the house from window to window chasing the deer that appear on our property. But, it’s quite funny rather than annoying.
What makes him endearing though is the way he greets people like he’s a dog. He loves to snuggle in laps. He enjoys following his family around the house. People are special to him.
He may have had a tough start in life but you’d never know it. He’s one sweet cat. But, watch out if you bring another cat around. Nobody’s Purr-fect!