Hello Young Readers, I’d like to help you get ready for this story before you read it. So, ask yourself the first question after you look at the cover of the book.
Q. There are children on stage and children backstage on the book’s cover. What do you think is happening?
Q. At the beginning of the story Jake is getting ready for something special. What is he preparing for on page 1?
Q. What worries Jake as he travels to New York City?
Q. Who are the new characters we meet in the story on page 6?
Q. Name the two steps in ballet that Jake performs at his dance debut. Do they appear to be easy or hard?
Q. What does Jake continue to worry about even after his performance?
Q. What advice does Grandma give to Jake? Does he agree with her advice? Why or why not?
Q. What does Jake say to his friends at school that make him feel uncomfortable? Why does he say something that causes him to feel this way?
Q. What did Owen and Stan do to Tyler that make him so upset? Was this an accident or did they do it on purpose?
Q. What does Jake do during the Tyler incident?
Be who you are and be that well.— St. Francis de Sales
Q. Who helps Tyler? Why do you think she helps?
Q. What do Owen and Arianna tell Mr. Belmont about the incident? Were they being honest?
Q. Why do Tyler, Esther, Owen, Stan, Arianna, and Jake go to Ms. Mancuso’s office?
Q. How do they explain what happened? What does Jake say about the incident?
Q. Tell yourself what Ms. Mancuso asks them to do for the next week. Was this fair? Why or why not?
Q. What does Georgie teach Jake?
Q. What happens in Ms. Mancuso’s office when Jake and his dad return there the next day? What do you think of the decision Jake makes?
Q. When Jake returns to his class line what does he tell his friends? How do they act when they hear his news? What do you think of Jake and Owen’s behavior on this day?
Q. What does Esther do when she hears Jake’s news?
Q. At the end of the story Jake changes. How is he different?
Q. Think about Jake, Owen, Stan, and Esther. What do you like and what do you dislike about their behavior?
Q. Think about the cover again. Now, what do you think is happening?
Q. What is the most important lesson you learned from this story?
At the age of one year Georgie, the cat, was left by his first owners on the streets of a small city in New Jersey. He wandered around and was taken in by a kind resident. She in turn gave him to a family who agreed to give him a home. When Georgie decided he was the boss of the other cats in that home he went to Angela’s house where he has been residing in glory ever since. He loves people, ham, chasing the deer in the nearby woods from inside his house, and eating flowers, fresh or silk. But, hey, nobody’s purr-fect, love him anyway!