Revealers page 17, 85-86

 

"I had known Elliot since we were in kindergarten, and I had seen a lot of stuff happen to him. I never really joined in, but I never tried to stop it either, not that I could have." (Page 17)

"…everyone knows about feeling alone…If a few people persecute somebody, most of us pretend it isn't happening, right? We don't want to see it." (Pages 85-86)

• Why do you think Russell watched Elliot get bullied for years, but never did anything to help? What causes us to "not see" bullying or to "pretend it isn't happening"?
• Are those who don't get involved partly responsible for bullying even though they are just bystanders?
• What do you think prevents students at your school from standing up for others? What would it take to create an atmosphere of support?

Revealers page 27

 

"The new girl stood up. People started whispering. "I am from near Manila. In the Philippines," she said, and sat down. The whispers turned into giggling." (Page 27)

Questions:

How must if have felt for Catalina to be laughed at and whispered about on her first day in a new school?

What motivates people to treat those who are different as outsiders?

What would it take at your school to make those who are new or different feel welcome?

The Revealers page 63

 

"For some reason, sometimes when you are new or different in some way, people decide to tell lies about you. I don't know why…I'm somebody people have been telling untrue things about." (Page 63)

Discussion:

• People often think of bullying as physical harassment, but telling lies and spreading rumors can also be bullying. What other forms does bullying take? Which are most problematic at your school?
• Do you think one form of bullying is worse than another? What do all types have in common?

 

The Uglies pages 200-285

 

 

David's parents reveal a secret about the operation that makes the Uglies become Pretties.  What shocking news did they reveal to Tally?  Why did the Specials want the Pretties to be different from the Rusties?  On page 285, Tally finally tosses the pendant into the fire?  What does this action symbolize?  Why has she changed her mind?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

A novel in cartoons

4 stars

“Like I said, I’ll be famous one day, but for now I’m stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.”

Greg is tired of being picked on, sick of being considered a loser, and more than ready to impress all the hot girls at his middle school. Told through Greg’s diary and hilarious cartoon drawings, you’ll get hooked on reading this new series which first began as an online cartoon at funbrain.com. I loved this book! The drawings really added to the story, and Greg will make you laugh out loud.

Surprises at Smoke

Pages 100-200

Once she finally arrives at Smoke, Tally is surprised at how happy she is to see Shay again. Life at Smoke is very different from life at Uglyville. What are some of the differences? Though life at Smoke can be very difficult, Tally is finding enjoyment and happiness there. At this point in the novel, do you believe Tally will activate her pendant and disclose the location of Smoke to the Specials? Why or why not?

Pages 9-17

 

"Middle school…was basically a place you tried to survive…Everybody was rushing around and you hardly knew anybody, and there were predators. Even some of the kids you knew started turning into them. Plus, a lot of kids at our school were changing and making these tight little cliques, and if you didn't fit in somewhere you could be in trouble." (Page 9)

 

  "…the whole place is an obstacle course of kids alert for someone they can pound on or ridicule. If you have no hope of being accepted in a cool clique, or any clique for that matter, you're safest if you can manage not to get noticed at all." (Page 10)

"You know how there's always one kid in school who's the dirty one, one kid who's the smelly one, one kid who throws the ball over the backstop…and one kid who it's okay for anybody, absolutely anybody, to trash? In our school that last kid was Elliot…I wasn't really sure why he was the one, but the fact was that in Parkland School seventh grade, no matter who you were, Elliot Gekewicz was lower on the social scale than you." (Page 17)

Russell describes middle school as a place with "predators" that you "try to survive."

Can you relate to his experience?

How was your transition to middle school similar or different?

Why do you think fitting in to "tight cliques" or groups is important to people?

What types of people are considered "cool" at your school?

 

Opening Discussion

Theme: Feeling like an outsider/the importance of "fitting in"

http://www.adl.org/education/

 

Russell states on page 3 of The Revealers:

"…when seventh grade started I found out I was out. It was like everyone else took a secret summer course in how to act, what to say, and what groups to be in, and I never found out about it." (Page 3)

"I wanted people to say, "Hey, Russell! Sit with us!" But I'd open my mouth and what would come out would be loud and clanky and wrong. And they would give me that quick, flat, puzzled stare that is the stock weapon of the cool seventh grader and seems to ask, "What species are you, exactly?" And I would go away thinking I was hopeless." (Page 3)

Russell describes feeling "out" and "hopeless."

Do you think he is the only seventh grader who feels this way? What feelings and experiences might Russell have in common with his peers?

Pretty: To be or not to be….

 

Tally has decided to turn over her coded message from Shay to the Specials.  Do you view this decision as an act of betrayal?  Why or why not?

Normal is Ugly…..

 

 

 

 "Don't judge a book by its cover."  What is the meaning of this cliche?   Does this reflect the ideals of the society presented in Westerfield's Uglies?