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Authors: Gae Polisner

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ALGONQUIN YOUNG READERS

Questions for Discussion

1. Since the day her brother drowned four years ago, Francesca has felt that her only identity is “the girl who let her baby brother die” (
page 234
). Is that how you saw her throughout the novel? Have you ever felt like one event defined you?

2. Francesca seems to be connected to a boy named Bradley Stephenson in ways her best friend, Lisette—Bradley's girlfriend—is not. What are some of the connections Francesca and Bradley share? Have you ever had romantic feelings for someone that you felt you shouldn't have? Should Francesca have told Lisette sooner how she felt about Bradley? Would you have? Why or why not?

3. Francesca becomes determined to find out the truth about her father's possible affair with their neighbor, Mrs. Merrill, and jumps on the case like a detective. The author drops clues about the truth of this relationship but doesn't tell the whole story at once. Do you like the suspense this literary technique creates? Did it tempt you to flip to the end of the book for the answer? Does Francesca ever learn the whole truth about her father and Mrs. Merrill?

4. Francesca's mother is mourning her son's death in her own way. What is Mrs. Schnell doing to try to move on with her life? In what specific ways is she
not
moving on with her life? How does her grief affect Francesca and Mr. Schnell?

5. One of the most emotionally wrenching scenes in the book takes place when Francesca's mother finds Francesca going through Simon's room on
page 178
. Why is this scene so powerful?

6. In an online author essay, Gae Polisner writes, “In my head, the book became my ‘swimming book,' the book where water would both take away and restore.” How is water a restorative force in this novel? How does water imagery relate to Francesca's musings about transmigration of the soul and reincarnation?

7. On
page 313
, Francesca asserts, “I know in my heart that Simon's soul is living in Frankie Sky.” Does she mean what she says literally? Do you think such a thing might be possible? If Francesca is not speaking literally, then how does Francesca mean Simon lives on through Frankie Sky?

8. Curious coincidences abound in this story—not only the overlap between Simon's death and Frankie's birth, but also Bradley's gift of the sand dollar and Frankie's mother's experience with Saint Florian, the patron saint of drowning. On
page 227
, Francesca starts to think these events can't really be coincidences, “but something bigger and magical at work.” Do you think our lives are random, or do you think there's “something bigger and magical at work”? Have you ever experienced strange events that seemed like more than coincidence or that made you wonder if fate was at work or your life was part of a bigger plan?

9. Part of Francesca wants it to be true that her father is having an affair with Mrs. Merrill. On
page 251
she says, “Because if Dad could make such a huge, horrible mistake and still be a good person, then that would mean, technically, I could be, too. I could still be worthy of loving, even if I let my brother drown.” Why is forgiving—and being forgiven—important to Francesca? Are there ever situations in which forgiveness is impossible? Why or why not?

10. The massive, real-life migration of Christmas Island crabs becomes a touchstone for Bradley and Francesca in their budding romance. On
page 266
, Francesca quotes the nature-channel narrator:
“It appears for these small creatures, at least, an innate sense of purpose, a higher calling, if you will, overrides logic or good sense.”
How does the story of the Christmas Island crabs tie in well with the novel's themes? (Take a few minutes to investigate an online video of the Christmas Island crabs! As Francesca says, “It's freaky, but mesmerizing.”)

11. The novel is called
The Summer of Letting Go
. Besides Frankie, what other characters are letting go of something . . . and what are they letting go of?

Visit
www.algonquinyoungreaders.com/book/the-summer-of-letting-go
to read Gae's personal essay, Q&A, and more.

Questions for Discussion prepared by Karin Snelson

GAE POLISNER is the award-winning author of
The Pull of Gravity,
also for young adults. She is a family law mediator by trade but a writer by calling. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two sons. When she's not writing, she can be found in a pool or, in warmer weather, in her wet suit in the open waters of Long Island Sound.
The Summer of Letting Go
is her second novel for teen readers. (Author photo by Rick Kopstein.)

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Published by

Algonquin Young Readers

an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

Post Office Box 2225

Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515-2225

a division of

Workman Publishing

225 Varick Street

New York, New York 10014

© 2014 by Gae Polisner.

All rights reserved.

Excerpt from Frog and Toad Together, by Arnold Lobel. Text © 1971, 1972 by Arnold Lobel. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

“My Sharona” words and music by Douglas Fieger and Berton Averre. Copyright © 1979 by Wise Brothers Music LLC, Small Hill Music, and Eighties Music. International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

eISBN 978-1-61620-402-0

BOOK: The Summer of Letting Go
3.62Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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