Mr. Terupt Falls Again

Mr. Terupt assigns his students the task of planning his wedding. Why does he make this an assignment? What does each student learn as part of the wedding planning team?

Read Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret and compare and contrast Margaret’s situation with Lexie’s. Which issues do they face that are similar, and which are different? Use textual evidence from both books in your response.

Critique the inspirational teacher trope. How might this trope present an unrealistic image of or expectation for teachers? Provide some examples and cite external references in your response.

Numerous characters in this novel are alone or feel alone. Explain who these characters are and what makes them feel alone. Then explain how they, either effectively or ineffectively, try to find companionship. Who is most successful? Who is the least? Why?

Research land rights of Indigenous nations in North America and find examples of both successful and unsuccessful cases of Indigenous peoples claiming land rights. How do these real-life cases compare to the Moonsucs’ lawsuit in the novel?

Throughout the novel, Lexie and other characters equate growing up with the sexualized female body. Why is this the case? What positive and negative images of women’s and girls’ bodies appear in the text, and what significance do these images have for the characters?

There is no single protagonist in this novel. Rather, Mr. Terupt and numerous students share that designation. Which two characters do you think are the most different? In what ways are they different? What are their motivations, desires, strengths, and weaknesses? How do these two characters relate to each other in the novel?

What is the significance of wrestling in the novel? How does it help the male characters bond as a team and grow as individuals?