Discussion Questions for Reading Groups and Classrooms
- What is the significance of Marcie’s encounter with the ‘mean musketeers’? What do we learn about Marcie’s level of self-confidence?
- How does Marcie change during the course of the book? Is there a particular moment when we see that change occur?
- Kaitlyn and Marcie become friends because of the sailboat race. How does their friendship develop and change over the course of the book, particularly from Marcie’s perspective?
- How does peer pressure come into play in Marcie’s friendship with Kaitlyn. Do you encounter similar types of peer pressure?
- How is foreshadowing used to highlight the important role that Pansy plays in helping Marcie?
- How do Marcie’s cousin, Michael, Pansy and the Indian girl spirit help to develop the mystical theme in the book?
- How does the spirit of the Native American girl help Marcie?
- Marcie has conflicted feelings about the Swyndalls. What are those feelings and why does she feel that way? How do her feelings change by the end of the book and why?
- What role does money and wealth play in the book? Give examples of how the author presents money in different lights. Does Marcie’s opinion of wealth and wealthy people change by the end of the book? How?
