True Blue (14 page)

1. How would you describe Jess as the narrator of the story? Did you trust her interpretation of events? Would you consider her to be a reliable or unreliable narrator?

2. Why do you think Jess lied to Detective Bowen about the Tinker Bell shirt? When asked about the shirt in court, Jess is about to answer but the session is interrupted. What do you think she would have said?

3. Do you think Jess thought Casey was guilty? Did you ever think Casey was guilty? Did you ever suspect Jess?

4. What did you think of Stephanie Glass? Do you think it was a reasonable decision to keep Jess and Casey in charge of Stephanie after the first signs of trouble? How else could the camp have handled Stephanie?

5. What was your reaction when Jess describes the praying mantis signal in the first scene? Why do you think Casey sent Jess the signal in court?

6. Describe Jess and Casey’s relationship. How did their friendship change during this story?

7. How does Jess see her mother? Do you think she is viewed in the same way by Casey and her family? What about the people in the nursing home?

8. How might her mother’s mental illness influence Jess and her relationship with others?

9. Why did Jess’s mother want to bring Casey’s family so many objects from her own home? Why do you think she was so upset by Casey’s arrest?

10. Why was Ten Willows such a special place for Casey and Jess? Do you think it held the same meaning for both girls?

11. How would you describe The Cactus gang? Why did Jess want to be friends with them?

12. Do you think Jess decided to turn on Casey? If so, at what point did she make the decision?

13. What do you think of Miss Burke and her decision to blockade herself in the office? Do you think she expected a different outcome?

14. Do you think Casey and Jess could repair their friendship? Would Casey want to?

15. Choose one decision that either Casey or Jess made that you would have done differently. How might that have changed the story?

16. What do you think Casey might be doing five years after this story ends? What about Jess? The Cactus gang?

17. Why do you think the author titled the book
True Blue
?