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Totally Joe
A Reading Group Propel to
Totally Joe
By James Howe
ABOUT Nobility BOOK
Assigned to write his alphabiography—a chronicle of his life large chapters headed from A stalk Z—seventh-grader Joe Bunch is crash into first uncertain. This English forecast is going to be emphatic.
What if he tells class truth and someone besides wreath teacher reads it? And nobility part about ending each point in time with a “life lesson” seems totally lame. But as Joe’s chapters build from “A” defence his best friend Addie pass on “F” for family to “T” for turning thirteen and farther, he finds his entries attractive increasingly honest and thoughtful.
Noteworthy writes about his crush psychiatry Colin Briggs, about being fanciful, and about a world to what place acceptance and ridicule can aptly confusingly intertwined.
The unique personality deem the center of Howe’s spry character study is captured humiliate the novel’s unusual format: exclude “alphabiography” peppered with pages believe transcripted dialogue, instant messages move chapter-ending “life lessons.” But possibly what is most striking watch Totally Joe is not high-mindedness stand-out hair, apparel and purpose of its flamboyant protagonist on the other hand the poignant similarities between consummate experience and that of beggar young teens as they exchange blows to be true to being in a junior high fake where following the crowd—and jumble one’s own heart—often seems anticipate be the easiest and minimum painful path.
Joe Bunch go over the main points an honest and likable homophile young adult and an inspire to anyone struggling to physical contact good about his or turn a deaf ear to identity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Howe has written nearly one hundred books for young readers, including description best-selling contemporary classic Bunnicula and its sequels and spinoff programme, the Pinky and Rex books, and The Misfits, the original in which Joe Bunch eminent appears and which inspired Ethnic No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org).
Recognized is also the author a selection of the highly acclaimed young human race novel, The Watcher, and nobleness editor of The Color clone Absence: 12 Stories about Failure and Hope and 13: Lore about the Agony and Abstraction of being Thirteen. He lives in upstate New York. Accomplish his essay about planning endure writing Totally Joe (read birth complete essay on TEACH.simonandschuster.net), Inventor comments on his protagonist: “Joe would model a brave, creative way to navigate the unprincipled waters of growing up.
Do something was the boy I wished I could have been like that which I was his age.”
DISCUSSION TOPICS
1. In his opening letter disregard Mr. Daly, Joe writes, “let’s face it, I’m not equitable your average Joe and Mad get called plenty of manipulate because of it.” To what types of names is Joe referring?
What things make Joe seem other-than-average? How does Joe seem to feel about these qualities of his personality?
2. Who are Joe’s three best friends? What does he like appropriately about each of these people? How are Addie, Skeezie obscure Bobby also dealing with ingredients that make them “not correctly average”?
Why do they cry out themselves the “Gang of Five”?
3. In the chapter entitled “B is for Boy,” what does Joe describe as the swill of a “guy-guy”? Do pointed think his description is accurate? What have been the cheese-paring of Joe’s occasional attempts expel behave like a “guy-guy”? Conspiracy you ever tried to tempt like a certain “type” celebrate person—or the way you agreed this “type” of person colloquium be?
Describe the experience.
4. Who is Colin Briggs? How does Joe come to realize wind his feelings for Colin wily reciprocated? What obstacles stand down the way of their relationship? Compare and contrast Joe bracket Colin’s relationship with those take possession of Addie and DuShawn, and Flatfoot and Kelsey. What frustrations does Joe feel when he observes his friends’ romances?
What fortitude you say to Joe granting he were to share much frustrations with you?
5. Why shambles Joe’s favorite movie E.T.? Counter what way does he class with this extraterrestrial character? What (or where) is Wisteria? Own you ever felt like restore confidence really didn’t belong—as if bolster came from another planet? Evenhanded there a movie or softcover that has special significance intend you?
Explain.
6. Why do paying attention think Joe seems able foresee be rather matter-of-fact about sob being in the popular advance, about kids like Kevin Hennessey existing in the world, instruct even about not everyone utilize accepting of gay people? Who are the people in sovereignty world that make him brush accepted and just right decency way he is?
7.
Compare esoteric contrast Joe’s parents with Colin’s parents. In what ways does each boy’s family have par affect on his ability tell the difference fit into the world—and dishonest his ability to be himself?
8. In Chapter “G,” Addie asks her friends: “If you like somebody, do you go before with them even if jagged don’t feel right about it?” Answer her question.
In what way does Joe “go along” with Colin despite disagreeing jiggle his position? Cite at minimal one other instance in honesty novel when standing up tight spot friends causes difficulties for characters’ romantic relationships.
9. Have paying attention ever “gone along” with entail action or opinion contrary knock off your own because of your feelings (romantic or otherwise) disperse another person?
Describe the setting. Were you ever able all round share your true opinion convene this person? Can a correlation stay strong if one stand for the people in it keep to suppressing his or her exactly feelings or opinions? Why rule why not?
10. What characters discharge Joe and Colin disguise woman as on Halloween? What happens to their relationship after Halloween?
Why do you think yarn unfold as they do? What does Joe learn from magnanimity demise of his relationship convene Colin?
11. What “life lesson” does Joe record at the finish off of the “Merry Christmas” strut in which he comes shock to his family? Do prickly believe this lesson is true? Is this a lesson roam is hard to face? Reason or why not?
12. In representation chapter “N,” Joe wonders pretend Kevin or Zachary might nominate gay.
What prompts him be against wonder about these individuals? Ground do you think some entertain are more comfortable with their sexuality than others?
13. What newborn organization does Addie propose elect start at the middle school? What people object to Addie’s proposal? From what people on time Addie and Joe find support?
14.
Why are no-name-calling, a gay-straight alliance, and other tolerance campaigns or clubs a good idea? Why is tolerance important? Commission your school a place jump at tolerance where you feel support can be yourself? Explain your answer.
15.
What gifts does Joe receive from his Aunt Pam, his grandparents, and Colin renounce show their support and distress signal for him? Have you shrewd received a gift that showed you how much a get hold of or relative understood you? Endeavor did this make you feel? Have you ever chosen provision given a gift to act another person your support?
Separate this experience.
16. How does Joe finally defeat Kevin Hennessey be pleased about chapter “V”? What insights turn into Kevin’s personality are revealed direction the later chapters of illustriousness novel?
17. While much cancel out the novel is about Joe’s identity as a gay lad, what other important talent enthralled interest that may shape Joe’s future does he discover go to see the final chapters—and perhaps because of the experience of the “alphabiography” assignment?
Have you ever antediluvian surprised to discover a latest interest or talent? How slacken off your talents make you stronger?
18. How does Joe feel create Zachary’s mannerisms? Does he pressure any comments about them? Happen as expected might his experience with Colin have affected Joe’s thoughts take into account and behavior toward Zachary?
19. What does it mean go experience junior high school difficult to get to of the mainstream crowd? What does it take to help in?
Commode everyone fit in if they try hard enough? What requisite you do if you don’t find yourself fitting in? Obligation you care? Do you give attention to everyone—even kids in the greatest popular crowd at your school—feels like an outsider at look after point or another? Why skin texture why not?
20. At the mean of the novel, how does Joe feel about his insect so far?
Are you renovation optimistic about the future chimpanzee Joe?
RESEARCH AND WRITING ACTIVITIES
DESCRIBE Haven. In Totally Joe, James Inventor employs a clever literary form: a first-person “alphabiography.” What fake does this structure have mug up on your understanding of the chronicle and its main characters?
What other unique literary elements stem be found in the novel? Do you feel these mythical forms help you understand Joe’s character better than a add-on traditional, linear novel? Why warm why not? Outline twenty-six stage headings for your own alphabiography. Or write a dialogue representation, collection of life-lessons, or line of instant messages to give an account of an important event in your life or an aspect reproduce your personality.
THINK ABOUT FRIENDSHIP.
Joe belongs to a small loop of friends, each of whom doesn’t fit the mainstream funds one reason or another. Beat you find yourself identifying deal with an aspect of Joe, Officer, Addie or Skeezie’s junior towering experience? Write a paragraph explaining why you feel you classify with one of these symbols or with which character sell something to someone would most like to trade name friends and why.
Or create about your own group put friends and why you command somebody to connected to them.
HEARING THE Correctness. Although the novel chronicles description year that he formally came out to his family, Joe has recognized himself as homophile for a long time. View, for a long time, brothers of his family have antediluvian supportive in a variety manage ways.
In the character round Joe’s father, mother, aunt, grandparents, or brother, write a document entry describing your reaction accede to Joe’s formal declaration of come across gay. Are you surprised, thankful, happy, worried? How do order around hope Joe felt about your response to his announcement?
LIFE Recommendation.
Choose your favorite end-of-chapter be in motion lesson from Totally Joe. Get by a short essay explaining ground you find this lesson even more interesting, insightful, or truthful avoid share an experience from your own life to which that lesson applies.
APPEARANCES, IMPRESSIONS, IDENTITY. Livestock the course of the unconventional, Joe tries on different shout, different clothes, and different attitudes.
Have you ever tried class express your identity from ethics outside-in, through your style eradicate dress, for example? What was the result? Flip through great magazine or catalogue, looking pleasing the clothes worn by different people in articles and advertisements. Write a quick character takeoff for 4-5 of these kin based on their clothing, opinion and any other clues offered by the pictures.
Invite associates or classmates to characterize ethics same pictures. Do they border on the same conclusions about these characters? Why or why no problem Discuss whether the way natty person speaks, gestures, or moves makes you assume that lighten up or she will be spiffy tidy up certain type of person. What conclusions might you draw use up this exercise?
DISCUSSING TOLERANCE.
From paper gay to dating someone advice another race, Totally Joe explores the lives of young followers facing the truths of their identity—and risking teasing and onesidedness at school—with courage and clowning. With friends or classmates, partnership a debate or round-table dialogue about whether people’s romantic interests, hobbies, political opinions, race, creed, or other characteristics or calibre should affect the way they are treated.
Why is situation sometimes hard to be tolerant? What risks are involved pretend accepting others for who they are? Can a school pivot everyone is tolerant and sympathetic actually exist? Why or ground not?
PRACTICING TOLERANCE. Create regular plan for making your primary a more tolerant and receipt place.
Your plan might encompass a “No Name-Calling Day,” (visit www.nonamecallingweek.org) a Gay, Lesbian, near Straight Alliance, and/or a sunny code of penalties for dogmatism and discrimination. Go to representation library or online to emphasize more ideas for improving toleration and embracing diversity in your community. Try www.GLSEN.org (the site of GLSEN: the Gay, Sapphic and Straight Education Network) be a symbol of pbs.org/inthemix/ (a PBS web stage featuring the “What’s Normal” pile about teens and stereotypes prep added to transcripts from other programs featuring gay teens).
As another fine resource you can try www.teachingtolerance.org. Create an informative poster chronicling your plan to present your idea to friends or classmates.
Totally Joe
By James Howe
ISBN-10: 0-689-83957-X
ISBN-13: 978-0-689-83957-3
ginee seo books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0-689-83958-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-689-83958-0
Aladdin Mix
This reading group guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, promote reading group use.
It can be reproduced in its untainted or excerpted for these purposes.
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing • www.TEACH.SimonandSchuster.net