In Chapter 3, Naomi shares that one of Gram’s favorite sayings is “the good and bad of any situation [are] sometimes the same.” Naomi’s list of examples includes their mother coming back. The novel progresses from that inciting incident to its conclusion. What is the good and bad of Skyla’s, or Terri Lynn’s, return? How do the positives and negatives of the situation contribute to Naomi’s and Owen’s character development?

Teaching Suggestion: Students can use this plot-driven prompt to reflect on the text. Teachers might also extend this discussion to make the reflections personal, prompting students to write about a situation that was both good and bad and how that situation helped them to grow.

Differentiation Suggestion: Visual and English language learners might benefit from the use of a graphic organizer as they develop their ideas. Consider providing students with a T-chart where they can list the positives of Skyla’s return on one side and the negatives on the other. English language learners might also benefit from sentence starters, such as those listed below: 

• One positive outcome of Naomi’s mother coming back is…
• This outcome helped Naomi to change because…
• One negative result of Naomi’s mother coming back is…
• This outcome forced Naomi to change by….