Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey

1. What can we learn about Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart through the "hard things" they ask of each other?
2. The novel is told from three points of view: Daphne, June, and Lanier. Why do you think the author chose these three characters? How would the story have changed if different characters' perspectives were included?
3. Discuss June's choice not to seek custody of Daphne when Daphne was younger. Do you agree with this choice? Why or why not?
4. Daphne goes back and forth in her opinion on whether people can change. On page 242 she says, "I haven't changed. Maybe I can't. Maybe no one can." Do you think people can change? Do you agree with Daphne that she doesn't change throughout the novel?
5. If you were in Daphne's situation, would you have shown up to Lanier's wedding invitation sendoff after what happened at family camp? Do you think Daphne's decision to tell Lanier about Bryce was the right one?
6. On page 250, Lanier tells Huff that she lied and facilitated his breakup with Daphne seven years ago because she was trying to protect him. What do you think of this decision: was it justified, or was Lanier out of line? Take a few minutes to discuss both sides of the argument.
7. The power of friendship is an important theme throughout the novel. What can we learn from the songbirds' friendships and how loyal they are to each other through every stage of their lives?
8. Daphne is open about how her mother's addiction and her father's aloof behavior have informed her personality and how she approaches relationships. What examples of these effects can we see throughout the novel? In what ways can we see Daphne's growth by the end?
9. Many of the characters keep secrets from each other. Paula and John kept Melanie's relapse a secret, Lanier kept secrets from both Huff and Daphne about why their relationship ended the first time, Daphne and Lanier share a secret about the accident at Daphne's father's house, and more. How do these secrets inform the characters' relationships and how they handle the events of the novel?
10. On page 263, June says to Daphne, "I don't trust myself enough to take risks, so I stay at camp all year instead of interacting with friends in town." Why do you think June is afraid of taking risks? What risks does she end up taking in the novel?
11. On page 184, Daphne says to Huff, "There's something about the river that washes everything away. All the bad stuff. All the pain. All the fear." Later, on page 335, she walks onto Huff's porch and says that she believes the river "carries our secrets, our scars, our greatest joys, and our biggest hopes." Discuss the significance of the river at Camp Holly Springs and throughout the novel. What does it mean to each character?
12. Lanier struggles to reconcile Daphne and Huff's adult relationship with Daphne's history of substance abuse. When is it important to keep a friend's past in mind, and in what situations should you put it behind you?
13. Discuss the idea that summer is a time of renewal, a time when "anything could happen" (page 342). Why do the songbirds feel this way? Do you agree?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Gallery Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.