I Am J Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Reviews |  Beyond the Book |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

I Am J by Cris Beam

I Am J

by Cris Beam
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (6):
  • First Published:
  • Mar 1, 2011, 352 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Nov 2012, 352 pages
  • Rate this book

  • Write a Review

About this Book

Book Club Discussion Questions

Print PDF



For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Transgender Teens and Bullying and our BookBrowse Review of I Am J.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Discussion Questions

  1. Describe J. What makes him a dynamic character? Is he the type of person you would want to befriend? Why or why not?
  2. How would you describe J's family? Are they in any way similar to your own? If so, in what ways?
  3. In I Am J, fear both motivates and incapacitates J. Consider how he deals with his fears. In what ways does he acknowledge them? Is he able to turn to others for help? What are the consequences of his reactions?
📖

Get the full reading guide

Join BookBrowse free to unlock all 20 discussion questions, author background, themes, and more for I Am J.

Join free — it takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in →

  1. How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
  2. What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
  3. Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?


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

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $60 for 12 months or $20 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Reviews

Beyond the Book:
  Transgender Teens and Bullying

Read-Alikes

Win This Book
Win Theo of Golden

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…

Enter

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    Chelsea Girls
    by Catherine Lloyd
    A glamorous biographical novel on Mary Quant, whose daring design of the miniskirt revolutionized fashion.
  • Book Jacket
    Merry-Go-Round Broke Down
    by David Woo, Margalit Shinar
    Nine linked stories reveal how globalization sparks life-changing consequences across continents.
  • Book Jacket
    Days of Sun and Shadow
    by India Hayford
    A young woman’s coming-of-age story set in the early American frontier, shaped by tragedy, nature, and resilience.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket
    An Infinite Love Story
    by Chanel Cleeton
    “A tender, romantic drama that soars as high as it’s astronauts.” —Kate Quinn
    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket
    Summer of Love
    by Kerri Maher
    Three women reshape their family's Napa Valley winery after the 1967 Summer of Love.
    Read the Reviews
Book
Trivia
  • Book Trivia

    Can you name the title?

    Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

The C is A R

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.