Reading Guide Questions

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Ginny's lack of emotional attachment to the people in her life makes her seem cold and unfriendly. Do you consider her to be an unfriendly person? How do you think Ginny might define the word "friend"?
2. Ginny appears to be completely uninterested in romance. How do you envision her romantic life as an adult?
3. Do you think the Moons acted reasonably with regard to Ginny before and after Wendy was born? If you had to step into the shoes of Brian and Maura Moon, and perceived your adopted child as a possible threat to your biological child, what would you do?
4. Patrice makes some pointed observations about the Moons, especially Maura. Do you think her observations are accurate? Are her interactions with Ginny appropriate?
5. Do you as a reader become more or less sympathetic toward Maura when she is forced to increase her interaction with Ginny after Brian's heart attack?
6. What do you think of Gloria's character? How would you describe Ginny's feelings toward her? How is Gloria perceived differently through Ginny's eyes and the other adults' eyes?
7. Do you think Rick would make a good dad? Why or why not?
8. When the Moons and Patrice finally realized why Ginny was so concerned about her "baby doll," were you surprised? How did their original dismissal of Ginny's obsession make you feel?
9. What is Ginny's greatest personal strength? At what point(s) were you disappointed with her?
10. What stereotypes surround people on the autism spectrum? To what extent does Ginny fulfill or defy such stereotypes?
11. At the end of the book, did you feel that Ginny had evolved? What about Maura? In what ways do you think they both still have progress to make? Were you surprised by the way the story concluded?

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