Reading Guide

1.    Losing the ability to get help from their families limited the options for Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon. How does your family support you during hard times?   Who would you turn to if your family was unable to help?

 

2.    In what ways did Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon watch out for one another?  What have you done recently to show loyalty to a friend?

 

3.    Between Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon, who would you most want as a friend?  Why?

 

4.    Trust was a big issue in this story. Why did the kids trust Mrs. White?  How did she lose that trust?  Why did they trust Sebastian?  Why did they trust John? Who did you trust most as a reader?  Why?

 

5.    The kids in the story had to deal with bullies. Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon used a passive approach, giving in to their demands. Nate stood up to them—and sometimes suffered unhappy consequences.  What do you think is the best approach for handling bullies?

 

6.    Which of the magic candies in the book would you want most?  Which would you want least?  Why?

 

7.    If you could invent a type of magic candy, what magical ability or power would it have?  What would you call it?

 

8.    What do you imagine the pets you know would say if given Brain Feed?

 

9.    If you had an endless supply of Ironhide jawbreakers, what profession would you choose?  Why?

 

10. If you had a bag of magical candy corn that had the power of suggestion, who would you talk to?  What would you say?

 

11. Sweet Tooth’s white fudge was extremely addictive, thus compelling customers to want more.  What treat or food do you find addictive? How many days could you go without eating it?

 

12. Do your parents pay enough attention to you, or does it seem like they’re eating too much white fudge?  Explain.  If you could spend the whole day with your mom or dad, what would you do?

 

13. If you knew you were going to be trapped inside the mirror world for an indefinite period of time and could bring only what you could fit inside your school backpack, what would you bring?

 

14. If you could go back to any time in your life for an hour, what time would you visit?  What would you change or do?

 

15. Do you think it would be ethical to give Clean Slates to people convicted of certain crimes?  Why or why not?