- Which of Benny’s characteristics helped her to be a good teacher and which of her characteristics hindered her as a teacher?
- What did you think of the idea of a Classroom Constitution? Did you have a favorite Article?
- How did The Underground Project help to engage the students and bring the community together?
- What did the blue beads Hannie’s mother gave her when they were separated in the slave trading yard represent?
- What did you think of the Lost Friends column in the Southwestern? Did it bother you that the newspaper required a fee for posting this type of advertisement? Did you think that the title of the column was accurate?
- What do you think it would have been like to be a former slave trying to reunite with family members after the Civil War?
- What did you think about Juneau Jane’s decision to create The Book of Lost Friends?
- How did you feel about Hannie’s decision to sneak onto the ship when she suspected that Juneau Jane and Lavina had been kidnapped?
- How did you feel about Hannie, Lavina, and Juneau Jane making the trek from Louisiana to Texas in an effort to mend their families?
- How does this story relate to current issues of race and discrimination in America?
- Who were your favorite characters in this story and what did you like about them?
- What did you think of the relationship between Benny and Nathan? What did they have in common?
- What surprised you about the way that this story ends? Do you think it is a realistic ending?
- What ways did the characters in this story work to know and to preserve their own family history?
