Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde -- November book choice

Pay It Forward

By: Catherine Ryan Hyde

As I was sitting here trying to figure out what book I needed to tackle for the month of November I came across the book 'Pay It Forward' that some how did not make it from my bedroom book pile into my classroom. 

I began doing some research about the book and found some really good discussion questions on www.litlovers.com. 

Discussion Questions
1. When Trevor first presents his Pay-It-Forward plan—as a way to change the world for the better—many dismiss it. Why? What does their dismissal say about Trevor's plan and what does it say about those wrote it off? Would you have dismissed Pay-It-Forward? (Be objective—pretend you've just learned of Trevor's project for the first time. What would have been your initial reaction?)

2. Eventually, Pay-It-Forward begins to work, creating a chain reaction and becoming a Movement. Why does the concept take hold? What is it about the plan that inspires people? Describe its basic idea and give it another name (rather than pay-it-forward).

3. Talk about Reuben St. Claire. What kind of teacher is he...and what kind of human being? Why might the author have created a character with a severe facial disfigurement? And what's the irony behind the name, St. Claire? Does he live up to his name?

4. What about Arlene, Trevor's mother? What kind of character is she? What does Trevor see in her that makes him believe, at heart, that she's a worthy individual who deserves better than she's got.

5. The story is told through various point-of-view devices: first- and third-person narrators, book excerpts, interview transcripts, journal entries, and central character shifts. Do Hyde's narrative techniques work? Do they enhance the story or make it confusing? Why might she have chosen to structure the novel in the way she did?

6. What about the book's ending? Sad, yes, but satisfying? Does Trevor become a martyr? Would you have preferred a different ending?

7. The figure of Chris, the journalist, and his role in the Movement is curious. Given our media culture, would Trevor's Pay-it-Forward plan have become a Movement without media attention? Will people recognize the inherent goodness of something, give it significance, unless it's surrounded by hype or media saturation? (A cynical, but perhaps an important, question.) Can you find examples either way?

8. If you were asked to come up with a project to make the world a better place...what ideas would you come up with?

9. Do you personally follow the Pay-it-Forward philosophy? Does this book inspire you—make you more aware of what you, individually, or all of us, collectively, could do—to improve the world?

10. Is this a religious book?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

Best I can tell there are a couple of versions of the book, one that is recommended for upper elementary students and one that has been adjusted for high school students. Since I teach 5th grade I am going with the version pictured above.

Of course I purchased my book from www.scholastic.com. It is clearly a site that I have an unnatural addiction to and will probably one day cause me to go bankrupt (kidding)! 

I am thinking this will be an excellent read aloud for my 5th graders for the month of November. Sticking with the theme of Caring (our Character Word for November) I think that this book will provide us with some great life lessons, character education opportunities, writing lessons in that the teacher gives her students the assignment of coming up with a plan to change the world. 

Stay tuned to find out what we do with this book!!!!