Wolves+of+Mercy+Falls+Series

Discussion Questions

 * 1) The teens that were turned into wolves all faced difficult personal and home situations. Using evidence from all three books, explain how each one feels that becoming a wolf would fix his or her problems. (RL.1, 2, 3, 6, 9)
 * 2) Learning coping skills is an essential part of emotional growth. Throughout the series there is a lack of good parental role models. Give examples from the books that show how the adults let their children down. (RL.1, 3, 9)
 * 3) What are some other books that feature werewolves? How are the wolves of Mercy Falls different from other portrayals of werewolves? (RL.1, 9; W.3, 4, 9)
 * 4) Love and wanting to be loved is a prevalent theme throughout the series. Children want to be loved by parents. Teens want to be loved by siblings and peers. Adults want the love of their children. Give an example of each from the series. (RL.2, 9)
 * 5) Only being human for part of the year would have its advantages and disadvantages. Discuss three pros and three cons of living as both a wolf and a human. Use at least one example from each book to back up your answers. (RL.1, 9)
 * 6) Sam feels that shifting is horrible. He is terrified to lose his humanity, whereas other wolves like Beck, Ulrick, Shelby, Cole, and even Grace and Olivia seem much more comfortable when they become wolves. Using examples from all three books, cite evidence depicting how each one feels about shifting. (RL.1, 6, 9)
 * 7) Each chapter in //Shiver// begins with the current temperature. How does knowing the temperature add to the story? Why didn’t the author use any temperatures at the beginning of each chapter in//Linger// and //Forever?// (RL.1, 5, 9)
 * 8) Officer Koenig had heard tales about humans turning into wolves from his father. How would things have been different for the pack if Tom Culpeper had known of these stories? Would it have made life easier or harder for the wolves? (RL.1, 3, 9)
 * 9) Change is a theme that runs through the books. How did the following characters’ views change over time: Sam, Grace, Beck, Cole, Olivia, Isabel, and Rachel? (RL.1, 2, 3, 9)
 * 10) Beck talked to Grace about the pros and cons of being a wolf. What did he confess was going to be his greatest regret when he was no longer able to be a human? Citing specific examples from//Shiver//, explain why. (RL.1, 2, 3)
 * 11) Isabel and Grace seem like an unlikely duo. Isabel’s attitudes toward school, Mercy Falls, and fashion are the opposite of Grace’s. What does each gain from the friendship? (RL.1, 3)
 * 12) Both Grace and Sam have a hard time calling the place that they were raised “home.” Why? Where do Sam and Grace consider home? (RL.1, 2, 3)
 * 13) Sam surrounded himself with literature and poetry and often quoted Roethke. Use examples from the book to explore the reasons why Sam liked Roethke’s writings. How did Roethke’s words help Sam cope with the following aspects of his life: his childhood, being a wolf, his feelings for Grace, and his growing anger with Beck? (RL.1, 3, 4, 5, 9)
 * 14) Who do you think played the biggest role in saving the wolves from Tom Culpeper? Why? Do you think anyone could have done more? Use examples from //Forever// to back up your findings. (RL.1, 3)
 * 15) Opposing forces such as life and death, truth and lies, winter and summer, love and hate, acceptance and rejection, and selflessness and selfishness can be found throughout the book. Tell how each of the following characters had to choose between two of these forces: Sam, Grace, Beck, Cole, and Isabel. (RL.1, 2, 3, 4)
 * 16) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Compare and contrast how Cole is depicted in the previous books (//Shiver//, //Linger//, and //Forever//) to his portrayal in //Sinner//. (RL.3)
 * 17) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Throughout //Sinner//, the author uses words and phrases commonly associated with wolves and dogs to describe human characters and their actions. Why do you think she does this? Find three of these instances and explain how each word choice impacts the meaning and tone of the passage. (RL.4)
 * 18) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Why do you think the author chooses to structure //Sinner// with narration alternating between Cole and Isabel? Do you think this style of storytelling works for //Sinner//? Why or why not? Choose your favorite chapter from //Sinner// and rewrite it in the third person point of view. (RL.5; W.4)
 * 19) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Using specific details from the book, examine how the following themes are portrayed throughout //Sinner//: authenticity, trust, escape, and change. Then choose two of these themes and describe how they relate to each other in at least two different points of the story. (RL.2)
 * 20) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Many of the characters in //Sinner// deal with feelings of loneliness throughout the story. Using specific examples from the book and your own conclusions, choose one character and analyze how he or she deals with being alone. (RL.1, 3)