My Life as a Book

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2010

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-7

Chapters 8-14

Chapters 15-22

Chapters 23-33

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

Why do you think Derek and children like him have an aversion to the type of reading that Derek’s teacher and mother want him to engage in? How does Derek deal with his aversion, and what does he learn about persistence?

How do Derek’s illustrations serve as a metaphor, plot device, characterization tool, and theme?

What does Derek learn about Susan, and how does his investigation become a journey of self-discovery?

How does the novel use humor to characterize Derek and his loved ones, and why did the author choose to juxtapose humor with more serious themes?

Janet Tashjian wrote My Life as a Book with the intention of providing reluctant readers with a unique type of novel that is approachable and interesting. Do you think she was successful in her intentions? Why or why not?

Derek has a special relationship with his dog, Bodi. What does this relationship reveal about Derek’s personality, and why is Bodi so important to Derek?

What does Derek learn from Pedro the helper monkey, and how does it shift his outlook on learning, mastery, and life?

How does Derek’s view of stories change, and what causes these changes?

Derek’s illustrations serve several purposes, both for him as a character and for the novel itself. How do the illustrations function within the novel, and what do they teach Derek?

10.

Derek is a 12-year-old boy caught between childhood and adolescence. What clues throughout the novel indicate this inner conflict? How does Derek react to the idea of growing up, and what does he learn about maturity over the summer?