What role does friendship play in the lives of Raymie, Louisiana, and Beverly? Are there any characters in this book whom you would like as a friend? Why or why not?
-They have a rough friendship. Beverly is tough on all of them. Louisiana is always so positive. Raymie is always the average: Beverly is like one side of her personality and Louisiana is like the other side.
-They didn't expect to become friends at the beginning of the book
-I'd like Louisiana as a friend because she's so positive.
-I feel like I'm a little related to Beverly. I can be tough like her.
Magical thinking is the belief that a thought, action, or event can cause something else to happen without any logical reason for that to be true—for example, the belief that wearing a certain shirt will make your favorite sports team win a game, or that avoiding stepping on cracks will keep something bad from happening. There are many examples of magical thinking in Raymie Nightingale. How many can you identify?
-She thought if she won the Miss Florida Tire contest, she would get her picture in the paper, become famous and her dad would come back.
-Raymie said to herself that she knew she wasn't getting her dad back but she's still going to try.
-Beverly thinks that her dad will come back or that she can find him.
-Beverly thought she could see NYC from the top of a tower (in Florida).
-Louisiana thought that Archie would come back.
What three words would you use to describe Raymie? Louisiana? Beverly? Describe how the traits of these characters come to life in the book.
-Raymie: quiet, smart, independent. Louisiana: bright, bubbly, positive. Beverly: mean, hateful, has a good side
Over the course of the story, each of the Three Rancheros has the opportunity to move from being powerless to taking action. How do Raymie, Louisiana, and Beverly each take charge in their lives?
-Raymie takes charge by realizing that life will not be perfect and her father will not come back. Louisiana takes charge by winning the competition. Beverly gives others the chance to be nice to her.
Which character seems to be the most changed by the story’s end?
-Raymie. Because she goes from being lonesome, Beverly-Louisiana kind of girl, and then she goes to saving Louisiana's life.
The secondary characters in Raymie Nightingale are beautifully portrayed. What are your impressions of Mrs. Borkowski, Mrs. Sylvester, Louisiana’s grandmother, Raymie’s mother, Alice Nebbley at the nursing home, Ruthie, and Ida Nee? Why are these characters important? What do they bring to the story?
-Borkowski is crazy, Mrs. Sylvester is an adult version of Louisiana, Ida Nee was not responsible
A question that echoes throughout Raymie Nightingale is “What is life all about?” Does the story give us answers?
-Life is crazy
-Life can be messed up
-Life isn't always what you expect it to be
Raymie often describes having the feeling that her soul is shrinking. What do you think she means by this? What do you think she feels in those moments when she says her soul is inflating or growing bigger?
-She has a very strong conscience
-Her soul is shrinking because she's depressed.
In December, we will be reading The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. We will be meeting on Wednesday, December 14 at 3:00 p.m. Please be sure to pick up your copy of the book and to register at the Circulation Desk so Miss Lisa knows how many snacks to buy!
