Pre-Reading

Pre-Reading Instructions

1. Who is an adult mentor in your life that is NOT a parent? Describe him/her.
2. What were that person's expectations or goals for you?
3. Describe one event or discussion that you've experienced with this person. How did it impact you?
4. Do you believe you would be a different person without the influence of your mentor? Why or why not?
5. Describe a time in your life when you wished you could speak to an adult, but felt like no one would understand.
6. Would you change any decisions you've made if you had the advice of an adult?
7. What do you expect the adult mentors in these novel to be like?

1. My grandmother was always my mentor. She was born in France and lived there until her early twenties. She spoke with a French accent her whole life. Her house was always open and her fridge was always full. She was always willing to cook a meal for anyone at the drop of a hat. Her caring, welcoming, supportive nature was both inspirational and comforting.
2. Her expectations were never rigorous. If anything, she was always the one urging me to slow down, relax and take time out for things outside my busy itinerary. Her one goal for me was to keep a close link with our family in France - to be the one who kept speaking, visiting and writing letter after she was gone.
3. She would always talk to me about her life in France and show me pictures and letters from our family that was still there. I loved the idea that I had a personal connection with people in another country. It was her influence that drove me to study the language and want to travel. In 2001, I had the opportunity to travel with her to France. I got to see the country through her eyes. This trip stands out to me because it was a physical connection with her past and my future. It gave me a sense of personal history and a desire to continue the family connection through me and eventually through my children.
4. Yes, I would be a completely different person! I cannot imagine my childhood without her. I feel like she is still part of who I am today as an adult.
5. I was pretty depressed as a freshman in high school. I used to wish I could share that with, of all people, my coach. I didn't know how he would respond and I felt like I was being childish, so I never talked to him.
6. I don't think I would have changed any decisions. However, I think if my high school teachers had pushed me harder, I wouldn't have such a procrastination problem today!
7. I expect these adults to be, more than anything, fun. I think kids in novels seem to respond to adults that act like them and just seem to have fun instead of being serious all the time.