Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Why do Matthew and Emily react differently to the Crane family’s constant moving?

• What differences in their circumstances and personalities cause the two siblings to respond differently to the family’s moves? (topic sentence)
• Offer evidence from the story that shows how their circumstances differ; then offer evidence from the story that shows how their personalities differ.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, show how these differences between the two siblings lead them to respond differently to the family’s frequent moves, and comment on how this relates to the novel’s theme of Stability Versus Adventure.

2. Besides Emily, are there other characters in this book who have something to learn about what it means to be a good friend?