When Ms. Bixby tells the three narrators in Chapter 1 that scientists eradicated cooties in 1994, is she embracing Topher’s fantasy world, is she bringing him and the other children into the real world, or both?

In what way does each of the three narrators find his relationships with his parents to be inadequate, and how does this reflect their unique personalities and needs?

How did Ms. Bixby’s childhood disillusionment as a magician determine her attitude toward her students? In what way is Ms. Bixby still a magician?