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Reading Group Guide

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Reading Group Guide

Description

Since joining Rachel Jackson's after-school church group, Alexis, Jasmine, Camille, and Angel have become the best of friends. Between mentoring local elementary school girls and spending many a sleepover sharing juicy gossip, these four friends are practically sisters. But when Alexis and Jasmine get caught up in their own problems, will they drag their friends into trouble, too?

Rich girl Alexis has the perfect life, but things aren't always what they seem. While the world outside sees a happy, loving family, Alexis watches as her mother and father grow more distant and cold, leaving her afraid that her parents might file for divorce. Determined to keep her family together, Alexis will do whatever it takes to fix their marriage, even if it means doing something drastic to get their attention.

Meanwhile, Jasmine is used to being the glue that keeps her family together, looking after her siblings and cleaning the house while her mother works back-to-back jobs. Tired of being a babysitter and housekeeper extraordinaire, Jasmine decides to move in with her father. But the change of pace isn't all it's cracked up to be, as she uses her newfound free time to steal a dress for the school dance.

Reading Group Discussion Questions

1. Discuss the different family problems that Jasmine and Alexis face. Which girl faces the more difficult challenges? How do they each search for support?
2. Discuss the evolution of how Jasmine views her father. How does her opinion and understanding of him change throughout the course of the book? What are the biggest factors influencing the way she thinks about him?
3. Mrs. Lansing made the difficult decision to place her daughter Sharon in a home. She says that she did not have a choice (p. 71), but did she? What were the direct and indirect consequences of her actions? Did others in the Lansing family have a role in her decision-making process?
4. Because her mother works long hours to support them, Jasmine often relies on her extended family network. What specific means of support do her aunt, grandmother, and brothers and sister offer her? What about her friends at Good Girlz?
5. Money and theft are major themes in the story. Do Jas mine and Alexis think of money differently? Do you think it's odd that Alexis, whose family has money, is an instigator in their plot to steal?
6. Is Jasmine's new relationship with Donovan a positive or negative influence on her life? How does the relationship make her think and act differently than she did before?
7. Jasmine's father lies to her about his knowledge of her existence and Jasmine's mother fails to tell her the entire truth. Which is worse? How does each parent's version of the story influence what happens to Jasmine and how she makes decisions?
8. Was Donna Sanders wrong to make her husband choose between her and his newborn daughter? Donna is a religious person-is such an ultimatum a religious approach to the problem?
9. Does Frank Sanders love his daughter Jasmine or does he accept her out of guilt? As an administrator in the school system is he a good role model?
10. Do you think that Trina deserves to go to prison? If not, what would be a just punishment?
11. Many of the characters make very questionable decisions. Which one affected you the most? If you could have one character make a different decision, which would it be?
12. What does the title Blessings in Disguise refer to? What are the many blessings Jasmine has throughout the entire story, but fails to see until the end?
13. Is there a concrete lesson to be learned at the end of the story? What is it? Is there more than one lesson? If so, which is more important?

Enhance Your Book Club

1. The Good Girlz is a great way for young people to work together for the betterment of the community. Have your reading group work with a local church or community youth group and lead them in a reading and discussion of Blessings in Disguise.
2. Because of Hurricane Katrina, Donovan had to move to the Houston area for school. Work with your reading group to donate to the Red Cross at redcross.org or find other methods to support the gulf coast recovery effort.
3. Feeling creative? Have a group member draw a sketch for every major scene in the book. Before you know it you'll have your very own comic book!