Sassy Series #1- Little Sister Is Not My Name

Discussion Questions

Chapter 1 - Little Sister is not my name

1. What do you learn about Sassy and her older sister on the very first page?

2. What do you learn about Sassy and her older brother on the second page of the story?

3. What do you learn about Sassy on the first three pages of the story? 

4. Why is Sassy giving her family the silent treatment? Why don't they notice?

5. How did Sassy get her name? Do you think it fits her?

6. Describe her "Sassy Sack."

7. Describe all the things that she keeps in it, or that you think she might keep in it.

8. If you read all of Chapter One, you'll see a description of Sassy and her siblings. Write a description or draw a picture of Sassy, Sadora, and Sabin.

Chapter 2 - Breakfast at our Zoo

1. Tell what is revealed about the family as they eat breakfast together.

2. Why does Sabin tease his sisters?

3. Why is Sassy not noticed at the breakfast table?

4. How does Sassy spill the milk?

5. How does her mother react?

6. Describe Sassy's father.

7. Describe Sassy's mother.

8. How can you tell that Sassy and her sister are very close?

9. What happens when Sassy's friends see Sabin?

10. Find examples of Sassy finding useful items in her sack in chapter 2.

Chapter 3- Sassy's Dream School 

1. Describe Jasmine and Holly and Carmelita.

2. What happens on Monday in Sassy's dream school?

3. What happens on Tuesday in Sassy's dream school?

4. What happens on Wednesday in Sassy's dream school?

5. What happens on Thursday in Sassy's dream school?

6. What happens on Friday in Sassy's dream school?

7. What do Sassy's descriptions tell you about her imagination?

8. Describe your dream school.

Chapter 4 - Who am I? Who are You?

1. Why does Jasmine like Miss Armstrong?

2. How is Sassy and her sack helpful to her friends?

3. What makes Sassy and Jasmine crack up?

4. What does Miss Armstrong want the children to think about for their projects?

5. What do the children learn about their names?

6. What does everyone learn about middle names? If you have a middle name, tell what it is.

7. What does everyone learn about nicknames? If you have a nickname, tell what it is and how you got it.

8. What is Miss Armstrong's full name? How do the children react when they learn their teacher's name and nickname? 

9. What happens when some of the children combine the names of their mom and dad? Why are some of the combinations funny?

10. Make a prediction: What will happen to Travis?

Chapter 5 - Travis Wears a Chair

1. Describe in words what Travis looks like. You can also draw a picture of Travis as he is stuck in the desk.

2. How do you think Travis feels?

3. How do you think the other children feel?

4. How does Sassy help Travis? How do the other children help him?

5. Why does the teacher call 9-1-1?

6. Describe the two men who come to rescue Travis.

7. Why do you think they take his temperature?

8. How does Sassy and her sack help the teacher?

9. How does Travis get rescued?

10. How does the whole class get pizza?

Chapter 6 - Grammy's Here!

1. How does Sassy get home from school each day?

2. When Sassy opens her front door, what does she smell? What does that tell her?

3. Why is Sassy glad to see her grandmother?

4. Describe Sassy's grandmother. Draw a picture of Grammy.

5. What is special about the Grammy Bag? Why is it like the Sassy Sack?

6. What does Grammy bring as a gift for Sassy?

7. What is Grammy's job? 

8. Describe the family dinner. How can you tell the family is close?

9. What does Grammy tell everyone about why she is visiting? How does Sassy react?

10. Make a prediction. What will happen when Grammy gets to Sassy's school?

Chapter 7 - Grammy and Sassy Onstage 

1. What outfit does Sassy choose to wear on the day of Grammy's visit? Why can't she wear that outfit?

2. What does Grammy tell Sassy about clothes and style and feeling elegant?

3. Describe Grammy's rain stick and drum. Draw a picture.

4. What is Grammy's full name?

5. What do Sassy's friends think about Grammy?

6. What does Miss Armstrong tell Sassy about Grammy's visit?

7. How does Sassy introduce her grandmother to the children in the auditorium?

8. How does an item in Sassy's sack help her grandmother while she is on stage?

9. How does Grammy use her drum and rain stick in her presentation?

10. How does Sassy feel at the end of the day? Why?

Chapter 8 - Math Class and Mall Magic 

1. How does Sassy feel at school the next day?

2. Describe Mr. Olsen, the math teacher. Draw a picture. 

3. Why does Sassy have trouble in math class? Do you ever feel like that in a class?

4. Why is Sassy excited about the trip to the mall with Jasmine?

5. What does Sassy like best about the mall?

6. How does an item in Sassy's sack help Jasmine while they are at the mall?

7. Why does Sassy like The Name Store?

8. How does an item in Sassy's sack help Jasmine's mother while they are at the mall?

9. Describe a time when you have been shopping with a friend.

10. What does Sassy buy while they are at the mall?

Chapter 9 - Let's Go Out to Dinner 

1. Why does Sassy hate to see her grandmother leave?

2. What does Sassy choose to wear to their fancy dinner with Grammy?

3. Why does Sassy crack up at her family when they are all dressed up?

4. What restaurant are they going to? Where is it located?

5. Describe the fancy restaurant. Draw a picture.

6. What can they see from the windows of the restaurant?

7. What does Sassy order for her meal? Why does she feel special when she orders?

8. What does Sadora order to eat? What about Sassy's mom and dad and grandmother?

9. Tell everything that Sabin eats and drinks while they are at dinner.

10. Make a prediction: The family is stuck in the elevator. What will happen?

Chapter 10 - Stuck in the Elevator 

1. What is Sabin's problem?

2. Why can't they use Mom or Dad's cell phone? 

3. How does Sadora act when she finds out her cell phone does not work? 

4. What does Grammy suggest? 

5. Why does the family say no to her idea?

6. What does Sassy find in her sack that is helpful while they are trapped?

7. How big is the opening in the elevator door? Draw a picture.

8. How do Sabin's boots help?

9. How does Sassy feel as she is about to go through the opening?

10. Just before she leaves the elevator, what does Sassy ask her family to do?

11. Describe how you think Sabin feels as Sassy squeezes through the hole.

Chapter 11 - Can Sassy Save the Day? 

1. Describe Sassy's passage through the opening. Draw a picture.

2. What does Sassy discover when she gets out of the elevator?

3. What does Sassy see as she looks out of the window from her mom's office?

4. Who does Sassy meet in the hallway?

5. What was the cause of the power outage?

6. Why does Mr. Williams call Sassy a hero?

7. Who comes to rescue the family? How did they get up to the twenty-second floor?

8. Who runs out of the elevator first? Why?

9. Looking out of the window of Sassy's mom's office, what does it look like when the lights come back on?

10. How does the family get down to the very first floor?

Chapter 12 - Cameras and Questions

1. Who greets Sassy's family when they get outside?

2. Why do you think the reporters are there? Why?

3. How do you think Sassy feels about all the questions and cameras?

4. Why is Sassy worried about her hair and her dress? 

5. Why do you think Sabin feels embarrassed?

6. The reporters take lots of pictures. Which member of the family do the reporters seem take the most pictures of?

7. What does Grammy mean when she says, "Sometimes the best things come in small packages?"

8. How does Sassy feel when her father calls her "the woman of the hour?"

9. What does Sassy admit to the reporter?

10. Tell if you think Sassy is a hero. Why or why not?

Chapter 13 - Surprises

1. Why is Sassy sad about her grandmother's leaving?

2. What does Sassy find on page two of the morning newspaper?

3. What is funny about the headline, "Little Sister Saves Family?"

4. Sassy's name is the only one mentioned in the story. Sassy's picture is the only one printed in the paper. How do you think Sabin and Sadora feel about that?

5. Do you think Sassy feels like a hero? Why or why not?

6. What does Grammy give each child as she leaves for her airplane?

7. What does Grammy mean when she says, "Your name is your song, Sassy?"

8. Describe Sassy's first gift from Grammy.

9. Describe Sassy's second gift from Grammy.

10. How do you think make Sassy feel?

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Use the internet, or an encyclopedia, or books to find out more about the following:

A. Information to explore and discover. 

1. Cell phones

2. Lip gloss

3. School uniforms

4. School busses

5. Electrical blackouts

6. Elevator operations

7. Fancy restaurants

8. Mall operations

9. Family relationships

10. Grandparents

B. Jobs to explore:

1. Teacher or Principal

2. Newspaper Reporter

3. Storyteller

4. Make-up Artist

5. Fashion Designer

6. School Designer

7. Emergency Technician

8. Purse Designer

9. Photographer

10. Security Guard

C. Writing activities:

1. Draw a picture of your dream school. 

2. Write a story, with you as the main character. Write about your family.

3. Make up a story like Grammy tells. Draw a picture of something in your story.

4. Write a poem or story about being afraid.

5. Write a poem or story about friendship.

6. Write a poem or story about bravery.

7. Write a newspaper story about how Sassy and her family get rescued.

8. Write a story about how Sassy is treated when she gets to school the next day.

9. Write a poem or story about a restaurant, a shopping trip, or any family adventure.