Discuss the Story

Have you ever had a problem like Zeke’s?
What is a bully? Are the kids who called Zeke the N-word at his old school bullies?
What can Zeke do if he gets called names again?
Do you think Zeke talked to his family about being called names? How do you know?
As a class, discuss Zeke’s attitude throughout the book. When did it change? What happened? What kind of person do you think Zeke is? Ask students to give some examples from the story.
Did Zeke have to overcome any challenges in the story?
How do the other characters in the story feel about Zeke? What makes you think that?
Was it fair for Zeke to need to worry about being called names? How did this affect him at home and at school?
Do you think Zeke had to move to a new school because he was bullied? Was this fair to Zeke?
What would you do if saw someone getting bullied?
How can we be a good friend to someone who might be different than us?
Discuss how the illustrations are filled with detail and help convey the meaning of the story. Have students explain how the illustrations help tell the story, citing specific places in the story.