Lost Girl Found

The main character and narrator of this book is a teenage girl who is a Sudanese civil war refugee. She has a happy, normal life which comes to an end when her village is destroyed by soldiers, and her family scatters. Ask the class: How might these circumstances affect them, and change their attitudes towards life?

Review the timeline of the conflict in the Sudan, located at the back of the book. Have students heard of any of these events?

Have students locate Sudan on a world map and consult the maps at the beginning of the book. As they read the novel, keep track of the places Poni’s travels take her.

This book is set in Sudan and East Africa. It is a world very different from the one in which students live. As students read the novel, instruct them to keep a list of words and phrases that are unfamiliar. Have them write down what they believe the meaning of the word or phrase is from context. Then have them consult the glossary in the back of the book, as well as other reference materials, to identify the literal meaning.

Many people in her life describe Poni as always running, always in a hurry. Have students review the text for references to her running and her haste. What does her tendency to run tell us about her character? How is this trait an advantage? How is it a disadvantage? How does Poni feel about this quality of her personality?

As a class, discuss the characters in the book. Which are major and which are minor? Work together to create a character map of Poni, using the following categories: her physical description, what she says, what she does and what others say about her. Using the character map of Poni as a guide, have each student create a character map of another major character in the story. Instruct students to cite specifics from the text. Break students into small groups to discuss their character maps. Then, come together as a class to review their work.

Poni learns many lessons from her mother about self-respect, education and more. She also learns how a woman is supposed to act in her culture. Have each student compile a list of the lessons Poni’s mother taught her. Come together as a class to discuss. How does Poni feel about her mother as a person? How does she feel about her as a parent? Now, working as a class, read the pages describing the phone call Poni has with her mother near the end of the story. What does Poni do? How does her mother react? What is the significance of the exchange?

Begin by asking students to think about the main themes of this story and come together to discuss their answers. Then have students choose one of the themes and write an essay discussing it. This essay should include a brief summary of the text, emphasizing the role of the selected theme, and a discussion of how it develops over the course of the story. What is the relationship of this theme to the characters, setting and plot? Have students cite specific evidence from the text to support their analysis.

Lost Girl Found is written in the first person with Poni as the point-of-view character. As a class, discuss the pros and cons of writing in first person, versus other points of view — third person, multiple viewpoints, etc. Have students re-write a passage or event from the book from a different point of view, such as from the point of view of a different character or in the third person. Working as a class, ask students to share and compare the re-written passages with the original text. How does the altered point of view change the way the story is told and read?

There are many pivotal scenes in this book. Some are exciting or terrifying, and some are quieter. As a class, make a list of the pivotal scenes. Then have each student select one of these scenes and write an essay describing its significance. What purpose does this scene serve in the greater framework of the book? What changes happen in the course of this scene? How does it move the story forward? What does it reveal about the characters involved? Be sure to cite specifics from the text. Break students into pairs and have them share their essays, revising their work based on peer feedback.

Throughout this book, Poni’s attitude towards school is consistent. In her village, she is one of the last girls to remain attending classes, and her thirst for education never dies. Poni finally does resume her education, when she lives and works with Sister Hannah. Break into small groups to discuss how school work takes on a different level of importance for Poni as opposed to the students who are reading the book. How does she view the opportunity to go to school? How does she take advantage of it? How is it a burden? Have students cite specifics from the text to support their answers. Come together as a class to share their insights.

Poni becomes friends with Nyanath, a girl at the school in Nairobi. At the beginning of the book, we also see her friendship with Nadai, who is forced into an arranged marriage. Break students into pairs. Have one of the pair focus on the friendship between Poni and Nadai. Have the other student examine the friendship between Poni and Nyanath. Have each pair create a chart to compare and contrast these two friendships. What kind of person is Poni’s friend? What happens to each friend in the course of the book? What lessons does Poni learn? What are the dynamics of their relationship? What roles do each serve in Poni’s life? Come together as a class and ask students to share their insights on these two relationships. What major themes of this work and large issues in Poni’s life are embodied in her friendships with each of these characters?

Lost Girl Found provides a realistic look at Poni’s experiences as a refugee. Life in the Kakuma refugee camp is very hard, and there is not much hope for the residents. In this camp, however, she makes the best of her situation. What does she do to improve her situation in camp? Does she always follow the rules? How does she ultimately leave the camp? As a class, list the things she does to improve her lot and ultimately save her own life. Be sure to cite specifics from the text.

Ask students to pretend they attend college in Colorado and Poni is one of their classmates: Write a letter home in which you describe what she is like, how she is different from you and what things you learn from her.

The authors’ note for Lost Girl Found provides some background on the real-world circumstances that lead to this book. Have students review this section and come together as a class to discuss. Why did the authors feel compelled to tell this story? Why do students think the authors chose to write a novel instead of a nonfiction book? The authors discuss the disparity in the treatment of girls and boys in Sudan. Did that come through in the text?

Have students conduct short research projects on a topic related to the book, using the internet and the extensive list of additional reading and viewing material at the back of the book. Assign specific topics to students or small groups. Have them write a brief paper summarizing their findings and present it to the class, using visual aids where appropriate to illustrate their points. Have students compare factual information to the descriptions found in the book. How is the historical view of events different from the one depicted in Lost Girl Found? How are they similar? Were there any surprises or new revelations?

Topics for further research could include: gender roles and arranged marriages in Sudanese society, the fate of the Lost Boys of Sudan, the forgotten Lost Girls of Sudan, Kakuma Refugee Camp, the role of the Red Cross in relief efforts, the Sudanese refugee population in major cities near your school (e.g., Chicago, Denver), terrain and climate in Southern Sudan and Northern Kenya, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, etc.