1. “Dear Bully” What is a little surprising about the bully situation in the first entry? Evaluate the ending of the entry; What is ironic about the way it ends? How does the ending fit the old saying “don’t judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes”?

2. “Love Letter to my Bully” How is this entry different from the first entry, “Dear Bully”? Think about what is written, but also think about tone, mood, etc… How is it similar? Which of these two women do you believe was affected more by their experience? Why? Which has dealt better with the experience? Why? “…it is your adversaries that strengthen you, that toughen you, that sharpen you, that force you to be the best you can be, to keep trying no matter how difficult the task or unachievable the goal, to prove them wrong.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? What other forces drive us to success (or failure)? Have you ever been in a classroom where you thought the teacher was afraid of the bully? Has anyone ever told you to “stand up for yourself”?

3. “Dear Audrey” Who do you get the feeling the author blames for her bullying situation? How do you know this (evidence)? Have you ever seen this type of bullying? Why is it in many cases just as damaging as physical bullying?

4. “Slammed” “I thumbed through the book and saw your handwriting on every page. You hated so many people, but most of all, I think you hated yourself.” How true do you think this statement is of most bullies? What is it that she thought she lost but realizes she never really had? Why do you think people do this sort of thing? Have you ever seen a “Slam Book” or something like it?

5. “My Apology” “The vultures begin to squawk. They want action. They thirst for it.” Analyze this quote; who are the “vultures”? What impact do “vultures” have on bullying? Are they the same as bystanders? What do you make of the chronology of the entry? What’s with the 30 years between incident and apology? Was this really an apology?

6. “Dear Samantha” Any one know what “gnōthi seafton” means? Do you think (most) young people’s lack of understanding of “who they are” contributes to the empowerment of bullies?

7. “Stench” Why was Michael Henry nicknamed “Stench”? What do you think is the main point of this entry? “What I Wanted to Tell You” Why was she kicked out of the inner circle? Why was she welcomed back? Why would someone who had been through this act as if nothing ever happened? “Subtle Bullying” What form does the bullying take in this entry? To what was Rachel addicted? Why? Ultimately, what had to change in order to end the bullying? What is it about this type of situation that’s so dangerous?

8. “What I Wanted to Tell You” Why was she kicked out of the inner circle? Why was she welcomed back? Why would someone who had been through this act as if nothing ever happened?

9. “Subtle Bullying” What form does the bullying take in this entry? To what was Rachel addicted? Why? Ultimately, what had to change in order to end the bullying? What is it about this type of situation that’s so dangerous?

10. Hiding Me BEFORE READING! What thoughts do you have regarding the entry based on the title alone? What do you predict the entry might be about? What was not “stereotypical” about this particular bullying incident? According to the author, what was his passion and how did that make him a target? How does the author excuse the bullying behaviors? Finally, how does the author stop the bullying? How does this relate to the title of the entry? Were you close with your prediction?

11. Midsummer’s Nightmare In the first nightmare the author sees herself in the dream as “a girl about my age, thin and stringy, almost hollow.” Explain how this is a fitting description of her. Use at least one piece of evidence from the text to support your answer! “I’ve also learned that we tend to seek out people who mirror our opinions of ourselves.” -What does this mean to you? How do the men she ends up in relationships “mirror” her? “Relationships are not math son; two halves rarely, if ever, make a whole” -What does this gobbledygook mean? Find one quote from the entry that illustrates she needs someone there to make her feel good about herself. Finally, look at the second to last paragraph. Which sentence best describes what changed in her so that she could have better relationships in the future? Have you ever had a situation where “the inner voice” kept you out of trouble?

12. BFFBOT.COM What is “bffbot.com”? Why is it so important to the author? What is happening to the author at school? Analyze the brother’s behavior; could this be considered bullying? Why or why not?

13. An Innocent Bully What is the overall mood of this entry? Use examples from the text to prove your answer. Explain the irony of the title of the entry. Why does the author say their bully is innocent? This text is completely italicized which usually means that it is a thought inside the author’s head. If the author would’ve actually said her thoughts aloud, do you think her situation would have played out differently? Why or why not?