“When it comes to reading people,” Valerie fears, “I’m an F student.” [p. 50] She had been thinking of Nick, but who are the other people in her life she thoroughly misreads?
Discuss the changing nature of Valerie’s relationship with Jessica Campbell. Why was Jessica on the Hate List? After the shooting, why does Jessica reach out to Valerie? Why is Valerie reluctant to befriend Jessica?
After the shooting, Garvin High adopts strict new security measures. Do your students think they were warranted? Would they feel safer in such an environment? Would you in your own high school?
Being an open campus makes our high school unique. Are the security measures at Northtown sufficient enough to keep students safe? Why or why not?
Valeria did put Jessica on the Hate List. She was the one that gave Valeria that horrible nickname Sister Death. That was the reason that Nick tried to kill Jessica during the shooting. But was saved when Valeria tried to stop Nick and was shop in the thigh. I think the main reason that Jessica wanted to be friends with Valeria was because Valeria saved her. Should would have died if Valeria didn’t stop Nick from shooting. I also think she wanted redemption for what she had done to Valeria in the past. She blames herself for making Valeria’s life awful. At first Valeria was taken back by the offer of friendship that Jessica was giving. Since even her other friends from before the shooting wouldn’t even look at her. But as the book progresses she takes a liken to Jessica and before she knows it she thinks as Jessica as a friend.
Valerie misreads everyone. She has this list of people she hates, but doesn’t really think of them as people. She never considers -until much later – that they have lives and problems of their own.
Jessica reaches out to Valerie because she believes she saved her life on purpose and they were meant to be friends. However, Valerie still remembers her cruelty, and is afraid to connect to anyone for fear of messing up again.
I think Northtown is pretty darn safe, since there’s a police station across the street. I feel like lots of security just makes you more nervous.