Resources

Romalyn is available for participation with book clubs. To schedule: Romalyn@aol.com

On the surface, the main characters are very different, in terms of life experience and temperament. Are there similarities?

Do you identify with one of the characters more than the others?

Did you like one of the characters most, wish you could sit and quilt or have coffee? Was there a character who annoyed you?

Who would you cast as the main characters, if you were making a movie?

What scenes resonated with you most?

Have you had to recover from emergencies? Disappointments? Found resources you didn't know were available?

Did you learn anything new/surprising about the Carnegie library movement?

Did you learn anything new/surprising about Kansas history?

Do you see comparisons in what women do in communities today? Can you give an example of a "small" action that grew into something huge?

Does gender play a role in how people tackle challenges? If so, how?

What element did the teens bring to this novel?

How does this novel portray mothers? What does it say about motherhood?

How do secrets transform this story?

What do you think art is?

What transformed these women's lives: art, the tornado, the community, hope--or some mixture of them all?