Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your favorite storyline in the book? Why did this aspect of the novel appeal to you?

2. Would you say that this book has a happy ending? Why or why not?

3. How does Good Dirt compare to Black Cake, Wilkerson’s debut novel? If you haven’t read Black Cake, how does Good Dirt compare to American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (which also focuses on the experience of nonwhite groups in the US)?

4. Was there an episode, character, or chapter that you feel the book didn’t need? Explain your reasoning.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Which character did you find to be the most convincing or relatable? What do you like about them?

2. What did you think of the family’s relationship to Old Mo? Does your family have a similar heirloom or set of stories that you like to share with the world? To what extent do these stories define your family as a whole?

3. Ebby feels defined by the traumatic experiences that have happened to her.