1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Throughout the novel, did the town’s treatment of any of the women who defy traditional gender and racial stereotypes shock you? Why or why not?
• How did you feel about the main character, Alice, as the book progressed? Did your opinions of her change as her character grew?
• After its release, this novel was criticized by Kim Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Richardson advanced allegations of plagiarism for the books’ similarities in plot, setting, and characters, though the allegations did not progress. Consider doing a paired read between The Giver of Stars and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and comparing the two. What different ideas and themes do the novels have to offer?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

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

• Alice learns from an unexpected mentor, Margery. Have you had an unexpected or unconventional mentor in your life, and what did you learn from them?
• Alice joins the Pack Horse Library because she feels stagnant in a boring town and a loveless marriage, though marrying and taking care of domestic affairs was what was expected of women in the United States in the 1930s.