Forget Me Not

Terry introduces one of Calli’s tics—pulling her hair—before she tells the reader about Calli’s Tourette syndrome. Why do you think Terry chose to deliver the information in this order?

Some of Calli’s poems are concrete poems: The words take the physical shape of the subject of the poem. Identity two of these poems. How does the physical shape of the poem contribute to its meaning?

What is the significance of Calli’s poppy flower throughout the novel?

Compare and contrast two adult characters in the novel. What does the novel suggest about adult figures in children’s lives?

Calli’s doctor tells her that Tourette syndrome is often misunderstood due to its misrepresentation in media such as movies. How does Terry’s representation of Tourette’s differ from how it is presented in other popular media?

Calli and Jinsong both experience bullying: Calli for her Tourette syndrome and Jinsong for his Chinese heritage. Choose another middle grade novel that addresses bullying. How similarly and/or differently do this novel and Forget Me Not explore this issue?

Poppies, hair, the moon, and rocks are all recurring images in Forget Me Not. Identify another recurring image in the novel and describe its development across the text. What does it signify? How does Terry use it in poem chapters? In prose chapters?

Calli wants to go to the moon, though the book doesn’t specify what kind of work Calli would like to do on the moon. How does the novel’s discussion of the moon and space relate to its main themes?