A Good Neighborhood

What types of racism are portrayed in the novel? What messages is the author trying to impart?

Why did Juniper take the purity pledge? How and why did her feelings about the pledge change?

Does Brad have redeeming qualities? Who is the author targeting or criticizing through her portrayal of Brad? What changes do you think the author hopes to inspire by creating the character of Brad?

Describe the environmental messages within the book. What calls to action regarding nature does the author include? How does she use the characters and the plot to develop environmental themes, and what is her purpose in doing so?

How are Xavier and Tom alike and different? How does Xavier feel about Tom?

How are Juniper and Valerie alike? How are they different? What do they want for Xavier, and how do they respond to his death?

How was Julia’s life different after she met Brad? Does her past experience with poverty affect her marriage? Do you think she would have blamed Juniper or Brad if she had known the truth sooner about the uninvited kiss?

Why did the author write this book? What are the novel’s main messages or goals? How does directly addressing readers impact the effectiveness of those messages?