80 pages • 2 hours read
Barbara O'ConnorHow to Steal a Dog
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2007A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Reading Questions & Paired Texts
Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.
Chapters 1-7
Reading Check
1. Which friend does Georgina decide to hide her living situation from?
2. Whom does Georgina intend to steal from?
3. What is the name of the dog Georgina intends to steal?
4. Who writes a letter to Georgina’s mother?
Short Answer
Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What inspires Georgina to steal a dog, and for what purpose?
2. What social and emotional issues accompany Georgina’s poverty?
3. Why does Georgina feel the need to take matters into her own hands regarding her living situation?
4. Why does Georgina have conflicted feelings about her plan to steal a dog?
Paired Resource
- This 4-minute video explores the science behind and the purpose of empathy.
- Shared themes include Social Exclusion and Desperation, Relearning Unconditional Love after Abandonment, and Coping with Moral Dilemmas.
- Why is it important to develop empathy? How might situations in the novel play out differently if the characters were more empathetic toward one another? What ethical decisions might Georgina make if she were more empathetic?
